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Caravan 'For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night' (1973)



Featuring new members John G. Perry (replacing Richard Sinclair on bass/vocals) and Geoffrey Richardson (viola), along with returning keyboardist David Sinclair. This reshaped lineup produced Caravan's heaviest and most intense record which is still a landmark in the Canterbury Scene's legacy.

My original LP was a 75p secondhand copy, I've just had to pay far, far more for another one.

It's worth it!

This Is The Moody Blues

Judas Priest - Stained Class

This 1978 album gained noteriety in 1990 when the band were taken to court in the US. Throughout the 80s religious nutters "moral majority" in the US had been raging war against metal and heavy rock, claming it was corrupting the youth. This was the culmination. It was claimed that a subliminal message contained in the track (a cover) "Better by you, Better than me" brought about a suicide pact between two youngsters in 1985 resulting in one being shot dead and the other seriously maimed. The band had to defend the case, the US being their biggest market. Sense prevailed and the band won. An argument for the defence was that if JP encouraged fans to kill themselves they would lose out on record sales. I do not think it is a coincidence that the album contains the track "Beyond the realms of deacth" the subject matter of which is suicide. A case could not be made against this song because of an amendment to the constitution about freedom of artistic expression, hence the subliminal message line of prosecution.

The ordeal had an effect on the band and could well have been a factor in Rob Halford's soon to follow departure. It is notable that the opening chapter of KK Downing's autobiography is about the trial.

The Firstborn Is Dead...

The Beatles - Rubber Soul
David Bowie - The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Queen - The Works
Keith Richards - Singles
D.R.I. - Four of a kind
Joni Mitchell - The Represe Albums (1968 - 1971) (2021 Remasters)

Yngwie Malmsteen - Instrumental Best

Miles Davis - Jack Johnson. A fecking awesome jazz rock extravaganza featuring guitarists John McLaughlin and Sonny Sharrock, keyboardists Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, clarinetist Bennie Maupin, and drummers Jack DeJohnette and Billy Cobham.

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The Cure 'Faith' (1981)



The first NEW LP I have bought since the 80's is the 180g Robert Smith remastered edition of their 3rd album 'Faith'.

Back as a trio, The Cure made this sombre, minimalist work which has a big, spacious sound and refines the approach begun on the wonderful 'Seventeen Seconds'.
This pressing is nicely done and the album comes over as a true classic of the Goth sound.

Ordered this from Amazon at a not-too-unreasonable price along with 'Unknown Pleasures'. Both were delivered in huge boxes that you could fit an Ikea wardrobe into.