991.com Sleevenotes : A Blog about Collecting Rare Vinyl 7", 12" & LP Records, CDs, Memorabilia & Music

Wednesday's Top Three Including Paul McCartney, Radiohead, Oasis

PAUL MCCARTNEY New - Mood Cube (Rare 2013 UK promotional 3" mood cube, issued to independent record stores promoting the release of the 'New' album, printed with a facsimile signature and the album title logo on one side. At the centre of thecube are battery powered fibre optics which, with the push of a button, can illuminate the cube to a solid colour or automatically cycle though the colours in a non stop loop, a really cool little item. This would make an ideal ornament for any festive period!)

RADIOHEAD The Daily Mail / Staircase (Official 2011 UK Ticker Tape Ltd/Warner label 2-track promotional only CD-R featuring the two previously unavailable songs recorded as part of the 'From The Basement' session, originally released asadownload only songs in WAV and MP3 formats and finally released on 'The King of Limbs – From the Basement'. Custom printed disc housed in a custom card wallet picture sleeve)

OASIS Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants (Scarce 2000 UK 10-track vinyl LP including Go Let It Out & Who Feels Love, custom stickered gatefold picture sleeve. This copy remains factory sealed from new & is therefore still mint & unplayed! RKIDLP002)

Brain food

"Ladies and gentlemen, Daman and Herren, Mesdames et Messieurs,
Caballeros and Horsewomen of the world, we give you the fantastic world of Krautrock and beyond!"
"An extraordinary exhibition of rare progressive vinyl from the corners of the deepest, darkest 991.com vaults!" (edited source: Robert Calvert/Nektar - Down To Earth 1974) 

From to Inga Rumpf's FRUMPY to CAN's masterpiece Ege Bamyasi to John Peel's TRACTOR to the 'mysterious' COSMIC JOKERS...you just have to fix your eyes here for some of the best Krautrock, rare psych, Italian prog and more fabulous obscurities of rock experimentation we've ever seen and boy are they as weird and wonderful as they are cool and collectable!

Wish You Were....Sealed!

The opportunity to own a sealed copy of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here which would normally be the stuff dreams has astonishingly come to fruition!

As part of a recent specialist buying day in Wintery London this month we managed to acquire a 1st edition copy of this legendary album which although collectable in early incarnations and a staple Floyd release is all the more difficult to find  unopened in its original distinctive black custom stickered shrink, in fact it's nigh on impossible, so rare that previously discovered bought and sold copies have been known to make the newspapers!

Read on for more about this exceptional, highly coveted Pink Floyd relic

PINK FLOYD Wish You Were Here (Incredibly rare first issue SEALED 1975 UK 5-track LP, the ninth studio album by the English progressive rock pioneers, including Shine On You Crazy Diamond & Wish You Were Here, housed in a pinched spine picture sleeve which is still sealed from new in the original black shrinkwrap with circular sticker attached & the heavy card lyric inner & postcard enclosed. Those of a certain vintage may even recognise the original Downtown Records [Romford, Essex] distribution sticker on the back! Truly an investment grade item SHVL814) 

Rare pressings from South Africa!

South African records are scarce by nature, seldom seen and hard to come by. All the more tricky to procure are the kind of quite simply amazing finds we picked up recently from a fastidious collector of these unusual pressings who is now moving overseas and their prized possessions need the right new home. 

From obscure collectables like Flibbertigibbet's 'Whistling Jigs To The Moon' (featuring members of cult folk-proggers Mellow Candle) and a never seen before double John Mayall LP to surprise finds like Camel's Mirage and the Yes epic Tales From Topographic Oceans, the offerings from this collection for such rarities is an astonishing haul all in one go. Other highlights include The Strawbs, ELP, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Bob Dylan plus some stunning examples of Pink Floyd's Meddle and Obscured By Clouds which feature bespoke cover stickers which are highly coveted themselves! For the label nuts out there, selections include gems issued or distributed on Interpak, Aritone and Gallo, snap them up!

Here are some of the full write-ups for these LPs that would not only finally fill in that long missing piece but elevate your collection to new levels!

