FREE Highway TRULY STUNNING Island Pink Rim Orig N/M LP

	£		180
	$		239

ONEADAYRECORDS – Delivering Quality Music to the World

Please see my Detailed Packing Description Further Down with Picture & All Shipping Rates.

JUST IMAGINE: Turning the clock back to the early 1970s, and someone putting a brand new copy of this record into your hands…

Artist or Band: FREE

Album Title: Highway

Producer(s): Free

Engineer(s): Andy Johns

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The Highway Song; The Stealer; On My Way; Be My Friend.

Side 2: Sunny Day; Ride on Pony; Love You So; Bodie; Soon I Will Be Gone.

Label/Format: Island – Original pink rim.

Label Condition: Two incredibly clean labels that look barely even handled. Struggling to find any spindle marks at all, maybe one tiny trace on side one. This is a connoisseur standard example of one of the most delicate Free albums and truly, I cannot imagine ever finding a better copy.

Cat Number: ILPS 9138.

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: 137 grams. [These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl. Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 140 to 150 grams. Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 20 records from these eras. Later pressings were usually lighter still).

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: In terms of finding just any copy, moderate, but… any early pink rim pressing with the original embossed cover, in this almost factory-fresh condition are rare, make no mistake. Most seen are well-played and with covers that are worn, tired and grubby. Both record, inner and cover will remind those old enough what a once new copy looked and played like. The ultimate upgrade for many and for those needing one, this is truly unlikely to be matched or beaten. More details on the incredible conditions of this set further down.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: ILPS 9138 A-1U and ILPS 9138 B-1U

Stamper Codes: 2 RR / 1 ML

Musicians: Paul Rodgers - vocals; Paul Kossoff - guitar; Andy Fraser - bass; Simon Kirke - drums.

Brief Artist & Album Info: Free’s fourth album and the second issued in 1970 also the first that did not appear on the full pink label – apart from the debut, I think this is the least found Free album and is surprisingly quite hard to find especially in decent condition. This outstanding piece goes beyond ‘decent’, it could pass as new. It came from a highly discerning collector, hardly played and stored within a plastic protector, then another for double protection. A copy the likes that rarely show up – look at the pictures, when was the last time you saw one quite like this? To find this original embossed cover looking like new goes beyond difficult, it’s nigh-on impossible. Simply another classic that rarely gets the deserved praise it should, this remains one of my favourite Free albums and all nine songs are simply magnificent, none better than the delicate and sensitive final pair on each side ‘Soon I Will Be Gone’ and the sublime ‘Be My Friend’. Still featuring their strongest and best line up of Fraser, Rodgers, Kossoff and Kirke Highway is an overall a more mellow album with a more ‘gentle’ sound from Kossoff’s guitar. As essential as the previous three albums, this is a collector’s dream-piece.

Cover Grade and Format: Mint, yes I will grade full Mint, if anyone has seen or owns one better than this, I sure would like to see it. A truly stunning cover that time has simply over-looked. I have never seen one quite like it, it looks like it’s just left the factory and not been touched. Being honest, you could never even guarantee buying one new in this type of condition as many had creases and marks from their journey to the shops. And then packed into racks and handled etc etc. This has avoided any abuse and probably has not seen light-of-day since purchase. A single format and not laminated. Printed and made by the E. J. Day Group, London and Bedford. It has (or course) the original embossed collage group back (seen in close-up). A very difficult sleeve to even find around the Excellent grade, unless ultra carefully stored and handled this one will discolour so easily and rubbing and ringwear are very common indeed. This is connoisseur standard of world-class, simply breathtaking and from the same collection as The Small Faces album I am currently offering.

Cover Front: Wow and double WOW!! Am I dreaming?, well no, this truly does look new. No creasing, grubbiness or marks worthy of mention (well one speck in the paper, which is beyond nit-picking). It retains the freshness of a cover just off the printing press and looks totally amazing. You will never find this front better.

Cover Back: Triple WOW!!!, impossibly clean and fresh again. The odd microscopic edge hairline crease but look ultra hard at point-blank range under light. NO grubbiness at all and this is as close to pristine as any cover of this type could be. That delicate pale buff colour is stunning and without a single trace of ringwear or even record impression. Reason, the owner did not keep his records inside but stored them separately. The embossed band collage is Mint and I can see not even any faint scuffs or hairlines on either side. There is an ultra fine and faint glue trace near the spine edge but again, this is nit-picking almost for the sake of it, proving I think nothing is ever 100 per cent perfect. But I will sett for 99.99 per cent every time and this cover is wonderful.

