New items in our store include:
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours limited edition white vinyl Netherlands LP
Joni Mitchell – Court and Spark unreleased Classic Records 200 gram test pressing audiophile LP
Beatles – 1962-1966/1967-1970 Japan red vinyl and blue vinyl compilation LPs
You can browse the rest of our items in our store.
New titles in our store include:
Peggy Lee – Pass Me By original 1965 red vinyl Japan LP with obi
Peggy Lee – In the Name of Love original 1964 red vinyl Japan LP with obi
Modern Jazz Quartet – Lonely Woman original 1962 Japanese test pressing with obi
You can browse the rest of our items in our store.
Unless you’ve been living on another planet, you’ll know that rock/R&B musician Prince passed away on April 21, 2016. While he had been ill, his death was unexpected, and it caught the world by surprise, as it always does when a respected musician who isn’t particularly old passes away unexpectedly. We’ve noticed in the past that when musicians pass away, there’s an increase in interest in their music, but occasionally, that interest takes on a life of its own.
Out of curiosity, when we first heard the news of Prince’s death, we went to eBay to see how many Prince records were currently for sale. At that time, there were some 8500 records, either singles or albums, for sale by Prince. We checked again an hour later, and there were only 7400 Prince records for sale. In the 60 minutes in between, more than 1000 Prince records had been sold on the site.
As we write this, some 24 hours after the announcement of his passing, there are now 11,288 Prince records for sale, which suggests that the opportunity seekers have been clearing out their shelves to list items for sale as quickly as possible. Sales remain brisk, with some 3000 items sold within the past 24 hours by Prince alone.
What’s interesting, however, is that those 11,000+ listings, for the most part, don’t include a lot of ultra-rare items. There are a few listed, of course, but the majority of listings consist of relatively common items that were likely to have gone unsold just a week ago, now listed with sky-high prices. How has Prince’s death affected the prices of his records?
About an hour before the announcement, an original sealed copy of his 1984 Purple Rain LP sold for $29.99. That’s not surprising, Purple Rain sold well and even sealed copies aren’t particularly rare. Three hours later, however, another sealed copy sold for $499. Two hours after that, another sealed copy sold for $999.
There is now a copy listed for sale for $5000. Postage is extra.
It’s expected that there will be some extra interest in an artist’s music when they pass away, and one usually sees a bit of a spike in prices, particularly on the rarer items. Sometimes, however, when an artist is particularly popular, we see an unusual spike in prices for items that aren’t particularly rare.
When Michael Jackson died in 2009, used copies of his 1982 album Thriller started selling for $750-$1000, and sealed copies were selling for as much as $2000. That’s pretty amazing when you consider that Thriller is the biggest-selling album of all time. There is literally no album on Earth that is as “not rare” as Thriller. Not with 40 million copies sold. Yet people were paying $2000 for copies of that not-at-all-rare album, just as people are now paying upwards of $1000 for sealed copies of the not-overly-rare Purple Rain.
David Bowie died last January and his new album Blackstar had just been released three days prior to his death. There was a special edition of Blackstar that was pressed on clear vinyl in a limited edition of 5000 copies, which were sold only via two outlets – David Bowie’s own Website, where the purchase of the album included three lithographs, and the Barnes and Noble bookstore chain.
The day before Bowie’s death, sealed copies of that clear vinyl album were selling for about $50 on eBay. The next day, they were selling for $600, and the copies with the lithographs were selling for as much as $1300. Three months later, the prices have come down a bit, with clear copies now selling for $200-$300 and the copies with the lithographs selling for $300-$400. This was a limited edition, but these days, 5000 copies of anything is a relatively large pressing.
Interest remains strong with David Bowie, however, and in the past month, several of his records that are genuinely rare, such as unusual Japanese LPs and odd UK test pressings, have sold for more than $10,000. The prices for the more common items have come back to Earth, however.
So, what’s driving these prices? Why are prices for records that rare going into the stratosphere when a famous musician dies? It’s worth pointing out that this doesn’t happen for everyone. Merle Haggard recently passed away, and he was one of the most successful artists in music history, with 38 #1 singles. Sales of his records surged a bit after his death, but there wasn’t much change in the prices of his records.
