Sold Date: February 18, 2016
Start Date: February 11, 2016
Final Price: £39.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 2
Seller Feedback: 4142
Buyer Feedback: 69

There's such a lot of good ways to be bad,
  And so many bad ways to be good,
  Ain't paid my rent yet, I tell them,
  "Sorry, but I haven't got the money any more."
  Just for the day, I thought I'd leave love alone,
  Hold hands with day,
  And if I'm so bad, why don't they take me away?
 
  Just like what you hear, with a shell pressed to your ear,
  That's the sea in the trees in the morning,
  And all the universal.
  "Good morning, Steve, well you won't believe me today."
  Working doesn't seem to be the perfect thing for me,
  So I'll continue to play.
  And if I'm so bad, why don't they take me away?
 
  Well, a hippy-trippy name-dropper came through my door,
  He said,"I just bumped into Mick, he told me you know where to score."
  No, not me friend, I mind my own and my own minds me.
  Well, my love is at the foot of your hand, come what may,
  But if June comes first, please won't you take me away.
SMALL FACES: "The Universal"/"Donkey Rides, A Penny A Glass" MONO 45 1st UK PRESSING,13th JULY,1968
During the pressing of "The Universal," Immediate label's was re-designed from the original lilac/grey colour to pink, only
   a few still had the lilac/grey labels.   "The Universal" is extremely rare in the only condition I sell Small Faces singles in,
   during our 15 years trading on ebay and at least the same period we were trading at record fairs, this is the first Mint
  "The Universal" on the lilac/grey label I have seen for around 30 years now.  I had only sold pink Immediate label versions and
   they rarely surface in top condition.  When the re-issues of Small Faces singles began in earnest in 1976 when NEMS took over the
  non existent 'Immediate Record Co.', they concentrated on the huge selling Small Faces singles, I have never seen "The Universal"
  as UK pressed re-issue, if it was pressed, it would be as rare as the 1968 first issues.
 

LILAC/GREY IMMEDIATE LABEL:  IM O50
Phillips were the first company to contractually press records for the Immediate label, EMI took over from Phillips in 1967 and
they carried over the above maitrix format.  As found on Phillips records and associated labels like Fontana and Mercury, EMI did
introduce "Sold In UK" and 'KT' embossed on the labels and their design for sleeves.  Being 1968, in this case the record has the
rare 'JT' Tax Code, I will fully detail that below.

MAITRIX: IM O6o - 2(1)  1F  / IM  O6o - 2 F  
The Immediate maitrix format for a very first pressing, both side's are above in individual close up pictures, the faint stamping
  made it difficult to get an image, but they are readable.   I wanted to show the errors and there were plenty of them, I have not
   found the above on any of the pink label first pressings, so the errors had to be from the Test Pressing and corrected for the
  pink label records.   This was the intended maitrix; 'IM O60 - 1 F / IM O60 - 2 F' , the maitrix of a very first pressing with the
   sides signified by '1' (A-side) & '2' (B-side)
  
  First of all the sound engineer set the letter 'o' in place of a zero, the A-side mistakenly had a '2' digit instead of '1' before
  the ending 'F' letter to both sides.  Next, an attempt to over stamp the intended '1', failed and re-stamped to the right, which
  does appear to be exclusive the lilac/grey label records.


EMI STAMPING CODES:  P 1  / P 1
As expected from a very first EMI pressing, single letters and '1' digits signifying first mothers for both sides.
 
EMI FORMAT, THE LABELS HAVE THE "Sold In UK" TEXT ON THE PUSH-OUT CENTRE, THE 1968 UK TAX CODE
HAS 'JT' EMBOSSED ON THE CENTRE OF SIDE 2.
In 1968 only, 'JT' or combinations of 'KJT' were introduced, very briefly, force of habit meant it was all but ignored in favour
   of the usual 'KT'.


ORIGINAL 1968 BLACK & WHITE IMMEDIATE SLEEVE, BASICALLY AN EMI SLEEVE SHAPE IN 1968, A FLUTED
TOP OPENING WITH A VERTICAL AND A HORIZONTAL FLIPBACK EDGE ON ONE SIDE.  THEY HAVE ROUNDED
ENDING'S AND IMMEDIATE'S FAMOUS TEXT IS PRINTED ON THE HORIZONTAL OR BOTTOM EDGE;

"Happy to be a part of the industry of human happiness."

THE REVERSE SIDE'S BOTTOM RIM HAS:
"At better records shops everywhere."

ORIGINAL IMMEDIATE SLEEVES ARE NORMALLY SEVERELY STAINED, TORN AND DAMAGED,  THIS IS AN EXCEPTION
WITHOUT ANY SEAM SPLITS  ETC.  EVEN THE WHITE BACKGROUND ONLY HAS VERY LIGHT AGEING, IF EVEN THAT.
WITH ONLY A FEW RECORD SHAPE RELATED GENTLE CREASES, PERFECTLY STRONG  AND SOUND.
THE 1968 SLEEVE IS IN EXCELLENT+++ / NEAR MINT CONDITION.
 

