The Phil Spector Christmas Album

Various Artists
The Phil Spector Christmas Album (aka Phil Spector Presents A Christmas Gift To You)
Chrysalis CDL1625
£2.70 + p&p




Hurrah! Had to opt for a 1987 pressing to get the sleeve I wanted, but here it is, in time for Christmas (although I had the CD anyway), the finest seasonal LP of all-time.

Various Artists - Rockin' Christmas: The 60s

Various Artists
Rockin' Christmas - The 60s
Rhino RNLP067
99p + P&P




Alternative Christmas compilation of 60s nuggets, including offerings from The Sonics, The Trashmen, The Turtles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin and, proving there's life after the 'Monster Mash' (assuming 'life' to mean 'releasing another single that sounds virtually identical'), Bobby Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers. And not a Cliff Richard song in sight.

XTC - Ball And Chain

XTC

Ball And Chain
Virgin VS 482-12
95p



As a product of the PMH I couldn't really not buy this, and even more so for the sleeve and the memories evoked. The three houses - very close to where my Nan lived - were the last ones left standing on Westcott Street, Swindon as the resident of the middle dwelling dug his heels in and refused to move while all surrounding buildings were knocked down pending re-development. Somehow this was all resolved sometime in the early/mid-80s. If they'd remained the demolished streets would probably now have conservation status.

Belle & Sebastian - Dog On Wheels

Belle & Sebastian

Dog On Wheels
Jeepster JPR12 001
£6





The charity shops of Ely have clearly worked out that there's a vinyl renaissance taking place. As much as I'd have liked to have added a Booker T & The MGs best of to my collection I couldn't justify the £9.99 they were asking for it. Even this, Belle & Sebastian's second release, was a surprisingly (but to be fair, accurately) priced £6.

The Beach Boys - Christmas Album

The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys Christmas Album
Capitol CAP1014
99p + P&P



It struck me in early November that I should be trawling eBay for festive vinyl. Sadly I haven't acquired 24 albums and so will not be posting my purchases up in advent calendar form, but first up of the three I have picked up (this could rise to four if a suitably cheap copy of Phil Spector's album comes up, although it has to have the original sleeve which seems to be the main obstacle) is The Beach Boys Christmas Album. Undoubtedly inspired by Spector's - a rivalry that arguably contributed to Brian Wilson's studio-bound obsessions - the CD of this has been receiving annual airings for some years. The added bonus to having it on vinyl is the ease with which we can now avoid the more traditional side two.

Human League - Holiday 80

Human League
Holiday 80
Virgin
£1


Was disappointed to find that 'Being Boiled' was a re-recording (thankfully I have the original on 7"). And as for the cover of Gary Glitter's 'Rock ’n’ Roll' and it's hilarious segueing (or more accurately, the slowing down of the drum machine) into Iggy Pop's 'Nightclubbing', well, I think it's fair to say they won't be reprising that on any 'Here & Now' tours ....

The Last of the Teenage Idols – Satellite Head Gone Soft

The Last of the Teenage Idols

Satellite Head Gone Soft

Razor RAZ47
99p + P&P

Filed between David Kusworth 'Bounty Hunters' and John Lennon 'Walls And Bridges'.

A classic case of a band that you either know or you don't, and if in the former group you probably have happy memories of them!

Formed after the demise of his previous group the Babysitters by London legend Buttz, The Last Of The Teenage Idols were regulars at the Marquee roughly between 1987 and 1992 (in fact bassist Shuff still lurks around the area). This, their one album, is guaranteed to raise a smile and in 'Gina', carried forward from the Babysitters era (though they never recorded it as far as I know) you have a hit that never was.

Vain - No Respect

Vain

No Respect
Island ILPS 9938
£1

For Vain, 1989 was just a little too late (likewise The Throbs in 1991). In both cases the lack of an LA connection may have had an impact too but the difference with San Francisco's Vain was that unlike the New York-based Throbs, their album wasn't largely awful.

Soho Roses – So Alone

Soho Roses

So Alone

Trash Can Records TWAT002
£5.50 + P&P
Filed between Soho Roses 'Whatever Happened To ...' and Bruce Springsteen ‘Born To Run’.

