The story of the great vinyl purge

I've mentioned the Great Vinyl Purge numerous times in my blog, mostly because I like the word "purge" and how dramatic it all sounds. But I've never shared the details of it with anyone. Seeing as some of you may have been reading my blog for almost 5 years, I feel I owe an explanation. I guess everyone has a similar story, millions of vinyl collections have been sold, especially in the 90's. Lack of interest, lack of money, lack of space, whatever. But this is my particular story: I started building my collection as a first-year student back in '88. I did have a few records before that, but I wasn't really into collecting. Entry into one of the good schools in Athens, crucially near the family home, was rewarded with a steady allowance, a relatively generous one for Greek standards of the time. Enough in any way to live the "student life" as it was called: give or take 8 months of partying per year plus 4 months of burying yourself in books trying to make up for all the lessons you missed while partying. Being a moderate drinker and a non-smoker (God, the money my friends spent on cigarettes!) I could also afford a couple of LPs per week. By the time I finished University and the ensuing 18-month compulsory military service, my collection had surpassed the 1000-record mark. But it stayed in my suburban parents' house while I as a young professional kept moving from one small city appartment to the next. I got into the habit of repurchasing my favorite records on CD. Easier to listen to at my portable home stereo or in the car while driving to work. And of course I went on buying new CD's at an increasing rate, though I stopped buying vinyl sometime in the late 90's. Then at 2004 a happy event set the wheels of the great vinyl purge in motion: my beloved nephew was born. My parents and sister switched houses, and my old bedroom which had been vacant for years became the baby's room. I packed my stereo and a few boxes of vinyl to take with me, but most of them had to be left behind since there was no place in my apartment. I kept most of my garage-rock records, because I prefer to listen to that music on vinyl, and because I've always thought of them as collectible. But their value hasn't increased that much, at least compared to more recent 90's stuff. I mean even albums by mainstream bands like Oasis or Cranberries are among my most valuable LP's now. Who could have guessed they'd be collectors' items some time? I would have thought they'd be ubiquitous, but it seems most of the world had given up on vinyl before I did, so these albums sold massively in CD form but minimally in vinyl. Well, I sold crates of that stuff for an average 2-3 € per piece, together with more obscure alt-rock bands from the same period who hadn't stood the test of time for me but whose albums are quite rare now. Mostly, and to my great regret, I sold the stuff I had twice (meaning both on vinyl and CD form) and those included my favorite records. I had an almost perfect vinyl collection of all the "essential" classics. I sold near mint copies of the complete discographies of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Doors,  Cream. Also, almost complete discographies by Deep Purple, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Neil Young (almost, because I didn't own everything by them twice) as well as The Clash, Ramones, Joy Division, Smiths, Cure etc. Even though they were never rare and there must still be large quantities of them around, everybody wants to own the classics on vinyl, which means they're now worth at least 10 times more than what they brought me then. Some rarities by Greek rock bands, from 60's pop stars Poll to early punk rockers Stress, did bring me a pretty penny. But, although the Great Vinyl Purge did pay the rent for a few months, It wasn't about the money. No, this was the proverbial senseless massacre. As survivors often say, it's all a bit hazy. I couldn't tell you why I ended up keeping certain records and selling certain others. Even now I'm constantly surprised to discover which albums I miss and can't fathom why or remember when I sold, say, The Chills' Brave Words. Or, worse yet, Rain Dogs, one of my favorite records ever. I didn't even have it twice, and therefore can't possibly have sold it, but where is it? Only last month I found out I didn't have a vinyl copy of either "Never Mind The Bollocks" or Nirvana's "Nevermind". I could have swore they survived the purge despite having them on CD just because I was so fond of their cover art, and that I took them with me when I moved to The Netherlands. I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I did what I until recently mocked and went out and re-bought these records that I used to own. More about that embarassing new habit later.

Terrorvision ‎"How To Make Friends And Influence People" 1994****

This is kind of a special album for me. Not because I listened to it a lot - which I did, although I mostly remember watching the videos on MTV's French counterpart MCM, which was the closest we had to a music TV channel in Greece at the time. But because it reminds me of the last time I was in the mosh pit in a rock concert: Rockwave Festival, Athens 1999. To be honest, at that point I was kinda too old for that stuff: I was already out of college and had just opened my dental practice. That day I went to the festival early, and alone; my friends would join later just in time to see that day's "big names". So I was walking the festival grounds and checking the wares in the tents, when Terrorvision came out, earlyish in the afternoon. It only took a few seconds for me to realize that I wanted to be in the center of the mosh pit: I put my shirt in my backpack and headed to the front of the stage. 45 minutes later, to their great surprise, my friends saw me emerge from the crowd half naked and covered in sweat. They might have been less surprised if I was moshing to a "cooler" band - the previous year Bad Religion played Rockwave and I was only standing at the edge of the pit, pushing the younger guys back to the throng every time they came my way, as good etiquette dictates. Bad Religion were hardcore, but Terrorvision were thought to be too commercial, so why mosh to that? Well let me tell you commercial they may be, but the live energy was not to be denied. Why be cool when you can have so much fun otherwise?

I used to have this on vinyl, but sold it during the great vinyl purge. I got maybe €2 for it, which was a fair price then, although it's now worth around €60. Yes, obviously the vinyl purge was a bad decision but at the time my living arrangements were such that there wasn't enough space for all my records. Plus, the purge paid for two or three months' rent, which came in handy at the time. At least I wasn't alone in that, many people sold off their vinyl collections, although most did it in the 90's. Years later, I found the CD on discogs for €1, and added it to my basket even though most of the songs here are included in the band's Best Of comp, which I already had. With hindsight, what was another mainstream alt.rock/metal LP at the time, seems quite exceptional: In 90's UK, Brit Pop reigned; bands reviving the smart pop of The Beatles and Kinks. As for the US, it was all about grunge; no room for snappy bright choruses. Terrorvision had the playful lyrics and pop savvy of British bands, combined with the aggressiveness and energy levels of American ones. "Alice What's The Matter?" is an energetic opener with choppy riffs, rousing solos, shouty vocals and instantly memorable chorus. It's followed by the ridiculously catchy chorus of "Oblivion": "woo-op, bappa-woo-op, bappa-woo-op, bap-ba-woo!" - I may be paraphrasing here, but believe me it's an earworm if I ever heard one. And that lyric "Oh goodness, my gracious, I hope it's not contagious", it cracks me up every time! "Stop The Bus" has a hard rock guitar sound, but is still rather poppy - at times I don't know if it reminds me of Soundgarden or Lenny Kravitz. No such doubts for "Discotheque Wreck", an aggressive piece that seems specially designed for headbanging and slam-dancing. The more melodic, almost Beatles-y, "Middleman" brings it down a notch, completing a near-perfect opening quintet. "Still The Rhythm", "Stab In The Back", and "Time O' The Signs" are a winsome combination of funk, alternative rock, and metal, but aren't as immediately memorable as what preceded them. "Ten Shades Of Grey" and "Some People Say" are sort of the token power ballads - the latter successfully combines a shouty chorus with melodic strings. "Pretend Best Friend" was one of the album's singles: it starts with a catchy riff and singer Tony Wright speed rapping, followed by a slow lounge section. The fast and slow parts keep alternating, and while in theory this shouldn't work, it all gels together nicely. "What The Doctor Ordered" is a metal-oriented track, while the album proper ends with rocker "What Makes You Tick". The CD continues with 5 minutes of silence followed by a "hidden track" - just noises and people talking nonsense, really. Crappy hidden tracks; another reason to keep your vinyl rather than "upgrade" to CD (calling it an upgrade sounds silly I know, but that's what we thought we were doing back then). The band would continue until 2001 (and reform again in 2005, and on various occasions since then), but while they released some great singles throughout their career, they never bettered this album. Well, almost 30 years after its initial release, I say it's time to give Terrorvision their due and recognize How To Make Friends... for what it is: one of the all-time classic rock albums.

