ZAPPA / MOI We're Only In It For The Money SUPERB EX++

	£		46
	$		61

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.25. Europe £12. Rest of World £16. ALL signed for. – NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P as low as possible after the very significant Royal Mail price increases.

Artist or Band: THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION

Album Title: We’re Only In It For The Money.

Cat Number: SELECT 2317 034.

Producer: Frank Zappa.

Executive Producer: Tom Wilson.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Are You Hung Up?; Who Need the Peace Corps; Concentration Moon; Mom and Dad; Telephone Conversation; Bow Tie Daddy; Harry, Your a Beast; What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body?; Absolutely Free; Flower Punk; Hot Poop.

Side 2: Nasal Retentive Calliope Music; Let’s Make the Water Turn Black; The Idiot Bastard Son; Lonely Little Girl; Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance; What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body (reprise); Mother People; The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny.

Label/Format: Verve – Silver and matt black finish with MGM credits and deep inner ring ridge. (Please see label scan).

Label Conditions: Both in superb condition with only very light, mostly fine and faint spindle marks. Side one has hardly any. This superb copy looks hardly played which is reitterated by top quality sound.

Rarity: My favourite album of all time: this is the very first issue Verve Select repress and briefly it still included front and back lamination. When originally conceived, this controversial cover was to be the perfect ‘Sgt Pepper’ parody, in other words, the female dressed Mothers were to appear inside the gatefold as per The Beatles on their famous album. This was objected too and the cover was reversed. This monumental album that over the years has actually gained in accolades for it’s importance (as has most this great man’s music). It was regarded by those, who cared to listen, as a classic from the outset and it’s reputation, importance and stark messages are as revelant today as they were back in the 60s. I have included with this groundbreaking set a repro insert which was taken from the Old Masters issue to make this album kind of ‘complete’. UK examples of this insert are near impossible to find as again they were objected too and withdrawn, even US versions are elusive. This insert is rarely seen in the full size format anywhere. The record is regarded as the ‘definitive’ version too with much of the censoring back in place that was deleted from the first pressing (details on this further down). The version I would prefer to hear for absolute pleasure.

Original Year of Release: September 1968. This copy was repressed in 1972 and is considerably different (and in my opinion, superior) to the 60s pressing.

Matrix Nos: 2317034 A // 1 420 1 1 2 and 2317034 B // 1 420 1 1 7

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 135 grams. Later Select pressings were much thinner and had much paler, almost grey labels.

Musicians: From left to right: Frank Zappa – Guitar, piano, vocals; Billy Mundi - drums, vocal; Bunk Gardner – All woodwinds, mumbled vocal; Roy Estrada – Electric bass, vocal; Don Preston - keyboards; Jimmy Carl Black (The Indian of the Group) – drums, trumpet, vocals; Ian Underwood - piano, saxophones. Motorhead Sherwood (not pictured on the front, he is seen face-on, on the red inside left) - soprano and baritone saxophones. Guest: Eric Clapton contributes some vocal parts including the ‘Are you Hung Up?’ introduction.

Brief Artist & Album Info: ‘Are you hung up’? - the famous opening line opening this psychedelic masterpiece. A priceless album and for me the greatest ever made. These early Zappa albums were treasured by the few and totally misunderstood by the majority – he put the sneer into underground rock. The brilliant satire of the Sgt Pepper cover should have guaranteed extra sales, but no. It failed to even chart in the UK, and only made 30 in his native America (US copies are easier to find). Zappa’s scathing wit homed in on modern middle-class America and the West Coast hippies and his fears of what was to later imerge. Nineteen amazing songs of avant garde rock, doo-wop, some almost routine pop and hilarious dialogue, which was so hip it has never dated. Zappa made us confront the obvious, and the results were alarming. This album reconstructs music and then turns it inside out - it was so far ahead of it’s time, as was the man himself, few but the brave could accept it. A surreal collage, a psychedelic masterwork that blends together to form the perfect ‘alternative’ album for that crazy time. Treated voices, strange sounds, a needle being scratched over a record, sections recorded backwards, phasing, short classical interludes, surf sounds and finally the band going off their heads on ‘The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny’ which was Zappa’s answer to ‘A Day in the Life’ from the more famous album. It’s almost incredible how so much entertainment and sound can be compressed on to an album that lasts less than 40 minutes. Amongst all the weirdness (Zappa describes this as a ‘monstrosity’ on the cover’s inner) there are stark messages too: ‘Who Needs the Peace Corps’ ran through a list of Frisco cliches, Augustus Stanley Owsley III, the scene’s acid-maker; the ‘psychedelic dungeons’ that were the hippie clubs; Bill Graham’s celebrated venue, the Fillmore. Zappa’s criticism of the hippies wasn’t just grouchy; it was urgent, political and frightening. ‘Concentration Moon’ made warnings about the internment camps Richard Nixon was readying for non-conformists, while ‘Mom and Dad’ was a chilling premonition of how establishment forces would respond to the anti-war movement (in 1971, when the National Guard University, Zappa’s lyric became a prophecy and a bloody reality). ‘Absolutely Free’ mocked flower Power. The album concludes with ‘The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny’, an outrageous sonic-montage designed to outdo George Martin’s ‘mind blowing’ orchestration at the end of Sgt Pepper.