For artists such as Prince, David Bowie and Michael Jackson, a lot of what’s driving the prices seems to be interest from people who, as a rule, are not buyers of records. They’re people who aren’t record collectors, but are people who liked that artists music and found it to resonate with them in a personal way. They then discover that this artist they admire has died and they want to buy some of their records, but they have no idea how much those records should cost.
It doesn’t take many people like that, especially in an auction environment, to drive prices to insane levels. At that point, opportunistic sellers take notice of the high auction prices and start to list items for sale at prices that are significantly higher than normal, simply to take advantage of the spike in the market. After a while, the entire market goes insane.
This is great for sellers, but bad for casual buyers and even worse for collectors. If you’re a long-time Prince collector, you’re not going to find anything affordable anywhere anytime soon. Every seller of records will be taking advantage of the current crazy market and they’ll ride that until it eventually dies down.
It will die down. There are only so many non-collectors who are willing to shell out $1000+ for common records, and eventually, they’ll all find what they’re looking for and they’ll stop buying, because they’re not really record buyers. Eventually, for the most part, the prices will return to normal. How long that takes depends on the artist, and the items themselves. Some rare items may sell for higher-than-normal prices for a year or more, while the more common items will return to previous prices pretty quickly.
Are we sure that prices for Prince records will eventually come down? Yes.
Remember those sealed copies of Thriller that sold for $2000 back in 2009 right after Michael Jackson died? You can buy that record on eBay for about $30 today.
Offered for sale is a still sealed digitally remastered mono pressing of Elvis’ Golden Records by Elvis Presley, complete with the original “obi” banner.
About this copy: This copy of Elvis’ Golden Records is a 1984 pressing on the RCA label of an album that was originally released in 1958.
As the record is still sealed, the disc is presumably new and unplayed.
The wrap is fully intact except for a 2″ (5 cm) tear near the upper left hand corner.
The “obi” banner reads, “A Collectible – The Definitive Rock Classic Restored To Original Mono Digitally Remastered Quality Pressing On Heavy Virgin Vinyl.”
The “obi” is fully intact with no tears. There is a sticker on the wrap indicating that it was imported from the United States, as this particular copy was originally sold in Canada, though it is a U.S. pressing.
A nice copy of a classic LP that is very difficult to find complete, as the banner was usually discarded after purchase.
Background: Released in March, 1958, Elvis’ Golden Records was the first compilation album by Elvis Presley.
The album reached #3 on the U.S. charts and has sold more than six million copies.
The album was originally released in mono, but in the late 1950s, a rechanneled stereo version became available for stereo buyers. This version added a lot of reverb and sounded terrible compared to the original mono.
When mono albums were discontinued in 1968, the “fake stereo” version of this album became the only version available for purchase for the next 16 years.
In 1984, RCA Records finally reissued the album in the original mono and pressed the records on high-quality virgin vinyl. These releases had a banner, similar to the “obi” found on Japanese releases, that advertised the albums virtues.
Allmusic.com gave Elvis Presley a 3 1/2 star review:
This was rock & roll’s first greatest-hits album, and it set the standard for all others to follow. As originally conceived, it was a 14-song collection of most of the King’s biggest hits up to that time, released on the eve of his start of military service — a dearth of material being in the offing, it seemed only logical to assemble these hits. Each of the 14 songs had earned a Gold record award for a million sales, a record unequaled at that time by anyone else in rock & roll. … Elvis’ singing never sounded richer or more expressive, and one can fully appreciate in vivid detail the delicate nuances of his phrasing on songs like “Too Much.” …Elvis’ Golden Records does give a bite-sized glimpse of where Elvis had come from and where he was going (for better or worse) musically on the eve of heading into the Army.
| Country of origin: | U.S. |
| Size: | 12″ |
| Record Label: | RCA |
| Catalog Number: |
AFM1-5196 |
| Year of Release: | 1984 |
| Format: | Mono |
| Share: |       |
Offered for sale is a set of 24 U.S colored vinyl promotional albums on the Columbia and Epic labels. We believe this to be a complete set of all colored vinyl promotional LPs issued by these labels during the 1960s. There are thirteen different titles in the set; there are multiple copies of some titles due to mono/stereo or vinyl color differences.
Note: While Columbia and sister label Epic released hundreds of colored vinyl singles as promotional items during the 1960s, the labels issued only a handful of colored vinyl albums. Unlike the singles, which spanned all genres of music, the colored vinyl albums were all in the pop/easy listening categories. As far as we know, this is a complete set.
