PETER GRUDZIEN – The Unicorn + The Garden Of Love. Subliminal Sounds SUBLP 23. Swedish release. FACTORY SEALED 2-LP VINYL RECORD ALBUM SET. Originally issued in 1974. This newly remastered edition issued in 2007 in an edition of 500 copies; the second disc contains previously unreleased recordings. TRACKS, The Unicorn:  Innocents, The Unicorn, White Trash Hillbilly Trick, Queen Of All The Blue-Eyed, Private Battle, Adagio, Broken Bottle/Glass Side Walks, Hear The Trumpet Call, Satans Horn, Kentucky Candy, The Lost World, What Have I Done, Redemption And Prayer, and Return Of The Unicorn. The Garden Of Love:  Intro, New York Town, The Garden Of Love, Alone Amongst The Crowd, I Don’t Complain, Dark As A Dungeon, Black Mountain Rag, Your Every Wish Is My Command, Kiss Me Another, The Bills, Pink And Yellow Haze, Echoing Footsteps, Stonewall, and The Garden of Love, Pt. 2.  DESCRIPTION:  The following comes from the Subliminal Sounds website:  First time exact vinyl reissue of this rare, legendary, and highly praised urban hillbilly one-man-band “outsider artist” LP from 1974. The “first psychedelic country concept” album features bluegrass mountain music Americana from the twilight zone mixed with tape effects, musique concrete, fuzz guitar, surreal lyrics imagery, and themes from religion, death, sex, and other timely concerns. Also included is a bonus LP record, The Garden Of Love, with some truly amazing and haunting unreleased material spanning the years 1950s-70s (though written over the course of years these recordings seem to all have been made in the 70s). All the music has been carefully transferred from the master tapes and is a facsimile of the original album (previous CD only reissues contained altered mixings). This release features a gatefold sleeve with the original The Unicorn artwork + loads of photos and liner notes. Gatefold LP sleeve. The double vinyl LP is limited to 500 copies only.

 

For your further reading enjoyment and enlightenment I offer the following, gathered and edited by me from several websites:

 

Peter Grudzien, from the New York City area, is an American country/psychedelic singer-songwriter, photographer, commercial artist, musician, and recording engineer. Grudzien's music has been well known in the outsider music community since its inclusion in Irwin Chusid's book Songs In The Key Of Z:  The Curious Universe Of Outsider Music (2000). Grudzien grew up listening to classical music and later discovered country. In the fifties, he started listening to such artists as Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, and Johnny Horton. Peter had a recording contract at the age of sixteen with the Pell Brothers whom he refers to as "Brooklyn hillbillies". They wrote the music; he wrote the lyrics. He was tremendously influenced by Dylan, whom he met briefly. Grudzien was part of the group of luminaries such as John Herald, Peter Stampfel, Phil White, and others who played around Greenwich Village. Although he had his picture taken with Cash they did not otherwise meet and certainly never played together (Me:  Though after checking out some of Pete’s music on You Tube from this album, I can hear the Cash influence as well as a less refined Townes Van Zandt. I’m surprised Poppy/Tomato Records didn’t pick up on Grudzien, as they had issued Townes’ early recordings as well as Linda Cohen who was kinda folky, but also incorporated electronics into her music similar to what Pete has going here). Grudzien's LP, The Unicorn, was released in 1974. Grudzien had 500 copies pressed and tried, unsuccessfully, to sell them in bookstores. The album was almost entirely written, played, and produced by Grudzien except for the piano intro in The Innocents, transcribed by a friend whose name he has forgotten. This collection of predominantly 60s-70s basement tapes was recorded in New York but seems to originate from another dimension. You'll hear an eccentric and emotive blend of hillbilly, folk, country, electronic, and tape experiments shrouded in a dense psycho-spiritual atmosphere. All songs are great but the stand-outs work on a very deep level. Highly recommended for any fan of uncategorizable "lost" (or "found") U.S. DIY esoterica.

 

And from elsewhere:

 

This is one of the most idiosyncratic, personal, and downright strange albums you’re likely to run in to. While a good majority of the songs are in the same musical vein, it's the actual sound and execution that draws you in. Recorded in 1974, it sounds like he just got a multi-track recorder, and without really knowing recording techniques, he committed this stuff to tape. Absolutely one of a kind. This man was a visionary, and you will never hear anything remotely like this; the lyrics are fascinating, and near the end some bizarre synthesizer and backwards voices make an inexplicable appearance. It is a true experience to listen to this all the way through - you actually feel something at the end, unlike many modern cookie-cutter albums which leave you feeling nothing.  

 

 

If you have any questions or if you have additional information, especially corrections, to the description, please e-mail me.   

All LPs are removed from their jackets and placed outside of the jacket for shipping. If an album comes sealed (and will be noted as such in the above description), it will be shipped whole unless you request that I open it up to place the disc outside of the jacket for shipping. Both jacket and disc are placed inside of an outer plastic sleeve before packing for shipping. I use professional corrugated record mailers.

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER CURRENTLY LISTED ITEMS AND EBAY STORE. There is also a section of additional LP titles in my eBay Store 

 

TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS:

 

SS or SLD:  Still Sealed or Sealed (or some variation of sealed depending on how many characters I have left in the title line). This item is new and unplayed. Also appears in the listing description as Sealed LP or Factory Sealed LP.

