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.