This band were not pretty and had no ‘teen appeal’, but special, very special indeed and the originality of this album and all Zappa’s early works is undeniable. Now what makes owning the Select repress so important? Well it is very different to the UK first pressing. There are several versions of this album, a highly controversial record from the outset that has varying degrees of cuts, edits and censoring which Zappa disapproved of. It still amazes me why he allowed all the edits to happen. Most consider this reissue THE definitive version, with many parts back in place as censors relaxed. This copy has less editing and a totally different mix. The CD versions of this album (excluding that dreadful remixed overdubbed effort way back, only of interest as it is totally uncensored) these were based on this Select reissue version. This original mix on most discs was not available. The original 4-track master tapes, when Frank acquired them back, were badly damaged, hence new bass and drum parts were mixed on to the first CD issues – this was scorned upon and loathed by Zappa fans. The the later CD issues were mixed from the 2-track masters. That makes a vinyl record the only format to truly hear what this album should really sound like and believe me, there is NO comparison. Here are the major differences in this stereo repressing compared to the 60s first press.

The line in ‘Who Needs the Peace Corps’ police kicking the s**t out is included. The line about working with The Velvet Underground is EXCLUDED (I don’t know why). The line ‘Flower Power SUCKS’! is included on ‘Absolutely Free’. The track ‘Hot Poop’ is now a short speeded up backwards track of the censored part of ‘Mother People’, the original was just a short snork. In fact many of the snorks on this version are different too. The line on ‘Absolutely Free’ ‘I don’t do publicity balling...’ now has the word ‘balling’ included. The line in ‘Let’s Make the Water Turn Black’ referring to ‘the apron and her pad’ is also now included. Apparently the censors thought the word ‘pad’ was referring to a sanitary towel but refers simply to moma, a waitress taking orders in ‘Ed’s Cafe’. Such was the paranoia from the record label about anything Zappa wrote, even if it was innocent. Ironically, the lyrics to the censored songs were still included on all the covers which made little sense.

It’s interesting how censorship and acceptability change with time and this version is almost complete exactly as Zappa wanted it. As most will know, Zappa was against any form of censorship. Money has several variations, I believe the US copies vary again, some even use bleep-outs in places. But for most the essential copies of this are the original Mono with a very different mix, the original stereo version and this, the Verve first repress. This is a superb, heavy pressed copy with the record playing with exceptional clean sound. With many rife with deep scratches, groove wear and terrible sound in accordance, this lightly played copy is like a gateway into Zappa’s control room. A high percentage are total right-offs and just to see a copy with clean Verve black labels and giving great audio reproduction is not to be taken for granted. The famous Pepper spoof cover is also in very fine condition. A small few of these covers exist that actually do naturally fold both ways, but are elusive and rare. UK copies for a very brief time included this infamous spoof insert before it was withdrawn – it was again a parody of the Pepper insert. After many years, I actually found one for my own collection and here it will stay. This repro looks superb and puts that extra piece of icing on the cake. These first Select repressings are quite rare, only for a short time did they include the laminated cover, later ones were in plain matt sleeve and had much thinner vinyl with lighter labels. Personally, I consider this pressing to be the very best version of this classic album and it sounds fantastic.

Cover Condition and Details: EXCELLENT: a gatefold format with laminate on the front and back, this covers all the closed edges and is tucked inside. The iinside is matt and smooth finished. The laminate was quickly removed on subsequent repressings. Printed and made in England by the E. J. Day Group.This one does NOT fold both ways (and very few ever will).

Musicians: From left to right: Frank Zappa – Guitar, piano, vocals; Billy Mundi - drums, vocal; Bunk Gardner – All woodwinds, mumbled vocal; Roy Estrada – Electric bass, vocal; Don Preston - keyboards; Jimmy Carl Black (The Indian of the Group) – drums, trumpet, vocals; Ian Underwood - piano, saxophones. Motorhead Sherwood (not pictured on the front, he is seen face-on, on the red inside left) - soprano and baritone saxophones. Guest: Eric Clapton contributes some vocals.

Cover Lamination, Front & Back (dress sides): EXCELLENT: this retains a very shine shine, freshness and clarity and has just one small lift on the front right edge towards the bottomn – it shows little. A few light pressmark on the front are only really seen under angled light and there is minimal traces of any friction rubs or dulling. A little faint rim impression on the back is very difficult to avoid, again it shows little. Laminate always makes the band picture look impressive with much richer and vivid colour and little spoils this one. Very few creases and just one small rub on the bottom left corner of the front, this rarer second issue laminated cover will take a lot of beating.

