Wednesday, December 23, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 dec 18

1 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy
2 Black And White Lovers : Best Years Of Our Lives
3 Up And Running : Johnny And Marie
4 Dislocation Dance : Violette
5 Sex Clark Five : You Left The Lights On In Your Eyes
6 Allo Darlin' : Henry Rollins Don't Dance
7 Royston : Snake's Song
8 Cavalcade : Voices
9 Royston : Gerald's Eyes
10 Baby Jane Holzer : Nowhere
11 Different Eyes : Open The Box
12 Read All Over : Outside To The Other World
13 35 Summers : I Didn't Try
14 Days : Jigsville
15 Corvettes : Love To Hate You
16 Different Eyes : Uncomfortable
17 Girls At Dawn : Every Night
18 New Walk : Pressure Point
19 Love Train : Rags To Riches To Rags
20 Beware The Dog : Nasty Things

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----Coastal commotion

I have no information to impart about Brouhaha except that which the seller yields. Released in 1993 it was the first release on Sep records, were there others? A 12" called Pebble Beach it excited a couple of indiepop collectors and sold for £59.74.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200412962107&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 dec 11

1 Up And Running : Johnny And Marie
2 Royston : Snake's Song
3 Dislocation Dance : Violette
4 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy
5 Black And White Lovers : Best Years Of Our Lives
6 Different Eyes : Open The Box
7 Allo Darlin' : Henry Rollins Don't Dance
8 Royston : Gerald's Eyes
9 Read All Over : Outside To The Other World
10 Different Eyes : Uncomfortable
11 Sex Clark Five : You Left The Lights On In Your Eyes
12 35 Summers : I Didn't Try
13 Girls At Dawn : Every Night
14 Corvettes : Love To Hate You
15 New Walk : Pressure Point
16 Beware The Dog : Nasty Things
17 Love Train : Rags To Riches To Rags
18 Don't Ask : Destiny
19 Chosen : Sound Of The Dream
20 Life Support : About You

EYE ON EBAY

Up for re-release apparently in the new year this didn't prevent this single by Straightshooter on Strolling Bone fetching in a tidy £170 for the seller.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120498802902&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 dec 4

1 Royston : Snake's Song
2 Different Eyes : Open The Box
3 Up And Running : Johnny And Marie
4 Different Eyes : Uncomfortable
5 Dislocation Dance : Violette
6 Royston : Gerald's Eyes
7 Black And White Lovers : Best Years Of Our Lives
8 Girls At Dawn : Every Night
9 Allo Darlin' : Henry Rollins Don't Dance
10 Read All Over : Outside To The Other World
11 Corvettes : Love To Hate You
12 Love Train : Rags To Riches To Rags
13 Beware The Dog : Nasty Things
14 New Walk : Pressure Point
15 Chosen : Sound Of The Dream
16 Life Support : About You
17 35 Summers : I Didn't Try
18 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy
19 Don't Ask : Destiny
20 Sex Clark Five : You Left The Lights On In Your Eyes

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----Bunch of failed liars.

The seller kindly gave bidders a listen and I liked what I heard. This is Society and their single Can't Hide A Lie. A rousing roistering punky number released in 1980, apparently without a picture sleeve. Sold for its starting price of £30.82 and I'm regretting not chucking £40 at it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230398407179&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-------If only they'd had texting back then

Mystery powerpoppers the Bodgers cut this single Stutter/I Hate Phoning Girls back in 1982 on their imaginatively named label Bodgers Records. Did this originally come in a sleeve? If so it might have sold for more than £26.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360208073186&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 nov 27

1 Different Eyes : Uncomfortable
2 Girls At Dawn : Every Night
3 Different Eyes : Open The Box
4 Love Train : Rags To Riches To Rags
5 Beware The Dog : Nasty Things
6 Royston : Snake's Song
7 Royston : Gerald's Eyes
8 Dislocation Dance : Violette
9 Up And Running : Johnny And Marie
10 Allo, Darlin : Henry Rollins Don't Dance
11 Read All Over : Outside To The Other World
12 Black And White Lovers : Best Years Of Our Lives
13 Chosen : Sound Of The Dream
14 Corvettes : Love To Hate You
15 Point : My Mind
16 Don't Ask : Destiny
17 New Walk : Pressure Point
18 Life Support : About You
19 A Classic Education : Best Regards
20 35 Summers : I Didn't Try

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

EYE ON EBAY---Let's have a Ball

Regular visitors may remember I snapped up this artifact in a charity shop earlier this year. Pop Goes Art by the Times had a homemade sleeve which is as artistic as anything Damien Hurst has belched out. Netted the seller a reasonable £57.60.



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200394822687&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------Bought off the street

This four track EP by the Street People is rarely seen. £165 sale price should see them get a bed for the night. I considered a punt at this but if I'd have paid that for it the girlfriend would have put me out on the street.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200394235183&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Welsh punks educated enough to write their names

A signed copy of this little gem by the Screen Gemz, which bears a slight resemblance to the Jags, fetches a healthy £275. Never sells for under a £100 but this is one of its highest sale prices.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200399219765&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 nov 20

1 Love Train : Rags To Riches To Rags
2 Girls At Dawn : Every Night
3 Beware The Dog : Nasty Things
4 Different Eyes : Uncomfortable
5 A Classic Education : Best Regards
6 Point : My Mind
7 Claim : Mrs. Shepherd
8 Pheromoans : Suburban Despot
9 Different Eyes : Open The Box
10 Manhattan Love Suicides : Kessler Syndrome
11 Gayna Rose Madder : Ties
12 Lovely Eye : Don't Look Down The Road
13 Three Dancers : Seventeen
14 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
15 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
16 Royston : Gerald's Eyes
17 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
18 Dawn Chorus And The Bluetits : When You Walk In The Room
19 L Kage : My Head's On Fire
20 Screen 3 : European Journey

