Sold Date: January 28, 2018
Start Date: January 25, 2018
Final Price: $129.73 (USD)
Bid Count: 12
Seller Feedback: 18237
Buyer Feedback: 3617

               ORIGINAL 1971 FIRST PRESS

           HEAVY GUITAR ROCK RARITY!
      ..|/\|...............................................|/\|..                          
                      = AGAPE =
               
                       
           GOSPAL HARD ROCK
            ..|/\|...............................................|/\|..                                    USA - MARK RECORDS -

Original 1971 first press on the tiny local MARK Records labels, this is rge first of TWO highly collected albums by the hard guitar Psych band Agape ... their Victims Of Tradition LP issued a year later received high praise by collectors around the globe - as well. 

Agape's "Gospel Hard Rock" album was a well-known (expensive - three $ figures) collectors item well over 20 years ago, having an accesible to collectors formidable Christian psych/hard-rock effort with a Hendrix/Blue Cheer vibe. The guitar work alone is excellent, evoking the spirit of Jimi Hendrix with magic finger fluries...   Fred Caban - Lead vocals, Guitar
John Peckhart - Bass
Mike Jungman - Drums, Organ   Agape was from California and preaching the gospel using a psych rock format and musically it's pretty solid. Agape leader Fred Caban wrote the lyrics, music and supplies the vocals on all the tracks.
Fred was a young guitarist from Azusa, California, who formed the band soon after he graduated from high school in 1968. Agape were one of the earliest Christian rock bands, established in a time when the music they played was still being shunned by established religious centers (the few they approached for concerts rejected the loud music they played, despite their "message").

Agape performed wherever they could, on beaches, in schools, and in parks, and released their debut album "Agape (Gospel Hard Rock)" in 1971 on Mark Records
While AGAPE centered around the talents of Fred Caban during the early stages of the counterculture’s music scene, the offering was an intimate glimpse into rock 'n 'roll life-styles of such guitar phenoms as Jimi Hendrix, after whom the Fred Caban patterned his style. Upon graduating from an Azusa high school in the spring of 1968, he and his band-mates squeezed into a small Volkswagen van in search of venues to perform. Having previously established himself as a guitarist of some merit in the southern California area, the three member outfit, which included Mike Jungkman on drums and Lonnie Campbell on bass, capitalized on his name to gather initial crowds. Of their stage protocol and evangelistic fervor Caban stated, "We'd play one or two songs - we'd jam,. we'd blow them away - and then boom, we'd start educating them as to what we were all about.....and people would actually stick around and listen."    Agape played a number or venues throughout the California area including a number of performances at Hollywood Presbyterian’s Salt Company coffeehouse. As a musical entity, the Agape hard rock gained a large following throughout the west coast, sharing stages with other Christian music bands like Love Song and JC Power Outlet, playing the popular Gazzari's Hollywood-A-Go-Go, and invited to share the bill at the first California Christian-rock Festivals held at the Hollywood Palladium in 1971. Though some believed their music was a compromise in it's close imitation of other 'worldly' rock bands, none of the members backed down from their vision of what they felt their music should project. Caban states, "We were basically a secular rock band that became Christians. When we got on stage we played it as hard as we did before. But where we had previously been selfish and desiring fortune and fame, we now sang about our faith. Christian music historian Paul Baker wrote of Agape that, "they played hard rock at it's crustiest - music which cut through the thickest defenses of the non-Christian rock fans. For those to whom hard rock music was language, Agape... spoke-clearly."'
Blind
Happy
Believe
Man
Trust
Freedom
Choose
   Blood .....

                 CONDITION: The cover: rated: M- Thick cardboard cover in TOP condition! Would be hard to find a better cover. Probne to dirt and wear, the cover is highly prone to wear. Here, an upgrade SURVIVOR final collection copy... there are no delete marks, no split seams, no bends, and no writing  ...

The vinyl: Rated: strong VG++ few minor top surface scuffs, nothing at all... and easily plays (M-) fantastic ...  both Mark  labels are clean            
                                    A cool addition to anyone's music library!






  SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...   EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING All imperfections are noted both cover & record   NOTE: All Items backed by  money back guarantee! IF you have a problem PLEASE let us solve for you BEFORE leaving ANY negative feedback. Thanks!   GRADING SCALE: M, M-, EX, VG++,VG+, VG, VG- M    Completely clean, no marks M-   Carefully used, looks clean, plays clean, shiny gloss, no marks EX   Faint scuff or superficial mark, near M-, high gloss, plays clean VG++ Glossy with minimal scuffing or light mark playing very nice, clean VG+ a bit more scuff or markls still plays well with very minimal surface at worse VG   more marks/scratches only minor, nothing deep, no loud clicks or pops         this grade is abused by many, VG here does not mean "trashed" VG-  surface noise present, will not have skips or jumps     ALL PAYMENTS SHOULD BE MADE WITHIN 5 DAYS Of AUCTIONS END   BIDDERS PLEASE = Do Not Bid If You Are Not Serious About  Following Through The Transaction!   ALL ITEMS GUARANTEED FOR WINNING BID - LESS SHIPPING!