Metal anyone?

So this week has brought a few interesting purchases again.

Genesis - Foxtrot
The last album featuring Peter Gabriel on vocals (and other instruments) and arguably the best of their work. Drums are immense throughout and the album maintains direction and interest throughout. The only issue is that now I've listened to it, it'll be a while before I spin it again as it's not a 'can't stop listening to this' kind of album!

Shirley Bassey - Stops the shows
An absolute mint copy of this album with gorgeous G+L flip-back sleeve. Not really worth anything but I bought it because of the condition and also because its not another generic 'best of' that there seems to be so many of!

Guns N Roses - Use you illusion 2
Bought it this morning along with some other metal albums (for 50p each). not spun it yet but its in great condition and has some killer tracks on it.

I also bought a couple of Thunder singles. one is a picture disc for the single 'Back Street Symphoney', the other a blue 10" for 'She's So Fine'. The picture disc seems entirely pointless to me, the band are striking a pose with a plain red background.... there's no need for this picture disc surely? Is it a marketing ploy for die hard fans, a money maker for the record company - or just a fashionable thing to do at the time?

either way - I bought it so in a way....... its worked!

Final purchase is an excellent copy of R.E.Ms album 'Fables of the reconstruction of the fables.......'
I'll get back to you on this as I need to hear it first....

More Bowie!!!???

A very productive weekend indeed! After a snap decision to take in a car boot (it wasn't the original plan) I ended up buying an absolute stack of vinyl. I'm trying my best to work through and listen to it all but it's going to take me a while!!

Top of the list are the Bowie records!! Gatefold Aladdin Sane, the man who sold the world and a lovely copy of hunky dory. Add to that a reissue copy of space oddity and my Bowie haul is complete! A first pressing copy of Led Zeppelin II in terrible condition for £1 is a project for me to clean and tidy. The sleeve is a mess but the record itself isn't a lost cause, I can get it clean with the glue I think.

70's crazy funk is brought to you by Casiopea - a little cheesy but a good listen and plenty of technical ability on show. 2 Ella Fitzgerald albums on verve and a nice copy or 'Sinatra at the Sands' are also on the waiting list along with a great copy of Duke Ellington meets Louis Armstrong.

There are to many singles to name but there a a few gems in there. Sex pistols, Roxy music, Rolling Stones and the police are among the haul!!!

Very pleased with myself!

Beatles?

Some interesting finds this week, including my first Beatles records.

I know that the Beatles can fetch a tonne of money for the right record, but there's a reason...... Those records are rare. My Beatles additions are less rare. A 1976 compilation worth as much as I paid (£1) and a reissue of their first single 'please please me' which I have to investigate further - maybe £5-£10. The Beatles aren't a band that I go crazy for but every collection should have some in there,  I'll wait until I find a nice copy of 'rubber soul' or 'revolver' before I go all in!!

Also into to the collection are a David Bowie picture disk, ELO double album with rare cardboard spaceship thingy and a couple of EPs found for next to no money. I really have caught the vinyl bug!

Purchases the week
Beatles - Rock and Roll music Vol 1
Beatles - please please me (reissue)
David Bowie - life on mars 40th anniversary pic disk
The Riot Squad - Toy soldier EP
Undertones - Jimmy jimmy 7"
ELO - out of the blue (double album with spaceship model)

My first 'new' record

So I took the plunge..... I ordered my very first ever new vinyl from the local store and it arrived today. I usually pick up old records from garage sales, charity shops etc and never really pay more than 1 or 2 pounds for the disks.......

It didn't come cheap (£9.99) but I see it as

A) a record that I really want to listen to

B) it's a bit unusual

C) if life went bad, it may be a small investment!

It's the 7" pressing of the title track on David Bowies 'The Next Day' on white vinyl and ITS SQUARE SHAPED'!

There are a few other records that I've preordered and couldn't be happier with myself. As for other records, deodato has been played a lot this week and I'm digging the funky, disco, classical cheese that's provided!