A truly fine slab of glam-trash-punk perfection. 'Nuff said. 

The Zombies – Odessey & Oracle

The Zombies

Odessey & Oracle

Date TES 4013
£2.99 + P&P

Filed after Young Fresh Fellows 'This One's For The Ladies' (as I don't own any ZZ Top records this now bookends that end of the collection).

A pleasure to own on vinyl after 21 happy years with a Rhino-issued CD (I can still recall the day that landed in the branch of Our Price I worked at, amazed to see this almost mythical album really did exist).

This is a late 60s pressing, issued after 'Time Of The Season' found its way to the top of the US singles chart. Hence its mention on the sleeve, and to my good fortune it was under this title that it was listed on eBay - I'm certain it would have cost me a lot more if it had been correctly listed as 'Odessey And Oracle' ...

The original vinyl release with the classic sleeve commands prices into the hundreds. I didn't immediately recognise it but the picture adorning this edition is taken from the original artwork. Whereas it's a shame not to have that version this is far superior to this bizarre reissue from the 1980s which looks to all intents and purposes like it should be a self-financed album by a bunch of Magnum-wannabees from Loughborough.

'Odessey And Oracle' is the only album I own that appeared on the NME's utterly pointless list of the '100 greatest albums you've never heard' (number 23 if you're interested).

Dexys Midnight Runners – Geno

Dexys Midnight Runners

Geno

EMI EMS196
£1.50 + P&P

Filed between The Damned ‘The Light At The End Of The Tunnel’ and Dexys Midnight Runners ‘This Is What She’s Like’.

Good little compilation, in that amongst its limited number of songs you get the original 'Dance Stance' (later 'Burn It Down'), a pre-fiddle 'Plan B' and a smattering of b-sides that replace those lost when I sold a few of their singles.

Soho Roses – Whatever Happened To ...

Soho Roses

Whatever Happened To ...
Trash Can Records TWAT001

£4.45 + £2.99 p&p
Filed between Patti Smith ‘Easter’ and Bruce Springsteen ‘Born To Run’

Frequently referenced over on Glamrock Aftershock (probably only second to Gunfire Dance), Soho Roses were the band we modelled our own outfit, the Rockit Dolls, on. Indeed as a nod to this EP's closing track 'Crazy 'Bout Me', we wrote 'I Love Me (Who Do You Love?)'.

The sleeve is pure class, Paul Blitz reclining with a bottle of Thunderbird in his varnished grasp - two more bottles lay strewn on the floor along with a can of Shockwaves Hard Rock hairspray (seriously, nothing else worked as well before CFCs were banned in aerosols), a full ashtray, party ribbons and a book on Marilyn Monroe.

The band's second release, 'So Alone' (the first record of theirs I heard) was their finest song, but this EP is a valued (re)addition to the collection.

John Lennon – The John Lennon Collection

John Lennon

The John Lennon Collection

EMI EMTV 37

50p

Filed between John Lennon ‘Shaved Fish’ and John Lennon and Yoko Ono ‘Milk And Honey’

A popular game in our house is to hold up certain pictures of John Lennon and ask our two year old daughter who it is. More often than not she will say 'daddy'. This worked with the inner sleeve photo. 50p well spent for that reason alone.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - I Heard It On The Grapevine

Creedence Clearwater Revival
I Heard It On The Grapevine
Fantasy FTC 128
45p
Filed between Crazyhead 'Rags' and The Cure 'Close To Me'


Not exactly classic Creedence, but easily worth 45p.

Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes

Mott The Hoople
All The Young Dudes
CBS 65184
50p
Filed between Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 'Greatest Hits' and Naz Nomad And The Nightmares 'Give Daddy The Knife Cindy'.

One of the positives I found on first listen was that the album's opener, a cover of 'Sweet Jane', was not as bad as I expected (I'd already concluded it would be filed under 'ill-advised'). Its inclusion was presumably down to having a certain Mr Bowie on production duties, who of course also gave the band the album's title track (and two years later, his guitarist).

