Sold Date: June 12, 2018
Start Date: June 5, 2018
Final Price: £230.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 8
Seller Feedback: 4685
Buyer Feedback: 19

I'm a loser,
I'm a loser,
And I'm not what I appear to be.

Of all the love I have won or have lost,
There is one love I should never have crossed,
She was a girl in a million, my friend,
I should have known she would win in the end.

I'm a loser,
And I lost someone who's near to me,
I'm a loser,
And I'm not what I appear to be.

Although I laugh and I act like a clown,
Beneath this mask I am wearing a frown,
My tears are falling like rain from the sky,
Is it for her or myself that I cry?

I'm a loser,
And I lost someone who's near to me,
I'm a loser,
And I'm not what I appear to be.

What have I done to deserve such a fate,
I realise I have left it too late,
And so it's true, pride comes before a fall,
I'm telling you so that you won't lose all.

I'm a loser,
And I lost someone who's near to me,
I'm a loser,
And I'm not what I appear to be.

THE BEATLES: "Beatles For Sale" (Volume 1)  EP. FIRST UK PRESSING, 10th APRIL,1965, 45 RPM IN MONO.

1965 YELLOW & BLACK PARLOPHONE LABEL: GEP 8931
   
MAITRIX:  7TCE 860 -1N / 7TCE 861-1N.

EMI STAMPING CODES: GA  2  /   PP  5

THE TEXTURED MID-1960's PARLOPHONE LABELS HAVE:
"THE PARLOPHONE CO. LTD." RIM TEXT.

"Sold In UK"

THE 1960'S UK TAX CODE  'KT' IS EMBOSSED ON THE CENTRE OF SIDE 1 AND STAMPED AT THE 9 O'CLOCK
POSITION OF THE RUN-OUT GROOVES ABOVE THE 'MOTHER' DIGITS.


1965 FIRST ISSUE 'Garrod & Lofthouese' PRINTED LAMINATED FRONT, FLIPBACK COVER, EMI USED TWO PRINTERS.
THE 'Garrod' COVERS HAVE ROUNDED ENDINGS TO THE FLIPBACK EDGES, THE 'Buckland' COVERS HAVE MITERED
OR A 45 DEGREE FINISH NEXT TO THE SPINE AND FINISHED STRAIGHT ON THE OPENING EDGE.   MADE IN EQUAL
BUT LOW NUMBERS, NEITHER IS EARLIER OR RARER, THE EP FORMAT WAS BECOMING RARE!
PRINTED ON THE BACK, '6504', IS DATE CODED FOR 'April 1965.'
For the mid-1960's, like the record, this was handled with loving care during the one play and stored perfectly, the front
has ultra glossy laminate, all edges and the spine are near perfect or as close as time permits. All four corners are square
shaped, the right side pair are unworn, the left side corners or the tips of the spine only have rubbing, the bottom is only the
extreme tip and unworthy of inclusion.  The front top left looks to have the laminate finished before the far top corner so a
tiny area has darkened, I reached that verdict because turn it over and the back's corresponding corner is absolutely perfect.
I do find this level of criticism absurd for a 53 year old thin EP cover holding a heavy record, but I will go through long term
storage traits all just the same.
 
The bottom edge has the merest traits of standing with a heavyweight record, but in a plastic outer sleeve,  the spine is in a
remarkably unworn condition.   The opening edges are crisp, sharp and unfrayed, without any of the common tears on the
back's diagonally shaped endings of the shaped record access.  That plastic outer sleeve prevented the matt back becoming
overtly yellowed and stained.  In fact only the same old position in the middle has 'ageing' in a circular shape as usual, because
that was the contact position with the outer rims of the labels' raised 'pips.' Contact against the thin card without lamination
caused a degree of rubbing and the same 'darkening' I just mentioned, is in the matching position where the label has been up
against the back, also the front but the deluxe thickl glossy laminate absorbed virtually most of that.
 
