2020 Purchases

April 2020

1. Peter Godwin: You! – Imago/Godwin Records – UK – DL – iTunes $1.29
2. John Foxx + The Maths: The Last Time I Saw You – Electronic Sound ‎– ES764 – UK blue 7″ – Electronic Sound/£11.00/$13.50

Yow! Peter Godwin dropped his first single in eight years! Sounding very much along the lines of early Metro courtesy of his new partner, Gabor D’Astorg. Will I be retired before his next single happens? John Foxx + The Maths has a single bundled with the latest issue of Electronic Sound magazine; complete with extensive cover story. Of course, it was a must buy! Still had a job this month, though I worked from home. Did not miss driving 52 miles a day AT ALL.

subtotal: $14.79

May 2020

1. John Foxx + The Maths: Tarzan + Jane Regained – Metamatic – DL – Bandcamp/£2.00/$2.50
2. Holger Hiller: Whippets – Mute – 12 MUTE 55 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$3.00
3. Pete Shelley: No One Like You – Island Records – 12XS 2 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$2.00
4. Pete Shelley: Never Again – Immaculate Records – 12 IMMAC 1 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$2.00
5. Spoons: Bridges Over Borders – Mercury – PRO 490-1 – USP – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$2.00
6. Escort: Love In Indigo – Escort Records – ESCRT-002 – US – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$1.50
7. Bette Bright: Rhythm Breaks The Ice – Korova – KODE 4 – UK – LP – Philadelphiamusic/$4.00
8. Pat Wilson: Bop Girl – Warner Bros. Records – 1-25072 – US – EP – Philadelphiamusic/$1.50
9. Marti Jones: Live At Spirit Square – Sugar Hill Records – SHCD-5502 – US – CD – Philadelphiamusic/$1.12
10. Webb Wilder + the Beatnecks: It Came From Nashville DLX RM – Landslide Records – LDCD 1029 – US – CD – Philadelphiamusic/$3.17
11. Floy Joy: Operator Operator – Virgin – VS 744 – 12 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$1.50
12. Floy Joy: Until You Come Back To Me – Virgin – VS 716-12 – UK – 2×12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$1.50
13. Cynthia Scott: The X Boy – The Compact Organization – ACT X6 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$1.69
14. Mari Wilson: Would You Dance With A Stranger – The Compact Organization – ACT 14 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$2.11
15. Positive Noise: A Million Miles Away – Statik Records – TAK 22-12 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$2.03
16. Robert Palmer: Some Guys Have All The Luck – Island Records – 12 WIP 6754 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$1.50
17. Scritti Politti + Sweetie Irie: Take Me In Your Arms + Love Me – Virgin – VS 1346 – UK – 7″ – Philadelphiamusic/$1.50
18. Midge Ure: No Regrets – Chrysalis – CHS 12 2618 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$1.50
19. Data: Blow – Illuminated Records – ILL 4512 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$4.00
20. Ronny: If You Want Me To Stay – Polydor – POSPX 247 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$7.00
21. Shock: Angel Face – RCA – RCAT 14 – UK – 12″ – Philadelphiamusic/$17.00
22. Steven Jones + Logan Sky: Shedding My Skin – Etrangers Musizue – UK – DL – Bandcamp/$5.00
23. ABC: Look Good Tonite – Blatant Muaic – UK – DL – ABC webstore/$1.99
24. OMD: Electricity – Virgin EMI Records ‎– 0602577481901 – UK – clear 7″ – OMD webstore/£11.99/$15.13

¡Mamacita! What happened?! It looks like I did a smash and grab and hit the pawn shop, turning all of the filthy lucre into records, but what really happened was after a few months of not buying anything, I sold a single on Discogs after the prospective buyer asked if I’d sell something, so I did. Then with a sawbuck in the account, I was wondering about buying the last Fingerprintz single I need before compiling DLX RMs of all three of their albums. I was all set to do it when I thought to myself, “I wonder what’s in my wantlist in the Philadelphiarecords store? They usually have a plethora of fine things I need.” Good thing I looked! I passed in the last two years on many of these fine items, and they somehow acquired more copies of some rare vinyl I desire at [mostly] rock bottom prices!

Just three of these records accounted for almost half of the $61 outlay. The long [try 39 years on for size…] sought after “Angel Face” 12″ single by New-Ro mime troupe Shock was a hefty $17, but that has been a record that was always $30-60 in years past. The time was NOW. Then the Midge Ure-produced cover of Sly Stone’s classic “If You Want Me To Stay” by deadpan woman extraordinaire Ronny is like the Shock single, a record rarely stocked in this country. ¡No problema! at $7.00 Then the Bette Bright album intrigued as I recall seeing those inport 7″ singles of hers in the bins back in the day. I like Deaf School… sold! It’ll be well worth the $4.00, I’m sure.