Otis Redding - Otis Blue

Otis Redding
Otis Blue
Atlantic
99p + £3.50 p&p
Filed between Redd Kross 'Teen Babes From Monsanto' and Otis Redding 'Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay'


As noted previously I last owned a copy of this approximately 25 years ago. One key difference being that would have been a 1980s mid-price reissue; here I've managed to acquire an early mono copy, possibly even a first pressing. Marvellous stuff.

The Kinks - Best of The Kinks 1964-65

The Kinks
Best of The Kinks 1964-65
Hallmark SHM 3265
£2
Filed between The Hollywood Brats (eponymous) and David Kusworth 'The Bounty Hunters'

Picked this up a local street party - ironically I sold my long-owned 'Golden Hour Of The Kinks' LP at the previous year's party. Further evidence of classic artists that for a while saw their body of work demoted to cheap compilations and reissues, this 1989 collection was on a Pickwick subsidiary label and would almost definitely have been confined to the bargain racks. I think that only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones escaped such downgrading (although as previously noted, some Beatles collections did turn up on budget priced labels, and certainly in the early 1990s The Rolling Stones back catalogue was available as mid-priced reissues).

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen
Born To Run
CBS 69170
£1
Filed between Patti Smith 'Easter' and The Stranglers 'The Raven'.


I've never before owned a Bruce Springsteen album (the nearest I've come is the 12" of 'Dancing In The Dark'). There's always been something nagging at me that I should at least give some of his 70s output a chance, 'The River' in particular, but it was 'Born To Run' on the shelf and so here we are. On first play I haven't been too enthralled much beyond the title track and 'Thunder Road' (with its shades of 'Bat Out Of Hell' - surprised Springsteen never sued - which I know from Kevin Rowland's version, never officially released after it was pulled from his infamous album 'My Beauty'). At the same time I haven't been put off either; expect this post to be edited in the future ...

Stevie Wonder - Original Musiquarium I

Stevie Wonder
Original Musiquarium I
Motown 428009
£1
Filed between The Velvet Underground 'Loaded' and Wreckless Eric 'The World According to Wreckless Eric'.

Thanks to my age my early knowledge of Stevie Wonder places me in the era of ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’. They may have both been huge hits but they’re hardly classic/creditable and, even after appreciating the Red Hot Chili Peppers cover of ‘Higher Ground’ I’ve never really investigated his back catalogue any further.  

This collection carries further examples of schmaltz ('Isn't She Lovely', 'You Are The Sunshine Of My Life') but thankfully the four sides are handily arranged into loose themes with sides 1 & 3 being those most likely to trouble my turntable.

The Teardrop Explodes - Everybody Wants To Shag ... The Teardrop Explodes

The Teardrop Explodes
Everybody Wants To Shag ... The Teardrop Explodes
Fontana 842 439-1
£1
Filed between Matthew Sweet 'Inside' and The Velvet Underground 'Loaded'.

The 'lost' album, finally issued in 1990 and using the title the band originally wanted for 'Kilimanjaro'. Not quite on a par with the latter. For the full Teardrop Explodes experience check out Cope's autobiographies,
Head-On/Repossessed. Just don't try and play the sock game.

Sandie Shaw - The Golden Hits of Sandie Shaw

Sandie Shaw
The Golden Hits of Sandie Shaw
Marble Arch
£1
Filed between The Rutles (eponymous) and Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood 'Nancy and Lee'.

Last week a friend, working at the Meltdown festival curated by Ray Davies, said that he had been groped by Sandie Shaw. She liked his tattoos apparently. This was on my mind when I spotted this and probably influenced me to buy it. Another old slab of vinyl that's allowed me to (re)discover just how resilient it can be (it has surface marks aplenty but plays without any jumps), it does seem that Sandie only really had one song and style, re-released under different titles. However I must stress that both the song and the style are very, very listenable.

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Greatest Hits

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
Greatest Hits
A&M AMLS 985
£1.00
Filed between The Matadors (eponymous) and Naz Nomad And The Nightmares 'Give Daddy The Knife Cindy'.

Not an LP I anticipate playing too often but which could be the soundtrack should we decide to host any lounge-music parties ...

Otis Redding - Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

Otis Redding
Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay
Stax
£3
Filed between Redd Kross 'Teen Babes From Monsanto' and the Rolling Stones 'These Satanic Majesties Request'.

