EYE ON EBAY------Absent from the holy text.

An oversight by Mr.45 Revs. According to the seller this single by the Sweeney is a punky effort released in 1979 but it is absent from the 45 Revs tome. I'm thinking the seller is at fault here with some incorrect info but if not perhaps a rewrite is on the cards. Only sold for a paltry fiver.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=320381535740

EYE ON EBAY----Return of oxfam glam.

Those scamps in cast-offs Dolly Mixture appear again, this time represented by their wonderful LP. An improvement on its last performance it stretched provocatively up to £100. My extra copy is for sale at £80.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=150349529951

IMPOSSIBLE DREAMERS-------They liked libraries

This single was recorded on January 7th 1980 thereby missing any critical appraisal from Mr.45 Revs. Books Books Books, the stand out track is, freakishly, a tribute to words rounded up and herded onto pages of books. This first release on Merciful Release shone a light on four fine songs of unrefined charm plus one throwaway track. The Impossible Dreamers was Caroline on vocals, Nick on guitar and vocals, Justin on bass, Colin on guitar and Simon on drums with various guests contributing handclaps.

The first three named held the group together for most of the eighties. Though they never got within a "now then, now then" of the charts they deserve a cigar for tenacity.

In 1982 they released Life On Earth, a Y (label) reg excursion into post punk. B side Spin was apparently a dance sensation in a club in New York. In 1984 came This House Built On Sand, a bright zingy number they could have stolen from the Bhundu Boys. In 1985 came August Avenue, a Johnny Marr production, which was a pleasant, if rather anaemic, pop effort.

By now RCA had extended a corporate hand and in either 1986 or 1987 they released one of their strongest singles, Say Goodbye To No One, which was stuffed with drama courtesy of Abbaesque piano and Caroline's sky-skidding vocals.

impossible dreamers books.mp3 -

EYE ON EBAY-------Clog rock.

Dutch punk I am completely ignorant of ensures Lpman can put a down payment on a small windmill. The Squats, who?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270381228050

EYE ON EBAY-------You better shape up.

Lpman returns with a single by the Squares, a band of minor interest. This is the original issue of No Fear on Airebeat before Sire scooped them up and they re-recorded it to meet a no better fate than its predecessor. I picked up the second version in an Oxford charity shop a few years ago. These shapes shifted for a few pounds short of £40.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270381225382

EYE ON EBAY------Someone left the crypt open.

Another Thing From The Crypt crawled out again. It had sold for a much higher sum a few days before. An example of the law of diminishing returns. If anyone else is planning to sell this I suggest you keep the crypt padlocked for six months.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=170338248491

EYE ON EBAY----Missing Lynx

Highly sought after this single by Lynx scaled the financial heights plateauing out at £277. This is the second time it has appeared on ebay in recent months. Only 500 pressed.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=310145467760

EYE ON EBAY------Caught by the Buzz.

Redball records found Shrewsbury's finest feral youth and encouraged them to wreak musical havoc on this first release. The Buzz would return with slightly different personnel to record an LP in 1981 called Asylum.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=380125496435

EYE ON EBAY-----Dr.Who's deadly foe seeks new home.

Dumb punk of the finest kind. Has been no.1 on the Dalek's planet for thirty years. Only singles by Dalek I Love You and Dalek Beach Party have dared to challenge its superiority but they have all been exterminated. This is the Art Attacks single I Am A Dalek which sold for £30+, probably not to a Cyberman.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230344613924

EYE ON EBAY-----Japanese seller giving a little back

Here are a few powerpoppers presently residing in Japan although they are all about to go travelling. I have not heard this single by the Neat but it fetched a tidy sum.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=320377782359

I've been tempted by the Extras effort before but never had the courage to bid blind (meaning I've never heard it). Always seems to generate interest but sold for a mild £31 this time.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=320377778054

And finally the classic Your I's Are Too Close Together by the Elevators. I have the A side on a comp but is the B side any good?
Sold for an extremely low price due to the sleeve being a xerox copy.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=320377776472

WHAT I WON ON EBAY

Cutbacks in the household have dictated harsh decisions have had to be made. Only ensnare the extremely intriguing or the most wanted. Applying the former rule I cornered an opponent and dealt them a fatal blow. Having discovered this Cindy And The Barbi Dolls/Young Marble Giants hybrid I could not approach this auction in a listless manner. Indifferent Dance Centre was from Chichester and released this single in 1982. I am unaware of any other releases.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=380127050622

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

I made sure the winner of the Beyond The Implode single delved deep to claim their reward. This was their second release which is almost as desirable as their first. They have recently released a new single should you wish to subject yourself to their peculiar slice of sloppy genius.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=160338493927

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 may 29

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

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY----Monster emerges carrying casio.