Cover Gatefold Inner: Folded nice and square - these often weren’t, this centrefold is equally as important as the outer faces. It was originally meant to be the outside but forced to switch after complaints. This inside has barely any wear at all and looks terrific. Money hailed the arrived of Cal Schenkel, Zappa’s most suggestive visual interpreter. It replicates Pepper brilliantly, but turns it all around. It was photographed by Jerrold Schatzberg in his New York studio. The blue sky of The Beatles classic now becomes a black thunderstorm with lightning flashing. The flowers for the band name now are vegetables and the band are attired in dresses. The Mothers were flanked by executive producer Tom Wilson on one side, and Jimi Hendrix on the other. A photo of manager Herb Cohen’s daughter, Lisa, was placed in Hendrix’s arms. The lady on the right of Frank is Gail Zappa, heavily pregnant with Moon Unit (his daughter). Darker images of guests appear, MGM lawyers insisted on printing bars across the eyes of anyone in the collage who was still alive (other than players or those involved I would presume): their paranoia simply made it still more dark and sinister. In the sleevenotes, Zappa advised listeners to read ‘In the Penal Colony’, a short story by Franz Kafka that dealt with homoerotic abuse, colonialism and military/judicial atrocity – this album and cover remain a disturbing experience to this very day.

Top & Bottom Edges: The top pair are fully laminated and very smooth to the touch with barely any hint of wear. The bottom front has a little chipping near the left corner, barely anything on the front.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and still quite sharp with minimal traces of any wear. Any thickerning or burring is faint and ultra light. The Record enters on the back edge.

Spine and Text: Like the Pepper spine, this often cracks and loses it’s laminate and the surface erodes. Against the odds, this one retains ALL the laminate, hence the text is all near perfect and unworn or damaged. Also this is unsunken into any natural recess which again is common. Folded squarely so the edges meet up very closely and parallel. Solid, robust and straight, with only a tiny tilt to the right. Even the folds retain their laminate and are uncracked (please see my close ups of those delicate text areas).

Corners: All corners are very neat and retain great shape with little wear – any tip rubs are very small indeed..

Cover Summary: A very impressive 40-year-old cover, the lack of major laminate issues is a real bonus and this sets a high standard that many, if not most fans will enjoy.

The Insert: A repro taken from the Old Masters box set. Looks terrific.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: but darkened with age. A Polydor style inner with polylining and two neat window circles. Mainly solid edges and hardly any creasing. This is date-coded 0672 as seen on my close-up picture..

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++) / MINT(-): with just a fine hairline on side one that has NO sound. Very clean, fresh and attractive with shiny surfaces, intense black and very solidly pressed. Two superb jet black labels and without doubt, hardly played. A fantastic record that should please most Mothers collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes and always a delight to hear all those details from an early stereo original. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end with a Linn LP12, a Naim amp and clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: A record that does full justice to it’s importance and offers maximum pleasure. My play-grade was a real joy from start to finish. Barely any traces of unwanted sounds with clear, defined and TOTALLY distortion-free stereophonic sound. Both channels being sharp and focused with NO traces of any degrading at all. This one often falls apart, often with heavy surface noise and multiple scratches, ruined by heavy tracking equipment from the past. This plays as quiet as vinyl this age will, even the dialogue on the telephone call. The original stereo mix is amazing, another stunning Zappa/Wilson production. Just listen to the voices on ‘Flower Punk’ for example which have a totally different mix and sound to the mono version with two distinct voices coming from each speaker. That dynamic ‘snap’ on the tracks beginning never sounded sharper. The fine details just kept coming, some I swear I had not heard before. Just think of the rough treatment this album could have been subjected too. Even the delicate fade in and fade out on ‘Megaphone’ plays unusually quiet, this track alone is often noisy with distortion on the loudly mixed piano, this is sharp and still focused and quiet. Tracking is effortless and this could last indefinitely with the due care it deserves. A record from a bygone era but it’s messages are still relevant. This is a unique experience, nothing sounded quite like it before or since (and I can almost hear some saying - thank God).

End Piece: I make no apology for the length of this listing, I adore this album, and finding a worthy copy for offering is always a pleasure. For those who think Sgt Pepper is the Lord of all albums, well this Zappa creation was the anti-Christ. How many times I’ve heard this album I could not even estimate, but for certain I never tire listening to it. There is always something hidden away I discover on every listen, such clean pressings are treasure. Hearing it on a vintage vinyl format makes it extra special - no CD version really compares, how could it with the original master tapes destroyed? The cover alone is worth any price - it was unique and daring, would anyone else but Zappa dare to reconstruct the Pepper cover? It remains a mystery, even today how he got away with it - apparently some were not amused. The sounds embedded in these vintage grooves are a testament to Zappa’s greatness and the same can be said of this legendary band too. It just remains a shame that only after the great man’s death does the world finally wake up to fully recognise this fact. It’s weird, it’s wonderful, and it’s here, enjoy this classic forever in glorious clean stereo. A record that merits my highest possible recommendation. Don’t be hung up – open your mind and ENJOY!!

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 8,000+ items sold in over 10 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please as me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.25

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16 (£17 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.