Monkees – Refocus original Japan 1973 LP with alternate cover and cap obi

monkees - refocus japan lp

Offered for sale is an original Japanese pressing of the compilation album Refocus by the Monkees, including the rare “cap” obi.

This album has a gatefold cover and completely different cover art from the U.S. release.

About this copy: This copy of Refocus is an original 1973 pressing on the Bell label.

The cover is VG++ and very close to M-, with trace edge and corner wear.  The “cap” obi is VG++, with a few minor wrinkles.

This LP was issued without an insert, as it has a gatefold cover with a lyric booklet.

The disc is M- with a single spindle mark on one label.  It looks like it may have been played once. Beautiful disc!

A nice copy of a scarce Monkees LP and the only copy of this version that we’ve ever had for sale.

Background: The last original Monkees album of new material was released in 1970, and that album, Changes, didn’t even make a dent in the charts.

Shortly after that, even reruns of their 1966-1968 television show were nowhere to be found.  Their original label, Colgems, had gone out of business and their American rights had been acquired by Bell Records.

Bell released a number of Monkees albums in Japan, where the band remained popular, but in the United States, the band’s lone release on the label was a compilation album entitled Re-Focus, which was released in 1972.

As the Monkees had largely been forgotten by the time the album came out, the release came and went without notice and was likely hard to find in stores even at the time of release.  We were trying to find a copy for our own collection in the late 1970s and found it to be a surprisingly difficult album to find, even then.

Re-Focus was re-issued by Arista Records in 1976 with a new cover photo and a new title, The Monkees Greatest Hits.  That version of the album is much easier to find.

Tracks are:

  • Monkee’s Theme
  • Last Train To Clarksville
  • She
  • Daydream Believer
  • Listen To The Band
  • A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
  • I’m A Believer
  • I Wanna Be Free
  • Pleasant Valley Sunday
  • (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
  • Shades Of Gray

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Country of origin: Japan
Size: 12″
Record Label: Bell
Catalog Number:
BLPM-14
Year of Release: 1973
Format: Stereo
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Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms sealed U.S. LP

dire straits- brothers in arms u.s. lp

Offered for sale is a still sealed U.S. copy of Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits.

About this copy: This copy of Brothers in Arms is an original U.S. pressing on the Warner Brothers label.

As the album is still sealed, the record is presumably new and unplayed.

The wrap is fully intact except for a small tear on the front near the bottom edge.  There is a hype sticker attached to the shrink wrap that mentions the songs, “Walk of Life” and “Money for Nothing.”

There is a cutout hole in the upper right hand corner.

A nice copy of a scarce Dire Straits LP.

Background: Released in 1985, Brothers in Arms was the fifth album by Dire Straits.

The album reached #1 on the charts in at least ten countries, including the U.S. and the UK.

Allmusic.com gave Brothers in Arms a 4 star review:

Brothers in Arms brought the atmospheric, jazz-rock inclinations of Love Over Gold into a pop setting, resulting in a surprise international best-seller. …. Dire Straits had never been so concise or pop-oriented, and it wore well on them. Though they couldn’t maintain that consistency through the rest of the album — only the jazzy “Your Latest Trick” and the flinty “Ride Across the River” make an impact — Brothers in Arms remains one of their most focused and accomplished albums, and in its succinct pop sense, it’s distinctive within their catalog.

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Country of origin: U.S.
Size: 12″
Record Label: Warner Brothers
Catalog Number:
25264-1
Year of Release: 1985
Format: Stereo
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Paul McCartney – All the Best Japan promotional 2 LP set with obi

paul mccartney - all the best japan lp

Offered for sale is an original Japanese promotional copy of the double album, All the Best by Paul McCartney, including the original obi.

This version of the album has 20 tracks, and a slightly different track listing from the U.S. release.

About this copy: This copy of All the Best is a 1987 pressing on the EMI/Odeon label.

The cover is M-, with trace wear on one corner and a promotional sticker on the back cover.  The obi is M-.  The English and Japanese lyric inserts are M-.

The two discs are M- and appear to have been played no more than twice.  The discs have “sample” printed on the labels in Japanese.

A nice copy of a fairly rare McCartney LP, as most copies were sold on compact disc.

Background: Released in 1987, All the Best was the second compilation LP by Paul McCartney, and it essentially replaced the earlier, single-LP album, Wings Greatest.

