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.
There are thousands and thousands of bands that managed to record obscure releases before vanishing into the drunken haze of playing bars and clubs. The Kansas City-based Topper is a perfect example. As you'd expect, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of biographical information out there on this outfit. Here's what I've managed to pull together. Topper and their 1977 album were apparently the brainchild of Rudy Passonno and singer/drummer/club owner Jim Hodges. In addition to being an accomplished keyboard player, Passonno was a producer and the owner of the Liberty, Missouri-based Liberty Recording Studios. Hodges played in a number of local bands and was the owner of a local club - Cosmos Club. The short-lived Topper featured the talents of Hodges, Passonno and a bunch of veteran local area musicians - bassist Jackie Barrett, drummer Bob Brown and guitarist Larry (West) Watson. Topper served as the Cosmos Club house band and their moment of glory came when they released the album "At Last" on Passonno's small, Missouri-based Scot label. Featuring seven tracks; six reflecting band originals, the album offered up a mixture of patented '70s rock moves ('Phaze 2') with occasional jazz-rock and progressive influences ('Say What You Feel'). It was rounded out by Passonno's interest in Krautrock - check out the instrumental 'Phaze 1.' I'm not going to try to convince you this is one of those lost masterpieces, 'cause it isn't. The playing is uniformly strong and the production sounds good; particularly for a small, independent studio. Powered by Hodges rough, ragged and soulful voice, the song selection was certainly diverse, if seldom particularly original. That comment provides a perfect chance to mention 'Smile for the Clown' which fully appropriated the melody to Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven.' Nah, it wasn't influenced by the Zeppelin song. It stole the entire melody. LOL They were lucky Zeppelin's notoriously protective management team didn't come after them with a lawsuit. Much of the album was apparently recorded after-hours in Hodges' club. Best of the lot was the ripping rocker 'Hell's Fire.' Arthur Brown (of 'Fire' fame) would have approved of Hodges' treated satanic vocals. (A couple of years ago I found this online post from Hodges: "Thanks for interest in Topper at last. I sang and wrote almost all songs. We recorded most all the album at a nightclub I owned in Riverside, Missouri called Cosmo.") The band reportedly printed 5,000 copies of the album. Most were sold during shows at the Cosmos Club.
Recorded after the album, there's also at least one non-LP promotional 45: -1978's 'Smile for the Clown' b/w 'Into Eternity' (Scot catalog number none) By the end of 1978 Topper was history with the members moving on to other projects and careers.
"At Last" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Astral Plane (Jim Hodges - Larry Watson - Rudy Passonno) - 5:18 rating: *** stars Yeah 'Astral Plane' sported a patented '70s song title with suitably throwaway lyrics ("I got the notion you got the motion ..."). Passonno's vintage keyboards only served to underscore the dated sound. Still; not all was lost. Powered by Hodges' ragged, growling vocals the song had an energetic jazz-rock feel with Watson turning in a nice guitar solo. 2.) Say What You Feel (Jim Hodges - Larry Watson - Rudy Passonno) - 7:20 rating: *** stars Opening up with and showcasing some pseudo-disco-ish Watson guitar, 'Say What You Feel' struck me as a mash-up of Sly Stone funk and Dixie Dregs jazz-rock moves. Good thing I like cheesy-'70s synthesizer washes. The song actually got better as it twisted and turned over its seven minute span. I'll give it an extra star for Hodges' funky vocals. Interesting to picture mid-western audiences trying to figure out how they were going to dance to this one. 3.) Smile for the Clown (Jim Hodges - Larry Watson - Rudy Passonno
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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
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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 ...
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