Sold Date: May 31, 2017
Start Date: May 24, 2017
Final Price: £53.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 2
Seller Feedback: 4433
Buyer Feedback: 11

"STEEL AND GLASS" (Alternate early version with uncensored lyrics - John Lennon, 1974)
 
  There you stand with your L.A. tan,
  And your New York walk and your New York talk.
  You're Mother left you when you were small,
  But you're gonna wish you wasn't born at all.
 
  Steel and glass,
  Steel and glass....
 
  Your phone don't ring, no one answers your call,
  How does it feel, to be off the wall?
 
  Well, your mouthpiece squawks, as you spread your lies,
  But you can't pull strings if your hands are tied.
  Your teeth are clean, but your mind is capped,
  You leave your smell, like an alley cat.
 
  Steel and glass,
  Steel and glass....
 
  There you stand with your toilet sand,
  And your Micky Duck and your Donald F*ck,
  Your Daddy left when you were small,
  You're gonna wish you wasn't born at all....
 
  Steel and glass,
  Steel and glass....
JOHN LENNON: "Menlove Avenue" LP.  THE FIRST AND ONLY UK PRESSING, RELEASED DECEMBER, 1986.
The album's the worldwide release varied from October to December, in the USA it was issued in November, 1986.
The British release was preferred by EMI to be released during the Christmas period, December,1986, but the UK cover was
  printed in November,1986.  The original EMI inner sleeve is date coded to December,1986, with the shrink wrapping still perfectly
  clear and not split and an unplayed, untouched  record inside, this is one amazing 31 year old John Lennon rarity to still be in
  record shop condition. 'Rare' as well because "Menlove Avenue" unbelievably sold so few copies in Britain, the album never even
  made a chart entry.


TEXTURED SILVER & BLACK, OPEN 'PARLOPHONE' LOGO LETTERING LABEL: PCS 7308.
  In other words, "Menlove Avenue" was released after EMI re-designed the Parlophone label, the box around 'Parlophone' was removed
  and so was the boxed EMI logo's.
 
MAITRIX:  PCS 7308 - A - 1 - 1 - 1 -   / PCS 7308 - B - 1 - 1 - 1 -  
The 'first of the first', with only the one pressing ever made, every copy I have sold was this low and there has never been a UK
  vinyl re-issue of "Menlove Avenue."
 

  ORIGINAL EMI INNER SLEEVE, CODE DATED AS MADE; '12/86' (December,1986), UNUSED, UNSPLT AND ONLY
LIGHTLY AGED.
    The most used code dated inner sleeves were made in August, 1986 for "Menlove Avenue", variations belong to the 20th century.
  THE INNER SLEEVE IS IN NEAR MINT CONDITION.


  RARE SHRINK WRAPPED COVER, COMPLETELY COVERING ALL OF THE SPINE AND THE TOP & BOTTOM EDGES,
  IT WAS MACHINE FINISHED JUST BEFORE, IF NOT MOSTLY ON THE OPENING SIDE.  THE ENTIRE COVER HAS BEEN
  PROTECTED FOR EVERY DAY OF THOSE 31 YEARS OF PERFECT STORAGE. SHRINK WRAPPING TENDS TO .....SHRINK,
  NO PROBLEMS HERE THOUGH, A PERFECTLY FLAT COVER LOOKING LIKE BRAND NEW.
  I am fully experienced with rarities like this, just removing a record for the first time can have an instant effect on an empty
  cover,  the shrink wrapping is still capable of contracting and creasing the corners etc.  I cannot stress how important all
  covers and records need careful storage for short and particularly, long term storage, regardless of shrink wrapping, which is
  really rare on UK covers anyway.  Before removing the record for the first time in decades, I prepared an exact fitting cardboard
  square and immediately slipped it into the empty cover, there it remains while taking ebay pictures and for packing for shipping.
  I advise my customers to store shrink wrapped covers as I send them, I supply a new plain cardboard LP cover and various plastic
  sleeves to protect records, covers, any associated inserts and original inner sleeves.
 
