PRODUCT DETAILS
A limited edition numbered, handmade vinyl box sets individually hand-signed by Donovan. Only 50 copies available for distribution out of 500 in total. Donovan's music, his poetry including two mono LPs, one for parents or grandparents and one for the children, with beautiful art illustrated lyrics, all approved by Donovan, with exclusive liner notes by Will Hodgkinson, chief rock and pop critic for The Times newspaper. With authenticity core to the project, The state51 Conspiracy followed the original Designer Sydney Randolph Maurer in all aspects, by engaging one of the UK's leading experts in box set design, Daniel Mason at Something Else, to painstakingly recreate the box, records and accompanying ephemera - all originally commissioned by the legendary Clive Davis at Epic Records/CBS. The first challenge was to find the deep blue leatherette paper the original box set was covered in; a problem since it was no longer in production. "I knew people who had stacks of it, gathering dust on top shelves, so I bought it up wherever I could find it," says Mason. Then came the reproduction of 12 loose leaf lyric sheets on fine art watercolour paper, each of them featuring a watermark and a fairytale-like illustration by Donovan's artist friends Sheena McCall and Mick Taylor. Where, though, to find the same paper stock? "I found out that it was made at a paper mill in North Wales called Abbey Mills. Unfortunately the mill dissolved in the early 70s and very little of the paper remained. However enough paper remained to allow us to produce the numbered certificate also signed by Donovan that sits within the box. " Then to the iconic cover image. Donovan and Jimi Hendrix's personal photographer Karl Ferris, used infra-red film to achieve the psychedelic effect on the cover, but the original negatives couldn't be found. Mason then used digital technology to ramp up the colour levels on a reproduction from an original copy of the album while allowing it to remain a little bit faded, as it would be after half a century. The same labour of love and care has gone into producing all elements of the box; from the rebuilding of the famous front cover font to the hand-numbered and signed certificate; letterpress printed on the original paper stock of the 1968 UK release lyric sheets. To cap it all off the original mono master tapes were waiting safely in the EMI Donovan Archive and transferred from tape to digital by Abbey Road Studios where new lacquers were cut, ensuring Donovan's favoured mono version of the album would be presented both physically (and digitally for the very first time) in striking audiophile quality. The final touch to a five-year labour of love.
Tracklist:
- Wear Your Love Like Heaven
- Mad John's Escape
- Skip-a-Long Sam
- Sun
- There Was a Time
- Oh Gosh
- Little Boy in Corduroy
- Under the Greenwood Tree" (Words by William Shakespeare, music by Leitch)
- The Land of Doesn't Have to Be
- Someone Singing
- Song of the Naturalist's Wife
- The Enchanted Gypsy
- Voyage into the Golden Screen
- Isle of Islay
- The Mandolin Man and His Secret
- Lay of the Last Tinker
- The Tinker and the Crab
- Widow with a Shawl (A Portrait)
- The Lullaby of Spring
- The Magpie
- Starfish-on-the-Toast
- Epistle to Derroll
UPC: 5057805526193
Label: State51 Conspiracy
Release Date: 8.23.24
Format: Vinyl Record
SHIPPING & RETURNS
SHIPPING
- No dinged corners: All orders hand-packed by vinyl lovers using sturdy mailers specifically designed to protect your records during transit.
- The protection your records deserve: Every order includes free shipping insurance that covers you in case of damage or loss during shipping.
- All you can ship at one rate: $5.99 flat-rate shipping on all domestic orders.
- Protect the planet: Carbon-neutral shipping and mailers made of recycled materials on all orders.
- Read our full shipping policy.
RETURNS
- Change your mind? No problem: No nonsense 30-day return policy on all domestic orders.
- Read our full return policy.
PRODUCT REVIEWS
ABOUT US
For over 10 years, Pale Blue Dot Records has shared and supported your love of vinyl records. We are an independent online record store located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and we’re passionate about music, the vinyl community, and doing our part to protect the environment. Learn more about us here.
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By far, my favorite shop to buy from! Always quick with the delivery! Love tyler the creator and I've been searching for this specific vinyl at a good price!
package shipped well. there was a fragile sticker on the box which was nice, most places don’t put that and vinyls get damaged. package arrived in perfect condition.
Good packaging, product was in good condition and showed up on time great album no problems with any of the vinyls either very happy with it.
I am a huge Bob's Burger Fan and found this album as I was browsing the website. I had to get it immediately. I can believe I came across this on a random Tuesday. Can't thank coming across pale blue records enough. And the delivery is super fast. Can't wait for my next purchase.
Super fast shipping, packing done well. Exactly as described. The customer service and product choice is why I keep coming back.
Perfectly packaged, no warping, clear sound. Will definitely purchase from Pale Blue Dot Records again.
I ordered this on Friday later in the day and Tuesday morning it was at my doorstep. Insanely fast shipping and came in PERFECT condition. i’ve been looking everywhere for this edition and so happy it came back in stock. Thank you Pale Blue Dot Records!!!! 🩷🩷
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Purchased as a Christmas gift for my 29 year old son. Can't wait for him to open. Packaged with care and timely shipping. Positive experience!
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Records arrived inside the special record boxes, unopened, and in pristine condition. They didn't very long to begin the shipping either. Some places make you wait 3-5 days just to have it shipped out. They did not.
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