ZOMBIES ODESSEY AND ORACLE 1st UK PRS AwEsOmE ToP AuDiO

	£		498
	$		659

ZOMBIES 'ODESSEY AND ORACLE'

1st UK PRESSING (((STEREO))) CAT No 63280 CBS RECORD LABELS!

AWESOME CRISTAL CLEAR & VIBRANT TOP AUDIO QUALITY! COMPLETE WITH ORIGINAL CBS ADVERTISING SERPIER SLEEVE AND 1ST ISSUE E.DAY &CO LAMINATED FRONT COVER!

VERY COLLECTABLE & SOUGHT AFTER ORIGINAL 1st, MONSTER PSYCHADELIC PROGRESSIVE ROCK ALBUM!!

See My  Video of this album (in full screen mode) for a sample of the track ''I Want Her She Wants Me''from this album Recorded in digital at 44100 hz in stereo  (Please Click Below)

Another from my personal collection. This is listed for its mega rarety rather than for its condition. having said that, there is only light general ware and tare with age only  and this is a very, very respectable copy indeed in my opinion. Any who know the type of records that I list on this site are normaly in near mint condition. My main interest has always been the audio quality, always trying to seek out the earliest stampers which provide the best quality on vinyl in my opinion. This vinyl sounds truly awesome throughout absolutely stunning. These original copies of this album is extreamly scarce to find, Original 1st UK pressing very highly collectable in any condition, with exceptionaly clean audio throughout and amaizing stereo seperation! Played at very loud volume four times on a top system prior to this listing! This vinyl played cristal clear and unbeleivably vibrant throughout without any signs of distortion and no constant loud clicks or pops, I am not exagerating when I say that the audio quality is truly exceptional compared to the many that are seen played to death with nasty crackles and interfearence all the way through them!  Any interfearence is very very minimal in the form of perhapes an isolated static crackle, or static tick or click only in the odd place only (not consistant throughout the audio)! The original CBS advertising serpier sleeve has no splits or tares and is the original. This is complete with the 1st issue laminated front E.Day & co. cover ! Any collectors would know that this album seems highly collectable in any condition because originals are so scarce but to find a copy that plays as good as this copy is very scarce and rare to find indeed!!

The Zombies are an English rock band. Formed in 1961 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent on piano and Colin Blunstone on vocals, the band scored US hits in the mid- and late-1960s with "She's Not There", "Tell Her No", and "Time of the Season". Their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle, comprising twelve songs by the group's principal songwriters, Argent and Chris White!!

Odessey and Oracle was recorded in 1967 after the Zombies signed to the CBS label, and was their second album!!. As their first LP, Begin Here, was a collection of singles, Odessey can be regarded as the only "true" Zombies album!.

 While their first album included several cover versions, Odessey consisted entirely of original compositions by the group's two main songwriters, Rod Argent and Chris White. The group began work on the album in June 1967!. Nine of the twelve songs were recorded at EMI's Abbey Road Studios, where earlier in the year the Beatles had recorded Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Pink Floyd recorded The Piper at the Gates of Dawn!.

This was the first time Abbey Road would be used for an independently produced (non-EMI) release. In August, when Abbey Road was unavailable, the Zombies temporarily shifted base to Olympic Studios where they recorded "Beechwood Park", "Maybe After He's Gone" and "I Want Her She Wants Me."

They returned to Abbey Road Studios in September. The sessions ended in November and the final two tracks to be recorded were "Time Of The Season" and "Changes." By then, morale within the band was at a low point. Two singles, "Care Of Cell 44" and "Friends Of Mine", had been released to total indifference!

 Colin Blunstone and Paul Atkinson felt disillusioned and tempers flared during the recording of "Time Of The Season." Blunstone wasn't at all keen on the song written by Argent, who insisted Colin sing it a certain way. Colin's patience snapped and he effectively told Argent to sing it himself. To everyone's relief, Blunstone finally sang the vocal as required. Little did they realize the song would become an enduring rock classic. The album was recorded using a Studer four track machine — the same type of tape machine used on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band — and was mixed down in stereo using an experimental transistor console at EMI Studios in 1967!

  Argent and White mixed the album down into mono, but when they handed the master to CBS, they were informed that a stereo mix was required. The recording budget having been spent, Argent and White were forced to dip into their songwriting royalties in order to pay for the time and resources needed to create the stereo mix. Unfortunately, this was the last straw for Paul Atkinson and Colin Blunstone, who quit and effectively split up the band.

