THE GREATEFUL DEAD (DEBUT) 1st UK 1967 MONO MINT AUDIO

	£		305
	$		404

THE GRATEFUL DEAD ''THE GREATEFUL DEAD'' 1st UK PRESS   (((MONO)))   DEBUT ALBUM  CAT NO W.1689 WARNER BROS LABELS!! 1967 IMPOSSIBLY RARE!! AWESOME VINYL PLAYING SURFACE NEAR MINT STUNNING AUDIO!! BARELY PLAYED!! 1ST ISSUE GARROD & LOFTHOUSE FLIPBACK, LAMINATED FRONT COVER NEAR PERFECT!!

A NEAR ARCHIVE COPY!

Another from my personal collection! This album has been stored in a case with the vinyl seperated from the sleeve and cover for protection for over 40 years! This is how I have always stored my records! This earliest and original 43 year old record in Greatful Deads debut album, an awesome sounding psychadelic mono recording absolutely perfect on my systems, played with a dedicated mono cartridge at very loud volume was truly stunning throughout! no pops or clicks and no distortion. These earliest mono pressings can not ever be surpassed by later pressings in my opinion! This is totaly original with the original Warner advertising serpier sleeve and the 1st issue Garrod & Lofthouse flip back cover which is still in very near perfect condition throughout! Highly collectable and sought after by any avid Greatful Dead fans out there! You will be hard pushed to find a better 1st issue mono original copy anywhere!!! 

The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, jazz, psychedelia, and space rock and for live performances of long musical improvisation. "Their music, touches on ground that most other groups don't even know exists!!."

The fans of the Grateful Dead, some of whom followed the band from concert to concert for years, are known as "Deadheads" and are known for their dedication to the band's music. Many refer to the band simply as "the Dead." As of 2003, the remaining band members who had been touring under the name "The Other Ones" changed their official group name to "The Dead". Deadheads continue to use that nickname to refer to all versions of the band!!.

The Grateful Dead's musical influences varied widely; in concert recordings or on record albums one can hear psychedelic rock, blues, rock and roll, country-western, bluegrass, country-rock, and improvisational jazz. These various influences were distilled into a diverse and psychedelic whole that made the Grateful Dead "the pioneering Godfathers of the jam band world!!."

The Grateful Dead began their career as The Warlocks, a group formed in early 1964 from the remnants of a Palo Alto jug band called Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions!!.

The charter members of the Grateful Dead were: banjo and guitar player Jerry Garcia, guitarist Bob Weir, bluesman organist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, the classically trained bassist Phil Lesh and drummer Bill Kreutzmann (who then used the stage name Bill Sommers.) Lesh was the last member to join the Warlocks before they became the Grateful Dead: he replaced Dana Morgan Jr. who had played bass for a few gigs. With the exception of McKernan, the core of the band stayed together for 30 years, until Garcia's death in 1995!!

Lead guitarist Jerry Garcia was often seen both by the public and the media as the leader or primary spokesperson for the Grateful Dead, but was reluctant to be perceived that way, especially since he and the other group members saw themselves as equal participants and contributors to their collective musical and creative output.

 Garcia, a native of San Francisco, grew up in the Excelsior District. One of his main influences was bluegrass music, and Garcia also performed—on banjo, one of his other great instrumental loves, along with the pedal steel guitar—in bluegrass bands, notably Old and in the Way with mandolinist David Grisman!!.

Classically trained trumpeter Phil Lesh played bass guitar. Bob Weir, the youngest original member of the group, played rhythm guitar. Ron "Pigpen" McKernan played keyboards and harmonica until shortly before his death in 1973 at the age of 27. Garcia, Weir and McKernan shared the lead vocal duties more or less equally; Lesh only sang a few leads but his tenor was a key part of the band's four-part vocal harmonies. Bill Kreutzmann played drums, and in September 1967 was joined by a second drummer, New York native Mickey Hart, who also played a wide variety of other percussion instruments. Hart quit the Grateful Dead in February 1971, leaving Kreutzmann once again as the sole percussionist. Mickey Hart rejoined the Grateful Dead for good in October 1974. Tom "TC" Constanten was added as a second keyboardist from 1968 to 1970, while Pigpen also played various percussion instruments and sang!!.

After Constanten's departure, Pigpen reclaimed his position as sole organist. Less than two years later, in late 1971, Pigpen was joined by another keyboardist, Keith Godchaux, who played grand piano alongside Pigpen's Hammond B-3 organ. In early 1972, Keith's wife, Donna Jean Godchaux, joined the Dead as a backing vocalist!!!.

The Grateful Dead is the debut album of the Grateful Dead. It was recorded by Warner Bros. Records, and was released in March 1967. According to bassist Phil Lesh in his autobiography Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead, the album was released as San Francisco's Grateful Dead!!.

The album was recorded primarily at Studio A in Los Angeles in only four days. The band had wanted to record the album in their hometown of San Francisco, but no good recording studios existed in the area at the time. The group picked David Hassinger to produce because he had worked as an engineer on the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow album (the latter of which Jerry Garcia had guested on as a session musician as well as donated the album title to). Demands by Warner Bros. resulted in four of the tracks, originally longer, being cut short. Phil Lesh comments in his autobiography that "to my ear, the only track that sounds at all like we did at the time is Viola Lee Blues. ... None of us had any experience with performing for recording ... although the whole process felt a bit rushed!!!

1. "The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)" (Grateful Dead) – 2:13
2. "Beat It on Down the Line" (Fuller) – 2:33
3. "Good Morning Little School Girl" (Williamson) – 5:45
4. "Cold Rain and Snow" (Grateful Dead) – 2:31
5. "Sitting on Top of the World" (Jacobs, Carter) – 2:07
6. "Cream Puff War" (Garcia) – 2:28

7. "(Walk Me Out in the) Morning Dew" (Dobson, Rose) – 5:08
8. "New, New Minglewood Blues" (Lewis) – 2:37
9. "Viola Lee Blues" (Lewis) – 10:13

The Matrix

Side 1 ''W 1689 A-1''

Side 2 ''W 1689 B-1''

The Vinyl

This is the super thick and chunky original vinyl, only found on the earliest possible pressings!!! The vinyl is absolutely 100% flat on the turntable!   On initial visual inspection this looks like new and still retains its sheen from new in my personal opinion!!!  Looks and sounds Hardly ever played at all!! In the last 35 years this has been stored in a case with the vinyl seperated from the sleeve and cover to prevent ringware and damage,, This is how i have always stored my records!!   Visually I find it hard to even see a blemish when angled to the light on the playing surface!, certainly not a scratch in sight that would cause any annoying loud clicks or pops! At least (no) audio sounding marks at all can be seen!!Any marks that could possibly be seen would be sleeve removal only in my opinion! 

 The Audio Quality

I have carefully played this through track for track prior to listing three times at very loud volume on a top system using a dedicated mono cartridge!,, The audio quality is superbe TOP TOP TOP!  cristal clear and extreemely vibrant!!!!(no) signs of any distortion or grooveware at all, very near  perfect on my system!!!!! No audio sounding needle scratches or marks at all that caused any loud clicks or pops!  (no)  clicks or pops (no distortion)! Any static or perhapes the odd light and minor static tick would be very hard to notice even on my very sensitive system! Please note! this vinyl has been stored seperately from the cover in a poly sleeve for all of its storage life!!! This is the way I always  have stored my records!!!! The audio on this pressing in my opinion is almost as good as it gets for a very early and the 1st mono pressing!!!!!Even in between tracks. This plays awesome on my system!!! ALMOST AS GOOD AS IT GETS IN MY OPINION!!!

I would class myself as highly critical and this is a truly exceptional sounding vinyl and the 1ST ISSUE MONO  ALBUM RELEASED IN 1967 by this awesome band ''Greatful Dead'' and so hard to find the earliest 1st pressing like this!!!!!!!! Please check my completed listings of records that i have sold of this calaber and you will see that i normally get it right!!!!

Audio quality graded as excellent plus to very near mint, stunning bassey feel! 

Please note! That i always make this disclaimer! That although I never heard any clicks or pops during the play of this record please allow for the odd minor light static\tick here and there certainly not consistant throughout the audio, but this is a genuine 43 year old vinyl that would have been played on a 43 year old system!!!!! !

Points to note! This has been stored in a case laying dormant for at least 35 years! A build up of dirt and dust in the grooves from laying dormant causes static crackle\ticks! A constant clean before each play is recomended !!!! This would reduce any static and enhance the audio quality!!!!

The Record Sleeve

This is the original Warner Bros advertising record serpier sleeve very rare to find complete. This has just light creasings with age and becoming fragile with age at the bottom edge. This is now stored seperately from the vinyl!

The Cover

This is the 1st issue 1st UK press Garrod & Lofthouse flipback cover!! Laminated front only! This is very near perfect throughout! Super glossy laminate barely any real creases to talk of just minor light crease lines at the spine all text is legable! The rear is truly exceptionaly clean and sharp! (see photos) Absolutely no splits or tares! This must grade at least excellent plus in my opinion, very near perfect!!!  

HOW I SEND MY RECORDS!

THIS ALBUM WILL BE SENT IN A LARGE BOX WITH CARDBOARD STIFFENERS THE ALBUM IS ALWAYS PUT IS A POLY SLEEVE AND ENCASED IN THE BOX WITH PLENTY OF BUBBLEWRAP FOR ADDED PROTECTION (SEE PHOTOS)

As always I have tried to give my honest personal opinion when describing items listed! Although it is my honest opinion! I always urge others to do their own personal research on any items that they are interested in purchasing, before, they commit to bidding!) I have Highlighted all aspects as clearly as possible!! I have taken time to play this vinyl track for track to give a clear and accurate description of the audio quality as i hear it. (please look at my completed listings of albums that I have sold of this calaber (more than 1000 items) and you will see that I normally get it right) I have also provided as many photos as I can and supersized so that all aspects can be seen clearly in strong light!!!!!Please note! These photos are the actual item for sale and not copies of other items!!!!!!!

Please do not hesitate to email me with any questions regarding this item or any other items that I have listed!

I HAVE 100% POSITIVE FEEDBACK SO PLEASE BID WITH TOTAL CONFIDANCE!!!!

SHIPPING TO THE USA\CANADA\JAPAN\AUSTRALIA IS 11.76GBP INCLUDES INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR DELIVERY WITH INSURANCE AND TRACKING

SHIPPING TO EUROPE IS 8.76GBP INCLUDES INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR DELIVERY WITH INSURANCE AND TRACKING

POSTAGE WITHIN ENGLAND IS FREE SENT BY RECORDED DELIVERY

(ALL ITEMS ARE COVERED BY AN INSURANCE UP TO A VALUE OF £36.00 FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE OF GOODS IN TRANSIT. AN ADDITIONAL (OPTIONAL) FEE WILL BE CHARGED FOR ANY INSURANCE OF A HIGHER VALUE. PLEASE NOTE, THAT SOME COUNTRIES HAVE A MAXIMUM AMOUNT ONLY TO A CERTAIN VALUE THAT CAN BE INSURED! 

Please note! All items are now despatched by Royal Mail signed for 1st class delivery!!!! I normally despatch weekdays within the next working day on receipt of cleared funds!!!I POST ON WEEKDAYS ONLY (NOT OVER THE WEEKEND)!! Tracking details are always emailed to the winning bidder after despatch.

All items are despatched securely with ample reinforcement (It is my prime interest to make sure that the items arrive in the same condition that they left me!!!!

I offer a postage discount for multiple purchases!!!,, but i do insist that the buyer pay for the items as they are won! I can not any longer allow winning bidders to run up a large bill and then not pay! I do not have a problem with holding the goods to be despatched untill they are ready (at the buyers request), for multiple items purchased!!!!!

MY NEW POLICY! Because of the unfortunate recent problems that I have had with non payments, Any new ebayers with low,poor or no real history,  Please do not bid on my records without first contacting me! These bids will be cancelled and the bidder will be blocked from further attempts to bid on my items.   

PLEASE LOOK AT MY OTHER RARE 1ST UK PRESSINGS LISTED NOW!!!! (click the link bellow)

>>>>     <<<<