Damn you Otis for forcing me to use a cliché, but here goes ... you wait for one Otis Redding LP to come along and two arrive at once. Right, that’s that out of the way ... and indeed, no sooner have I secured a copy of ‘Otis Blue’ (which I haven’t owned for approximately 25 years) do I then stumble across a copy of this 1968 post-death cash-in collection on the mighty Stax label. One of several 60s vinyls I’ve bought recently where a visual inspection suggested I should leave well alone – plenty of surface marks, some that look like they could be genuine scratches but which when played, bar some background clicks, are absolutely fine.

An 80s or 90s pressing in similar condition would be one to avoid. The last ‘new’ release I previously bought on vinyl was ‘The Second Coming’, the no-longer-hotly-anticipated second album from the Stone Roses. Despite being issued across two discs (both rather flimsy) the sound quality was appalling  - feel free to make your own joke there - and it was clear that the industry had stopped trying to produce decent vinyl pressings. A decision now seemingly reversed with the rise of 180 gsm pressings as standard, one wonders when the humble cassette tape will re-capture people’s imagination ....

The Ramones - Leave Home

The Ramones
Leave Home
Mau Mau MAU 602
£2.99 (+£3.50 p&p)
Filed between 'Quadrophenia (Original Soundtrack)' and The Real Kids (eponymous).


For some reason I was often offered records at school, usually ones that belonged to the seller's older brother. One such offer was the first two Ramones albums. Aged about 14 at the time, I'd only ever heard 'Bonzo Goes To Bitburg' on a Beggars Banquet sampler LP, but keen to hear more and knowing that the friend was an Ultravox fan I offered him my copy of their Quartet LP. I thought this was slightly cheeky (it was 2 LPs for 1 after all) but he couldn't agree quicker.

The next day the swap was made. A mutual friend urged me to reconsider, citing examples from the lyric sheets that he thought would put me off. Knowing that Quartet was a terrible album I of course had nothing to lose and the deal was sealed.

(A later deal I made from a different person's older brother's collection saw me acquire a copy of Ultravox's 'Young Savage' single from their pre-Midge Ure-era - if you've never heard this I suggest you trawl download sites for it immediately - or buy Ha! Ha! Ha! - as it's a bona fide new wave classic that will make you wonder how they 'progressed' to Vienna is less than two years.)

My first reaction to listening to the two albums was to be amazed at how fast the songs seemed, both in terms of tempo and in the way they just kept coming, one after the other. 20+ years on they no longer have that effect on me, though my toddler-aged son has developed a keen ear for the band, particularly 'Blitzkreig Bop' - I think it's the simple 'Hey Ho Let's Go' refrain that sees him stop and restart the CD - and 'Rockaway Beach'.

Shame to have replaced my original Sire copy with a reissue, but that's my stupid fault for selling it in the first place! But then again it does have 'Carbona Not Glue' on it ..

The Beatles - A Collection Of Oldies

The Beatles
A Collection Of Oldies
Fame FA 41 3081 1
£1
Filed between The Beatles 'Help!' and The Beatles 'White Album'.

Not sinking quite as low as Marc Bolan's K-Tel release, a handful of Beatles LPs were re-issued on EMI’s budget-price Fame and MFP labels – none of the key albums, but certainly the two ‘Rock & Roll Music’ compilations, ‘Live at the Hollywood Bowl’ and this collection, first issued in 1966. In each of the three preceding years the Beatles had managed to release two albums; with only ‘Revolver’ in 1966 EMI must have been feeling the pinch.

Mark Bolan & T. Rex - Best Of The 20th Century Boy

Mark Bolan & T. Rex
Best Of The 20th Century Boy
K-Tel NE 1297
£1
Filed between The Beatles 'Rarities' and David Bowie 'Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars'.

Poor Marc Bolan. So low was his stock in 1985 that he was subjected to a best-of on the K-Tel label. If it had flopped the next one would presumably have been released by Ronco. This was six years before its title track was used on a Levis ad and a resurgence in interest. On the plus side you do get a genuinely comprehensive collection nicely spread over two discs.

Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady

Buzzcocks
Singles Going Steady
Liberty LBR 1043
1979

99p  (+£1.99 p&p).
Filed between David Bowie 'Aladdin Sane' and The Byrds (self-titled best-of).

I can pin-point my introduction to the Buzzcocks to April 1989. The Rockit Dolls had played their first gig and we were told by local legend Pete Murphy (who we later immortalised in song) that we sounded like them. Funnily enough the band we were most trying to resemble were Soho Roses and once our singer, Mark, picked up a copy of Singles Going Steady it became apparent that Paul Blitz and co were Buzzcocks fans and that we’d acquired the similarity second-hand.

Wreckless Eric - The World According To Wreckless Eric

Wreckless Eric
The World According To Wreckless Eric
Stiff SEEZ 9
Green vinyl
£1.79 + £3.00 p&p
Filed between Velvet Underground 'Loaded' and Young Fresh Fellows 'This One's For The Ladies'.

I was a very late convertor to Wreckless Eric, effectively only ‘discovering’ him at what could best be described as a Cultural Exchange when he toured with the Rutles (I went along for Innes & co, my wife for Mr Goulden). I’ve seen him again once since, in a pub venue in Cambridge playing to about 30 people on a tour with his new wife, Amy Rigby, that doubled-up as their honeymoon. And given the lovey-dovey nature of some of their joint material there were times where it seemed we, the audience, were imposing somewhat.

The Dogs D'Amour - In The Dynamite Jet Saloon

The Dogs D'Amour
In The Dynamite Jet Saloon
China 837 368-1
99p + £3.00 p&p
Filed between The Dogs D'Amour 'The (Un)Authorised Bootleg Album' and The Dogs D'Amour 'A Graveyard Of Empty Bottles'

Recently re-recorded by Tyla in the form of the MMX release, with a re-jigged the track listing omitting the likes of 'Medicine Man' and 'Debauchery' in favour of other songs from the era such as 'Heroine' (at least the fourth time he's recorded that) and 'Swingin' The Bottle'. A seemingly popular pastime these days (L.A. Guns were the first band I recall doing this with 'Re-Cocked And Loaded'; and it's gone beyond glam rock, as the Wonderstuff have also re-recorded 20th 'anniversary' editions of their first two albums).

To say the new version is a travesty would be a huge understatement. But given the scarcity of the original,  supply and demand has spoken. Avoid it though and seek out the 1989 version ... the production is a little weedy in places and also makes the album sound very much of its time but for me that's no problem at all as they were happy times indeed!

The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request

The Rolling Stones
Their Satanic Majesties Request
London/Abkco records 844 470-1
1986 re-issue with gatefold sleeve

£3.65 (+£1.50 p&p)
Filed between: Redd Kross 'Teen Babes From Monsanto’ and The Rolling Stones ‘Tattoo You’.


I’ve always had a soft spot for this (seriously flawed) album. According to biographies the band themselves don’t rate it, and it’s largely regarded as a poor attempt to ape ‘Sgt Pepper’. But in ‘Citadel’, ‘2,000 Light Years From Home’ and especially ‘She’s A Rainbow’, 'Their Satanic Majesties Request' is more than just a curio pre-dating the classic Stones period that kicked off with ‘Beggars Banquet’.

Incidentally I’m not a huge fan of ‘Sgt Pepper’ – too many of McCartney’s irritating music hall numbers for my liking ...

The Dogs D’Amour - The (Un)Authorised Bootleg Album

The Dogs D’Amour
The (Un)Authorised Bootleg Album

China WOL7
99p (+£3.50 p&p)
Filed between The Damned 'The Light At The End Of The Tunnel' and The Dogs D'Amour 'In The Dynamite Jet Saloon'

I’m fairly certain this is a bootleg copy as the artwork is slightly off-centre (which I had spotted before bidding but thought ‘pah ...’.) These were awash at record fairs around 1990 when ‘Satellite Kid’ broke through, and there was clearly some level of agreement amongst stall holders as they all had it at £12 a pop.

