EYE ON EBAY--------Nothing is free

I have visions of Lpman planning a round the world trip. His latest sale for a single by the Nothing plus twelve other 7" records raises him a staggering £1,129.62. That should get him as far as New Zealand. I know nothing about the Nothing but they mean something to somebody.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270348900394

THE SCOOP----------So good ladies took their clothes off for them.

The Daily Mail, the paper which helps the ignorant become the misinformed ignorant, would shudder at this lewd cover. There is something of the MacBethian-hag-at-cauldron look about these two unashamed nudes disporting themselves on the cover of the Scoop's single. The longer I gaze on them the more a certain actress named Patricia Hodge comes to mind.

Musically the Scoop delight in amateurish mod-friendly unfussy tunes a little reminiscent of the Head. The band consisted of Martyn Clapson on lead guitar/vocals, Sam Hodgkin on vocals, James Morris on bass guitar and John Turner on drums and vocals. The record was released in the dying days of the seventies on the band's own label Sharp. In early 1981 they recorded a tape only LP before being ladled into the great incinerator of obscurity.

scoop anonymity.mp3 -

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Somehow it seems inappropriate to part with prodigous sums of money for an old cassette. Ethics, a fickle principle, call it what you will, it means I won't get to hear the Penny Candles song Sometimes. Just how many songs are called Sometimes? It's been used by Firehose, Erasure, James, Britney Spears and Ash. Yes I know there are more.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220375249953

EYE ON EBAY------Got it on tape, but at a price.

In the grip of some crazy fever a cassette featuring the Penny Candles and the Wallflowers ( from Slough ) sells for a hefty £75. I can't fault anyone for liking the Penny Candles ; this is the second cassette featuring songs unavailable elsewhere as far as I know. How about a Penny Candles retrospective CD? Hull should have something to be proud of, now the football team is sinking fast.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220383195932

EYE ON EBAY--------Now that's what I call music

Lpman secures another fine wad of cash for the Now's second single on Raw records. That's a rare record but the tracks are easy to obtain so no need to sacrifice £444.71.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270349357588

Singles Slide Show

EYE ON EBAY--------A Luxury I Can Afford

I let this one go as I have both sides on a CD comp. The Luxury single though is one of the best American powerpoppers of the late 70's. Both sides are sublime. If I'd had more money to spare I'd have made a handsome bid for it as we all know vinyl has a superior sound to CD. A paltry £28.41 ssecured this gem.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220376916661

EYE ON EBAY-------What a Scoop

The Scoop's four track EP sells for an invigorating £171. Quite beyond my price range which is why I'm glad I scooped it up a few weeks ago for a tad over £50. I feel a little smug.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=120389209271

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 mar 13

1 Toys : My Mind Wanders
2 Flying Colours : Abstract Art
3 Golinski Brothers : Bloody
4 Comet Gain : Books Of California
5 Patsy Ann Noble : Tied Up With Mary
6 Dancette : Going Green
7 Carrots : Doing Our Part
8 Pete Green : Everything I Do Is Gonna Be Sparkly
9 Go Sailor : Fine Day For Sailing
10 Elephant Noise : Remember The Big Time
11 Cold War : The Machinist
12 Small World : First Impressions
13 Sister Rain : Burt Reynolds
14 Clay People : Wreathes And Seashells
15 Northern Portrait : Crazy
16 Pocketbooks : Falling Leaves
17 Sarah Goes Shopping : Once I've Seen Him
18 Northern Portrait : I Give You Two Seconds To Entertain Me
19 Aerial FX : So Hard
20 Evening Outs : Channel

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Turntable Revolution Record Collection 23

B-TEAM-------TOO GOOD FOR THE RESERVES

Yesterday a much sought after mod revival single turned up in one of my esteemed haunts, Alan's record shop in East Finchley. The B-Team single was as hard to pin down as the A-Team. Three or four times it refused to succumb to my bidding on ebay. Not in pristine condition but worth the £4 I paid for it as it last sold on ebay for around £60. Outbid at the last that day finding it yesterday was a succulent joy.

Released on the Diamond Record Corporation in 1985 it is apparently the label's eighth attempt at chart success. So what are the others?

