THE PRETTY THINGS S. F. SORROW / ORIG.U.S.SHAPE COVER

$

30

mhl722 Store

THE PRETTY THINGS ~ S. F. SORROW / ORIGINAL U.S. GRAVE STONE - SHAPED COVER /1969 PSYCHEDELIC CLASSIC / RARE EARTH RECORDS/STEREO RS 506 

CONDITION- VINYL  : (STRONG) VG (there are a couple of small scratches on both sides but I played the whole album through as I always have and found that they do not affect play except for some surface noise and a couple of light pops./ Fidelity still fine) / COVER: VG (Ringwear on the back cover as well as a very small name "Molly" written in faded ball point pen blue ink at top . The spine has some minor wear & paper loss but is still intact )

One of the first rock concept albums, S.F. Sorrow was based on a short story by singer-guitarist Phil May. The album is structured as a song cycle, telling the story of the main character, Sebastian F. Sorrow, from birth through love, war, tragedy, madness, and the disillusionment of old age.Although the album is a rock opera, it has been stated by members of The Who that the record had no major influence on Pete Townshend and his writing of Tommy (1969). The Pretty Things, however, have suggested otherwise as have some critics over the years. Recording began at Abbey Road Studios in November 1967 with work on "Bracelets of Fingers." Two tracks that had been earmarked for the album, "Talking About the Good Times" and "Walking Through My Dreams," were instead released as a single in February 1968. In March 1968, drummer Skip Alan suddenly quit the band thanks to a whirlwind romance, and Twink (born John Charles Alder), whose band Tomorrow had recently split up, took his place.Working with noted EMI staff producer Norman "Hurricane" Smith (who had engineered the earlier Beatles recordings and produced Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn) and house engineer Peter Mew, the group experimented with the latest sound technology, including the Mellotron and early electronic tone generators, often employing gadgets and techniques devised on the spot by Abbey Road's technicians. Phil May has emphatically stated that Smith was the only person at EMI who was fully supportive of the project, and that his technical expertise was invaluable to the ambitious, experimental sound of the album; May once even referred to Smith as a "sixth member" of the band. This attitude was in marked contrast to Pink Floyd's unhappiness with Smith.Work on the album concluded in September 1968 with the recording of what would be its closing track, "Loneliest Person." "Private Sorrow" and "Balloon Burning" were extracted for an October 1968 single, and the album was released the following month, in the same week as The Beatles' "White Album", The Rolling Stones' Beggars Banquet and The Kinks' The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. EMI did little to promote the album.S.F. Sorrow was released in two versions, mono and stereo; both have been rereleased on CD by Snapper Records. The band's members have expressed a strong preference for the mono mix. (from Wikepedia)

The stereo mix is pretty damn good too!- (Shelf Life)

READ ALL BEFORE PAYING!

GRADING: GOLDMINE STANDARD 

NEAR MINT (NM OR M-)
A good description of a NM record is “it looks like it just came from a retail store and it was opened for the first time.” In other words, it’s nearly perfect. NM covers are free of creases, ring wear and seam splits of any kind.

 VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+)
or EXCELLENT (E)
A good description of a VG+ record is “except for a couple minor things, this would be Near Mint”. VG+ records may show some slight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Minor signs of handling are OK, too, such as telltale marks around the center hole, but repeated playing has not misshapen the hole. There may be some very light ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. VG+ covers should have only minor wear. A VG+ cover might have some very minor seam wear or a split (less than one inch long) at the bottom, the most vulnerable location. Also, a VG+ cover may have some defacing, such as a cut-out marking.

Very Good (VG)
VG records have more obvious flaws than their counterparts in better shape. They lack most of the original gloss found on factory-fresh records. Groove wear is evident on sight, as are light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail. When played, a VG record has surface noise, and some scratches may be audible, especially in soft passages and during a song’s intro and ending. But the noise will not overpower the music otherwise.

VG covers will have many signs of human handling. Ring wear in the middle or along the edges of the cover where the edge of a record would reside, is obvious, though not overwhelming. Some more creases might be visible. Seam splitting will be more obvious; it may appear on all three sides, though it won’t be obvious upon looking. Someone might have written or it or stamped a price tag on it, too.

Good (G),
Good Plus (G+)
or Very Good Minus (VG–)
Good does not mean bad! The record still plays through without skipping, so it can serve as filler until something better comes along. But it has significant surface noise and groove wear, and the label is worn, with significant ring wear, heavy writing, or obvious damage caused by someone trying to remove tape or stickers and failing miserably. A Good to VG– cover has ring wear to the point of distraction, has seam splits obvious on sight and may have even heavier writing, such as, for example, huge radio station letters written across the front to deter theft.

Anything below this grade would be “Poor” or” Wrecked” or “FUBAR”! I won’t sell any record like this unless it is a Beatle acetate or if someone asked for a particular record in any condition. 

PAYMENT / PAYPAL ONLY: I ship items on Saturday each week and will often ship before that if  needed. I will be as detailed and accurate in my description as possible so please read the entire thing before bidding! Some records , books, or posters may be exceptionally rare but are less than perfect condition so please ...read all of the description before bidding!  I will hold your item for 7 days after the auction ends. I will send you an email if  I have not received your payment just in case there is a legitimate problem on your end. Please don't bid if you think you can't pay for any reason. If payment is not secured I will relist the item. If you think there may be a problem just send me a "note to seller" before the seven days are up and we’ll work it out.  It’s that easy. I will also be glad to combine purchases in order to save on shipping if you see an item you want to bid on that goes beyond the 7 day limit. Never a problem- just send me a note and I will respond “ yes” asap

FEEDBACK: I will leave you positive feedback as soon as payment is cleared. Please do the same when you receive your item if you are happily satisfied. If there is a problem, please contact me here (I check at least twice daily) and we will work it out. There is no problem we can't solve between each other. I used to manage a used record store for many years and I know how particular we all are and there’s nothing wrong with that!. Please remember that I don’t make up the shipping charges ; the U.S.Postal Service does. There is a small charge tagged on for shipping materials but no one is getting rich off it. .  

SHIPPING AND HANDLING:  $4.00 within the U.S. for Media Mail (1 – 4 Records per order/package)   If you wish for faster service please let me know and I will mail it Priority Mail for $8.00 - $10.00 (it depends on location - according to post office - but it’s usually $8.00). This charge covers the cost of shipping through the USPS, Insurance, and for the shipping and packing materials. Please note that S/H charge will be more if you order multiple items (more than 4 records). I am meticulous about packing records for shipment and use corrugated record mailers with flats. I separate the record from the cover to avoid seam splits and each record jacket comes covered in a new poly sleeve. 

INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS: Always welcome. I will email you the Shipping and Handling Invoice . All bidders are welcome but some countries have a higher or lower rate for Priority Shipping.   INTL. BIDDERS PLEASE READ BELOW FOR  S & H PAYMENT OPTIONS:

 Please check with me before paying Shipping Charges as it may be less (or more).ALL ITEMS OVER $50.00 MUST BE SENT VIA INTERNATIONAL PRIORITY MAIL …otherwise if the item(s) is less than $50.00 and Priority Mail charges (1 – 4 Records per order/package @$31.50) are too rich  for your blood thats okay ; I can send it out First Class Intl mail at about half that price (1 -4 Records @ $15.00-$18.00  ) However, it will not be insured so I will not issue a refund  for a lost item if you choose this less expensive service. I cannot be responsible for packages lost a world away. However, it is rare that this happens so its entirely up to you.  PLEASE DO NOT PAY BEFORE YOU RECEIVE THE INVOICE! THANKS!, Mark