The two flipback edges are superbly strong with neatly stuck down edges onto the back panel's top and bottom edges.  All else to
tell here is the unavoidable record shape impression, which began the instant the record was initially placed inside when brand
new in EMI's pressing plant or factory,  The mentioned ultra slim sleeves were extremely vulnerable to wear, as you will see
on ebay, most are in a dreadful state today.  Including the 1972 EP re-issues that you are usually left guessing about, due to a
deliberate lack of information and only showing the front with no chance of a full view of the labels, because like the back
of EP's, they hold all buyers need to know to identify those first re-issues.  They were Not made in 1969, but 1972, the rim
text 'Gramophone Co. Ltd" followed this first pressing towards the end of 1965, but it remained in use until March, 1973.
The cover lies almost perfectly flat with the usual record impression laminate edge lines and the lightest of ripples, the same
applies to the back for the record's imprint and a few record impression associated gentle ripples.
For genuine barely played and perfectly stored early to mid- 60's EP covers, grading them becomes unfair because of how all
described here and for dozens of other top condition first issues, occurred naturally.
THIS OUTSTANDING COVER IS IN A MINIMUM OF EXCELLENT+++ / NEAR MINT CONDITION.

THE IMMACULATE LABELS ONLY HAVE THE ONE LIGHT TRACE OF SPINDLE ALIGNMENTS PER SIDE, WHICH DOES
VERY STRONGLY FIT THE 60'S RECORD SHOPS PLAYING RECORDS AS A SAMPLE BEFORE BEING PURCHASED.
OF COURSE FACTORY HANDLING WAS ALSO INVOLVED, BUT FEATHER LIGHT TO NEAR INVISIBLE TRACES.
THERE ARE NO SCRATCHES AND THE SOUND QUALITY IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING ON ALL THE TRACKS, WITH
THREE ACOUSTIC BASED RECORDINGS, THAT BECOMES ESSENTIAL.
THE RECORD IS IN ONCE PLAYED,  MINT CONDITION.

SIDE 1
"No Reply"
"I'm A Loser"

SIDE 2
"Rock & Roll Music"
"Eight Days A Week"

"Beatles For Sale" EP was issued in two volumes, this first volume's date was printed on the labels and the cover as '1964' but
the UK release date was not until 10th April, 1965. By 1965 EMI's format  for the year of publication had been changed from the
earlier 1960's "Recording First Published....." into a circled (P) followed by the year, plus 'Parlophone Co. Ltd." on 45's rims
remained unaltered until the end of 1965.  So the only label text to confirm the year of the actual pressing is this EP had the
1965 format, it was a common enough occurrence throughout all the decades for scheduled releases to be delayed or various
reasons, but the templates for the labels and the cover were prepared during the previous year.  A classic example of a Beatles
EP being printed using an earlier and previously prepared template, was the later December, 1965 "Beatles Million Sellers" EP.
The original  title was intended to be "Beatles Golden Discs", the prepared template for the labels was used to print from but not
the covers.  'Record Collector' continues stating originals with "Beatles Golden Discs"  labels are misprinted, technically yes,
but because every single 1965 first pressing has that, so they cannot be considered to be rarities or be sold as a 'misprinting.'
There was a perfectly logical reason reason for incorrect title being printing on the labels, EMI even prepared a test pressing
from the template and produced labels before changing their mind and re-naming the  EP title. For the year of publication not to
conform to the release of this first volume of "Beatles For Sale," was probably because it was intended for released before the
Christmas period, to coincide with the "Beatles For Sale" LP that was issued in December '64.  Personal opinions form over the
years, mine is the "Beatles For Sale,"EP contained a Beatles composition and performance of a song that was so immense for the
melody, if released as a single, it would have shot straight to to No.1 on it's own merits. "Eight Days A Week" contained all the
elements and ingredients of the Beatles' trademark stamp of genius, it was issued in many other countries as a single, but never
in the UK, so EMI had every reason to initially look to a December, 1964 issue in a 45 RPM format.  Plus the second volume of the
"A Hard Day's Night" EP was released in January, 1965, which had to contribute to, or be the reason for the delay until Spring of
1965 for "Beatles For Sale" (Volume 1.)   A few months was a mighty long time in the 1960's for music and the rapidly changing
record buying trends, by 1965, like all the other artists were experiencing, the Beatles EP sales were rapidly slowing down when
compared to the incredible figures for the 1963 - 1964 EP's. The further you move from January, 1965 the rarer they become until
the 1967 "Magical Mystery Tour," by then the double EP format in an elaborate gatefold cover and a colour book, was too unique to
be compared to any EP's that preceded it. First pressings of both "For Sale" EP's are rare in top condition and that now applies
to all the Beatles biggest selling old records and covers, no wonder when they originated 53 years ago.  EP covers were made from
much thinner cardboard than LP cover's and they were holding the heavyweight of a 1960's 7" record, "For Sale" is notorious for
having crumpled, stained, creased and battered covers for the first pressings, which are normaly scratched  to the core.