About these copies: The 24 albums in this set are colored vinyl albums issued only as promotional issues by Columbia Records (23 LPs) and Epic Records (1 LP) – albums are blue, red, yellow, green, and purple.
We’ve only included a composite photo here. If you’d like a full set of images for each title, please contact us and we will provide a download link.
Albums in the set are:
Andy Williams – Andy Williams Catalog Vol. 1 (DJ6 mono) blue vinyl – Andy Williams Catalog Vol. 1 (there was no volume 2) is a 1964 U.S. mono LP on the Columbia label. This title was not commercially released. The cover is VG+ with slight general wear. The blue vinyl disc is M- with one or two spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
Andy Williams – Andy Williams Catalog Vol. 1 (DJS 6 stereo) blue vinyl – This is a 1964 U.S. stereo LP on the Columbia label. This title was not commercially released. The cover is VG+ with slight wear, mostly at the corners. The blue vinyl disc is M- with one or two spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
Barbra Streisand – The Second Barbra Streisand Album (CL-2054 mono) blue vinyl – This copy of The Second Barbra Streisand Album is a 1963 U.S. mono pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG with light ring wear and a name written in ballpoint pen on the back. There is a clean timing strip on the front. The blue vinyl disc is M- with a few spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
Barbra Streisand – The Second Barbra Streisand Album (CL-8854 stereo) blue vinyl – This copy of The Second Barbra Streisand Album is a 1963 U.S. stereo pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG++ and close to M- with slight wear at the bottom edge. The words “DEMONSTRATION NOT FOR SALE” are stamped on the back cover. The blue vinyl disc is M- with a few spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. A beautiful example of this LP.
Barbra Streisand – Color Me Barbra (CL-2178 mono) red vinyl – This copy of Color Me Barbra is a 1966 U.S. mono pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG+ with slight general wear. There is a VG timing strip on the front cover. The color booklet is missing. The red vinyl disc is VG++ and close to M- with a couple of light hairlines and a few spindle marks on the labels. Clean disc!
Barbra Streisand – Color Me Barbra (CS-9278 stereo) red vinyl – This copy of Color Me Barbra is a 1966 U.S. stereo pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG with moderate general wear. There is a VG+ timing strip on the front cover. The color booklet is VG++ with a few wrinkles. The red vinyl disc is M- with a few spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
Bobby Vinton – Blue on Blue (LN 24068 mono) blue vinyl – This copy of Blue on Blue is a 1963 U.S. mono pressing on the Epic label. Blue vinyl copies were issued only in mono. The cover is VG++ with slight foxing and a small corner dent. The blue vinyl disc is VG++ with a couple of light hairlines on each side. A clean copy of a scarce title.
Do I Hear a Waltz? – original Broadway cast (KOL 6470 mono) blue vinyl – This copy of Do I Hear a Waltz? is a 1965 U.S. mono copy on the Columbia label. The cover is VG++ and close to M- with slight general wear. The “preview” insert is VG, with some water stains. The envelope that was attached to it is empty. The other insert is M-. The blue vinyl disc is M- and looks like it may have been played once. This disc has a white promotional label. Clean disc!
Do I Hear a Waltz? – original Broadway cast (KOS 2270 stereo) blue vinyl – This copy of Do I Hear a Waltz? is a 1965 U.S. stereo copy on the Columbia label. The cover is VG++ and close to M- with slight general wear. The “preview” insert is missing. The other insert is M-. The blue vinyl disc is M- and looks like it may have been played once. The disc has a stock label with a demonstration sticker attached. Clean disc!
Golden Gate Strings – The Bob Dylan Song Book (LN 24158 mono) yellow vinyl – This copy of The Bob Dylan Song Book is a 1965 U.S. mono pressing on the Epic label. The cover is VG with light general wear. The custom inner sleeve is VG++ with slight edge wear. The yellow vinyl disc is VG+, with a couple of light marks on each side. A nice copy of an album that’s quite hard to find on yellow vinyl.
Joe Harnell – Golden Piano Hits (CL-2466 mono) yellow vinyl – This copy of Golden Piano Hits is a 1966 U.S. mono pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG+ with slight wear on the back at the top edge. A name has been stamped on the back cover. The yellow vinyl disc is M- with one or two spindle marks on the labels. Clean disc!