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Friday, November 27, 2009

EYE ON EBAY------Big Strange Noise

Choice piece of obscure synth tomfoolery from the Outsize Oddments who sound like they've graduated from the Martin O'Cuthbert music academy. Mesmerising simplicity has the bidders entranced and what I suspect is a one off adventure on the Spurious Artists label secures the seller £183.16.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OUTSIZE-ODDMENTS-rare-EP-UK-PUNK-diy-minimal-synth-KBD_W0QQitemZ330378251500QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item4cec140cecQQautorefreshZtrue

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 nov 13

1 Love Train : Rags To Riches To Rags
2 A Classic Education : Best Regards
3 Girls At Dawn : Every Night
4 Manhattan Love Suicides : Kessler Syndrome
5 Pheromoans : Suburban Despot
6 Claim : Mrs. Shepherd
7 Beware The Dog : Nasty Things
8 Point : My Mind
9 Three Dancers : Seventeen
10 Dawn Chorus And The Bluetits : When You Walk In The Room
11 Lovely Eye : Don't Look Down The Road
12 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
13 Two People : Let's Raise Murderr
14 Gayna Rose Madder : Ties
15 L Kage : My Head's On Fire
16 Pete Green : Best Band Supported By "Shockwaves"
17 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
18 Screen 3 : European Journey
19 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
20 Absent Friends : Stand Up And Fight

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY----Cheap child

Not exactly neat neat neat but a decent enough stab of punk from the Damned. Stretcher Case Baby could have been yours if you'd been at the relevant gig or won an NME competition by supplying a humourous one liner to accompany a picture of the group. Of course it's been bootlegged but the seller stressed this was the original. Sold for £68.99.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310179262307&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Thursday, November 19, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 nov 6

1 A Classic Education : Best Regards
2 Manhattan Love Suicides : Kessler Syndrome
3 Love Train : Rags To Riches To Rags
4 Claim : Mrs. Shepherd
5 Three Dancers : Seventeen
6 Pheromoans : Suburban Despot
7 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
8 Pete Green : Best Band Supported By "Shockwaves"
9 Dawn Chorus And The Bluetits : When You Walk In The Room
10 Point : My Mind
11 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
12 Girls At Dawn : Every Night
13 L Kage : My Head's On Fire
14 Lovely Eye : Don't Look Down The Road
15 Screen 3 : European Journey
16 Absent Friends : Stand Up And Fight
17 Joni Dee And The Times : Here Come The Holidays
18 Beware The Dog : Nasty Things
19 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
20 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----Crocodile Echo

Two copies of the Suede Crocodiles single sold by Yekserves netted him a tad over £414 in total. Not often two singles sold so closely together attain equal price status but this was achieved on this occasion, as single two (£208.15) sold for slightly more than single one (£206.25).

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUEDE-CROCODILES-STOP-THE-RAIN-C86-UK-INDIE-TWEE-1983_W0QQitemZ200404169287QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item2ea904f247

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUEDE-CROCODILES-STOP-THE-RAIN-C86-UK-INDIE-TWEE-1983_W0QQitemZ200401423714QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item2ea8db0d62

EYE ON EBAY-----Scratch A Scottish Scrotum

Scottish scamps classic DIY single sells for £134.70. About £20 more than I paid for my copy. I think my favourite Scrotum Poles track is Pick The Cat's Eyes Out. Nothing for the RSPCA to get worried about, it's not a tribute to violence against felines.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200399559153&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Better than meerkats

In need of weird? Get acquainted with the Performing Ferret Band. I think this LP is now available on CD but it doesn't stop someone paying £147 for it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380172240094&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 30

1 A Classic Education : Best Regards
2 Manhattan Love Suicides : Kessler Syndrome
3 Three Dancers : Seventeen
4 Pete Green : Best Band Supported By "Shockwaves"
5 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
6 Claim : Mrs. Shepherd
7 Pheromoans : Suburban Despot
8 L Kage : My Head's On Fire
9 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
10 Screen 3 : European Journey
11 Absent Friends : Stand Up And Fight
12 Dawn Chorus And The Blue Tits : When You Walk In The Room
13 Joni Dee And The Times : Here Come The Holidays
14 Lovely Eye : Don't Look Down The Road
15 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
16 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
17 Lost Boys : Who Are The Meek Ones
18 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
19 Single File : Out In The Traffic
20 Beware The Dog : Madam

Green numbers indicate new entries

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----Limp bid

A cowardly bid of £22 was unlikely to win me this single on Matchbox Classics, a joint effort by the Limps and No Support. It went for exactly double my bid. I would have been braver with my cash but I have two weekends of record fairs approaching, London and Utrecht.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120487115805&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY

Astounding price paid, £206, for this pleasant slice of C86 pop by Playing At Trains. If I'd have been bidding for it I'd have been derailed at £50 but I didn't need to as I picked it up in a charity shop in Warwick a few years ago for the outrageous sum of £1. Feel my smugness.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320443826791&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Friday, November 6, 2009

EYE ON EBAY------Gross oversight

Only a few days before I found this Gross Club single on ebay it had been recommended to me by an ebay seller. I was hoping it would slip by unnotticed and my pathetic bid would secure it for me, loathe as I am to acquire British releases from US sellers and incur large P+P posts. No doubt the attractive shot of a naked behind aroused certain bidders. I was stifled out at £10, the record eventually selling for £54.81.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180426185078&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

EYE ON EBAY

An arm and a leg were sacrificed to obtain this lone single by Scottish indiepoppers Suede Crocodiles. £243.70 was the final price, amazing when you consider this sold for less than £100 a few months back. Interestingly seller Yekserves has this up for auction, in fact he has two copies! Will it break the £100 mark? Find out in a few days.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUEDE-CROCODILES-rare-UK-1983-INDIE-POP-TWEE-C86_W0QQitemZ330372012779QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item4cebb4daeb

Friday, October 30, 2009

Dawn Chorus


Free website - Wix.com

DAWN CHORUS AND THE BLUE TITS

I've come over all mid-eighties pop so my apologies to those who find a tune a little tiresome but you can voice your displeasure after you've heard this heavily treated version of When You Walk In The Room. Made palatable by the Searchers in the sixties this Ullmanesque experiment failed to meet with a dawn chorus of approval, as did their other two singles, one being a cover of Teenage Kicks, no doubt an attempt to curry favour with John Peel. Liz Kershaw, Andy's sister, was in the band, she maybe the singer, there are scant details on the sleeve, and I can picture her pestering Peel to play this. Rumour has thrown Carol Vorderman into the mix too but I'm sceptical about that though maybe she counted the band in. For a while Dawn Chorus And The Blue Tits records were top of the tree on Japanese collectors' lists; I think they perch on a lower branch now. I found this last week in a charity shop in Notting Hill for £1. The wonderful Jackie De Shannon wrote the song, fact fans.