FLIBBERTIGIBBET Whistling Jigs To The Moon (Mega rare original 1978 South African only 14-track Stanyan label LP pressed by 3rd Ear Music, the groups debut album featuring a contemporary take on traditional music, with Alison & Dave Williams from Mellow Candle. Issued in a picture sleeve with a pinched spine and comes with an illustrated lyric inner. 
Apart from a small nick on the opening edge the sleeve has only a few minor storage marks mostly on the edges the same for the inner, both have no splits. The vinyl is in 'near as new' condition with only a couple of very light hairline marks and some light paper scuffs, the labels have no spindle marks. An outstanding copy of this rare hard to find pressing 3EE7002) 

PINK FLOYD Obscured By Clouds (Rare 1972 South African issue 10-track LP with 'The Gramophone Ltd' label perimeter text and without any EMI logo, the soundtrack to Barbet Schroeder's French film, La Vallee. Matt finish flip back picture sleeve with the rare round orange 'La Vallee' sticker on the front, comes with a company advert paper inner. The sleeve has only a few signs of age with some minor general wear mostly on the edges and has a price sticker on the back, but has no splits of tears. The vinyl shows only light signs of having been played, but there is little lessening in sound quality and only has a couple of light spindle marks on the labels. A stunning copy of this seldom seen pressing and the first we have ever seen SHSPJ4020)

BOB DYLAN Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (1973 South African 10-track orange CBS label LP, featuring music from the soundtrack to the film including Knockin' On Heaven's Door, picture sleeve printed by Interpak with a sepia image taken from the film on the back. The sleeve has just a few minor signs of age with just some storage wear on the edges and a light sticker mark on the back, but with no splits or rips and no writing. The vinyl shows a few light signs of having been played with only a couple of noticeable surface marks, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. Overall an excellent copy and the first we have seen ASF1775)

Tuesday's Top Three Including Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd , Kylie Minogue

 FLEETWOOD MAC Tusk (Rare 1980 US RIAA Certified DOUBLE PLATINUM award issued to commemorate American sales in excess of 2,000,000 copies of the Warner Bros album and cassette. Produced and presented originally as a competition prize for Our Price, the award features two miniature images of the album artwork - one each for 1 & 2 million sales; plus a silver-coloured LP and a 'Multi-Platinum Sales Award' cassette shell, mounted above the custom engraved RIAA certified dedicationplaque with the text 'Presented to Stevie Nicks'. Framed and glazed - measures 21½" x 17½".

PINK FLOYD Pink Floyd - 20 Years 1967-1987 (Extremely rare 1987 Greek only limited edition FIVE LP box set, including More, Atom Heart Mother, The Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here and Animals, with a fold out insert detailing the Floyd's history from 1967 in Hellenic script, all housed in a unique glossy white clamshell box. The sleeves all carry the relevant local catalogue number on the reverse and are with lyric inners on Animals and Wish You Were Here.

KYLIE MINOGUE Showgirl - The Greatest Hits Tour (Rare official merchandise 2005 UK short sleeve round neck black cotton T-shirt for Kylie's Showgirl world tour. This front of this high-quality T-shirt features a stunning image of Kylie wearinga glamorous stage costume with feather headdress, plus glittery stars and title text; with 19th March to 23rd June 2005 tour dates on the back 

Three Friends...

Here are three bits of friendly news from the land of the Giants:

  1) Ex-guitarist and original member of Gentle Giant Gary Green's new outfit 'Three Friends' [also featuring one-time GG drummer Malcolm Mortimore who played on the original album recording] are currently touring the globe and are soon to hit Italian shores at the end of July [still to be confirmed], then US & Canadian dates are booked for this Autumn starting in Quebec in early October - all following the recent remaster of the thing of wonder that is Gentle Giant's 3rd and brilliant full length album and Gary's band-namesake 'Three Friends' - all stunning musical prospects!

- Here's the band's live set and what a mind-blowing repertoire it is:

>> Prologue, Playing The Game, The Advent Of Panurge, Pantagruel's Nativity, Just The Same, Think Of Me With Kindness, The House, The Street, The Room, The Boys In The Band, His Last Voyage, In A Glass House, Mister Class And Quality, Three Friends, Free Hand, Giant, Peel The Paint <<

2) Chrysalis are set to release a fabulous new 4-CD box set fit for a Giant - entitled 'I Lost My Head: The Chrysalis Years 1975-1980' featuring the band's masterful albums on the label including 'Free Hand', 'Interview', 'The Missing Piece' plus single edits, live tracks, Peel Sessions and more - enough to lose your head in!

3) Elusive copies of Gentle Giant's must-have Original masterpieces In A Glass House and Octopus have found there way right here to the vaults of 991.com on LP! Along with some great live albums including King Alfred's College 1971 and a trail-blazing set from Stockholm in '75 plus books, compilations and a rare Double Press Pack from the Late 70's comprised of official tour packs for 1976's Playing The Fool and 1977's The Missing Piece!! Gigantic!

Click here for lots more essential rare & collectable prog-rock!

It's raining......tour programmes

If the 'summer showers' are keeping you from heading out to your favourite gigs out in the sun then maybe a sift through our latest rare finds of superb tour programmes, posters and memorabilia will help lift the clouds - from 70s rock to heavy metal right through to the 'noughties', we've recently had a healthy ebb and flow of tour material to wade through and wet (sorry wrong word to use!) the collector's appetite!

   With collectable tour goodies from stadium rock gods Kiss to Uriah Heep, Ozzy, Black Sabbath 'n' co, there's some seriously nice rock and metal tour bits to drool over.  Moving into the mainstream we've seen some of the nicest U2, Alice Cooper and Pink Floyd tour items we've had the pleasure of offering temporary residence to in quite some while, not to mention programmes, box sets and other seldom seen starlets visiting from the prog and space-rock dimension including stunning Jethro Tull rarities and essential Hawkind collectables! Seek and enjoy!

More rare Indie, Emo, and Hardcore has arrived!

 

After our recent haul of late 90's American Indie, Emo, and Hardcore there have been some fantastic gems being pulled out, including some very rare split 7"'s from bands such as Jimmy Eat World, Cursive, Cave In, Small Brown Bike, and more. As well as various other EP's from bands that pioneered a scene which would eventually become a global phenomenon. below are some more of the highlights so far!

 

JIMMY EAT WORLD/JEJUNE Split EP - Rare 1997 US 4-track wide centred Red vinyl 7", with picture sleeve. Feature 4 tracks from two of the late 90's best Indie/Emo bands Jimmy Eat World, and Jejune. Typical of the late 90's style of intricate guitar playing and sugary sweet melodies. Includes two tracks by each band, That's Why She Hates Me, and The Early Stars by Jejune, and What Would I Say To You Now, and Speed Read by Jimmy Eat World. A piece of Emo history!

 

SMALL BROWN BIKE/CURSIVE Split EP - Rare 2001 US 2-track Lime Green vinyl 7", with picture sleeve . Released as part of the Makoto Records split series, featuring My Unanswered Whys by Small Brown Bike, and Nostalgia by Cursive. Two great tracks from some of the pioneers of the early American Emo/Hardcore scene!

 

SPLIT LIP EP - Blue Vinyl - Rare 1992 US 4-track Blue vinyl 7", with textured picture sleeve, and textured fold out lyric inner. The second EP from one of the early pioneers of the Emocore genre, that would goon to inspire a whole generation of bands including The Get Up Kids, Jimmy Eat World, and countless others! Includes the tracks Cry Wolf, Unsolid Ground, Crest Fallen, and Soul Kill. A very rare release from the band that would go on to become Chamberlain.

 

THE GET UP KIDS Split EP - Europe Tour Cover - 1998 UK 2-track vinyl 7", with exclusive European Tour 1998 picture sleeve. The A side is Forever Gets Shorter by Braid, and the B side is I'm A Loner Dottie, A Rebel. Both these bands where pioneers of the indie/emo movement in the late 90's and this is great example of just why! Not to be missed out on, and this is very hard to find in this sleeve!

 

CAVE IN/PIEBALD Split EP - 1996 USA Limited Edition 2-track vinyl 7", with picture sleeve and lyric/credits inner. Hard to find split EP limited to only <b>2000</b> on black vinyl, featuring early tracks from both bands, when they were showing a more of a Boston Hardcore sound. Includes I Guess Its Ok by Piebald, and Programmed Behind by Cave In. A great example of two bands that massively changed their style as they progressed, and this is a great way to hear them in their earliest, rawest form!

