EYE ON EBAY--------Early riser

Reference books are a thing of wonder, aren't they? But are they to be trusted? To safeguard the author from plagiarism said books have been known to invent facts. Even the A-Z has the odd false street marked in it. Waylaid by the wonder of a band called Morning Spunk found in 45 Revs I doubted the veracity of the entry. From what spurt of imagination did this name ooze? Whereas the Sex Pistols was a reasonably witty moniker what was amusing about a name possibly inspired by a dawn greeting from a chipper Australian?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400076146697&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

But there's the £80 proof. Two naked girls drenched in a deluge of man jam adorn the cover; or alternatively they've just stepped out of the shower together. Released only in Italy, land of Berlusconi and topless TV presenters, the band shot their load of talent to little effect. Perhaps their brand of sleazy sex was a little premature, thirty years on Italy seems ready for them now.

EYE ON EBAY----Gets on my wick

The Penny Candles came from Hull, the place the Devil created for his kingdom, misspelling it so a vengeful God couldn't find him, and it rather annoyed me when their wonderful jangular 12" sold for a mere £23.55. I paid almost double for mine. Light a candle for me and fling a penny or two my way.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330362755570&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept 25

1 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
2 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
3 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
4 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
5 Dodos : Blind To Fiction
6 Single File : Out In The Traffic
7 Beware The Dog : Madam
8 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
9 Venom : Later On
10 White Town : A New Surprise
11 Lost Boys : Who Are The Meek Ones?
12 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
13 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
14 Famous Five : Take Over
15 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
16 Peppelkade 14 : Hour After Hour
17 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
18 Little My : Guess Who
19 Downdime : Hate The Mornings
20 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?

Green numbers indicate new entries.

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Not fond of bidding on anything Modboy1 sells as it usually attracts Rockefeller types. Lazily and tentatively bid just under £30 for a single by Greenlines. Why? Because they reminded Modboy of the Homosexuals and the TV Personalities. Inevitably I was intrigued but cautiously and so lost out, said single selling for £30.55.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330360947770&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY---Lose 39 lbs in a minute

Here's one my girlfriend bought me for my bithday several years back. I hope she paid less than £39.89 for this excellent piece of punk whimsy by the Thin Yoghurts. Not often seen on ebay the buyer got a bargain.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250502854766&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept18

1 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
2 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
3 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
4 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
5 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
6 White Town : A New Surprise
7 Single File : Out In The Traffic
8 Beware The Dog : Madam
9 Famous Five : Take Over
10 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
11 Downdime : Hate The Mornings
12 Dodos : Blind To Fiction
13 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
14 Little My : Guess Who
15 Two People : Let's Raise Murder
16 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
17 Venom : Later On
18 Sitting Pretty : Broken Glass Lies
19 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
20 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-----Like Dolly Mixture on fags

Modboy1 claimed that Spirit Level sounded like Dolly Mixture and that may have been enough of a prod to push this over the £70 mark. The sleeve would have one thinking they were perhaps more rocky than that, but then only Peters & Lee could be less rocky than the Dollies, and with a song called Cigarette World and a singer in trousers so shiny and tight even Olivia Newton John would have gasped I suspect they could hold their own on a boozy night in the Dublin Castle.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330360957545&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----Oil price highest rise in history

What Is Oil? indeed. This must be the very best grade. This single rarely bruises the £20 mark. I've seen it sell on ebay twice and I won it the second time for about £16. And yet some maniac pays £93.55 for it. This highlights the insanity of ebay. Seller Modboy 1 has an impeccable ebay history and anything he sells usually generates a flurry of interest but he must have been overcome with glee when he raked in nearly £100 for this decidedly average effort.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WHAT-IS-OIL-rare-1982-UK-DIY-PUNK-SYNTH-PRIVATE_W0QQitemZ330360951280QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item4ceb0c11f0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

EYE ON EBAY------V's V's Me

After driving 4,000 miles around Europe in two weeks I'm too exhausted to invite controversy so I'm certain there's a legitimate explanation as to why this single by the Chevrons fails to meet the necessary criteria to award it a place in 45 Revs. The seller, the reliable Hypstr 66, claims it was released in 1979. Yet to sell, he has it at a buy it now price of £120.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160363290752&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----I got the Point

Helpfully the seller of the Point's single let potential buyers hear the whole song. I listened and liked what I heard, then swiftly went off to Gemm and bought the one copy on sale for just over £8. This I did a few hours before the listing ended and then saw the seller reel in £22. Maybe my quick thinking ensured the seller a better return.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230377887391&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY ----- A grey area

