TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 april 9

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

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-------A-yodelling we will go

You ebayers are so predictable. £417 for the Exits ep. Couldn't you have let it alone so I could win it for £100? If only I'd been a regular at Rumbelows in Hounslow back in the day, one of the few outlets it was sold despite the band coming from the glamourously-glazed city of Stoke.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310209797120&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----He's back

Clive Culbertson returns and this time he's even greedier. His unsatisfied appetite gobbles up £213.04. Hope that 4p doesn't give him indigestion. Last time he squeezed a £150+ from some punter. Despite the fact that this record seems to be multiplying there's no shortage of free-spending candidates in thrall to its dubious rarity.



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330422254672&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----Page three extras

Those naked women on the Scoop sleeve appear snooty to me; difficult to achieve when your shorn of all attire. Their charms lured in £141 for seller Punkysteve. A good price for a record that often scrapes the £100 undercarriage.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310212655016&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.

HARDY BOYS-------NEW CD

The new CD by the Hardy Boys, Play Songs From The Lenin And McCarthy Songbook is out now. I can wholeheartedly recommend this if you love quality pop music. Three of the four tracks from their very rare 12" are present including the splendid Wonderful Lie which will be featuring at my forthcoming wedding. What higher recommendation could anyone want?

Here's the link to their MySpace page where you can hear four of the songs from the LP.
http://www.myspace.com/thehardyboysmusic

http://zzzing.co.uk/

The Hardy Boys - Send Me A Sign

EYE ON EBAY----Not jilted this time

Comedy records, love or hate them, one could feel the pain Jilted John was working though whilst moping outsode the chip shop. Never, since Leader Of The Pack, was teenage love presented so poignantly. One could almost smell the heartbreak wafting off of those chips. Graham Fellows left his soggy-hearted alter ego behind and began a new life. One legendary LP from the 80's, the romantically named Love At The Hacienda, captures collectors' imaginations, enough to secure a final sale price of £63.47.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140394150256&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:GB:1123

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 mar 26

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

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-------Satan's little earner

Thrust my hands deep into my pockets and found a farthing in a nest of fluff. So I stepped out of the bidding ring and let the madness ensue. Don't think I've seen this sell for as much as £345. It's Royal Northern by Demon Preacher. Seller Punkysteve is held in high esteem in ebay world so this attracted a small circus of non God-fearing bidders. If only this single would go forth and multiply; in other words will Sing Sing records please reissue it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310208359090&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 mar 19

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

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-------Cashmere-lined raincoats

Some dirty old man or woman pays £87.68 for Blue Movies by the Fascinators. About the going rate. This single was for sale in MVE a few weeks ago for £175 and it sold! I'd love to meet the maniac who paid that for it. A few months previously an Oxfam near Marble Arch had two copies, both for sale at £75. How many copies of this record were pressed?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400109875092&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------Maybe I'm amazed (on consideration, I'm not)

Predictable isn't it. The Amazing Space Frogs gently hop over the £300 barrier eventually selling for £310.99. Boring. Be a story if it sold for less than half that.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160411015617&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Worried trousers

The Angst In My Pants EP is home to some fine jagged offerings from the Digital Dinosaurs, Midnight Circus and the 012 among others. Experimental, detrimental or just mental tunes, there's plenty here to challenge the complacent listener. Final price, a surprising £104.53.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260563280137&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Too unlovely to dance with

Remember this Wallflowers single being on my wants list for a few years. Thank You is a mid-paced slightly melancholic tune. The band came from Slough which is still awaiting a barrage of bombs to land on it. The seller reeled in £41.50, only the 7" though, the 12" might secure nearly twice that.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380212397359&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 mar 12

1 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
2 Escorts : Bingo
3 Blood Red Shoes : It's Getting Boring By The Sea
4 Wild Swans : God Forbid
5 Allo,Darlin' : The Polaroid Song
6 Blanche Hudson Weekend : Crying Shame
7 Ogdens : Rachel Put Your Arms About Me
8 Shrag : Long Term Monster
9 Kick Inside : Oh,Vanity
10 Some Average Prophecy : Tie Me To The Railway Line
11 Parallelograms : Dream On Daisy
12 Cavalcade : Voices
13 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
14 Tin Openers : Set Me Free
15 Form : Watch Out
16 Cold Comfort : S.A.W.S
17 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
18 Form : Start Again
19 Dubious Brothers : The Dog Ate My Poll Tax Form
20 Voluntary Butler Scheme : Trading Things In

Green numbers indicate new entries.