THE FRONT & BACK COVER FEATURE UNIQUE ARTWORK BY ANDY WARHOL, DRAWN JUST BEFORE JOHN LENNON'S
DEATH IN 1980.  WITHOUT A PRINTER CREDIT ON THE COVER, BUT I RECOGNISE A 'Garrod & Lofthouse' COVER
WHEN I SEE ONE.   RIGHT FROM THE 1960's,THEIR FORMAT INCLUDED A CODED PRINTING DATE IS ON THE BACK
BOTTOM CORNER IN TINY PRINT;  '1186' (November,1986).  

WITH A DATED ORIGINAL 1986 EMI / 'Garrod & Lofthouse PRINTED INNER SLEEVE, THE AUTHENTICITY IS SET
IN STONE.  NO COUNTERFEIT IN THE WORLD CAN REPLICATE THE INTRICATE DETAILS IN THIS DESCRIPTION OF
A MAJOR JOHN LENNON MASTERPIECE LIKE "Menlove Avenue."
 
FOR OBVIOUS REASONS I NEVER GRADE COVERS IN SHRINK WRAPING, ASSUMING ALL IS IN PLACE AND THERE
HAS BEEN PERFECT STORAGE.  WHEN UNPLAYED RECORDS ARE INVOLVED, THE SAME RULES THAT APPLY TO THE
  COMPLETELY SEALED IN COVERS AND RECORDS, COME INTO EFFECT.
 
  THE TEXTURED IMMACULATE PARLOPHONE LABELS DO NOT HAVE ANY SPINDLE TRACES AND THE VINYL
  LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PRESSED THIS MORNING.  NO MARKS AT ALL AND I COULD NOT FIND ANY FACTORY
  OR RECORD SHOP HANDLING, THE  RECORD IS IN UNPLAYED MINT CONDITION.
SIDE 1
"Here We Go Again" (John Lennon / Phil Spector)
  "Rock And Roll People" (John Lennon)
  "Angel Baby" (Rosie Hamlin)
"Since My Baby Left Me" (Arthur Crudup)
"To Know Her Is To Love Her" (Phil Spector)

SIDE 2
"Steel And Glass" (John Lennon)
  "Scared" (John Lennon)
  "Old Dirt Road" (John Lennon / Harry Nilsson)
  "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)" (John Lennon)
  "Bless You" (John Lennon)
   
  Recorded August To Late 1973 & Mid-1974.
Produced By John Lennon & Phil Spector.
Two years have passed since I last sold a rare UK pressing of the magnificent "Menlove Avenue," that was also in unplayed, Mint
condition, they were rare immediately after 1986 and today, their rarity is really increasing.  The few copies around are usually
heavily played in battered split covers, understandably because of the previously unreleased nature of all the incredible tracks.
  I only sell ever John Lennon albums in Near Mint to Mint from the early 1970's decade and that is hard enough, but they all had
  very healthy sales and also exist on EMI's budget labels like 'Fame' and "Music For Pleasure.'  Then after John's death in 1980,
  EMI launched re-issue pressings of such a scale, they out-numbered the 1970's originals!  Quite right for a 'Legend' to generate
  such massive numbers posthumous re-issues, because whole new generations were discovering the magic of the Beatles did not
  end in 1970.  Not just albums, the re-issue of "Imagine" on a single made No.1 on the 27th December,1980 in Britain, in a matter
  of days after John's death, that was a solo recording of such a magnitude, most would name "Imagine" as the greatest song of all
time, including anything the Beatles recorded.  John, Paul, George and Ringo continued recording albums, it could even be argued
  if you took key solo tracks from all four per year of release, they could be compiled into such stunning LP's, they would contain
the same musical merits as anything they collectively released in the 60's, allowing for uniqueness of psychedelic innovations of
  course.  I should once again warn buyers ro remain very wary about those pre-bar code 1980's re-issues are being falsely sold on
  ebay as first pressings, I cannot possibly give identifying features now, I do with every first pressing listed, this description
  is all about "Menlove Avenue." Due to the rarity of unplayed UK pressings, one brief pressing than instant deletion, last time I
gave in to the temptation to play a previously sold record, as a John Lennon fanatic it allowed the opportunity to include most of
  the recording details not included on the cover.  Two years down the line the rarity has increased dramatically and with such a
  stunning condition, completely unworn shrink wrapped cover, this time I reluctantly concede this must be offered as an unplayed
  record by myself.
 

