Google hated me

I've been blocked out from this blog for ages by Google - wouldn't accept my password, so eventually I changed it - twice - and it still wouldn't let me in. Seems to be sorted now. I shall add some more stuff soon.

Hawkwind vinyl and amazing packaging

Hawkwind are one of my favourite bands and were pioneers in the art of crazy packaging during the 1970s. Top we have 1971's 'In Search of Space' which folds out into a totem pole shape, together with its 'spaceship log-book'. Then we have the mighty Space Ritual double live LP from 1973, which folds out and folds out and folds out! One day I'll get 'Warrior on the Edge of Time' in its original packaging, too. I bought my copy as part of a spending spree as soon as I arrived in Leicester University in 1982 with my first grant cheque - imagine my horror when I discovered it had a crap single sleeve and didn't fold out into anything. I knew nothing then of reissues and the like, naive youth that I was. Bah! The annoyance lives with me still.

More coloured vinyl

A couple more albums in my collection. The top one is The Dukes of Stratosphear's second psychedelic LP, 'Psonic Psunspot' with a glorious Andy Partridge-designed gatefold sleeve. It hasn't come out too clearly in the photo but the vinyl is a deep purple colour with some swirly inclusions in a lighter tone. A gorgous thing. All the XTC and XTC-related albums appear to have been reissued on vinyl by Partridge's own Ape House label. It doesn't say, though, that Psonic Psunspot is in colured vinyl - I bet it isn't!

The other LP is by Urusei Yatsura. Again it hasn't come out too clearly in the photo but the vinyl is rather spectacular - clear but with glittery, sparkly bits in it. Very fab.

Blue vinyl Doctor Who-related 12"

My copy of the 12" of Mankind's 1978 hit version of the Doctor Who theme - in blue vinyl. I'm fairly sure I bought this at a litle second-hand record shop in Leicester about 200 years ago when I was at university. It's a bit tatty but the extended version is a terrible record, so I'm not worried.

Spacemen 3 Vinyl

Mainly to be of interest (I hope) to Jim aka Spaceships Over Deeside, here are the Spacemen 3 -related bits of vinyl in my collection. Top we have one of the last new LPs I bought, having already switched over to CD some time ago - but how could I resist it? Sonic Boom's first 'solo' album, 'Spectrum' with its fabulous gatefold packaging complete with two mindbending swirly discs. I'd already bought the last Spaceman 3 album, 'Recurring' on CD and nearly bought this on CD when I saw it on holiday somewhere. Thank God I didn't. Imagine missing out on this great production.

I'm fairly sure I bought the 'Hypnotized' 12" secondhand. Some - maybe all - copies came with a poster, I believe. If so, not mine alas. I also bought 'Playing With Fire' secondhand - you can see the £3.75 sticker on it. It's a bit grubby round the white edges but fortunately, it is the first issue, with the embossed sleeve. 'Sound of Confusion' is a Fire reissue with basic packaging. I've never seen the rare original Glass issue. It may have come with a printed inner sleeve; the Refire pressing didn't.

Finally, what has turned out to be a real gem: the Genius reisssue of 'The Perfect Prescription' in 'purple' vinyl (it's more of a lavendar colour - but with lovely swirly inclusions). I think I already had it on CD, but couldn't resist this when I saw it in a shop somewhere. I don't remember how much it cost me: considrably less than a tenner, I'm sure, or I wouldn't have bought it.

Found Friday

When Steve Friendship was dragged reluctantly away on a family holiday in the Norfolk Broads, the tedium was briefly enlivened when he discovered the local villages selling these incredibly drab and awful postcards, which perfectly fitted his view of the place. The fact that they are described as 'Interesting Scenes Around...' makes them all the more amusing.

It's hard to believe that Steve could buy, and then post to me, postcards like this - black-and-white and gobsmackingly grim - in 1997. Judging by the cars and the fashions, I doubt they had been printed any later than the late 70s/early 80s, and even then there would have been no excuse not to porint them in colour and make some sort of effort.

Steve was so entertained by them that he now has a growing collection of Boring Postcards from all over the place, but I don't think any out-Norfolked Norfolk.

Misty figure that walks through walls

A fascinating account of a haunted Government office building in Lincoln is the latest article to be posted under Ghosts on Uncanny UK. It has been contributed by Daniel Codd, author of Mysterious Lincolnshire, who interviewed the witness back in 2006. Since then Dan has received further spooky reports about the building, bringing the article bang up to date. Read the article at www.uncannyuk.com/2011/02/10/a-haunted-office-in-lincoln/