***** for Oblivion

**** for Alice What's The Matter?, Discotheque Wreck, Middleman, Pretend Best Friend, Some People Say

*** for Stop The Bus, Still The Rhythm, Stab In The Back, Time O' The Signs, What The Doctor Ordered, What Makes You Tick

** for Ten Shades Of Grey

Grant Lee Buffalo "fuzzy" 1993****

I just returned from watching a concert in The Hague, featuring Grant Lee Buffalo's Grant Lee Phillips and Giant Sand's Howe Gelb. Grant Lee had a cold and apologized for his ragged voice but he was easily the better of the two, although admittedly he couldn't hit the high notes on "Fuzzy". I came back, poured myself a drink, slipped the cd in the stereo, turned on my laptop and started writing. "Fuzzy" is a record I've bought twice, since the original lp didn't survive the great vinyl purge of 2004. In retrospect the great vinyl purge was a bad move but my collection was just sitting in the old family house as it was too big for my bachelor's apartment. I salvaged a small portion (maybe 400-500 records) and emptied out my old room to clear space for my baby nephew. This album from 1993 was the Buffalo's first and a mini-masterpiece that may not have set the charts on fire but got a lot of praise from those who knew best. R.E.M's Michael Stipe for example declared it "The best album of the year, hands down" and asked them to support R.E.M in their tour. The music is alternative rock with folk elements, lyrical piano and acoustic guitars alternating with distorted electric ones. Neil Young, R.E.M, Pearl Jam, 16 Horsepower and The Waterboys are some comparisons that spring to mind. "The Shining Hour" is a fast piano-led song while "Jupiter And Teardrop", "Stars N' Stripes", "The Hook" and (lead single) "Fuzzy" are gorgeous ballads that nevertheless also sport some great electric guitar. "Wish You Well", "Soft Wolf Tread" and (second single) "America Snoring" are alt.rock and "Dixie Drug Store" Americana with blues and soul elements. Listening to this album again so long after it first came out, I can verify that Grant Lee's marvelous voice and strong songwriting remain relevant and impressive 20 years later, which means that it can now rightly be declared a classic. Time for a new generation of music lovers to discover it.

***** for Fuzzy

**** for The Shining Hour, Jupiter And Teardrop, Wish You Well, Stars 'N' Stripes, Dixie Drug Store, America Snoring

*** for The Hook, You Just Have To Be Crazy
** for Soft Wolf Tread, Grace

Grant Lee Phillips and Howe Gelb on stage at the Paard van Troje, earlier tonight

London Record Shops

(THE FIRST PART OF THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2015, SCROLL DOWN FOR THE 2025 UPDATE)

I just got back from my latest visit in London, the third one until now (roughly once every 10 years). It was an easy and comfortable train trip from Brussels, only 2 hours with euro-star, which made me wonder why I hadn't done it before (granted, I've only been living in Brussels for half a year - but still, even from Delft it wasn't that far). And of course, other than being there on my best friend's birthday (cheers Anastasia!) the main motivation for the trip was some good-old record hunting. My two previous trips (in the nineties and noughties) had been very productive, providing me with both rare and (crucially) cheap records and CD's to fill the holes in my record collection. Incidentally, my first experience from London record shops has seen the light of day in the pages of ZOO magazine - no, I don't mean this one, what are you thinking? I'm talking about the short-lived but legendary Greek music magazine. It sported a readers' column called "record hunting" and my entry got me a years' worth of issues, including the CD EP's that are now collectors' items. My second visit yielded even more treasures, but the third time there was no charm: The record shop is dying. It's a well known fact, but in my mind's eye it was alive and well in London. Not anymore. This time I was less than impressed by what I saw and, if the situation has deteriorated so badly in a city of 9 million people which also happens to be the pop capital of the world, there's no hope. Maybe the vinyl will survive as a gourmet music lovers' possession, but it seems it's more of a decorative item nowadays - used to give your house a sophisticated retro look, even if you don't own a record player and only listen to music on your laptop (It doesn't sound the same people, can't you hear the difference?) CD's are a thing of the past, but that's what I've been collecting since the days of the great vinyl purge. They take up less space, sound good (the flat digital transcription of the early days is gone), mostly have nice artwork and informative booklets, can be listened on the home stereo, car and -yes- laptop, and it's easy to rip mp3's for your portable devices and to make compilations. I do have doubts over their longevity, though.

 

