BLACK CAT BONES Barbed Wire Sandwich VERY RARE ORIG UK 1970 DECCA NOVA N/M LP.

	£		491
	$		651

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrived damaged in them at some time. More details on my packing nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important to any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers will now be blocked at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: BLACK CAT BONES

Album Title: Barbed Wire Sandwich.

Producer(s): David Hitchcock.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Chauffeur; Death Valley Blues; Feelin’ Good; Please Tell Me Baby; Coming Back.

Side 2: Save My Love; Four Women; Sylvester’s Blues; Good Lookin’ Woman.

Label/Format: Decca Nova – matt smooth surfaces. This being the blue stereo version. Somewhat against the odds for 1970, this one was also issued in mono.

Label Conditions: Both little short of immacule: one time and the original owner has overlooked. Ultra clean, fresh and hugely attractive with just one tiny faint spindle trace on side one and a mere couple on two. This is a breathtaking record that appears barely even handled or played with sound to match.

Cat Number: SDN 15.

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: 152 grams. A typical top-quality Decca weight and pressing.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Rare: this sold in minimal numbers and both the title and label are major collector pieces. I can hardly imagine finding this record looking and sounding better. The cover apart from a few gentle press marks on the front left (seen under light) is practically the same, in fact it looks stunning.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: ZAL-9431.P-2W / ZAL-9432.P-1W

Mothers / Stampers: 1 U / 2 B C

Musicians: Rod Price – lead guitar & vocal; Phil Lenoir – drums; Stu Brooks – bass guitar; Brian Short – vocals; Derek Brooks – rhythm guitar.

Brief Info: A one-off album issues on the very short-lived Nova label, a subsidiary of Decca dedicated to new more ‘progressive’ acts. ‘Barbed Wire Sandwich’ is more heavy rock blues than progressive, in fact it is very much in the mould and sound of the first Free album which is no coincidence. The line-up included Paul Kossoff and briefly Simon Kirke who left prior to the recording the album to form Free. The heavy blues sound Kossoff took to his new band remained, but this album only received average reviews and sold very poorly. Apparently disillusioned, and justifiably so, the band folded and the album almost lost in the vaults of time. Not untypical for acts on Nova, now a very collectable label, promotion was often lacking which did not help. This copy had an original review clipping inside the cover, only very small and such reviews were most often overlooked, even though in this case, it got a decent write-up – being ‘a better than average’ group. Well I was impressed – the early Free sound is immediately apparent and I rate this highly. Even the spectacular cover creature did not promote greater sales, here seen little short of as made in terms of stunning fresh looks. Only the aforementioned quite light press marks on the left edge area (hardly showing with normal viewing) stop a full Mint(–) grading. The record plays with little short of perfect sound and this is my first copy ever. Indeed both elements could prove major upgrades for many – spectacular looks and sound – this is a magnificent copy. That gruesome metal sandwich-eating creature will rarely be seen better than this.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): a single format with front Clarifoil laminate. This covers all the folds and ends on the back via the spine edge. The back has the mno/stereo peep-hole, here will with the very fresh deep blue inner to denote a stereo copy inside. The back is matt and unlaminated. Printed and made in England by Senol Printed Limited. This copy has a very small music weekly paper review included.

Cover Cosmetic Improvements: None Apparent.

Lamination & Front: Another spectacular cover graphic on a very rare album, this looks incredible under very shiny, fresh and clear Clarifoil that has avoided the traits this laminate often has. No lifting (bar a trace on the top right corner tip) and minimal dulling, traces under light on the very revealing surface, few will offer a fresher, cleaner appearance than this. There is barely a crease to be seen either, the only blemish as stated already, are a few long surface press marks near the left edge. When viewed full on, they hardly even register, but are seen under light. But in terms of real wear, this has barely any and looks amazing.

Cover Back: Superb and barely aged at all. The white still being exactly that – white – not yellowed, browned or darkened, any marks or trace os grubbiness minuscule. Gentle surface scuff traces near the very top edge being somewhat critical and hardly showing. The mono/stereo hole is crisp and clean as well, no creasing or rubbing, even the laminate end is clean and fresh. It will take an extraordinary back to better this, like the front, this has ignored time and looks very impressive.

Top Edge: Clean, smooth and mainly straight without the bowing many Clarifoil covers get over time. .

Bottom Edge: As above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, very sharp with barely any hint of wear. Any thickening or burring mimuscule, even as seen viewed end-on. Record enters on this edge that is guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way. The fine unlaminated strip on the front still very much present and totally unworn.

Spine and Text: Incredibly thin and I am as certain as I can be, it was made that way. Solid, very fine and straight. All text is perfect and unworn under the solid and uncracked laminate. The centred a fraction low, the cover fold actually runs across it, proving still further this is how it was made.

Corners: All corners are again as made and superbly neat and crisp. No knocks or dinks and barely any creasing either, excellent to mint shape retained.

Cover Summary: The relatively fine press marks apart, this is one of the best examples of this rare cover you will find. So clean and fresh looking, this blows away it’s 44-years-of-age in spectacular style. This ‘beautiful’ item – depending on your view of the gruesome graphic – should please many, if not most collectors. Finding this better will prove beyond difficult.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): a Decca polylined inner in deep blue to indicate a stereo record is inside. Like both record and cover, this has barely aged at all and includes two pristine window circles and very clear polylining. No creasing, very clean and fresh with all edges unsplit with no repairs. This is UK patented with ‘Foreign Patends Pending’ text. These inners often age badly, this is fantastic.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: MINT(–): a superb example that appears hardly even played with little more than a very fine surface hairline. With utmost scrutiny under my bright lamp, any other surface traces are ultra fine and whispy and I feel a much better available example of this rare Nova record will prove near impossible to find. A beautiful visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and quite heavily pressed on top quality Decca vinyl. Even though this must have been an ancipated ‘loss-leader’, the quality did not let-up, this is a perfect pressing with sound to match. I doubt if this one has seen light-of-day for decades and visually a super record that should please most-all collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [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 via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: If you like the early more blues sound of Free – you will enjoy this one as well. This (in my view) an under-appreciated album, it plays up to it’s high visual grading and beyond with barely anything to fault at all. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds barely even registered and this is an exceptional clean pressing – no real surprise from Decca, for me still the very best commercial record manufacturers bar none. Few copies will outperform this very early pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been generally well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, my first ever and I doubt if a better will ever appear for me. It will prove very difficult to find better and the record is unreservedly and strongly recommended.

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 10,000+ items sold in over 12 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 ask 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] = £4.75

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]) = £12.50 (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]) = £16.50 (£17.50 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’.