Not sure who the Black And White Lovers was. Hopefully not named after the execrable Ebony And Ivory they inspired enough passion among bidders to push the final price up to £84. Once again this came from C86/indiepop dealer Strike Up Matches who has a knack of unearthing obscure pop which attracts a few dedicated bidders.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220479009796&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept 11

1 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
2 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
3 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
4 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
5 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
6 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
7 White Town : A New Surprise
8 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
9 Downdime : Hate The Morning
10 Famous Five : Take Over
11 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
12 Single File : Out In The Traffic
13 Little My : Guess Who
14 Beware The Dog : Madam
15 Eux Autres : Other Girls
16 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
17 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
18 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
19 Sitting Pretty : Broken Glass Lies
20 Das Schnitz : 4 AM

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 sept 4

1 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
2 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
3 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
4 Downdime : Hate The Morning
5 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
6 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
7 What To Wear : We're The Martians Now
8 White Town : A New Surprise
9 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
10 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
11 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
12 Little My : Guess Who
13 Eux Autres : Other Girls
14 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
15 Famous Five : Take Over
16 Single File : Out In The Traffic
17 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
18 Just Joans : Gin And Platonic
19 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
20 Memphis : You Supply The Roses

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY----A cheap Picasso

An original Guernica sells for £74. Seller Strike Up Matches found this in a charity shop in London and I'm still seething with indignant jealousy especially as the shop is one I've visited on several occasions. I stayed out of bidding range as this came to a close, at a decent return on his £1 investment.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220470363523&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Strike Up Matches has an abundance of indie delights that he throws into the ebay ring and here's another by Second View from Germany which made him £100 richer.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220470361013&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----The price of Modern Art

Modern Art mutated into psych monsters Sun Dial. I have a single which I bought for £10 from MVE a few months back. It had perched on the shop wall for months and I watch the price tumble until I snapped it up. Nobody seemed interested so I'm a little surprised that this sold for £34. Still it is an LP and that seems good value to me.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370248025195&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Will the Arctic Circle be unbroken?

I have to admit that I have no idea whether Varaus came from anywhere within a match girl's icy breath of the Arctic Circle. I imagine they make the sort of racket that inspires Norwegians to burn down churches so it's just as well they come from Finland. That match girl should move to Norway, she'd make a blazing trade. Sold for £123.06.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350245370393&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 aug 28

1 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
2 Downdime : Hate The Morning
3 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
4 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
5 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
6 Eux Autres : Other Girls
7 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
8 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
9 White Town : A New Surprise
10 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
11 Little My : Guess Who
12 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
13 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
14 Just Joans : Gin And Platonic
15 Single File : Out In The Traffic
16 Famous Five : Take Over
17 Sister Rain : Window Cowboys
18 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
19 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
20 Memphis : You Supply The Roses

Green numbers indicate new entries.

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 aug21

1 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
2 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
3 Eux Autres : Other Girls
4 Downdime : Hate The Morning
5 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
6 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Record Shop
7 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
8 Home And Abroad : Alison (Please Don't Fall)
9 Felt Tips : My Girlfriend Tried To Run Me Over
10 White Town : A New Surprise
11 Little My : Guess Who
12 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
13 Just Joans : Gin And Platonic
14 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
15 Distant Cousins : Concrete Boxes
16 New You : Whispering Down
17 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
18 Moving Targets : The Boys Own
19 Single File : Out In The Traffic
20 impLog : Breakfast

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY----Man on the wrong track

The Sound LP Jeopardy sells for £50. The singer Adrian Borland threw himself under a train at Wimbledon nearly ten years ago. Whether that affected the final price one can only guess. I picked up a copy of this LP for £3 about a year ago.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120461640028&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Ice cold in Morecambe

The Ice Factory from Morecambe raise temperatures to around 77, pounds that is. Apparently the band are still performing and you can hear A side Jerusalem on Youtube.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200376467353&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY------A demon with the dictionary.

Oooh tasty. I'm not a huge fan of American punk but I do love Lexicon Devil by the Germs. The song's name always intrigued me, I'd rate it up there with Keep An Open Mind Or Else as one of the greatest song titles, and its legend grew for me as the years passed, until I finally heard it about three years ago. Musically it almost matches its moniker although it took me several plays to succumb to its feral charm. It sold for £215.26.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400065228595&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY-----Not many Risk takers.