Anyway, this is my report from my visits at the record shops during my 4-day stay in London. Obviously it's not a reliable guide, you'd have to ask a Londoner for that. First of all, forget the behemoths of the past: The Virgin Megastore on Tottenham Court Road that so impressed me the first time is gone. The same fate befell giant record stores everywhere: Gone are Amsterdam's Fame Store and Athens' Metropolis. Granted, they were never as sympathetic as the traditional record shops but they offered variety, hours of browsing without being bothered and affordable prices. Their supermarket-style approach lives on in the medium-sized shops like HMV on Oxford Street (founded in 1921, probably the oldest record shop around) and Fopp at the Seven Dials/Covent Garden neighborhood. I would recommend a visit to the latter for the variety and prices, but you can find the same in electronic chains stores like Media Markt in Brussels or Saturn in Bremen. Not that I like buying CD's from stores that sell TV's and coffeemakers, just saying that Fopp is one of the better London CD shops and yet nothing special. On to Soho, which is not as I remember it. The sex shops and working girls have given way to trendy pubs and restaurants. Still, gentrified or not, a lively neighborhood - a bit too lively in fact. On Friday and Saturday night it was almost impossible to find somewhere to eat or drink. Interesting shops, though. I visited Sister Ray which seemed to have shrunk from my last visit, but still had a large enough collection and good bargains. Same goes for Reckless Records, a few meters down the road (Berwick Street). I got some nice second hand psychedelic CD's here. The shop was promoting Reckless's (it's also a record label) latest release, a new Brainiac 5 album after 35 or so years of absence. Never heard of them? You should - their "World Inside" album always was a favorite of mine, together with early Bevis Frond LP's also on the Reckless label. A CD anthology is now available and I'll present it here on a later occasion. On the corner there's Sounds of the Universe, offering LP's, CD's and books mostly leaning towards jazz, soul and reggae. Phonica Records on the nearby Poland Street focuses on dance music and held my interest for about 15 seconds. Music and Video Exchange on Notting Hill Gate proved, once again, to be the best choice both for rare and cheap CD's. All second hand, most start with £4- £6, with the prices sliding down with time. I got a bunch of CD's for £1 as well as some stuff I was searching for (Planxty, Roy Harper etc) all under £8. Round the corner you can find Book and Comic Exchange which is, likewise, a good source for used books. Of the many music books on sale I chose Martin C. Strong's voluminous Great Rock Discography. It's out of print and replaced by the Essential Rock Discography, which I owned already but only is a measly 1200 pages thick. Whereas the Great Record Discography offers more info on pre-millenium rock, as well as a handy weapon to use against home invaders.

I also visited Rough Trade West on Talbot Street in Portobello and was rather disappointed when I saw how small it was. It turns out that, if one wants more choice, he'd have to to visit their other store on Brick Lane. But West did have some rarities from independent labels and I was delighted to get a compilation of The Zounds, a favorite anarcho-punk band from my youth. Next stop was Camden Market, where I imagined I'd find cheap CD's but it turns out they sell everything but CD's: I only found a couple of stalls among hundreds of shops. Monastiraki (Camden's Athenian counterpart) offers much much more choice to music lovers. I got a bunch of rock-related T-Shirts and, on my way out from Camden, visited another record shop in the area, Out On The Floor Records. It's a nice enough shop, mostly selling soul and reggae LP's, but I left without shopping something. I later went off the beaten path to Stoke Newington, to visit Lucky Seven Records, which is supposedly a great source of cheap music and books. And it is - if you don't mind digging through a crate of junk to find a few nice CD's priced a ridiculous 3-for-1£. There's a lot more books and CD's for a modest £2-£5, but finding what you're looking for is either a question of luck or of very wide taste. As I belong to the latter category, I came out with a book and 18 or so CD's for less than £30 overall, so I'd rate the excursion a success - but if you're the choosy kind, chances are you won't find any hidden treasures here. Then again, you never know. And that's what makes record shop browsing an infinitely more rewarding experience than surfing amazon or ebay... Now, I know most people favor collecting vinyl over CD and I guess they'd like to read more about the vinyl market in my blog entry. Limited time meant I didn't browse the LP stands a lot, but I generally found them to be quite overpriced. I mean certain records have always been expensive but not every album is a collector's item. The 90's and 00's saw thousands of record collections getting dumped into the market and the price of used vinyl plunge. Today it seems that those 20-somethings that sold off their collections are now 40 and eager to buy them back at twentyfold the price, just to own these nostalgia items they will never play because they're too lazy to walk over to the record player every 15 minutes. You won't catch me paying €20 for a used album that is by no means rare and costs half that price as a new, remastered, CD. And you know what? All that talk about vinyl sounding better is such nonsense. Most of them don't: the hissing during the quiet parts and the pops and crackles of used LP's still get on my nerves. I can't believe so many fall for the "romantic" glorification of these imperfections. Not to mention the latest trend to resurrect the audio cassette. Still, anything is better than mp3's and London record shops, even in decline, offer some good opportunities to collectors and music lovers. In addition, they made me re-evaluate and appreciate the shops I know well in The Netherlands, Athens and Brussels. They're certainly also worth a blog entry, in the future. I might even have a few pointers for record buying visitors to Paris, too..

UPDATE 2025: This is my second visit since I wrote the previous post (#5 in total, but who's counting?) so I thought it was time for an update. Once again, my stay was short so I covered little ground. But I now have a method: take pictures, make notes, move on unless there's really interesting stuff you want to buy. So I didn't spend hours in every shop as I used to. I'm not saying I didn't find interesting stuff here, although my previous estimation still stands: for a huge metropolis that happens to be the Mecca of pop and rock, full of music landmarks everywhere you look, the London record store situation is really underwhelming. Especially if you happen to have visited Tokyo a few weeks prior. In my previous visit I had focused mostly on CDs, this time I mostly browsed the vinyl racks. I omitted the Notting Hill/Portobello district where I had spent most of my record hunting time previously, as there weren't a lot of other attractions to combine with. Whereas shopping around Camden Town is always nice; my friends dispersed to browse around the place while I went looking for vinyl. First one I spotted was Massive International, a really cool place dedicated to reggae music and culture in general. Lots of reggae/dub vinyl (£20-30), as well as some soul and hip hop, cool hats, t-shirts and Jamaica-related trinkets. A bigger shop with more variety is Wild Horses. Lots of rock/soul/folk vinyl from 60's to 80's (many offers £1-5, the rest £6-29) as well as CDs (mostly £5-10). A third shop had a "no photos" policy and no discernible name. Used vinyl £10-20. My favorite though was a tiny stall by Moon Jelly Records. (Unit 514, Stables Market, Paddock Lane). A curated selection of garage rock, psychedelia and metal LPs, plus great T shirts and tote bags. 

On a side street of Camden High Street (10 Inverness Street) I re-discovered Out On The Floor Records. Nice ambience, still very good on soul, reggae, and ska, but also a lot of classic rock, some jazz, metal, and dance. LPs new and used mostly £10-24. Raven Records (24 Camden Road) gets some rave google reviews, mostly about how welcoming it is and how nice the people are. Nice is not something one associates with black metal; yet, although I didn't stick around long enough to chat with the staff, I did get a welcoming vibe. Pitch black walls and morbid decorations aside. There is a nice coffee bar, and lots of LPs in all metal sub-genres especially the more underground ones, as well as books and t-shirts. Speaking of specialty record stores, probably the most famous in Camden is All Ages Records. Everything punk related (with a small side order of metal) can be found here, above all vinyl (new £20-30, some on sale £8-12) and CDs. Regarding punk fashion and memorabilia, of course, Camden Town is the place to be, both the market and the streets around it. A very small token of the kind of shops one can find inside the Camden Market (let alone in the surrounding streets) can be found here. Record stores that are listed in the area which I missed include Rock and Roll Soldiers (Unit D34 Horse Tunnel Market inside the market, and music charity shop Rock and Roll Rescue (96 Parkway). Music landmarks also abound, from historic venues like The Electric Ballroom, The Roundhouse and Dingwalls to places associated with The Clash, Blur, Oasis, and Camden's latest local heroine Amy Winehouse, whose statue is one of the Camden Market attractions.

