Black Sabbath : Paranoid 1Y2 / 2Y1 1st Press w/Big Bear Credit

This very collectable first pressing on the iconic Vertigo swirl label plays to a superb standard with no obvious intrusion. There are no clicks or pops and only a small number of minor ticks - the clarity and definition of the audio is STUNNING For once Planet Caravan and the quite passages through Hand Of Doom play so clearly which is a genuine rarity. The vinyl is visually very impressive and whilst it has been played a number of times in a sense this just goes to show how well it has been preserved over the last 50 years. It has certainly lost none of its original sonic quality.

The iconic cover is in great condition with only a little wear, mainly restricted to the edges, and it s been a long time since I saw one this good The original Swirl inner is also in excellent order with no side splits etc.

As this is a genuine first press it has the rare Big Bear management credit on the inside of the gatefold - this only came with the first pressing. The cover is also matt textured rather than laminated. It has a large swirl on the Side B label with VERTIGO at the foot of the label and there is no break between the tracks Hand Of Doom and Rat Salad making it look as if there are only three tracks on Side B.

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6360011 2Y // 1 420 1 2 1 1

The audio on S1 is Mint - T3 Near Mint

The audio S2 is Mint -

The gatefold is Ex

The labels are Near Mint-

With a very clean run in you are hoping the clarity is just as good on the War Pigs intro. It does not disappoint It plays with exceptional clarity and with that deep typical Sabbath sound. The air-raid siren is as new and the quiet percussive section has no background either. Osbourne s first vocal is nigh on perfect with only a couple of dust ticks and from that point on it plays loud and true and with no distortion on the higher register. It has retained its original sonic quality - you would not believe how strong and clear the audio is It plays like it was pressed only yesterday not in 1970 and the powerful instrumental section is a prime example of that. The next quiet section again plays with sublime clarity with only a couple of insignificant dust ticks and the next vocal is faultless. The final instrumental is of the same high end standard and overall this is easily a Mint- start to this classic album.

Paranoid plays with stunning audio from start to finish with imperious quality once more. The depth and power of the audio is outstanding and it s not often I have add a little more treble, just a minimal amount though This is audio of the highest calibre and Mint is well deserved.

Planet Caravan for obvious reasons is the one track on this album that is so often affected by sound issues. Not here This is one of the finest versions I have ever listened to, the clarity is STUNNING throughout. The audio is so clean and precise and in essence there is no interference - there are no clicks or pops and only a handful of mega quiet static ticks that are of course totally non-intrusive. The is no obvious background static and anything I did pick up does not impact on the quality of the listen. Osbourne s vocal for once is so clean and the gentle end section plays very clearly with only a couple of minor ticks. The only sound really is the needle running over the grooves. This is Near Mint and I am sure many would grade higher. What a version

The percussive intro on Iron Man is close to perfect with just one mega light tick and there is just static tick after the spoken section. Iommi s opening section is as new and Osbourne s first vocal is just as impressive. It continues to play with superb audio and the mid instrumental could not play with any greater definition or power. Every section plays with outstanding quality, there are no negatives, and there is no inner groove distortion either. The final vocal is flawless and the end instrumental beginning with an as new bass section is absolutely STUNNING in every way. This is a dynamic Mint- version to end a near perfect side.

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The menacing intro on Electric Funeral has no background and the opening two verses then play with genuine precision. It continues in the same exact way with no ticks, clicks or pops and no underlying static. The mid instrumental is faultless and the high octane vocal sections are equally as strong. The remainder of the track keeps up this high end standard with only a couple of light ticks on the fade out. A sublime Mint- start to S2.

The very quiet bass intro on Hand Of Doom has literally no background and provides further evidence of a vinyl so well preserved down the years. The first vocal is just as clean and the first up tempo section also plays with imperious quality. It continues to play with great clarity and definition and in a sense it s the quiet sections that are the most impressive. There is no intrusion on the audio and the heavy mid section could not play any better. Wow this is good The second last quiet section has only a couple of minor static ticks and overall this classic infinitely deserves a Mint- grade at the very least

Rat Salad has just one light tick on the intro and the plays with stunning quality for the remainder. Ward s solo plays with a clarity and depth that is second to none and again Mint- is a fair representation of the audio.

The long intro on Fairies Wear Boots has not so much as a dust ticks and the first classic riff has no interference either. Osbourne s opening vocal has only the bare minimum of inner groove distortion, so minimal it is hardly worth mentioning really. It continues to play with a depth and resonance that is so strong and it just demands to be played loud There is no muddiness to the sound and the original sonic quality is still there - the mid instrumental is a case in point. The final vocal is flawless as is the end instrumental with a fade out that has no background . Rather impressive for the final few grooves on a 50 year old record I am 100 confident in grading this as Mint- also.

In summary this genuine first press plays to a superb standard and may well the finest example I have ever listened to. There are no clicks or pops and no discernible static either. I know I have graded Planet Caravan as Near Mint but the clarity throughout can hardly be faulted. Both sides play so clearly with only a handful of very minor ticks that are in no way intrusive and Hand Of Doom is another fine example of the clarity on offer here. The power and depth of the audio is also very impressive and I do not think I have ever heard a deeper version if you understand me. A stunning vinyl in every way.

The Gatefold Swirl Inner

This cover is often found in poor condition for two main reasons - one, because it isn t laminated and two, because it is the oldest first press version with the rare Big Bear management credit on the inside. It isn t perfect but it is without doubt one of the best I have seen in many a year The only obvious wear is some light rubbing on the top edges with just a bit more on the bottom edges. The top corners have only minimal wear and the bottom two have just a little more. Aside from that this iconic cover is in great condition - the wide spine is very clean and remains 100 legible with only a handful of small rubs and the opening edge has only a minimal amount of handling wear on the back cover edge . The front cover is super clean with barely any marking. There is just one very small and faint inked in mark top right and a faint line running down part of the left side next to the spine. The back cover is also in great shape with just one tiny speck and a very minor touch of fading/ringwear near the top. The all important inside is in fantastic condition which is a genuine rarity as we all know There are no marks or spotting and inner spine has only a little creasing at the top. A superb example overall.

The original Swirl inner dated 0970 is in excellent condition with no side splits or tears just some age related fading/marking on the top and bottom edges.

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

This record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

6360011 1Y // 1 420 1 5 4

6360011 2Y // 1 420 1 2 1 1

I grade according to Record Collector guidelines