The album reached #2 in the UK, but only #62 in the U.S.

The UK and U.S. albums had different track listings.   This one has the UK track list:

  • Jet
  • Band On The Run
  • Coming Up
  • Ebony And Ivory
  • Listen To What The Man Said
  • Paul McCartney No More Lonely Nights
  • Silly Love Songs
  • Wet ‘Em In
  • C Moon
  • Pipes Of Peace
  • Live And Let Die
  • Another Day
  • Maybe I’m Amazed
  • Goodnight Tonight
  • Once Upon A Long Ago
  • Say Say Say
  • With A Little Luck
  • My Love
  • We All Stand Together
  • Mull Of Kintyre

Allmusic.com gave All the Best a 4 1/2 star review:

Technically, All the Best was the first compilation of McCartney’s solo material, since Wings Greatest covered songs released under the Wings aegis. Well, there is considerable overlap between the two records — no less than ten of that album’s 12 songs are here, yet only the hard-rocking “Hi Hi Hi” is truly missed — although the seven new songs do give this album a different character, for better or worse. … However, as a cross section of McCartney’s solo singles, this is very, very good. It may be a little heavy on the schmaltz at times, yet this is still mainstream pop craft of the highest order.

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Country of origin: Japan
Size: 12″
Record Label: EMI/Odeon
Catalog Number:
RP15-5545~46
Year of Release: 1987
Format: Stereo
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Miles Davis – Kind of Blue sealed Japan LP with cap obi

miles davis - kind of blue japan lp

Offered for sale is a still sealed Japanese pressing of Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, including the rare “cap” obi.

About this copy: This copy of Kind of Blue is a 1981 Japanese pressing of an LP that was originally issued in 1959.

As the album is still sealed, the disc is presumably new and unplayed.

The wrap is fully intact with no rips, tears, or holes.  There are two hype stickers attached to the wrap.

A virtually perfect copy of a jazz LP that everyone should own.

Background: Recorded in 1959 by a “supergroup” that included Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and Bill Evans, the album is also one of the best-selling jazz albums ever.

Kind of Blue is also a very well recorded album that has long been a favorite of audiophiles.

AllMusic.com gave Kind of Blue five stars:

Kind of Blue isn’t merely an artistic highlight for Miles Davis, it’s an album that towers above its peers, a record generally considered as the definitive jazz album. To be reductive, it’s the Citizen Kane of jazz — an accepted work of greatness that’s innovative and entertaining. That may not mean it’s the greatest jazz album ever made, but it certainly is a universally acknowledged standard of excellence. Why does Kind of Blue posses such a mystique? Perhaps it’s that this music never flaunts its genius. It lures listeners in with the slow, luxurious bassline and gentle piano chords of “So What.” From that moment on, the record never really changes pace — each tune has a similar relaxed feel, as the music flows easily. Yet Kind of Blue is more than easy listening. The end results were wondrous, filled with performances that still crackle with vitality. Few albums of any genre manage to work on so many different levels, but Kind of Blue does. It can be played as background music, yet it amply rewards close listening. It is advanced music that is extraordinarily enjoyable. It may be a stretch to say that if you don’t like Kind of Blue, you don’t like jazz — but it’s hard to imagine it as anything other than a cornerstone of any jazz collection.

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Country of origin: Japan
Size: 12″
Record Label: CBS
Catalog Number:
18AP 2056
Year of Release: 1981
Format: Stereo
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Jerry Cole/Dick Dale – Surf Age/Summer Surf set of two sealed U.S. stereo LPs with bonus singles

Offered for sale is a pair of two rare still sealed stereo surf LPs:

  • Surf Age by Jerry Cole and His Spacemen
  • Summer Surf by Dick Dale and His Del-Tones

Both LPs are the rare stereo versions.  Both LPs are still sealed.  Each LP includes a rare bonus single that promotes two tracks from the other artist’s album.

These two albums were released at the same time by Capitol Records and have consecutive catalog numbers (ST-2111/ST-2112.)

About Jerry Cole’s Surf Age: This copy of Surf Age is an original 1964 U.S. pressing on the Capitol label.  This LP includes the bonus single “Spanish Kiss”/”Thunder Wave” by Dick Dale and His Del-Tones.

As the album is still sealed, the record (and bonus single) are presumably unplayed.

