NWOBHM - revisited, I never had a mullet!

Some record fair pickups today, an amazing collection in a community hall, a deceased estate 1000 or so LPs mainly 70s/80s original issues, 2000 12" singles, 3000 CDs countless 45s and a heap of VHS tapes, mainly concert videos. Although it covered a wide variety of rock and pop, it's fair to say the dude was into Metal in many of it's forms. 

As a very young emerging headbanger, when I discovered Iron Maiden in late 1981, I become very interested in the scene that helped propel them, the NWOBHM. Often in my neck of the woods it was difficult to get hold of some of it or even find out much about it. Later of course I caught up to a certain degree, but there were some gaps in my particular areas of interest. 

This fair gave me some opportunities to fill some of those gaps. And although there were some exorbitant prices on some of the rarer items, the prices were generally pretty reasonable.

The record on the left is the 1980 sequel to the infamous 'Metal For Muthas' which attempted give an overview of the NWOBHM scene by compiling some key bands from the scene. It didn't quite work, but it was a valiant effort. I haven't listened yet, but I suspect this will be much the same, but with even more obscure bands. Of the 9 bands on here, I was only really aware of 3 of them, those being Trespass, Dark Star and White Spirit which included future Iron Maiden guitars Janick Gers. 

The record on the right, I did actually have as an early teen. It came out in 1983 although it kind of looks like a punk/hardcore kind of release, it contains some of the latter day NWOBHM bands, the scene had all but dissipated by then. At some point in the early 90s I must have gotten rid of it in a fit of pique. It's probably not that good, I don't quite remember, but nostalgia compelled me. 

Witchfynde never got past the minor cult status and they are not an exemplary band by any means, but something about them I always liked. My late mum bought me Pet Hate's 'Bad Publicity' and Witchfynde's 'Lords Of Sin', for my (I think) 13th birthday. That was Witchfynde's 4th and final (until a 2001 reformation) album. I liked it enough to backtrack for earlier ones. As I say it wasn't always easy, but I tracked down the previous album 'Cloak and Dagger' from 1983. This one 'Stagefright' is album number 2, right in the midst of NWOBHM in 1980 and with original vocalist. 

I first heard of Holocaust via Metallica's cover of their 'The Small Hours' which was only available on the live album. These dudes are from Edinburgh, Scotland and are pretty rough and ready, but have a good feel. 

The Maiden single on the left is the only latter reissue that I got. I actually had this in from 1990 until about 1993 which was part of that 'First 10 Years' series they released. But again I swapped at the complete series in the boxset I had for a Beach Boys CD boxset at a store in Hobart. I don't regret it for a minute, but it's nice to have this again. 

On the right is Samson's second album and the first with Bruce Dickinson (Bruce Bruce) and also containing a pre-'Killers' version of 'The Ides Of March'  (Samson's Thunderstick was previously an early Maiden drummer), made this quite a Maiden related day. Not to mention the following two:

On the left is a German 12" of 'Twilight Zone'/'Wrathchild'. As a youngster I always wanted this as it was rightly not included on 'Killers' (although in Australia, 'Women In Uniform' was)…I believe it was part of the US release of 'Killers'. I never heard the song until the aforementioned 'First 10 years' reissue series from 1990. It's a good song. And on the cusp of NWOBHM's tail end was 'Run To The Hills' from 1982, another German edition. Similarly I wanted the single back in the day for the non-album track 'Total Eclipse', hearing it for the first time (albeit a live version) on the 12 Wasted Years VHS from 1987 and then the studio version again on the reissue mentioned above.

Nice to have all these. My musical taste has certainly evolved and expanded since then,  but a good nostalgic day!

More Random Vinyl

In Sydney on a working holiday, managed to snaffle a Record Store Day copy of the mono 'Saucerful Of Secrets' that I missed out on in my local shop. Thanks Hum in Newtown, Sydney.

Random Vinyl post # 2, Kraut, Eno and related and more.

I've collected a whole bunch of vinyl over the past few weeks, mainly 2nd hand and all pretty good stuff.