Music will be uploaded in the next 24 hours.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

EYE ON EBAY

Under the guise of the Cardiacs I saw this lot live a couple of times at the Marquee. Over the years they built up a ferocious following; many swooned over their cabaret prog indie recipe and whether you loved them or not they were always entertaining. Originally known as Cardiac Arrest this debut release on Tortch usually gives good return for the seller but the final price of £134.32 is the highest I've seen it sell for. Advisable not to bid on this if you have a weak heart.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380169320607&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY

It's cold wave, it's minimal synth, it's enough to encourage a huge outlay of £144. This is Betrayal by Secession. It's also on the Garden label and it's Scottish. And extremely rare the seller assures us so it got Bidder 6 excited and he ousted Bidder 1 from the top of the auction tree. Me, I haven't an inkling who this lot were and I wasn't prepared to pay enormous sums to find out.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200394742686&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 23

1 Three Dancers : Seventeen
2 Pete Green : Best Band Supported By "Shockwaves"
3 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
4 L Kage : My Head's On Fire
5 Manhattan Love Suicides : Kessler Syndrome
6 Claim : Mrs. Shepherd
7 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
8 Absent Friends : Stand Up And Fight
9 Lost Boys : Who Are The Meek Ones?
10 Pheromoans : Suburban Despot
11 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
12 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
13 Screen 3 : European Journey
14 Joni Dee And The Times : Here Come The Holidays
15 A Classic Education : Best Regards
16 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
17 Beware The Dog : Madam
18 Single File : Out In The Traffic
19 Lovely Eye : Don't Look Down The Road
20 Dodos : Blind To Fiction

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----Viral epidemic

Reminding us of those dimly-lit days in the early seventies when we often lived by candlelight the Jermz delivered a vicious little punk tune called Power Cut. Their only legacy, it's a fine effort and had a flurry of collectors showing an interest. And once one appeared selling for £292.89.......http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360193628779&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

......another two surfaced, the first accruing £315 whilst the second failed to exceed the £200 mark selling for a paltry £129.97.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370271422872&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320434514503&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 16

1 L Kage : My Head's On Fire
2 Pete Green : Best Band Supported By "Shockwaves"
3 Manhattan Love Suicides : Kessler Syndrome
4 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
5 Lost Boys : Who Are The Meek Ones?
6 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
7 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
8 Three Dancers : Seventeen
9 Absent Friends : Stand Up And Fight
10 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
11 Venom : Later On
12 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
13 Pheromoans : Suburban Despot
14 Claim : Mrs. Shepherd
15 Beware The Dog : Madam
16 Joni Dee And The Times : Here Come The Holidays
17 Single File : Out In The Traffic
18 Dodos : Blind To Fiction
19 Screen 3 : European Journey
20 White Town : A New Surprise

Green numbers indicate new entries

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-------More from Medway

Modern mods the Claim return with a 12" EP called This Pencil Was Obviously Sharpened By A Left Handed Indian Knife Thrower. What passes for humour in Kent may not raise a titter in Middlesex but that notwithstanding this was claimed for £26. One I intend to pick up one day when the price is right; it wasn't this time.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180418321223&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----The unloved

Two singles here that failed to seduce punters.
First an effort by Apes In Control. This has generated minor interest in the past but this time out bidders stayed away.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350265196327&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Next a fascinating, if flawed, attempt at being experimental in an extremely tentative way, by long forgotten galactic travellers Faraway Stars. I put this on the blog many months back to a fairly indifferent response. Even less response on ebay. No takers at the low starting bid of 99p.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120480018816&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 9

1 L Kage : My Head's On Fire
2 Manhattan Love Suicides : Kessler Syndrome
3 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
4 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
5 Pete Green : Best Band Supported By "Shockwaves"
6 Lost Boys : Who Are The Meek Ones?
7 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
8 Venom : Later On
9 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
10 Beware The Dog : Madam
11 Dodos : Blind To Fiction
12 Absent Friends : Stand Up And Fight
13 Single File : Out In The Traffic
14 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
15 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
16 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
17 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
18 White Town : A New Surprise
19 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
20 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys

Friday, October 16, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----El of a way to go

It always surprises me that the El label doesn't attract more interest. A bastion of eccentric musical outpourings of a very British nature El consciously dodged the mainstream eighties music scene so successfully their accountants would have needed the creativity of Mozart to have kept them in the black. This very excellent Would Be Goods single, the band are one of my girlfriend's favourites, mustered no more than £6.50 in the ebay arena.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290354940362&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------Claim on

Something from Medway that isn't Billy Childish, the Claim are much revered among indiepop types who have reacted positively to their inner mod. A single called Loser's Corner, could that be an ode to unlucky ebay bidders? Only if the band were prone to premonitions as this was released long before ebay. Sold for £14.99, a fairly low price.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130334878752&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-------Seize the day

A £26.36 smash and seize for this fine spiky effort by the Seize. Thirteen bids were spread between seven bidders.

