WIGWAM Being 1974 ORIGINAL FINNISH PROG PSYCH LP deluxe gatefold booklet LISTEN

$

80

WIGWAM "BEING" LP

ORIGINAL 1974 LP on the Finnish LOVE label, STEREO LRLP 92

COVER in VG+ shape, some corner wear, inner booklet is loose

VINYL plays VG++

Beautiful gatefold cover on this one, and booklet insert.  Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you can’t say Wigwam ever skimped on the packaging.  Nor did they skimp on musicians either – no less than 19 are listed in the notes as having contributed in one way or another to this album, 1974’s Being, which is also the last one featuring Jukka Gustavson and Pekka Pohjola, two integral parts of the band’s sound.  Fans say Being sounds “fragmented,” but to my simplistic jazz-fearing ears, everything they did past Tombstone Valentine sounds fragmented.  If you’re familiar with the band, this sounds to me like Fairyport 2, or at least Fairyport Condensed.  If you’re new to the band, well, first of all, good luck, and second of all, you’ll like it much better if you’re a fan of complex jazzy progressive rock fusion like Van Der Graaf Generator, Frank Zappa and Gentle Giant.  Oddly enough, the lead singer sounds amazingly like Stevie Wonder at times, especially on Side 2, where the moody synthscapes of Side 1 give way to a looser, more freeform funky jazz with dancing keys and flute.  Imagine Stevie playing Henry Cow and Miles Davis music with the guys from Traffic and you might get a sense of what Being is all about.  Or your head will explode.  Side 1 is darker, with songs like “Petty Bourgeois” sporting catchy lyrics like “sucking, scabbing, I scratch and I’m punished.”  Alrighty then.  Not a whole lot of guitars here, so if you’re a fan of the almighty electric axe, Being may not be the being-all and end-all for you.  On the other hand, there are more than enough jazzy electric piano and synth solos here to go around.  Fans also say this is the band’s crowning achievement, but again, to these ears, Tombstone Valentine gets the edge for tunes.  It’s certainly rare as hen’s teeth, however, and a really nice deluxe package that should be wrapped in the finest Corinthian leather.  And a remarkable achievement for a talented little band from Finland.  All 19 of ‘em.

HEAR IT!

PLEASE NOTE I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).  BUYERS FROM ITALY AGREE TO PAY FOR GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL INSURED ONLY!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  Overseas shipping has, unfortunately, gone way up in the fast few months, which translates to $15 for the first LP to Canada ($3 each one thereafter) and $24 for the first LP everywhere else in the world, with each add'l LP an extra $5 (so it pays to buy more, nudge nudge wink wink).   I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

 For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.