WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

This is now officially getting tiresome. I have been after the Das Schnitz single for a few years now and thought it was within my reach last weekend. It had the doctored sleeve, the one where Chaka Khan plays an unwilling participant in their shot at fame, and despite the high postage cost some US dealers feel the need to charge I was poised in the final seconds to apprehend the elusive rascal. The girlfriend was kindly subbing me and she'd told me to go up to 150. The auction being in dollars I took her to mean dollars and bid $154. That bid did not secure me the item and when I told her the bad news she told me she meant £150. I have reached the age where tantrums are unseemly but I did feel like gathering up some toys, squeezing into a pram and throwing them violently around the room.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270296679662

EYE ON EBAY

Representing the steel city of Sheffield we have the Deaf Aids first release which never fails to fire up strong passions among ebay's punk collectors. Though I have a roomful of piggy banks (one is actually a pig, three are hippos and one is a yellow Malta bus) they had been eviscerated to pay for my annual spending spree at the Olympia record fair. So I merely sat and gawped as this perky little item zoomed past the £200 mark. Isn't someone going to comp this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270296691018

Less Jungle, More Jangle, Elephant Noise Trunk It Up

Go north of the border and you'll find the tradition of indie pop jangle still thriving. Maybe it's the deep fried Mars bars or the cold winds that glide mercilessly through the crofts that inspires the Scots to don their guitars and celebrate Byrdsian pop in a fruitless search for a hint of US West Coast sunshine. Is there a finest British powerpop band than Teenage Fanclub? Wasn't indiepop started by those imperious scamps Orange Juice?

Elephant Noise's horrendously rare 12" contains four songs. Of these my favourite is Halloween Day. A darkness pervades this plea to a friend to leave his old love behind, find a new one, exorcise old ghosts, gather up memories and stove them away and dance with new demons; deny the rumbling echoes of the past and ruthlessly grasp the future. Not far behind in my affections is Remember The Big Time which bristles with energy, a sort of ferocious REM-like sound. The contemplative Cactus Talk is as ruminative as the Triffids at their maudlin best. And This Song Is Our Friend whispers warm thoughts and threads a web of hope around mundane hearts.

Four men were responsible for this overlooked masterpiece, Tom Heaney (drums and keyboards), Neil Barber (rhythm guitar, violin and vocals), Stuart Allardyce (lead guitars) and Neil Tayler (bass). Pour praise on to them, they warrant it. The ep came out in 1991 on Rub Records, which I suspect was their own label, and I urge you to seek it out.

EYE ON EBAY

The Beez buzzed around ebay and stung a punter for £266. Now I love my original 7" singles but I thought getting the Beez LP compilation a good deal for a tenner. Funky Gibbon was selling both their singles and I imagine there will be an extra large Christmas tree in his house this year.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=170275900221

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=170275900221

EYE ON EBAY

I have absolutely no idea who What The Curtains were. Those in the know seemed quite satisfied to part with £80. I suspect some bidders may have got over excited. I suspect a rather flat keyboard dominated tune may have been their input into the 80's music scene. Annoyingly I may never find out but my curiosity would run no further than a tenner.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220308100765

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

I went no further than a few yards for this obscure slab of eighties indie by Miracle Mile. I fear I may have lost a gem but I saw it pass the £50 mark and I felt reason tugging at my rampant urge to consume all indie obscurities at any cost. Reason wrestled manfully with temptation and vinyl lust and overcame those twin idiots.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&item=330287368806

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Beyond The Fence Begins The Sky.It was inevitable that someone would bite hard on this compilation. It had the attraction of the Jeremiahs and Home And Abroad among many other lesser lights. Has anyone ever heard of Enamel Animals or Too Sweet To Suck? That last name could be a Disney porn film. More likely an over-sugared lollipop, this being indie world. I pushed old rival Picheux to a vertiginous price but he simply admired the view.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&item=220314010486

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 nov 14

1 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
2 Milky Wimpshake : Dialling Tone
3 Elephant Noise : This Song Is Our Friend
4 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Doing All The Things That Wouldn't Make Your Parents Proud
5 Some Loves : It's My Time
6 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Orchard Of My Eye
7 Northern Portrait : Crazy
8 Starlets : Viva Cabaret
9 Henry Essence : 14 Year Old Lover
10 That Uncertain Feeling : Sunriser
11 Milky Wimpshake : One Good Use For My Heart
12 Twig : Ciao Ciao Bomb
13 Tartans : Cats Of Camerford
14 Glo-Worm : Travelogue
15 Milky Wimpshake : ( Show Me The Way To ) Anarchy
16 Ruby Blue : Bloomsbury Blue
17 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
18 Liechtenstein : Stalking Skills
19 One On The Clapometer : Long Term Investment
20 Maria : Friends Forever