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=290357440403

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-------Tiny riot

A minor scuffle and this raucous classic by the Mekons sells for a penny over £27. I remember buying Never Been In A Riot in Rough Trade some thirty years back and being overwhelmed by its potent racket.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300352706808&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----An early Spring

From damp and dreary Scotland came April Showers and, their name notwithstanding, their single had all the sunny gorgeousness of Aztec Camera or Friends Again at their most uplifting. Even with Chrysalis behind it this single drowned without a trace. Valued in the 2008 RRPG at £100 it collected the seller 20% of that. I found my copy in Marylebone High Street Oxfam for 99p.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120475826912&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------Queue getting smaller

This faux jazzy pop number from Queue Dance would have had feet tapping in a wine bar in 1987 but in 2009 fingers were almost still on keyboards as this sold for a meagre £17.57. Has sold for twice that in the past.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140349759591&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 2

1 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
2 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
3 Dodos : Blind To Fiction
4 Single File : Out In The Traffic
5 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
6 Beware The Dog : Madam
7 L Kage : My Head's On Fire
8 Lost Boys : Who Are The Meek Ones?
9 Venom : Later On
10 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
11 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
12 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
13 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
14 Pete Green : Best Band Supported By "Shockwaves"
15 White Town : A New Surprise
16 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
17 Manhattan Love Suicides : Kessler Syndrome
18 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
19 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
20 Absent Friends : Stand Up And Fight

Green numbers indicate new entries

Thursday, October 8, 2009

EYE ON EBAY--------Early riser

Reference books are a thing of wonder, aren't they? But are they to be trusted? To safeguard the author from plagiarism said books have been known to invent facts. Even the A-Z has the odd false street marked in it. Waylaid by the wonder of a band called Morning Spunk found in 45 Revs I doubted the veracity of the entry. From what spurt of imagination did this name ooze? Whereas the Sex Pistols was a reasonably witty moniker what was amusing about a name possibly inspired by a dawn greeting from a chipper Australian?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400076146697&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

But there's the £80 proof. Two naked girls drenched in a deluge of man jam adorn the cover; or alternatively they've just stepped out of the shower together. Released only in Italy, land of Berlusconi and topless TV presenters, the band shot their load of talent to little effect. Perhaps their brand of sleazy sex was a little premature, thirty years on Italy seems ready for them now.

EYE ON EBAY----Gets on my wick

The Penny Candles came from Hull, the place the Devil created for his kingdom, misspelling it so a vengeful God couldn't find him, and it rather annoyed me when their wonderful jangular 12" sold for a mere £23.55. I paid almost double for mine. Light a candle for me and fling a penny or two my way.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330362755570&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Friday, October 2, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept 25

1 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
2 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
3 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
4 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
5 Dodos : Blind To Fiction
6 Single File : Out In The Traffic
7 Beware The Dog : Madam
8 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
9 Venom : Later On
10 White Town : A New Surprise
11 Lost Boys : Who Are The Meek Ones?
12 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
13 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
14 Famous Five : Take Over
15 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
16 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
17 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
18 Little My : Guess Who
19 Downdime : Hate The Mornings
20 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Not fond of bidding on anything Modboy1 sells as it usually attracts Rockefeller types. Lazily and tentatively bid just under £30 for a single by Greenlines. Why? Because they reminded Modboy of the Homosexuals and the TV Personalities. Inevitably I was intrigued but cautiously and so lost out, said single selling for £30.55.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330360947770&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY---Lose 39 lbs in a minute

Here's one my girlfriend bought me for my bithday several years back. I hope she paid less than £39.89 for this excellent piece of punk whimsy by the Thin Yoghurts. Not often seen on ebay the buyer got a bargain.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250502854766&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept18

1 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
2 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
3 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
4 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
5 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
6 White Town : A New Surprise
7 Single File : Out In The Traffic
8 Beware The Dog : Madam
9 Famous Five : Take Over
10 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
11 Downdime : Hate The Mornings
12 Dodos : Blind To Fiction
13 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
14 Little My : Guess Who
15 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
16 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
17 Venom : Later On
18 Sitting Pretty : Broken Glass Lies
19 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
20 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----Like Dolly Mixture on fags

Modboy1 claimed that Spirit Level sounded like Dolly Mixture and that may have been enough of a prod to push this over the £70 mark. The sleeve would have one thinking they were perhaps more rocky than that, but then only Peters & Lee could be less rocky than the Dollies, and with a song called Cigarette World and a singer in trousers so shiny and tight even Olivia Newton John would have gasped I suspect they could hold their own on a boozy night in the Dublin Castle.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330360957545&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Friday, September 25, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----Oil price highest rise in history

What Is Oil? indeed. This must be the very best grade. This single rarely bruises the £20 mark. I've seen it sell on ebay twice and I won it the second time for about £16. And yet some maniac pays £93.55 for it. This highlights the insanity of ebay. Seller Modboy 1 has an impeccable ebay history and anything he sells usually generates a flurry of interest but he must have been overcome with glee when he raked in nearly £100 for this decidedly average effort.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WHAT-IS-OIL-rare-1982-UK-DIY-PUNK-SYNTH-PRIVATE_W0QQitemZ330360951280QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item4ceb0c11f0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

Thursday, September 24, 2009

EYE ON EBAY------V's V's Me

After driving 4,000 miles around Europe in two weeks I'm too exhausted to invite controversy so I'm certain there's a legitimate explanation as to why this single by the Chevrons fails to meet the necessary criteria to award it a place in 45 Revs. The seller, the reliable Hypstr 66, claims it was released in 1979. Yet to sell, he has it at a buy it now price of £120.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160363290752&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----I got the Point

Helpfully the seller of the Point's single let potential buyers hear the whole song. I listened and liked what I heard, then swiftly went off to Gemm and bought the one copy on sale for just over £8. This I did a few hours before the listing ended and then saw the seller reel in £22. Maybe my quick thinking ensured the seller a better return.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230377887391&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY ----- A grey area

Not sure who the Black And White Lovers was. Hopefully not named after the execrable Ebony And Ivory they inspired enough passion among bidders to push the final price up to £84. Once again this came from C86/indiepop dealer Strike Up Matches who has a knack of unearthing obscure pop which attracts a few dedicated bidders.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220479009796&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept 11