The wrap is fully intact with no rips, tears, or holes, aside from the breathe holes in the wrap.  A price sticker (not shown) is still attached to the shrink wrap.

There are two tiny corner dents, but aside from that, this LP is nearly perfect.

A beautiful copy of a a terrific surf LP that almost never turns up complete.

About Dick Dale’s Summer Surf: This copy of Summer Surf is an original 1964 U.S. pressing on the Capitol label.  This LP includes the bonus single “Racing Waves”/”Movin’ Surf” by Jerry Cole and His Spacemen.

As the album is still sealed, the record (and bonus single) are presumably unplayed.

The wrap is fully intact with no rips, tears, or holes, aside from a tiny pinhole in the lower right hand corner.

A beautiful copy of a a terrific surf LP that almost never turns up complete.

Background (Surf Age): Released in 1964, Surf Age was one of the few albums by Jerry Cole that actually had his name on the cover.  Cole was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a group of session musicians that performed on hundreds of albums by a variety of artists in the 1960s, and when Cole wasn’t doing that, he was recording several dozen albums of his own (under a variety of names) as well as appearing as a member of the house band on the 1964-1965 U.S. TV series Shindig.

Allmusic.com gave Surf Age a 3 1/2 star review:

Jerry Cole was a first-rank studio guitarist who, like many members of the Wrecking Crew, cut a few instrumental albums under his own name during the 1960s when he wasn’t busy playing hot licks on other folks’ records. … this is a blowing session where a bunch of talented studio cats have some fun knocking out rock & roll that’s polished and frantic at the same time, and on that score, this album delivers the goods. Cole’s guitar work lacks the feral intensity of Dick Dale, but he’s an agile picker and his tone choices are excellent, ranging from the bright cleanliness of the title track to the reverb-soaked “Deep Surf” and the raunchy fuzz on “One Color Blues.” And this album is a testament to the effortless skill and enthusiasm of the great Los Angeles session players of the ’60s, who could knock out records this good as easily as some kid at McDonald’s flips a hamburger. If you dig vintage surf sounds or classic-era instrumental rock, then Surf Age is right up your alley.

Background (Summer Surf): Released in 1964, Summer Surf was the fifth album by Dick Dale and his final LP with the Del-Tones.

Allmusic.com gave Summer Surf a 3 1/2 star review:

On his fourth album for Capitol Records, 1964’s Summer Surf, Dick Dale seemed to be aiming for a glossier and more elaborate sound, and the production shows the occasional influences of Phil Spector and Brian Wilson, then the reigning titans of West Coast studiocraft. With banks of vocal choruses on several tunes, additional percussion fancying up the arrangements, and no fear of horns and keyboards, Summer Surf was the most polished Dick Dale set to date, and on tunes like the Spanish guitar exercise “Spanish Kiss” and the Hebrew-flavored “The Star (Of David),” Dale’s ambitions paid off — although not exactly rock & roll, they are compelling and absorbing instrumentals that find the guitarist expanding his boundaries.

Background on this set: In 1964, Capitol Records came up with the clever idea of releasing four surf albums by four different artists and having each album include a bonus single from one of the other three albums in order to cross-promote sales.

These albums had covers that were designed to store the single in a pocket on the front side that also displayed the title of the 45.

The Surf Age LP included the single “Spanish Kiss”/”Thunder Wave” by Dick Dale

Summer Surf  by Dick Dale included “Racing Waves”/”Movin’ Surf” by Jerry Cole

Surf Route 101 by The Super Stocks included the single “Doin’ the Surfink”/”Finksville U.S.A” by Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos

Surfink! by Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos included the single “Santa Barbara”/”Midnight Run” by the Super Stocks.

None of the four albums sold well and all are hard to find today with the bonus singles intact.

You can listen to Jerry Cole’s “Racing Waves” here:

You can listen to Dick Dale’s “Thunder Wave” here:


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Country of origin: U.S.
Size: 12″
Record Label: Capitol
Catalog Number:
ST-2111/ST-2112
Year of Release: 1964
Format: Stereo
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Robert Johnson – King of the Delta Blues Singers Japan LP with obi

robert johnson - king of the delta blues singers japan lp

Offered for sale is a Japanese pressing of King of the Delta Blues Singers by legendary bluesman Robert Johnson, including the original “cap” obi.

