All The Fun Of The Fair

I spent a long day at the VIP Music Fair on 16th April, something I've not done for some time.  Interesting to see how the dynamics of these events has changed.  To me there were less specialists with the big displays of high value items and more of the "pile it high and flog it cheap brigade" frankly I like the latter as i'm not a completist wanting a particular item due to a particular colour on a label or a catalogue number.  I just want the music on a good condition/quality carrier.  On occasion I buy stuff for old times sake (see my posts labelled "the lost and found") but they can be available in the £2 singles box just as much as some specialist with singles marked up for exorbitant prices.  I did see the Chuck Jackson single i've been after but for £30 i can afford to buy the CD when I can find it (it's been deleted too now).

I particularly liked the two german guys with a stall full of new unused 7" singles from the 70s and 80s - who cares that they're on the european label or catalogue numbers.

So what did I get

Singles by Splinter, The Original Mirrors; Rare Earth; Pacific Eardrum; Steve Winwood (Valerie); New Birth (a fantastic version of Bobby Womack's "I Can Understand It"); One from my wants list Monsoon "Ever So Lonely" classic!; as is The Maisonettes "Heartache Avenue" and "Latin Hustle" by Eddie Drennon; Another gem in Wah! "The Story Of The Blues" - amongst others.

It Was A Good Day.

The Original Mirrors - "Dancing With The Rebel" 12" Promo (1979)

This was a Mercury single back in '79. To promote it Phonogram pressed 500 white label 12" copies which then had the artist and title rubber ink stamped on them. I know as I worked in the factory and was responsible for getting them made. After they were pressed I stood with a lady in the finishing shop whilst she stamped away, boxed them up and passed them to me for dispatch to the label's west end offices. They were then destined for radio stations and for promotions all over the country. I'd had a sneak listen in a quality control booth as I was being told this was the next big thing. Great track. So on returning to my desk I asked my label contact if he would send me one for all my good work that morning. He agreed then promptly forgot. So 25 years later i'm on a quest to buy a number of almost long forgotten tunes. I'm at fairs and on ebay. Blimey i managed to find a copy. In Wisconsin! I pay £25 for it and it now sits on my shelf with a few others, has been played a few times and makes a short appearance here. This band were a forerunner of the Lightning Seeds as it featured Ian Broudie.  Hear it here



The B side of the 12" included a cover of the Brill building standard "On Broadway" 

p.s. (18th August) I have now found that there is a compilation album available which includes this track on one of those CD-R from the copyright owner (around $60) via Amazon