It's a strange world where various artists contribute to a tribute CD to underachievers the Jet Set. But it may get stranger as there is rumoured to be a similar project devoted to the Risk. Still if Cherry Red can see fit to reissue LP's on CD by the likes of Geordie and Blitz to a resounding " Who buys this stuff?" then why not pay tribute to forgotten mod bands? Sales will be small though judging by the indifference paid to the Risk's Loud Shirts And Stripes ep which sold for a dismal £7.49.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190327440679&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Find it a round hole.

Absolutely no idea who the Square Peg were and interest was not sufficient to even launch this into double figures; the seller collected a miserable £8.27. But his grading was thorough and he was niggardly with it which may have put bidders off.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260458803638&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 aug14

1 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
2 English McCoy : Give Me Something To Believe In
3 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
4 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
5 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
6 Eux Autres : Other Girls
7 New You : Whispering Down
8 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
9 Northern Portrait : Crazy
10 impLOG : Breakfast
11 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
12 Peruvian Hipsters : Tony Hadley
13 Fireflies : Cherry Blossom Girl
14 Ash Can School : A Day Out Of Paris
15 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
16 Just Joans : Gin And Platonic
17 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
18 Shitbirds : Oh Joy
19 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
20 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-----Slow moving target

Very few hands raised at the back of the auction room for the Moving Targets only release. Sold for a meagre £5.50. For more info and a chance to hear the A side, see below.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110421417553&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

MOVING TARGETS

Found this in a charity shop in Oxford about two years ago. The A side has more zip than a pair of Brian Rix's trousers. The two B sides are moderate fare. Came out in 1980 on the artily named Graphic Design label. In the picture the Moving Targets are moving so fast they appear to be standing still. Seeming to be intently devout, gathered around a lectern they may have pilfered from a church, these four lads are looking for a congregation to help boost sales. The turnout was poor and they shuffled off back to obscurity.

This is probably their only release and as this was recorded in Yorkshire I think they were most likely northern lads. Little information is offered on the sleeve except that the music and lyrics were written by Steve Walker and Dave Purcell and production and photography was by Bill Nelson.


Free website - Wix.com

EYE ON EBAY------Another Brix in the fall?

Apologies for the headline and for disappointing any visiting Fall fans. Brix was a band from Lincolnshire who released this powerpop/new wave in 1983 on Marco records. All this info I gleaned from the seller, as to the authenticity of any of the aforementioned your guess is as good as mine. I know nothing of this band but this release intrigues me. Sold for £46.03.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300335250240&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

EYE ON EBAY----Unseen Art makes Modboy money

An indiepop/twee/C86 rarity by Art from 1982 which seller Modboy claims sounds like Twa Toots with a hint of Slits stokes the bidding fires until the furnace burns out at a fiery £71.08. Initially I was interested but my desire for this piece of art vanished around the £30 mark. Love to know what it sounds like.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330351574798&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 aug 7

1 English McCoy : Give Me Soemthing To Believe In
2 Help Stamp Out Loneliness : Cellophane
3 Das Schnitz : 4 AM
4 Home And Abroad : Big Red Bus
5 Memphis : You Supply The Roses
6 Smittens : What Do We Do Now?
7 Eux Autres : Other Girls
8 New You : Whispering Down
9 impLog : Breakfast
10 Peruvian Hipsters : Tony Hadley
11 Northern Portrait : Crazy
12 Hardy Boys : Fifteen
13 Ash Can School : A Day Out Of Paris
14 Honest Johns : Grandfather Of Gold
15 Fireflies : Cherry Blossom Girl
16 Fish John West Reject : Twenty Ways
17 Hardy Boys : Wonderful Lie
18 Peppelkade 14 : Time Flies
19 Dolly Mixture : New Look Baby
20 Shitbirds : Oh Joy

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-----Popclassics on parade

Four Popclassics items to savour. This seller has some interesting stuff and we'll start with the most controversial. According to Popclassics this single by Surreal Modern Musik was released in the UK in 1979. If so why is it not in 45 Revs? Seeing as one side is called Lust Of Berlin and they spell music with a K maybe it's a German release. Sold for £32.09.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350235057080&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Next is definitely a pop classic. The Shadowfax single about reds under the beds and in sheds and advancing on homesteads nets Popclassics a respectable £79.38.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330349389750&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I have no idea who You was but interest peaked at £22.07. Issued in 1980 on Ram/SRT. Any info is welcome.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SViewItem&item=350235059027&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And lastly the biggest moneymaker, the Gobblinz single London issued on Pinnacle in 1979. This unsurprisingly zoomed into three figures, final price £132.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270437224309&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT