MusicStack has partnered with a vinyl to CD conversion service who will convert the LP to recordable CD for you. It will sound great with no annoying clicks, pops or background noise. All recordable CDs come in a standard jewel case with artwork printed on glossy paper.
How does this service work?
The seller will ship the LP to the digital conversion center in Arizona, USA where it will be format shifted onto a recordable CD directly from the LP only for your ears. The LP and the recordable CD will then be mailed to you. The digital conversion center will not retain any copies of the item.
What does it cost?
Price of the LP + $35 USD for the conversion to recordable CD + cost of shipping of the LP to Arizona + cost of shipping of the LP from Arizona to your location paid in advance.
includes original inner sleeve In theory there's no reason why I shouldn't have enjoyed 1979's "Paradise Lake" as much as Lake's earlier albums. Self-produced, musically the set didn't sound much different from "Lake" or "Lake II". That said, in spite of repeated spins I found this one disappointing. The difference may have been found in the fact that this time around the band leaned towards pop at the expensive of progressive moves. Not that Lake was ever a true progressive entity ... Nah, in truth I think their formula had just began to turn cold. Hopkins-Harrison didn't seem particularly interested in the material and his weird German-Scottish accent sounded shriller than unusual (check out his performance on 'Glad To Be Here'). Mind you there were still a couple of decent tracks in the form of 'Into the Night' and their peeping Tom ode 'Hopeless Love'. Elsewhere performances such as 'Crystal Eyes' and 'One Way Song' were simply dull AOR. For goodness sakes, even Jim McMullen's cover art appeared warmed over. "Paradise Island" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Into the Night (James Hopkins-Harrison - Detlef Petersen) - 5:11 rating: **** stars Opening up with some tasty Geoffrey Peacey organ and Hopkins-Harrison's instantly recognizable voice, 'Into the Night' started the set off on a promising note. Not exactly a progressive song, but it was less outwardly commercial than most of the collection, with some interesting twists and turns and a nice end-of-song jam section. YouTube has a clip of the 2012 line-up (with original guitarist Ian Cussik), performing the song at a December appearance in Hamburg. It's a little ragged, but still enjoyable.
2.) Glad To Be Here (James Hopkins-Harrison - Detlef Petersen - Geoffrey Peacey) - 3:49 rating: ** stars Hum, Lake decides to take over for The Beach Boys ... Good example of the new, commercial band. The harmonies were nice enough, but I can't say it did much for me. 3.) Crystal Eyes (James Hopkins-Harrison - Detlef Petersen - Geoffrey Peacey) - 3:58 rating: *** stars For me Hopkins-Harrison's weird voice was always one of the band's biggest draws. There was just something so strange hearing that weird Scottish-German hybrid and it was seldom as apparent as on the ballad 'Crystal Eyes'. Pretty ballad with a beautiful Alex Conti acoustic guitar solo. 4.) Paradise Way (James Hopkins-Harrison - Detlef Petersen) - 4:55 rating: **** stars Shame the rest of the album wasn't as rocking as the title track. Yeah, they seemingly threw everything they had into this one (including bells), but it actually exhibited quite a bit of energy and by the end of the tune you kind of hoped it wouldn't fade out. The song served as the band's final US single: - 1979's 'Paradise Way' b/w 'Crystal Eyes' (Columbia catalog number 3-11011) (side 2) 1.) Hopeless Love (James Hopkins-Harrison - Detlef Petersen) - 4:09 rating: ** stars I know its a favorite for fans, but I've always found 'Hopeless Love' to be irritating. It sounded like they purposely set out to write a hit giving the tune a very calculated sound. 2.) One Way Song (James Hopkins-Harrison - Alex Conti ) - 3:43 rating: ** stars Conti's guitar work was nice, but otherwise this radio-friendly ballad was simply bland and forgettable. Imagine a bad Chicago/Peter Cetera ballad and you'll get a feel for this one. 3.) Hard Road (James Hopkins-Harrison - Detlef Petersen - Alex Conti - Dieter Ahrendt) - 3:34 At least it wasn't another ballad. And, courtesy of Peacey, it had some cheesy '70s Moog washes. I guess that's faint praise, but the best I can do. The song was tapped as a German single: - 1979's 'Hard Road' b/w 'One Way Song' (CBS catalog number 7284) 4.) The Final Curtain (James Hopkins-Harrison - Detlef Petersen) - 5:04 rating: *** stars 'The Final Curtain' closed the album with a big, sent
Payment Accepted: PayPal, Cash (USD - at your risk), Personal Check (USD made out to Scott Blackerby), Certified Check (USD made out to Scott Blackerby), Postal (USD made out to Scott Blackerby), PayPal (make payment to )
I've used the Goldmine Grading Guide in grading the collection. Most of the catalog is graded VG or slightly higher. To me that reflects an LP that's been played, but with care and attention. Neither the cover nor the vinyl are pristine, but the cover will be intact without substantial flaw and the vinyl will play without substantial hiss and without skips. Exceptions are noted for each offering. Since I buy music 'cause it's stuff I want to hear, virtually everything I sell is play graded - in other words, I've actually listened to the item. Finally, albums are graded cover first, vinyl second, i.e. VG/NM means a very good cover and near mint vinyl.
