Vinyl: DAVID BOWIE Ziggy Stardust LP ORIG UK 1972 PRESS PRISTINE COVER UNPLAYED MINT ULTIMATE VINYL, UNSPLIT 1st ISSUE LYRICS & PICTS INNER

Stone love - she kneels before the grave, A brave son - who gave his life to see the slogan That hovers between the headstone and her eyes, For they penetrate her grieving. New love - a boy and girl are talking. New words - that only they can share in. New words - a love so strong it tears their hearts. To sleep - through the fleeting hours of morning. Love is careless in its choosing - sweeping over cross a baby. Love descends on those defenseless, Idiot love will spark the fusion. Inspirations have I none - just to touch the flaming dove. All I have is my love of love - and love is not loving. Soul love - the priest that tastes the word and Told of love - and how my God on high is. All love - though reaching up my loneliness evolves, By the blindness that surrounds him. Love is careless in its choosing - sweeping over cross a baby. Love descends on those defenseless, Idiot love will spark the fusion. Inspirations have I none - just to touch the flaming dove. All I have is my love of love - and love is not loving.

DAVID BOWIE: "The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars" UK LP. ORIGINAL 1972 PRESSING, ON THE ORANGE RCA LABEL, VERY FIRST PRESSINGS WERE ISSUED 6th JUNE, 1972, WITH MUSIC PUBLISHING CREDITED TO, "Titanic Music Limited / Chrysalis Limited." STILL IN 1972, THIS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED AND THE FIRST TO BE CREDITED TO "MainMan / Chrysalis Limited." So close to the June very first pressings, the maitrix is still at the starting point on Side 1 with 'BGBS 0864 - 1E', Side 2 has only been increased to 'BGBS 0865 - 4E.' Even the cover and lyric inner sleeve are the very first issue, identical in every detail, the cover does not have the production credited to "MainMan," only "A Gem Production." The lyric inner sleeve has once again, the music publishing credited to "Titanic Music Limited / Chrysalis Limited." When credits are changed during the initial release and during the chart duration, complications arise but when that is so close to the very first pressings, the vinyl is identical and only printed items are affected. In this case for a genuine "Ziggy Stardust " original 1972 pressing, only the labels have one half of the music publishing changed, the cover and inner sleeve are indeed June, 1972 very first editions. This also happens to be a very rare unplayed, true Mint original 1972 record, in a superb first issue unsplit, unused lyric inner sleeve. Inside an unsued absolutely stunning, totally unworn, Mint- condition, very first "Robert Stace" printed cover. MATT, TEXTURED ORANGE RCA LABEL: SF 8287 (LSP 4702) MAITRIX: BGBS 0864 - 1E / BGBS 0865 - 4E The end digit rises that began the indexing, started from '-1E / -1E,' the digits would increase substantially for such a huge selling album. All the records were contractually pressed by Pye for RCA, who did not have their own pressing plant or the means to distribute then nationwide to British record shops. As I just commented, Side 1 is still at that starting point and Side 2 has only increased three digits, as this record was slightly further along, the music publishing credits on the labels only, are partially changed with "MainMan" replacing "Titanic", but still retaining "Chrysalis"' to now read as; "MainMan / Chrysalis Limited." The time period was exceptionally short for that change to take effect because "Ziggy Stardust" was released in June, half of 1972 was had been reached. So that half of the music publishing credit introducing "MainMan," happened during the second half of 1972. A common enough event in the music business in the early 1970's, as artists took control of their songs and also the production when recording them and also when other artists covered them. Initially "MainMan" was introduced for the music publication, the next change would be for record production. As usual for a record original to the same year of release, the run-out grooves contain mastering details, they were hand written by the sound engineer, I have included all four items in a compiled picture I always try to remove myths and explain the procedure of vinyl manufacturing and associated printing, as Side 1 was still