Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Es-Say #8 No More Blindly Spendings (edited version)

I have learned my lesson. I need a spending plan and a strategy the next time I decide to go on a major vinyl shopping trip.

This week, I had the opportunity to travel West. I was assured that my two hour journey was in the vicinity of at least four vinyl record shops and an HMV. I'm happy that I only spent 3/4th's of my normal budget, but I question what the heck I actually carried back home. Here's a picture of only the McCartney/Beatles related purchases.

Looking at the vinyl above and the little research I did online, it's highly unlikely the value of these items will increase. I like the condition of the copy and sleeve of "Say, Say, Say" and I hope it will play on my record player. I don't think I've heard the B-side "Ode To A Koala Bear." It was worth it to me as standard 80s picture sleeves like this aren't worth more than £5/$5.66 at most.

The 12' records of "No More Lonely Nights" and "Love Me Do," and the Julian Lennon LP was supposed to cost four times what I was charged even though all vinyl was 1/3 off. I'm still confused by this deal, but the one store I got these in was strange enough. It sold records and sci-fi memorabilia, yet most of the products were clearly "not for sale." I only knew this because there were at least 50 signs telling me this. I'm not kidding.

In hindsight, I feel that maybe I got the discount in kindness rather than error. The wacky store turned out to want to listen to what I was saying about the vinyl...and they were closing. I guess any sales a sale! The Beatles record turned out to be about 13 years earlier than predicted. It was clearly a re-issue, but I told the shop owner I thought it was from the mid-1990s. The labels don't give away the date, but once I read the back cover at home it mentioned it was a 20th anniversary pressing. The shop owner asked me what language the Julian Lennon album was issued in. Yeah, I think my leg was being pulled, but at least I wasn't being overcharged with the original store price. (I also found McCartney's Russian LP 1988's Choba B CCCP and didn't get want it this time around)

The 12' copy of  "No More Lonely Nights" was an impulse buy. It will have to be replaced as "No More Lonely Nights" and "Good Night Tonight" are, let's be honest, the focus of my entire collection. I think I need to be more aware of the versions of these releases that I need prior to just any old copies. The quality of this copy is terrible and I'm considering using it as a serving tray.

I went to another record shop and nearly bought the Mike McGear Lp. Along with Chob B, that would be the 2nd copy I've had to replace and both records are special. I just didn't feel it was the right times to get those albums.

HMV didn't seem to offer anything. I only looked in the McCartney section and they didn't have much back catalog. I just bought the Moody Blues first album on CD as Denny Laine was a member at that time of recording.

Another shop that I went into had some great picture discs of other bands but they didn't want to sell me any McCartney or Beatles records which were located right behind the counter. They showed me about two stacks of 45s with either plain sleeves or Apple sleeves. They all looked in fair condition and some were 5th pressing 1976 re-issues. Collecting Beatles vinyl is very involved, tricky, and not fun for me. McCartney vinyl collecting is much more interesting and less aggravating. I need to continue down this path and not get side-tracked. Yet, if I can ever find one of the actual Butcher covers for an insanely low price, all bets will be off.



 
  
 
 
 

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