Rare 1978 UK 1st v. SO ALONE, Johnny Thunders LP Real Records RAL-1 (E/VG+) Punk

$

45

Rare 1978 first release of So Alone, first solo album by Johnny Thunders (1952-1991), guitarist with the New York Dolls.  UK release, Real Records RAL-1, distributed by (parent label) WEA Records, Ltd.  Thunders’ work on So Alone, especially his searing rendition of “Pipeline”, proves why he was a cult punk guitar hero. 

Label: Red label with blue and white Real Records logo.  Label identifiers RAL1A (Side One)/RAL1B (Side Two).  “Copyright 1978 Real Records”.  Printed around bottom: “Dist. By WEA Records Ltd. 20 Broadwick St. London W.I. A Warner Communications Group”. 

Cover: Printed with “A Real Record Produced by Johnny Thunders/Steve Lillywhite With Special Thanks To Steve Jones And Peter Perrett, Engineered by Steve Lillywhite.  Copyright 1978 A Real Recording Distributed by WEA Records Ltd. A Warner Communications Company, Printed and Made by Lofthouse Ltd.”

Sleeve: One side is glossy red, with white credits.  Second side is black and white collage of So Alone recording studio photos.

Matrix/Runout:
Side One Etched Runout: RAYS S-2  RAL1  A EG
Side Two Etched Runout: RAYS S-8  RAL1 B  EG

Side One:
PIPELINE (Bob Spickard/Brian Carman)
J. Thunders, Lead Guitar
Steve Jones, Lead Guitar
Phil Lynott, Bass
Paul Cook, Drums
You Can't Put Your Arms Round A Memory (J. Thunders)
J. Thunders, Acoustic Guitar/Lead Guitar/Vocals
Peter Perrett, Guitar/Vocals
Paul Gray, Bass
Mike Kellie, Drums
Great Big Kiss (Tate/Catside/Parsons)
J. Thunders, Guitar/Vocals
Steve Jones, Guitar
Walter Lure, Guitar
Billy Rath, Bass
Paul Cook, Drums
Pat Palladin, Vocals
John Irish Earle, Sax
Steve Lillywhhite, Piano
Ask Me No Questions (J. Thunders)
J. Thunders, Acoustic Guitar/ Vocals
Peter Perrett, Electric Guitar/Vocals
Paul Gray, Bass
Mike Kellie, Drums
Leave Me Alone (J. Thunders)
J. Thunders, Lead Guitar/ Vocals
Steve Jones, Guitar
Phil Lynott, Bass
Paul Cook, Drums

Side Two:
Daddy Rollin' Stone (Otis Blackwell)
J. Thunders, Vocals
Steve Jones, Guitar
Phil Lynott, Bass/Vocals
Paul Cook, Drums
Steve Marriott, Piano/Harmonica/Vocals
London Boys (Billy Rath/Walter Lure/J. Thunders)
J. Thunders, Guitar/Vocals
Steve Jones, Lead Guitar
Phil Lynott, Bass
Paul Cook, Drums
 (She's So) Untouchable (J. Thunders)
J. Thunders, Acoustic Guitar/Lead Guitar/Vocals
Peter Perrett, Guitar
Paul Gray, Bass
Mike Kellie, Drums
John Irish Earle, Sax
Subway Train (J. Thunders/D. Johansen)
J. Thunders, Lead Guitar/Vocals
Peter Perrett, Guitar
Henry Paul, Guitar
Paul Gray, Bass
Mike Kellie, Drums
John Irish Earle, Sax
Chrissie Hynde, Koulla Kakoulli, Pat Palladin – Vocals
Downtown (J. Thunders/D. Johansen)
J. Thunders, Guitar/Vocals
Paul Gray, Bass
Paul Nichol, Drums

CONDITION/GRADING: Not professionally graded.  I have graded to the best of my ability using Goldmine guidelines.  Grading is done by listening to LP and visually inspecting LP & cover.  View photos.
LP: (E) Excellent playability with no skips, cracks, or audible surface noise.  A few very faint hairline scratches on both sides, and small light scuff on first track Side Two.  Very minimal spindle wear.  Owner's initials in small light pen on Side One.
Cover/Sleeve: Very Good + (VG+).  COVER:  Bright cover with good gloss.  Very clean with just a few fleabite spots on front.  A few light scratches and a few light creases along spine and top edge.  Minimal light paper scuffing along edges, and moderate scuffing at corners.  Very minimal ring wear.  No seam splits or paper separation.  SLEEVE:  Clean and bright with good gloss.  A few paper dents front and back and some light paper scuff around seams.  2-1/2” seam split on one side.

