Queen : Queen Rocks 2LP Alternative Phoenix Sleeve Very Rare

This limited edition double album from 1997 features the alternative Phoenix design on the front cover. This is so rare as only 1000 were produced and is understandably very collectable. You can see the difference as I am also selling the standard issue on a separate listing.

Pressed on super heavyweight vinyl the records had never been played prior to my play testing and I can confirm that the audio is stunning The clarity and depth cannot be underestimated.

The super rare gatefold is in fantastic condition with no obvious wear and has hardly ever been handled. The inner sleeves are in pristine condition also.

A beautifully preserved album that would impress any avid collector. So rarely seen today as not surprisingly most want to hang on to theirs

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8230911 // A-1 / B-1 / C-1 / D-1

The audio on all four sides is Mint-

The gatefold is Near Mint

Both vinyls have an immaculate glossy sheen and there is no spindle wear as you would expect. There are no marks or scratches and only a very small number of faint hairlines caused by the coarse material of the inner sleeves, just what you expect to find. There is some very minor mottling on S3 but this is so minimal and has no affect on the stunning audio. I have actually seen this on nearly all versions of Rocks but you do have to look hard in order to see it The run out grooves and labels are in pristine condition and overall you could hardly wish to find a better example of this rare album.

Play grading

I have listened to every track and the clarity, power and depth is outstanding on all four sides. There are no clicks or pops and the audio is so strong, loud and true. In essence there is no obvious intrusion on the audio and even the quieter sections, not that there are many play beautifully with only a handful of very light static ticks, the clarity could hardly be any more impressive. There are so many highlights, too numerous to mention really, and for once the final track on each side has barely any inner groove distortion. A little on I Can t Live Without You but it is minimal. The emotive No-One But You ends the album in sublime style with no interference.

The Gatefold

This super rare cover is in superb condition with no real shelf wear. It is practically as new and the edges and wide spine have no rubbing and there is also no corner wear. The bottom left corner of the back cover actually has a small piece attached to it that would have been cut from the next gatefold in line The opening edges have no handling wear and the glossy front cover is in beautiful condition with only a handful of mega faint scratch lines. This can hardly be classified as shelf wear as you can only see them when you hold the cover at a certain angle. As can be seen the original sticker is still firmly attached top left. The back cover is equally as good with only a couple of faint lines . Hardly any sellers would mention this and I am nothing if not 100 honest in my grading The inside of the gatefold is immaculate aside from one barely visible nick near the bottom right corner. The cover is also still very strong and robust which again provides further confirmation that it has hardly ever been handled. A fantastic example of this iconic cover.

The Inner Sleeves

The glossy inners have no side splits or marking of any kind and are in perfect Mint condition.

The Labels

They are as new with no marking or writing and no spindle wear as stated.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B W 684 Speakers

The records have been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

8230911 // A-1 / B-1 / C-1 / D-1

I grade according to Record Collector guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask