We’ve got obscure prog at the top, rare Madonna and Springsteen singles dotting the landscape, and jazz, jazz, jazz everywhere. Yep: it’s time for the July edition of the Top 30 Most Expensive Records Sold in the Discogs Marketplace.
The unusual LP at the number one spot this month is Motherlight, a 1970 release (and the sole output) from the Bobak Jons Malone team. As is usually the case with these weird psych/prog one off recordings there’s a fascinating story describing what was going on behind the scenes. The extremely short version: Motherlight was cut by a ragtag group of studio assistants and session instrumentalists during otherwise unbooked time at Morgan Sound Recording in London. The three musicians recorded here would later go on to establish themselves as accomplished production/engineering talents. Their individual fingerprints are all over some of the biggest rock records of the ’70s and ’80s, including releases from the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Kinks, Rod Stewart, and Iron Maiden. Now, surprisingly enough, the sounds on Motherlight don’t really stack up to all of that. Hey, you have to figure there was a reason why these dudes built their careers behind the console instead of in front of it. Copies are hard to find, though; I guess that’s all you need to know to explain the $2268 asking price for this one.
A clear pink ’86 pressing of Initium from Glenn Danzig‘s gothic punk project Samhain gets credit for the second highest sale this month at just a hair under $2k. Madonna shows up at number three, with a limited Philippines pressing of La Isla Bonita selling for $1800; you’ll also see The Material Girl slightly further down the list with the sixth highest sale of the month (just over $1.4k for a rare UK test pressing of the Borderline single). I could write on and on about this month’s fourth priciest item, a variant pressing of The Man Who Sold The World that brought in $1574. Suffice to say that this first full-length collaboration between David Bowie and Mick Ronson contains some of the former’s finest songs and some of the latter’s greatest guitar work. Rounding out the top five is Motherlove, an experimental recording from poet bpNichol. I don’t think there’s any way to do real justice to what is going on in this release via summary. At a minimum, a quick view of track titles and the album cover is recommended. Find some recordings online if you’re able. Then consider the $1552 price tag. Variety is the spice of life, I guess?
As always, there’s lots more fun sprinkled throughout the Top 30. Some of it is relatively predictable. Sure, there’s another early David Bowie record. That might be expected. It’s also not too surprising to see multiple variant copies of the first Led Zeppelin LP here. But two separate entries from the Who? That’s unusual. In fact, according to my records, that quiet little English combo previously had only two separate entries all time in the history of the Top 30. Maybe these Who fellows are starting to catch on. Meanwhile, we’ve got at least half a dozen jazz sales scattered around the Top 30, including a first pressing of Giant Steps, and multiple rarities from The Boss (including a very limited Israeli promotional 12″). There’s even a 73-disc Grateful Dead box set near the bottom of this month’s list. Because 70 discs just couldn’t get the job done.
There’s all that and more in the July edition of the most expensive records sold in Discogs. Take a look at all of the priciest sales below!
#1. Bobak, Jons, Malone – Motherlight
Sold for $2268.00
Label: Morgan Blue Town Format: LP, Album Country: UK Released: 1970
Genres: Rock Styles: Psychedelic Rock
#2. Samhain – Initium
Sold for $1999.00
Label: Plan 9 Format: LP, Album, RP, Pin Country: US Released: 1986
Genres: Rock Styles: Punk
#3. Madonna – La Isla Bonita (Special Limited Edition)
Sold for $1800.00
Label: Warner Bros. Records Format: 12″, Ltd, Maxi Country: Philippines Released: 1987
Genres: Electronic, Pop Styles: Synth-pop
#4. David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
Sold for $1574.00
Label: Mercury, Mercury Format: LP, Album Country: UK Released: 1971
Genres: Rock Styles: Classic Rock, Glam
#5. bpNichol – Motherlove
Sold for $1552.00
Label: Allied Record Corporation Format: LP, Album Country: Canada Released: 1968
Genres: Electronic, Non-Music Styles: Musique Concrète, Poetry, Experimental, Spoken Word
#6. Madonna – Borderline
Sold for $1409.00
Label: Sire Format: 7″, Shape, TP, Unc Country: UK Released: 1986