 

There will be plenty more dropping on in the coming weeks, with great releases from Planes Mistaken For Stars, Frodus, Hot Water Music, Lifetime, Elliott and more, as well as items already available from Cap N Jazz, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Jawbreaker! So if you want to take a trip down memory lane to a time when Emo and Hardcore wasn't made for the masses then head to 991.com and browse our catalogue!

 

More Drum and Bass has landed!!

After many hours searching through our recently acquired Drum and Bass collection, some more incredible rarities have emerged. Test Presses, and EP's by the one and only J Majik, white label samplers from Black Sun Empire and Shy FX, and more singles by Roni Size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pick of the day would have to be the timeless Renegade Snares by Omni Trio. Not one, but tworemix 12" by High Contrast, Foul Play, Aquasky, and the original 1993 ambient classic.

Any budding DJ's out there will do well to snap some of these items up before they are gone forgood, as a collection like this may never be seen again. Even if you are just a fan of this ever expandinggenre that paved the way for Pendulum, Chase and Status and Skrillex to storm the charts, then get searching for the latest additions here !

 

Classic Drum and Bass!

Out of the shadows of the mid 90's dance and breakbeat scene Drum and Bass emerged and unleashed such classic and genre-bending cuts as Omni Trio's Renedage Snares, Adam F's Dirty Harry and Roni Size Reprazent's Brown Paper Bag that a new standard was set. This dominant scene has progressed and expanded to establish sub-genres that include intelligent D&B, Liquid Funk and Dubstep which have since raided the charts and maintained a huge mainstay in clubs countrywide.

We've been lucky enough to discover a mouth-watering collection of this essential faction of dance music consisting of some of the most sought after and collectable mixes and releases from leading labels like Ram Records, Renegade Hardware, True Playaz and Bad Company to cuts and mixes by key purveying Artists and DJ's like Total Science, Friction, Fresh, and the Andy C led Ram Trilogy.

 

So if the chart dominating tunes of Pendulum or Chase & Status are your bag, or you're already a budding DJ seeking out essential hard to find D&B for your wheels of steel then get searching right here at 991 for a truly exciting catalogue of must have Drum and Bass!

Click here for links to top releases and rare treats with lots more landing soon!

Paul 'Gets' Ron...

During Paul McCartney's performance last night at London's 02 Arena the former Beatle 'rolled' out an old friend to the delight of the audience when he invited secret guest Ronnie Wood to play geetar on "Get Back." The 'surprise attack' came near the end of a 3-hour long set where Sir Paul showcased no less than 23 songs by The Beatles. The current McCartney European tour culminates fittingly at Liverpool's Echo Arena in December.

Meanwhile following the one-off guest duo, Rolling Stones fans are reportedly excited that Ronnie Wood is in London and plugging in his axe as the rumor mill is turning and the news on the street is that the band have been rehearsing somewhere in the city for an upcoming 50th anniversary tour! - at the moment 'band practice' has been minus Mick Jagger, watch this space?

It just so happens we've added some amazing collectables by The Beatles this week, discovered in various cold treasure caves somewhere up north....get hunting!

more at rolling stone

Word of the week is Collaborations!

After Metallica's recent and somewhat controversial project with Lou Reed and Editors' Tom Smith teaming up with Ex-Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows to name just a couple, 'collaborations' seem to be the current trend and news has broken of two exciting match-ups:

An intriguing prospect is Singer songwriter Feist being set to collaborate with Metal monsters Mastodon, due to work together, each planning to cover one of the other artist’s respective tracks for a split 7" release for next April's Record Store Day.

Mastodon's Troy Sanders commented "The idea is for Mastodon to cover a Feist song and throw some hair and dirt on it. [Feist will] take a Mastodon song and pretty it up a little bit,". Feist met the boys in October on Later… Jools Holland. Feist had this to say of the meeting: "Brent [Hinds of Mastodon] and I were nodding at each other, and he's like, 'nice riff,' and I'm like 'nice tone'."