Joe Harnell – Golden Piano Hits (CS 9266 stereo) yellow vinyl – This copy of Golden Piano Hits is a 1966 U.S. stereo pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG+ with tape and a stain in the lower right hand corner. The yellow vinyl disc is M- with one or two spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. The labels are VG+ with slight wear. Clean disc!
My Fair Lady – original soundtrack (KOL 8000 mono) purple vinyl – This copy of My Fair Lady is a 1964 U.S. mono pressing on the Columbia label. The gatefold cover is VG++ and close to M- with slight edge wear. The nearly-always-missing letter is included that says that this copy is number #877 of 8475 copies. The purple vinyl disc is M- with one or two spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
My Fair Lady – original soundtrack (mono) purple vinyl – This copy of My Fair Lady is a 1964 U.S. stereo pressing on the Columbia label. The gatefold cover is VG+ with moderate edge wear and a small repaired 2″ split. The nearly-always-missing letter is included that says that this copy is number #5167 of 8475 copies. The letter is VG+ with a few wrinkles and a small stain. The purple vinyl disc is VG++ and close to M- with a couple of faint sleeve scuffs. A nice copy of an album that’s surprisingly hard to find on purple vinyl in stereo.
New Christy Minstrels – Tell Tall Tales, Legends & Nonsense (CL-2017 mono) red vinyl – This copy of Tall Tales is a 1963 U.S. mono pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG with moderate general wear. There is a clean timing strip on the back cover. The red vinyl disc is VG++ and close to M- with a couple of light hairlines. Clean disc!
New Christy Minstrels – Tell Tall Tales, Legends & Nonsense (stereo) red vinyl – This copy of Tall Tales is a 1963 U.S. stereo pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG++ with very slight edge general wear. There is a sticker on the back cover that says “DEMONSTRATION NOT FOR SALE”. The red vinyl disc is M- and may be unplayed. A beautiful copy of an album that’s quite hard to find in stereo on red vinyl.
Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra – Greatest Hits (MS 6934 stereo) blue vinyl – This copy of Greatest Hits is a 1966 stereo pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG+ with moderate edge wear. The blue vinyl disc is M- with a few spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc! This disc has a stock label with a “Demonstration – Not for Sale” sticker. It appears that blue vinyl copies of this LP were issued only in stereo.
Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra – Greatest Hits (ML 6334 mono) purple vinyl – This copy of Greatest Hits is a 1966 mono pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is M- and is still in the original shrink wrap. The purple vinyl disc is VG++ and close to M- with a few faint sleeve scuffs. Clean disc! This disc has a stock label with a “Demonstration – Not for Sale” sticker.
Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra – Greatest Hits (MS 6934 stereo) purple vinyl – This copy of Greatest Hits is a 1966 stereo pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG+ with slight ring wear. The purple vinyl disc is M- with a one or two spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc! This disc has a stock label with a “Demonstration – Not for Sale” sticker.
Patti Page – Greatest Hits (CL-2526 mono) yellow vinyl – This copy of Greatest Hits is a 1966 U.S. mono pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG++ with slight general wear. The timing strip is VG+. The yellow vinyl disc is M- with many spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
Patti Page – Greatest Hits (stereo) yellow vinyl – This copy of Greatest Hits is a 1966 U.S. stereo pressing on the Columbia label. The cover is VG++ with slight general wear. “DEMONSTRATION NOT FOR SALE” is stamped on the back cover. The yellow vinyl disc is M- and may be unplayed. Clean disc!
Various – Bits of Blarney (DJ 18 mono) green vinyl – Bits of Blarney is a 1966 U.S. mono LP on the Columbia label. This title was not commercially released. This promo-only release features Irish artists. The cover is VG+ with light general wear. The green vinyl disc is M- with one or two spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
Various – Latin American Catalog Vol. 1 (DJ 7 mono) yellow vinyl – This title (there never was a Volume 2) is a 1964 U.S. mono pressing on the Columbia label. This title was not commercially released. The cover is VG+ with light general wear. The yellow vinyl disc is M- with a couple of spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
Various – Welcome to Music City U.S.A. (CL 2590 mono) yellow vinyl –Welcome to Music City U.S.A. is a 1966 U.S. mono pressing on the Columbia label featuring Columbia’s country & western artists. The cover is VG++ and close to M- with slight foxing. The yellow vinyl disc is VG++ and close to M- with a couple of faint hairlines. Clean disc! Also included is an October 29, 1966 copy of Sound Format magazine and a 1967 Columbia Records Country & Western Catalog. Both are M-.
