USA - 360 Sound Columbia - GP8

PLAYS CLEAN  !

SCARCE 1969 first pressing of the very first and *BEST* Chicago Transit Authority album on the highly collected 360 Sound Columbia label of the sixties... 2LP set in thick gatefold cover ...all said, a lavish stylistic production:

The Chicago Transit Authority was the very first album by the Chicago-based (then) underground rock band who would later be known as the mass popular "Chicago." And don't confuse the two bands...this, the first line up of the band features a phenomenal guitarist in Terry Kath who really unleashes brillant fuzz solos all throughout the 4 sides. This first album was recorded and released in April of 1969.

Upon the band's 1967 inception, they were initially called "The Missing Links". Then changed its name to "The Big Thing" (occasionally performed in areas outside Chicago and Milwaukee as "The Big Sounds" due to some venues complaining about the double entendre that the name "The Big Thing" also alluded to), before adopting the moniker The Chicago Transit Authority

... Yes their first and their best, one of the most powerful jazz-rock statements made. When 'Free Form Guitar' cracked a mention in a popular psych book, so one would most certainly have to give this epic jazz-rock monster a listen. It starts out decent enough...six tracks of a sort of throbbing, upliftin' hybrid of rock music that would come to help spawn many bands alike. Their long "I'm A Man" jams like crazy, fuzzed out leads and heavy percussions...the FM Underground stations LOVED this version... Then, you guessed it, 'Free Form Guitar'. Seven minutes of squealing, searing, acid-drenched guitar feedback from hell. It's hard to believe that it was made only two years after White Light/White Heat and eons before Keiji Haino's guitar spazzouts. If we'd heard this thing back in 1969 you'd make like Speed, Glue & Shinki and form a radical psychedelic musical collective aspiring to make sub-FFG freakouts. It's that good.

Side one

1. "Introduction" – 6:35 (Terry Kath)

Lead singer: Terry Kath

2. "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" – 4:35 (Robert Lamm)

Lead singer: Robert Lamm

3. "Beginnings" – 7:54 (Robert Lamm)

Lead singer: Robert Lamm

Side two

4. "Questions 67 and 68" – 5:03 (Robert Lamm)
Lead singers: Peter Cetera and Robert Lamm
5. "Listen" – 3:22 (Robert Lamm)
Lead singer: Robert Lamm
6. "Poem 58" – 8:35 (Robert Lamm)
Lead singer: Robert Lamm

Side three

7. "Free Form Guitar" – 6:47 (Terry Kath)
instrumental
8. "South California Purples" – 6:11 (Robert Lamm)
Lead singer: Robert Lamm
9. "I'm A Man" – 7:43 (Steve Winwood/James Miller) Spencer Davis Group cover.
Lead singers: Terry Kath, Peter Cetera, and Robert Lamm

Side four

10. "Prologue (August 29, 1968)" – 0:58 (James William Guercio)
11. "Someday (August 29, 1968)" – 4:11 (James Pankow/Robert Lamm)
Lead singers: Robert Lamm and Peter Cetera
12. "Liberation" – 14:38 (James Pankow)

CONDITION: The Cover:  is solid all over; rated: strong VG++ looks very strong, try to find a better cover, good luck!  upside quality...as you know, more than hard to find THIS black cover clean after 49 years, it wears so easily, and most original covers are totally worn...so here, a highly worthy collection survivor ...has no seam splits, no bends, no writing, no delete marks...still crisp and sharp, flat & square!  

The Vinyl: rated: "EX" (excellent) lots of shine over the 4 sides, few random (light!) inner sleeve type paper scuffs only, no scratches, all 4 sides (2LP set) play graded with excellent enjoyable audio  ... all 4 sides have clean 360 Sound labels