Sold Date: September 23, 2014
Start Date: September 16, 2014
Final Price: £37.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 2
Seller Feedback: 3790
Buyer Feedback: 132

This item is not for sale. Gripsweat is an archive of past sales and auctions, none of the items are available for purchase.

"HEAVY LOAD" (Andy Fraser / Paul Rodgers, 1970)
 
  Just a young man by an old road,
  By the route he chose.
  An ancient song, in an old tongue,
  For this man was sung.
  Oh, I'm carrying a heavy load,
  Can't go no further down this long road,
It's a heavy load....

By an old stream,
Came an old dream,
Things are never what they always seem.
And so he went on,
  Travelling on,
  Now he's a long way from home .

Oh, I'm carrying a heavy load,
  Can't go no further down this long road,
  It's a heavy load...
Oh, I'm carrying a heavy load,
  Can't go no further down this long road,
  Oh, I'm carrying a heavy load,
  Can't go no further down this long road,
  Oh, I'm carrying a heavy load,
  Can't go no further down this long road,
  Oh, I'm carrying a heavy load,
  Can't go no further down this long road.
  FREE: "Fire & Water" LP. UK PRESSING, 1978 ON THE Sunset / Sunrise BLUE ISLAND LABEL ISLAND LABEL.
  Often referred to as the 'midnight' Island label, but I have never seen the sun set or rise at midnight!   All the 1970's decade
Island labels were a continuation of the pink rim label that first appeared in November, 1970, the same Carribean Island with
a palm tree logo continued into the 1980's etc.  This late 1978 -1979 version has the sun rising over the palm tree turning from
orange on the bottom to yellow on the top.   The background is a light blue, Side 2 has the sun setting over the palm tree on the
island in yellow, the tree and island are no longer in colour, but the same as the now dark blue background , midnight had nothing
to do that.  The 'i' Island logo was superimposed over the tree and island, a really well thought out design that looks superb with
the differences every time you turn the record over.  Not that this was ever 'turned over', a stunning condition, 36 year old, EMI
pressed, unplayed, true Mint "Fire & Water" is very special indeed.


ISLAND: ILPS 9089
 
  MAITRIX: ILPS 9089  A - 1 / ILPS 9089  B - 2
EMI's end digits have no real significance and were chosen at random, because only one very small batch was pressed.
  
  EMI STAMPING CODES:  T  1 / (Blank)  1
  Now, the above EMI stamped letters and digits do have the greatest possible significance, EMI mastered and pressed this record
  from the Master Tapes and both sides were sourced from the first 'mother's' created for this pressing.  Just being pressed by EMI
  is a guarantee of absolutely stunning sound quality.
 
 
  ORIGINAL 1978, THICK CARDBOARD PLAIN BLACK EMI INNER SLEEVE WITH A DIE CUT CENTRE, POSITIVELY NOT A
  CURRENT TYPE BECAUSE IT FITS INSIDE THE COVER.   THE CURVED CORNERS AND A THUMB NOTCH RECORD ACCESS
  IN A SHAPED TOP OPENING, IS PRECISELY THE SHAPE OF EMI LATE 70's PRINTED LYRIC/PICTURE CARD INNER
  SLEEVES. THE SOLIDITY INSIDE THE COVER PREVENTED THE USUAL WEAR FOUND ON ANY 197'0's PRINTED COVER
  FOR "Fire & Water."   JUST A LIGHT RECORD IMPRESSION, IN UNUSED MINT- CONDITION
 

  OUTSTANDING 1978 PRINTED COVER, THE SPINE IS STILL AN UNWORN PURE WHITE BACKGROUND TO THE
BLACK TITLES.  THIS INITIALLY LOOKS LIKE THE 1970 ORIGINAL "Fire & Water" COVER, ONLY ISLAND'S LOGO
ON THE BACK DIFFERS, THE 'i' LOGO WAS ENLARGED WITH A PALM TREE DRAWING INSIDE THE OUTLINE.
An unused cover and it was perfectly stored with the support of the mentioned thick cardboard inner sleeve, that means no wear to
  the edges, corners and opening sides. Great to see no ring wear or creases, just a gentle record impression and a few tiny edge
lines, the front & back look superb without any artwork colour fading or ageing either.
THE UNUSED COVER IS IN  BEAUTIFUL MINT- CONDITION.
 