at '1E', it was pressed from the very first made metal pressing disc. Two different discs were required due to records being pressed simultaneously per individual side, so Side 1 has a machine stamped maitrix and for Side 2, while hand writing the mastering, the maitrix was also hand written. The other details will only be understood by the individual who had his own methods and it was 45 years ago, they are: SIDE 1: B 6 G SIDE 2: A 1 G ( 'G' is my interpretation but possibly 'C') FIRST ISSUE "Ziggy Stardust" PICTURES AND LYRICS INNER SLEEVE, UNUSED AND UNSPLIT, WITH ONLY A GENTLE RECORD IMPRESSION AND RELATED PAPER RIPPLES / LIGHT CREASES. THE UNUSED INNER SLEEVE IS IN NEAR MINT CONDITION. The textured untreated paper was highly absorbent, the glue along the seams soaked through and the atmosphere did the rest, even this rare unused first edition holding an unplayed record was open to both ways the white background look partially aged. With the age of the paper just mentioned, that is hardly surprising, back to identification of these very first printed lyric and credit inner sleeve. The 1971 Copyright to the Songs and the permission to reproduce the lyrics in 1972 are; "Titanic Music Limited / Chrysalis Limited." "Robert Stace" FIRST ISSUE COVER WITHOUT A "MainMan" LOGO ON THE BACK, ONLY "A Gem Production." All the original UK covers were made from very thin cardboard and unlaminated, they wore very poorly and even as an unplayed record in an unused cover, I still expected to find the usual creases, ageing, colour fading and just general storage wear after all those intervening years. That has been the pattern on virtually every copy I have ever sold over many decades, considering I have only ever sold "Ziggy Stardust" in a minimum of Near Mint, that opinion was formed from only lovingly stored covers. There are exceptions to every rule, but I had all but given up on finding another original "Ziggy Stardust" cover in anything above Excellent condition. By 'Excellent' I'm referring to the definition clearly laid out in 'Record Collector', not the appalling objects so outrageously mis-graded seen on ebay, well, I have finally located that 'exception to the rule.' This is is a stunning condition cover and in place of the normal limpness and heavy wear, this has the starchy solidity of a just bought cover from an early 1970's British record shop. A 'day of issue' cover, with no more than this had when the covers first were distributed to record shops, minute standing pressure on the corners and two tiny paper edge lines next to the spine, formed right from the moment the record was first inserted inside the cover, at Pye's pressing plant and stood upright. There is no ageing, fading or wear, the colours are astonishingly bright and so the artwork is as striking as the day it printed, I am even including the white background to the spine as being the original pure white color. A spine with the extra long album titles multiple letters and the digits and letters of the catalogue number, hey have no wear of scuffing, there is no ring wear and my pictures will speak for themselves. I know the rarity of an ultimate condition record and the frustration of the reality of these 1972 covers, but I have always told it how it was and the plain truth is, when compared to the following RCA David Bowie covers, "Ziggy Stardust" was just not made or designed to a high enough quality, to withstand the passage of time. In saying that, this was bought from a small but perfect collection I am currently listing on ebay. The same one owner also left this record unplayed and stored the cover perfectly inside a plastic outer inner sleeve. That needed replacing, it now has a new on, but it did it's job, no ageing at all or splits to the first issue lyrics inner sleeve, an unplayed record is finally in an inner and cover, worthy to present in the ultimate condition for a 45 year masterpiece of an album. I will add a minus to allow for standing for all those years, but I feel guilty about that, the one original owner could not have done anything else to preserve the album. THE COVER IS IN MINT- CONDITION. THE IMMACULATE LABELS DO NOT HAVE ANY SPINDLE ALIGNMENT TRACES, THEY ARE BRAND NEW AND SO IS THE COMPLETELY UNMARKED, ULTRA GLOSSY VINYL. THE RECORD IS IN UNPLAYED MINT CONDITION.

