YARDBIRDS/FIVE LIVE YARDBIRDS 33SX 1677 (-64) UK MONO

 Maybe it's time to widen my horizon just a bit. Lately it seems I've mostly bought records I already have, either in worse nick or in some other fashion. It could be I'm getting older fast and therefore trying to stick with the run-in roads in some fatuous attempt to stop time, or maybe my musical taste is so jammed with what I already like I can't open up to new stuff. When it comes to this Yardbirds classic I've had and been totally pleased with the New Zealand green label issue for a very long time  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/06/this-was-yardbirds-debute-album.html . That is very rare, sounds good and I shouldn't need an update of any kind. But then this UK showed up at a reasonable price and of course I bought. I thought since they were British band an early UK press would be needed and as it showed this was a very early one. The label has both "Sold In UK..." and "Recording First Published...", a combo only used by UK EMI 1964. Also if you check the lower flip it's dated "6412", meaning it was first published December 1964. So logically all that must mean this copy was pressed during the first month. But however all that may be I will probably only listen to it once, just to check the nick, then it's going into the collection where it will stay unnoticed for God knows how long. Only benefit for me is now I know I own a very early copy of a classic album. But is that really worth the money and effort? That I can't say.  (YÄB*) (LYBÖ*)

                                                                                        

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

                                                                                

                                                                                  

 

FACES/LONG PLAYER WS 3011 (-71) UK

Since first release I've always had and listened to US versions of this album and it's been good  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2019/08/faceslong-player-ws-1892-71-us.html , great audio in a fine retro style package. Though all this time also seen the original UK issue, with its labels and sleeve old-fashioned in another way, on different fora and drooling over that beautiful design. Sadly it has always escaped me before for different reasons, but now I've found a copy in for me acceptable nick fitting my wallet and proudly presenting it here. This is about the special features of the UK only so for more details on the album itself please check link above on the US one. I just love the lavish custom label design here and the die-cut cardboard sleeve made to look like an old shellac realease, carrying sewn rims instead of flipped or glued ones with old style fonts. A big fan of excellent packages for vinyl and this is as good as it gets. Always liked the audio from the US issue, though at least to my ears this sounds even better - coming out slightly louder and clearer, thus more natural. But anyway you get it it's a great rock album. Favorite track - "Had Me A Real Good Time". If you were partying in the early seventies you'll feel at home there. I know I do. (SXÅH*)

                                                                                   

                                                                               

                                                                                 

      

 
 

TINY TIM/CONCERT IN FAIRYLAND BRS 711 (-68) US

 After picking and falling in love with his first two Reprise albums and their wild blend of twenties and thirties schlagers, psych and rock'n'roll I've always checked the bins for more, but his stuff almost never shows up in this part of the woods. Now at last I've found one and that turned out to be a real oddball. As the story goes the songs here are from a then previously unreleased recording he made 1962 that was considered too bad to get out at first. But after the public and critical success of his debute "God Bless Tiny Tim"  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/09/tiny-timgod-bless-tiny-tim-rslp-6292-68.html   the small Bouquet label got their hands on those tapes, added public noise to mimic a concert and released them. They were sued and had to cancel, but the damage was already done and it has been said that this issue was a big harm to his carreer. So when his second, to my taste beautiful, album was released a couple of months later many buyers avoided it  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2021/04/tiny-timtiny-tims-2nd-album-rs-6223-69.html . With all that in mind - how does this sound? A then fairly unexperienced Tim first supported by rather flat arrangements, then suffering from tons of reverb and all the way by added public noise, including laughing and whistling. So not good listening at all. But for me still a keeper since I'm trying to find more of his legit recordings and when (if?) I do this will be a must in the Tiny Tim collection as it was his first recording. (YZÄ*)

                                                                               

                                                                                 

 

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/SURREALISTIC PILLOW LSP-3766 (-67) GERMAN STEREO

 Many moons ago I had a US stereo version of this classic album, but had a hard time reconciling with it because of the overuse of reverb. Locating a US mono back then fitting my wallet seemed impossible, but I did find an Australian one, liked what I heard and decided that was the one for me. Then when this showed up a while ago at a very good price I thought - why not, I'll give it another try. I've seen band fans who actually prefer this version as it comes more "spaced out" and therefore better fitting for the psych numbers, so who am I to just discard it. Now I've tried hard to like, but still can't get 100% on board. It's a fantastic collection of songs, though I get the feeling that the drier mono was closer to the band's intentions and the added reverb on the stereo made as an afterthought by some studio worker. I may be wrong about that and my lukewarm feelings for this may have to do with that I'm a monoman and almost always prefer sixties monos over the stereos, no matter what. That was my two cents on this matter. If You think different - please tell. Premiere German had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover. (JÄF*) (GÖXÄ*)

                                                                                     

                                                                                     

                                                                                      

                                                                                

                                                                                    

 

