ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all. More details on this nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: MAY BLITZ

Album Title: May Blitz.

Producer(s): James Black, Tony Newman and Reid Hudson.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Smoking the Day Away; I Don’t Know?; Dreaming.

Side 2: Squeet; Tomorrow May Come; Fire Queen; Virgin Waters.

Country of Manufacture: Germany.

Cat Number: 6360 007 (the same as the UK version).

Label/Format: Vertigo – Original full spiral on side one and large spiral logo above the hole on side two. (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with only very light and few, super-fine and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area. This record appears hardly played.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 133 grams. A very good weight for any record.

Rarity: Rare: German copies even rarer than the UK versions.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: 10 AA6360007 1Y 320 1 / 10 AA6360007 2Y 320 1

Musicians: Tony Newman – drums, vibes, bongos, congas; Reid Hudson - Bass guitar, vocals; James Black – Led guitar, lead vocal.

Brief Info: May Blitz were a powerhouse guitar blues trio not dissimilar to Cream and even Bakerloo. Formed in 1969 by the highly talented drummer Tony Newman, he recruited two Canadians for the guitar work and the results on this, the first of two albums they made on the famous Vertigo Spiral label, is little short of superb. A quality set and sounding terrific on what appears to be a hardly played record. Famed also for it’s amazing cover artwork, drawn by Tony Benyon, who was also responsible for Patto and the famous Comus cover First Utterance, this example will seldom be found much better. This German-made cover was lamianted on the outside, that a distinct advantage and plus over the UK version. The only blemish of note is a little fine toning on the spine folds but little else. The difference laminate makes to this fantastic artwork is considerable.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(+): arguably better. A spectacular gatefold format with brilliant artwork, this was made in Germany. Importantly, this is laminated on the outside, the inside is matt finished. The UK version was not laminated and will never look quite as strong as this. The only difference to the text is the imprint line inside.

Lamination – Front & Back: Like wow, take a look at this one – never seen a better example, doubt if I ever will – the lamination really brings this to life. Both sides retain superb shine, freshness and clarity with no lifting, peeling or dulling of any note – mere traces viewed under light being quite critical. There is a fine and fairly light toning line near the folds, but the spectacular artwork will overshadow any minor blemishes or which there are few. A quite light crease on the back bottom right but that is about it for creasing and any marks are ultra fine and very few at all. The German policy of laminating more covers than here really pays off on this one – this being one of the classic Vertigo Spiral covers and this does it near maximum justice.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Superb with barely anything to really fault, even for this ‘fussy’ seller. The laminate ends on the top edges, and even here no pulling or grubbiness. Simply enjoy this spectacular artwork in spectacular condition.

Top Edges: Thin but practically perfect with ultra smooth laminate, these lie almost perfectly flat as well.

Bottom Edges: Almost the same again.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, mostly sharp with very little traces of wear. Viewed end-on, the front close edge is slightly thickened, also the thinness of card is also seen which makes the condition of this one even more remarkable. Record entered on the back edges that are very sharp, both edges guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way.

Spine and Text: Very close to perfect: Solid, straightwith no compression and folded square, so all edges meet up perfectly together and parallel – this another major plus as many UK Vertigos are out-of-square. When flush, this makes a significant difference for appearance and neatness. All text is perfect and unworn under the near fully intact laminate that has only the odd tiny laminate chip. Also well-centred on quite a narrow depth.

Corners: The odd tiny corner chip, but will any ever be found better? – I doubt it being honest. All retain excellent to almost as-made shape with no dinks or creasing of any note.

Cover Summary: A near superb all-round example of this quite delicate early 1970’s cover, one that will prove very difficult to find much better. A very special Vertigo Swirl cover that, as you can imagine, really benefits from the quality lamination the Germans though it merited. Any blemishes minor and small, this almost took my breath away, it should please many, if not most Vertigo collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: German Vertigos did not include a swirl inner sleeve – if that is a worry, simply add your own – simple. A basic plain white unlined inner has little to fault with minimal discolour, creasing and no edge splits or repairs.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++), and close Mint(-) and apart from a couple of ultra fine hairline, seen with close scrutiny under bright angled light, it would be. This is how strict I grade, not only does this piece look fantastic it plays great too. A super visual copy that is very clean, shiny, intense black and solidly pressed. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence. Visually a super record that should please most-all collectors again.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This quality German-pressed Spiral record plays up to and even exceeds it’s very high visual grading with very little to fault. Powerful, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is high, but the production a little muted, so volume always helps. Any surface sounds minimal and faint and few will better this copy I feel. Both channels are clean and sharp, I feel very sure this record has been played very lightly and has been clearly well stored and carefully handled. Nothing of any note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, it will prove very difficult to find better no matter where it is pressed – and few did it better than the Germans – this merits strong recommendation.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Equipment Used for Play-Grading: I now play-grade ALL the records I offer (unless clearly stated to the contrary) on the following equipment:

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 10,000+ items sold in over 12 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.