This set came from our personal collection and was amassed over a 20 year period.
Background: During the early to mid-1960s, Columbia and Epic Records pressed a number of titles on colored vinyl for promotional use, hoping that the colored vinyl would attract the attention of radio programmers.
While the labels released hundreds of singles by artists in all genres (Andy Williams, Barbra Streisand, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, for example), the label only pressed thirteen albums on colored vinyl, and all were in the pop or easy listening categories.
All were fairly limited in production and not all titles are equally common. Welcome to Music City U.S.A. is probably the hardest title to find on vinyl, but the stereo (purple) pressing of My Fair Lady and the (red) stereo pressing of Tell Tall Tales by the New Christy Minstrels are also very hard to find.
This is a rare opportunity to obtain them all as a complete set.
This item is eligible for PayPal Credit financing by PayPal. U.S. customers may choose to pay later at checkout, and may receive up to six months financing with no interest. Click the banner below for more information. (opens in a new window)
| Country of origin: | U.S. |
| Size: | 12″ |
| Record Label: | Columbia/Epic |
| Catalog Number: |
Various |
| Year of Release: | 1963-1966 |
| Format: | Mono/Stereo |
| Share: |   |
Offered for sale is a complete original Japanese pressing of the 4 LP box set Chicago at Carnegie Hall, including the original obi and all inserts.
About this copy: This copy of Chicago at Carnegie Hall is a 1971 Japanese pressing on the CBS/Sony label.
This set includes:
The box is VG with no significant wear, but with a lot of foxing. The obi is VG+ with some stains and a few wrinkles, but no tears.
The posters are VG+ with no holes or tears, but with foxing on the back. The photo booklet, voting insert, and lyric booklet are M-.
The four album covers are VG+ with some foxing, but no wear.
The four discs are M- with one or two spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean discs!
A nice copy of a scarce Chicago set that’s hard to find complete.
Background: Released in 1971, Chicago at Carnegie Hall, sometimes popularly known as “Chicago IV,” was a 4 LP live album by Chicago.
The album reached #3 on the U.S. album chart.
Allmusic.com gave Chicago at Carnegie Hall this review:
After issuing three consecutive studio double LPs, Chicago topped themselves with this four-album live box set. As the title suggests, At Carnegie Hall, Vols. 1-4 (Chicago IV) (1971) finds the band at the venerable New York City venue during a five-night stand (April 5-April 10) in the spring of 1971. The septet — which includes the respective talents of Terry Kath (lead guitar/vocals), Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals), Peter Cetera (bass/vocals), Danny Seraphine (drums), Lee Loughnane (trumpet/vocals), James Pankow (trombone), and Walter Parazaider (woodwinds/vocals) — were at their unquestionable peak of initial popularity. Their previous three double LPs continued extended runs on the pop album chart and likewise spawned a number of hit singles. So by the time the group hit the Big Apple for these shows, they were among the hottest things happening. Chicago’s set list is wholly representative of the material from Chicago Transit Authority (1969), Chicago II (1970), and Chicago III (1971) and includes several extended multi-song medleys from each.
This item is eligible for PayPal Credit financing by PayPal. U.S. customers may choose to pay later at checkout, and may receive up to six months financing with no interest. Click the banner below for more information. (opens in a new window)
| Country of origin: | Japan |
| Size: | 12″ |
| Record Label: | CBS/Sony |
| Catalog Number: |
SOPB 55051 ~ 4 |
| Year of Release: | 1971 |
| Format: | Stereo |
| Share: |   |
Offered for sale is a still sealed limited edition white vinyl pressing of the limited edition direct metal mastered German pressing of the The Beatles (aka the White Album) by the Beatles, including all original inserts.
Note: This pressing is regarded by many as the best-sounding version of The White Album ever released on vinyl. (see below)
About this copy: This copy of The White Album is a 1985 German pressing on the Apple label.
As the album is still sealed, the records are presumably new and unplayed. The four photos of the band members and the poster should be inside.