About this copy: This copy of King of the Delta Blues Singers is a 1981 Japanese pressing of an album that was originally released in 1961.

The cover is M- and retains the original shrink wrap.  The “cap” obi is M-.

The insert is M-.

The disc is M-, with a couple of spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl.  Clean disc!

A nice copy of a blues milestone.

Background: Released in 1961, King of the Delta Blues Singers was the record that introduced the world to now-legendary bluesman Robert Johnson.

Johnson died at 27, having released a handful of records in his brief recording career that all sold rather poorly.  They had long been valued by blues collectors, and in 1961, Columbia Records producer John Hammond collected sixteen songs from rare 78 RPM records and compiled them into this album.

The album has inspired countless musicians since, and may be the most influential blues album of all time.

Allmusic.com gave King of the Delta Blues Singers a 5 star review:

Reading about the power inherent in Robert Johnson’s music is one thing, but actually experiencing it is another matter entirely. … If there is such a thing as a greatest-hits package available on Johnson, this landmark album, which jump-started the whole ’60s blues revival, would certainly be the one. The majority of Johnson’s best-known tunes, the ones that made the legend, are all aboard: “Crossroads,” “Walkin’ Blues,” “Me & the Devil Blues,” “Come On In My Kitchen,” and the apocalyptic visions contained in “Hellhound On My Trail” are the blues at its finest, the lyrics sheer poetry. …If you are starting your blues collection from the ground up, be sure to make this your very first purchase.

Country of origin: Japan
Size: 12″
Record Label: CBS
Catalog Number:
2oAP2191
Year of Release: 1981
Format: Mono
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Three Dog Night – Harmony Japan red vinyl LP with obi

three dog night - harmony red vinyl japan LP

Offered for sale is an original red vinyl Japanese pressing of Harmony by Three Dog Night, including the original obi, lyric insert, and rare pinup photo of the band.

About this copy: This copy of Harmony is an original 1971 pressing on the Stateside label, pressed on “Everclean” red vinyl.

The cover is M-, with trace corner wear.  The obi is VG++, with slight foxing.  The “hojyuhyo,” or reorder tag, is still attached.

The lyric insert is VG+ with some stains.  The 12″x12″ color pinup photo is M-.

The disc is M-.  There are a few spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl.  Clean disc!

A beautiful copy of an LP that is rarely found complete.

Background: Released in 1971, Harmony was the fifth album by Three Dog Night.

The album reached #8 on the U.S. album charts, helped by three singles: “Family of Man,” “Never Been to Spain,” and “Old Fashioned Love Song.”

Allmusic.com gave Harmony a 3 star review:

The release of Harmony in the fall of 1971 gave Three Dog Night their seventh gold record in less than three years, yielding two Top Ten singles with Paul William’s “Old Fashioned Love Song” (number four) and Hoyt Axton’s “Never Been to Spain” (number five). In addition, William’s “Family of Man” would just fail to crack the top of the charts, rising as high as number 12 by March of 1972. … In addition to its continued testament to Three Dog Night’s musical versatility, Harmony is historically notable for the fact that the decision to play large venues, like Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium, during the stateside tour to support the release played a large part in ushering in the era of so-called stadium rock.

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Country of origin: Japan
Size: 12″
Record Label: Stateside
Catalog Number:
HP-80392
Year of Release: 1971
Format: Stereo
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Joanie Sommers – Positively the Most autographed Japan LP with obi

casino royale - german soundtrack LP

Offered for sale is a Japanese pressing of Positively the Most by Joanie Sommers, including the original obi.

This copy has been autographed by Ms. Sommers – “Much Love Always, Joanie Sommers.”  We acquired this album from an autograph collector who obtained the autograph in person.

About this copy: This copy of Positively the Most is a 1972 Japanese pressing of an album that was originally released in 1960.

The cover is M-, with a small corner dent but no wear.  The obi is M-.  The insert is M-.  Two tiny stickers resembling flowers have been attached to the front cover; we believe they were put there by Ms. Sommers when she signed the LP.

The disc is M- and has a single spindle mark on one label.  It’s likely been played once.  While the disc has stock green Warner Brothers labels, there is a faint promo stamp on the side one label.

A nice example of a terrific record.