The B-Team consisted of Tony Vessey on bass, Kelvin Davis on guitar/vocals, Doug McNair on keyboards and Steve Bessemer on drums. On the sleeve the band are nonchalantly hovering around an E-Type Jag, ostensibly void of all envy but secretly hoping record sales will boost their accounts and enable them to ditch their Vespas and secure ownership of the sleek contraption they are defiantly trying to ignore. What halted their path to glory? Lack of airplay, bad promotion, poor distribution or the uncanny resemblance one of the band has to Jimmy Nail. We can only speculate but the irony is that if one of the band had fifty copies of their single fraternizing with dust in the attic and he released them into ebay world he'd probably be able to buy an E-Type Jag.

b team all i ever wanted.mp3 -

EYE ON EBAY-------It's art, apparently.

Lovely comp with such luminaries as the Gifted Children, Direct Hits, TV Personalities, Pastels, Revolving Paint Dream and the Laughing Apple featuring. It's on Whaam! so the mighty Ed Ball has his over-sized hand involved in this. Fetched a decent £62.60.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=400035934741

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Redball records released the Buzz single in 1979. The band were based in Shrewsbury, that hotbed of mischief and militancy. Not satisfied with one stab at fame they poked destiny in the chest by producing an LP but fate refused to bend and they embraced obscurity. I threw a meagre £34 at this and was not surprisingly outbid but the sale price seemed low at £46.57.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350176086795

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 mar 6

1 Flying Colours : Abstract Art
2 Patsy Ann Noble : Tied Up With Mary
3 Carrots : Doing Our Part
4 Toys : My Mind Wanders
5 Comet Gain : Books Of California
6 Cold War : The Machinist
7 Small World : First Impressions
8 Elephant Noise : Remember The Big Time
9 Dancette : Going Green
10 Pete Green : Everything I Do Is Gonna Be Sparkly
11 Aerial FX : So Hard
12 Pocketbooks : Falling Leaves
13 Sarah Goes Shopping : Once I've Seen Him
14 Go Sailor : Fine Day For Sailing
15 Northern Portrait : I Give You Two Seconds To Entertain Me
16 Northern Portrait : Crazy
17 Clay People : Wreathes And Seashells
18 Evening Outs : Channel
19 Golinski Brothers : Bloody
20 Field Mice : I Can See Myself Alone Forever

Green numbers inicate new entries.

THIS REPLICA

The girlfriend went on a reconnaissance mission to deepest East Anglia at the weekend. She was officially on a hen weekend but she was secretly scouting for lost pleasures inscribed on shards of plastic. Straying from the battalion of boozy women she stumbled on a dusty junkshop where sunlight hissed in corners like shrivelled snakes. From the vinyl detainees she liberated a single by This Replica from 1988 on the evocatively named Fenrock label. This is the second release on Fenrock; she also returned with Fen 01, Why You Lie by Nutmeg.

This Replica consisted of Darren Walker on vocals and lead and rhythm guitar, Lyndsey Paxton on keyboards, Chris Scurrah on bass guitar and Jim Thorby on drums.

On the cover they appear to be posing in a playground in the grip of deep and original thoughts, perhaps contemplating the onslaught of impending fame that would whisk them away from East Anglian drudgery. Their dreams turned out to be as flat as the fens; but they do have a MySpace page and are still looking for the signpost to success amidst the early morning Norfolk mists.

this replica tunnel vision.mp3 -

EYE ON EBAY--------Kiwi on drugs

Here's an example of antipodean antipathy, the Steroids' Mr.Average sells for a decidedly non-average £163.34. Looks like they were based in my father's home town of Wellington on New Zealand's north island. Completely unknown to me but pricks my interest as it originated from the ancestral home on my paternal side.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250374581972

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION GIG

May 22 at the Windmill in Brixton should be the first Turntable Rev gig. Featuring the Understudies and My Raining Stars. I still haven't sorted out a headline band. I have tried to get Ed Ball and the School but they are unavailable. The School are playing at the Cavern in Liverpool that night.