  "Menlove Avenue" was the most important studio John Lennon album issued after his tragic death, every single one of those
  ten tracks had previously been unreleased and this was an album with sensational and absolutely essential recordings. I still
  find it hard to believe how the greatest artist of all time, had a whole album of unheard material available in record shops and
  yet in the UK, all but a few totally ignored it.   Sure, a few tracks from Side 1 had been bootlegged during the 1970's but their
  sound quality was just about listenable, in saying that I still have the first "Angel Baby" USA pressing and treasure it for the
  opportunity it gave to hear such major Lennon performances.  Every track on "Menlove Avenue" was sourced directly from John
  Lennon's vast collection of tapes that included everything he recorded from the earliest Beatles years, as demo's, out-takes and
just tracks intended for release that never made it onto an LP in his lifetime.   A selection of the very finest, from late 1973 to
  mid-1974 created a stunning record to play and also gave a fantastic insight into the genius of the man. For this to fail to even
  enter our charts, is beyond any reason and belief, in 1980, John Lennon was back and had he lived, musically and socially the
  1980's decade would have been transformed.  His loss was immeasurable and yet so few copies were sold it never registered
  in Britain, even in America where John and Yoko where living, "Menlove Avenue" struggled to sell and only reached No.127, it
  became the lowest chart position of any of his post Beatles solo albums, but not to even make the British charts.....
 
All of the ten tracks would normally be described with the full recording details, as a fanatical Lennon collector I have every
  out-take, demo or alternate version that has seen the light of day, bootleg collecting began in the 1970's!  Nothing would give
  me more pleasure than detailing the stunning ten tracks on "Menlove Avenue", but that would be indulgence and that will have
  to wait until I have an ultra carefully, lightly played record.   Side 1 has the infamous Phil Spector produced, unreleased tracks
  from the late 1973,"Rock 'n' Roll" album sessions, the only track not, was from earlier in August '73, "Rock & Roll People" was
  an unreleased track or out-take from the "Mind Games" LP, but still from the same year.  Late 1973 was a really crazy time when
  the musicians were mostly stoned out of their heads and manic happenings were all part of the recording sessions. In spite of all
  that, these unreleased tracks are just stunning for the songs John performed and for Phil Spector's genius as a record producer.
   John Lennon was more than able to make sensational music intoxicated by various chemical substances inside him, after all, the
  Beatles albums from "Help!" onward testify to that!  Phil Spector produced John's first solo  album "Plastic Ono Band" as well as
  "Imagine" a few years earlier, and also those amazing Plastic Ono Band's late 1960's singles.   The recordings took place in the
  Record Plant, New York, they were all fully completed and ready for inclusion on the "Rock 'n' Roll" album, but not half finished
  abandoned tracks.  A year long delay was caused by such manic surroundings to this seemingly simple project of recording some
  of Lennon's favourite 'oldies' and his own compositions.  "Rock 'n' Roll" was not released until 1975, with many complications
  around the USA only, "Roots" Adams label version.  There are many CD's full of these legendary sessions, if I went into all the
  details thoroughly, it would take a hefty book to chronicle them all!  A real treat is hearing the master tape quality of the last
  track on Side 1, "To Know Her Is To Love Her", a song John loved and regularly performed live with the Beatles, written by the
  young Phil Spector.  He originally recorded it when a part of the Teddy Bears, Beatles fans will recognise this song as one John
  sang the lead vocals from way back before they were famous.  As found on 'The Beatles BBC Radio Sessions' or even earlier on,
the "Live At The Star Club"album.  John was inspired in 1973 to produce one of the greatest vocals of his entire career, Spector
  put everything he knew into this awesome  production, just think of the Ronnette's "Be My Baby" and treble the backing and you
  have the most incredible unreleased track of all time. Phil Spector almost invented the term 'impact' on a record, he gave John a
  staggering 'wall of sound' of mind blowing proportions.  There is just one other version, but Yoko diplomatically held back from
  releasing it, John was stoned out of his head, ad-libbing the lyrics and becoming rather rude, just part of an incredible and very
  turbulent, troubled late 1973 - 1974 period for Lennon.  He was inspired out of his skin singing the version on "Menlove Avenue"
  the stoned version is for us fanatics, this version features him giving all he had to a song he was so entranced by.
  
