Sold Date: August 10, 2014
Start Date: August 3, 2014
Final Price: $15.00 (USD)
Bid Count: 2
Seller Feedback: 13841
Buyer Feedback: 14

THE MIND EXPANDERS "WHAT'S HAPPENING!" LP

Original 1967 LP on the US DOT label, STEREO DLP 25773

COVER is in EXCELLENT shape, small sticker tears on front

VINYL plays EXCELLENT 

Expanding your mind, that’s what this album will do.  Or so they claim.  And if the sound of psychedelic duck quacks set to the most acid-baked Scooby Doo episodes you can think of take you to the outermost regions of the universe, then yeah, I’d say this has expansion powers greater than the elastic band on Oprah Winfrey’s sweatpants.  It’s “mind expansion” in the exploito-bargain-bin variety, of course, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun.  Especially when those psychedelic duck quacks kick in on songs like “Love Syndrome“ and make the Hanna Barbera Indian theme sound like Scrappy Doo’s been farting in the hookah tent again.  Someone check under the magic carpet please.  There’s more fuzz kazoos in their cover of classical chestnut “Pictures At A Psychedelic Art Exhibition“, which sounds like ELP scoring for Peter and the Wolf.  Someone clearly had a copy of Piper At the Gates of Dawn lying around, because the swirly Rick Wright organ and subtle unhinged Syd Barrett scratch guitar give this an early Pink Floyd feel.  The ghostly “A Night On Bald Mountain“ starts out like “Take A Pebble” with those scraping piano string sounds, then turns into a groovy little psychedelic Halloween theme with a subtle Indian hookah lounge vibe.  So what’s the verdict?  Will the Mind Expanders take you out there – no, way out there where Jimi Hendrix’s “1983” lives?  Of course not.  But as a fun bit of Sixties Woolworth budget psych, I’d say it’s every bit as fun as the Astro Sounds record.  And if you’ve got a special soft spot for farting ducks on acid, well, this may just be your dream come true.

HEAR IT...

PLEASE NOTE I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).  BUYERS FROM ITALY AGREE TO PAY FOR GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL INSURED ONLY!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  Overseas shipping has, unfortunately, gone way up in the fast few months, which translates to $15 for the first LP to Canada ($3 each one thereafter) and $24 for the first LP everywhere else in the world, with each add'l LP an extra $5 (so it pays to buy more, nudge nudge wink wink).   I accept payments through Paypal.

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

 For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.