Alexander "Skip" Spence: "OAR", ULTRA-RARE PROMO COPY LP, original,1969, CS 9831

$

60

Available here is (1) copy - a promo copy - of Alexander "Skip" Spence's 1969 release "Oar".  This is not a reissue; this is an original (promo) copy of this LP.  It is now 50 years old.

If you are looking at this auction, you probably know already that this is an extremely rare record.  Columbia discontinued production of this LP shortly after its release, as to that point it had been the worst seller in label history.  So, few copies are out there, especially promo copies.

This copy is, overall, in very nice condition.  The vinyl is visually very nice - I can only see a handful of small marks/smudges on either side, and I've play tested this LP on my own equipment.  There are occasional pops, but low in volume.  In fact, most of this LP is acoustic/quiet, and the noise never came close to overpowering the music - in most cases, it was unnoticeable.  Three songs have "skips" - rather, spots where the needle stayed in one groove and repeated that groove over.  Otherwise it was a very clean play.  I'm sure it could use a professional cleaning to further enhance the listening experience.

The album cover has challenges on the front; to me, it appears the prior owner spilled some kind of resin or something on the cover, which left droplets on the cover, and then removed most of them, causing the round/ovalish kind of paper loss (see photos).  There are still a couple small droplets on the cover (see photos), which is why I've come to that conclusion.  The back cover is fine, showing only (50 years of) normal wear. There is a 3" seam split on top, in the middle, and a 2" split on the bottom, also in the middle.  There is a 3/4" split on top at the record edge.  The paper liner has a small stain on the top, front and back. The LP labels are in great shape (see photos).

Here's a review of "Oar", from early 1969:

“No one except psychedelic Renaissance man Alexander “Skip” Spence could have created an album such as “Oar”. Alternately heralded as a "soundtrack to schizophrenia" and a "visionary solo effort,”Oar” became delegated to cut-out and bargain bins shortly after its release in the spring of 1969. However, those who did hear it were instantly drawn into Spence’s inimitable sonic surrealism. As his illustrious past in Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Moby Grape would suggest, this album is a warped blend of acid folk and far-out psychedelic rock. While these original compositions do draw heavily from those genres, each song has the individuality of a fingerprint, and Spence performed and produced every sound on the album himself at Columbia studios in Nashville in the space of less than two weeks. This burst of creativity was directly preceded by a six-month incarceration in New York City's Bellevue Hospital after chopping down a door at the Albert Hotel en route to do the same to fellow Moby Grape members Jerry Miller’s and Don Stevenson’s doors. A common motif to this album is the presence of saints and demons. Even the straightforward narratives such as the love ballads "Broken Heart" and "Cripple Creek" -- which feature vocal treatments reminiscent of folkie Fred Neil-- are bathed in unusual chord sequences and lyrical double-entendre. The majority of the sounds on this long player remain teetering near the precipice of sanity. Primary examples include "War in Peace," the epic "Grey/Afro," and the sound effect-laden "Books of Moses." Comparisons have been made to Syd Barrett, John Lennon and Frank Zappa -- the latter especially for the intense sonic collage techniques displayed on albums such as Lumpy Gravy and Civilization Phase III.”

Take a look at my other eBay listings for more great retro vinyl, in a variety of genres. 

Please feel free to contact me prior to bidding with any questions or additional photo requests.  All items are sold as is, and returns are accepted ONLY if an item is inadvertently misrepresented.  Payment is expected via PayPal within two days of your winning bid. Items are normally shipped the day after payment posts. Thank you for looking and happy bidding!