Early Recordings (Vinyl LP)

"Drawn from the one LP and the dozen or so singles Link Wray recorded for Swan Records between 1963 and 1966, Early Recordings, first released in this configuration by Chiswick Records in 1978, remains the best single-disc introduction to this powerful guitar player, even though, at 32 minutes in length, it falls on the brief side. No matter. It burns like a runaway gas fire, from the ragged, surging "Batman Theme" that opens things clear through to the remake of his signature "Rumble" that closes up the sequence. This is powerful, spooky, and haunting stuff. Wray is said to have invented the power chord and to have traced the template for grunge guitar way back in the mid-'50s, but what he really is, more than anything, is the precedent for players like Jimi Hendrix, a guitarist who wanted to wring every last blast and rattle out of his amp by any means possible. Through his recording career, producers continually operated on the principle that if you could only dress him up and tone him down, Wray would break through to the masses, but like that junkyard dog continually barking at the end of his chain, Wray kept things in the bone-rattling red zone, turning out track after track of raw, primitive energy.

These cuts were recorded after Wray's stint with Epic Records, which kept trying to sweeten his sound with horns and strings, and you can feel the sense of desperation, freedom, and joyous release in every second here. The lone vocal track, a cover of Willie Dixon's "Hidden Charms" (by way of Howlin' Wolf), is a slice of sneering garage rock that sounds like metal fingernails on an electric chalk board for two minutes and forty five seconds. Powerful stuff, and absolutely essential." - Steve Leggett

Condition
Media: Mint (M)
Sleeve: Mint (M)

Our Grading Standards
We grade all vinyl using the Goldmine standard:
Mint (M): Perfect, unplayed condition.
Near Mint (NM): Nearly perfect with minimal signs of handling.
Very Good Plus (VG+): Shows light signs of play but plays with minimal surface noise. The most common grade for collectable vinyl.
Very Good (VG): Noticeable marks and some surface noise, but still an enjoyable listen.
Good (G): Heavy wear — for collectors only.

All records are graded visually and by play. Media and sleeve are graded separately.

About Peckham Soul

Visit our physical store at Linnégatan 2, 413 04 Göteborg.
Mon–Tue 11:00–18:00 · Wed–Thu 11:00–18:30 · Fri 11:00–20:30 · Sat 11:00–17:00 · Sun Closed.

We're a specialist vintage vinyl shop with roots in Peckham, London. From our Swedish store we ship across Europe and the EU. Every record in our collection is individually sourced, inspected, and graded. We stock soul, funk, jazz, reggae, punk, indie, psych and beyond — always original pressings, always honestly described.

Shipping & Returns
We ship carefully packed in rigid mailers to protect your record in transit. If a record arrives not as described, we'll sort it — no hassle.