From Camden to Soho, one of the trendiest and most vibrant neighborhoods in London. I re-visited the same shops: Sister Ray is still one of the nicest shops in London: huge selection, one floor full of CDs (£3-15) and another one with vinyl. If one feels lost by all the choices, the staff have highlighted some interesting recommendations for them. Reckless Records, also on Berwick Street, is just as good. About 70% of the shop is dedicated to vinyl (new £20-30, used £10-30), also 7'singles and CDs (£1-10). All kinds of music but especially good for punk, rock, and reggae. I got to Sounds Of The Universe around closing time and didn't get to check prices, but I took in the nice ambience. 10 years ago I described it as selling "LP's, CD's and books mostly leaning towards jazz, soul and reggae", my impression from this short second visit is that that's still the case. I didn't revisit them this time but Phonica Records (51 Poland St,) and Fopp (1 Earlham St, near Covent Garden) are still in the neighborhood. 

A third neighborhood I checked on this time, which I hadn't visited during any of my other London trips, was the East End, from Whitechapel to Shoreditch and the like. We visited Spitalfields Market and the huge Brick Lane Vintage Market, both of which I very much recommend to any tourist/visitor to the city. Great food stalls with delicacies from around the world, fashion both new and vintage, and, in the case of Brick Lane, vinyl. There was a big stall with -mostly used- LPs of all styles and decades (£5-20) here. I got a copy of The Beatles' Yesterday And Today with the infamous butcher cover - it'd be nice if I could afford the original but, alas, this was just a bootleg. Here I parted ways with my girlfriend, who holds a doctorate in criminology and wanted to follow on the trail of Jack The Ripper, while I went to find Rough Trade East, the self-described flagship of this indie chain (Old Truman Brewery 91, Brick Ln). There's lots and lots of vinyl (£20-35, some offers for £15), especially rock, indie, post punk, and some electronic music. Also all kinds of music-related merchandise, but I was more drawn towards their book selection: a lot of very nice titles for only £5. I chose a book on the history of magic and Robbie Krieger's memoirs of his time with The Doors, but there were tons I would have carried with me if weight was not an issue - history, music, and fiction. There's also a cool bar and a stage for live events. A great scene on Brick Lane, lots of people sitting around on the street talking and going in and out of the shops. Opposite to Rough Trade, there's a place called the Backyard Market. Right in front of that, you'll find Tea Rooms a space full of small art and vintage shops, including vinyl. The first one, on your right as you enter, has a good selection of goth, indie, punk and metal CD (£4) and vinyl (£15-30), including some interesting bootlegs. Another one carries only used records (especially Soul/R&B, £25-30). 

Another record store just off Brick Lane (46 Cheshire St) is World Of Echo. Small shop with a curated collection of alternative, post punk, and experimental music. On to my last stop, Flashback Records. There are by now 3 shops of that chain in London: Islington (Essex Road), Crouch End (Tottenham Lane), and Shoreditch (Bethnal Green Road, near the end of Brick Lane). The latter's basement is dedicated to reggae, soul, and hip hop vinyl, while the ground floor holds a big selection of used and new music. Everything is neatly catalogued according to genre and sub-genre. CDs around £5, LPs mostly £10-20 (all kinds of rock, indie, psychedelia etc). Further north to Hackney, within walking distance from Flashback one can find more record stores including: Idle Moments (86 Columbia Rd, combines records and wine), Play Vinyl (14 Ezra Str), Crypt Of The Wizzard (specializing in Heavy Metal, 264 Hackney Rd), Love Vinyl (5 Pearson St), Yo Yo Records (501 Cambridge Heath Rd) and Stranger Than Paradise (117 Mare St, inside Market). There are many more scattered around the city, but I've only visited the three clusters above as I had limited time. A visitor with more time in their hands, or better yet a Londoner, can compile a better guide. The best reference I've found is this map. Now, if I've dissed the London vinyl scene, it's only because I was expecting so much more. Don't get me wrong, going record hunting is a must for any music lover visiting the city. You'll find many shops, a great variety in records, and knowledgeable clerks. No bargains whatsoever, but London is a very expensive city in general. 

UPDATE 2026: Gone are the days I used to visit London once per decade. This time it took me exactly a year. Of course I hit the record stores again, hitting some spots I missed last year: First, I went to Notting Hill to revisit Music and Video Exchange: smaller than I remembered, some bargains on vinyl £1-4 (nothing exciting) but generally more expensive than similar shops in the Netherlands where I live now. Not Lots of CDs for £1-2 though, with the rest also being quite cheap. Dance and Soul music on the 1st floor. In Portobello (278 Portobello Road) I visited Honest Jon's for the first time. It's a rather small record store with a (well-deserved) great reputation: I'venever before seen such a deep selection of world music, especially African but also reggae, Latin, even Arabic, as well as lots of soul and jazz. LPs mostly £20-30, CDs £5-20. Not bad for such rare stuff. Just off Portobello Rd (on Talbot Street) Rough Trade West yielded some good finds, both used and new. New LPs here cost mostly  £15-30, used "hand-picked by the stuff" (no crap vinyl here) £7-30. Decent prices for UK. Downstairs there was a sale including many records on half price (down from £30-40). Back to the West End, I got to visit Jack White's Third Man Records (1 Marshall St, Carnaby). It's a very stylish unclattered space, and by unclattered I mean there's a very small selection of highly curated vinyl, mostly from Third Man artists. Some CDs and singles too, as well as nice fashion items and Third Man-related merchandise, and a small stage downstairs for instore gigs. A very hipster place, not really interesting for collectors apart  from exclusive releases, including a lot of live in-store recordings by a bunch of artists. The local Rough Trade branch on 50-54 Beak St. seemed to only carry fashion items, so I didn't enter which may have been a mistake as the website states that it's a good source for "quality used vinyl". At the Seven Dials neighborhood, I also visited Fopp, part of a big chain. Many LPs 2-for-£50 or 3-for-£66, cheap CDs mostly £7-17 and even cheaper books, many good titles for £5 or less (music, non-fiction, novels etc). And while we're in the neighborhood, this time I managed to catch a play in the West End. Teeth 'n' Smiles is a musical by David Hare, first staged half a century ago - a funny, or rather darkly sarcastic, look at rock 'n' roll in the aftermath of the collapse of the 1960s dream of love, peace, and music. The other triptych -sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll- never goes out of fashion, of course, so it's celebrated onstage. I really enjoyed it all, and I'm surprised the play isn't revived more often. It has many great lines and excellent performances, especially from Rebecca Lucy Taylor in a role originally played by Helen Mirren. The original songs are terrific, too. The production closes just a couple of days after I write these words. If, by any chance, you're reading this before 6-6-26, I suggest booking a ticket.

