Welcome
Oren Ambarchi – Stacte Karaoke front cover

OREN AMBARCHI: Stacte Karaoke (12″, Black Truffle BT13, 2014)

As so often happens, here is a record that I have no recollection of buying. But buy it I did, and probably on the basis that Oren Ambarchi (“composer, multi-instrumentalist and musical polymath” – thanks, orenambarchi.com) is one of many oft-cited names in the complex world of experimental music, and therefore, one that somebody like […]

Beastie Boys – Intergalactic 12"

BEASTIE BOYS: Intergalactic (12″, Grand Royal 12CL803, 1998)

Bought this shortly after the height of my indie disco-visiting days (Sunday night at the Nue Valbonne in Reading was the place to be, you know…), during which time Beastie Boys’ ‘Sabotage’ was a prime floor-filler (along with ‘I Am The Resurrection’, ‘Cannonball’, ‘The Only One I Know’ and so on). I can’t remember exactly […]

Disco Inferno - Second Language (front)

DISCO INFERNO: Second Language (12″, Rough Trade R3150, 1994)

I have no idea exactly where or when I bought this record. It was long enough ago that it was almost definitely purchased in a shop, rather than online. Based on its year of release, it is likely that it was when I lived in Reading and, therefore, it’s likely that it was bought in […]

Uter: Tomorrow's Clowns cover

UTER: Tomorrow’s Clowns (12″, Oscarr TSOSC007)

I have this record because my friend Marceline was in the band. She lived in Glasgow at the time of the record’s release (which is not officially stated on the sleeve, but Discogs places it as 2004), and she was deeply entrenched not only in a very vibrant Glasgow music scene, but in an international […]

Nick Drake – Fruit Tree artwork

NICK DRAKE: Fruit Tree (3LP, Island 006025 1745703 4, 2007)

I believe that this is the first box set that my random number generator has selected for writing about on here. What a good choice! Even though Nick Drake albums are akin to The Catcher in the Rye in terms of items that every self-regarding young fellow has to hand to demonstrate his sensitivity, that […]

Jellyfish - Baby's Coming Back cover

JELLYFISH: Baby’s Coming Back (12″, Charisma CUST 2, 1990)

I bought this 12″ pretty much when it came out, from a shop in Shrewsbury that I forget the name of now. It was upstairs, and just around the corner from the entrance to Shrewsbury Castle, I think. I bought the record because Jellyfish – at the time – seemed to represent a combination of […]

Shit And Shine - Charm And Counter-charm

SHIT AND SHINE: Charm And Counter-charm (7″, For Us FU038)

The second mention so far here of Shit And Shine, despite my record collection being inordinately weighted in their direction, due to them being not only an endlessly entertaining and fascinating it, but also to them being ridiculously productive in terms of their vinyl output. Full disclosure: for this website I like to use a […]

The Sonic All Stars - The Sound Of Star Wars front cover

THE SONIC ALL-STARS: The Sounds Of Star Wars (LP, Pickwick SHM 941, 1977)

Nestling near to The Sonics, Sonic Boom and Sonic Youth in my collection, The Sounds Of Star Wars is a far less intimidating and weighty prospect than any of those three Sonic-y outfits. I bought this record at some point in the past 15–20 years, although I have no idea exactly where or when. I have […]

Thurston Moore - 12 String Meditations For Jack Rose front cover

THURSTON MOORE: 12 String Meditations For Jack Rose VDSQ – Solo Acoustic Volume Five (LP, Vin Du Select Qualitite VDSQ-005)

Thurston Moore was, of course, the frontman of my all-time favourite band, Sonic Youth. He – and they – are therefore responsible for a hefty wedge of records in my collection. As a band, their output is pretty huge and varied in style; as a solo artist, even more so. This album was released in […]

You're Smiling Now But We'll All Turn Into Demons - Contact High

YOU’RE SMILING NOW BUT WE’LL ALL TURN INTO DEMONS: Contact High (2LP, Cardinal Fuzz CFUL013)

Nestling down at the far end of the alphabet – in between Young Knives and The Zodiac – it’s the heftily-named You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons. This is a band that’s hovered around my radar for quite some time; I seem to remember that they once sent a demo and asked […]