The wrap is mostly intact; there is a split in the shrink wrap at the mouth that measures about 2″ (5 cm). This was secured with tape by a previous owner; the tape has yellowed with age.
The cover is M- with no splits; there is a tiny dent in the upper left hand corner.
There is a small hype sticker on the cover that says “Pressung Weiss – Direct Metal DMM Mastering.”
“No. 104970” is faintly embossed on the front cover.
A beautiful copy of a rare and desirable pressing of The White Album.
Background: The Beatles, aka the “White Album”, was the ninth studio album by the Beatles (by the UK method of counting, anyway.) Released in late 1968, the album reached #1 on the charts pretty much everywhere and is the largest-selling album in the band’s history, as a sale of a double album counts as two albums sold.
Analog Planet had this to say about this particular pressing of The White Album:
Our next contestant, the 1985 German white vinyl direct-metal-mastered/DMM reissue (1C 172-04 173/74), is one of my favorite ways to listen to the The White Album in stereo. Compared to the 1978 UK white vinyl export, it is more dynamic and has greater clarity and definition. Listening to “Birthday”, the driving bass is phenomenally deep, taut and tuneful. Ambience retrieval is exceptional, with a layered soundstage and a believable presence on even the more difficult to reproduce tracks. The subtle inner details of the guitars on “Back in the USSR” are revealed, and Ringo’s double tracked drum fills are conveyed with powerful energy on “Glass Onion”. The cymbals can sound a little splashy at times, and on some systems this pressing may not be as laid back as you might like. But I believe it’s a mastering that fits the majority of the songs on this recording. Try listening to Lennon’s “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide But Me And My Monkey”. This LP cuts through the confusion, rendering the dueling guitars brilliantly and the ringing hand-bell distinctly and realistically.
Allmusic.com gave The Beatles a 5 star review:
Each song on the sprawling double album The Beatles is an entity to itself, as the band touches on anything and everything it can. This makes for a frustratingly scattershot record or a singularly gripping musical experience, depending on your view, but what makes the so-called White Album interesting is its mess. …None of it sounds like it was meant to share album space together, but somehow The Beatles creates its own style and sound through its mess.
This record is eligible for PayPal Credit financing by PayPal. U.S. customers may choose to pay later at checkout, and may receive up to six months financing with no interest. Click the banner below for more information. (opens in a new window)
| Country of origin: | Germany |
| Size: | 12″ |
| Record Label: | Apple |
| Catalog Number: |
1C 172-04 173/74 |
| Year of Release: | 1985 |
| Format: | Stereo |
| Share: |   |
Offered for sale is a still sealed stereo copy of The Monkees, the self-titled 1966 debut album by the Monkees.
Note: This copy has been signed by Davy Jones on the back cover in permanent marker.
About this copy: This copy of The Monkees is a U.S. stereo pressing on the original Colgems label, catalog number COS-101 RE. This is the second version of the cover, with the corrected spelling for the song “Papa Gene’s Blues.”
As the album is still sealed, the record is presumably mint and unplayed.
The wrap is 100% intact with no rips, tears, or holes. There are no corner bends.
Davy Jones has signed the back cover (on the shrink wrap) in permanent marker. It’s a nice, full, legible signature.
A nearly perfect copy of a record that’s quite hard to find sealed and likely your final upgrade.
Background: The Monkees, released in 1966, was the first of several best-selling albums by the made-for-TV band. Backed by the Wrecking Crew, the band took the album to #1 on the U.S. charts, helped by the hit single “Last Train to Clarksville” as well as the theme song from the TV show.
Allmusic.com gave The Monkees a 4 star review:
The Monkees’ first album was a huge success, following on the number one single “Last Train to Clarksville.” The Monkees spent 78 weeks on the Billboard chart including an astounding 13 weeks at number one. The record wasn’t only a commercial juggernaut, it also stands as one of the great debuts of all time, and while the record and the group have faced criticism from rock purists through the ages, it stands the test of time perfectly well, sounding as alive and as much fun 40 years later.