1 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
2 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
3 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
4 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
5 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
6 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
7 White Town : A New Surprise
8 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
9 Downdime : Hate The Morning
10 Famous Five : Take Over
11 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
12 Single File : Out In The Traffic
13 Little My : Guess Who
14 Beware The Dog : Madam
15 Eux Autres : Other Girls
16 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
17 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
18 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
19 Sitting Pretty : Broken Glass Lies
20 Das Schnitz : 4 AM

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Friday, September 4, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept 4

1 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
2 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
3 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
4 Downdime : Hate The Morning
5 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
6 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
7 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
8 White Town : A New Surprise
9 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
10 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
11 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
12 Little My : Guess Who
13 Eux Autres : Other Girls
14 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
15 Famous Five : Take Over
16 Single File : Out In The Traffic
17 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
18 Just Joans : Gin And Platonic
19 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
20 Memphis : You Supply The Roses

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY----A cheap Picasso

An original Guernica sells for £74. Seller Strike Up Matches found this in a charity shop in London and I'm still seething with indignant jealousy especially as the shop is one I've visited on several occasions. I stayed out of bidding range as this came to a close, at a decent return on his £1 investment.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220470363523&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Strike Up Matches has an abundance of indie delights that he throws into the ebay ring and here's another by Second View from Germany which made him £100 richer.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220470361013&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----The price of Modern Art

Modern Art mutated into psych monsters Sun Dial. I have a single which I bought for £10 from MVE a few months back. It had perched on the shop wall for months and I watch the price tumble until I snapped it up. Nobody seemed interested so I'm a little surprised that this sold for £34. Still it is an LP and that seems good value to me.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370248025195&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Will the Arctic Circle be unbroken?

I have to admit that I have no idea whether Varaus came from anywhere within a match girl's icy breath of the Arctic Circle. I imagine they make the sort of racket that inspires Norwegians to burn down churches so it's just as well they come from Finland. That match girl should move to Norway, she'd make a blazing trade. Sold for £123.06.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350245370393&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 aug 28

1 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
2 Downdime : Hate The Morning
3 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
4 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
5 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
6 Eux Autres : Other Girls
7 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
8 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
9 White Town : A New Surprise
10 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
11 Little My : Guess Who
12 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
13 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
14 Just Joans : Gin And Platonic
15 Single File : Out In The Traffic
16 Famous Five : Take Over
17 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
18 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
19 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
20 Memphis : You Supply The Roses

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Monday, August 31, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 aug21

1 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
2 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
3 Eux Autres : Other Girls
4 Downdime : Hate The Morning
5 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
6 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
7 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
8 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
9 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
10 White Town : A New Surprise
11 Little My : Guess Who
12 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
13 Just Joans : Gin And Platonic
14 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
15 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
16 New You : Whispering Down
17 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
18 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
19 Single File : Out In The Traffic
20 impLog : Breakfast

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----Man on the wrong track

The Sound LP Jeopardy sells for £50. The singer Adrian Borland threw himself under a train at Wimbledon nearly ten years ago. Whether that affected the final price one can only guess. I picked up a copy of this LP for £3 about a year ago.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120461640028&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Saturday, August 29, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----Ice cold in Morecambe

The Ice Factory from Morecambe raise temperatures to around 77, pounds that is. Apparently the band are still performing and you can hear A side Jerusalem on Youtube.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200376467353&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Thursday, August 27, 2009

EYE ON EBAY------A demon with the dictionary.

Oooh tasty. I'm not a huge fan of American punk but I do love Lexicon Devil by the Germs. The song's name always intrigued me, I'd rate it up there with Keep An Open Mind Or Else as one of the greatest song titles, and its legend grew for me as the years passed, until I finally heard it about three years ago. Musically it almost matches its moniker although it took me several plays to succumb to its feral charm. It sold for £215.26.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400065228595&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----Not many Risk takers.

It's a strange world where various artists contribute to a tribute CD to underachievers the Jet Set. But it may get stranger as there is rumoured to be a similar project devoted to the Risk. Still if Cherry Red can see fit to reissue LP's on CD by the likes of Geordie and Blitz to a resounding " Who buys this stuff?" then why not pay tribute to forgotten mod bands? Sales will be small though judging by the indifference paid to the Risk's Loud Shirts And Stripes ep which sold for a dismal £7.49.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190327440679&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Find it a round hole.

Absolutely no idea who the Square Peg were and interest was not sufficient to even launch this into double figures; the seller collected a miserable £8.27. But his grading was thorough and he was niggardly with it which may have put bidders off.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260458803638&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 aug14

1 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
2 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
3 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
4 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
5 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
6 Eux Autres : Other Girls
7 New You : Whispering Down
8 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
9 Northern Portrait : Crazy
10 impLOG : Breakfast
11 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
12 Peruvian Hipsters : Tony Hadley
13 Fireflies : Cherry Blossom Girl
14 Ash Can School : A Day Out Of Paris
15 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
16 Just Joans : Gin And Platonic
17 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
18 Shitbirds : Oh Joy
19 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
20 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----Slow moving target

Very few hands raised at the back of the auction room for the Moving Targets only release. Sold for a meagre £5.50. For more info and a chance to hear the A side, see below.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110421417553&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Monday, August 24, 2009

MOVING TARGETS

Found this in a charity shop in Oxford about two years ago. The A side has more zip than a pair of Brian Rix's trousers. The two B sides are moderate fare. Came out in 1980 on the artily named Graphic Design label. In the picture the Moving Targets are moving so fast they appear to be standing still. Seeming to be intently devout, gathered around a lectern they may have pilfered from a church, these four lads are looking for a congregation to help boost sales. The turnout was poor and they shuffled off back to obscurity.

This is probably their only release and as this was recorded in Yorkshire I think they were most likely northern lads. Little information is offered on the sleeve except that the music and lyrics were written by Steve Walker and Dave Purcell and production and photography was by Bill Nelson.


Free website - Wix.com

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

EYE ON EBAY------Another Brix in the fall?