THE RECORD WAS ONLY PLAYED ONCE PER INDIVIDUAL SIDE WITH THE GREATEST POSSIBLE CARE, LEAVING NO
SCRATCHES ON THE VINYL, ANY HANDLING TRACES ARE FEATHER LIGHT TO NEAR INVISIBLE, MORE INVISIBLE!
THE LABELS ARE SUPERBLY CLEAN, THE RECORD IS IN MINT CONDITION.
"What becomes of me, is meant to be, so I'll just groove along quite naturally."
"The Universal" marked the beginning of the final chapter in the illustrious career of one of the UK's greatest talent the 1960's
  decade ever produced.  After their explosive r&b style rocketed them into instant fame if not to fortune in 1965, the Small Faces
  embraced the psychedelic era with both hands open, recording some of the most innovative sounds of them all. After the staggering
"Ogdens Nut Gone Flake" LP was released in June,1968, it was now nearly time to wind down from the mind expanding psychedelia.
  Not quite just yet, because there was the one final recording they made in the same vein as"Ogdens Nut Gone Flake" material and
"Donkey Rides, A Penny A Glass" appears on the B-side of this single, as a gloriously fully produced masterpiece of a track, most
other bands would have placed it as an A-side.  For the A-side, Steve Marriott just picked up his acoustic guitar and he wrote as
an improvisation, "The Universal." The song and production was completely unlike the rest of the mostly psychedelic productions
on the Immediate label, Steve simply walked into his back garden and recorded it out there!  Sitting outside on a chair with just
an acoustic guitar with the traffic passing by, he recorded the basic track on a non-professional cassette tape machine.  Sung as
  a folk song without any electric instruments, including the sounds of his summer garden, in with the traffic as he performed it,
with the birds chirping, his dog barking and even when his wife Jenny came home and said,"Hello Steve,"all were incorporated
into the finalised recording. The Small Faces took the cassette tape into the studio and without removing a thing, ovedubbed some
light instrumentation, which included light brass, but more or less left the original cassette tape recording as it was.  Years
later after the band split up and then following Ronnie Lane leaving the Faces, Ronnie also recorded outdoors with Slim Chance
with acoustic instruments, it all started in 1968 in Steve's garden in Essex!  Steve was thrilled by the finished "Universal", in
interviews he told journalists it was his greatest song yet, and how proud he was to release the single. Most artists would have
been more than happy to see it sell well enough to reach No.16 in July '68, but Marriott was devastated when it failed to match
  the previous April,1968 "Lazy Sunday," that had made No.2 in the UK.   He wasn't in the slightest bit interested in the financial
rewards but as Steve felt it then, that was a rejection of his latest music.   Steve's disillusionment began there and then, only
one other new Small Faces single was recorded in 1969, "Wham Bam Thank You Man," and then it was all over.


The Immediate label changed  the colour scheme around June 1968, from the original grey / lilac to a positively pink colour in
that same month of July as "Universal" was released.  So only a single, tiny batch was pressed on the last of the grey or lilac
labels, but the pink label pressings are positively not technically re-pressings, but a major part of the overall pattern of the
first pressing's made.  However close they were made, being a Small Faces collector throughout the 1960's is not how I present
facts about records without substantiation.   That is very easily done because EMI  pressed all Immediate's records and a No.16
position in July,1968 required more than one 'mother' to press that many from.  EMI's stamping 'P 1 / P 1' confirms this record
has the maitrix exclusively that of a very first pressing, checking the 1968 pink label records demonstrate how closely made both
colour labels actually were.  I often see sellers falsely claiming "Ogdens" as a first pressing on the pink labels, but because it
was issued in June,1968, they most certainly were not!  Both stereo and mono albums were first pressed on the grey/lilac labels
and there are no exceptions to that because the pink labels were not available back in the June, only July.  Records had to be
made before release dates and this July single had to be made in June, if by definition alone.

Both labels are in superb unblemished, as new condition, they have the "Sold In UK "text printed on the push-out centres with the
rare "JT" embossed on Side 2.  Spindle use traces show this has only been played an amazing once and with such meticulous care,
there are scratches on either side.  This is a real beauty with the glossy sheen of mint vinyl and any signs of being handled are
too near to being invisible to take seriously on 45 years old major record.  The sound is awesome, ultra powerful mono without
any interruptions from a perfectly clean playing record.