One afternoon week before last, after a particularly tiring teaching day and needing to kill a bit of time before I picked up my son up from school, I ventured into a neighbourhood antique and collectables store that has a large selection of old vinyl. I'd been through the racks maybe 3 or 4 months ago and didn't find a whole lot. Couldn't believe my luck this time. I walked out with 12 albums and paid probably way too much, but it was one of those days…I don't drink or do drugs…so…

Firstly here are the Krautrock band/solo and related records I managed to find:

Klaus Schulze (Germ pressing), Kraftwerk (Aus pressing), Tangerine Dream's Edgar Froese (Aus pressing), Cluster (Germ pressing), Robert Schröder (Germ pressing on Klaus Schulze's label) and Neu's Michael Rother (Germ pressing)

Next up we have Rick Wright's first solo album 'Wet Dream'. It's an Aus pressing, but as can be seen it is a gold stamped promo copy. Long time Floyd fan, but hadn't managed to ever hear Rick's first album, it was out of print for a long time. It's pretty literally "yacht rock" for much of it, kind of the more mellow end of mid 70s Floyd, with more saxophone. It's not without it's charm, but a tad too easy-listening. I do love Rick's soothing voice. 

Some Eno and related up next.

Eno's 'Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)' which is a really nice mid 70s German pressing. Eno's 'Another Green World' (Aus pressing). Then we have a couple of Eno produced gems from the 70s; Harold Budd's 'The Pavilion Of Dreams' (Jap pressing) and Laraaji's 'Day of Radiance' which is the 3rd in Eno's Ambient series.

Finally, the loser of the bunch, SPK's 'Gold and Poison'. SPK were an Australian/UK outfit from the late 70s/early 80s, creating influential post-punk industrial and electronics. Their first 3 or so albums are essential records in that area of music, but this one from 1988 seems like a blatant attempt at commercial dance-infused pop. It's rather horrible, but I must admit to not listening to side 2. Founder member Graham Revelle was soon to move to the US and is now a successful score composer in Hollywood. Oh well, 11 out of 12 is not bad and they were all in fantastic shape.

This last Friday, again after teaching I went into the record store that I work in sometimes to check out what new pressings and second hand stuff the boss had got in. First thing I saw in 2nd hand rack was Nina Hagen's 3rd album which has been a long time favourite via friends records and cassette dubs, but I've never actually had my own copy. Now I do.

Nerdy I know, but this KISS album is my favourite from them (sue me). Now, I still have an original pressing that I bought back in the mid 90s with the mini poster, to replace my original copy I got upon release in 1981, but parted with with most of my KISS collection for some dough when I was a struggling student. However I wanted to get a complete copy with all the inserts which includes a KISS Army application form. This one had that form and I didn't notice until I got it home, but it had 2 mini posters in it. It's a sale bin copy as it's been hole punched (both posters have a hole), but everything is intact and in not bad shape. 

I bought some new vinyl too, the Broadcast/The Focus Group collaboration on Warp records. Beautiful stuff, RIP Trish Keenan.

Finally yesterday, the family went on an outing to a little town about 1/2 hour drive away that has a great bunch of 2nd hand shops and a weekly street market.

I couldn't believe my luck with getting the original 1973 Ohr Records, quadraphonic copy of Tangerine Dream's 'Atem'. It was in a rack without a price on it, I took it up to the counter and asked, the guy umm and ahh-d about it, because going by some of the other overpriced records, I figured the guy did his 'research'. I was expecting a big price, but he gave it to me for $15. Was well chuffed.

 Another Antique/collectable shop on the other side of town has had this one for a while, overpriced, but I wanted it. Interestingly I think the reason it was not sold is that it was placed in the W section for 'Why' rather than D for 'Discharge'. Original print/pressing. Amazing punk record.

Phew. 

Random Vinyl Post # 1. 7 inch goodness.