Considering  I was about to end this description, that was something of an in depth appraisal of just one track and I had better
  steer clear of even discussing the equally devastatingly beautiful version of "Angel Baby", 'Lennon the Legend' is actually far
  more potent on "Menlove Avenue"!  Very briefly, Side 2 is purely fantastic "Walls & Bridges" out-takes and alternative, earlier
  versions to those found on the released album, I have every second of all these sessions on many, many unofficial sources, so
  suffice to say they make as compulsive listening as the released versions!  "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)"
  is unbelievable on "Menlove Avenue."  The studio rehearsal version of "Steel And Glass," is worthy of hearing "Menlove Avenue"
  for alone.  The intro has John gently strumming an acoustic guitar, the sheer intensity of it is there in the opening seconds and
  a real change of moods from all of Side 1, Lennon at his biting intensive best.  I must leave it here and not forget to once again
remind those who insult the love of John's life, Yoko has prevented any record company cheapening the recordings of the world's
  greatest ever artist.
 
We are extremely fortunate to have Yoko overseeing all of John's releases, this was definitely her biggest project to date and
  if Yoko wanted to cash in on a wave of grief and nostalgia immediately after John's death in 1980, I'm certain "Menlove Avenue"
  would have been Top Five, if not a No.1 best seller.  The truth is six years later, an uncaring attitude settled in until record
  companies had  to remind once dedicated fans, John Lennon was indeed a "Legend."  A greatest hits compilation did sell, which
  was a really sad reflection, I tend to think of the 1980's as being fairly recent, compared to the Beatles era, but in reality that
  decade has now receded into the past and this December will be the 37th anniversary of John's death. Only one UK pressing was
  made on vinyl, a CD was not issued only a cassette, the back of the cover documents the catalogue numbers of LP's and tapes.
  Parlophone / EMI never tried again to re-issue it and they very quickly deleted "Menlove Avenue" from their catalogue, today an
  extremely difficult LP to locate in the only condition I am interested in.
  
  Yoko supervised the very carefully selected unreleased tracks, keeping to a very strict quality control over the contents, there
   were no home recorded demo's or live performances, all ten songs were studio made recordings, and what recordings they were!
   That was    the musical side of the care that went into the record, for the the cover's artwork only an artist of the highest renown
   contributed, Andy Warhol of Velvet Underground fame among his other legendary work.   The front & back cover features Warhol's
    illustration of Lennon, a stunning cover that an artist of John Lennon's stature richly deserved, becoming Warhol's final work, just
  a few months after this album was released, he died in early 1987.  The artwork is best seen in my pictures rather than described,
   for anyone unaware of the relevance of the album title, John was brought up by his Aunt Mimi from a young child and they lived at,
   '251 Menlove Avenue, South Liverpool.'
{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.
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  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
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"There Are No Problems, Only Solutions" (John Lennon)
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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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POSTAGE  COST FOR LP's
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