AN UNPLAYED RECORD AND A REAL BEAUTY, IMMACULATE LABELS  WITHOUT ANY SPINDLE ALIGNMENT TRACES.
GLEAMING LIKE BRAND NEW WITHOUT ANY SCRATCHES OR EVEN ANY HANDLING TRACES THAT I COULD FIND.
THE RECORD IS IN UNPLAYED, MINT CONDITION.
SIDE 1 "Fire And Water" (Andy Fraser / Paul Rodgers)
"Oh I Wept" (Paul Rodgers/ Paul Kossoff)
"Remember" (Andy Fraser / Paul Rodgers)
"Heavy Load" (Andy Fraser / Paul Rodgers)

SIDE 2
"Mr. Big" (Andy Fraser / Paul Rodgers / Simon Kirke / Paul Kossoff)
  "Don't Say You Love Me" (Andy Fraser / Paul Rodgers)
"All Right Now" (Andy Fraser / Paul Rodgers)


Paul Rodgers - vocals
Paul Kossoff - acoustic & electric guitars
Andy Fraser - bass, piano & backing vocals
Simon Kirke - drums & backing vocals


Recorded At Trident and Island Studios, London, January - June 1970.
Produced By Free & John Kelly
  It has been eight years since I last listed either the 1970 pink label or the pink rim/palm tree pressings of "Fire & Water", not
that I haven't been looking but I only sell Free records in Near Mint/Mint condition.  I would love to be in a position to offer
one of my most loved band's albums as Mint first pressings, but for Free's albums, reality cannot be overcome by the wishes or
will power of an old fan.  I occasionally have such unlikely rarities, but no way will I ever offer any of the records or covers
  as battered worn out objects, especially for the sound quality. The currently available CD's have been 're-mastered' to such an
unrealistic and ridiculous extent, to make them sound they were current to today, I no longer recognise the once stunning sound
or ever want to hear the music so thin, one dimensional, flat, gutless and puny. If I want to play CD versions for convenience in
in my car, Island's original 1980's CD's without any bonus tracks, are at least representative and enjoyable,..... as long as the
CD's have not oxidised and turned yellow and no longer play.   An early CD problem that affected most of Island's catalogue in
that mid -late 1980's era, most of mine have, but so far they still play without any flaws.  It all adds up to analogue music from
the 1960's and 1970's, now being preserved only on vinyl from the same decade's, the rare first pressings in top condition like
  Free's 1969 -1971 first five albums, present a major problem today, the healthy alternative is a slightly later pressing sourced
from the same record company's master tapes. The only down side to that is a 1970's pressing is now between 35 - 44 years old,
so the odds of them having perfect sound quality are slim to extremely unlikely, to take on a CD, realistically there is only the
one grading to look to for vinyl, Near Mint/Mint.  If not, the whole exercise becomes self defeating, unless you want to hear the
degree of someone else's wear induced noise; crackles, clicks, pops and groove wear from a blunt needle or just a plain old worn
out damaged record, or as it is now graded on ebay, 'Ex'.  Or all the permutations that actually quote the definitions laid down
by 'Record Collector' or 'Goldmine,' being added to the description pages, then they proceed to contradict and abuse them out of
all recognition!  A fantastic find turned up this 1978 pressing of "Fire And Water", very carefully stored and left unplayed for
the next 36 years.  A fantastic LP, unlike  laminated covers for some European countries, a UK "Fire And Water" is notorious for
having the flimsiest and easily worn cardboard throughout the whole of the 1970's decade, with that in mind, this cover is in
remarkable and superb Mint- condition!  Free collector's will know how poor nearly all of the 1970's covers are, few are better
than a genuine 'Very Good' grading, even assuming that grading term is being correctly applied, 'Poor' is the average condition
for "Tons Of Sobs", "Free" gatefold covers and the same is true for "Fire And Water", "Highway" and "Fee Live", the five titles I
have struggled lately to locate to meet my standard.  Free are really special to me, I first saw them performing live in 1968,
I was 15 years old back then and the band were not much older themselves in '68!  In a tiny club in Hampstead, North London, I
stood transfixed watching this incredible, but totally unknown and unnamed young band playing a brand of blues/rock that
totally blew me away.  This was an era of witnessing that on a weekly basis, but this was not an advance billed band, nothing
was advertised in the music press or on pasted up local posters, the 'Country Club' was just the place to turn up on a Saturday
night when you couldn't afford to see someone famous or established.  Koss looked exactly as you  see him on the inside of the
"Tons Of Sobs" cover, the sound coming from his guitar was unreal, that awe inspiring music came from amps I watched them
  drag in and set up.  They plugged in, tuned up and stood in front of them a few feet in front of me, there was not even a stage,
the few there & artists stood on the same floor level in this very tiny club!  I remember the main door was open, flooding in the
summer's evening sun to the dingy interior, people just wandered in and mostly looked disinterested. Paul Rodgers was also
a rivetting figure with a blues soaked expressive voice, baby faced Andy played his bass like a rhythm guitarist, Koss was left to
produce the sweetest notes you could imagine. His eyes never opened when he played and the sounds came from deep, deep, down
inside his small frame, Simon shook the walls with his rock solid thudding drumming....I was hooked for life and eagerly waited
in hope for further gigs and their first record.   I found out who they were and bought their debut single and their March,1968
  first pressing of "Tons Of Sobs," I still have that, even though it was played to death and completely wrecked, a replacement
first pressing sits alongside it, but I would never part with my really tatty and beat up first cover & LP!  The same applies to
all their albums.   I told that true story to illustrate why as one of Free's first fans, before they even had that name, I am just
as thrilled to offer this pristine 1978 pressings in such a fantastic Mint- cover, as I would be for the first pressing, well,
  there were two first pressings really!