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 nov 7

1 Northern Portrait : Crazy
2 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
3 Marble Orchard : Our Love Is Up To You
4 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
5 Gobblinz : London
6 Elephant Noise : This Song Is Our Friend
7 Ruby Blue : Bloomsbury Blue
8 One On The Clapometer : Long Term Investment
9 Jam Today : Stereotyping
10 School : Let It Slip
11 Some Loves : It's My Time
12 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence
13 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart :Doing All The Things That Wouldn't Make Your Parents Proud
14 Henry Essence Margarita
15 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
16 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Orchard Of My Eye
17 Bridal Shop : Violation
18 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
19 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
20 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 31

1 Northern Portrait : Crazy
2 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
3 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
4 Marble Orchard : Our Love Is Up To You
5 School : Let It Slip
6 Gobblinz : London
7 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence
8 Ruby Blue : Bloomsbury Blue
9 Jam Today : Stereotyping
10 Henry Essence : Margarita
11 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
12 Elephant Noise : This Song Is Our Friend
13 Bridal Shop : Violation
14 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
15 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
16 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
17 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
18 Some Loves : It's My Time
19 Stricken City : Tak O Tak
20 One On The Clapometer : Long Term Investment

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY

GREEK INDIE RECORD STRIPS PAINT OFF BANK WALLS

A big night out at the local Athenian taverna for earthspan1@yahoo.gr as he ropes in £227 for a legendary vinyl adventure by the Jaywalkers. Allegedly only a hundred pressed the indie community went into a frenzy for this grecian antiquity from 1989. Seems like it features two Beatles covers and nobody can have enough versions of Tomorrow Never Knows. But are the Jaywalkers as good as Fantastic Something?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JAYWALKERS-HAPPY-ALL-THE-TIME-12-GREEK-C86-INDIE-POP_W0QQitemZ300270697212QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300270697212&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A13%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Turntable Revolution Record Collection 18

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 24

1 Northern Portrait : Crazy
2 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
3 School : Let It Slip
4 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
5 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence
6 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
7 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
8 Gobblinz : London
9 Marble Orchard : Our Love Is Up To You
10 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
11 Henry Essence : Margarita
12 Stricken City : Tak O Tak
13 Jam Today : Stereotyping
14 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
15 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
16 Ruby Blue : Bloomsbury Blue
17 Friends Of The Bride : Buckle Up! Sunshine
18 Los Campesinos : My Year In Lists
19 Bridal Shop : Violation
20 Vivian Girls : Tell The World

Green numbers indicate new entries.

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Congratulations Picheux 89 for trouncing all opposition in the hectic fight for Fallover 24. Here is a competitor who will throw obstinate heaps of money at records no matter their true worth. No need to point that gun at me, I'll admit that if I'd had the financial resources I'd have valiantly waded into fiscal deep waters. In cyber space there is no recession, the consumer tumor has not spread to ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=200259634685

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct17

1 School : Let It Slip
2 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
3 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
4 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
5 Stricken City : Tak O Tak
6 Northern Portrait : Crazy
7 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
8 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
9 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence
10 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
11 Vivian Girls : Tell The World
12 Gobblinz : London
13 Henry Essence : Margarita
14 Friends Of The Bride : Buckle Up! Sunshine
15 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
16 Los Campesinos : My Year In Lists
17 Jam Today : Stereotyping
18 Alphabeat : Boyfriend
19 Marble Orchard : Our Love Is Up To You
20 Shapiros : Gone By Fall

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct10

1 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
2 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
3 School : Let It Slip
4 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
5 Stricken City : Tak O Tak
6 Vivian Girls : Tell The World
7 Friends Of The Bride : Buckle Up! Sunshine
8 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
9 Discount Chiefs : Trumpets Will Blow
10 Shapiros : Gone By Fall
11 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
12 Alphabeat : Boyfriend
13 Los Campesinos : My Year In Lists
14 Tiberius' Minnows : Time Flies
15 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
16 Clientele : What Goes Up
17 Gobblinz : London
18 Able : Regressing To Sixteen
19 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Come Saturday
20 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Just because I'm old it doesn't mean I know all the answers. The Scavenger is confused by a cryptic clue about some obscure jazz artist in the Record Collector crossword. The first day of our fortnight of record scavenging in Brighton, Nottingham and Sheffield.

