JETHRO TULL "THIS WAS" PINK LABEL ISLAND MONO NEAR EX

	£		72
	$		95

For sale :- Original MONO JETHRO TULL LP "THIS WAS" on ISLAND (ILP 985) from 1968

1st state matrix numbers "ILP985 A/ILP 985 B"

Pink label, black & orange circle logo, Mono

Gatefold sleeve 

Jethro Tull was very much a blues band on their debut album, vaguely reminiscent of the Graham Bond Organization only more cohesive, and with greater commercial sense. The revelations about the group's roots on This Was — which was recorded during the summer of 1968 — can be astonishing, even 30 years after the fact. Original lead guitarist Mick Abrahams contributed to the songwriting and the singing, and his presence as a serious bluesman is felt throughout, often for the better: "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You," an Ian Anderson original that could just as easily be credited to Big Bill Broonzy or Robert Johnson; "Cat's Squirrel," Abrahams' big showcase, where he ventures into Eric Clapton territory; and "It's Breaking Me Up," which also features some pretty hot guitar from Abrahams. Roland Kirk's "Serenade to a Cuckoo" (the first song Anderson learned to play on flute), their jazziest track ever, is one of the best parts of the album. The drum solo on "Dharma for One" now seems like a mistake, but is understandable in the context of the time in which it was done. The one number here that everybody knows, "A Song for Jeffrey," almost pales amid these surroundings, but at the time it was a superb example of commercial psychedelic blues. This would be the last album of its kind by the group, as Abrahams' departure and the lure of more fertile inspiration tugged them toward English folk music. Curiously, the audio mix here is better than that on their second album, with a much stronger, harder group sound overall. In late 2001, This Was was reissued in a remastered edition with much crisper sound and three bonus tracks. The jazzy improvisation "One for John Gee" (a reference to the manager of the Marquee Club), the folky "Love Story" (which marked the end of Mick Abrahams' tenure with the group), and the novelty piece "Christmas Song" have all been heard before but, more to the point, they're worth hearing again, especially in the fidelity they have here.

Condition...Sleeve NEAR EXCELLENT (Some slight edge wear, one o'clock roll of the Gatefold sleeve), vinyl EXCELLENT to NEAR MINT (A TRULY LOVELY COPY, HARDLY PLAYED, there is some crackle on the run-in grooves but plays at EXCELLENT or better for most of the LP, there is the odd pop on the track "A song for Jeffrey" which maybe sorted if you have access to a nitty gritty record cleaning machine) 

A WORD TO THE WISE

I can offer Postage & Packing Discounts On Multiple Orders. Customers are free to build up their multiple order discounts over a number of weeks and can pay for them at the end. 

Please check my listings and bookmark me as I will be listing loads of quality vinyl over the next few months.

Gradings are as follows:

MINT: Item is still sealed in original packaging and New.
NEAR MINT: Item may or may not have original packaging but would be in unplayed condition
EXCELLENT+/-: Immaculatly clean example with very few and only light signs of any wear.
VERY GOOD+/-: A few more signs of wear and tear including light scratches to the vinyl and cracks and creasing plus small tears to the sleeves.
GOOD+/-: Generally the sleeve would still be intact but a bit rougher around the edges. The record would play with some interference from crackles and may have the occasional pop.
FAIR+/-: High levels of interference in the recording by cracks pops and jumps. Sleeves could be torn or damaged moderately.
POOR+/-: Sleeves could be heavily damaged/torn, records may jump on several occasions but would still just about play.
BAD: ANYTHING GRADED BAD WILL NOT BE SOLD.

UK:

12”/LP: £3.50 (£1.00 Each Additional 12”/LP)

EUROPE:

12”/LP: £4.50 (£1.50 Each Additional 12”/LP, upto 3 items)

REST OF WORLD:

                                     12”: £7.50 (£2.50 Each Additional, upto 3  items)                                                              All Parcels Are Well Packed To Insure Safe Delivery.