Counter Culture Revisited

As previously mentioned, the first record I bought with my own money was 'Roll Away The Stone' by Mott The Hoople. It happened in a little shop on the Woodstock Road and to be honest, I also bought Alvin Stardust and 'Good Love Will Never Die' at the same place, soon after. But hey, don't be telling anyone.

Anyway, on Saturday, I celebrated Record Store Day by purchasing a box set of five Mott albums. It wasn't outrageously expensive, but a couple of the long players were recorded after Ian Hunter left, so they are possibly rubbish. Still, I left with a stash of other items. I couldn't find the split seven inch of Villagers and Charlotte Gainsbourg, but the quest will continue.

Watching people behind the counters of record shops is like seeing Siberian tigers in the wild. They are rare, but oddly good for the soul. And while a bunch of the old places are now derelict, there was still a chance to celebrate the day with a visit to Terri Hooley's Good Vibes shop on Winetavern Street. He's threatening to close up in the coming weeks, so there was poignancy there. Plus refreshing drinks and some live music. Terri wore his battered persona with grace and he tolerated the cacophony and the needy, strange people.

Head Records in Victoria Square was busy with The Answer, Tom McShane and some others. I liked the rumble and twang of Charles Hurts. Old pals Lyndon Stephens and Joe Lindsay were playing discs in the shop and throughout the day we kept colliding in town and smiling. There was another treat in the form of Magpie Records on Anne Street, above Bang Clothing. Their first day in business and trade was brisk. They were selling old vinyl and cool books, giving floor space to live tunes from The Bonnevilles and Robert Holmes. The black circle is spinning, still.