This record and cover are in outstanding, beautiful condition, the pressing and printing details given above for the labels and
the maitrix etc. firmly place this in the UK shops on the day of issue,10th April,1965.  As a first pressing they are the only
details that precisely authenticate  a genuine 1965 pressing, for anyone unfamiliar with UK Beatles EP's, be  aware there were
similar looking re-issues in 1972.  I did explain why they are often incorrectly and falsely being sold as 1969 re-issues to keep
them within the 60's decade for financial gain, well I was in record shops almost daily and no way were there EP's being re-issued
in 1969.  I missed the format and would have welcomed a revival but the next format was Maxi-singles in the early 1970's, when
EMI decided the time was right to re-issue a complete set of Beatles EP's. They have very different label text etc., particularly
look out for the "Sold In UK" text printed on all EP titles after 1963, including on going pressings of those 1963 titles in 1964,
when "Sold In UK" applies to them as well.  Like the albums, where two printers were contracted, every Beatles EP cover from
he first "Twist & Shout" in 1963, were not confined to just one printer, over a period four different printers were contracted to
make them.
  
The labels look like they have just left the printers in 1964,  in 'as new condition,' 1965 record players were near impossible
to use without label contact as you placed records face down to play.  Most  spindle use traces are from protruding spring
clips near the top, enabling the stacking several records for auto play, for heavily played records you will see a white circle of
sub-surface paper around the centere holes, by definition alone , grading's can only be 'Good to Very Good' at best.  The record
is in beautiful condition, both sides are gleaming with the glossy sheen of Mint vinyl, with only feather light to near invisble
handling traces. I always consider it an essential part of grading, differentiating between genuine light handling and groove wear
of damaging stylus scratches and marks.  Records in covers with Beatles pictures were often bought for those alone, even
without the usual heavy playing, the vinyl was still taken out and handled to be looked at, if not that, handling at pressing plants
and record shops  account for them.  Of course the real test for any record is sound reproduction, that needs a combination of a
visual inspection with a very close scrutiny of how the tracks perform at high voume.  This EP features three out four tracks that
strongly feature acoustic guitars, so the audio clarity is vital, all four tracks are like a just pressed, unplayed mint record.
The 4 tracks are from the "For Sale" LP and  are among the finest on that great album, you could ask  why hear them from an EP?
The original UK, Abbey Road mono master tape mix made for a 45 RPM,  is a completely different way to hear, experience and to
enjoy these outstanding Beatles tracks, mixes for a mono only 45 were  unique to the format, a stunning impact from the music!
An impact that does not exist on those 1970 and 1980 re-issues, they were deemed to be more like novelty items, issued way after
the Beatles broke up, the potency of the 1960's first pressings was contemporary to the sound of the era, not when Mono had been
abandoned.


