NEIL YOUNG NEIL YOUNG LP ORIG MIX WHITE LABEL PROMO '68

$

91

NEIL YOUNG : NEIL YOUNG

His classic first solo album ~ the rare unremixed version

LP grades VG ~ Warner Seven-Arts Reprise RS 6317 ~ WHITE LABEL PROMO ~ First Issue 1968

Record grades VG with light surface marks on both sides & a small scratch on the track "The Old Laughing Lady"

Original Gatefold Cover grades Excellent (VG++) with slight ring wear, slight edge/corner wear ~ Bottom seam of the back cover has a split in the center ~ Spine & all other seams are intact ~ There are a few light brown spots on the spine and back cover ~ Colorful front cover is the original one (without the title Neil Young printed on it) ~ The inside of the open-up cover is Near Mint and features a cool b&w photo of young Neil & the complete lyrics

The seldom seen white W7/Reprise promo labels are extremely sharp with no spindle marks, initials, writing etc.

Several tracks that were severely remixed a few months after the release of this album are presented here in their original form. The record suffers from surface noise in general but does not skip, not even on "The Old Laughing Lady" (which has a short section that "pops".) Some of us "older listeners" may remember this version of NEIL YOUNG as the one we grew up with. Hearing the remixed (current) version for the first time was a disappointment for this fan, especially the new mix of "What Did You Do to My Life?"

Please see below for the song titles, composers & times as listed on the labels :

Here is an edited review of this album :

"On his songs for Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young had demonstrated an eclecticism that ranged from the rock of "Mr. Soul" to the complicated, multi-part arrangement of "Broken Arrow." On his debut solo album, he continued to work with composer/arranger Jack Nitzsche, with whom he had made "Expecting to Fly" on the Buffalo Springfield Again album, and together the two recorded a restrained effort on which the folk-rock instrumentation, most of which was by Young, overdubbing himself, was augmented by discreet string parts. The country & western elements that had tinged the Springfield's sound were also present, notably on the leadoff track, "The Emperor of Wyoming," an instrumental that recalled the Springfield song "A Child's Claim to Fame." Still unsure of his voice, Young sang in a becalmed high tenor that could be haunting as often as it was listless and whining [strictly a matter of opinion]. He was at his least appealing on the nine-and-a-half-minute closing track, "The Last Trip to Tulsa," on which he accompanied himself with acoustic guitar, singing an impressionistic set of lyrics seemingly derived from Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited. But double-tracking and the addition of a female backup chorus improved the singing elsewhere, and on "The Loner," the album's most memorable track, Young displayed some of the noisy electric guitar work that would characterize his recordings with Crazy Horse and reminded listeners of his ability to turn a phrase..." ~ AMG

SIDE ONE :

1. The Emperor of Wyoming - Young 2:14 2. The Loner - Young 3:55 3. If I Could Have Her Tonight - Young 2:15
4. I've Been Waiting for You - Young 2:30 5. The Old Laughing Lady -Young 5:05

SIDE TWO :

1. String Quartet from Whiskey Boot Hill - Nitzsche 1:04 2. Here We Are in the Years - Young 3:27 3. What Did You Do to My Life? - Young 2:00
4. I've Loved Her So Long - Young 2:40 5. The Last Trip to Tulsa - Young 9:25

The Bear Sez : Here is an extremely rare white label promo copy of NEIL YOUNG, the classic self-titled debut effort by the multi-talented Canadian singer-songwriter fresh from his stint in BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD. This title was first released by Warner Seven Arts/Reprise in 1968. The extremely sharp labels on this copy would suggest that the record was seldom played however somewhere along the line, (perhaps during its' radio station days), this promo disc was mishandled and acquired several light surface marks and an actual scratch on one song. Thus the record receives a grade of VG, (not bad but not great.) The gatefold cover shows slight wear but is still in Excellent shape with very slight ring wear and a small bit of edge-flaking. The spine is intact and legible. There is a small (2 or 3 inch) split at the center of the bottom seam of the back cover. There is also a small amount of old-age spotting on the white sections of the cover. The black and white record labels are extremely sharp with no spindle marks, writing etc. As always, the record comes with its' original vintage inner sleeve.

The Bear says : Here is a truly scarce item. Not only is this copy a white label promo with the original front cover, but it also features the seldom heard unremixed versions of several tracks that were altered forever only a few months after the lp's release. Legend has it that the artist lacked confidence in his singing on this album and had the vocals "mixed down" (and the guitars turned up) on several tracks. These early versions appeared on promos and the first batch of stock copies. Then, supposedly, the artist decided to remix the vocals & insert overdubs on a several tracks and the album was quickly re-released with these new versions and a newly altered front cover sporting the title in large block letters. NEIL YOUNG is a fine effort that sounds great no matter which mix one might hear. Even so, this early promo issue shows us the way the artist initially wanted it to sound & look. The cover has a few slight flaws and the record is far from perfect but this white label copy remains a true Neil Young collector's piece. Was the original, undubbed, unmessed-with mix actually superior to the one we've heard all these years? Give this rare lp a home and find out !!

THE FINE PRINT :

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Please bid with confidence (check my feedback) !! Thanks for looking and best of luck !! As always, satisfaction is fully guaranteed. Please feel free to email the Bear with any questions or concerns. Positive feedback will be left promptly for deserving eBayers. This item is from the sprawling 35-year collection of a well-respected local record store owner now semi-retired but still inspired and much-blessed. Heartfelt thanks to all my past buyers from all over the world !! Please stay tuned because many more musical treasures will be appearing throughout 2005 !!

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