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The Bachelors
Bachelors '68
The Bachelors - Bachelors '68 - 1968 - EX - Ultrasonic Clean - Nice copy, looks fantastic. - The record has been cleaned using ultrasonic technology and is in strong EX/EX condition. The cover is crisp, only a VG+ because of age!
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The Bachelors
The Bachelors originated in Dublin, Ireland, in 1957, initially performing as "The Harmonichords" (also referred to as "The Harmony Chords"). This trio consisted of Conleth (Con) Cluskey, his younger brother Declan (Dec) Cluskey, and their friend John Stokes. While still in their mid-teens and attending school, they primarily showcased their talents as a semi-professional, instrumental harmonica act, performing live and on radio. By the late 1950s, their repertoire evolved to include folk and traditional Irish songs, with the Cluskey brothers on acoustic guitars and Stokes on double bass.
In 1960, they adopted the name The Bachelors. Their increasing popularity caught the eye of Phil Solomon, a fellow Irishman and London-based agent, who became their manager. This partnership led to performances in Britain and recording sessions at Decca Records. Under the guidance of producer Shel Talmy, who had recently relocated from Chicago, they recorded "Charmaine," a song originally composed for the 1926 silent film "What Price Glory?" This rendition, infused with a Country & Western pop folk style, became a hit, reaching #6 in Britain and #8 in Ireland in 1963.
The Bachelors continued to achieve success with follow-up singles in Ireland, Britain, the USA, and beyond. By the end of 1965, they had sold over 10 million records worldwide and secured ten additional hit singles in the UK by the close of 1967. Between 1964 and 1967, they garnered ten entries in the US Top 100. Their notable hits included "Whispering" (1963) (#18 IRL), the international hit "Diane" (1964) (#2 IRL, #1 UK, #10 US, #3 AU), "I Believe" (1964) (#2 IRL, #2 UK, #33 US, #24 AU), "Ramona" (1964) (#6 IRL, #4 UK, #38 AU), "I Wouldn't Trade You for the World" (1964) (#1 IRL, #4 UK, #69 US, #13 US Adult Contemporary, #7 AU), "No Arms Can Ever Hold You" (1964) (#8 IRL, #7 UK, #27 US, #3 US Adult Contemporary, #35 AU), "Marie" (1965) (#9 UK, #15 US, #3 US Adult Contemporary, #39 AU), "Chapel in the Moonlight" (1965) (#27 UK, #32 US, #2 US Adult Contemporary, #89 AU), and "The Sound of Silence" (1966) (#9 IRL, #3 UK).
Their live performances were met with enthusiastic audiences, leading to extensive global tours and frequent television appearances, including a feature in the 1964 film "Just for You" (also known as "Disk-o-Tek Holiday" in the USA) and the 1965 film "I've Gotta Horse" alongside Billy Fury.
By 1968, their presence in the charts began to wane. Their final UK chart single was "Marta," which peaked at #20 in 1967, while their last charting single was "The Unicorn," reaching #40 in Australia in 1968. Despite this decline, they maintained a strong following in live performances and continued to tour the cabaret circuit. In 1971, they starred in a UK TV situation comedy series titled "Under and Over," portraying three Irish railway laborers working on the London Underground.
The original lineup remained intact until 1984, when a split occurred between the Cluskey brothers and Stokes. Following this division, the Cluskey brothers performed as "The New Bachelors" and later as "Con & Dec, The Bachelors," while Stokes continued performing under names such as "The New Bachelors" and "Stokes & Coe."
Description
The Bachelors - Bachelors '68 - 1968 - EX - Ultrasonic Clean - Nice copy, looks fantastic. - The record has been cleaned using ultrasonic technology and is in strong EX/EX condition. The cover is crisp, only a VG+ because of age!
- Record was initially cleaned manually, then ultrasonically cleaned with iSonic Ultrasonic Cleaning prior to grading
- Records are packaged with a poly outer sleeve, the LP is placed in a fresh white inner sleeve directly after cleaning, (we include the accompanying sleeve, we send you both), separate from the cover to protect the seams during shipment, and of course, shipped within thick cardboard insert pads in a thick cardboard record mailer.
- We offer discounted shipping on multiple records: calculated shipping for the first one and $2 for each additional one. International Buyers, please read International Buyers paragraph below.
SRO Records Record Grading Guide:
SEALED/Mint:
Vinyl: Assumed mint, unverified until opened.
Sleeve: Visible through shrink wrap, graded as above.
NM (Near Mint):
Vinyl: Nearly flawless, with possible minor scuffs or hairlines only visible under strong light.
Sleeve: Appears new, as if freshly printed.
EX (Excellent):
Vinyl: Bright, with minor surface wear and hairlines, not affecting play.
Sleeve: May have faint creases or abrasions, but artwork is clean.
VG+ (Very Good Plus):
Vinyl: Obvious wear, scuffs and hairlines, plays with some noise but no major sound issues.
Sleeve: Worn with creases, noticeable wear, acid deterioration, corner dings, chipping, and possible seam wear.
Here's the typical SRO Records line in the sand. Anything below VG+, unless it's rare, unusual or just awesome, we're NOT going to sell online, much less go through the hassle of an ultrasonic cleaning, we're going to put it in one of many $10 Record boxes that we sell at Record Conventions and events. Some will wind up in the $1 Box, just to get it back out into the world for someone to enjoy or make a planter out of.
VG (Very Good):
Vinyl: Dull appearance with many hairlines and scuffs, somehow plays with persistent noise but no skips.
Sleeve: Worn with possible seam splits and moderate ring wear.
G+ (Good Plus):
Vinyl: Numerous marks and scratches, plays with significant noise but music usually overpowers flaws.
Sleeve: Rough appearance with possible seam splits and water damage.
G (Good):
Vinyl: Copious unforgettable marks, probably a skip or jump.
Sleeve: Heavy ring wear and damage, likely large seam splits or water damage.
F (Fair):
Vinyl: It's round with nearly infinite damage, skipper gonna skip
Sleeve: It's basically what's left of the sleeve for the album
International Buyers: We charge $7 for the first record and $2 a record thereafter for Domestic Shipping in the continental United States. This only includes shipping to the International hub here in the United States. Please carefully review the total shipping and VAT charges for your order before committing to a purchase, which will be different from what we are able to view or control on the US eBay site.
SRO Records Office
Record Testing Equipment:
Turntable:
Yamaha Direct Drive YP-D6
Ortofon VMS 20 E Mk II Cartridge
Amplification:
Yamaha Natural Sound Receiver
Speakers:
JBL 4312 Studio
We're Not Happy Until You're Not Happy Dept.
We kid! Since 1983, we simply don't exist without happy customers; we offer hassle-free returns on all vinyl LP record album purchase that are returned in the exact condition they were sent. We cannot accept returns on factory sealed/mint new/unopened lp albums that have been opened. Please send us a message if you have any questions, concerns, or issues with your purchase; please do not open a return or an eBay case without contacting us first, we will make it right!
We are professional, quite reasonable to a fault and are ALWAYS willing to work to resolve any issue with a purchase!
Thank you for buying from SRO Records! You can catch us at the Spring and Fall Austin Record Convention, many Austin popups, so drop by and say hello to Gabi and Jeff!
