GENTLE GIANT - OCTOPUS VERTIGO SWIRL 1ST UK PRESS EX/EX+ Pink Floyd

Sold Date: October 10, 2021
Start Date: October 3, 2021
Final Price: £172.79 (GBP)
Bid Count: 24
Seller Feedback: 1060
Buyer Feedback: 3



GENTLE GIANT -

OCTOPUS


  VERTIGO SWIRL

1st UK PRESS 1972

6360 080

Matrices:   1Y//1   2Y//1


On offer here is a VERY rare LP (especially in this condition!!!!) by Gentle Giant and is an ORIGINAL 1972 UK 1st Pressing on the 1st Press Vertigo 'Spiral' label!!!!  THIS LP IS SERIOUSLY RARE AND VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND!!!!  THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST LPS ON THE VERTIGO LABEL AND VIRTUALLY NEVER TURNS UP FOR SALE!!!!  JUST TRY AND FIND ANOTHER ONE!!!!  BACK IN 1972 WHEN THIS LP WAS FIRST RELEASED - IT ONLY EVER SOLD IN ABSOLUTELY TINY AMOUNTS, AND WAS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY DELETED!!!!  AS A RESULT IT IS SERIOUSLY RARE AND INCREDIBLY HARD TO LOCATE TODAY!!!!    JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE PICTURES!!!!  THIS IS THE ORIGINAL 1972 UK VERTIGO 1ST PRESSING ON THE 1ST PRESS VERTIGO  'SPIRAL' LABEL, 1ST PRESS VERTIGO INNER SLEEVE, AND 1ST PRESS GATEFOLD COVER!!!! THIS ALSO HAS THE CORRECT "ALUCARD" PUBLISHING CREDIT ON THE LABEL , WHICH IDENTIFIES THIS AS A FIRST PRESS PROPER. 


This auction is for the incredibly hard to find classic Gentle Giant album issued in 1972. Extremely hard to find GG album which is of supreme musical importance for any true prog lover!!


Another triumph from Gentle Giant after the variable Three Friends. Initially based around an extremely loose concept (the original idea was to write one song to represent each of the members of the band), the album eventually developed into the group's most powerful and forceful album yet. Raconteur Troubadour is a case in point; beginning as a medieval-tinged mostly-acoustic number, the song becomes more and more frantic as it goes on, building up to the electric rock number A Cry For Everyone, which manages to combine prog rock complexity with a ballsy, muscular delivery. Knots begins with a capella rhythms combining wonderfully before breaking out into full instrumental complexity, and The Advent of Panurge likewise begins with quiet synthesiser melodies and gentle, almost whispered lyrics before breaking out into more complex fare.

An album truly worth revisiting again and again, Octopus showcases the sheer diversity available to the band, as well as showing that they can rock out and get wild with the best of them. In particular, had the band returned to the approach of A Cry For Everyone as part of their response to the punk explosion, as opposed to turning their sound to the mainstream, I suspect they'd have both kept their original audience and attracted a surprising number of younger fans, much like Peter Hammill was able to. But enough for mourning the paths not taken - this particular album is gold from beginning to end. (rateyourmusic.com)



Vinyl: EX++. They don't come much better than this. NO marks or hairlines! Barely played or even unplayed? On replay it only gets better. I subjected the full album to a spin on my Linn Sondek/Arcam set up and the experience was one to be cherished. So happy to come back to this stunner! The audio was simply outstanding as only a first press will ever be. Incredible strong stereo separation with nearly silent (barely any crackle etc.) replay. I was indeed tempted to keep this fantastic album in my collection. This one is a true upgrade. NO jumps, NO skips, NO sticks etc.


Gatefold sleeve: EX.  Splendid overall condition of this gatefold which also benefits a beautiful crisp opening and spine which is 100% legible and looks just great. This sleeve has no creases and sits perfectly flat!! The opening is really crisp. The inside gatefold is EX as well, not any writing and just a small yellowing stain top centre. It is the genuine item, nearly 50 years old now! Rich, lush colours, a well preserved example which has been stored properly for decades inside a polythene outer sleeve, part of a great prog collection. Even all edges have only just very light storage wear!!  The spine is fully legible and EX. There is nothing untoward like stains or tears. Please ask if more pictures are required. NO stickers, NO tears, NO major creases etc.


The original inner swirl sleeve is also still present. It is in great condition with the poly inner liner still firmly attached, without any splits and just age related yellowing. 


 

Though there are rarely ever any problems with my items, I always try my very best to describe everything exactly!  PLEASE REMEMBER to contact me FIRST,  if you have any problems at all, before you leave feedback and star ratings, so I get a chance to turn any negative experience into a positive one!  I can always happily sort anything out for you, if you let me know you have a problem!  This way no one has to leave Negative/Neutral feedback - and we both walk away happy! Similarly with the amount of stars, anything less than a full 5 * rating is effectively detrimental to a seller's rating as lower ratings will incur higher Final Value Fees  and lower priority in the bidlists eventually making it unattractive to list items on Ebay at all. I know of at least one major previous Ebay seller who has decided not to list via Ebay again. Please do NOT bid if you cannot give me at least 1 chance to sort everything out to your FULL satisfaction in the unlikely event of a problem.  Thanks again!!

 

 

This an excellent investment opportunity!!! Any questions please ask me and I will try to answer soon.

 

 

This an excellent investment opportunity!!! Any questions please ask me and I will try to answer so