SIGNING OFF UB40 1980 LP + 12" 3-trk EP Graduate Records GRAD LP 2 1st UK Press

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Signing Off is the debut album by British reggae band UB40, released in the UK on 29 August 1980 by Dudley-based independent label Graduate Records. It was an immediate success in their home country, reaching number 2 on the UK albums chart, and made UB40 one of the many popular reggae bands in Britain, several years before the band found international fame. The politically-concerned lyrics struck a chord in a country with widespread public divisions over high unemployment, the policies of the recently elected Conservative party under Margaret Thatcher, and the rise of the National Front party, while the record's dub-influenced rhythms reflected the late 1970s influence in British pop music of West Indian music introduced by immigrants from the Caribbean after the Second World War, particularly reggae and ska – this was typified by the 2 Tone movement, at that point at the height of its success and led by fellow West Midlands act The Specials, with whom UB40 drew comparisons due to their multiracial band line-up and socialist views.

The original 1980 vinyl release of Signing Off consisted of a ten-track LP (played at the standard 33 rpm) plus a three-track 12" record (played at 45 rpm) which contained the tracks "Madam Medusa", "Strange Fruit" and "Reefer Madness".

The front and back covers of the album are a replica of the yellow British UB40 unemployment benefit attendance card from which the band took their name, emphatically stamped with the words SIGNING OFF in capital letters. It was a statement by the band of leaving behind the world of unemployment and of their arrival on the music scene. The artwork was created by brothers Geoffrey and David Tristram: Geoff went on to become an artist and novelist, while David became a comic playwright.

Signing Off was placed at number 13 in the NME critics' list of the albums of the year for 1982, while the singles "King"/"Food for Thought" and "My Way of Thinking" were at numbers 14 and 18 respectively in the equivalent singles of the year list.  Sounds placed "King"/"Food for Thought" at number 8 in its end of year rankings for singles of the year, while Melody Maker ranked the same single at number 22 in its own list.

In June 2000 the British monthly music magazine Q placed Signing Off at number 83 in its critics' list of the "100 Greatest British Albums Ever". The album is also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, the only UB40 album to feature.

Still considered by many fans and music critics to be UB40's best album.

THIS COPY is a 1st U.K. pressing from 1980 on the Graduate Records label (see Notes, below), and include both the 33 RPM LP and the 45 RPM 3-track EP.

The vinyl looks great, but during a test listen I did detect a couple of closely placed "ticks", one of which might be a very short skip.  Since this song (the last one on side 1 of the LP) is a dub cut, it is not too noticeable, but because of this one flaw, I am lowering the grading to only Very Good [VG] condition - but please note that the rest of the two discs seems to be in much better condition, probably EX or better. Also of note, the first song on the EP, "Madam Medusa" is almost 13 minutes in length. (Song timings do not appear anywhere on the cover, inner sleeves, or disc labels.)

The original cover shows minimal signs of handling.  It is in Very Good Plus [VG+] condition.

The original inner sleeves are of heavier that usual paper - perhaps that is why they remain in Excellent [EX] condition, with no splitting or other flaws.

Notes

Issued in a card [i.e. thin cardboard] sleeve [not gatefold] made to resemble an unemployment benefit attendance card. Records come in black printed inner sleeves.

Tracks A1 to B6 recorded 21-24 December 1979, 31 March-10 April, 16 June-1 July, Bob Lamb's Home Of The Hits.
Tracks C to D2 recorded 18-20 July 1980, The Music Center.

All titles published by Graduate/New Claims/ATV, except
(B2) Inter Song
(B3) Graduate/New Claims/ITC
(D1) Planetary Nom (London) Ltd.

Made in Great Britain

Note: where the "Ʊ" symbol is used in the "Barcodes and Other Identifiers" fields it represents the "lyre" or "harp" symbol used by Utopia Studios, the vinyl cutters

 Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, etched variant 1): GRADLP2A2 EG Ʊ
• Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, etched variant 1): GRADLP2B2 EG Ʊ
• Matrix / Runout (Runout side C, etched variant 1): UB 40 Side 1-2 EG Ʊ
• Matrix / Runout (Runout side D, etched variant 1): UB 40 Side 2-2 EG Ʊ

ENJOY!