Then my gawd, the things I got with the other $34.00!!!!! Seventeen releases of high necessity!! The last Marti Jones solo CD I didn’t have at a price they practically paid me to take it from them. Two of the five Pete Shelley singles I need for a rarities compilation event. The Pat Wilson EP I wanted for 37 years. One of the few Mari Wilson discs I don’t already own, and a 12″ [I already have the 7″…] from Compact Records labelmate Cynthia Scott. I have tons of 12″ remixes from Data’s “Elegant Machinery” period, but not the UK 12″ of “Blow” with “Blow-Back” on the B-side. Now that DLX RM of that title is possible.

One more Positive Noise 12″ to fill out the LPs of that fine Scot band I’ll have to make. And speaking of Scots, FINALLY… the 12″ of “No Regrets” is in the Record Cell!!! That was an incredibly difficult single to source back in 1982. I only got the 7″ when Mr. Ware gifted me with a catalog-bought SPN 7″ with textured sleeve in the late 80s, but the 12″ was insanely rare in America for some reason. Holger Hiller’s scarce “Whippets” single with Billy MacKenzie conspiring to blow our minds. And three 12″ singles from the intriguing Floy Joy [I got the album a year ago] as produced by Don Was. Shipping from The City of Brotherly Love? A scant $5.00!!!!! [swoons]So all of this bounty was barely a financial blip. I’m still scraping the ground on music costs this year [knock wood].

Steve Jones + Logan Sky released an elegant new lockdownload this month, showing that they have not sat idly by as millions are …sitting idly by in the new crazy. They have managed to find another great guitarist to expand their sound and Mr. Jones has unleashed the falsetto. Not so great was the shock new ABC lockdownload that appeared in a flash sale yesterday. The production and arrangement did no favors to the already slight song. One hopes the next ABC opus will be more considered. And I finally got the second to the last copy of the clear vinyl, 40th anniversary “Electricity” 7″ in the OMD webstore by sheer luck! I still need to hear the Vince Clarke remix of the B-side.

Oh yeah, and there was a new John Foxx + The Maths DL single edit of the second single from the “Howl” album. It’s been that kind of month.

September 2020

1. Peter Godwin: You! [Johnson Somerset remix] – US – DL – iTunes/$1.29
2. DEVO: New Traditionalists Live 1981 – Booji Boy Records ‎– CD-BOOJI-001 – US – CD – ClubDEVO/$12.99
3. The Vapors: Together – Manmade Soul Ltd and The Vapors Own Records ‎– VAPCD3  – UK – autographed CD – Gift
4. Rush: Counterparts –  Atlantic ‎– 83738-2 – US – CD – Gift
5. Berlin: Pleasure Victim DLX RM – Rubellan Remasters ‎– RUBY15CD – US – CD – Gift
6. Berlin: Love Life DLX RM – Rubellan Remasters ‎– RUBY12CD – US – CD – Gift
7. Divinyls: Desperate DLX RM – Rubellan Remasters ‎– RUBY13CD – US – CD – Gift
8. Fingerprintz: The Best Of Fingerprintz – Bullet Proof Heart – Rubellan Remasters ‎– RUBY14CD – US – CD – Gift
9. Prince: Sign O’The Times SDLX BOX – Warner Records ‎– R2 628756 – US – 8xCD+DVD+book – importcds.com/$113.65
10. It’s Immaterial: House For Sale –  It’s Immaterial ‎– II001 – UK – CD – Pledge Music/£18/$23
11. Ultravox: Herr X – Electronic Sound ‎– ES768  – UK – clear 7″ + Electronic Sound #69 magazine – gift

subtotal: $150.93

Lots of birthday music this month. My spouse got me the last four Rubellan Remasters discs and I’ve really turned the corner on “Pleasure Victim,” which I’ve been unfair to over the many years. The bonus remixes were revelatory in that they managed to enhance my favorite material from the album. Considerably. The Fingerprintz CD is something that I truly anticipated in the 90s and even nagged Cherry Red about ages ago to the sound of crickets. A late in the game [CDs are almost gone now] surprise! And it’s fantastic to get a well-done copy of the mandatory debut album and singles from Divinyls. I finally got to hear the material dropped internationally from Northern Hemisphere copies of the album for the admittedly great non-LP singles added, and the dropped material was still very strong!

My good friend Mr. Ware gifted me with a signed copy of the unexpected third Vapors album and we’ll be discussing that soon! Has any else noticed that they spell their name with an American spelling? I just noticed that! He also sent along the last contiguous Rush album he sees as part of their great “middle period” arc lasting from 1980 to 1993. He also sent along an Al Stewart sampler to correct my decades of if not ignorance, than perhaps innocence. I enjoyed the finely etched, complex pop music with great acoustic guitar from Peter White, whom I’d heard and enjoyed on Basia albums. I’d only heard about 4 songs in the 70s and nothing else.

