Gilbert O'Sullivan ‎– Southpaw -1977 vocal (vinyl)

Gilbert O'Sullivan ‎– Southpaw -1977 vocal (vinyl)

stock photo only

Sleeve Condition (Out of 10) ~  9 slight edge wear
Label Condition (Out of 10) ~ 10 
Vinyl Condition ~ (Out of 10) 
Side # 1 ~10 
Side # 2 - 10
bin # 140

Early life

Raymond Edward O'Sullivan was born in Cork Road, Waterford, Ireland.^[4] In 1953, when he was seven, his family moved to Battersea, London; when he was eight they moved to Swindon, Wiltshire, England. He attended St Joseph's and the Swindon College of Art, where he briefly played drums in a band called Rick's Blues, along with Malcolm Mabbett (guitar), Keith Ray (bass), and founder Rick Davies (who later founded Supertramp) and where he developed his lifelong interests in music and art.^[5][6] According to a 1972 interview with O'Sullivan, Davies taught him how to play both drums and piano.^[7] Other semi-professional bands he played with while at college include the Doodles and the Prefects.^[5]

Music career

In 1967, O'Sullivan was signed to a five-year contract with April Music, CBS Records' house publishing company, after coming to the attention of the professional manager Stephen Shane,^[8] who also suggested changing his name from Ray to Gilbert as a play on the name of the operetta composers Gilbert & Sullivan. His songs at the time were avant-garde, and even drew the interest of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (Viv Stanshall), who were interested in recording a couple of the songs. He was paid an advance of £12 (equivalent to £200 in 2016)^[9] with which he bought a piano. He was signed to CBS Records by the A&R manager Mike Smith (the Tremeloes and the Love Affair). .

After two unsuccessful singles with CBS, "Disappear" and "What Can I Do?", and one with the Irish record label Major Minor, "Mr. Moody's Garden", all released under the name "Gilbert", O'Sullivan sent some demo tapes to Gordon Mills, the manager of Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, whereupon O'Sullivan was signed to Mills' label, MAM Records.^[4][10] O'Sullivan's self-created eye-catching visual image comprised a pudding basin haircut, cloth cap and short trousers. Mills reportedly hated the image, but O'Sullivan insisted on using it initially,until he assumed a more modern 'college-like' look in which he often wore a sweater bearing a large letter 'G'.^[4]

Sleeve Condition (Out of 10) ~  9 slight edge wear
Label Condition (Out of 10) ~ 10 
Vinyl Condition ~ (Out of 10) 
Side # 1 ~10 
Side # 2 - 10
bin #   *140