Johnny Thunders: “Johnny Thunders was the first punk rock guitar hero, earning a cult following for his noisy but epic style a few years before the insouciant new music gained its name.  Following in the footsteps of his idol and role model Keith Richards, Johnny Thunders (born John Anthony Genzale, Jr.) lived the ultimate rock & roll life, spending most of his days churning out tough, sloppy three-chord rock & roll and gaining nearly as strong a reputation for his decades-long struggle with addiction as for his music.  Thunders made his greatest impact as a member of the New York Dolls, the proto-punk glam rockers of the early '70s.  During the late '70s, he was a familiar figure on the New York punk scene, both with his band, the Heartbreakers, and as a solo artist. Thunders performed and recorded steadily until his death in 1991, turning out a series of records that inadvertently documented the struggles of his life and his art.”  (source: allmusic.com)

So Alone:  “Following the drug-fueled implosion of the Heartbreakers, Johnny Thunders bounced back in 1978 with his first solo outing, So Alone.  Featuring a veritable who's who of '70s punk and hard rock – Chrissie Hynde, Phil Lynott, Peter Perrett, Steve Marriott, Paul Cook, and Steve Jones, among others  -- the record was a testament to what the former New York Dolls guitarist could accomplish with a little focus.  Much like Thunders’ best work with the Dolls and Heartbreakers, So Alone is a gloriously sloppy amalgam of R&B, doo wop, and three-chord rock & roll.  Despite the inevitable excesses that plagued every Thunders recording session, Steve Lillywhite’s solid engineering job and a superb set of songs hold everything together. A cover of the Chantay’s  classic instrumental "Pipeline" leads things off, and is a teasing reminder of what a great guitarist Thunders could be when he put his mind to it.  The record's indisputable masterpiece is "You Can't Put Your Arms Round a Memory," a wrenching, surprisingly literate ballad in which Thunders seems to acknowledge that his junkie lifestyle has doomed him to the abyss.  Songs like "Leave Me Alone," and the chilling title track continue the theme of life inside the heroin balloon.  Fortunately, all this back-alley gloom is leavened by some memorably animated moments.  "London Boys" is a scathing reply to the Sex Pistols’  indictment of the New York punk scene, "New York."  The funky "Daddy Rolling Stone" features the inimitable Lynott on background vocals, while the rave-ups "Great Big Kiss" and "(She's So) Untouchable" are terrific examples of Thunders’ raunchy take on classic R&B.  Sadly, Johnny Thunders never followed up on the promise of his solo debut.  His subsequent records were a frustrating mix of drug-addled mediocrity and downright laziness.  But for one brief moment, he seemed to put it all together. That moment is So Alone”. (source: allmusic.com)

Shipping Note: I have cleaned the LP with Groovy Cleaner brand cleaner for vinyl records to remove dust and dirt.  It will be shipped with a protective polyethylene album sleeve, in a sturdy cardboard LP mailer with protective inserts, for safe shipping.

Check my feedback and bid with confidence.  Email me with any questions prior to bidding. Your satisfaction as a customer is very important to me.  I describe and picture my items as accurately as possible. If you have any problem with a transaction, please contact me first– I am an honest seller always willing to help you.

Payment is due within 3 days of end of auction.

I strive to provide friendly, top quality customer service.  I ship within 24 – 48 hr. after I receive payment unless there is a weather-related or other unforeseen issue.  If shipping will be late, I will contact you.  Shipping charges are calculated automatically by the eBay Shipping Calculator based on actual size & weight of package sent to your zip code.  Certain items will be sent by Priority mail, but most items will be shipped to you by the most economic USPS shipping service, to reduce your shipping costs.  If you prefer a different USPS shipping service than what is stated on the auction listing, please contact me before paying for your item and I can adjust your invoice. Combined shipping is always available upon request.

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: Contact me for a shipping quote before bidding/paying because due to some late international shipments sent First Class I recommend shipping all international sales by Priority International unless requested otherwise, so that packages can be tracked for delivery.  Whenever possible international shipments will be sent Flat Rate Priority to save on shipping charges.  If you request economy First Class International for small packages please be aware that delivery time for 1st Class International shipments can vary from 3-4 days to up to up to 4-5 weeks, and that First Class International packages cannot be tracked if a package is late or lost.  Due to size, some items cannot be sent First Class International.

 Thank you very much for your interest in my auction!