Category A PERSONAL APPROACH
CRUNCHIE HITS
I always swear I will never buy another compilation album. I will ignore Various Artists, shun themed collections, eschew curated histories. I have enough. More than enough. So how come this section of the Vinyl Connection Collection still manages to grow? Today’s Curiosity Corner will give you an idea. There I was, getting to the […]
CIMMERIAN CLASSIC
Prior to an overseas trip in the early nineties, I hosted a Book Party. The goals were threefold: to reduce the amount of stuff I needed to put into storage, see people for a farewell drink and chat, and perhaps raise a few shekels for the travel fund. So I put the word out, mentioning […]
I GOT THE NEWS
[Recording: Bright daytime voice over fade of smoky alto sax solo] This is independent station WJAZ, all night jazz and conversation. Now back to your host, Lester The Nightfly LESTER Hello Baton Rouge. It’s coming up to 2:15 on a drizzly Saturday night… or Sunday morning if you’re that way inclined. Continuing our tribute to […]
TOP TEN EXCUSES FOR BUYING RECORDS
The review I read was really positive 1 The price was a lot less than Discogs 2 It’s my birthday 3 I’ve never seen it ‘in the wild’ before 4 The cover art is nice 5 It fills a gap in the collection 6 It will be my birthday in 10 days / weeks / […]
TIMELESS
I remember where but not which. The shop was in Princes Gate Arcade, down the end in a kind of cul-de-sac where only record hunters and lost commuters ended up. I remember a big window, counter, racks—sparsely distributed around a loungeroom-sized space—and bean bags where you could audition an LP of your choice under headphones […]
CURRANT BUNS FOR TEA
I’ve got a bike. You can ride it if you like It’s got a basket, a bell that rings and Things to make it look good. I’d give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it.* Despite painful learning as to the aptness of the name ‘stinging nettles’, it was one of the […]
DO THE POP?
In 1977, being on a trial separation from the University of Melbourne (it ended in divorce) I was working at Max Rose Electronics in suburban Melbourne. At the time I was deeply into prog heavyweights Yes for the playing, the complexity, even the unfathomable lyrics. All the things smart-arse music journalists were queuing up to […]