 

NEW LP:  This item is new and unplayed, but was received from a supplier without being shrink wrapped or cellophane wrapped; more common on imports but also many of the smaller independent US labels do not seal their LPs.

 

GFC:  Gate fold cover.

 

LTD EDT:  Limited, as in limited edition. If I know the press run number it will be included in the above description.

 

#'D:  Numbered edition. I will include the number of this item if it is visible to me.

 

CV:  Colored vinyl.

 

S/T:  Self-titled.

 

RE:  Reissue

 

OOP:  Out Of Print.

 

TERMS OF AUCTION/SALE: 

 

Buyer pays for POSTAGE & HANDLING:

 

Shipping rates are as of January 28, 2013; any subsequent rate increase will take precedence over the listed rates.

 

U.S. Shipping: 

 

$4.00 via USPS media mail for the first single LP or double disc LP set (excluding box sets). All US packages are shipped via eBay's USPS processing and include tracking.

 

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INTERNATIONAL Shipping (I ship worldwide; all packages shipped via first-class package international service and do not include tracking):

 

Prices will vary slightly due to the weight of the disc(s) and jacket. The amount listed in the shipping details is for this item only. Multiple item purchasers will need to wait for my invoice before making payment. On multiple item purchases the base rate for shipping will be the price of the highest/heaviest item to ship. Additional items will ship by weight.

 

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See International Customers below for additional shipping services, requirements, and payment method.

 

U.S. CUSTOMERS:

 

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INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: 

 

I have been shipping records and CDs around the world for over 25 years, so purchase with confidence. Items are shipped in professional corrugated mailers. Payment using credit cards can be made via Paypal or pay direct from your Paypal account to mine. If this is a problem please e-mail me for acceptable alternatives before you bid or purchase. All international payments are due in US $ only. Payment must be received within 7 days after close of bidding or date of purchase. If you can not meet my payment schedule please e-mail me with your needs. I only ask that you keep me informed. All packages are shipped via first class mail international (air); this is the least expensive method of shipping internationally, but does not necessarily meet all the conditions of Paypal’s buyer/seller protection plan. First Class Mail International does not offer tracking. If security is a major concern then please request Registered Mail, available upon request and at your expense, this is the least expensive method of meeting the conditions of Paypal’s buyer/seller protection plan; actual postal charge for registration is $12.95 in addition to the shipping total (required on all bids/purchases totaling $100 or more; this will be included with the invoiced shipping total). Priority Mail International and Express Mail International are available upon your request and at your expense. If you have any special needs of your purchase or you have any questions please e-mail me. 

 

*ALL CUSTOMERS*  

 

HANDLING TIME:  

 

Packages are usually shipped in less than 72 hours. NOTE:  This is not the same thing as delivery time, which begins once a package is turned over to the post office; averaging 3-7 business days for US delivery and 5 days to 3 weeks for international delivery (Italian customers it is not unusual for your package to take 4 weeks for delivery). International delivery is largely determined on how long it takes your local customs to process its mail. I will confirm receipt of payment and shipping date via my personal e-mail, adjust your filters accordingly. If you do not hear from me within the first three days after your payment, most likely my attempts to e-mail you have failed. Please keep me posted on your payment plans or any special requirements/needs of your purchase. 

 

RETURN POLICY:

 

Please e-mail me with specific details and I will get back to you with your options. I ask that if there is a problem with the item that you contact me as soon as possible after receiving it. Any item that must be returned is done so at the buyer’s expense. Any refund, exchange, or substitution/credit will be at the buyers choice, but not made until the original item is received back by me; in the condition as stated in the item description.  

 

NON-ARRIVAL OF PACKAGES: 

 

US Customers:  Please wait at least two weeks from my confirmed shipping date before contacting me about the non-arrival of your package. Packages are not shipped with confirmation; this service is optional and available upon request at your expense, e-mail me before making payment so I can invoice you accordingly. It has been several years since I’ve had a package not make its US destination, so risk is minimal.

 

INTERNATIONAL Customers:  Please wait at least 3 weeks from my confirmed shipping date before contacting me about the non-arrival of your package. If security is your concern please have your package registered (see above for fee). I do my best to quickly post packages, but once the package is in the hands of the world’s postal systems it is beyond my control. With first class mail international my only option for investigating the loss of your package is to verify that it left this country to its destination country. Most all delayed/lost packages have disappeared/been delayed after they have reached their destination country. NOTE:  Based on recent buyer feedback, International packages have been moving much slower these days; it is not unusual for a package to take over three weeks for delivery (especially to Italy), though normally packages should arrive in 7 to 15 business days.  

 

 

MULTI-ITEM PURCHASERS:

 

Multi-bid winners/purchasers:  If you combine various formats such as LPs, 7" singles, and CDs, please wait for my eBay invoice for the shipping total before making payment. For example, US customers purchasing an LP with a 7” single and/or CD, as LPs ship via media mail, your package will ship as media mail. All international purchases are shipped via first-class package international service so discounting will be determined by weight. Shipping discounts apply only to multi-item purchases that are paid for in one single payment and shipped in a single package.

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