EYE ON EBAY-----Wonderful buy

Has the market collapsed with regard to this slice of delicious vinyl pie? Maybe it was because the seller only had 98.8% positive feedback that this rare pop gem by the Hardy Boys sold for a meagre £69.90. And it was free postage from Japan. It's pleasing to see the Japanese selling some of our pop legacy back to us, assuming of course that the winning bidder was based in the UK.

The Hardy Boys are playing live tomorrow at the Buffalo Bar next to Highbury & Islington underground station.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280498397262&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 april 2

1 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
2 Tin Openers : Set Me Free
3 Betty And The Werewolves : David Cassidy
4 Blood Red Shoes : It's Getting Boring By The Sea
5 Dubious Brothers : The Dog Ate My Poll Tax Form
6 Escorts : Bingo
7 Dubious Brothers : By The Light Of A Cynical Moon
8 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
9 Bassholes : Moody
10 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
11 Blanche Hudson Weekend : Crying Shame
12 Cavalcade : This Silent Town
13 Allo, Darlin' : The Polaroid Song
14 Wild Swans : God Forbid
15 Kick Inside : Oh, Vanity
16 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
17 Shrag : Long Term Monster
18 Cavalcade : Voices
19 Some Average Prophecy : Tie Me To The Railway Line
20 Kustom : Let The Girl Dance

Green numbers indicate new entries.

LOST BANDS AREA-------HARDY BOYS

I recently received a selection of CDs from legendary Scottish indie band The Hardy Boys. For those of you ignorant of their unjustly insignificant mark in the music world, I suggest you purchase a copy of the Let The World Smother You CD on Egg records. They released one fabulous 12" single on Stella Five records which appears to have been based in Shrewsbury although the record was produced in Edinburgh in August 1989. What the mysterious connection between Shropshire and Scotland is I am at a loss to impart.

Those involved in this essential slice of quality pop confection were Michael Bonini on keyboards, Alan Bannister on guitar and vocals, John White on vocals and guitar, David McArthur on bass and vocals and Ian McLachlan on drums. Lead track Wonderful Lie has surfaced on a Japanese comp called Pop Renaissance and you can also hear it on their MySpace page along with some other splendid songs. Hunt hard for that first single for believe me if you never hear it you should weep mournful tears as you range the Shropshire meadows in despair. Should it pop up on ebay be prepared to sacrifice that summer holiday, it's been known to sell for over £300.

The Hardy Boys formed in 1985 and hailed from Greenock. Various songs were recorded for comps in Europe and America before the Wonderful Lie single was released. Arduous touring in a battered van in 1990 failed to stir a slumbering public and the band split after a gig in the granite city of Aberdeen on December 3, 1990.

It was hardly all change though as the split amounted to nothing more than kicking John White out of the band and adapting the Human Torch's battle cry "Flame On" to Flame Up. Under this name the band they hoped to set the world ablaze. Within a few weeks John had rejoined the band but they kept the new name which, in hindsight, proved to be a mistake as a new moniker ensured getting gigs was a difficulty. There was a slightly tougher edge to their new sound which seemed more suited to the indiepop landscape of the time. Yet little impact was made despite their new material being equally as vibrant and hook-heavy as the Hardy Boys stuff. They released a 7" in 1992, Need I Say More/Mr.God, which an inattentive public failed to notice (including myself). Then in 1993 John quit the band. This inconvenience was countered by David McArthur taking on vocal duties and recruiting Brian Branford on guitar. But in 1994 they called it a day.

Was it all over? No. Michael, John and Derek Mullen recorded ten songs between 1997 and 1999 and released a CD entitled Nova Scotia. Then in 2000 Michael moved to Canada but before he departed a Hardy Boys/Flame Up reunion played a one off gig.

Is it all over now? No. More Hardy Boys gigs are promised in the future and an LP will be released in the coming months. Fortunately one of Scotland's finest bands are still conjuring up superior tunes and it's about time you listened.

