Royal Oak

Over the past 4 weeks I've been watching "This Is England 86", a mini-series on Channel 4 here in the UK. It finished last night, and I don't think I've ever seen a TV programme so gripping in my life. I've not stopped thinking about it all day.

That album always reminds me of my dad, who had a copy. As a 7/8 year old, the title always seemed a little strange to me.

Davy Graham - "Ain't Nobody's Business" and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright". In fact, pretty much all of Davy Graham's "Folk, Blues and Beyond" album.

Wilbraham Road, opposite Morrisons. There was a rack full of nice CDs - the owner said he'd recently bought a collection of about 600. The "Collector's" vinyl I only had a skim through.

Cormack McCarthy's "The Road". What a grim tale (NOT a criticism BTW).

Went to one of Manchester's few remaining second-hand record shops today, Kingbee Records in Chorlton (you must be familiar with this one Bill). Don Wilkerson "Preach Brother" Jimmy Forrest "Forrest Fire" Duke Pearson "Wahoo"

Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon". My first ever Floyd LP. Enjoying it.

Thank you Phil. That's a hell of a lot of discussion!

Stones - Let It Bleed. Felt good to hear this again, reminded me of nice times.

Thanks for the link, and thanks to others for advice.

Charlie Parker "Yardbird" EP, bought earlier today. After spending most of the past 4 weeks listening to 60s beat/pop/rock and a lot of "classical" music, it was very refreshing to hear some lo-fi bop.

Charlie's Wig, Don't Blame Me, Dexterity and Drifting On A Reed.

Hardi-fuckin-har. (Think that line might be from Reservoir Dogs actually)

You can still do this in recycling bins in supermarket car parks. THough I've never noticed any boy scout trips to the local Tescos. Anyway, I believe scouts nowadays are more tied up earning badges for applying hair gel or changing SIM cards (that's my old codger comment for the month). I hear that male youths use hair straighteners now. Back to the orginal point. My son (aged 7) does love to come to the tip with me, primarily to chuck stuff (or watch me chuck stuff, as I chuck further) off the ledge into the pit below. Boys do love to break things.

At a car boot sale today, I found a Charlie Parker EP on Bravo! records. Cost me a quid. I had to smile when I read in the cover notes - "a real immortal of Traditional Jazz".

Okay everyone, I have inherited a big collection of old classical LPs, some of which look a little grimy, some of which sound a little like "space dust" (a "popping candy" beloved of UK children of the late 1970s/early 1980s, probably banned for good reason). Anyway, I would like to clean these, and a Moth isn't financially feasible, so can anybody recommend a budget alternative? I see lots of kits on Ebay - spray applicators and cloths - do these work? More importantly, will they foul the records up? Thanks in advance.

I was a fan too, in my younger days - all part of the Smiths/Morrissey thing I was in to! What's next Bill - "A Taste Of Honey" or "The L-shaped Room"? I remember the TV adaptation of A Kind Of Loving in the 1980s - didn't it have Joanne Whalley in it? I used to love her.

Coninuing my 60s beat odyssey: The Spencer Davis Group - The Second Album. This I am enjoying. Certainly a much more convincing outfit thatn the Stones.

Tonight I listened to Sgt Pepper. This may be the last Beatles record I ever listen to deliberately. I followed up with "Bert and John" by Bert Jansch and John Renbourn. I quite liked this, but I prefer Davy Graham.

Why do you keep torturing yourself with all this stuff? I can certainly understand not liking it, but you've played the Beatles, Stones, and Kinks within the last week. (We all know the Beatles and Stones suck, but the Kinks at least were great from 1966-1969). I am in the process of selling these albums on Ebay, and so have to listen to them to ensure they're OK. Of the Beatles, I only have Sgt Pepper left to do (I did like this for a while in the early 1990s). There are several more Stones albums and, God help me, "Tommy" and "Dark Side Of The Moon".

Is it a Reprise or a Track label? I got an original Track pressing, not even a NM I would say VG, and it doesn't sound bad at all, actually it sound gorgeous with all pops and clicks in the proper place. It's a Track label. Currently listening to "Aftermath" by the Stones. The older I get, the less seriously I can take the Rolling Stones.

Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Are You Experienced?" This is the original mono album, which I recently inherited. I don't know if it's me or if this copy is shitty (it certainly looks pristine), but it sounds bad. All muffled and distinctly lo-fi in places.

I agree entirely!

Currently slugging my way through "Face To Face" by the Kinks. Having already listened to "The Kinks" and "Beatles For Sale" this evening, I'm very tired of mid-60s beat groups.

George Shearing and the Montgomery Brothers (Jazzland)