LOVE – Forever Changes – RARER ORIG US 1967 STEREO EX++ LP, STUNNING LP & SOUND.

	£		205
	$		272

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 arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details 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 ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for 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, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled 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: LOVE

Album Title: Forever Changes

Producer(s): Arthur Lee with Bruce Botnick

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Alone Again Or; A House is Not a Motel; Andmoreagain; The Daily Planet; Old Man; The Red Telephone.

Side 2: Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale; Live and Let Live; The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This; Bummer in the Summer; You Set the Scene.

Country of Manufacture: United States

Label/Format: Elektra – original gold format with quite matt finish and gently textured surfaces. These with the deep ring ridge.

Label Conditions: Both in truly stunning, practically as-issued condition with barely a spindle trace to be seen.

Cat Number: EKS 74013

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: 128 grams. Quite a typical weight from the US.

Rarity: Any copy of this album pressed in 1967 in this amazing condition is rare. American stereo copies seldom show up in the UK, and although the cover has polite reminders of age, both inner sleeve and record have been overlooked by time and the previous owner. The record appears hardly even played with any surface blemishes bordering on minuscule for a record now 50-years-old. To date, this is quite possibly the best ever sound I have yet heard from this evergreen masterpiece.

Original Year of Release: 1967 [pressed by – Monarch Record Mfg. Co.]

Matrix Nos: EKS 74013 A / EKS 74013 B

Identification Codes: (MON) [stamp of MR in a circle] 11250 / (MON) [stamp of MR in a circle] 11250-X

Musicians: Arthur Lee – lead vocals, guitar; Johnny Echols – lead guitar; Bryan MacLean – rhythm guitar, vocals; Ken Forssi – bass; Michael Stuart – drums, percussion, vocals.

Brief Info: In the whole history of popular music I can think of few more beautiful albums than ‘Forever Changes’. Prior to this the band had issued a very impressive self-titled debut album, and a slightly more patchy second, ‘De Capo’, and then this third, an album of such stunning brilliance, it’s status as a ‘Masterpiece’ is rarely disputed. Beautiful song structures with lush orchestration and meaningful lyrics – a timeless piece of work that refuses to age. Arthur Lee was truly inspired here, and all bar two songs were written by him. It took the music critics by storm, but incredibly, failed to sell well in their native US, but did fairly well here in the UK, even with the nation gripped by ‘Sgt Pepper’. High in my personal list of all-time-greats, I never tire or fail to be moved by the sublime songs and lyrics – this man and band never could live up to this masterwork again and this album alone will mean most music lovers and collectors will know the band ‘Love’. This scarce and elusive American stereo original is in sublime condition, the disc looks hardly handled or played, it offers amazing sound that to my ears has even better detail and dynamics, especially the bass depth and warmth, than all UK versions I have heard. The gold stereo stickered cover is in very fine condition, but has a little grubbiness near the sides but little else, so it does remind of its considerable age a little. Any music lover who wants to experience this album at its very best, look no further, few will ever surface or be offered better. And my play-grade experience of the record’s sound is not hype – it’s a plain fact – this fantastic clean pressing does this masterpiece full justice.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: or close to. I think this merits this grading, being fully intact with any real wear mild and light, few without original shrink wrap will surface better as a United States original. A single matt format with quite smooth surfaces. This has the stereo catalogue prefix, but still includes the gold ‘STEREO’ sticker, which is probably an error, unusual and potentially rare. It is immediately clear, this sticker has never been picked at or removed, all edge areas of this gold oval sticker are pristine and crisp and still solidly applied. This printed in the U.S.A. and includes the original gold ‘Elektra’ inner sleeve.

Cover – Front & Back: One of the definitive cover fronts of the entire 1960s – as famous as the wonderful record inside. Both sides have fairly light grubbiness near the sides with any creasing to the thick card few and quite light. The actual graphics both sides are superb with nothing of any note to fault, no fading or yellowing, only the grubbiness/mild rubbing to the sides gives clues of its considerable age. As stated, the gold ‘STEREO’ sticker is in fantastic condition, the surface still with lovely shine with any rubbing or marks tiny and faint. This detail feature is seldom seen these days. Overall both front and back remain impressive as-seen.

Top Edge: Very straight with no splits or repairs. Gentle rubbing and discolouration to the white surface.

Bottom Edge: A couple or three tiny toning spots, but minimal rubbing and again very straight and unsplit.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and still mostly sharp with minimal hint of wear or thickening. Record enters on this edge that is guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way. Very minor burr traces seen viewed end-on being somewhat critical.

Spine and Text: Very solid, uncompressed and straight, no splits again. Gentle discolouration with the text largely intact with any letter clipping small, little and very light, this is still easy to read and mostly strong as-seen.

Corners: Any tip rubbing tiny and light, excellent or better shape retained with no knocks, any evidence of dinking tiny and ultra light indeed.

Cover Summary: Yes, gently aged, personally I have no qualms with that. Still a superb naturally fully intact cover that includes the elusive gold sticker. It will prove very difficult to find better, especially outside the United States. And remember, this album did not sell well at all in America, so this is quite rare in its own right. It should please many and maybe most collectors?

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): a Elektra company unlined inner sleeve, printed both sides. This has hardly aged at all, still clean, fresh and very attractive, this was not included with UK copies. Only a very small crease and rub on the right side of the small thumb recess on the front, there is barely anything else to fault. All edges unsplit with no repairs, this was printed in the U.S.A.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): and this being ultra critical for a 50-year-old record. This in all tense and purpose deserves a Mint(–) grade. American records were pressed on ‘softer’ vinyl and mark more easily, but any surface blemishes or traces on this copy are bordering on minuscule putting this near virgin copy into true perspective. A fantastic fresh looking visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and solidly pressed. A copy played probably no more than a couple of times. No penetrating stylus scratches, viewed in average room light, barely anything even registers, few will survive better than this no matter where they were manufactured. Visually a gorgeous shiny record that should please most 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 equipment, all listed further down.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This quality album plays even above it’s high visual grading with hardly anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. An album not recorded quite as loudly as some, so a clean pressing is even more crucial as the volume control is increased. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and this is an exceptional clean pressing with no tracking issues*. Silence is near impossible as this does have a quite passages, but few will get close to matching this beauty. It has to be the very best I have heard to date, the detail and warmth from this original analogue recording is simply sublime. Pressed to the highest standard on high quality pure vinyl, the disc simply gleams. The bass seems deeper and extended, the high frequencies clearer and precise, there is no clipping whatsoever. Even to that jaw-dropping trumpet near the album’s end, the ultimate test for tracking of the inner part of this album. The lyrics to ‘You Set the Scene’ are possibly the most moving ever put to a rock song. And just just listen to that beautiful strummed acoustic guitar on ‘Andmoreagain’, no music lover could fail to be moved by this timeless classic. And there is not a second of inferior material on offer, the entire album exudes class. No old worn stylus have been applied to this stunning record, in fact I doubt if it seen a turntable more than a couple of times. Few available copies (or many others come to that) will outperform this very early 1967 pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been hardly played or handled, I would think this record has hardly left its cover for decades. Nothing of any note at all spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this jaw-dropping classic record. It will prove beyond difficult to find better and merits my highest possible recommendation. You want this classic record in practically top condition – look no further.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 programs. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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 Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 805 Nautilus (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable) with REL subwoofer. 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, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 14­ 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. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. 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 TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, 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 as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. 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] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 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 £2 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’.