 This original stereo mix was completed on January 1, 1968, but by then the Zombies were no more! One major problem arose when it came time to mix "This Will Be Our Year" into stereo. Zombies original producer Ken Jones had dubbed live horn parts directly onto a mono mixdown. With the horns not having been recorded on the multi-track beforehand, a faked stereo mix had to be made of the mono master, and it wasn't until the 1997 Zombie Heaven boxset that it was finally given a stereo mix, albeit minus the horns! This was made possible because the Zombies owned the multi track masters, which are in the possession of Chris White. Because the album was recorded to a tight budget and deadline, the Zombies worked quickly in the studio, having rehearsed rigorously beforehand. This meant that there would be no outtakes or unused songs recorded during the sessions. Cello and Mellotron parts were added to "A Rose For Emily" but discarded at the final mixing stage. (Alternate mixes of that song featuring the discarded overdubs can be heard on Zombie Heaven and the 30th anniversary release of the album)

Odessey and Oracle was released in the UK on April 19, 1968 and in the United States in June. The single "Time of the Season" became a surprise hit in early 1969, and Columbia Records (in the United States) re-released Odessey in February, with a different album cover that severely cropped the original artwork. American CBS boss Clive Davis initially decided not to release the album. However, at the urging of staff producer Al Kooper, the U.S. CBS/Columbia Records label was eventually persuaded to release the album on their small Date Records subsidiary label. Kooper had picked up a copy of the album during a trip to London, and when he returned to America and played the album, he loved it and believed it contained three hit singles. CBS chose to release Butcher's Tale as the first single in the States, feeling the song's anti-war theme would resonate with record-buyers due to the Vietnam War!. After its release, Time Of The Season slowly gained popularity before finally hitting big on the US charts in 1969, by which time Rod Argent and Chris White were busy with their new band, Argent!!.

Track Listing:: 

Side1.

1.Care Of Cell 44 3:58

2.A Rose For Emily 2:17

3.Maybe After He's Gone 2:31

4.Beechwood Park 2:43

5.Brief Candles 3:28

6.Hung Up On A Dream 3:00

Side 2.

1.Changes 3:17

2.I Want Her She Wants Me 2:50

3.This Will Be Our Year 2:06

4.Butchers Tale (Western Front 1914) 2:45

5.Friends Of Mine 2:16

6.Time Of The Season 3:32

The Matrix

Side 1 ''SBPG 63280 A2'' (Only 1st stereo press)

Side 2 ''SBPG 63280 B2'' (Only 1st stereo press)

The Vinyl

This is the original thick ,heavy and chunky slab of vinyl only found like this on the earliest pressings! The vinyl lays perfectly flat on the turntable and is free of any warps! On initial visual inspection of the playing surface, this looks superbe. I can not see any needle scratches only in strong light could perhaps the odd surface scuff or perhapes sleeve removal only possibly be seen,,  importantly no marks that would cause any loud constant annoying clicks or pops! The vinyl has obviously been played but not overplayed in my personal opinion!

The Audio quality

I have played the vinyl four times track for track, prior to listing at very loud volume on a top system! The first thing that I noticed when the needle hit the playing surface was that on the silent run ins at how quiet this was and without the usual loud surface noise that is often heard on these 43 year old records! The audio is truly vibrant throughout without any signs of distortion at all, awesome seperation and a real deep clear bassey feel only found like this on the earliest pressings absolutely awesome throughout!  Any interfearence is very very minimal in the form of very isolated static only or static tick or light static click in the odd place only,, but I must emphisise that there was no constant nasty clicks or pops and no distortion or signs that this has been over played! A trully exceptional sounding copy in my opinion very very hard to find like this beleive me! I would conservatively grade the audio at least excellent to near as excellent plus in my opinion! Very rare to find like this!

The labels

Feature the CBS labels spidering can be seen, but little if no spindle ware the hole is perfectly round! This has obviously been played but not overplayed in my personal opinion!

The Record Sleeve

This is the original CBS advertising serpier sleeve without any splits or tares just light creasing/staining with age only and is now always stored seperately from the vinyl!

The Cover

This is the original 1st issue laminated front only E.Day & co printed cover. This is strong and straight. There are some light storageware only with light laminate creases only at the front top left corner and bottom right corner, very small laminate lift at top edge and light rubbing ware mark at the top edge in the middle of the spine noticable if looked for, the rear is exceptionaly clean for its age. All text is legable!.

See My  Video of this album (in full screen mode) for a sample of the track ''I Want Her She Wants Me''from this album Recorded in digital at 44100 hz in stereo  (Please Click Below)

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 £42.00 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)

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See My  Video of this album (in full screen mode) for a sample of the track ''I Want Her She Wants Me''from this album Recorded in digital at 44100 hz in stereo  (Please Click Below)

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

>>>>     <<<<