Apologies for the headline and for disappointing any visiting Fall fans. Brix was a band from Lincolnshire who released this powerpop/new wave in 1983 on Marco records. All this info I gleaned from the seller, as to the authenticity of any of the aforementioned your guess is as good as mine. I know nothing of this band but this release intrigues me. Sold for £46.03.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300335250240&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Monday, August 17, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----Unseen Art makes Modboy money

An indiepop/twee/C86 rarity by Art from 1982 which seller Modboy claims sounds like Twa Toots with a hint of Slits stokes the bidding fires until the furnace burns out at a fiery £71.08. Initially I was interested but my desire for this piece of art vanished around the £30 mark. Love to know what it sounds like.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330351574798&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 aug 7

1 English McCoy : Give Me Soemthing To Believe In
2 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
3 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
4 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
5 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
6 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
7 Eux Autres : Other Girls
8 New You : Whispering Down
9 impLog : Breakfast
10 Peruvian Hipsters : Tony Hadley
11 Northern Portrait : Crazy
12 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
13 Ash Can School : A Day Out Of Paris
14 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
15 Fireflies : Cherry Blossom Girl
16 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways
17 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
18 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
19 Dolly Mixture : New Look Baby
20 Shitbirds : Oh Joy

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----Popclassics on parade

Four Popclassics items to savour. This seller has some interesting stuff and we'll start with the most controversial. According to Popclassics this single by Surreal Modern Musik was released in the UK in 1979. If so why is it not in 45 Revs? Seeing as one side is called Lust Of Berlin and they spell music with a K maybe it's a German release. Sold for £32.09.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350235057080&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Next is definitely a pop classic. The Shadowfax single about reds under the beds and in sheds and advancing on homesteads nets Popclassics a respectable £79.38.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330349389750&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I have no idea who You was but interest peaked at £22.07. Issued in 1980 on Ram/SRT. Any info is welcome.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SViewItem&item=350235059027&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And lastly the biggest moneymaker, the Gobblinz single London issued on Pinnacle in 1979. This unsurprisingly zoomed into three figures, final price £132.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270437224309&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------A Gyppo on Baker Street

Gyppo single which Gerry Rafferty and mates knocked off when they got bored making pleasant music for the wine bar set. High Rise Love is the killer track but I'd never want to pay £175.02 for any record Rafferty was involved in.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330347094783&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Well blow me down with a trumpet

Amazing sum paid for this comp, the Jericho Collection, which netted £77.65 for seller Yekserves. I picked up an extra copy of this at Leicester record fare last year for £1. I have seen it since then for about £3. Certainly has a fine selection of bands, mostly from around the Oxford area, that would please any C86/indie collector, including My Fellow Men, Anyways and Clamheads. Methinks I better get my extra copy on ebay soon.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200368292331&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------Were they jumping someone else's train?

Not sure how good this single by Three Imaginary Boys can be with two participants calling themselves Wog and Studge. That didn't seem to deter this powerpop/punk crossover, as seller Modboy describes it, selling for a substantial sum, £114.23 to be precise. The third member of the band is called Ollie. You'd have to be tempted to stick a G in front and place his name next to the imaginitively named Wog.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330349981143&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 july31

1 Das Schnitz : 4AM
2 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
3 New You : Whispering Down
4 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
5 Peruvian Hipsters : Tony Hadley
6 impLOG : Breakfast
7 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways
8 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
9 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
10 Northern Portrait : Crazy
11 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
12 Ash Can School : A Day Out Of Paris
13 Eux Autres : Other Girls
14 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
15 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
16 Dolly Mixture : New Look Baby
17 Lovely Eggs : Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion?
18 Shitbirds : Oh Joy
19 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
20 Indifferent Dance Centre : Flight And Pursuit

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

EYE ON EBAY------They went Mental for this.

Bidders broke through the £100 barricade and stopped right there as this single by the Mental attracted four punk enthusiasts. Bidder 4 felled his rivals and secured this only release by the band on Kamikaze Pig records. Only 600 were pressed.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190322177133&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY

An expensive way to keep cool but you'll be the envy of all your powerpop-loving friends if you own this sizzling tune by the Fans. On Bristol's second finest label, no piece of toast is complete without a Fried Egg record or two, this is as essential as their other single Giving Me That Look In Your Eyes. It earned the seller £74, money well spent.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200363544097&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 july 24

1 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
2 New You : Whispering Down
3 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
4 Peruvian Hipsters : Tony Hadley
5 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways
6 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
7 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
8 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
9 impLog : Breakfast
10 Ash Can School : A Day Out Of Paris
11 Dolly Mixture : New Look Baby
12 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
13 Lovely Eggs : Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion?
14 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
15 Northern Portrait : Crazy
16 Shitbirds : Oh Joy
17 Indifferent Dance Centre : Flight And Pursuit
18 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
19 Josie Cotton : Johnny Are You Queer?
20 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Pacific Trash Vortex

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Friday, July 31, 2009

DAS SCHNITZ------They got played on Dr.Hook's radio.


No, I didn't get a phone call from Sylvia's mother imploring I heap praise on Dr.Hook, this is a single by Das Schnitz who couldn't afford proper sleeves and so,like anarchic magpies, borrowed other artists' sleeves and customized them. This particular punk typhoon hit Torquay, the band's home town, in early 1979 when this single was released in a pressing of 533 on Ellie Jay. Some one hundred or so ended up in the borrowed sleeves before legal action was threatened by a major label claiming the customization was an infringement of copyright. Artists who unknowingly helped the Das Schnitz cause by providing the single with an overcoat include Blondie, Chaka Khan, Funkadelic and, if this isn't a fake, Dr.Hook.
The band members were Tim Dodge on vocals/guitar, Nardi Jahangiri on vocals/guitar, Stuart Gordon on bass and Kevin Perry on drums. They were 16/17 years old and they lost their gig virginity at Torquay Girls Grammar School. After that there were no worlds left to conquer.