The Another Thing From The Crypt comp hauls in a £100+ for the seller. One of those comps where I suspect a lot of the bands ( features Jesus Couldn't Drum, Vertical Hold, Sleeping Pictures and Silent Race) make music consisting of bleeps, burps and boops. In the name of experimentation many crimes were committed against music.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110391447051

EYE ON EBAY-----Way over my limit.

A Lennon/McCartney cover by the Limit that generates great interest. Sources claim that the B side, My World At Night, is an exemplary example of pristine powerpop. I didn't have a spare £90 to find out.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=280347990706

EYE ON EBAY

Welsh powerpop single returns. The Screen Gemz are guaranteed to secure a hefty return for the seller. Finding this, minus picture sleeve, in MVE for 50p still sends ripples of pleasure through my very essence. Anyone got the picture sleeve they want to sell me?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250432361981

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY-------A most bountiful scavenge.

The Undertones lamented the disappointment of wednesday week and wednesday's child was reputedly full of woe but wednesday May 27 2009 shall always be known to me as wonderful wednesday. I made a little detour on the way home and squeezed through the doors of a new charity shop just before it closed to discover these :

As if finding these did not visit upon me acres of joy I then won the Dolly Mixture single on ebay to complete my DM collection for a paltry £21. My highest bid was no more than £21.86 and I watched the clock tick down the last four minutes adamant I would bid no higher. No challengers. New Look Baby/Baby It's You can now nuzzle up to the rest of my DM collection.

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.

NINE STEPS TO UGLY---------A thing of beauty from Slough

According to Eddie Cochran there are three steps to heaven, a fact that through paranormal channels he could possibly confirm for us. Now if Eddie was the curious type he would have continued climbing the metaphorical stairs until he reached ugly which, according to this band from Slough, exists on a higher plane than heaven. Despite their arcane and clumsy name Nine Steps To Ugly relish constructing a straightforward pop tune.

So who was Eddie Lopez? He was the Labour candidate for Slough in the 1987 and 1992 elections, finishing runner up on both occasions to the Conservatives. If you're anticipating a song in Redskins fire and brimstone mould you'll be disappointed. And if I have to explain to you who Bobby Charlton is I'll be disappointed. Bobby Charlton's Haircut, the second song on this flexi is, I think, obscurely referenced by the unusual placing of the apostrophe in the title of the tune as the song itself pays no tribute to Mr.Charlton's disingenuous wispy fibre formation.

Nine Steps To Ugly was made up of Tracey Owen on vocals, Jim Turner on guitar, Cameron Smillie on guitar, Nick Elson on bass and Dave Best on drums and they played their final gig in June 1989 supported by a Thousand Yard Stare.

nine steps to ugly eddie lopez lives in slough.mp3 -

EYE ON EBAY-----Man of the cloth fills collection box

Fabric fetishist Lawrence Hayward of Felt and Denim fame first etched his name on pop's family tree back in 1979 with this rare single cheaply recorded in his bedroom. Certainly it champions the DIY ethic of the times, though those that heard it thought it should have stayed in his bedroom. I can't offer an opinion having never heard it and I declined to hurl £100+ just to have the privilege.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230342473182

EYE ON EBAY

If they were behind the sales of their records they could now afford to shop in Selfridges but I think the Dolly Mixture girls will have to live off Happy Talk royalties for a little while longer as I suspect they aren't behind the latest deluge of Dolly Mixture vinyl that has swamped ebay of late. A decent £85 was taken by seller silasgreen5000 but I've seen this item soar over £100 before.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=150346296221

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 may 15

1 Camera Obscura : French Navy
2 Fontaines : Bernadette
3 Nine Steps To Ugly: Eddie Lopez Lives In Slough
4 Sneakers : Ruby
5 Fontaines : I Want Everything
6 Loch Ness Mouse : Vespa 50
7 Josie Cotton : Johnny Are You Queer?
8 Hermit Crabs : Flaxen-Haired Boy
9 Painted Word : Independence Day
10 Desk : Astronauts
11 Minisnap : Whistler
12 Sarah Goes Shopping : Yet Another Song About "Love And Peace"
13 News : 50% Reduction
14 Anti Social : Traffic Lights
15 Je Suis Animal : Painted In My Face
16 Devils Hole Gang : Isn't It
17 B-Team : All I Ever Wanted
18 Flying Colours : Abstract Art
19 Northern Portrait : Crazy
20 Kamikaze Pilots : Sharon Signs To Cherry Red

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY----Mod moves in mysterious ways.

