THE MONKEES *MINT* 1968 UK 1st PRESS 'HEAD'

	£		195
	$		258

Stunning Original True 1968 **Near Mint** UK Rarer Stereo 1st Pressing 'Head' by The Monkees on Extra Thick 1st Press Vinyl!!! With Orig. Orange RCA Labels!!! Mega Rare -1//-1 1st Press Matrix!!! Complete with 1st Press Thickly Laminated & 'Pleated Spine' 1st Press Robert Stace Sleeve!!! A Legendary UK 1st Press Psych Monster is Absolute Pristine Condition!!!

Here is another gem from my own mostly Nr Mint personal collection of Psych rarities (which I am selling off gradually to lessen the pain...) I have been collecting very rare vinyl for a long time now. As a collector, I have been very critical about the condition of the records I have chosen to buy over the years, and only selected the most pristine 1st pressings from all around the UK.  My collection is therefore filled with not only the rarest UK 1st pressings, but also records of the highest grade quality condition, some of the best you will probably ever come across. Sadly, most now have to find new homes. As I said, I am very strict with my grading, so when I describe a record as Nr Mint - you can rest assured that it will be a true Nr Mint record (I never grade any records as Mint because Mint does not exist in the world of vintage vinyl - in my opinion, as soon as the record has been taken home from the store it is no longer mint!!)

You are bidding on a very special auction here - a STUNNING ORIGINAL Earliest  UK 1968 Stereo 1st Pressing of the infamous Head by The Monkees!!! As well as being by far the rarest album that The Monkees ever released, it is also now seen by many as their best. Forget the manufactured bubble-gum pop of their early career, this is the raw PSYCHEDELIC sound of The Monkees growing up and giving the finger to the execs who had dictated the path of their career up until this point. It sounds awesome! This record does occasionally turn up as a Mono pressing, however what makes this record so very rare is that it is the TRUE UK 1968 Super Thick & Chunky 1st Stereo pressing on the Orange RCA labels & with the 1st press -1//-1 Matrix & Robert Stace Thickly Laminated 'stereo' sleeve!!! In 1968 stereo had still not quite caught up with mono and only a very few stereo pressings of this record ever saw the light of day - by far the greater number were pressed on mono.

Nobody really knows what compelled The Monkees to make the movie Head (it was and remains to this day, the only movie they ever made). One thing is for sure though, it was an abject commercial failure. Of course, being a typically commercial money-hungry record label, RCA was very aware of the failure of the movie and was reluctant to press any copies of the accompanying soundtrack LP at all. However a token amount were pressed to appease the die-hard Monkees fans left (and it must be pointed out that, by the time Head was released, the Monkees star was seriously beginning to wane). Their TV show had by this point been cancelled, and the irony was that this, although pretty much signalling the end of their career, was the first and only real taste of creative freedom this band ever had. However, as we all know, a commercial failure does not always equal an artistic failure, and that is the case here; because Head is a fantastic movie! Thankfully it is has since been rediscovered by psych fans and is now a cult favourite. Head was a move the band should have be applauded for making as they must surely have been aware that people were not ready for this kind of film/soundtrack from the once cuddly boy-band. For what it's worth, I think the band deliberately chose sabotage what was left of their career with this movie - as Neil Young (and latterly Kurt) once said "Its better to burn out than to fade away". Which is pretty appropriate when looking at the demise of The Monkees. What they left us with though is an awesome, paranoid, liberated & twisted Psych classic - you will love this record.

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Cat No:

SF 8051

1st Press Matrix:

Side 1 - WZRS 5389-1

Side 2 -  WZRS 5390-1

The Classic 1st press orange RCA Record labels are in stunning condition with NO Tears, NO Peeling, NO Grubbiness, NO Scribbles and NO unwanted writing of any kind!!! There are just of the lightest faint spindle lines, that can only be seen when angling the record towards light (by holding the record angled toward a window). The gramophone rims containing the all important 1st press etchings and matrix's are MINT-!!!

This record is in Near Mint condition - it's as simple as that!!! The first thing you notice about this record is its incredible thickness and weight (it is super heavy!) It confirms the true 1st press status of this record!!! Importantly, the vinyl is also in Stunning condition!!! This disc looks like it came off the master press this morning!!! It has all the deep shine a newly pressed record that as only ever been played once or at the most twice before!!!  Impossible for an original UK Stereo 1st pressing of this album!!! The record still retains ALL of its original gloss and shine and has NO dulling and NO nasty greying of the grooves!!! I am very pleased to state that this is a record that also plays as good as it looks!!! You will not find a quieter 1st pressing!!!  it has NO jumps, NO skips and virtually NO between track crackle - impossible for a UK 1st press of this record!!! There is just the faintest light crackle on the run-in grooves which all but disappears into the record. There are just one or two very faint wispy paper lines present which are almost invisible unless angling he record and in no way sound!!! This record certainly never saw any of those thick & nasty mono needles of the 1960's!!! The thick quality pressed chunky 1960's vinyl looks and feels great (it is super heavy and thick!) I have no hesitation whatsoever in grading this vinyl as ***Near Mint***!!! Its as simple as that. It play grades even better!!! It is that most elusive of things, a 1st pressing of The Monkees legendary 'Head' that is suitable for the highest grade UK 1st press Psych collection!!!!!! (You will not find a better example!!)

The classic 1st press thickly laminated Robert Stace thickly laminated 1st press sleeve is in superb Excellent condition with no major flaws at all!!! These 1st press sleeves always turn up totally worn out-looking nowadays with severe damage to the spine, with corner & edge wear, stains and ring wear (especially to the unlaminated back). Suffice to say, they have not remained in prime condition over the years. THIS SLEEVE IS DIFFERENT!! It is in superb condition with  NO Tears, NO Stains, NO Scribbles and NO unwanted writing of any kind - It is completely blemish free!!! The sleeve lies perfectly FLAT with virtually NONE of the ring wear to the back that is so common with these sleeves!! It has NO edge wear and NO rubbing of the spine!!! There are no nasty scribbles/stains or blemishes of any kind!!! It has no discoloration!!! Impossible for this sleeve!! The laminate is also stunning, with a beautiful glossy sheen. That's it for the sleeve - it is a stunner and easily grades as Ex+!! As I mentioned previously, please rest assured that this is in no way over-graded, what you are getting here is the real deal. I adhere strictly to record collector grading standards!!! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND THIS ORIGINAL 1ST PRESS THICKLY LAMINATED 'PLEATED SPINE' ROBERT STACE SLEEVE IN THIS CONDITION ANYMORE!!!  This really is a one off chance to own a superb example of this the scarce UK Press of this rare and classic Psych LP. Don't miss this one as copies like this only come around very rarely!!! Check out our feedback and bid with confidence as this is a no reserve auction with a very low starting price! 

The Bottom line is that this sounds NOTHING like The Monkees earlier records - if you have never heard this, put aside everything you think you know about this band and listen with new ears; this is pure Psych Bliss from start to finish!!! It was pressed in tiny numbers back in 1968 and remains one of the rarest Psychedelic UK 1st pressings out there - don't miss it!!!

I have tried to show you the record from all angles using extra large images. If you are not sure of anything just email me - I will be happy to help. Don't underestimate the rarity of this LP - finding a UK 1st press of this LP in this kind of condition is impossible today; Good Luck!

Please read - It has recently been pointed out to me that some eBay sellers have been using my images without permission. If you are thinking of lifting some images from my pages - please don't. You will be reported and your auction will be removed by eBay. It's not that I mind, in fact its kinda flattering, my real problem is that whoever does this is not showing a true image of the actual record they are selling. The condition of old 1960's & 70's records varies greatly, no two are in exactly the same condition when they are this age. All my pictures are very specific to the actual records I sell and it is wholly misleading to to show these images with reference to a different record - whoever does this is not being fair to the buyer. Thanks for reading.

I will be selling my entire UK 1st Press collection of 1960/70's Psych/Prog./Beat/Rock & Folk over the coming months, most of these records are in Mint- condition, many having 3 figure book prices. All will be listed here on eBay UK, most with a £2.99 start and No Reserve - bookmark my pages. Like the vast majority of my collection, this record has been archived upright in a thick outer PVC sleeve in a smoke & damp free environment since purchase!

All my records have No reserve, a Low Start and No Surcharges!

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***Please note when looking at these images - like 99.9% of all the records I offer this vinyl will be totally unmarked unless stated otherwise in the description above. If you see faint lines or shadows on the playing surfaces it is just the reflection of either my blind pulls or telephone wires outside the window*** HJ

Hazey Jane Records... always combines P+P if you win more than 1 auction so you can save money on postage!  We always use a ridiculously low start price and never use nasty hidden reserves, so go ahead and bid, you just might grab this auction at a decent price... There are absolutely no surcharges or fees in our auctions, just pay what you bid plus the postage

Other Stuff ... Hazey Jane's grading adheres strictly to the UK Record Collector Grading System.  The record you are looking at in the images will always be the record you are being sold - we do not use deceptive stock photos.  Your record(s) will be shipped safely to you in the latest and strongest designed cruciform box-type mailers (1-4 records) or high quality thick sturdy purpose-designed record mailers (for single LP records and 7"s). Your package will also contain stiffening inserts to protect against bending or folding of the package during shipment. All records are professionally cleaned prior to being sent and are safely packaged outside their jackets to prevent seam any stress or 'knifing' during shipment.  Rest assured we will not send your record in a jiffy bag or Pizza Box (unfortunately it happens)!!!!

Payment ... Hazey Jane gives you many different ways to pay for our vinyl records. We accept virtually ALL forms of payment including Paypal (which we do not charge to use), Personal Cheques (GBP Sterling, Euro or USD), Money/Postal Orders (GBP Sterling, Euro, USD), Bank Transfer etc.  We also accept many other methods of payment, so if the payment method that suits you best is not listed below please email us and we'll do our best to arrange a method of payment that is most convenient to you.

A little note about Invoicing - Please read carefully. Please wait until we invoice you before paying via the checkout, we will do this as quickly as possible, usually within a few hours of you winning the auction, and no later that 24 hours after the auction ends.