Free website - Wix.com

EYE ON EBAY

The Men Of Westenesse came from somewhere just east of London and released this lone single in 1989. £28 is a reasonable winning bid considering I paid about £40 for my copy. Musically it's pleasant indiepop.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250470273763

EYE ON EBAY

More indiepop, this time of an Irish nature. The seller picked this up in a charity shop I have been known to frequent so out of sheer jealous stubborness I refused to bid on it. As far as I know this is Cuba Dares only release and £44 is a good return on something which probably cost £1, he exclaims through gritted teeth.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220455245751

EYE ON EBAY

Episode 4 released one 12" single before mutating into East Village, a band much beloved of Bob Stanley of St. Etienne. This single has surpassed the £200 mark in the past but recently it has stalled far short of that. Its final sale price of £108 is the cheapest I've seen it sell for. A friend told me that it used to turn up regularly in the bargain basement in MVE. If only I had a time machine.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=170362156146

Thursday, July 30, 2009

HAIRSLIDES AHOY! --------Indietracks, a festival with music and trains.

I've never been one for attaching myself to scenes. True I marched down the Kings Road in the summer of 77 one sunny saturday with a fifty strong army of punks. Havoc was not unleashed on good citizens until six or seven teds were spotted in Sloane Square whereupon a charge was mounted against the musical throwbacks. These days it would be hard to find a punk in the Kings Road, let alone a teddy boy.

This weekend I ventured north to a field in Derbyshire to experience a festival called Indietracks. If I thought the spirit of C86 had evaporated in the nineties amid a fuzz of grunge guitars and acned laddism I was to be pleasantly surprised. C86 was never a movement or scene, it was simply an NME tape/LP that was intended to portray a cross section of sounds that were happening in 1986. People conveniently forget that not only did it showcase the talents of the Close Lobsters, Primal Scream and Wedding Present but also the defiantly unpoppy meanderings of Stump, Bogshed and MacKenzies. Whatever the merits of the latter groups it was the former that inspired and engendered a longing in many boys and girls across the land to grasp a guitar and proclaim the joys of love reciprocated or, usually, denied.

Indietracks was held at the Midland Railway Centre and a few bands even played on moving trains. There was a main stage outside run under the aegis of Elefant records who were celebrating twenty years in the music biz. There was also a stage in a converted locomotive shed and one in a small church. More than fifty acts played over the weekend. Unfortunately I was only there for the sunday. As I waited on the platform to board the train to see the Manhattan Love Suicides I was coaxed into a nostalgic reverie as I surveyed the crowd: girls in spotty or flowery dresses, hairslides harassing their hair and boys in denim or corduroy jackets sporting a colourful crop of badges. It felt like being at a Sarah records convention.

The day went by in a whirl of discovery and disappointment. The weather, a ceaseless dribble of rain from 4pm onwards, and the Manhattan Love Suicides announcing they had split up before they were about to play were the only downers. Engulfed in ecstasy, caught in a torrent of joy, those two minor infractions were soon dismissed. Bands like the School, the mental but so loveable Stereo Total, the rapturous Northern Portrait, the playful Smittens, the pristine powerpop of Spain's Cooper, the deceptively delicate Pocketbooks, and the hypnotic gentle menace of Help Stamp Out Loneliness propelled me to the sun-glazed shores of happiness. Seeing the BMX Bandits with frontman Duglas now resembling one of the Bonzo Dog Band doing an impression of Rick Wakeman carved a smile on my face that only surgeons could remove. And to top it all Teenage Fanclub, the sunday night headliners, were in fine form.

Highlight above all highlights though was seeing half of the legendary Talulah Gosh do a short acoustic set in a tent. Amelia's voice broke up as she succumbed to laughter and smiles. Grown men sobbed. A Japanese man had to be restrained from committing hara-kiri. And Amelia was playing an unplugged electric guitar acoustically, it was that silly and that fabulous.

If Indietracks is a "scene" then I'm hooking myself up to it.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 july 17

1 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
2 Ash Can School : A Day Out In Paris
3 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways
4 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
5 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
6 Lovely Eggs : Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion
7 Peruvian Hipsters : Tony Hadley
8 Dolly Mixture : New Look Baby
9 Mag And The Suspects : Thousands Dead
10 Shitbirds : Oh Joy
11 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
12 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Pacific Trash Vortex
13 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
14 Indifferent Dance Centre : Flight And Pursuit
15 Northern Portrait : Crazy
16 Josie Cotton : Johnny Are You Queer?
17 Proles : Thought Crime?
18 Camera Obscura : French Navy
19 Eggstone : Bubblebed
20 McClusky Brothers : She Said To The Driver

Friday, July 24, 2009

SCAVENGERS ARE AN IDLE RACE

Between the numerous giant opaque clouds I caught a glimmer of light and, dodging raindrops, dived into a charity shop or nine. The paucity of vinyl in Cancer Research and the Shooting Star Hospice encourages one to speculate on a vinyl revival. Every couple of years the press hark on about the revivification of vinyl and plodding through puddles from one CD-saturated charity shop to the next I felt it likely such a piece would surface in the Guardian or Times in the coming weeks. Along with the copious CD's a worrying abundance of ignominious dance 12"'s are now the inevitable unwanted guests; they are the 21st century equivalent of all those queasy listening LP's by that bearded party-lover James Last that choked charity shop doorways back in the nineties. I have often wondered what kind of people would zombify their guests with Last's listless renditions of pop standards; surely the sort of parties that only exist in Two Ronnies sketches in which one of the Ronnies casts impure glances at some airbrushed blonde the BBC has plucked from a Top Of The Pops LP sleeve.

But I digress and I can almost hear your gruff impatient voices yelling at me, demanding an explanation for all this inane chittering. This prevarication is pure indulgence, me savouring a moment, extending my pleasure as far as I feel I can keep your attention but now I cease my teasing. I found a Fantastic Something LP for a £1. No that's not it, though it is true. However, more amazingly, I found an Idle Race LP called Time Is for £1, listed at £130 in the RRPG. And it doesn't stop there, I also scooped up a single by a band called Track 4 of whom I know nothing, but it's also listed in the RRPG at a staggering £100.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----Almost set the universe on fire.

