John Kay and The Sparrow – John Kay and The Sparrow (1969 LP Canadian Columbia "360 Sound" Two-Eye Stereo Pressing) - EX/NM Vintage Vinyl (CS 9758)

Catalog a rare 1969 pre-Steppenwolf garage/psychedelic-blues LP for your archival inventory: John Kay and The Sparrow by John Kay and The Sparrow! Manufactured by Columbia Records/CBS, Inc. with labels printed in Canada on classic red Columbia "360 Sound" Stereo two-eye labels (CS 9758), this 12-inch stereo vinyl release features sound supervision by Al Lawrence and editing engineering by Tim Geelan, showcasing future Steppenwolf members John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Goldy McJohn, Nick St. Nicholas, and Dennis Edmonton. The tracklist spans Side 1 ("Twisted", "Goin' to California", "Baby, Please Don't Go", "Down Goes Your Love Life", "Bright Lights, Big City", "Can't Make Love by Yourself") and Side 2 ("Good Morning Little School Girl", "King Pin", "Square Headed People", "Chasin' Shadows", "Green Bottle Lover", "Isn't It Strange"). Housed in its original outer sleeve, the front cover showcases a portrait of John Kay leaning against industrial girders with the caption "John Kay of Steppenwolf had his beginning with The Sparrow...." alongside a pink "COLLECTOR'S ITEM" badge, while the back cover displays individual monochrome band portraits, tracklist, and liner notes by Gabriel Mekler. The vinyl is preserved in an archival Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MoFi) Original Master anti-static inner sleeve.

Structural & Visual Inspection

• Vinyl Surface & Labels Condition - EXCELLENT / NEAR MINT (EX / NM): Glossy black vinyl retains deep groove luster with crisp micro-groove definition, showing only faint, non-feelable hairline sleeve marks and minor surface dust flecks under angled macro inspection. Both Side 1 (XSM 138871) and Side 2 (XSM 138872) red Columbia "360 Sound" Stereo two-eye labels remain bright, clean, and legible with sharp white and black typography, minimal spindle marks, and clean center holes.

• Jacket & Inner Sleeve Integrity - VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+): Original outer sleeve exhibits rich front cover tones, crisp white title typography, and clean back cover monochrome portraits and liner notes, showing subtle ring wear, light corner/edge rubbing, and minor age toning on the reverse with intact spine structure and no seam splits. Includes a clean Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MoFi) Original Master anti-static archival inner sleeve.

Condition Assessment Disclaimer: Please note that we are not professional graders; all condition assessments are determined visually to the best of our abilities. Prospective buyers and collectors are encouraged to carefully examine the accompanying high-resolution photographs—which depict the exact item you will receive—to form their own final grading assessment.

Item Specific Details