Record Fairs have become strange ritualistic sites of male obsessiveness, competition and downright stupidity in almost equal proportion. They also have different identities depending on which geezer runs them. The so-called AA (nothing to do with alcohol) fairs are relentless in terms of finding pitches and banging out the same plastic tubs of mostly knock-off new vinyl that comes from the great white van in the sky. No questions asked etc etc . If not that then like every other record fair it has the ubiquitous real rock syndrome that means every Pink Floyd album is treated as a holy relic and anything ‘metal’ or ‘goth’ is looked at as worth a few bob no matter how shite.
So today I ventured with heavy heart to the AA Fair and found that even white van men have their weak spots. Stuff they dont like/never heard of/in a foreign language’ ends up in the three for a fiver box. Now Having long held the view that anything over a quid was a rip-off I allowed myself the luxury of going to 3 for a fiver land.
What I found was hilarious and brilliant in equal measure and I assure you my gracious dealers had no fucking idea what it was they chucking out. If it ain’t worth a doller on discogs it shit..so here we go…
1. The Fiction Aisle: Heart Map Rubric
This was a interesting cover and a brief web search established it a double lp by the ex lead writer in Electric Soft Parade and Brakes from Brighton and it looked like the person who made it cared a lot. So I put it in the trolley. First listen its a stunning record reminds me of The Blue Nile.
2. Jesse Taylor: Last Night UK LP 1990
Second up and it brought me to a emotional dead stop a Jesse Taylor Lp. Mint. This guy is a legend and a direct line to my long late great friend Terry Clarke who worshipped him and played with him and Ely. In the trolley it went.
3. Owls of the Swamp
Third and this turns out to be a 200 limited edition by a madcap australian folkie who moved to Iceland. The name alone sold it to me again mint probably unplayed. Sounds like a folky Elliot Smith who hugs too many trees but very lovely for all that.
So that £5 down next post the second batch…and at present HMV boasts of 3 for £66 yes that a sale reduction to £22 each because frankly HMV are cunts and market directly to students who stupid.
OK Batch 2 three for a fiver. Different geezer this one had a LOT of Elvis and frankly maybe a little too much by about a thousand items. However in true dealer chuck out style here what chucked out.
1. 12″ Promo Richard Thompson of ‘Turning of the Tide’ 33 1/3 from AMNESIA LP. WTF? USA tour promo prob aimed at radio stations in 1988. Both sides the same track which handy as one side scratched just turn the fucker over and bingo a bargain. It worth nowt hence chuck out.
2. The Merle Haggard problem. I have almost everything by Merle Haggard and it a problem as there is a lot of Merle Haggard however by a freak chance I didn’t have this one with the insane cover….Is that a photo or a early version of AI or a photo of his mother hard to tell..the cover states a major 20th century man and talent of magnitude. Who am I to argue album produced by Fuzzy Owen enuff said.
3. Now this is a example of Rock dealer Classical Music LP syndrome in most cases they bin them or take the inners and chuck the rest but this one survived and…..this is a weird Uk Charing Cross Road label affiliated to Melodisc USSR in fact it a Russian label in all but name and the Great graphics and photo are by Brian Shuel who went on to work for Topic as a photographer and designer so known well to Simon Ashley. I now have two of these MK Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga) Lps. Not rare but revealing of a time when being a Communist on the Charing Cross Road was cool…and the black and white Shuel sleeves are worth purchasing for the covers alone..beautiful. In this case it mint and it a great artist and conductor and Hindemith..win win.also I could not find a cover shot so it rarer than a dead hen’s teeth..
Herewith concludes the Chuck Out Bin report for today..total outlay £10.