As a music fan of various styles and a penchant for vinyl (and most formats to be frank), I've collected since I was a kid of about 9 or 10. During that time, LPs on vinyl as well as CD and even cassette were the main items. In addition, I have a bit of a soft spot for 7" vinyl as well, either singles or EPs. I haven't counted, but I reckon I have about 350 or so 7 inches. Vinyl generally, but I think 7" in particular have this strange ability to shift time and space. When you pick them up, compared to when they came out, where you were when you got them, compared to where they came from. I say that about 7" because they are more likely to be about a certain time, whereas an album can have multiple pressings and reissues. So anyway here's some of my favourites from my collection.

 On the left was something I found at a Refuse/Recycle store in my hometown for 20c about 11 years ago. I'd been a Scott Walker fan for a good few years by that stage. This was a rare, obscurity from around 1958 when he was still known as Scott Engel. On the right, an EP I bought in an auction for $8 later the same year.

An unissued single at the time (1966) by BBC Radiophonic Workshop pioneer Delia Derbyshire and in collaboration with songwriter and singer Anthony Newley. This was released by the good folks at Trunk Records in 2014.

At some point in the 90s I decided I wanted to try and collect as many of the 'Nuggets' garage-psych singles that I could. I never really got very far getting proper original singles, it was often easier getting some of the excellent compilations.

But here's a few I did get. Quality not quantity. I got the Strawberry Alarm Clock from a vinyl trader back in 1998 for $8 and the two Seeds records around the same time for a similar price. 

There was a guy in the north of my homestate who would often set up a stall at Record fairs under the name Token Records, and he specialised in 7" vinyl. I had been a confirmed Elevators/Roky fan for a number of years and recall reading about Roky's first solo recording after being released from the Rusk Mental Hospital, I think I ready about it in Nick Kent's collection of articles called 'The Dark Stuff'. By the description of it, a 7" single of 'Two Headed Dog'/'Starry Eyes', it was a much rawer, out of control version of both songs than what was later recorded and released in the early 1980s. 

I had to hear it. In late 1997, there is was at a local record fair at Token Records stall. It was $35, but I had to have it. I believe it is not a large pressing and super rare.

The other little oddity includes something I posted as my Thursday song of the day and is a one sided flex disc that a friend of mine gave me back in the mid 90s and I believe was promo freebie that came with NME in the UK in 1978.

A little collection of KISS 7" with picture sleeves I've accumulated over the years.

'Magic Touch'/'Save Your Love' is a French copy, 'Star Trax' is an Australian exclusive 4 track EP, this one is the slightly rarer one that was withdrawn and replace with one with KISS' proper logo.

In pretty shabby shape, but I finally managed to find a "picture sleeve" version of the 'I'/'The Oath' single back in the mid 2000s I think. And the thing on the right is again an Aus exclusive, officially licensed release from 1998, this is the translucent red vinyl version. A thing of visual and aural beauty.

Some metal singles from 1980/81 with picture sleeves. Some real time and space travel here. 

The Ozzy one came out in 1981 and is an British copy. I got it in my childhood/teen home town of Burnie from a second hand shop in about 1985, for probably $1.00. I recall there were a bunch (maybe 30 issues) of really early Kerrang magazine for very little and I grabbed a bunch of them too. A headbanger from the UK had bought a stash with them and dumped them at this shop. I don't have any of those anymore unfortunately. 

The Motor HeadGirl School EP single came out in 1980. I found it in a second hand shop in Norwich UK in 2006 for 3 pounds. 

The Judas Priest one was of course a 1980 single, this is an Aussie pressing, I was working in a CD and Coffee shop back in 2005. For some reason someone bought in a bunch of second records that just sat up in the upstairs store room because we didn't really do vinyl. I think the plan was to maybe get into that. Anyway I said I'd take custody of the Priest single, and got it for $5. The owners of the business wanted to retire and the shop closed a little later.

One of my prized possessions. Not really that rare I don't think, though I've never seen another copy. These guys were (occasionally still are when they do the odd reunion show) a great Melbourne based hardcore/punk/thrash crossover band. This is a lovely little 3 tracker that was a formative record in my teens. I got it in a mainstream record shop (that was managed by a guy who would get in a lot of metal and punk on import because us teen metalheads would frequent there…not many choices in Burnie at the time…less now. Don't remember how much it was, but it can't have been much because I was a broke 15 year old and I recall I bought it on a whim.