SIDE 1 "Five Years" "Soul Love" "Moonage Daydream" "Starman" "It Ain't Easy" SIDE 2 "Lady Stardust" "Star" "Hang On To Yourself" "Ziggy Stardust" "Suffragette City" "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide" David Bowie - vocals, acoustic guitar, sax & keyboards Mick Ronson - guitars, piano & backing vocals Trevor Bolder - bass Mick Woodmansey - drums All Songs Written By David Bowie, Except "It Ain't Easy" (Ron Davies) Recorded 7th September, 1971, November, 1971 & 12 th - 18th January, 1972, At Trident Studios, London. Arrangements - David Bowie & Mick Ronson Produced By David Bowie & Ken Scott

I really do not have much to add to the sentence that ended my appraisal of the covers and this fantastic trio of original items, but this is ebay and even unplayed records of this monumental status require fitting into the pressing sequence. Very often I find it absurd to even appear to be justifying listing such unbelievable conditions and this is certainly one of them! I know Pye pressings from the 1960's to early 1970's 'inside out' and this particular record's '-1E /-4E ' from several top conditions sold previously, in true Mint it will have staggering sound. I will fully explain the pressing sequence and why I am naming this an 'original' and not a first pressing. Like all big selling albums that went into mass production, changes in label/ cover credits occured regularly and even right at the beginning of manufacturing. "The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars" had a credit change based entirely on a management change for David Bowie and that introduced "MainMan" to the music publishing as well, to read as, "MainMan Music Limited / Chrysalis Limited" being introduced for the first time on the labels only. Those lower ending maitrix digits from the very beginning of the huge chain will have "Titanic Music Limited / Chrysalis Limited," that was also printed on this lyrics inner sleeve, the cover is also identical to those 6th June 1972, very first pressed records. A perspective is needed here, from memory I think it was "Rolling Stone" magazine who named "Ziggy Stardust" as the 1970's equivalent of the 1960's "Sgt Pepper" album. A very incisive comment musically for the effect the album had on the decade, the most respected UK music paper, "Melody Maker," made a similar observation during the early 1980's, naming "Ziggy Stardust" the most influential album of the 1970's decade. Facts and figures back that up in terms of sales, of course nothing touches "Sgt Pepper" for the staggering sales and for such innovative music, the cover and inserts, but "Ziggy Stardust" does stand up to the comparison for prolonged sales. Especially because this was David Bowie's first ever major commercial success with an album, if only this had that deluxe quality, thickly laminated gatefold cover of "Sgt Pepper"! Then it was only David Bowie's second LP on RCA and after the failure of "Hunky Dory" in the previous 1971, nobody really knew how "Ziggy Stardust" would be received. Those chart figures for the June, 1972 "Ziggy Stardust" are indeed incredible, an astonishing consecutive 106 weeks in the British charts, two years is as long as "Sgt Pepper" managed to reside in the LP charts after the initial release date. Only that shot straight to No.1 and sold 4 million copies during June, 1967 alone, the Beatles were rather established by 1967, Bowie's success rate commands respect! Quite amazingly "Ziggy Stardust" took eight months to actually reach the peak position, that was the 10th February, 1973 and it reached No.5, re-charting right up to 1976, surprisingly America was hesitant and No.75 on Billboard did not reflect the impact Bowie would have over the rest of the decade. So, the end digit rises I mentioned were all connected to the album's history and tell exactly how it happened, Bowie was not the Beatles in June, 1972 and no way would RCA have contracted Pye to pre-press the mountain of records EMI correctly anticipated needing. Perspectives are needed for huge selling records but in spite of volumes made during chart residencies, how many copies of "Sgt Pepper" or "Ziggy Stardust" exist today as genuine true Mint / unplayed records? 1967 -1969 and 1972 - 1974 are not that far apart in time periods, after all, in '72 -'74 record buyers were still using the same mono record players as those late 60's pressings of "Sgt Pepper" had mostly been wrecked on. Anyone who doubts that did not experience that era of the late 60's - early 70's, but they can read the necessary text printed on the bottom of this cover to warn that extremely large amount playing stereo records on late 1950's - 1960's, mono only record players or radiograms. I always make certain to identify every record I sell, placing it as best as possible into the sequence of the initial releases, but I do find it absolutely ridiculous to present an unplayed record in such a manner. An exciting and extremely rare find should not become subject to courtroom like evidence, experiencing the era I'm discussing first hand, is to appreciate how high the odds are stacked an unplayed record surviving precisely how it left a pressing plant. These RCA labels show the slightest contact with