Meanwhile in planet prog Porcupine Tree and current prince of prog-rock Steven Wilson is recording a new album with Opeth's multi-talented singer Mikael Akerfeldt - to be called 'Storm Corrosion', anticipated for release early 2012. Apparently the album is near completion with all writing finished and just some recording still to go.

Wilson has spoken about what we can expect from this mouthwatering combo. "We sat in a room together and wrote music together, rather than taking his music that he'd already written and working it into a record. We actually started from the very basics, composition and arranging. If you'd ask me three months ago, I would have said expect the last thing you would've expected. But actually, now that [Opeth's latest record] Heritage has come out, and [Wilson's solo album] Grace of Drowning has come out, I don't think it's going to be that much of a shock to people because it's almost like a third part of the trilogy in a way."

All sounds like good fun to us!

sources planetrock/guardian 

S*oon Man!

Special news for Soundgarden fanatics and all rock lovers - the grunge legends have announced their super long awaited new album will be finished over this coming Christmas!

Singer Chris Cornell revealed to Billboard.com "It's mostly done, we just need to finish a couple of songs and mix it, so that will be happening probably over the holidays."

Adding to the already red hot melting pot of anticipation, Cornell commented regarding the sound of the new record; "It's certainly not nostalgic. It's definitely forward. It sounds to me exactly like it should sound -- like we took a break and we got together and we're making an album. I don't think we've taken any dramatic new approaches to writing or recording, and yet there's definitely changes. We've all had a decade-plus of more experience in writing and recording and took a long break... So it's very refreshing and it feels to me like the next logical step in Soundgarden, creatively."

Certainly an exciting prospect and we have our own little insight here at 991.com courtesy of lead singer (and friend) of New Jersey rocker's (Damn) This Desert Air Craig Cirinelli - who having seen Cornell on his recent Songbook solo tour and then catching Soundgarden live at the Philadelphia leg of their recent reunion tour reported that Cornell has never sounded so 'on the money' since the 90's, hitting every high note in sight and the band were on fire, performing perfect renditions of classics stretching even as far back as Louder Than Love, and along with showcasing new teasers played with more conviction than ever!!!......first they'll steal your mind, then they'll steal your soul!

Damage(d), Inc.?!

The 'big show' in Delhi that should have been Metallica's first ever concert in India has been scrapped! An estimated 25k tickets were sold but following a barrier in front of the stage collapsing leading the band to postpone the show fans subsequently raided and trashed the stage and vandalized equipment - the promoters of the gig have since been arrested on fraud charges after refusing to refund any ticket money.

Metallica issued the following statement explaining they were: "notified that there was a serious question as to whether the show could proceed with regard to the safety of the concert audience, and our first and foremost concern is always for the safety of you, the fans." The promoters were apparently unable to secure a permit for the show to take place the next day ...And justice for none then it would seem!　

More at Rolling Stone here

Weezer Ex-Bass Player dies at just 40

This month bore tragic news for family, friends and ex-band mates of former Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh who sadly died on 8th October, though yet to be confirmed officially, of a suspected drug overdose.

The bass player turned modern Artist joined Weezer for their self titled 2001 album known affectionately as the 'Green Album' contributing to hits Hash Pipe, Island in the Sun and Photograph aswell as appearing on the Winter Weezerland EP before leaving to concentrate on his painting career. The father-of-two also notably recorded for Juliana Hatfield, with co-writing credits on 4 of the songs featured on her 'Juliana's Pony: Total System Failure' album.

After a mental breakdown following an overdose in 2001 Welsh looked to be in a much better place in recent times, heavily immersed in his Artwork for the past few years and was actually staying at a hotel in Chicago to attend a gig watching his old Weezer buddies perform where he passed away; rather spookily or just coincidently, Mikey had posted on Twitter in September about a dream he had that he died in Chicago this autumn, whether prediction or not it's an enormous shame such a dream could come true. May his legacy live on through his artwork and the great music he captured with Weezer.

Alternative Subpopterranean Tentacles....

Just like the all powerful Sarlacc lunging up from the depths of the Pit of Carkoonaken in the Dune Sea [Star Wars fans hat-tip], our collectable vaults have been all but ambushed by some of the most overwhelming 'Alternative Rock' beasts we've ever seen with vintage avant-garde punk from the almighty label Alternative Tentacles in the name of Nomeansno and Dead Kennedys essentials, pioneering hardcore classics from the likes of SST and Dischord Records with both original and splendid reissues of Black Flag, Meat Puppets and Minor Threat EPs, and by no means last all-important Sub Pop Records subsidiary stuff from the Seattle scene and beyond...　