Are you a headline act? Are you of a indie/powerpop nature? That is if you sound like Orange Juice, Buzzcocks or Heavenly I'd be interested. Even if you only sound a little like them. Or if you sound like, or indeed are, any band on the Fortuna Pop, Cloudberry, Moshi Moshi, Elefant, Siesta, Wee Pop or Matinee labels get in touch.

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

A tentative bid and all was lost. Admittedly I have no idea who Harvest were or what they sound like but the words powerpop caught me in its crab-like claws and I wriggled to break free. Which I did and it was not me that paid £92. This single appeared on ebay a few weeks back and sold for just over £100. Have I missed out on a classic?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110355280191&ssPageName=STRK:MEDW:IT&ih=001

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 feb 27

1 Flying Colours : Abstract Art
2 Carrots : Doing Our Part
3 Small World : First Impressions
4 Pocketbooks : Falling Leaves
5 Elephant Noise : Remember The Big Time
6 Aerial FX : So Hard
7 Sarah Goes Shopping : Once I've Seen Him
8 Patsy Ann Noble : Tied Up With Mary
9 Cold War : The Machinist
10 Dancette : Going Green
11 Northern Portrait : I Give You Two Seconds To Entertain Me
12 Pete Green : Everything I Do Is Gonna Be Sparkly
13 Northern Portrait : Crazy
14 Comet Gain : Books Of California
15 Field Mice : I Can See Myself Alone Forever
16 Evening Outs : Channel
17 Pale Fountains : (Don't Let Your Love) Start A War
18 Toys : My Mind Wanders
19 Fallover 24 : Pessimistic Man
20 Clamber : Choose The Way

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY-------Seller not amused

Bidders failed to put a smile on the face of Romarocket despite offering him £7,192.19 for God Save The Queen on A&M. The reserve was not met and this Sex Pistols rarity will be remaining where it is for now. I wonder what his reserve was. I'm guessing £8,000.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320344261659&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011

EYE ON EBAY-------Morally worth more than the radio station

Capitol Radio, that vituperative blurt aimed at the radio station sounds much rawer and vital than the version that appeared on The Cost Of Living EP if I recall correctly. I have the original version taped off of a John Peel show circa 1978 and despite the rather inadequate media on which it's preserved it still retains a startling ferocity. One of the Clash's finest moments. Sold for £65.70.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270337707839&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

EYE ON EBAY

Apparently this single by the Lemons is rare indie twee. I feel like an acidic rugby ball-shaped fruit for not knowing anything about it. Help me somebody.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190279324900&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

EYE ON EBAY------Seasick melodies

Nancy Sesay And The Melodaires are not conversant with the convention of creating a tune. Need I offer more praise than this to insist you make yourself familiar with them. I snatched this from an ignorant dealer at Reading record fair about two years ago for £10. I found an extra copy in the Greenwich MVE about four months ago for £5. Here it sold for £28.99. Note the sellers misspelling of Nancy Sesay.

The Homosexuals had a hand in this. For more of their unique interferences see below.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260337433527&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=016

EYE ON EBAY-----Sara Pops!

A high price for this off kilter wedge of avant garde genius. Sara Goes Pop are Homosexuals related hence the final sale of £62.10. I paid half that when I won it on ebay about a year ago.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260337436652&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=016

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 feb 20

1 Flying Colours : Abstract Art
2 Pocketbooks : Falling Leaves
3 Elephant Noise : Remember The Big Time
4 Northern Portrait : I Give You Two Seconds To Entertain Me
5 Sarah Goes Shopping : Once I've Seen Him
6 Cold War : The Machinist
7 Aerial FX : So Hard
8 Small World : First Impressions
9 Field Mice : I Can See Myself Alone Forever
10 Pale Fountains : (Don't Let Your Love) Start A War
11 Carrots : Doing Our Part
12 Suntime Glorious : Sexual Health
13 Evening Outs : Channel
14 Queue Dance : Not The One For Me
15 Fallover 24 : Pessimistic Man
16 3 Leez : T.K.O. Mine Yopper Song
17 Miracle Mile : Breaking Down The Barriers
18 Northern Portrait : Crazy
19 Clamber : Choose The Way
20 Sema 4 : Capital City

Green numbers indicate new entries.