Despite both songs being available on LP's the lure of this little blue beast by Galaxie 500 on Aurora records snares the seller a decent £113. Remember seeing them live many years ago with my friend Melanie. Every tune made us swoon. A great gig.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=120446084883

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 july 10

1 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
2 Ash Can School : A Day Out In Paris
3 Lovely Eggs : Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion?
4 Dolly Mixture : New Look Baby
5 Shitbirds : Oh Joy
6 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
7 Mag And The Suspects : Thousands Dead
8 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
9 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways
10 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
11 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
12 Indifferent Dance Centre : Flight And Pursuit
13 Peruvian Hipsters : Tony Hadley
14 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Pacific Trash Vortex
15 Proles : Thought Crime?
16 Northern Portrait : Crazy
17 Camera Obscura : French Navy
18 Josie Cotton : Johnny Are You Queer?
19 McClusky Brothers : She Said To The Driver
20 Eggstone : Bubblebed

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----By george, they're everywhere

A plethora of Harrison singles have surfaced on ebay in recent weeks. Most of them have been sold by Mike the Hoarder who, it seems, as his name suggests, hoarded many copies of this one and only release by the midland's band. Due to its abundance it's no longer the Holy Grail for indie collectors, that would be the Wee Cherubs single. This one was sold by another seller and went for the knockdown price of £74.11.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Harrison-there-is-no-refrain-7-single-indie_W0QQitemZ270421139575QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Records?hash=item3ef65b2077&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A13%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A3%7C294%3A50

EYE ON EBAY----Emergency Ward 34

Time was when this would sell for double this sale price of £41.22. Ward 34 had Andy Taylor as trainee producer on this effort but even the Duran Duran connection couldn't propel this beyond the £50 mark.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=330342988862

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

A foreign indiepop effort of which I know nothing but that didn't prevent me from bidding on the Hip Horace single which was released in 1988 in Sweden. I gazed in awe as it sold for £98.99. And not to me I might add. I suspect it sold to either Atichon or Picheux, my old indiepop collecting rivals.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220444009121

Sunday, July 12, 2009

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY-----No joy on this ride

Advised by a respected follower of this unholy parish I went all Chopin on the keyboard but came out loser for the Joyride single, Goodbye/Something Special released on their own Joyride label. For some inexplicable reason this veered into a ditch at £152.67 selling for less than Modboy 1's other big seller described below. Please illegal bootlegging comp camp sort something out, I want to hear this.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=330342239951

EYE ON EBAY-----From the outer limits of the twilght zone

Having escaped from the asylum the lunatics logged on and let their craziness loose on ebay. This Twilight Zoners effort is a mediocre meander through DIY pastures and isn't good enough to polish the Desperate Bikes' handlebars. I have the second single which was released in 1980, picked up for £1 in Brighton about a year ago, and that doesn't come within a tramp's vomit of the majesty of the One On The Clapometer single. I can't believe this broke through the £200 barrier but the seller Modboy 1 (does that mean he's the original mod?) must be rubbing his lambretta with glee.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=330342239295

Friday, July 10, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----Tango in mango

Dieter Meier didn't have to cry for fame for too many years as he and fellow musician Boris Blank raced into the charts under the guise of Yello in the late eighties. This single, Jim For Tango, released on Periphery Perfume on mango coloured vinyl, waltzed over the £40 mark. I remember buying this in MVE for about 50p nearly thirty years ago.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=180359102470

Thursday, July 9, 2009

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 july 3

1 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
2 Ash Can School : A Day Out Of Paris
3 Shitbirds : Oh Joy
4 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
5 Dolly Mixture : New Look Baby
6 Indifferent Dance Centre : Flight And Pursuit
7 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
8 Mag And The Suspects : Thousands Dead
9 Lovely Eggs : Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion?
10 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Pacific Trash Vortex
11 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
12 Proles : Thought Crime?
13 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways
14 Eggstone : Bubblebed
15 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
16 Camera Obscura : French Navy
17 McClusky Brothers : She Said To The Driver
18 Josie Cotton : Johnny Are You Queer?
19 Northern Portrait : Crazy
20 Nine Steps To Ugly : Bobby Charlton's Haircut

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

EYE ON EBAY----Keeping their cool

The Fans very wonderful Giving Me That Look In Your Eyes on the Bristol based label Fried Egg reels in £34. Worth every penny and about what I paid for it three years ago.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=200357566811

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY-------Not my virginity

How I Lost My Virginity by the Spunky Onions spurts past my maximum bid and sells for £53.85. It's enough to make one cry. Vies with Regular Fries for the worst band name ever. According to Messthetics this was released in 1979. By its omission from 45 Revs this is almost certainly an error.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=200358337683

Saturday, July 4, 2009

EYE ON EBAY-----Sending pop to the Abbatoir.

Quiz yourself this, how many Scandinavian bands can you name that don't begin with A? Abba, Ace Of Base, Aqua, A-Ha, Acid House Kings, one wonders if those bands ever got past the letter A in the English dictionary. Kriminella Gitarrer were obviously page turners and, even more radically, they weren't in thrall to the English langauge. Their rebellious nature wowed some punters as their scorching punk single sold for £250+.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270415981817

EYE ON EBAY---Hit the road Jack Kerouac.

From the Hypstr66 collection comes Nicky Beat And The Beatniks. 45 Revs likens them to the Desperate Bicycles in their amateurishness which had my bidding finger twitching. Such comparisons though remind me that nobody is equal to the Bikes and if I won said item I'd be constantly disappointed every time I read Mr 45 Revs' description. What also dissuaded me was the final price of £81.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=160344630167

EYE ON EBAY-----Sema 4 sale signals economic upturn.

Caution, recession ahead. What recession? In the artificial economic landscape called ebay a vintage blast of punk can still persuade some punters to plunder their piggy banks. Blitz my wits, I didn't imagine Sema 4's seminal debut to gallop past £300, finally refusing to jump the £330 fence. For the benefit of Hypstr66 the boys from York delivered a yorker. I'm so glad I bought the reissue for under a tenner.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=160344628118