With 'rare as a tame wookie' signed The Smiths 7" and photos, the first ever, ever, ever Sunny Day Real Estate vinyl single, a silly-hard-to-find deleted Powerman 5000 CD album and coloured, limited, shaped, numbered, you name it 'lost in the mists of time releases' from Nine Inch Nails, Sonic Youth and Pavement the alternative rock monster rarity catchers among you should waste no time and get a' huntin'!

Monkey Business

We just wanted to make a special brief mention that an office favourite, the inimitable kings of instrumental space-rock Ozric Tentacles are back with another studio album [number 19 if you care to keep count] entitled Paper Monkeys, due out October 17th - there's a few avid fans among our own special rank of anoraks here at 991.com and clips heard from the album so far confirm more of the reliable but fresh, foot-tapping yet other-worldly and fluid but tight soundscapes are on the cards yet again from the musical mothership that is the Ozrics!

  For lots more Ozrics and essential originals, limited editions and rarities from all things space, psych, kraut, ambient, fusion, post and prog - with the likes of Porcupine Tree, Steve Wilson, Rush, King Crimson, Hawkwind, Can, and Gong to just chip at the top layers of ice...delve in at 991!

'Later... With Mastodon'!

Heavy Metal Leviathans Mastodon have announced they will be making a live appearance on the BBC's 'Later... With Jools Holland' - an exciting rare moment of live TV for the world of Metal!

Timed almost as perfectly as drummer Bran Dailor's lavish beats the show falls right on the trail of the release of new album The Hunter - arguably the band's most commercially riffy yet still dynamic and textured album-to-date.

The unlikely event is due to air on BBC2 on Tuesday October 18 at 10pm and the again on Friday 21st for the full extended hour long version. From the The Jools Holland website: "On Tuesdays, the show is broadcast live for half an hour; Friday night's extended version offers another chance to see performances from Tuesday's show, along with an additional half hour of music and chat."  - We say less chat and more Mastodon!

For rarities, collectables and downright un-missable Metal mayhem old and new check the 991.com vaults here!

Make it Snappy!

Actually you can take just as long as you like perusing and exploring through our recent influx of rare and collectable snap-pack Japanese only 3" CD singles...

 

Nostalgia is definitely the theme here with hit singles and scarce remixes of classics by Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys, Banarama, Tears For Fears, Human League and many more all in the mix!

 

Also available again for what is sure to be a strictly limited time are some great Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Eric Clapton snap-packs, rare French 7"s and even a hell-born fusion of Motorhead meets The Damned for a very rare outing called Motordamn!

 

 

...oh and we just can't go without mentioning a super range of Japanese rarities by none other than current Strictly Come Dancing star Jason Donovan...from Ramsay Street to American Smooth...who'd a' thunk it!

Freak Out! (well maybe just a little bit)

A new book has hit the shelves for this autumn written by Frank Zappa's assistant Pauline Butcher [from 1967-1972] accounting her life with the prolific writer...the book tempts fans and readers with an in depth insight and what is likely to shed a very different light on the more typical impressions of the musician.

In a recent interview with the beeb Butcher commented:

"Frank Zappa was so serious about his work: it was his whole life. He did nothing but get up in the morning, compose all day at the piano and then go to bed. Between times he was chain-smoking and drinking endless cups of coffee. The melee went on around him but he ignored it.

"I was as odd to the freaks as they all seemed to me. I was this straight English girl and when I wrote letters home to say that Frank Zappa didn't take drugs - because my parents were very concerned - nobody believed it because of the way he looked. But he was the most conventional, conservative man."

It's not all work and no play though [how could it be with Uncle Frank!] as the book does also furnish us with accounts of various exploits involving guests at FZ's house including a 'food fight' between the GTOs and Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart!...

For some splendid rare vinyl and collectables by the mother of invention himself look no further than 991.com!

'Freak Out! My Life With Frank Zappa' out on Plexus Books this month