Various Artists "This Can't Be Today - American Psychedelia & The Paisley Underground 1977-1988" 2026(comp)****

Eighties music always gets an awfully bad rep; I guess that's to be expected if one judges from the era's hit parade and dominant production techniques. But to me, a teenager of that era, it was a time of exciting musical discoveries; yes there was very little of value on the MTV, but we had pirate radio - until the late 80's when the state monopoly of the airwaves was lifted, that is. Rock FM 969, the first station dedicated to rock music, was established in 1989. Until then, our main sources of musical education were pirate radio, music magazine pop + rock, and above all the mix tapes we exchanged with friends. The music bars around Exarchia also introduced us to some great bands: staples of the time included the Violent Femmes, Gun Club, Fuzztones, as well as some of the groups featured in this compilation. I started building my record collection in the mid 80's; I bought very few new LPs, only those by bands I absolutely wanted to have; instead I bought slightly older "nice price" releases or used vinyl - since information was scarce, my record buying habbits were largely guided by instinct and price: if I had read or vaguely heard about a band that sounded up my alley, and the price was right, I'd risk buying their record. Album covers played a big role; paisley or psychedelic designs, or fonts similar to 60s psychedelic, would always catch my eye. Certain record companies, too: Bomp, Voxx, Dionysus, Skyclad, Midnight Records, German indie Music Maniac: all these released a slew of garage/neo-psychedelic records. All through the late 80's and early 90's I collected everything garage/psych- related I could get my hands on, either the original 60s stuff or neo-psychedelic revival. A lot of them disappeared during the great vinyl purge, but a relatively big chunk (compared to vinyl of other genres) has stayed with me, to this day.

A month or two ago, I read about this release in Mojo Magazine. I've always had a soft spot for paisley underground bands, so, knowing that Cherry Red Records has done a great job anthologizing other periods/genres, I ordered the box set from Amazon. It consists of three CDs in a sturdy clamshell box. Each CD has 20+ tracks, making up a total of 67. There's a mix of relatively well-known songs and rarities, some by future stars and some by others who went unnoticed at the time. As it turns out, I already had many of the songs in my collection, mostly on vinyl, but hadn't listened to them in a while. It's nice to hear them again now, in this kind of mixtape situation. The same goes for some LPs that I sold when I had to radically downsize my vinyl collection in the early 00's. I now have to re-evaluate my choices; I probably shouldn't have parted with The Rain Parade's Emergency Third Rail Power Trip. The two songs included here are ("What She's Done To Your Mind", "This Can't Be Today") are fine examples of Byrds-y neo-psychedelia with beautiful harmonies and jangly guitars. I guess that at the time I thought it was a bit too tame; I prefered bands that were louder, and more faithful to 60s garage as evidenced in the Nuggets, Pebbles, etc. compilations. There's a healthy dose of those here, and it's telling that most of these albums have stayed in my collection: The Tell-Tale Hearts, Prime Movers, Yard Trauma, Cynics, Mod Fun, and others. Plan 9's "White Woman" (1984) is a Seeds-like garage rocker, while The Vertebrats' "Left in the Dark" (1981) was one of the highlights of the classic Battle Of The Garages comp.

 

The Last's "She Don't Know Why I'm Here" is the oldest track here (1977), and the one that opens this (more or less chronologically ordered) comp. The Last came out of the L.A. punk rock scene, but played in a more melodic, 60s- influenced, style. Chris Bell's 1978 "I Am The Cosmos" probably doesn't belong here; Big Star's co-founder may have influenced some of these bands but belongs to a previous generation.  R. Stevie Moore's "I Go Into Your Mind" (1979) is a dreamy keyboard ballad, The Fans' "True" (1980) is power pop, and The dB's 1981 demo "Nothing Is Wrong" is a trippy ballad influenced by Big Star. As Californian post-punk bands began to embrace a softer garage sound, often embellished with country brushstrokes, a localized 60's revivalist movement appeared which was inspired by West Coast flower power rather than the punkier 60's sounds from Michigan or the Northwest. It became known as the paisley underground (PU), as these musicians favored vintage 60's gear and clothing. A typical example is Action Now, whose song "Try" was recorded for a compilation curated by influential DJ RodneyBingenheimer. It had all the PU hallmarks, but wasn't a hit, which led to guitarist/songwriter/backing vocalist Paula Pierce to leave and start her own, all-female, group: The Pandoras' gutsy music and Paula's snarly delivery evoked the bands that reigned in the Sunset Strip club scene circa 1966, like The Standells and Chocolate Watch Band. They made two amazing 60's sounding LPs and an ill-advised pseudo-metal one, before Paula tragically died of an aneurysm at the age of 31. Another all-female PU band had much better luck: The Bangs, led by Susana Hoffs and the Peterson sisters, also started out playing garage rock; softer than the Pandoras, their 1981 debut "Getting Out of Hand" is a playful garage pop single with Beatles-inspired harmonies. Legal action by another group obliged them to change their name, initially to The Bang-less, and then The Bangles. We get one more 60's-sounding track from their same-named EP (1983); already they had gotten more professional and commercial-sounding with the help of Blondie producer Craig Leon. Pretty soon they'd become one of the bigger pop groups of the era, leaving the PU scene behind. From the same year, sisters Kristy & Kelly Callan-fronted Wednesday Week offer more upbeat and melodic garage pop.

 

