JETHRO TULL This Was Vinyl Record LP Island 1968 UK Stereo 1st Press Pink Bullseye Label Wide Spine

Jethro Tull - This Was
(Original UK Stereo 1st Pressing with Pink Island Bullseye Label. Housed in Wide Spine Laminated Gatefold Picture Sleeve)

Format: Vinyl Record - LP Album (33 rpm)
Country: UK
Year: 1968
Label: Island
Catalogue No. ILPS 9085

Matrix / Runout (Side A, runout, stamped): ILPS+9085+A
Matrix / Runout (Side B, runout, stamped): ILPS+9085+B

Condition: VG/VG+ (Sleeve is in clean condition. It has a laminate crease that runs across the top right-hand corner and a small area of wear on the bottom left-hand corner. There are tiny biro initials on the interior of the gatefold. The vinyl is in clean condition. It has a few surface marks)

Track Listing:
1. My Sunday Feeling
2. Some Day The Sun Won't Shine For You
3. Beggar's Farm
4. Move On Alone
5. Serenade To A Cuckoo
6. Dharma For One
7. It's Breaking Me Up
8. Cat's Squirrel
9. A Song For Jeffrey
10. Round

This original 1968 UK stereo first pressing of Jethro Tull’s debut album, This Was, is an essential acquisition for any serious collector of early progressive blues-rock. Released on the iconic Pink Island "Bullseye" label under catalogue number ILPS 9085, this record represents the very beginning of the band’s legendary career. This specific archival copy features the definitive first-run matrix stamps, ILPS+9085+A and ILPS+9085+B, ensuring the authentic, warm analogue sound that only a genuine 1960s Island pressing can provide.
 

A standout feature of this first issue is the wide-spine laminated gatefold picture sleeve, which was only produced for the earliest batches. Unlike later thin-spine reissues, this wide-spine variant carries significant presence and is a hallmark of a true investment-grade original. Despite some light age-related wear, the sleeve remains clean and intact, perfectly housing the heavy-weight vinyl. The album showcases the unique interplay between Ian Anderson’s flute and Mick Abrahams’ jazz-inflected guitar work, captured here in its original stereo soundstage.
 

From the driving rhythm of "My Sunday Feeling" to the experimental "Dharma For One", every track on this LP resonates with the raw energy of the late sixties London scene. The vinyl remains in clean condition, retaining its original lustre and offering a superb listening experience for those who appreciate the historical integrity of the Island Records catalogue. Finding a genuine Pink Bullseye original with these specific technical attributes is becoming increasingly difficult, making this a vital addition to any premier British rock collection.