Background: Released in 1960, Positively the Most was the debut album by then-teenaged singer Joanie Sommers. Rather than market her as a “teen singer,” Warner Brothers paired her up with experienced jazz musicians and tailored her material to more adult audiences.

That led to albums that got great reviews, but today, she’s best remembered for two things – her hit “Johnny Get Angry,” which reached #7 on the U.S. singles charts in 1962, and her 1965 non-hit, “Don’t Pity Me,” which sold poorly but which now sells for up to $1000 to collectors of Northern Soul.

Allmusic.com gave Positively the Most a 4 star review:

Joanie Sommers was not so modestly heralded on the front album jacket as “the greatest discovery in singing…in the last fifteen years,” and her debut did reveal a vivacious vocalist exhibiting a tremendous amount of depth for someone still in her teens. Released in 1960, Positively the Most consists of a dozen Great American Songbook entries with distinct arrangements by the top-shelf talents of Tommy Oliver and Marty Paich. Rather than attempting to market Sommers as an old-style balladeer, the smart jazz and pop scores not only update the familiar titles, but likewise provide the perfect point of departure for the singer and her audience alike.

You can listen to “What’s New” here:

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Country of origin: Japan
Size: 12″
Record Label: Warner Brothers
Catalog Number:
P-7708
Year of Release: 1972
Format: Stereo
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Frank Sinatra – Sings for Only the Lonely 1984 UK mono LP

frank sinatra - only the lonely uk lp

Offered for sale is a 1984 UK mono pressing of Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely by Frank Sinatra.

About this copy: This copy of Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely is a 1984 digitally remastered UK mono pressing of an album that was originally issued in 1958.

This pressing was likely the first time the album had been available in mono since the original release.

The cover is VG++, with faint wear at the edges.

The disc is VG+, with a few light marks.  The record clearly has had little play.

Background:  Allmusic.com gave Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely a 5 star review:

Originally, Frank Sinatra had planned to record Only the Lonely with Gordon Jenkins, who had arranged his previous all-ballads album, Where Are You. Jenkins was unavailable at the time of the sessions, which led Sinatra back to his original arranger at Capitol, Nelson Riddle. The result is arguably his greatest ballads album.

Country of origin: UK
Size: 12″
Record Label: Capitol
Catalog Number:
ED 2601391
Year of Release: 1984
Format: Mono
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Miles Davis – Kind of Blue Japan LP with cap obi

miles davis - kind of blue japan lp

Offered for sale is a Japanese pressing of Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, including the rare “cap” obi.

About this copy: This copy of Kind of Blue is a 1981 Japanese pressing of an LP that was originally issued in 1959.

The cover and obi are M-; the cover retains the original shrink wrap.  The insert is M-.

The disc is M-, aside from a small scuff through the first track (“So What”) that is audible through the first minute or so.

The disc doesn’t look to have been played more than a handful of times.

A nice copy of a jazz LP that everyone should own.

Background: Recorded in 1959 by a “supergroup” that included Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and Bill Evans, the album is also one of the best-selling jazz albums ever.

Kind of Blue is also a very well recorded album that has long been a favorite of audiophiles.

AllMusic.com gave Kind of Blue five stars:

Kind of Blue isn’t merely an artistic highlight for Miles Davis, it’s an album that towers above its peers, a record generally considered as the definitive jazz album. To be reductive, it’s the Citizen Kane of jazz — an accepted work of greatness that’s innovative and entertaining. That may not mean it’s the greatest jazz album ever made, but it certainly is a universally acknowledged standard of excellence. Why does Kind of Blue posses such a mystique? Perhaps it’s that this music never flaunts its genius. It lures listeners in with the slow, luxurious bassline and gentle piano chords of “So What.” From that moment on, the record never really changes pace — each tune has a similar relaxed feel, as the music flows easily. Yet Kind of Blue is more than easy listening. The end results were wondrous, filled with performances that still crackle with vitality. Few albums of any genre manage to work on so many different levels, but Kind of Blue does. It can be played as background music, yet it amply rewards close listening. It is advanced music that is extraordinarily enjoyable. It may be a stretch to say that if you don’t like Kind of Blue, you don’t like jazz — but it’s hard to imagine it as anything other than a cornerstone of any jazz collection.

 

Country of origin: Japan
Size: 12″
Record Label: CBS
Catalog Number:
18AP 2056
Year of Release: 1981
Format: Stereo
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