A few weeks ago, I picked up the Sir Georg Solti/Viennna Philharmonic Ring cycle (1997 remaster) in perfect condition for only £8.99 (that's 15 CDs, plus all packaging). British Heart Foundation, central Birmingham .
Based on @Django's and @therunner's recommendation in the groups poll thread, I picked up the Thrills So Much for the City in Poundland. Thanks guys. Also You&I by the Pierces, and having said previously in this thread that I never see anything remotely 'different' in Poundland, I was that surprised to see Steve Vai's Alien Love Secrets, I almost bought it until I realised I already had it.
Popped back yesterday to check if I'd overlooked anything, and came away with two more: Barbara Dickson - Do Right Woman Julie Covington - The Beautiful Changes Absolutely gobsmacked when I looked them up, especially the second one.
I've seen them a few times, I give them to a staff member, holding them by one finger and thumb, tell them they should not be selling them, and the reason why of course.
Recently I've bought the current vinyl issues of Nick Drake's Pink Moon & Bryter Layter albums. I hadn't picked up Five Leaves Left as it had been priced at more than I wanted to pay in the few shops that had it in stock. Today I went to Newcastle where there are a few great indie record shops, intending to see if I could get it new and not overpriced. The first shop I went in didn't have it in. Then I go to a charity bookshop I hadn't been in for a while. A great shop. They usually have a few records out. When I went in there were four immaculate Buddy Holly MCA mono late 60s compilation LPs for £1 each. I asked if there were any more records. "We sort out the books a lot and tend to forget the records and CDs, we have a lot more records, you can go downstairs and have a look". Great! I go downstairs and there's a cardboard box with "these albums £20+" wrote on it. The record at the front - Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake! A second UK pressing from 1970 on the Island palm tree design label. VG+ sleeve and near perfect, incredible condition vinyl. Unbelievable! What a coincidence! I offered £25 and got it. It's a beauty and a very rare pressing. There were also LPs by Mississippi John Hurt, Bukka White and Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup for £1 each that I bought. A fantastic record shopping day. I spent around £150 on vinyl around all the shops and got a fantastic lot, but they're the charity shop ones. This absolutely made my day, at least! The Buddy Holly comps sound phenomenal too. The recording quality is so good on a lot of his material.
great score, man! just goes to show - there are still some rare gems out there at a decent price. may the hunt continue!
todays goodies : £5 Daft Punk - Discovery Café Del Mar - Volumes 2 and 8 Bob Marley and The Wailers - 127 King Street Paul Young - No Parlez Lenny Kravitz - Are You Going To Go My Way Imelda May - Tribal Garbage - Absolute Garbage (2cd edition) Prince - Ultimate Prince (2cd edition) quite happy with that lot for the ££. I know No Parlez is a bit of a joke, but the fact is I have only once seen it on cd in a charity shop, and that was in dreadful condition. Of course it's the original edition as opposed to the one that had all the cassette extended remixes, but still. However, I am most chuffed re the 2cd editions of Garbage and Prince compilations to be honest as I dont have any Prince 12" versions and have heard good things about them.
Today’s 50p treats: 1: ABC – Alphabet City 2: Joan Armatrading – The Shouting Stage 3: Rod Stewart – Sing It Again Rod (the classic compilation: I also have the glass-shaped vinyl version) There were two copies of Restless by Bryan Adams, but that’s not really my thing. The most unusual item I saw was a double live Marillion CD but it was £3.
I couldn't believe it. I gave it a clean last night and it looks close to perfect, no scuff marks. I played a bit of the opening track and it sounded spot on too. I'm really looking forward to playing it through. Hopefully tonight...
Popped into a British Heart Foundation shop today and their CD prices were just silly. It was all the same stuff you see in every chazzer for 50p or less, but they were asking mostly £1.99 or £2.99. They can't possibly sell much.
It's a great record.I was lucky enough to pick up Bryter Later and Pink Moon as originals back before the whole Drake thing took off in the mid 90's.Paid £20 for BL and £70 for PM a bit later.Never been able to score an OG of FLL,seen a few in the wild but a nice one now is beyond me.Making do with the Simply Vinyl re from 1998.It's a good pressing.
Worth a quid! Damn, I Wish I was Your Lover and California Here I Come are the standouts....so that's 50p per song
I did find the original Japan for Europe CD in a charity shop. I think that one has the extended mixes.
My local BHF (in Bristol) tends to charge £2.50, pretty much whatever the title or condition. Sometimes you find the occasional bargain (see my earlier post re my instant Jellyfish collection), but for the most part it's landfill...
The Mail on Sunday giveaway No Parlez also featured the extended mixes - in fact I'm not aware of this album ever having been released on CD with the original album versions (an anniversary edition was released a few years ago, but they screwed up on the mixes).
That was my feeling. I did catch the two CD Dire Straits Alchemy set for £2 (made in France by PDO - original mastering) in an other shop. Worth it, but I already have the targets (I saw disc one of the target set in an used shop yesterday, but it was a bit worse for wear; don't know what happened to disc two). I did saw a good thrift store find, but it wadn't made by me. Two early DADC discs were bought by someone in the Nashville, TN area for 89c each in 2016/17 (according to the receipts left inside). The titles were Jean Beauvoir's Drums Along the Mohawk and Kansas's Leftoverture. Judging by the shelves in the store, a lot of that person's collection made it over here.
I think the US CDs have the original album versions. Maybe they made an early US for Europe CD, only I've never seen it.
Was in some small charity shop where I live the other day and saw Nirvana's 'Unplugged' on CD. Big fan but have never bothered to get it for some reason... Anyway, assumed it would be 99p as there are billions of them doing the rounds on Fleabay. Nope - £4. I passed. I managed two charity shops (many, many years ago) and was always keen to make money rather than put people off with too high prices. I don't know what some shop managers are thinking these days...