VIRGIN V 2030 HATFIELD & THE NORTH "THE ROTTERS CLUB"

	£		27
	$		36

MY FEEDBACK WILL REASSURE YOU THAT I AM

AN HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY SELLER

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VIRGIN V2035  (1975):

HATFIELD & THE NORTH:

"The Rotters' Club"

TRACKS:

1. Share It

2. Lounging There Trying

3. Big John Wayne Socks Psychology on the Jaw

4. Chaos at the Greasy Spoon

5. Yes/No Interlude

6. Fitter Stoke Has a Bath

7. Didn't Matter Anyway

8. Underdub

9. Mumps (a) Your Majesty is Like a Cream Donut (Quiet) (b) Lumps (c)

              Prenut (d) Your Majesty is Like a Cream Donut (Loud)...

Amazon Review:

A real gem of an album from the mists of the mid 70s and the tail end of the prog rock era.

From the Canterbury gene pool, Caravan, Camel etc.

Although most notable at the time for Richard Sinclair’s

determinedly English accent, this is essentially a instrumental album.

Hatfield and the North were one of the very few bands that understood how to fuse Rock and Jazz, not just to show off playing ability (which is demonstrably excellent on this disc), but also to experiment with song structure, lyrical games and complex rhythmic soundscapes.

One might even say there's a pop sensibility in here, but that's such a hackneyed description that it would probably discourage the audience that would get the biggest blast from this excellent album. Still, there are proper 'songs' which - in a parallel universe - might have been hit singles, like 'Share it'. There are also extended, rhapsodic instrumentals which make up the bulk of it.

The sound is reminiscent of early Gong - minus the druggy zaniness - or Hillage's 'Fish Rising' (there are band members in common in both cases). Arguably it's Hatfield's Dave Stewart that makes 'Fish Rising' as good as it is, and many people have mistaken his fuzztone organ - also well in evidence on 'The Rotter's Club' - for Hillage's own instrument.

Dave Stewart (NOT the tiresome Eurythmic beardy weirdy) is the keyboard player's keyboard player. Highly technically skilled, but with a sense of absurdity, chaos and space. Pip Pyle's drumming is effervescent and seemingly effortless. Phil Miller knows how to make his lead guitar lines enhance, rather than dominate, the proceedings - the kind of humility we've been led not to expect from guitarists. It's all carefully balanced, with a handful of guest musicians from Henry Cow, Egg and other places scattered about for special effect. The 'Northettes' are sublime sirens as usual. Stop your ears with wax, or they will surely lure you to the rock.

The Rotters’ Club is, of course, ‘music of it’s time’, but stands up well today due to its beautifully crafted soft jazz/rock and to the light, sprightly, optimistic atmosphere that pervades it.

There are hints of 70’s Zappa jazz, early Chick Corea/Return to Forever, even a dash of Steely Dan precision, however this is at heart a very British album, imaginative, humorous and quite unique. Little wonder that it’s become a bit of a cult-offering in recent years with good quality original vinyl copies being much sought after.

I'd go so far as to say this is not only one of the best Jazz/Rock albums ever - the one by which all others should be judged - but also one of the best slices of that finer kind of Progressive Rock which did not get obsessed with equipment machismo and cosmic on-stage pretentiousness, and which should have given the genre a good name. Alas punk journalism needed - and still needs - to see its villains as an undifferentiated mass.

Nobody did it better, before or since, and the relative obscurity of this item (compared to - say - any of Mike Oldfield's offerings from the same period) will ensure that it retains its own internal musical meaningfulness for a long time. Buy now, or any time in the next five hundred years. (But consider the starving artists - still alive today - who sweated and strained to produce a masterpiece like this). Hatfield and the North were one of the very few bands that understood how to fuse Rock and Jazz, not just to show off playing ability (which is demonstrably excellent on this disc), but also to experiment with song structure, lyrical games and complex rhythmic soundscapes. No endless masturbatory sequences here. It's all sewn up very nicely. More a patchwork quilt than a stained duvet.

'The Rotter's Club' has light and shade by the bucketful. It's an intensely rich and often humorous listening experience. Not least because of the hilarious song titles, and witty lyrics. I also appreciate Richard Sinclair singing in an unaffected British accent.

If it’s your area of interest don’t hesitate to give it a try….

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English EMI cut (-1U/-1U) and pressed.

(Coloured "2 Virgins" label)

UK First edition.

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CONDITION:

Disc:

Looks EXCELLENT 

A few hairlines on each side and a couple of what look like the remains of water droplets in a couple of places

BUT:

I have listened to this copy and while it plays cleanly and with no evidence of bad treatment or having been played 

on rubbish equipment, there is some crackle during quieter passages.

(This is probably due to having been played while very dusty: the stylus forces the hardest dust particles into the relatively soft vinyl). 

As I said: 

Visually: Little indication that it has been played or handled very much.

Bright clean surfaces.

Overall excellent visual condition and mostly the audio is clean and pure.

(Fully guaranteed remember: If you buy it and decide it's not OK by your standards, then return it for a refund)

Sleeve:

Overall excellent

Spine has one slightly weak point with a consequent slight crease to the upper front cover 

Hint of wear (an no more than that) to all corners

All edges including open edges perfect

Outer gloss finish excellent with only a hint of signs of handling marks or creases

POSTAGE

(A NOTE ABOUT UK POSTAGE)
I use a strong purpose made mailing envelope to send LPs.
These cost about £0.40p each.
I remove the disc from its sleeve to avoid seam splits resulting from movement in the post.

I pack the disc in a poly liner and then insert two stiff cardboard squares to stiffen the package to avoid damage in the post.
The package now costs £2.51p to post within the UK.
Add in the 40p for the mailing envelope and you will see that 9 pence is left over for my time and a certain amount of parcel tape!

UK: £3

EU: £5

US:  £6

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PLEASE pay by PAYPAL

NON-UK buyers MUST pay by PAYPAL

I will accept cheques or postal orders from UK bidders.

I am unable to accept cash in any form (eBay rules).

THIS ITEM WILL BE SENT BY FIRST CLASS UK ROYAL MAIL

IT WILL BE WELL PACKED AND PROTECTED AGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE IN TRANSIT.

I WILL SEND THIS ITEM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

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