On the more psychedelic/experimental side, we get "Office Skills" (1980) and "Euphoric Trapdoor Shoes" (1983) by Plasticland, True West's Tomorrow/Pink Floyd sounding "Steps To The Door" (1983), and the ghostly "Nothing Is Saving Me" (Translator, 1982). Now that I think of it, the latter also has similarities to early Cure. Other songs giving off a mysterious/horror vibe are "Sheez Wycked" (The Twisted) and Human Expression cover "Every Night" (The Suburban Nightmare). Both songs feature fuzzed out organ and tortured Cramps-like vocals - in the latter case by Blag Dhalia, later to find notoriety with The Dwarves. Bands with a more contemporary new wave sound include Wire Train, Darius And The Magnets, and Al Bloch; his "Hanging Around" shares more than a title with The Stranglers. My favorite PU band was The Dream Syndicate; I must have seen Steve Wynn, either solo or with Dream Syndicate ten times. Their music wasn't as sunny as other bands of the scene; there was a definite influence by Velvet Underground and Neil Young & Crazy Horse. The two tracks included here ("Sure Thing" and a cover of Young's "Mr. Soul") were recorded Live at KPFK Radio in '82, a nice bonus for fans like me who already own their official discography. Green On Red's "Death And Angels" comes from their 1982 debut album recorded when they were still based in Tucson AZ. Later they'd move to California and adopt a more country-ish sound, although drummer Van Christian stayed behind and co-founded Naked Prey, who are represented here by the half-spoken heavy blues "The Story Never Ends" (1984). A similar path was followed by The Long Ryders: "And She Rides" (1983) is more garagey, while next year's "Too Close To The Light" signifies a move towards country rock. Sid Griffin of the Long Ryders as well as Yard Trauma's Lee Joseph started out, together with singer Shelley Ganz, as The Unclaimed. Their 1980 track "Deposition Central (The Acid Song)" is mid-tempo psychedelia; not what I expected, as I have a mini LP from a later incarnation which took a more frantic garage punk approach. That later incarnation featured Rich Coffee on guitar, who would soon also leave to form his own band, Thee Fourgiven. A 1985 track by them is included here; it's a somewhat more muscular garage rock with Doors-like vocals and a 13th Floor Elevators drone. Back to the sunnier sounds often associated with California, bands utilizing jangly Byrdsian guitars and Beatles-like harmonies include The Point (1983's "Magic Circle" features a baroque harpsichord break a la The Left Banke), Tommy Keene, The Reverbs, Dreams So Real, The Impossible Years, Dumptruck, and 28th Day. Another band with a jangly guitar sound whom you wouldn't initially think of bundling with the rest here, were Athens GA's REM - yet "Gardening At Night" from their debut EP fits very well with the rest. 

Other bands one does not normally associate with the PU sound because of their punk/hardcore pedigree are Redd Kross (here with an excellent cover of The Stones' "Citadel"), Hüsker Dü, and The Meat Puppets, whose second album is a pre-grunge/country/psych masterpiece. Nirvana covered no less than 3 songs from Meat Puppets II (1984) in their MTV Unplugged LP, including "Plateau" which also appears here. The Droogs are also a band apart; formed in 1972 they kept the garage-psych flame alive, existing at the margins and only releasing thir first LP Stone Cold World in 1984. I will never forget seeing them at a beach festival in Athens around 1990; they had flown in late the same night, and when they reached the festival grounds they expected it all to be over. Instead, everyone was still there and in high spirits; the band went onstage around 3:00 in the morning and played almost until dawn. The Eyes Of Mind's discography consists of a sole mini-LP (Tales Of The Turquoise Umbrella, 1984) which is still in my collection. "With You Again" is a melodic piece reminiscent of UK popsike circa '68. The Three O'Clock are quite similar, but for some reason I sold their LP during the Great Vinyl Purge. I seem to remember thinking it was too poppy, sound too clean, vocals too sweet. "Her Head's Revolving" (which is included here) proves me wrong: it's rocking a la early Pink Floyd, with nice psychedelic guitar effects. According to the booklet, Prince was a fan of the band; his composition "Manic Monday" was inspired by Three O Clock; he gifted the song to The Bangles, providing them with a huge international hit. Disc 3 of the compilation covers the second half of the 80's; it opens with The United States of Existence's "Welcome Tomorrow, Goodbye Today", a song that reminds me of the band Tomorrow, with its swirling organ and sitar. The Flaming Lips peaked around the turn of the millenium, but they've been around for a long time. "With You" from their 1986 debut alternates acoustic folk psych with loud distorted guitars. Camper Van Beethoven's "Circles" employs classic experimental tricks like backwards vocals, psychedelic effects, and exotic sitar. Atlanta's Drivin' N Cryin' later found fame with a heavier Southern Rock sound, but "Count The Flowers" (1986) is a powerful 60's-style pure garage/psych rocker. At the other end of the musical spectrum, Game Theory's "Regenisraen" is an elegant acoustic ballad with Simon and Garfunkel-like harmonies.

 

LA's The Things ("You Can't Deliver", 1986) walk in the footsteps of 60's bands like Love and The Byrds, while Flying Color ("Dear Friend") and Winter Hours ("Hyacinth Girl") bridge the 60's with the contemporary indie folk of The Smiths and Stone Roses. The Steppes, fronted by Irish singer-songwriter brothers John and David Fallon, relocated to LA, joining the local scene and therefore earning a place in this, US-only, compilation. They're one of my favorite bands of the era, reminsing me of early Pink Floyd and UK 60's band The Kaleidoscope. The Green Pajamas are another favorite; I own a few of their albums as well as a solo one by Jef Kelly. Kelly's voice reminds me of Donovan, Marc Bolan, and Paul Roland. "Kim The Waitress" is a nice piece of romantic psychedelia, dominated by distorted sitar. The only track hailing from 1987 is The Inn's "What's It Like", a garagey folk rocker. The final 5 tracks all come from 1988: Absolute Grey's "For Some Reason" is alt-rock with trippy vocals, The Cynics' "Took Her Hand" is pure 60s-style garage punk, while The Sneetches' "Home Again" is Kinks-like 60s pop. Dead Moon, as I've mentioned before, are the band that, to me, perfectly embody the spirit of authentic rock and roll; "Graveyard" evokes the 13th Floor Elevators, with 60's veteran Fred Cole proving an equally good screamer to Roky Erickson. The box set closes with Ultra Vivid Scene's "Mercy Seat", dreamy hypnotic psychedelia that seems to presage the 90's shoegaze genre. All in all, this is a hearty compilation that embraces all the facets of the neopsychedelic/paisley underground 80's phenomenon with meaningful detours into classic garage punk, mainstream alternative rock, jangly indie pop, and new wave. For myself, it's both a trip to memory lane and an educational introduction to music that aligned to my taste but had escaped my attention at the time. At 67 tracks, This Can't Be Today offers an embarassment of riches for what is nowadays the price of a single new LP.