Goldmine Grading Standard:
Mint [M]: Absolutely perfect in every way - certainly never played, possibly even still sealed. (More on still sealed below). Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all.
------------------------------------------------------------ Near Mint [NM or M-]: A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record shows no obvious sign of wear. A 45 rpm sleeve has no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling.
An LP jacket has no creases, folds, seam splits or any other noticeable similar defect. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same is true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves, and the like. Basically, Near Mint looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap.
------------------------------------------------------------ Very Good Plus [VG+]: Shows some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some slight signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK.
The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but is should be barely noticeable. The center hole is not misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turn-up corners, or a slight seam-split. An LP jacket my have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount.
In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.
------------------------------------------------------------ Very Good [VG]: Many of the defects found in a VG+ record are more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise is evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during the song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as will light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound.
Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them.
------------------------------------------------------------ Good [G], Good Plus [G+]: Good does not mean bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear.
A jacket or sleeve has seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object. If it's a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it.
------------------------------------------------------------- Poor [P], Fair [F]: The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and/or writing. The LP jacket barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, and written upon.
Except for impossibly rare records otherwise unattainable, records in this condition should be bought or sold for no more than a few cents each.
Payment Methods Accepted
PayPal, Cash (US Dollars - at your risk), Personal Check (US Dollars made out to Scott Blackerby), Certified Check (US Dollars made out to Scott Blackerby), Postal (US Dollars made out to Scott Blackerby), PayPal (make payment to )
Shipping Costs
I ship domestic orders via USPS media mail. Typical delivery is in 3 - 5 days.
I can usually pack 2 - 3 LPs into a mailer
Rates may change as USPS seems to modify their rate structure on a regular basis.
Currently I am limiting sales to the US.U
I ship via USPS media mail which has proven dependable and the most economical delivery for buyers
I can normally pack 1 to 3 LPs in an LP mailer $6.00. $1.00 for each additional LP.
Return Policy
Obviously, grading is subjective and there are bound to be cases where someone disagrees with the way we've graded an album. In cases where you feel I'm way off the mark, let me know and I'll work to reach a mutually agreeable solution. I've sold several hundred albums over the last couple of years, including many on eBay. During that timeframe I've run into two disagreements. I sold a Tommy Boyce solo album which noted the cover had a tiny tear where someone had taken a price sticker off. The buyer was upset since she had known Boyce and wanted to frame the LP for display purposes. Even though the description clearly noted the tiny tear (and it was visible in the picture we posted), I offered her a refund, or a price adjustment to what she thought was fair. I never got a response. I sold a Richard Wright LP. The buyer told me it was a misprint sporting the same track listing on both sides. I provided a full refund and let the buyer keep the LP (he was in South America and it wasn't worth the hassle to get the LP back). Curiously, as a Pink Floyd fan I'd listened to the LP a couple of times and had no recollection of the mispressing. Oh well ...
Seller Information
Reserving items: If you contact me in advance, I'll reserve items for up to 3 weeks. If I reserve something, make sure you honor your commitment to purchase the item, otherwise I'm unlikely to continue doing business with you. Packaging information: I pack items in new record mailers with filler pads for additional protection. So far I haven't had any problems ... Unless you're buying some exceedingly expensive items, or your order totals more than $100.00 I'd suggest not bothering with insurance. If you want insurance, let me know ...
Shipping to United States
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No Insurance, No Tracking, No Signature, - days Estimated Delivery
