I'm sure we've done this before on here but for the benefit of the people who always come in while the film's in progress, I think it's time we did it again.

What was your first 'big money' record? I'm talking 'big money' in relation to what you were taking home at the time you bought it - one that cost you the best part of a week's wages when you were taking home three pounds, seven shillings and fourpence ha'penny, rather than something you bought off Manship for five grand because you just sold your dot com company for half a million quid. You know, the one you skipped a few meals and pints for a week to obtain...

Rather topically, given that some mug's just given John £161.00 for a demo, mine was a stocker of Robert Parker's "I've Caught You In A Lie". I paid £5.00 for it in 1971, when I was taking home. £8.46 a week after tax!

Long before it was played on the soul scene it was a real 'holy grail' record for London-based reggae collectors, because Lloydie Coxsone used to hammer it on his sound system (it was one of the few soul 45s that got played at reggae dances) and nobody could find copies. To make it more difficult, nobody who followed Coxsone actually knew who the singer was or what the actual title was as Llloydie had scratched most of the label out.

A pal of mine located four copies on a trip to N.O. and sold two of the three others for a tenner to local sound system operators, keeping one for himself. He let me have mine for 'only' a fiver, because I'd correctly identified who the singer was, and that was how he was able to find them...

I had to give him the fiver in two instalments, I remember that...

What did you buy for what seems like peanuts now but that, back in the day, put a severe dent in your 'entertainments budget' for a few weeks?

Edited September 5, 200915 yr by TONY ROUNCE

It was UK Columbia Andy, but a good day nonetheless!

Sean

Yeah it was Black Columbia! Bloody old age and all that!

Andy.

In 1974 i was working as an assistant golf pro earning £7 a week, i spent up at the Mecca buying a Del Larks for £30, happy days , Arthur

well, the most i've (Ian) paid for a record was yesterday, £22 for a copy of 'wait a minute' - Tim Tam on UK Island. quite a good deal, huge again in the East Mids. The most paid up until then was £4 for 'Darkest Days' , from the Casino record bar

Was earning about £15 a week in 1976 and was at a Notts Palais alldayer. Had £20 on me and got offered Lilly Bryant on Tayster and Doni Burdick on Sound Impressions both £20 each. Chose the the Doni Burdick and went home skint.

As Mace says it's when you break that £100 figure that you really are off on that long slippery slope. Remember I paid £100 to John Powney for a copy of Carol Anderson on Whip in 1995 and not managed to get off the slippery slope since then.

Mark

Bobby Kline on MB £35 from JM's mid eighties

P

Never yet entered into three figures, thankfully, but if memory serves me correctly, 20 pounds for Willie Kendricks- Change Your Ways- RCA demo, of Mr Hampsey, Windmill, sheffield, early 80's. Apologies, if off record, but did you( ernie andrew) work with Rick Cooper at global, as I took over, after he went to Robinsons. I got a few records, ie Magnetics- I have a girl, Harry Starr, (5 copies), 2 George Kirbys, before Roger Banks and John Beecher got the bulk. Maybe, another thread, the history of global. All the best, to all collectors.

My first big money purchase turned up from America and was one-sided.

No One Can Else Can Take Your Place - The Inspirations (Breakthrough)

74/75 - from Bob Catanneo in Daly City,San Fancisco.

Cost me £30 which was a lot at the time and Bob ,who I was getting loads of stuff from, insisted I buy it blind, wouldn't even play it down phone, but insisted it would blow my mind - which of course it did.Was first copy in the UK and I used to play it at the Ritz All-Dayers until persuaded by the North Wales crew I should sell it, probably in 76, for £125 I think.

Almost persuaded the owner of the label to sell me another copy for $50 in 1979 when at his place in LA, but in the end felt lucky to get out of the place in one piece, never mind without the record.

The first couple of records costing me 'big' money was a red & white UK demo of Dr Love by Bobby Sheen for £20 - this was in 1983, when my take-home pay was £65. Followed that up a couple of months later with a Bobby Kline for £22 from Ian Clark.

The first record to take me past the £50 mark was "I Won't Let Her See Me Cry" by Big Frank & The Essences on Blue Rock, which came from Ray Evans in North Wales for £55 - January 1985.

Edited September 11, 200915 yr by Gene-R

The first couple of records costing me 'big' money was a red & white UK demo of Dr Love by Bobby Sheen for £20 - this was in 1983, when my take-home pay was £65. Followed that up a couple of months later with a Bobby Kline for £22 from Ian Clark.

I've always regretted not getting Bobby Kline off Ian in 1980 when he was listing it for 8 pounds!

My first big money purchase turned up from America and was one-sided.

No One Can Else Can Take Your Place - The Inspirations (Breakthrough)

74/75 - from Bob Catanneo in Daly City,San Fancisco.

