Now I’m not one of those obsessed types of fellas who has to buy an LP wherever he goes, no matter the reason for, or location of, his visit, I’d just like you to understand that. That’s not me. At all. I would just like to confirm once and for all I am not one of those record collecting weirdoes.
So, anyway, there I was in Chester for the sole purpose of buying Mrs 1537 a birthday card when I found myself wandering down towards the station and Grey & Pink Records, which I probably haven’t visited for a decade. Big mistake that; the not visiting, not the visit today – that was a good thing, made even better by some very friendly service too.
After a quick 40 minute shuffle I found myself at the end of the shop with way more LPs than I should buy, so after 10 minutes of vicious deliberation I reluctantly put Uriah Heep Salisbury, Ian Hunter’s 1st LP, Roxy Music Manifesto and Joe Jackson Look Sharp! back in the racks for next time and took myself off to the counter. So here is what I did buy:
Black Sabbath: Eternal Idol
Not one I see around very much, the cover isn’t in the best condition but I wanted this to plug a gap. Plus you can see a nipple on the cover, which is top value for money in my book. After spending an exhaustive 8 minutes skimming through the tracks I can confidently say I like it, ‘Born to Lose’ particularly. I also love the story about the cover, that they couldn’t get permission to photograph the Rodin statue and so posed two models, covered them in bronze paint that they subsequently found was so toxic that it hospitalized them – now that’s rock and roll; poor sods.
Sparks: Young Girls and Beat The Clock
A band that I’ve always wanted to get into, but never quite got around to. I picked up these two 12″s from around 1980 to start my collection, because they were produced by the awesome Giorgio Moroder, Beat the Clock is on a very nifty blue vinyl/picture disc combo and the model is showing off her Gossard Glossies bra on the back cover*. I love these already, they’re ultra smart and sarcastic pop. I firmly predict these won’t be my last Sparks purchases.
The Obsessed: The Obsessed
I was astonished to see this beauty on the wall of the shop for a very reasonable price. I have wanted to get to grips with these terrifying metal ogres for years and years now**. They look the types who’d snort their dead granny’s ashes off a tombstone in the woods at midnight as a prelude to a blood-soaked moonshine-fuelled rampage … just for something to do on a Tuesday. My copy is a bit dusty but otherwise in absolute mint condition, still in the original polythene, a real snip at £20. I suspect I’ll be getting a lot of evil fun from this one.
Also picked up this week, equally accidentally:
MC5: Kick Out The Jams
I love picture discs, I remember loving at least half of this LP and I had to give my dad’s copy back to him a couple of years ago. My friend’s band, whose bassist was called James once covered the title track as ‘Kick Out The James’, it might have been funnier if you were actually there, but I laughed so hard I almost had an accident. True story.
Spacemen 3: For All The Fucked Up Children Of The World We Give You Spacemen 3
Yet another RSD 2017 release picked up for less than it was being sold for on the day – has that bubble burst folks? I’ve wanted an ‘in’ on Spacemen 3 for years now, this is their first ever recording session, used as a demo tape by them and it really is intriguing, surprisingly bluesy as well as boasting some wild psychedelic guitaring by Sonic Boom (credited as ‘The Mainliner’ here). Bear in mind this band gave the world one of my favourite ever^ LP titles Taking Drugs To Make Music To Take Drugs To.
Oh and for those of you worried about my long-term survival, I remembered to buy a birthday card too. Now I suppose I have to listen to it all.
799 Down (still)
*as identified by Mrs 1537. I bow to her superior bra recognition skills.
**okay, okay it was only really 3 days ago when HMO posted about them.
^and, in this band’s case, most accurate.