MACHINE------A ghost in or a spanner in.......

The existence of some obscure SRT release from around 1978 by a band called Machine called Bored Of The City was brought to my attention. 45 Revs is not up to (45) speed on this one. It's out there somewhere. Any info on this would be cherished around these parts.

EYE ON EBAY----The portable minimal Dylan

I remember buying this single by Rainy Day Women some thirty years ago. As the seller declares, it's the first release on the legendary Monogam label. What sort of world does he live in? One I'd frequently visit, I imagine. Difficult synth but not as hard work as say the Foetus Symphony Orchestra (featuring Lydia Lunch) which I found in a charity shop yesterday for £2. Anyway the seller raked in £26 for this German nugget.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330405614150&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 mar 5

1 Escorts : Bingo
2 Wild Swans : God Forbid
3 Allo, Darlin' : The Polaroid Song
4 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
5 Kick Inside : Oh, Vanity!
6 Ogdens : Rachel Put Yours About Me
7 Blanche Hudson Weekend : Crying Shame
8 Blood Red Shoes : It's Getting Boring By The Sea
9 Parallelograms : Dream On Daisy
10 Shrag : Long Term Monster
11 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
12 Some Average Prophecy : Tie Me To The Railway Line
13 Form : Start Again
14 Form : Watch Out
15 Cold Comfort : S.A.W.S
16 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
17 Voluntary Butler Scheme : Trading Things In
18 Hardy Boys : Send Me A Sign
19 Cavalcade : Voices
20 Cavalcade : Rooftops And Chaotic Streets

EYE ON EBAY---You can almost see my street on that map

Ah the old homestead. I spent my crucial years (those between the ages 6-25) in ye old shit hole East Sheen. Yes that cruel chorus " East Sheen's a dirty shit hole, East Sheen we're going to burn it down" often reverberated around my bedroom. Late one night after coming back from a Marc And The Mambas gig East Sheen was indeed ablaze. Not the entire suburb but the wood merchants at the bottom of my road. I leaned out of my bedroom window and took a photo. No one thought to question the members of O Level despite the arsonist tendencies East Sheen bestirred within them. It wasn't a shit hole, just a dull suburb where the middle classes amassed against the lower life forms of Roehampton and Mortlake. We were better than them, we had a Waitrose. Oh what a day of celebration it was when Waitrose came to town. But anyway......East Sheen by O Level sells for an astonishing £132.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310199377633&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 feb 26

1 Kick Inside : Oh, Vanity!
2 Escorts : Bingo
3 Allo, Darlin : The Polaroid Song
4 Wild Swans : God Forbid
5 Parallelograms : Dream On Daisy
6 Ogdens : Rachel Put Your Arms About Me
7 Cavalcade : Meet You In The Rain
8 Hardy Boys : Let The World Smother You
9 Form : Start Again
10 Blanche Hudson Weekend : Crying Shame
11 Hardy Boys : Plink Plonk Fizz
12 Cold Comfort : S.A.W.S
13 Voluntary Butler Scheme : Trading Things In
14 Blood Red Shoes : It's Getting Boring By The Sea
15 Cavalcade : Rooftops And Chaotic Streets
16 Hardy Boys : Send Me A Sign
17 Shrag : Long Term Monster
18 Cavalcade : Voices
19 Some Average Prophecy : Tie Me To The Railway Line
20 Form : Watch Out

Green numbers indicate new entries.

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