Genres: Electronic Styles: Synth-pop
#7. The Five Kinetics* – The Snow Children
Sold for $1400.00
Label: RPC, RPC Format: LP Country: US Released: 1967
Genres: Rock Styles: Garage Rock
#8. Bob Dylan – The Cutting Edge 1965 – 1966: The Bootleg Series Vol.12: Collector’s Edition
Sold for $1299.00
Label: Columbia Format: 18xCD, Album + 9×7″, Mono + Box + Ltd, Num Country: US Released: 2015
Genres: Rock, Folk, World, & Country Styles: N/A
#9. Yahowha 13* – I’m Gonna Take You Home
Sold for $1299.00
Label: Higher Key Records Format: 2xLP, Album Country: US Released: 1974
Genres: Jazz, Rock, Funk / Soul, Blues, Folk, World, & Country Styles: Stoner Rock, Experimental, Folk, Psychedelic
#10. Hank Mobley – Lee Morgan – Peckin’ Time
Sold for $1294.00
Label: Blue Note Format: LP, Album, Mono Country: US Released: 1959
Genres: Jazz Styles: Hard Bop
#11. Ron Richardson – Ooh Wee Babe
Sold for $1265.00
Label: T.C.I. Productions Format: 12″ Country: Canada Released: 1983
Genres: Electronic, Funk / Soul Styles: Boogie, Funk
#12. Masayuki Takayanagi And New Directions – Independence: Tread On Sure Ground
Sold for $1250.00
Label: Union Records (3) Format: LP Country: Japan Released: 1970
Genres: Jazz Styles: Free Improvisation
#13. Alex Brown – In Search Of Love
Sold for $1236.00
Label: Sundi Records Format: LP, Album, Promo Country: US Released: 1970
Genres: Funk / Soul Styles: Soul
#14. Bruce Springsteen – Kvish L’Lo Motzah (Dead End Street)
Sold for $1234.00
Label: CBS Format: 12″, Comp, Promo Country: Israel Released: 1982
Genres: Rock Styles: N/A
#15. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin
Sold for $1234.00
Label: Atlantic Format: LP, Album, 1st Country: UK Released: 1969
Genres: Rock Styles: Blues Rock, Hard Rock
#16. The Chandlers – I Need Your Love / Your Love Makes Me Lonely
Sold for $1223.00
Label: Col Soul Format: 7″ Country: US Released: 1967
Genres: Funk / Soul Styles: Soul
#17. Donald Byrd – Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill
Sold for $1200.00
Label: Transition Format: LP, Album Country: US Released: 1956
Genres: Jazz Styles: Hard Bop
#18. Sabu Y Sus Pachangueros – Astronautas De La Pachanga
Sold for $1200.00
Label: SMC Pro-Arte Format: LP, Album Country: US Released: 1960
Genres: Jazz, Latin Styles: Descarga, Pachanga, Mambo, Son Montuno
#19. Fun Things – Fun Things
Sold for $1200.00
Label: EMI Custom Records Format: 7″, EP Country: Australia Released: 1980
Genres: Rock Styles: Punk
#20. Bruce Springsteen – Badlands
Sold for $1199.00
Label: CBS Format: 7″ Country: Europe Released: 1978
Genres: Rock Styles: Classic Rock
#21. The Who – Exciting The Who
Sold for $1192.00
Label: Polydor Format: LP, Comp, Mono Country: Japan Released: 1968
Genres: Rock Styles: Classic Rock
#22. David Bowie – David Bowie
Sold for $1182.00
Label: Philips, Philips, Philips Format: LP, Album, Gat Country: UK Released: 1969
Genres: Rock, Pop Styles: Folk Rock, Country Rock, Space Rock, Psychedelic Rock
#23. Kaaos / Cadgers – Kytät On Natsisikoja / Kaaosta Tää Maa Kaipaa
Sold for $1174.00
Label: P. Tuotanto Format: 7″, EP, Num Country: Finland Released: 1981
Genres: Rock Styles: Punk
#24. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin
Sold for $1158.00
Label: Atlantic Format: LP, Album, 1st Country: UK Released: 1969
Genres: Rock Styles: Blues Rock, Hard Rock, Arena Rock
#25. The Dick Morrissey Quartet – Have You Heard?
Sold for $1158.00
Label: 77 Records Format: LP Country: UK Released: 1963
Genres: Jazz Styles: Post Bop
#26. John Coltrane – Giant Steps
Sold for $1108.00
Label: Atlantic Format: LP, Album, Mono Country: US Released: 1959
Genres: Jazz Styles: Hard Bop
#27. Troy Dodds – The Real Thing / Try My Love
Sold for $1100.00
Label: El Camino Records (2) Format: 7″, Single Country: US Released: 1966
Genres: Funk / Soul, Pop Styles: Soul, Rhythm & Blues
#28. The Grateful Dead – Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings
Sold for $1062.00
Label: Grateful Dead Records, Rhino Records (2) Format: 73xHDCD + Box, Ltd Country: US Released: 2011
Genres: Rock, Folk, World, & Country Styles: Folk Rock, Rock & Roll, Psychedelic Rock, Country Rock
#29. Linda Hoyle – Pieces Of Me
Sold for $1060.00
Label: Vertigo Format: LP, Album Country: UK Released: 1971
Genres: Jazz, Rock Styles: Blues Rock, Jazz-Rock
#30. The Who – The Who
Sold for $1059.00
Label: Polydor Format: LP, Album Country: Italy Released: 1966
Genres: Rock Styles: Pop Rock, Mod
View the list on Discogs, or start creating your own lists!
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