Here he is,in all his glory!

Where's Rupert? Can you spot him?

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.

EYE ON EBAY--------Love less than minus zero

Noisy punkniks from Bradford the Negatives released this much sought after single in 1979. Always encourages great activity on the keyboard when Love Is Not Real surfaces on ebay. Generated a tidy sum of £127.77 for the seller.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280462117409&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 feb 19

1 Kick Inside : Oh, Vanity!
2 Escorts : Bingo
3 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
4 Parallelograms : Dream On Daisy
5 Allo, Darlin' : The Polaroid Song
6 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
7 Cold Comfort : S.A.W.S
8 Form : Start Again
9 Ogdens : Rachel Put Your Arms About Me
10 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
11 Cavalcade : Rooftops And Chaotic Streets
12 Voluntary Butler Scheme : Trading Things In
13 Hardy Boys : Send Me A Sign
14 Blanche Hudson Weekend : Crying Shame
15 Wild Swans : God Forbid
16 Cold Comfort : Don't Want To Know
17 Codeine Velvet Club : Hollywood
18 Cavalcade : Voices
19 Form : Watch Out
20 That Strange Desire : By My Side

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY---------Frustrated rebels

The Outcasts had looks to match their name. Simple but effective Northern Irish punk band with a basic rawness that served them well. Though at times they make the Lurkers seem sophisticated that only makes them more endearing. Up for sale here was their first release, Frustration, on It records. Interest peaked at £58.89.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120528106774&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------Panic in the streets of cyberspace

Fronted by a certain Mr. Valentine Guinness (hope that's his real name) Panic released an extremely limited red vinyl 7" around the beginning of the 1980's. Powerpop fiends were gently flustered and someone carried this prize off for £64.03. Guinness had a solo effort on the RAK label sink without trace a few months previous to this.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350314855676&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 feb 12

1 Kick Inside : Oh, Vanity!
2 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
3 Cold Comfort : S.A.W.S
4 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
5 Parallelograms : Dream On Daisy
6 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fuzz
7 Form : Start Again
8 Cavalcade : Rooftops And Chaotic Streets
9 Allo, Darlin' : The Polaroid Song
10 Hardy Boys : Send Me A Sign
11 Ogdens : Rachel Put Your Arms About Me
12 Codeine Velvet Club : Hollywood
13 Voluntary Butler Scheme : Trading Things In
14 Escorts : Bingo
15 Cold Comfort : Don't Want To Know
16 Cavalcade : Voices
17 That Strange Desire : By My Side
18 Form : Watch Out
19 Cold Comfort : Really Really Don't Mind
20 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY------Foresight no good without hindsight

Tempted though I was to finally procure a copy of the LP The Foresight Saga by the Dubious Brothers I suffocated the raving lunatic part of my brain and let the bidding madness continue without me. Glad I was for my restraint as this elusive nugget sold for £137. Surprised me as it generally stalls around £80-£90.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370332803412&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----Let's do the spin cycle again

Rockabilly was milling around the nether regions of the charts in the early 80's but the Wild Eagles failed to glide on the trade winds. A private release in 1982, Wash Machine Boogie was backed with the more familiar Rip It Up and Twenty Flight Rock. Hopes were high for this but in the end it trundled off to a new home for the skinny sum of £7.16.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WILD-EAGLES-Wash-Machine-Boogie-KBD-UK-1982-PRIVATE_W0QQitemZ350312941851QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Records?hash=item519047491b

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 feb 5

1 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
2 Cold Comfort : S.A.W.S
3 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
4 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
5 Cavalcade : Rooftops And Chaotic Streets
6 Hardy Boys : Send Me A Sign
7 Form : Start Again
8 Kick Inside : Oh,Vanity!
9 Cold Comfort : Don't Want To Know
10 Codeine Velvet Club : Hollywood
11 That Strange Desire : By My Side
12 Parallelograms : Dream On Daisy
13 Form : Watch Out
14 Cavalcade : Voices
15 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy
16 Nightingales : Devil In The Detail
17 Allo, Darlin' : The Polaroid Song
18 Cold Comfort : Really Really Don't Mind
19 Baby Jane Holzer : Nowhere
20 Next Time Passions : Not Here Anymore

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-------The price of a licence fee

Bee Bee Cee's straightforward punk product You Gotta Know Girl twists a formidable £127.55 out of some punter.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270522567731&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----Lost battle

Gingerly bidding just under half the sale price, as I did, for this indie offering from Guernica released in 1987 on Idol records was a recipe for failure. I think they were Irish which might lend some significance to the title of the A side, Orange And Red. Sold for £92.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360230245197&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 jan 29

1 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
2 Cold Comfort : Don't Want To Know
3 Hardy Boys : Send Me A Sign
4 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
5 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
6 Codeine Velvet Club : Hollywood
7 Form : Watch Out
8 Cavalcade : Rooftops And Chaotic Streets
9 Cold Comfort : S.A.W.S
10 Form : Start Again
11 Nightingales : Devil In The Detail
12 That Strange Desire : By My Side
13 Cavalcade : Voices
14 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy
15 Cold Comfort : Really Really Don't Mind
16 Next Time Passions : Not Here Anymore
17 Baby Jane Holzer : Nowhere
18 M J Hibbett : Clubbing In The Week
19 Up And Running : Johnny And Marie
20 Playhouse : Yesterday's Girl

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TOP OF THE CLASS

Found in a secondhand record shop in London for £25. A xmas present from the girlfriend as she saw me tugging a few raddled notes from my pocket and took charitable pity on me.

