Amsterdam Russ

The thread starter raises the subject of bootlegs in the opening post…

In a discussion about bootlegs of course the distinction can only be about legality. That's pretty much the whole point - is something a legal release or not? If a track is released on 45, that doesn't mean the subsequent LP release of it is not "original" or whatever. The reverse is also true. It's actually quite simple at the end of the day.

Original in this context can only be applied to a legitimate release. It might be the first release, but it falls first and foremost into the category of bootleg 45 - albeit the original bootleg...

1/ a bootleg is an unofficial or illegal issue of a recording that's never been released. 2/ a pirated song is one that's shared illegally (think pirate radio). 3/ a pressing is, quite literally, something that's been pressed or has been issued! It should be preceded by words such as "1st", "2nd", "illegal", "legitimate" or any appropriate adjective. More modern day usage (as in this context) omits the words "illegal", "dodgy", "suspect", which is why many people find its use confusing.

Weird - if you use the zoom on the main image, you can make out the label underneath - which says "Rufus Lumley - I'm Standing"... What Pete said!

Two brilliant sides - and growing in plays and popularity in downtown Amsterdam! Just one thing though - are the labels on the 45 reversed?

Quite a find as a Dutch release, especially with the rare picture sleeve.

It was only two years ago that he sold Jack Ashford's copy of it.

Added to Mixcloud - my 2nd set at December's Amsterdam Soul Club https://www.mixcloud.com/LomaRuss/amsterdam-soul-club-dec-2014/ For anyone thinking about paying a visit in the New year, the Amsterdam Soul Club is held on the 3rd Saturday of the month. Happy listening!

Says won at £14,543...

Damn North Korea!

And therein lies the secret as to why the scene has lasted 40-plus years…

Agreed. Thing is though, our building serves as jackdaw central. They're always about in number and also roost in the eves. If it were just a couple of pairs, I wouldn't mind so much, but when it comes to putting out feed for other birds, it's always going to be a battle!

I certainly need to look at options that go beyond just tying a ball of seed to the railings. The jackdaws did come back (of course) and actually hacked the remaining bag of seed from the railing rather than just simply split the mesh open with beak or claw. Naturally I expected the bag and its contents to have dropped down onto the pavement below and spilled everywhere, but no, the whole thing had disappeared. Clever, clever buggers!

According to eBay I've bought 75 items this year, and I've not paid these additional charges at point of purchase once. And I've had only one or two items in the last 12 months where the seller has given the full cost of the item on the packet thus requiring me to pay duty on the doorstep. Long may that last!

Ridiculous. I won't touch a record if the buyer is part of that "global shipping programme" where customs charges are included. On a good number of times I've seen customs charges associated with an item that hasn't even been priced high enough to incur those charges. As if the "charge anything you like for postage" syndrome that's now rampant all over eBay isn't enough!

One sold on ebay tonight for over £700...

I've been putting out mesh balls of bird food for some years and never once had a problem. In our old place, we had a bird table as well the mesh balls and I have to say the table was hardly popular with our garden visitors at all. Now that we don't have a garden, dispensing options are limited because there isn't the space on a balcony. Next time I'm at the country's largest garden centre, which happens to be just a few kilometres from us, I'll see what they have available. Acting as a human scarecrow has given the jackdaws some pause for thought this morning. They've not been back since our last encounter. Of course, it's only a matter of time before they build up enough courage to return...

With the weather marching coldly and decisively towards winter, I thought I'd put out a couple of net bags of bird seed on the railings of our back balcony. Next morning I found a couple of jackdaws greedily tearing at one of the bags with the other one having disappeared. Not a good start. Late in the afternoon, though, I spied a male chaffinch having a good feed. This morning the jackdaws are at it again. Seeds and bird droppings are everywhere and it's obvious that the not-so-little blighters have tried to hack through the top part of the mesh with the purpose of separating the bag from the railings. Greedy sods. I just pity the poor person who might happen to be strolling below when they succeed! Day two and it looks as if these standard mesh bags are just going to fall foul of the jackdaws every time. There's no way to scare them away for anything longer than a short time as our building seems to serve as a central gathering point for them. Time for a rethink on avian food delivery systems. Any suggestions?

Earlier on in the week I found half a year's worth of photos on an external hard drive we no longer use. Among them was a this one, taken four years ago when we lived next to someone who bred and raced pigeons. They were let out twice a day like clockwork — once in the morning and again early evening — so it was a simple matter to be in the right place with the camera when the conditions were right.

UK release… Under-rated… Rarely played…

Judging by the light it looks like you had a lovely autumnal day!

Sorry, but that ridiculous formatting is doing my head in! Here you go - one orderly list! "HE WHO PICKS AROSE" JIMMY RUFFIN "JEANETTE" WADE FLEMONS. "LOVE IS ALRIGHT" JESSE JAMES "IF YOU DONT COME" PATIENCE VALENTINE " STORMY" THE SUPREMES. "IVE HAD IT GEORGE SMITH "TRYING TO LOVE TWO" BARBARA LYNN "KISS MY LOVE GOODBYE" BETTYE SWAN. " BABY, BABY DONT WASTE MY TIME" GLADYS KNIGHT. " I JUST WANT TO FALL IN LOVE" DETROIT SPINNERS. What would the top Tens be at venues today, big and small?

Did you catch sight of its rump? If not, could it have been either a black redstart or a black wheatear? Waiting for the weather to improve? I thought it was always sunshiny in your neck of the woods…

Hmm, I see your problem. However, based in that equation the simple answer in my view is to wait. Spend the £500 saved on some additional kit or a weekend in Amsterdam or some 45s or…or…or…