You can listen to “Sweet Young Thing” here:
This record is eligible for PayPal Credit financing by PayPal. U.S. customers may choose to pay later at checkout, and may receive up to six months financing with no interest. Click the banner below for more information. (opens in a new window)
| Country of origin: | U.S. |
| Size: | 12″ |
| Record Label: | Colgems |
| Catalog Number: |
COS-101RE |
| Year of Release: | 1966 |
| Format: | Stereo |
| Share: |   |
Offered for sale is a 1971 U.S. pressing of Master of Reality by Black Sabbath, including the poster that was included only with early pressings of the album.
About this copy: This copy of Master of Reality is a 1971 pressing on the green Warner Brothers label.
This is technically a second issue of the LP, as the song titles do not include titles for the introductions to the songs.
The cover is VG, with wear at the edges and corners, mostly along the spine. There are no splits.
The original Warner Brothers inner sleeve is included.
The disc is VG+, with a few minor scuffs from the original inner sleeve and a number of spindle marks on the labels. It’s a fairly clean disc that has been well cared for.
The poster is M-, with no rips, tears or holes.
A nice copy of a classic LP that is very hard to find complete and which is usually found in poor condition.
Background: Master of Reality was Black Sabbath’s third album, and while it didn’t sell as well or get as much airplay as Paranoid, it still reached #8 on the U.S charts and #5 on the charts in the UK and was certified 2x platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA.
The opening song, “Sweet Leaf,” may have the best intro of any hard rock song ever recorded.
Allmusic.com gave Master of Reality a rare 5 star review:
The shortest album of Black Sabbath’s glory years, Master of Reality is also their most sonically influential work. Here Tony Iommi began to experiment with tuning his guitar down three half-steps to C#, producing a sound that was darker, deeper, and sludgier than anything they’d yet committed to record. (This trick was still being copied 25 years later by every metal band looking to push the limits of heaviness, from trendy nu-metallers to Swedish deathsters.) … If Paranoid has more widely known songs, the suffocating and oppressive Master of Reality was the Sabbath record that die-hard metalheads took most closely to heart.
You can listen to “Sweet Leaf” here:
This record is eligible for PayPal Credit financing by PayPal. U.S. customers may choose to pay later at checkout, and may receive up to six months financing with no interest. Click the banner below for more information. (opens in a new window)
| Country of origin: | U.S. |
| Size: | 12″ |
| Record Label: | Warner Brothers |
| Catalog Number: |
BS 2562 |
| Year of Release: | 1971 |
| Format: | Stereo |
| Share: |   |
Offered for sale is a still sealed early U.S. stereo pressing of We’re Only in it for the Money by the Mothers of Invention.
About this copy: This copy of We’re Only in it for the Money is a U.S. pressing on the Verve label of an album that was originally released in 1968.
As the album is still sealed, the record is presumably new and unplayed.
As the album is sealed, the label and mastering versions are unknown.
The wrap is mostly intact; there is a tiny break at the lower right hand corner. There are two splits in the wrap along the top edge – one measuring 4″ (10 cm) at the upper left hand corner and one measuring about 2″ (5 cm) at the upper right hand corner. We have secured these with tape to prevent further tearing of the wrap.
A nice copy of an album that’s hard to find as a clean original pressing.
Background: Released in 1968, We’re Only in it for the Money was the fourth album by the Mothers of Invention.
The album reached #30 on the U.S. album chart and #31 in the UK.
Allmusic.com gave We’re Only in it for the Money a 5 star review:
From the beginning, Frank Zappa cultivated a role as voice of the freaks — imaginative outsiders who didn’t fit comfortably into any group. We’re Only in It for the Money is the ultimate expression of that sensibility, a satirical masterpiece that simultaneously skewered the hippies and the straights as prisoners of the same narrow-minded, superficial phoniness. Zappa’s barbs were vicious and perceptive, and not just humorously so: his seemingly paranoid vision of authoritarian violence against the counterculture was borne out two years later by the Kent State killings. Like Freak Out, We’re Only in It for the Money essentially devotes its first half to satire, and its second half to presenting alternatives. Despite some specific references, the first-half suite is still wickedly funny, since its targets remain immediately recognizable. … Zappa’s politics and satirical instinct have rarely been so focused and relevant, making We’re Only in It for the Money quite probably his greatest achievement.
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| Country of origin: | U.S. |
| Size: | 12″ |
| Record Label: | Verve |
| Catalog Number: |
V6 5045X |
| Year of Release: | 1968 |
| Format: | Stereo |
| Share: |   |
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