Just looking through some old CDs  , came across 8 or 9    from the Backbeats series , Issued maybe a decade or more ago . These were budget CDs , maybe 5 or 6 quid at the time , and the content quality was consistently high across the series , as was the art work on the cover etc.. ( maybe this period was seen as the last throw of the dice for CDs , hence the great value ? )    Have bought very few CDs in the last Decade , but decided that there were still some releases in this series I was interested in   picking up .   I noticed that certain titles had risen in price , managed to get what I was looking for ,  Just putting it out there for anyone who dosent already know that ,   a )  This was a great  series and body of work , and    b)  , They are becoming scarcer . ( Still plenty out there for peanuts though ) . 

These deserve recognition. Ian Dewhirst was involved in putting together the series and he and various others compiled the various volumes. The concept was basically starting a great collection on a budget, so ironic that some are now fetching stupid money, but a good sign of their quality.

Just as a matter of interest: which ones are fetching "stupid money"? I've just checked around ten at random on discogs and all are only around a fiver...

 

 

As with most things it depends on the condition and the seller. If you don't mind whatever passes for "VG" (not always what I would call very good) then you can usually find stuff under a tenner. Some of the Mint copies are also headlining at that price, although check the postage for some creative mark-ups.

Here's an example:

https://www.discogs.com/release/3454343-Various-That-Driving-Beat-60s-70s-Northern-Soul-Stompers

Some decently priced copies of varying nick, and some chancer offering a VG copy at $54 plus postage that takes it up to $72, plus whatever import VAT. That's stupid money.

I can't claim to have done a comprehensive study, but I've been filling some gaps in the collection in recent months and was surprised to see what some people are charging for what was originally the ultimate in budget series.

Another surprise was discovering that this was blocked on Discogs:

https://www.discogs.com/release/5490631-Various-They-Call-It-Crossover-More-Mid-Tempo-Soul-Gems

Sean Hampsey compiled it and explains the situation in the notes there. I found a copy in Italy for a reasonable 12 euros plus postage making it about 20 overall. Fantastic comp, and indicative of the care with which the series was put together.

Thanks. That is indeed stupid money, especially as another copy of same CD - mint and from UK - is for sale at just over £8. 

It's what I call "the ebay syndrome". Clueless people are trying to sell things on there all the time that can be purchased on discogs at a fraction of the price. 

Agree that the Backbeats series was very good.

The Soul Steppin CD is particularly good

I was going through some Tower of Power tracks today and came across this gem which also featured on the Lay back and Chill CD

 

 

 

Some fantastic Cds in this series - with some great tracks not released as 45's included. Well worth picking up if you didn't buy first time around!

I have a good number of these, always found them excellent. These off the top of my head are definitely worth having if CD’s are your thing.

”Love and jealousy”

”Lay back and chill”

”Crossover to soul”

”Memories & souvenirs”