Fings Ain't Wot They Used Ta Be

From Pick 'n' Mixed

Oh for record shops like this again.  I'd love it. This is from a great kids book called "Making A Record" by Josie Karavasil.  It's out of print but sometimes available on ebay and via used at Amazon.

The book "Last Shop Standing (Whatever Happened To Record Shops)" by Graham Jones is a real good read with the first half telling his tales of him working in retail and then wholesale followed by the stories of a number of stores that had coninued in the face of the onslaught of supermarkets, the internet and the digital file sharing age.


Here's a few requests made to record shop owners by customers that Graham has included in the book....... If you were one of these customers best keep it to yourself..........

A copulation album? – The shop suggested ‘Songs for Swinging Lovers’ by Frank Sinatra (I guess they were after a compilation album)

The ‘I’m arsehole, man’ song? – I’m a Soul Man by Sam & Dave

My grand-daughter is a big fan of The Mad Donna, do you stock her CDs?

And here's a message from the author whose cause needs all the help it can get:-

Graham Says...'To read a key reason why so many record stores have closed check out vatloophole.co.uk I am currently writing a follow up to Last Shop Standing - should you have any music-related humourous or serious stories I would love to hear from you. Keep supporting independent record shops and don't forget Record Store Day, 16th April! In the mean time, below are some of the funny things people have asked record shops for...'

Seek the book out (or follow the link to the website) and have a good read which is bittersweet in that there are some very funny moments but ultimately it documents the end of music retailing as we know (and love) it.

Published by Proper - ISBN978/0/09561/2120/2 order no. PMO100

or find it on Amazon via this link

Oliver Sain - Bus Stop (1974)

A funk triumph, pre disco, dance favourite - first heard at the Tottenham Royal in 1974 - one of the tunes that led the way to changing the face of dance music.  A quick search says this is "sought after" and finds a few vinyl copies on ebay together with an album which I wasn't aware of.  Hear it here

http://45cat.com/record/cs2026

Jim Capaldi - It's All Up To You (1974)

One of my all time favourite singles.  Jim Capaldi made some well respected music in his lifetime, solo, in Traffic and various other combos.  In my world he would never surpass this.  I raved about it in '74 (and do today which is a good test).  It didn't do well peaking at 27 in the charts of the day but it stood miles above it's contemporaries.  It's a soulful, big tune which should be covered (but i really don't want that do I?).  The performance is masterful.  I've yet to find it on CD. 

A much under-rated gem.

http://45cat.com/record/wip6198&c=16679#16679