Thanks to Michael Bonini for the extremely informative letter without which I couldn't have written this piece.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 jan 22

1 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
2 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
3 Form : Watch Out
4 Hardy Boys : Send Me A Sign
5 Codeine Velvet Club : Hollywood
6 Nightingales : Devil In The Detail
7 Cold Comfort : Don't Want To Know
8 Next Time Passions : Not Here Anymore
9 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
10 Cavalcade : Voices
11 Cold Comfort : Really Really Don't Mind
12 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy
13 M J Hibbett : Clubbing In The Week
14 Baby Jane Holzer : Nowhere
15 High And Dry : Rising Waves
16 Cavalcade : Rooftops And Chaotic Streets
17 Aces And Eights : Hard Luck Stories
18 Cold Comfort : S.A.W.S
19 Sex Clark Five : You Left The Light On In Your Eyes
20 Up And Running : Johnny And Marie

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 jan 15

1 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
2 Form : Watch Out
3 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
4 Next Time Passions : Not Here Anymore
5 Cold Comfort : Really Really Don't Mind
6 M J Hibbett : Clubbing In The Week
7 Nightingales : Devil In The Detail
8 Cavalcade : Voices
9 Codeine Velvet Club : Hollywood
10 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy
11 High And Dry : Rising Waves
12 Aces And Eights : Hard Luck Stories
13 Baby Jane Holzer : Nowhere
14 Days : Jigsville
15 Sex Clark Five : You Left The Light On In Your Eyes
16 Shattered Dreams : Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained
17 Up And Running : Johnny And Marie
18 Dislocation Dance : Violette
19 New Walk : Shape Of Things To Come
20 Allo Darlin' : Henry Rollins Don't Dance

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 june 5

1 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
2 Proles : Thought Crime
3 Nine Steps To Ugly : Bobby Charlton's Haircut
4 Eggstone : Bubblebed
5 Camera Obscura : French Navy
6 Mary-Go-Round : Fill My Head
7 Grout : Fast Cars
8 Fontaines : Bernadette
9 Josie Cotton : Johnny Are You Queer?
10 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
11 Sneakers : Ruby
12 Nine Steps To Ugly : Eddie Lopez Lives In Slough
13 Man From Delmonte : Like A Millionaire
14 Desk : Astronauts
15 Loch Ness Mouse : Vespa 50
16 Fontaines : I Want Everything
17 Northern Portrait : Crazy
18 Sarah Goes Shopping : Yet Another Song About "Love And Peace"
19 Minisnap : Whistler
20 Je Suis Animal : Painted In My Face

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 may 22

1 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
2 Camera Obscura : French Navy
3 Fontaines : Bernadette
4 Desk : Astronauts
5 Sneakers : Ruby
6 Nine Steps To Ugly : Eddie Lopez Lives In Slough
7 Loch Ness Mouse : Vespa 50
8 Fontaines : I Want Everything
9 Nine Steps To Ugly : Bobby Charlton's Haircut
10 Josie Cotton : Johnny Are You Queer?
11 Hermit Crabs : Flaxen-Haired Boy
12 Grout : Fast Cars
13 Minisnap : Whistler
14 Painted Word : Independence Day
15 Sarah Goes Shopping : Yet Another Song About "Love And Peace"
16 Anti Social : Traffic Lights
17 Je Suis Animal : Painted In My Face
18 Northern Portrait : Crazy
19 News : 50% Reduction
20 Flying Colours : Abstract Art

Green numbers indicate new entries.

THINGS I WANT (NEED)

These I want, must own:

Evening Outs : Channel
Keen : Feline Groovy
Book 'Em Danno : Papa's Got A Brand New Disease
Deadly Toys : Nice Weather
Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
Tin Openers : Set Me Free
Beyond The Implode : Last Thoughts

That's the tip of a very deep iceberg which, despite global warming, refuses to melt.
Some C86 related stuff and some punky glory, that 45 Revolutions book is a dangerous
tome to own. The Evening Outs is highlighted as I want it most of all.
Anyone got any of these they want to sell?