In July,1970 the incredible "Fire And Water" album was issued at the same time as a single edited from an album track, now a
  legendary track in that edited format, "All Right Now".   That was never intended to be a single by the band but Chris Blackwell
  immediately recognised it's potential and had the very long album version shortened, removing most of Paul Kossoff's guitar solo.
  Then a phenomenal over night commercial success propelled Free into the  position none of them ever wanted, the sight of Free
  on the UK's chart TV show"Top Of The Pops" was unreal for me, I had followed their progress from before they had even signed to
  Island.  Luckily the 1970 film of that performance was never wiped and because they insisted on playing live, now one of the few
  remaining live footage of them.   Phenomenal success of "All Right Now" attracted interest in "Fire And Water", the sales took off
  and by August, 1970, Free now had a No. 2 UK LP.

    Meanwhile, Chris Blackwell seeing Free becoming so accepted nationally in the UK and now making ground in Europe, Japan and in
  America, felt "Fire & Water" as an album could use some extra work.   So Free returned to Island's recording studios to set about
  re-recording parts and over dubbing was added to the basic tracks.  That strong connection between Free and Island was the direct
  reason Chris Blackwell became so involved with their first unbelievable success in the summer of 1970. Now is the time to discuss
  why two UK versions of "Fire And Water" that were both released in 1970!

First pressings with the original basic first recording's were issued on Island's then still pink label, not long after that the
  label was re-designed to the new palm tree / pink rimmed label in November,1970.   That label's pressing had extra studio
  time spent on adding the re-recording's, so there are in fact two original 1970 versions of the UK's "Fire And Water."  The first
  pressings are normally desirable for authentic and ultimate sound  but in this case, both 1970 label pressings contain different
  recordings.   Personally I have always taken the view if two versions of a loved album are available, I want them both! That was
  the same situation begun in the just finished 1960's, when a choice between a mono or stereo record was eventually resolved by
  owning both formats.  Interestingly it's also worth hunting down the very first USA CD issue on the A&M label, by mistake Island
   had sent over the pink label's first recorded version, released on the pink Island label.  Of course the album is essentially only
  heard from vinyl, as an obsessive Free collector of official and unofficial sources, I had to  find the USA CD!   "Fire & Water" was
   pressed up to 1975 on the palm tree Island label, this 1978 pressing was a direct continuation, after all it was only eight years
  after the first pink rim pressing, in terms of the sound quality, as EMI mastered and pressed this record, the sound from a Mint
  record is sensational.  It took great will power to leave this unplayed, but I held back from  hearing the staggering "Mr. Big", to
name just one track.  That is my most loved Free heavy blues studio and live performance , for me, "Mr. Big" placed Free on the
same level as Cream, not even Jack Bruce played the bass as amazingly as Andy, nor did Cream plays as tightly together as Free
during the astonishing sonic soundscape of the ever building to a climax , right from the intro to "Mr. Big."  Then one of my all
time favourite slow, soulful r&b Free song and performance  is on this amazing album,"Heavy Load" contains everything that made
Free such a versatile band.  I place great emphasis on only ever hearing that wonderful track in perfect sound, which has to be
the point I end a description I was only going to write a few sentences for, if not I will end up playing the record and I really
want the next owner to be the first hear it for 36 years.
{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.  Over twenty years ago now we entered into the wonderful atmosphere
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