CLIQUE Splash 1 1966 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS PSYCH 45 HEAR

$

28

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS…

THE CLIQUE "Splash 1" b/w "Stay By Me"

Original 1966 45 on the SCEPTER label

ODDLY ENOUGH, THE LABELS ARE REVERSED

Vinyl:  CLEAN, plays EXCELLENT

I don’t know how many people thought the Clique were “cool” back in their day – their bubblegummy big hit “Sugar on Sunday” is about as far from “cool” as Nicole Richie is from food, but delve a little deeper into the Clique story and you’ll find some very cool artifacts.  REM covered their catchiest moment, “Superman”, and did so when they were still cool (REM, that is) – but even better, the Clique themselves had the foresight to cover Roky Erickson on their very first single, “Splash 1” b/w “Stay By Me”, from 1966 on their own Cinema label.  And because, even in their pre-album days, the Clique had the pop chops to make anything sound catchy, they take the manic 13th Floor Elevators punker and give it a nice, velvety popsike sheen.  Kinda like the Shondells covering the Red Crayola.  Of course, the trippy minor key twists and turns of the original song make this far more psych than pop, and once that loud in-your-face ripping fuzz guitar solo kicks in, you can kiss any chance of a Casey Kasem appearance goodbye.  Plus there’s no bendy saw – is this perfect or what?  For the flip, they provide a band original, courtesy of keyboarding Larry Lawson, who was as hip to incorporating mystical Indian sounds into pop music as was George Harrison, or Donovan, or even Mia Farrow.  “Stay By Me” sways and dances like a Bangladesh bellydancer, riding a mystical stutter step snakecharmer melody while a flute flutters and dances in the background.  Keep in mind, too, that this was mid-1966, when most bands hadn’t yet jumped on the sitar and tabla bandwagon.  So let’s recap – a 13th Floor Elevators cover that ditches the annoying bendy saw sound and replaces it with great pop harmonies, backed by the Lone Star State’s own version of “The Inner Light,” and all THIS in June of 1966?  Now, how “cool” is THAT?  

 HEAR IT!

The less exciting stuff

First class shipping is $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  Delivery confirmation included in the shipping costs.  Air mail shipping to Canada starts at $6 US, each additional record $2 shipping.  Air mail shipping everywhere else in the world starts at $8 US, with each additional record only $3 shipping.  Proof of shipment REQUIRED for all foreign orders, an extra $1.10.  

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

And finally, I include delivery confirmation on all shipments inside the US.  This is my proof of shipment, and also helps us to track your package if it doesn’t arrive when it should.  I will email you within 2 days of shipment and give you the confirmation number at that time.  Insurance is always optional, but for larger orders, it’s highly recommended.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.  Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.