***** for The Vertebrats - Left in the Dark, R.E.M. - Gardening At Night, The Long Ryders - And She Rides, The Rain Parade - This Can't Be Today, The Pandoras - It's About Time, Meat Puppets - Plateau, The Tell-Tale Hearts - Come And Gone, The Steppes - Sky Is Falling, Dead Moon – Graveyard

**** for The Last - She Don't Know Why I'm Here, Plasticland - Office Skills, The Bangs - Getting Out of Hand, Chris Bell - I Am The Cosmos, The Fans - True, Green On Red - Death And Angels, The Unclaimed - Deposition Central (The Acid Song), The Dream Syndicate - Sure Thing (Live at KPFK), Translator - Nothing Is Saving Me, Al Bloch - Hangin' Around, Wednesday Week - Sad Little Dog, The Rain Parade - What She's Done To Your Mind, True West - Steps To The Door, The Point - Magic Circle, Wire Train – Everything’s Turning Up Down Again, Darius And The Magnets - Saturday At 3:00 P.M., Plan 9 - White Women, Redd Kross - Citadel, Droogs - For These Remaining Days, Naked Prey - The Story Never Ends, Bangles - The Real World, The Long Ryders - Too Close To The Light, The Three O'Clock - Her Head's Revolving, The Eyes Of Mind - With You Again, The Impossible Years - Flower Girl, Thee Fourgiven - Anything, The Romans - Vicki Seventy, The Prime Movers - True To Me, The Suburban Nightmare - Every Night, Yard Trauma - Must've Been Something I Took Last Night, The United States of Existence - Welcome Tomorrow, Goodbye Today, 28th Day - 25 Pills, Dumptruck - Back Where I Belong, Hüsker Dü - Hardly Getting Over It, The Flaming Lips - With You, Game Theory - Regenisraen, Drivin' N Cryin' - Count The Flowers, The Things - You Can't Deliver, Flying Color - Dear Friend, Winter Hours - Hyacinth Girl, The Green Pajamas - Kim The Waitress, Mod Fun - Hope It's Today, The Inn - What's It Like, Absolute Grey - For Some Reason, The Cynics - Took Her Hand

*** for The dB's - Nothing Is Wrong (Demo), Action Now – Try, Tommy Keene - Mr. Roland, R. Stevie Moore - I Go Into Your Mind, Plasticland - Euphoric Trapdoor Shoes, The Dream Syndicate – Mr Soul (Live at KPFK), The Reverbs - Picture An Eye, The Twisted - Sheez Wycked, Dreams So Real - Everywhere Girl, Thin White Rope - The Three Song,  Camper Van Beethoven - Circles, The Sneetches - Home Again, Ultra Vivid Scene - Mercy Seat

The Blues Project featuring Al Kooper And Steve Katz "Pop History Vol.20" 1966-1972 (rec) 1972 (comp)****

The Blues Project’s Live At The Cafe Au Go Go was among my first 50 or 60 LPs, bought in the late ’80s. At the time, I had a girlfriend whose brother had a nice collection of ’60s psychedelia, and she would smuggle his records over for me to listen to and make mixtapes from. I liked this one so much that, rather than just tape it, I went out and bought it. It stayed in my collection for many years, until it fell victim to the Great Vinyl Purge. I bought myself a CD compilation called Anthology which contained (almost) the whole album, so the LP went the way of the other duplicates: as per my usual method, I sold the vinyl and kept the CD. Smart move, right? (Not). Years later, I came across this double LP for a nice price. It had some of my favorites, but—crucially—it also contained a number of tracks by later incarnations of the group that weren’t included on Anthology. Just the opportunity I needed to rectify my mistake and add some Blues Project to my vinyl collection.

As you can see from this sample, the Pop History series, released in Germany in the early ’70s, isn’t exactly the most aesthetically pleasing thing around, but it remains a good way to get your hands on some really good—and sometimes rare—music, in the form of budget-priced double-LP compilations housed in gatefold sleeves. But, like they say, it’s what’s in the grooves that matters, so let’s take a look at what’s here. First off, we have three tracks from my old favorite, Live At The Cafe Au Go Go (1966). These include the fiery garage rock of “I Want To Be Your Driver,” the marathon blues workout of “Two Trains Running,” and the acoustic folk ballad “Catch The Wind”—one example of each of the styles represented on the album, although I would have liked to hear more of the rockers from that LP. From the critically acclaimed Projections (1966), we get one of the band’s true signature tracks, “I Can’t Keep From Cryin’ Sometimes.” Written by Al Kooper, this classic blends moody Greenwich Village folk-blues with an intense, escalating psychedelic midsection. “Wake Me, Shake Me” is a ferocious, gospel-infused blues-rocker, with a rousing chorus and uplifting Hammond organ. On the instrumental “The Flute Thing,” it’s Andy Kulberg’s jazz flute that steals the show—this marks the first, but certainly not the last, time the band flirted with prog. “Steve’s Song,” written and sung by Steve Katz, is a baroque flavored piece, featuring gentle acoustic guitar and flute. “Violets of Dawn” is a folk-rock cover of a song by Greenwich Village mainstay Eric Andersen. In 1967, after playing at the historic Monterey Pop Festival, the original iteration of the band split, as Al Kooper and Steve Katz left to form Blood, Sweat & Tears. Live at Town Hall (1967) was cobbled together from live tapes and studio outtakes. Neither of the two tracks included here was recorded live: “Fly Away” is a folk-rock number, while “No Time Like the Right Time” is a psych-pop tune. Both songs are mid-tempo, show commercial potential and pop appeal, and feature strong vocal harmonies. Two more songs here come from the same era, and were released as standalone singles: "When There's Smoke, There's Fire" is punchy pop-rock track and "Mojo Hannah" a gritty, funk-laden rhythm and blues track. By the time of Planned Obsolescence (1968) the remaining members had essentially morphed into the band Seatrain, but the album was released under The Blues Project name to fulfill their recording contract. “Dakota Recollection” is a 12-minute excursion into prog-jam territory, featuring some great flute and violin playing. “Niartaes Hornpipe” is a quirky instrumental folk piece, while “Calypso” is a nostalgic ballad with baroque influences. Only “Endless Sleep,” a moody cover of Jody Reynolds’ rockabilly classic, partly justifies the “Blues” prefix, as by this point the band had moved deep into prog-folk territory. A reformed version of the band, featuring original guitarist Danny Kalb and drummer Roy Blumenfeld, released a couple of albums in the early ’70s. “If You Got to Make a Fool of Someone,” from Lazarus (1971), is a great prog-soul (is that a legitimate subgenre?) gem, while “Cheryl’s Going Home,” from the eponymous Blues Project (1972), is a garage-folk piece that wouldn’t sound out of place on Projections. All in all, this may be a collection of great—and some merely good—songs, but it’s far from an ideal introduction to the band. The two overlong pieces weigh it down, while the track order makes little sense: it’s neither chronological nor arranged to group similar songs together and create a better flow. Or is that deliberate, to show off the band’s versatility? In any case, despite my objections to the track selection and flow, I feel obliged to award Pop History Vol. 20 four stars, solely on the strength of the quality of the individual tracks.