Here we are in Snooper's Paradise in Brighton. Noticing the odd stray grey hair the girlfriend thinks it's time I took to the golf course, a more suitable middle aged pursuit than rifling through old records. Unfortunately this is not a follow up to Tina Charles' show stopper Dr.Love.

Trying to create a little mystery I hide behind a cool record sleeve. It's cool because it's got the fabulous sixties girl band the Orchids on it and Louise Cordet. Please ignore the Bachelors.

We find a glorious resting place for departed vinyls. Anarchy records in Nottingham houses such delights as a vinyl single on Wee Pop and too many mediocre nineties indie bands to list. Anyone after a Kingmaker single?

Posing outside Anarchy before the girlfriend departs for tea and muffin at the nearby cafe. I'm still stupidly happy at finding one of the records ( Razorblade Smile ) I released on my label fifteen years ago but I refused to buy it as I still have 20 unsold copies at home. Instead I buy records by Mecca Normal and Eva Luna.

The Scavenger's arthritic knees are testament to his passion for plastic. Here I am thrilled at finding a Milky Wimpshake LP which I already own on vile CD. There is so much vintage dust in Anarchy that old miners visit it for nostalgic purposes.

Hit the north. I had the girlfriend working hard to get this shot. After four failed attempts I slowed down to a reckless 20 miles an hour.

This picture is dedicated to my old scarf which I lost in Oxford a week later. Of minor interest is the Eva Luna record I found in the Broomhill Oxfam, Sheffield.

Our spoils from Nottingham and Sheffield. This will either illustrate our diverse taste or complete lack of it. Disclaimer: the Mrs insisted we purchase Rodney Allen Rippy, nothing to do with me.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 3

1 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
2 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
3 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
4 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
5 Vivian Girls : Tell The World
6 Discount Chiefs : Trumpets Will Blow
7 Shapiros : Gone By Fall
8 Friends Of The Bride : Buckle Up! Sunshine
9 Alphabeat : Boyfriend
10 Tiberius' Minnows : Time Flies
11 Able : Regressing To Sixteen
12 Clientele : What Goes Up
13 Los Campesinos : My Year In Lists
14 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Come Saturday
15 Stricken City : Tak O Tak
16 Uncool Danceband : Jacqueline
17 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
18 Tearjerkers : Love Affair
19 Northern Picture Library : Paris
20 Sea Urchins : Summershine

Green numbers indicate new entries.

WHAT I WON ON EBAY

A Welsh nugget that I missed several months back finally came into my possession. Very much in the spirit of the experimental storm that swept through independent releases after the exertions of punk became wearisome for some, One On The Clapometer would have ensured 89 on the clapometer once my hands got busy. This had sold for over £30 in the past so I was pleased to snare it for under half that. What household doesn't need a sociopathic version of As Time Goes By? A dull one.

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

I was never really in the running for the Beyond The Implode single as its sale price
exceeded £160. I've seen it stumble over the £100 mark which is about its worth.
The seller decided on a crazy shipping price of £16 due to insurance, declaring
to customs and other such rigmarole. I can't decide whether he's a pristine
example of a law abiding citizen or a rip off merchant. This single is not the
Holy Grail for me, that's still the Evening Outs, but it's the equivalent of
one of the legs off of Arthur's round table.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270279387022

EYE ON EBAY

In the last month those architects of the jejune Joy Division have been exercising their cultdom
all over ebay. A big fuss was caused over this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110299705537.

A nice little earner for the seller though not the equal to this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=150293332813

34 bids and not one of them was mine. I'm sure it'll break into four figures one day. But until I can perfect my design for a fold up car I'm out of any future bidding frenzy on these essential
JD ephemera.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept 26

1 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
2 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
3 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
4 Friends Of The Bride : So.....You Think You Can Dance?
5 Tiberius' Minnows : Time Flies
6 Shapiros : Gone By Fall
7 Alphabeat : Boyfriend
8 Clientele : What Goes Up
9 Discount Chiefs : Trumpets Will Blow
10 Able : Regressing To Sixteen
11 Tearjerkers : Love Affair
12 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Come Saturday
13 Vivian Girls : Tell The World
14 Uncool Danceband : Jacqueline
15 Los Campesinos : My Year In Lists
16 Northern Picture Library : Paris
17 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
18 BTP Folders : All Of A Sudden
19 Sea Urchins : Summershine
20 Friends Of The Bride : Buckle Up! Sunshine

Green numbers indicate new entries.