THE ZOMBIES Odessey and Oracle LP 1968 CBS UK MONO 1st Press!

 Awesome Mint, played twice  from my private collection, investment quality original 1968 album. 

Rare opportunity to buy a MINT 1968 collectors item.

 Original CBS 63280 LP, UK 1968  AWESOME MINT MONO 1st Press,  Extremely rare in MONO  and in Investment Condition.

THE MONO EDITION OF THIS MASTERPIECE NEVER  TURNS UP  IN ABSOLUTELY PERFECT CONDITION, THE SOUND IS AMAZING,  1968 CUT FROM THE MONO MASTER TAPES AND PRESSED ON THICK VINYL, THE SOUND SIMPLY BLOWS AWAY THE CD VERSION.

The mono mixes are very different to the stereo mixes with  awesome low end and very punchy sound with brilliant high’s recorded by Geoff Emerick the Beatles engineer at Abbey Road and Olympic Studios. Very rare to find in mono as most copies sold in 1968 were stereo as mono was being phased out as more and more people were buying stereo systems. This album is now regarded as one of the best Pop/Psych albums of the 60’s and was overlooked at the time and sold very few copies however the track ‘Time Of The Season’ was a single hit in the USA.  The Zombies broke up shortly after this release and Rod Argent went on to form ‘Argent’ which was very successful during the early 70’s.  The original Zombies recently got together again for an ‘Odessey and Oracle’  anniversary tour .

THE VINYL:

In 1968 I was working for CBS Records and acquired this record a week before release so I know it is a first pressing and one of the very first out of the pressing plant,  I must have played this twice in 1968, once when I first listened and again when I transferred the record to cassette to play in the car,  the record was then stored away in a dark cupboard with other records for over 40 years and I recently discovered the album and knowing it was a collectors item I decided it was time to pass it on to a collector, I have played it again today to check the condition on my  Garrard 301/ SME 3009 set up and I can report that it’s like a new record and plays perfect with fabulous sound,  the thick vinyl is as new, no marks or scuff’s or handling signs and no warping, it’s very shiny with mirror like surfaces and a just pressed look and shows no signs of age,  I held the record under a bright light and could just see a faint spider mark on the label and that was probably me in 1968 but you will have to look for it under a light,  other than this the rough textured orange CBS labels are mint, clean and with no wearing at the centre hole.  The record plays perfect with no distortion, jumping or clicks, pure awesome mono sound and has to grade as MINT !!!

Side A : 63280 A1   Side B : 63280 B1   Textured Orange CBS Labels

THE VINYL MUST GRADE AS  MINT, SOME SELLERS WOULD SAY UNPLAYED IN THIS AMAZING CONDITION……….SPECTACULAR EXAMPLE !!!

 THE SLEEVE:

Original  MINT !! UK 1st press front laminated E.J Day CBS sleeve complete with original CBS orange advertisement inner sleeve holding the record,  it’s impossible to find the outer sleeve in anything approaching a good condition - most are dirty, torn and worn and marked due to age and smoke environment,  This one is as new, and looks fabulous,   no graffiti, no corner knocks, no seam splits, no edge rubbing, creasing or ring wear, and still ultra strong, solid and flat after 42 years with the original pinched spine in perfect condition,  the Terry Quirk designed front cover has a wonderful high gloss lamented finish with perfectly clean matt rear sleeve with no age browning, the opening edge is still tightly closed like a new sleeve which indicates that the record has not left the sleeve very often. If you had bought this recording in 1968 over the counter it would have been as good as this copy I am now offering for auction.

THIS SLEEVE MUST GRADE AS MINT !! OR NEW IT’S SIMPLY IN AMAZING CONDITION AFTER 42 YEARS      ….OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE…….

SERIOUSLY RARE TO FIND THIS RECORD AS TRULY MAGNIFICENT AS THIS COPY, YOU MAY NEVER GET THE CHANCE AGAIN, I CAN TRULY SAY THAT THIS IS AN INVESTMENT QUALITY EXAMPLE AND WOULD NEVER NEED TO BE UPGRADED AND I CAN SAFELY SAY THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THIS RECORD EVER OFFERED ON EBAY SO YOU CAN BID WITH COMPLETE CONFIDENCE.

THE ZOMBIES Odessey and Oracle LP 1968 CBS UK MONO 1st Press  63280

Free package and recorded postage for the UK only, overseas costs will be calculated at the end of the auction.

U.K. special delivery can be arranged at extra cost if requested.

I will package this record in between oversized cardboard to protect the corners of the sleeve as I believe record envelopes do not protect the corners in the post and this record is too good to take chances, if you have ever seen records pushed into post bags by the post office you’ll know what I mean.

Many thanks for looking and good luck.