Daktari Swets on lead vocal, Pete Watt on vocals and guitar, Nick Calloway on lead guitar, Andy Hill on bass and Big G on drums made up The Form. Watch Out, a perky piece of punky pop, was released on Elephant records and has the catalogue number Tun 2 which is a teasing hint that there exists a Tun 1. One suspects they were fresh out of school, expelled or otherwise, in 1980 when this blast of juvenilia was released. Two other songs, London Underground and Start Again, lurk with potent intent on the B side. All worthy of a gold star.

The Form - Watch Out

Free website - Wix.com

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.

EYE ON EBAY------Mod spends wad

From the Mike Read collection comes Stevie Sharp And The Clean Cuts. Mod revival on Happy Face which might not be so happy once you've chucked £142 at it. We Are The Mods was a rallying cry the buying public soundly ignored back in 1980.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120516239846&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----Used Needles are expensive

Anything on Ellie Jay seems to whip up a froth of interest. The Needles are a mystery to me but someone parted with £43.79 to acquire Jayneski/Gotta Know You. Did they do anything else?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370317170835&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY--------Clive alive!

Clive Culbertson's Time To Kill single never fails to make a pauper out of someone and that someone will be £153.12 poorer. This single seems to appear every few months or so but still attracts high bids.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370323846166&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

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.

EYE ON EBAY-------Put out more flags

Pleasant indiepop 12" by No Flags Etc. shifts for £30.30. They have a CD out where this single and more can be experienced.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180453320634&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY--------An expensive addition to the wardrobe

It's the What To Wear EP. Now I can report this little accessory fell at £93.74. Draped on the record deck it'll take you to the hinterland of weird and you'll find very little to go with it. Four tracks make up the Casual But Smart 7" and I was smart enough to pick it up as a buy it now for about £7 a couple of years ago. What a saving I made!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120517633528&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------Expensive library book

A 7" record that Clive Culbertson engineered by the Faders stretched into three figures, selling at £103.50. Cheatin' c/w Library Book is apparently a raw rock belter. Is it? Mr.Culbertson has his Time To Kill on ebay right now with one day to go before the auction ends, currently selling at £85.27.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120519073391&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 jan 8

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

Green numbers indicate new entries.

The Hardy Boys - Plink Plonk Fizz

EYE ON EBAY----From the Mike Read collection.

Sympathy is extended to Mike Read who recently had to auction thousands of records to help stave of bankruptcy. Among the mainly sixties and seventies pop items was this effort from Wasteland, their second single, a follow up to their Want Not EP. £93 was the final total, no doubt devoured by Mike's bankruptcy black hole, which is a high price; perhaps its provenance helped it attain such a healthy return. I've seen it sell for under £60.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120515791021&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 jan 1 2010

1 Cold Comfort : Really Really Don't Mind
2 Cavalcade : Voices
3 M J Hibbett : Clubbing In The Week
4 Baby Jane Holzer : Nowhere
5 M J Hibbett : Fucking Hippy
6 High And Dry : Rising Waves
7 Sex Clark Five : You Left The Lights On In Your Eyes
8 New Walk : Shape Of Things To Come
9 Next Time Passions : Not Here Anymore
10 Up And Running : Johnny And Marie
11 Days : Jigsville
12 Nightingales : Devil In The Detail
13 Black And White Lovers : Best Years Of Our Lives
14 Dislocation Dance : Violette
15 Aces And Eights : Hard Luck Stories
16 Allo Darlin' : Henry Rollins Don't Dance
17 Different Eyes : Open The Box
18 Shattered Dreams : Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained
19 Read All Over : Outside To The Other World
20 Royston : Snake's Song

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY----Overcooked indie from East Anglia

One wonders if the sole bidder of this item knew the legendary Potting Sheds featured on this comp, pleasantly named Burn It To A Crisp, a practice witches suffered at the hands of suspicious yokels in East Anglia, oh, only several decades back. Subtitled A Taste Of The Norfolk and North Suffolk Indie Scene because hey, "we wouldn't want any of those talentless South Suffolk sorts spoiling our buzz with their inferior indie", it is liberally littered with inferior indie. At the time though, circa 1990, this probably had pre-grunge kids yelling insults and bragging about Insanglia (as opposed to Madchester) across the fens as the rest of England took a giant-sized E and floundered on the dancefloor like a broken Bez. Sold for £4.99, about what I paid for it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130355464110&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 dec 25

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

Green numbers indicate new entries.