***** for I Want To Be Your Driver, I Can't Keep From Cryin' Sometimes

**** for Steve's Song, Wake Me Shake Me, Violets Of Dawn, The Flute Thing, Fly Away, No Time Like The Right Time, Niartaes Hornpipe, Calypso, If You Got To Make A Fool Of Someone, Cheryl's Going Home, Mojo Hannah

*** for Two Trains Running, Catch The Wind, Dakota Recollection, Endless Sleep, When There's Smoke There's Fire

The Doors "Perception" (box set 2006, orig. rec. 1966-1970)*****

The Doors are one of those groups whose discography I've bought many times over: first, of course, in vinyl. I never bought original cassettes and I thankfully skipped the first generation CD's as mid-80's CD's were not only ridiculously expensive but also sounded awfully flat. They came with a disclaimer claiming that "because of its high resolution, Compact Discs can reveal limitations of the original analogue tapes" - to fool you into blaming the "higher resolution" for what was an inferior listening experience. I bought the complete Doors discography on CD when it was properly remastered in '99. I sold my LP's during The Great Vinyl Purge of 2004, while the CD's followed them to the second hand shops when I acquired the Perceptions Box Set in 2006 or 2007. I subsequently gave in to nostalgia, buying some of their albums in vinyl again, marking the 4th time I got them. I also skipped the "40th Anniversary Mixes" by original engineer Bruce Botnick and surviving members of the band, as I found out that they're based on the Perception DVD stereo mix, including the bonus tracks (every album comes with bonus demos or alternate takes as well as a few rare or previously unreleased songs). Further reissues have followed but they offer little of substance. Now if you log into specialist sites, everyone seems to have their own favorite mix but there's no denying that, unless you're a vinyl fanatic, this particular configuration is the best way to enjoy The Doors' studio recordings. Each album is presented in CD and DVD-A form. The CD mix is based on the '99 remaster with the addition of bonus tracks and few other alterations, while DVD's go all the way including new stereo and 5.1 surround mixes, plus videos, photos and exclusive online content including some for mobile phones (which I've never tried and don't know whether it'd work with modern phone OS). The surround mix is lively and adds to the listening experience, without being sensational or especially revelatory. The booklets are really beautiful, including informative notes about the recording of the albums, photos and complete lyrics. Seeing as an individual presentation of all 6 Doors CD's would fill many pages, I will focus here on the bonus tracks and other details unique to this specific version of the albums, by which I mean the box set as well as the identical 40th anniversary individual CD reissues (the ones with bonus tracks, currently the most commonly available format.)

Starting with the eponymous debut The Doors (1967), there's a bit of controversy on whether this is better than the original mix, and even on which should be considered more authentic. Apparently the original LP was initially mastered at a slightly slower speed because of a technical fault which is fixed here for the first time. Some don't like the new, slightly faster, versions, but I think the reason is that they're used to the older ones. It's true that some songs like "End Of The Night" had a darker, more Gothic, feel which is lost now. Then again, this is how The Doors always meant for you to hear it. Another difference is the "uncensored" versions of "Break On Through" (with the phrase "she gets high") and "The End" (with repeated utterances of the F... word). Some believe the offending words have been pasted over the censored version, probably from an alternate studio take, and sound unnatural. Had they heard these versions first, of course, they may have had another opinion. Bonus tracks include two very different versions of "Moonlight Drive" from 1966: one as a blues ballad with great bottleneck guitar, while the other is faster and poppier. The one used for the LP now sounds to me like a compromise between the two. Also from 1966 is an alternate take of "Indian Summer". Video content includes a videoclip of "Break On Through" and an assured performance of "The End" for Canadian TV. Strange Days (1967) adds alternate studio takes of "People Are Strange" and "Love Me Two Times" as well as Black & White Danish TV '68 performances of "Love Me Two Times" and "When The Music's Over". Waiting For The Sun (1968) bonus tracks include their fabulous baroque-via-Ennio Morricone instrumental "Albinoni's Adagio In G Minor", 3 takes of "Not To Touch The Earth" and the 17-minute epic  from which this piece descended, called "Celebration Of The Lizard". This was originally meant to close the album, just as "The End" closed their debut and "When The Music's Over" did with Strange Days. It would have made sense, but I have to admit that "...Lizard" is nowhere as good or cohesive as the other two. DVD Video contains an excerpt of The Doors' historic '68 Hollywood Bowl concert containing "Spanish Caravan". The band are in great form but the way the video is abruptly cut just as the intro of "Light My Fire" starts playing is really annoying. There's also a performance of "Unknown Soldier" from the aforementioned Danish TV show. Interestingly, the surround version of the album has no subwoofer action making it a 5.0 album instead of 5.1. The Soft Parade (1969) is generally considered The Doors' weakest LP, with the addition of the strings and horns especially poorly received by critics. The remix adds a bit more muscle in order to fix this. Regarding the bonus tracks, the album wouldn't have profited by the inclusion of "Who Scared You" (initially a 7' B-side and included here as bonus track) but I quite like the sea shanty "Whiskey And Mystics And Men", which is included here in two versions, the second being a bit bluesier. These two had previously seen the light of day as part of the Essential Rarities comp, but there's also a longer version of "Touch Me" and a completely unreleased Latin jam called "Push Push". Video extras include 1969 soundstage performances of "The Soft Parade" and "Tell All The People" - the latter as a medley with "Whisky Bar" and "Back Door Man". By this time Jim the pop star is replaced by Jim The Bearded Alcoholic Beat Poet. Morrison Hotel (1970) adds many different takes on "Roadhouse Blues" that, far from a sign of a difficult gestation, show the band enjoying immersing themselves in the blues. "Money Beats Soul" is a bit of studio doodling, "Carol" a Chuck Berry snippet, "Peace Frog false starts and dialogue" is what the title says, and "The Spy (Version 2)" is a faster, and indifferent, run-through. At least the lounge version of "Queen Of The Highway" is somewhat interesting. The DVD adds videoclips of "Roadhouse Blues" and "Wild Child". L.A. Woman (1971) includes two bonus tracks: "Orange County Suite" is a Morrison blues demo to which the rest of the band later added music, similarly to what happened with Lennon demos and The Beatles Anthology series. "You Need Meet" is a blues cover previously released as B-side of "Love Her Madly" which features Manzarek doing a half-decent job on lead vocal. The 5.1. audio mix is quite enjoyable, especially on "Riders On The Storm". Video content consists of a clip of "The Changeling" and "The Crawling King Snake" accompanied by footage of the Doors in rehearsal. BOTTOM LINE: If you don't already own the complete Doors studio output, "Perception" is the ultimate purchase. But if you can't spare the time and money to hunt down a copy, and don't necessarily care about the extra videos or the surround mixes, you're equally well-served with the '99 remasters or the 40th anniversary mixes. Sure, there are sonic differences between the two but both sound quite good and the winner is a matter of taste. "Perception" and the 40th anniversary reissues do offer a few bonus tracks but these are far from essential. Lastly, there's a viable budget solution in the form of The Doors A Collection, a mini Box Set featuring all 6 studio albums (40th Anniversary mixes) in simple cardboard sleeves without bonus tracks.