Purchases this week:
Deodato - Prelude
Zappa - joes garage
Bowie - scary monsters and super creeps
U2 - Joshua tree
Bowie - the next day (square white vinyl)

A few interesting 7" singles

Not really a great amount of purchases this week but all three records were good finds.

Herbie Hancock - Rockit
I'm a massive fan of Herbie, right from his blue note jazz roots, his strange fusion (I blame his time with Miles Davis), his cheesy disco days, electronic experimentation and his more recent flirtation with his jazz roots.
This single for me epitomises his ability to push the boundaries and to not be afraid in the process. It's sound has dated somewhat but thats part of the charm I think!

The Special AKA - Nelson Mandela
The specials split up not long into their career as ska revival hotshots. Some of the members carried on together under the banner 'special AKA'. This single was very topical at the time as a protest song to aid the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in South Africa. A worthy addition to me expanding 2tone collection.

Muse - Dead star
Released in 2002, this single is not the most popular or recognisable of the Devin trios work. For this reason, 7" copies of the single are scarce to find. This only cost me 50p and considering I have the album which is it from - I have no moral dilemma selling this one!

I also have set up a twitter account to tweet my buys, plays and favs! My name is @_vinyl_junkie_ and I could sure do with a few followers.

Record of the week:
Eek a mouse - Wha Do Dem

Cleaning my disks

There are a number of ways to clean records varying from brushes, liquids and cloths to expensive cleaning machines. I have a very cheap and effective way of cleaning my records which yields excellent results every time.

You will need a few things:
A tub of PVA glue (some people use wood glue but I haven't tried it before)
A dust free surface with no static (I use a small hand towel on my kitchen table)
An old credit card or similar
A dirty record in need of a good clean!

To start with - lie your record down with the (I've chosen a Neil Diamond LP from 1967 which is rather dirty) and pour a small amount of PVA glue around the penultimate track of the side. Using your card, push the glue to within 3 or 4mm of the central label being very careful not to touch the label with any glue.

Once you have done this all the way around spread the glue out using the card to the outer edge of the record, I usually go to within a few mm of the edge of the record. If you need to add more glue then do so but add it a little at a time. You're aiming for the whole record to be covered with a hint of the black vinyl colour showing through. As long as its covered - the amount you use isn't important.

Leave the record overnight and when the glue starts to dry, peel a tiny flap back (choose an area where the glue is see through NOT WHITE!) and leave until all of the glue is set.

Use the tiny flap that you created to carefully peel the glue from the record and hey presto, your record will be nice and shiny.

Be sure to stash the record straight into a paper sleeve as static can be an issue immediately after peeling.

I cannot be held responsible if you try this method and it doesn't work for you, it works really well for me and I swear by it but if you're in doubt - try it on a record that's 'expendable' (is there such a thing?) before ruining your Beatles first pressing!

Purchases this week:
U2 - Rattle and hum gatefold
Gregory Isaacs - Crucial cuts

Record of the week:
Brass construction - self titled (awesome funky disco!)

2tone mania!!

I usually post every week on a Sunday but having found these beauties this morning in a charity shop (for 20p each) I had to share!

If you are unaware of 2tone records, they were releasing ska (2nd wave) in the late 70's and 80's in Britain and continued through to the 90's with CD re-releases.

Some of the notable artists include The Specials, The Selecter and Rico (Rodriguez), Elvis Costello and Madness (who only released 1 single on the label before moving on)

When buying any 2tone 7" releases, look out for the distinctive company sleeve. Most of these finds are in great condition with only minor wear and tear to the sleeves, the records themselves are great All I need now are a few of the very hard to find 2tone albums to add to my collection!

For more 2tone information I found that http://2-tone.info/ is a useful resource.




Records purchased:

Madness - The Prince
The Specials - Rat Race
The Specials - LIVE! ep. (1 with picture sleeve, 1 with 2tone sleeve)
The Specials - Do Nothing
The Selector - Missing Words (mis-spelt in the label as 'Nissing Words')
Desmond Dekker - Scoop 33 long play mini album