Cost me £30 which was a lot at the time and Bob ,who I was getting loads of stuff from, insisted I buy it blind, wouldn't even play it down phone, but insisted it would blow my mind - which of course it did.Was first copy in the UK and I used to play it at the Ritz All-Dayers until persuaded by the North Wales crew I should sell it, probably in 76, for £125 I think.

Almost persuaded the owner of the label to sell me another copy for $50 in 1979 when at his place in LA, but in the end felt lucky to get out of the place in one piece, never mind without the record.

Ya Neil. I owned it after (via Colin & Sam), Barry Waddington got the 2nd copy late 79/early 80. Richard got it off him in swops & cash.

I got some great stuff off Bob C. I got M.Champion off him blind, you can't believe how good it felt when Colin 1st played it at the Mecca covered up as Jodi Williams.

I remember running around the Highland Room, telling people I knew, I've got this, I've got this.

Other stuff off Bob, Soul Patrol, Fabulous Jades, Johnny Baker, stock copy of Alice Clark etc good times.

Dave.

Edited September 11, 200915 yr by davetay

I've always regretted not getting Bobby Kline off Ian in 1980 when he was listing it for 8 pounds!

Two years later I was pressganged into swapping it for a damn Joanie Sommers!

1987 I was in the sixth form in school and worked at Kwik Save a couple of nights after school and on Saturdays. I'd been buying cheapies from the likes of Mick Smith, La Beat (Rob Wigley), Richard Domar (remember his wonderful telephone manner?!) amongst others. Doug Banks I Just Kep On Dancing was massive at the time, both on the mod scene and northern scene. Mick turned up a boxful (90 copies I think?) and was banging them out on his list for £30. My take home pay (this was pre min wage) was less than this per week but I agonised for days about whether to blow my dosh on this then major want (which would leave me skint and unable to go out). Of course I bought it and I remember being up the ladders at Kwik Save the day after I'd bought it thinking to myself "what have you done" and "you're working here all sodding day lugging stock onto the shelves for nothing as you've blown it on one record"!!! Happy days The guilt didn't last long however and as has been said earlier in the thread, once the seal is broken, you're knackered!! First £100 one was Freddie Houston - If I Had Known (£120) also off Mick...

Rich

Ya Neil. I owned it after (via Colin & Sam), Barry Waddington got the 2nd copy late 79/early 80. Richard got it off him in swops & cash.

I got some great stuff off Bob C. I got M.Champion off him blind, you can't believe how good it felt when Colin 1st played it at the Mecca covered up as Jodi Williams.

I remember running around the Highland Room, telling people I knew, I've got this, I've got this.

Other stuff off Bob, Soul Patrol, Fabulous Jades, Johnny Baker, stock copy of Alice Clark etc good times.

Dave.

I picked up your Alice Clark stocker Dave along with Virginia Blackly(£12?), & a few others...small world! DF

I picked up your Alice Clark stocker Dave along with Virginia Blackly(£12?), & a few others...small world! DF

You sure did Dave, did you get the Janie Grant & Christine Cooper stock copies as well?

Dave.

Edited September 11, 200915 yr by davetay

My first big money purchase turned up from America and was one-sided.

No One Can Else Can Take Your Place - The Inspirations (Breakthrough)

74/75 - from Bob Catanneo in Daly City,San Fancisco.

Cost me £30 which was a lot at the time and Bob ,who I was getting loads of stuff from, insisted I buy it blind, wouldn't even play it down phone, but insisted it would blow my mind - which of course it did.Was first copy in the UK and I used to play it at the Ritz All-Dayers until persuaded by the North Wales crew I should sell it, probably in 76, for £125 I think.

Almost persuaded the owner of the label to sell me another copy for $50 in 1979 when at his place in LA, but in the end felt lucky to get out of the place in one piece, never mind without the record.

Hi Neil,

I remember the purchase of the Inspirations very well. Ritz All Dayer mid Summer of 1976. I gave you £35 cash, & a mint Issue of Joe Matthews on Kool cat. I later traded the record with Colin Curtis, who made it massive. At that time the Ritz was a great place for records, buying or selling. happy days!

PS: Whatever happened to 'Daly city Bob Cattaneao'

Regards Ritchie.

Was picking up around £44 a week circa 76/77 and that was cos I lied about my age and told em I was 18

I bought a copy of Dena Barnes off Clive Jones £22 and a couple of weeks later £25 for Jay Traynor on Demo, my keep at home was a £10enner so I was struggling to survive living on bread and water

Hi Neil,

I remember the purchase of the Inspirations very well. Ritz All Dayer mid Summer of 1976. I gave you £35 cash, & a mint Issue of Joe Matthews on Kool cat. I later traded the record with Colin Curtis, who made it massive. At that time the Ritz was a great place for records, buying or selling. happy days!

PS: Whatever happened to 'Daly city Bob Cattaneao'

Regards Ritchie.

Hi Ritchie, I didn't know you had The Inspirations in between Neil & Colin.

Anyway I hope you are keeping ok and hope to see you back at Burnley soon.

Yours Dave.