I received the “most impressive” 9-disc Prince SOTT box from a pre-buy @ 30% off at importcds.com to my wonder and astonishment. No time to spin it yet. I’ll need a few weeks to absorb it all! The years in the making 3rd It’s Immaterial album has been on play constantly since its arrival. Another album to love from this band making its way to our ears agains tall odds! And one of the commenters here at PPM sent me the sold-out-in-a-flash issue #69 of Electronic Sound magazine with a cover story on “Vienna” and a clear vinyl 7″ of “Herr X” to my utter astonishment. Mr. Watson had previously send me a CD of The Duchess of Fife earlier so it arrived out of the blue!

1. Stephen Duffy: Kiss Me Again [PopsNeon edit] – DL – Bandcamp/$1.04
2. Ultravox: Vienna 40th Anniversary SDLX box – Chrysalis ‎– CHRB 1296 – UK – 5xCD + DVD [5.1] – importcds.com/$56.98
3. Steven Jones + Logan Sky: Sons Of Hallucination – DL – Promo
4. Stic Basin: Stic Basin 2 – DL – Promo
5. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Axis: Bold As Love DLX RM – Experience Hendrix ‎– 88697 62163 2 – US – CD + DVD – Harvest Records/$10.00

subtotal: $68.02

A largely quiet month with two promos [both reviewed], a third party Steven Duffy remix, and the all important “Vienna” Ultrabox. Now the whole super deluxe edition trend is really hitting this Monk where he lives. Which probably means that the whole trend to made SDLX CD boxes will probably go away soon. For years it was only Classic Rock getting the love, but now they’re waving bait like Simple Minds and Ultravox and I can get aboard that train. Finally, my wife asked me if we had “Axis: Bold As Love” in the Record Cell. Not on CD, so I popped for theDLX RM with DVD documentary. Now she can hear
Little Wing,” one of her favorite songs.

November 2020

No purchases

December 2020

1. OMD: Enola Gay 2020 – UK – 12″ – EMI ‎– 3511309 – OMD webstore/$16.98
2. OMD: Enola Gay [Theo Kottis Remix] – DL – iTunes/$1.29
3. Positive Noise: Distant Fires – Statik Records – TAK 32/12 – UK – 12″ – discogs/$2.32
4. China Crisis – African + White remix – Inevitable – INEV 011 – UK – 7″ – discogs/$3.00
5. The Blow Monkeys – Springtime For The World – RCA – PT 43624 – UK – 12″ – discogs/$2.50
6. Spoons: Tell No Lies – Ready Records – SRB 048 – CAN – 12″ – discogs/$1.99
7. Scritti Politti: Take Me In Your Arms + Love Me – Virgin – VST 1346 – UK – 12″ – discogs/$1.99
8. Tin Tin: Kiss Me [Dub Mix] – WEA – TIN 1T – UK – 12″ – discogs/$2.99
9. Lene Lovich: It’s You, Only You [Mein Schmerz] – Stiff-Epic – 49-03342 – US – 12″ – discogs/$1.25
10. Airstrip One: Social Fools – Polydor – AIRX 1 – UK – 12″ – discogs/$2.00
11. Airstrip One: Satellite – Polydor – AIRX 2 – UK – 12″ – discogs/$2.00
12. Pete Shelley: Waiting For Love – Mercury – MERX 215 – UK – 12″ – discogs/$2.00
13. Pete Shelley: I Surrender – Mercury – MERX 234 – UK – 12″  – discogs/$3.99
14. Propaganda: p:Machinery [reactivate] – ZTT – ZTAS 21 – UK – 7″ – discogs/$1.99
15. Various: Bristol Recorder [v. 2] – The Bristol Recorder – BR002 – UK – LP – discogs/$4.00
16. Sweden Thrü The Ages: It Helps To Cry – Snappy Records – SW 001 – UK – 12″ – discogs/$3.99
17. Tom Tom Club: Don’t Say No – Fontana – TCBX 112 – UK – 12″ – discogs/$2.99
18. China Crisis: Working With Fire + Steel DLX RM – Caroline Records ‎– CAROLR066CD – UK – 3xCD – ebay/$24.99
19. Iggy Pop: Family Affair – UK – DL – Bandcamp/$1.04
20. Monochrome Set: The Independent Singles Collection – Cherry Red ‎– CDMRED 350  – UK – CD – chasinvictoria/gift
21. Heaven 17: Play To Win – The Virgin Years – Edsel Records ‎– HEAVENBOX01 – UK – 10xCD – signed copy – ebay/$158