The run-in grooves to "The Universal" are exceptionally near silent and the first sounds heard are the tape being turned on and
the birds in Steve's garden, the sheer clarity here means you actually hear him pick up his guitar!  The later over dubbed Kenney
  Jones drums give the basic rhythm and Steve in one of the most laid back moods, sings the lyrics about just being at one with the
  universe.  So little was added and his dog barking etc. are left at the original volume levels, Steve's acoustic guitar dominates
the procedings. The full lyrics are typed at the top of the page, I have done my very best to give them as I  believe they were
being sung, I do not claim they are definitive, but after 45 years of hearing this and knowing Marriott's diction for even longer
than that, I am certain they are correct.  The sound here is of course from a back garden and this record has that as stunningly
as it possibly gets without any sound flaws, or you would not be reading this!  Beyond vinyl's natural static, the entire length
of the track is superbly clean and clear.  "The Universal" was their first single issued after  "Ogdens" and this was indeed the
track Steve had every right to be so proud of, the mono sound is indeed very powerful, great to hear this without any wear or
irritants.  Steve's very funny lyrics about a hippy-trippy, name-dropper coming round to his house and saying, he was told by
Mick he could score there, were a jokey 'hello' to Mick Jagger.
 

  The other side opens with only natural static in the run-out grooves, now Steve's electric blues guitar erupts with all of mono's
full blown volume and massive impact.  A very forceful riff, the sound is wonderfully clear, Steve's vocals find him singing his
heart out about lazing around in the summer time,"Donkey Rides, A Penny A Glass" has many references to a holiday by the seaside
  and that was in keeping with the summer in 1968.   Written by Steve, Ronnie and Mac, the great lyrics on the chorus really sum up
the Small Faces attitude to life perfectly;
I love things, I do my best,
  I eat sleep, laugh and cry just like the rest,
  What becomes of me, is meant to be,
So I'll just groove along quite naturally.
Those lyrics and the rest of them are very much a product of the 1960's and in a way, the 1960's were very much a product of the
Small Faces.  From their Mod and r&b period, they just laughed and joked their way through to the psychedelic era, making some
truly amazing records along the way.  This is one of them, as I said before it was no ordinary B-side but a fantastic masterpiece
with many psychedelic sections in among a glorious Marriott / Lane production, the last of a kind is very sad to have to write.
  On the positive side, the mono sound is sheer perfection, powerful and as crystal clear as the day this stunning single was made.
  {Roy}
  R & M RECORDS.

My lifetime's love of music and records began at a very young age, the arrival of the Beatles and the 1960's decade
  in general had a very profound effect. It was only natural to bring all my first hand experience of collecting vinyl
  into becoming a professional record seller.  Nearly thirty years ago we entered into the wonderful atmosphere
of record fairs with the highest possible standards set. When the Internet became the world's new market place for
  vinyl, in 2001 it was time to join ebay. Those standards were rigidly adhered to as they will always continue to be,
the basics of honesty and integrity were very much part of the era the music I love originated in, so here is our friendly
and very efficient service we are proud to provide;

EVERY RECORD IS FULLY PLAYED AND COMES WITH A 'NO ARGUMENT' MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.
  I USE GOOD OLD COMMON SENSE AS WELL AS A GLOBALLY ACCEPTED GRADING TERMINOLOGY
  FROM THE U.K. "RECORD COLLECTOR PRICE GUIDE" BOOK.
THERE IT CLEARLY STATES "Sound Quality" AFFECTS EVERY GRADING LEVEL AND THAT IS THE ONE
AND ONLY POSSIBLE WAY TO ACCURATELY GRADE RECORDS. i.e. COMBINING A STRICT VISUAL
INSPECTION WITH VERY CLOSELY LISTENING TO EVERY SECOND, UNLESS PERHAPS IN THE CASE
OF GENUINELY UNPLAYED VINYL.  EVEN THEN WE STILL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A RECORD
WHEN A CUSTOMER RECEIVES EITHER A SEALED OR AN UNPLAYED RECORD.
 

  We take 100% responsibility after an item has been posted and offer our fullest support in the event of any problems.
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We have kept all our charges at the same level for years now, but due to the Post Office's new price increases, regretfully we
will have to increase the cost of LP's, however, singles will remain unchanged.  Ebay were aware of that happening and have
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our UK First Class, Recorded Delivery cost for albums up to the value of £46.  A temporary reduction this week means we can
now post LP's for £5, but who knows how long before the Post Office return to £7?

For LP's valued above £46, the cost will be £9, we are unhappy about either increase but our high standard of packaging has meant
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IN THE UK RECORDS UP TO THE VALUE OF £46 WILL BE SENT RECORDED DELIVERY, OVER £46 WILL BE
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POSTAGE  COST FOR LP's
UK: UP TO VALUE OF £46, FIRST CLASS RECORDED DELIVERY  £5.00
UK: OVER VALUE OF £46, FULLY INSURED SPECIAL DELIVERY £9.00


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POSTAGE COST FOR EP's & 7"
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UK: OVER THE VALUE OF £46 FULLY INSURED SPECIAL DELIVERY £6.00
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USA, JAPAN ETC. AIRMAIL VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR £12.00


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