Top Edge: Mint, as new, dead straight, no rubs, fading or grubbiness – worthy of another WOW!!

Bottom Edge: Practically as above, and remember, this is the resting edge, how many will ever look unworn?

Right Edge(s), and Type: Stunning again, razor sharp and pristine clean. No burring, no trimming and not feathering or course. If you have this cover custom-made, it would not look better. Record entered on this right edge. Inside the cover has the ‘At Last’ records stamp which of course is invisible unless opened and deliberately viewed.

Spine and Text: Exactly as made, this is totally unrubbed with perfect text and retains immaculate boxed shape with no compressions whatsoever. Try finding another like it, please see my text close-up pictures and note the incredible definition or folds and corners.

Corners: All four are stunning and devoid of any wear worthy of mention and I will not insult what is near perfection by doing so. Very sharp pointed shape with no creasing or dinks, gorgeous, truly magnificent.

Cover Summary: In terms of fragile and wear-prone cover beauty, this is world-class. It looks barely even handled or exposed to light at all and I can hardly wait to get this back inside its heavy-duty protector. If covers give as much of a thrill as a near mint record, well this will do just that. So fine and new looking, few other covers could live up to it, this has to be one of the very best non-laminates I have ever offered, it will thrill all collectors.

The Inner: Mint(-) with just light traces of glue darkening on the seams. That apart, it’s almost as new retaining a lovely rich, pale blue colour with no fading or ringwear. Again the LP was not stored inside this inner. No creasing, edge splits. Immensely difficult to find these like this, it more than matches the fantastic cover and record. This has the ‘22 st peters square’ text.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Mint(-) and the minus being minuscule. A supreme visual copy with barely any noteworthy marks or blemishes. One tiny surface on the first song is so minor most would not even see it, let alone mention it. Ultra clean with lovely shine, intense black and quite heavily pressed on thick vinyl. This may have been played once or twice and very carefully to say the least on worthy hi-fi equipment. Visually a super record that should please all collectors again.

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 snippetts 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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This classic Island plays up to its high visual grading with nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a full dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds barely even registered and no pops or clicks were noted, and few copies will even match, let alone better this. An album that does have a certain amount of quieter moments, it’s almost unrealistic to expect total silence in its entirity but this gives a supreme account of itself and listening was a real pleasure. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this sublime album. Like the cover and inner, one the owner and time has over-looked, it will again delight the discerning collector and all parts of this set are unreservedly recommended to the highest level.

End Piece: Not a major rarity of course, but what a fantastic change to be able to offer all three parts of this set looking and sounding practically as they did when first issued. We have all seen grubby, creased and ringworn versions of the pale and delicate cover. Records dulled, marked and obviously well-played, often on less than worthy equipment. This one is from the other side of the rainbow and is the ultimate copy for the purist collector – the ones who simply want the very best – the ones who cherish class and beauty – and this will not disappoint. A band I have come to enjoy and respect more and more over the years, supreme blues-based rock, all four musicians are masters of their craft and the tragic early death of Kossoff was a sad loss for all. Highway did mark a slight change of direction for Free, but the quality never once diminishes, if this album eluded you first time around, here is a rare opportunity to own a copy that truly will remind of new. Without any doubt, this is one I will remember for some considerable time after it’s gone.

…IMAGINE NO MORE: This album turns fantasy into reality.

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 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortofon 2M moving magnet cartridge (tracks at 1.8 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET - PLEASE SEE MY TYPICAL PACKING BOX PICTURE.

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 heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth 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 thick boxes (NOT Mailers or Cruciforms, these do not offer maximum protection). The record(s) 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 THREE or EVEN FOUR 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. 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. Please see my picture of a typical finished box packet that will now be used on ALL transactions as from now. 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. These boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffners 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 6,000+ items sold in over 8 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 stiffners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 3 or 4 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FOUR records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

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.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (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 [£40 maximum]) = £9. (insurance optional extra £3). Add £2.50 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); 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 [£39 maximum]) = £13. Add £4 per extra LP. (insurance 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: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. 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 neccessarily 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’.