Ed Ball produced the Reflection AOB 12" and the seller was proud to claim his copy had been signed by trumpeter Wiggy. I can outdo him as my copy has been signed by all seven band members. Mod revival exports from Essex long after that scene had fizzled out, they recorded this, their only single, in July 1986. I have a spare so if anyone wants to offer me £62 for my signed copy I'm waiting.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=360154381444

FONTAINES

Recorded in three days in August 1987 this superior independent release vaulted into the pop world to a clamour of indifference. Unfair treatment indeed. With lyrics redolent of Morrissey after an all night kitchen sink drama video session they may well have been ready to perch on the throne of misery the Smiths were about to vacate. Nothing more was forthcoming though and this slice of pulchritudinous pop was consigned to the carrier bag of discarded dreams.

The band consisted of Brian Green on vocals, Duane Fontaine on guitar, Louis Jones on guitar, Andy Reynolds on bass and Ed Grimshaw on drums. I had an email from Dr. Andy Reynolds who tells me that Louis Jones and Ed Grimshaw went on to form the Warm Jets and Brian Green went on to record an LP with Hugh Cornwell, then went to Nashville and now teaches song-writing MA in Bath. Apparently there exist videos of the band performing other songs which may one day appear on Youtube. Dr.Reynolds is now a reader in medieval archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology in London. Perhaps five hundred years from now someone will dig up an old Fontaines record and marvel at this gleaming example of mid eighties pop.

fontaines i want everything.mp3 -

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 may 8

1 Nine Steps To Ugly : Eddie Lopez Lives In Slough
2 Sneakers : Ruby
3 Fontaines : I Want Everything
4 Fontaines : Bernadette
5 Camera Obscura : French Navy
6 Josie Cotton : Johnny Are You Queer?
7 News : 50% Reduction
8 Je Suis Animal : Painted In My Face
9 Sarah Goes Shopping : Yet Another Song About "Love And Peace"
10 Hermit Crabs : Flaxen-Haired Boy
11 Loch Ness Mouse : Vespa 50
12 Painted Word : Independence Day
13 Minisnap : Whistler
14 B-Team : All I Ever Wanted
15 Devils Hole Gang : Isn't It
16 Flying Colours : Abstract Art
17 Northern Portrait : Crazy
18 Kamikaze Pilots : Sharon Signs To Cherry Red
19 Anti-Social : Traffic Lights
20 Stormclouds : Lost In Space

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-----Double scoop of dolly mixture.

Oxfam chic and St.Etienne connections are enough to stoke up no small interest among twee indie collectors. Not surprisingly these two singles by the saccharine-soaked Dolly Mixture brought in a reasonable return for the sellers. In fact I've never seen Remember This sell for £50+, a more likely price would be around the £40 mark.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=330326924597

Meanwhile Baby It's You went for a meek £27.71. I should have bid as it remains the one Dolly Mixture record I need and the longing for it is becoming like a toothache.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=200337780715

UP NORTH-----A TRIP TO HUDDERSFIELD TO VISIT RECORD SHOP "WALL OF SOUND"

Your host and Jeanette Leech, avid record collector and struggling author, meet in a Huddersfield car park for a day of scavenging. Note the man in the background trying to disembowel the ticket machine; the recession has arrived.

It's not all about records. Outside Oxfam with our purchases, books about Henry Green, Japanese pop culture and er....a record by the Sadista Sisters.

See that's why the shop is called Wall Of Sound. For all you geeks out there, I'm sorry but I do not have a list of all those records clinging to the wall.

"Look I've found a record. I think I might like this one. It's from the sixties and a girl is singing the tune." Jeanette is modelling special glasses with lenses with super magnification designed to locate any vinyl imperfections. Red jacket is optional.