Side 1 starts from as close to silent run-in grooves as vinyl possibly gets, if there is anything quieter than this I would love
to hear it!  This what grading is really all about, making comparisons to how a record sounded when it was first pressed and
heard, 'Mint' is 100% accurate here.  The sung near acapella intro for "No Reply" has a really astonishing clarity, featuring
John Lennon's lead vocal coming straight in singing, "This happened once before, when I came to your door." The sound quality
is stunningly clean, clear and projected with  extremely powerful mono, the precise sound of George Martin's original 45 mix.
Both tracks on this side are Lennon compositions that contain melodic, acoustic based sounds, being gradually developed during
1964, in a short time this would change the whole conception of 1960's music.  The sheer purity of the definition on the acoustic
guitars is remarkable, the vast majority of first pressings long ago lost that underneath irritating crackles, noise and distortion.
"No Reply" performs perfectly, like all four tracks, without virtually any pressing related static, nothing here beyond the natural
sound of vinyl, not just any old vinyl either, EMI's very finest in the mid-60's.  With that established, there is no need to to over
elaborate, I can stay with the duration of the tracks, now ending into a near silent gap, even any low level static is ultra faint.
John's earliest first person experience lyrics, his composition "I'm A Loser" was strongly influenced by Bob Dylan.  It is rare to
hear this intro without annoying noise, the song begin with the vocals sung acapella, singing harmonies with Paul had an effect
that intensified the melody and in particular, the lyrics, they are given above and Lennon meant every word. There is virtually no
surface sound on a very exposed beginning, this is vinyl and any static is not worthy of inclusion.  The sheer power on this first
issue EP will act to magnify any needle sound but there are no crackles, this is just stunning, razor sharp, superbly clean audio
of an amazingly high standard. The acoustic guitars sound sensational and John's brilliant blues harmonica solo is in absolutely
perfect sound. The vocals are just superb, I've written many times about how the unbelievable sound reproduction mastered to
all Beatles EP's, has been vastly underestimated, EP's were certainly not novelty items in their own time period and they contain
the true sound of the Beatles music in all of Mono's alalogue magic.


Side 2 also has completely silent run-in grooves before the staggeringly powerful sound of John Lennon singing the classic lyric,
"Just let me hear some of that rock & roll music! "  A pulsating version of Chuck Berry's great "Rock & Roll Music" and the sheer
power of this explodes with a mighty force,  but still just as crystal clear as Side 1's more folk music orientated songs, the piano
sounds like it is being played live in my room, this really is an astonishing sounding record.  A wonderful EP that gives a great
example of the balance of songs on the album, the 'liveness' I mentioned also involves the volatile impact of the Beatles playing
the high energy rock & roll normally reserved for their concerts.  1960's singles or 45's are written off as having substandard
sound when compared to a 33RPM LP, well, this EP will blow away any original Beatles Mono original album, if anything, this 45
kicks even harder than the LP mix, which is something very special from a single. Mono of this audio standard is why 53 later, in
this age of digital Ipods  and downloading from the internet, Mono was never superceded or surpassed, stereo and mono always
did exist together.  Today they still can and do indeed, co-exist side by side, and the analogue sound gathers as much, if not
more attention on the internet than digital downloads!  Finishing into near silent linking grooves, just a hint of light natural
static before an supremely clear and clean intro for the brilliant "Eight Days A Week", now playing without any surface sound,
a fixture and a feature of this EP.  "Eight Days A Week" was released in America as a single, at one point it looked likely to be
the Beatles next UK single as well until John Lennon wrote "I Feel Fine," the first track to open with innovative feedback from
a guitar as the intro.  This becomes a great opportunity to hear how this sounded on a UK pressed 45 and from this superb vinyl,
it can be heard precisely how it sounded in April 1965, today, the sound quality is just stunning.  Not just for the powerful way
the sound is impacted, for the superb audio definition on sharply defined harmonised vocals and the instruments.  Just before the
main chorus, hand claps stamp out the rhythm, with the acute sound crispness crafted into the mono mix, they are in perfect sound
quality and you really can hear their favourite Studio 2, in Abbey Road.
{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
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WHEN A CUSTOMER RECEIVES EITHER A SEALED OR AN UNPLAYED RECORD.
 
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"There Are No Problems, Only Solutions" (John Lennon)

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For LP's valued above £50, the cost will be £9, we are unhappy about either increase but our high standard of packaging has meant
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POSTAGE  COST FOR LP's
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