The Hermit Crabs - Feel Good Factor

I DREAM OF KEEN

Nothing much to glean from this Keen sleeve. The back has a painting by Nicci Hastings. It's a close up of a clown, jovial and heavily made up. Does that help? Released on Scaredy Cat records in 1990 the Sad EP contains four pleasant pop ditties with female vocals. Were they an all girl band? They excel in the art of mimicry on On Your Knees which sounds like Politics by Girls At Our Best; it even has the audacity to steal one of the lines from the chorus. They appear to have been based in Morden, that dull suburb where the Northern line gives up.

They released another single called Feline Groovy which C86 collectors salivate over. I have been dribbling in desperation for it for some years now. All copies are rumoured to reside in Japan. If you believe there is a missing link between Dolly Mixture and Heavenly then I think I may have found the proof.

keen waiting.mp3 -

EYE ON EBAY------Sarah, the rare and the rarer

Here's a selection of Sarah records which sold recently on ebay.

First up the reasonably rare Come Get Me by the 14 Iced Bears. This is the fifth release on the legendary label by a band represented on several labels during their existence.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190279644358&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

Here is the Orchids very fine single I've Got A Habit. This is the Bristol based label's second release and I remember paying £18 for this in MVE nearly twenty years ago. Poor old Vanbrugh had to part with £77.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190279642848&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

And finally the single that started it all. Sarah 1, the utterly essential Pristine Christine by the Sea Urchins. Many would argue that Sarah never equalled this debut release. This fell a few pence short of £70. That's £70 well spent.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170295202052&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=007

THE NOBLE ART OF SCAVENGING

The girlfriend and I ventured into the deep middle class recesses of the home counties a few weeks ago. We wandered the discovered paradise that is Windsor, never to be a wasteland despite the volatile nature of the economy. We forgot the camera so I cannot entertain you with an amusing pictorial. Little was rescued from charity shops. A number of Inspiral Carpets 12" and a Pooh Sticks one sided live LP on Fierce were spotted and denied access to T.Rev Towers.
I'm no fan of live LP's and having seen the Pooh Sticks live I had little inclination to part with £3.99 for the honour of being transported back to that shambolic night many years ago.

We waved goodbye to the jewel-encrusted citizens of Windsor with a two fingered salute which was encouraged by the infernal road system which was certainly designed by a cartel of cyclists.

Eventually we arrived at Henley, adjusted our boaters, and mingled among the rowing elite. Our only discoveries were made in Oxfam where a quartet of posh teenage girls amused us with their gentle fondling of LP's, oohing and aahing over the pretty artwork as one said to another, "be careful, you might break it," despite the vinyl still being in its sturdy sleeve. Records are not as fragile as false eyelashes, girls. Leaving youth to pet the records I discovered Sabre Dance by Love Sculpture, wanted for the superior B side, and Tied Up With Mary, unfortunately not a tribute to the pleasures of bondage, by the very wonderful Patsy Ann Noble. A fabulous piece of pop backed by a robust mid-tempo moody number called Green Eyed People which is not a dismissive ditty about people cursed with emerald eyes but a sophisticated indictment of those that revel in the sin of jealousy. K hovered around the bookshelves and found a collection of Richard Brautigan's writings and with our treasures we repaired to the pub.

EYE ON EBAY

I like Hypstr66. He's the man from whom I won the Evening Outs single. We completed the transaction in a car park in Walthamstow. It was most clandestine though he did invite the girlfriend and I to the pub for a drink. He could certainly afford to buy us one. But we had to hurry off to a party and so declined his kind offer.

Anyway he scooped £43 for You're A Rebel by Metropak which I picked up for £1.99 in a local charity shop a couple of years ago. Metropak followed this single with the inferior Here's Looking At You 7" before changing their name to Pak and releasing one more single. Found the second single in a charity shop too.

(An Evening Outs update. Since I parted with an incredible amount of cash for aforesaid record the little beast has made ebay its natural habitat. It sold for just over £100 a few weeks ago and currently two sellers have it up for auction. One has it a reckless starting price of around £250.)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160311209427&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006