UK -

If the payment option you prefer is not listed below please just ask, we do  accept other methods of payment - just ask and I will try my best to accept it!!!

• Personal Cheque (Our preferred UK method - if mailing payment PLEASE include Ebay ID as reference!)

• Paypal (unless otherwise stated)

• Bank to Bank Transfer - PLEASE include Ebay ID as reference! (Account No. & Sort Code will be sent upon request), Quicker than personal cheque

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• Bankers Draft

• Many more payment options will be included in your invoice!

• If the payment option you prefer is not listed here please just ask, I will try my best to accept it!

EUROPE -

If the payment option you prefer is not listed below please just ask, we do  accept other methods of payment - just ask and I will try my best to accept it!!!

• Paypal

• Money/Postal Orders (Made GBP £ Sterling to cash in a UK Post Office (Issued in UK by Alliance & Leicester) - *Common with our Italian Buyers*

• Bank to Bank Transfer in Euro  - PLEASE include Ebay ID as reference! Buyer must accept any Bank processing charges (IBAN and BIC details will be sent upon request),  *Tip* - Do not try to convert funds to GBP £ Sterling using CHAPS etc. prior to transfer, as this will result in more charges from your bank. Just transfer us the payment in Euros.

• Many more payment options will be included in your invoice

• If the payment option you prefer is not listed here please just ask, I will try my best to accept it!

USA, CANADA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, SINGAPORE, KOREA & REST OF WORLD -

Please note, if you cannot pay via Paypal or in GBP £ Sterling, then US Dollars & Euro is the only currency we can accept. If the payment option you prefer is not listed below please just ask, we do  accept other methods of payment - just ask and I will try my best to accept it!!!

• Paypal (No Fees!)

• Bank to Bank Transfer (Money Wire) - PLEASE include Ebay ID as reference! Please note this method incurs a reasonable charge to cover our own bank charges. (Account information will be sent upon request),

• Money Orders (Made GBP £ Sterling to cash in a UK Post Office (Issued in UK by Alliance & Leicester) - Common with our Japanese Buyers

• Many more payment options will be included in your invoice

• Remember; If the payment option you prefer is not listed here please just ask, we do  accept other methods of payment - just ask and I will try my best to accept it!!!

Postage ... Hazey Jane has absolutely NO hidden surcharges; the price you win is the price you pay, just add the relevant postage, it's as simple as that! We always combine postage so if you win more than 1 auction you save money on postage costs! We will only ship to non-UK countries via Airmail - we do not use surface mail, it is way too slow and thus increases the risk of records being damaged during transit.

A little note about insurance - Please read carefully... If the value of your record(s) is over £30, your invoice will include an insured option. Being the responsible adults you are, it is entirely up to you to take this up  - we strongly advise you to do this but will not hassle you about it. You either add the required insurance or you don't. If you do add the required insurance and your record is lost/damaged, you will get a refund. If you don't add the required insurance and your record is lost/damaged, you will not get a refund. Can we be any clearer? I think not.

• LP/Album Postage and Packing within the UK = £3.85.   

• LP/Album Postage and Packing to Europe via Air Mail = £4.95. 

• LP/Album Postage and Packing to Rest of the World (USA, Japan, Korea etc.) via Air Mail = £7.95. 

• Double LP/Album Postage and Packing within the UK = £4.85.   

• Double LP/Album Postage and Packing to Europe via Air Mail = £5.95. 

• Double LP/Album Postage and Packing to Rest of the World (USA, Japan, Korea etc.) via Air Mail = £10.95. 

• 7" Postage and Packing within the UK = £1.49.   

• 7" Postage and Packing to Europe via Air Mail = £2.85. 

• 7" Postage and Packing to Rest of the World (USA, Japan etc) via Air Mail = £4.95. 

Refunds & Feedback ... Please read this carefully ... We try to give you the best quality examples of rare records available. However, there will always be somebody out there whose expectations far exceed UK record collector grading standards.  If you are in anyway unsatisfied with your record or our grading of it please refer to the UK Record Collector Grading Chart very carefully BEFORE emailing us. We strictly adhere to it and will only offer refunds (minus the postage AND our eBay costs) if we are satisfied that we have fallen below UK record collector grading standards. This will very rarely, if ever, happen. We will not be impressed with buyers disputing our gradings without even bothering to check the UK record collector grading standards chart first - you have been warned ...

Buyers who continually Haggle, Whine and Moan to try to decrease the price they won their auctions for will be blocked from bidding on future auctions and can toodle off down to HMV or Virgin where they can harass the counter staff there.

We will always leave feedback upon receipt of feedback. In an ideal world we would like to leave feedback as soon as the record has been shipped but due to feedback blackmail in the past (i,e, ",,,I want a partial refund or I will leave negative feedback") we have opted to take this measure. Contact must be made within 3 days of winning the auction. If payment has not been received after 10 days a non paying bidder alert will be placed. If payment is then not received within 7 days Negative feedback WILL be left and the buyer WILL be given a strike by eBay. Thanks for reading.

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