Artist: Big Star
Title: #1 Record
CD/LP: LP
Pressing: 2010 Reissue
Purchased: Dixon’s
This is early 70s power pop at its absolute finest. I’ve been meaning to get hold of this one for a long time and as the odds of finding a reasonably priced original pressing are similar to the odds that Kylie Minogue will become the next Queen of England I finally caved and bought a reissue.
I recently acquired a lovely Dual 510 turntable from eBay. This model was manufactured from 1975-76 and apparently sold for USD$210.00 new. Mine is perfect working order and I got it for a steal! At the moment I am using it with a shitty amp from our old surround sound system and some rubbish speakers. Even when I crank it to full volume it is only just a reasonable listening volume. All I need now is a decent amp and a set of good speakers. Oh, and some more records would probably be good too.
It’s been at least 15 years (but probably closer to 20 years) since anyone in my family has owned a working turntable so my Dad was very excited by the prospect of getting out his vinyl collection and giving some of them a spin. It was a mixed bag to say the least. Not a particularly comprehensive collection by any stretch of the imagination but definitely a few gems in there and quite a few duds. Here is a brief synopsis;
HIGHLIGHTS
LOW-POINTS
WTF!?
It looks like I will have to be pinching a milk crate in the not too distant future so that I have somewhere to house my records.
Q. What could be better than a crochet’d pillow in the shape of the Rolling Stones ‘Beggar’s Banquet’ on vinyl?
A. Only a crochet’d replica of ‘Born to Run’.
I am finding it very difficult to resist the temptation to buy BOTH of these. These rock-tastic record pillows are handmade by Esther of Toggle. Other records available include Blondie’s ‘Parallel Lines’, Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and The Clash’s ‘London Calling’ to name a few.