I definitely harbour regrets at selling my (genuine) original copy of this, as it was fully signed by the band including a doodle of me by Tyla. A daft decision. At that signing session someone offered me £100 for the then pre-signed album. I had only taken the sleeve with me so was able to turn down the offer. I can’t recall what I finally sold the album for but it was far less than £100 – probably closer to £20.

Original Soundtrack - Quadrophenia

Original Soundtrack
Quadrophenia
Polydor 2625 037
£1.99 (+£3.00 p&p)
Filed between Primal Scream 'Loaded' and The Real Kids (eponymous).


Having lent out my original copy never to be seen again, this was one of the first LPs I hunted down. I wasn't too fussed about the Who's contributions, and mainly wanted it again for side four: James Brown 'Night Train', Booker T & The MGs 'Green Onions', Kingsmen 'Louie Louie' and more. Makes me miss Alfredos though.

The Birds - No Good Without You Baby

The Birds
No Good Without You Baby
Decca F.12257
30p
Filed between The Beatles 'All You Need Is Love' and The Blow Monkeys 'Digging Your Scene'.

Now this is definitely not something I expected to find languishing in a charity shop ... The Birds featured one Mr Ronnie Wood and their brief career in the mid-60s was over-shadowed by the battle for the band name with the rather-better known Byrds. This was one of a handful of singles the band released and is very much of its time - quite resemblant of the Small Faces, which is no bad thing.

Dexys Midnight Runners - This Is What She's Like

Dexys Midnight Runners
This Is What She's Like
Mercury DEXYS1312
£1.00
Filed between The Damned 'The Light At The End Of The Tunnel' and The Dogs D'Amour 'The (Un)Authorised Bootleg Album'.

Bearwood. The Little Nibble. 'You weren't talking about me were you?'

From the album that killed off their career (the Stone Roses should have taken heed when they similarly disappeared into the wilderness) but is now lauded as a classic, 'This Is What She's Like' is, well, what can I say? The Italians have a word for it ...

I had the album (Don't Stand Me Down) back in 1985 and it pretty much went straight over my head. It was a long way removed from its predecessors, which was no big surprise as Kevin Rowland had a tendency to re-invent himself. It wasn't an album aimed at 14 year olds (such as I was at the time) but even so I knew there was something in there. 'Listen To This' had the most in common with the Dexys I knew and although at the time I didn't appreciate aspects of 'This Is What She's Like' I immediately liked the latter parts of it.

It was an album I would go back to over the years. And as I got older more and more of it made sense. By the time the band (or a new incarnation of it) surfaced in 2003 it was a staple part of my collection and something that I would merrily force people to listen to.

The Dogs D’Amour - A Graveyard of Empty Bottles

The Dogs D’Amour
A Graveyard of Empty Bottles
China 839 074-0
1989 limited edition 10" (#6577)

99p (+£2.50 p&p)
Filed between The Damned 'The Light At The End Of The Tunnel' and The Fabulous Poodles (eponymous).

Criminally all the ‘classic’ era Dogs D’Amour albums remain out of print (be careful with 'In The Dynamite Jet Saloon' as that's been re-recorded - more on that another time), and their CD versions can command silly money. Vinyl editions though, with a little patience and a degree of luck, can still be picked up at decent prices. Although not quite the ‘acoustic’ album it claims to be, it includes the definitive version of ‘Errol Flynn’ (ignore its later appearance as a title track) and was arguably their last essential release.

Back To Vinyl

Late last year I acquired a turntable. Only a cheap one (and from a charity shop at that). My previous one breathed its last around five years ago and I had sold off large parts of my record collection from 2003 onwards. I still had 100+ LPs and various singles but I am now starting to properly trawl charity shops, eBay etc to either replace records foolishly sold or pick up ones I didn't have originally.

Charity shops present their own challenge, as you have to search through a lot of copies of 'Manuel And The Music Of The Mountains' in the hope of stumbling across a recently donated audiophile's collection.

Online it's a different matter; pretty much everything you could wish for is there - at a price. And in many cases the price of vinyl seems excessively high, suggesting its in the midst of a renaissance. But with a degree of luck and patience I've managed to add a few records to the growing-again collection at bargain-basement prices. I just need to control the urge and not get carried away (or go online when drunk ...).