a spindle on today's turntables, back then the labels took quite a hammering even for a few plays, these labels and the the record itself, do not have a solitary handling or playing trace, my pictures show how immaculate this record is. Bowie's change of management to "Mainman" forced a change for the music publishing credits, without that there would be no other way to tell this original apart because the lyrics inner sleeve and cover are identical to very first issues. A Beatles analogy comes into play once again here, constant label text changes and in the early days, music publishing changes saw their long charting records with ever evolving alterations, but the same vinyl, inner sleeves & covers meant consistency remained. Over a period they also changed and in doing so, created a fascinating collecting field, an era of perpetual change inspired the artists themselves and nobody more than Bowie underwent 'changes'! Our present era is full of perfect clones and I could even apply that to the music being created today, all I hear on TV and the radio are re-makes of old songs, where are the innovators like Lennon, Hendrix & Bowie? Anyway, if anyone particularly wants the 'BGBS 0864 - 1E / BGBS 0865 - 1E' pressing with the music publishing on the labels as, "Titanic Music Limited / Chrysalis Limited," you will have no problem finding them om ebay. The problem arises when the condition of the records and the sound quality take precedence, then there will a major problem because in spite of the huge numbers made, they will be mostly heavily played and at their end of their lifespan with totally shot music signals. Here is a record from 1972 right at the very beginning of it's lifetime, I will definitely be offering this stunning record in the ultimate unplayed condition. Those pressing details are essentiail, I never even made it past 1973, the year when 'Dynaflex' vinyl became yet another version RCA introduced. That was unique to 1973, the year of a world wide oil shortage brought about by the Middle East war, re-issues after it left the charts, came in every possible form and they are too complex to discuss now. There's not much I can really add to the very well logged history of David Bowie's legendary "Ziggy Stardust" that has not been written. An LP that single handed altered the course of the 1970's decade, for music, art and even fashion. As ever my concern centres entirely on the music and to this day worldwide, this is regarded as Bowie's masterpiece. My personal contact with Bowie's music began with the single "Space Oddity" in 1969, but who could have dreamed what the future had in store for Bowie back then. When Bowie adopted the personna of Ziggy, he was not just acting out the role, he became Ziggy! The character took over his own personality, never in the entire history of rock music has an artist ever become so entrenched into the subject of a song and a concept album. It had it all, an alien manifesting into a human offering the 60's promise of love and peace, only to fall prey to the human weakness, the glamour of a rock star, Ziggy, then sex and drugs and the album finishes with "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide." David Bowie wrote all the tracks except one, and what tracks they are! This could have been his final album because after such inspired writing and a total submersion into the character, night after night on stage, lesser mortals would have lost their sanity. Bowie? He became Aladdin Sane next and continued in the vein of musical genius, it all really started in space with Major Tom lost in orbit before the alien landed! {Roy}

R & M RECORDS. My lifetime's love of music and records began at a very young age, the arrival of the Beatles and the 1960's decade in general had a very profound effect. It was only natural to bring all my first hand experience of collecting vinyl into becoming a professional record seller. Nearly thirty years ago we entered into the wonderful atmosphere of record fairs with the highest possible standards set. When the Internet became the world's new market place for vinyl, in 2001 it was time to join ebay. Those standards were rigidly adhered to as they will always continue to be, the basics of honesty and integrity were very much part of the era the music I love originated in, so here is our friendly and very efficient service we are proud to provide; EVERY RECORD IS FULLY PLAYED AND COMES WITH A 'NO ARGUMENT' MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. I USE GOOD OLD COMMON SENSE AS WELL AS A GLOBALLY ACCEPTED GRADING TERMINOLOGY FROM THE U.K. "RECORD COLLECTOR PRICE GUIDE" BOOK. THERE IT CLEARLY STATES "Sound Quality" AFFECTS EVERY GRADING LEVEL AND THAT IS THE ONE AND ONLY POSSIBLE WAY TO ACCURATELY GRADE RECORDS. i.e. COMBINING A STRICT VISUAL INSPECTION WITH VERY CLOSELY LISTENING TO EVERY SECOND, UNLESS PERHAPS IN THE CASE OF GENUINELY UNPLAYED VINYL. EVEN THEN WE STILL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A RECORD WHEN A CUSTOMER RECEIVES EITHER A SEALED OR AN UNPLAYED RECORD. We take 100% responsibility after an item has been posted and offer our fullest support in the event of any problems.

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