44 SUPER STARS/ORIGINAL HITS - ORIGINAL STARS NE 939 (-76) UK

 Very generous 2-LP set, offering a picture of how Brits bought and listened to records in the mid seventies. Have to admit that most of these songs wasn't on my turntable back then, so apart from a couple - Suzy Quattro "Can The Can", Dolly Parton "Jolene", "Argent "Hold Your Head Up", Elton John "Crocodile Rock", 5th Dimension "Aquarius" and CCS "Whole Lotta Love" - this is more or less untrampled territory for me. But that's good because inbetween old favorites I get the chance to catch up on things I missed back in the days. To many to get into here, though Colin Blunstones "Say You Don't Mind", from his first solo album "One Year", is just beautiful, Mud's "Tiger Feet" quite catchy glam rock and Arrows "Touch Too Much" is good rock'n'roll. The audio is surprisingly clear all through, considering they crammed in eleven cuts on each side, and offers pleasant listening all the way. I will certainly listen more to this henceforth to learn more about the music scene in the seventies that escaped me in those days. To my knowledge this was UK only, also as 2xCassette and 2x8-track. Vinyl had label as shown here in a glossy fold/out cover. (SÄM*)  (KÄJT*)

                                                                                      

                                                                             

                                                                                  

                                                                                     

                                                                                

                                                                                       

 

QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE UK MONO T 2904 VS. US STEREO ST 2904

                                                                                   

 Ever since back in the days the UK mono has been my only way into this psych rock masterpiece. Clear, offensive and well balanced it offered everything I needed to enjoy. Early on, because of the quality, I was convinced it was a separate mix. US mono acetates exist, but it was never issued in mono there, still I thought a separate mono mix could have reached UK. Now after a long long time I've finally found a reasonably priced original stereo for comparison. And after using the mono button to connect the stereo channels my conlusion is - the UK mono is a fold. Haven't compared every second, but all I've heard points to that. The UK mono may be perceived as a tiny bit clearer and sharper than what you get when folding the stereo, but certainly from the same source. So for those with a mono button on their stereo recievers no big deal, but if You haven't or just wan't a much rarer issue of this classic item that also sounds great, the mono might be something to contemplate. A fantastic album whichever you chose, so for me an even race. Also worth noticing is US 1st press came with colours on front sleeve printed on silver foil, but as that couldn't hold the print and it started to cease quickly they soon changed it to paper. So in this case one of those copies with considerable ringware and colour cease can be worth a lot more than a pristine one on paper. (YZÄ*)  (YMÖ*) (MÅW*)  (CPYC*)

 

                                                                                            

THEM/THE WORLD OF THEM SPA 86 (-70) UK STEREO

 After listening to the corresponding mono a lot  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2021/11/themthe-world-of-them-pa-86-70-uk-mono.html  I was curios to see if the stereo on this one could add something essential, as it did on the "World Of The Zombies" stereo  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-zombiesthe-world-of-zombies-spa-85.html   where all tracks but three were true two-channel. And it does...in a way. Five of the twelve cuts - "Here Comes The Night", "Gloria", "Bring'em All In", It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and "Turn On Your Love Light" - comes in true, while the remaining seven suffer from, as it says on the rear sleeve, "electronically reprocessed" stereo. How cold and lifeless that may grab you, it's actually just cases of slightly enhanced monos, so it sounds better than one might expect. Though even if this has it's advantages I do prefer the mono issue. Still not sure if all cuts on that are legit, or some are folds from fake stereos, but it sounds so genuine throughout I don't care which. Issued in stereo on vinyl also in Canada, Downunder and all over Europe, plus cassette in UK, Germany and Spain. UK stereo came with label as shown here in a laminated cover with die-cut hole on rear and "blue box" inner.  (WÖF*)  (VMÖ*)

                                                                              

                                                                                    

                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                             

 

FREE ILPS 9104 (-69) UK

 

 Just found a nice update to my old tattered copy and therefore get the chance to enjoy it fully again and doing a re-post to raise attention for this nowadays often overlooked band and album. I also still want an answer to the question below - why this British original was originally pressed in US and not in UK? Today seen as one of the pioneer bands of hard rock and by early seventies the biggest selling British blues rock outfit, success taking off with their 1970 world hit "All Right Now". Group founded 1968 after Simon Kirke and Paul Kossoff left Black Cat Bones   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/07/black-cat-bonesbarbed-wire-sandwich-sdn.html    and teamed up with Paul Rogers from The Roadrunners and Andy Fraser, earlier with John Mayall. All of them still teens when recording their first Island album "Tons Of Sobs"     https://monolover.blogspot.com/2022/04/freetons-of-sobs-ilps-9089-69-uk.html  , a low budget Guy Stevens production and as such direct and forgiving with minimal use of overdubs. Though that today is considered a classic and much sought after it was a flop back then, not charting in UK and only reaching #197 on Billboard. This second LP did a little better in UK with #22 while failing in US. At that point Island main man Chris Blackwell had taken over production, resulting in the more cool and collected sound that would become part of their signature from then on. As a whole I rate it a lot higher than their following albums. It has that perfect blend of soft and raw (yes it is possible), challenging and secure at the same time. All tracks self-written, including a couple that later would be considered band classics - e.g. "Woman" and "I'll Be Creepin". Rogers and Kossoff fronting with perfect levelling and drum/bass backing cool, almost lethargic. Audio on this first UK press is superb - big and sturdy with very good separation. Couldn't pick a favorite - it's all evenly good and working as well for close listening as background mood setter. First US on A&M (SP 4204). Premiere UK had structured label as shown here and matt fold/out E.J. Day cover. As I get it these first UK matrices were US made. This copy has hand etched ILPS 9104 A #4307/ILPS 9104 B #4308 and both sides with "Bell Sound" stamps showing they must have been made at Bell Sound studios New York, probably by engineer Sam Feldman active there at that time. Anyone knows the story behind this - please tell. (ÖSÄP*) (FDÄ*)