NOSTALGIA TRIP- SKELETON RECORDS
The Nostalgia trips halted by events of the last couple of years are back to celebrate our 1st Record Fair at Pacific Road,Birkenhead in 2 weeks (Sat.4th June).Our visits to record shops that no longer exist has a twist this time as Skeleton Records, Birkenhead an institution for vinyl lovers for over 50 years is still trading on Oxton Road in the Birkenhead. But we have revisited two of their previous premises returning with our vinyl purchased all those years ago. Both on Argyle street in the Town and this area is very special to me for so many reasons. The original shop i just about remember as being young at the time (probably around 1972) it was a place full of strange smells, joss sticks, weird edgy magazines and lots of vinyl..... here i picked up.
CURVED AIR-AIR CONDITIONING
Released in 1970 i first heard this at a friends house in Eastham and was blown away by the track Vivaldi which is classical music taken to the edge of madness...amazing. This track clocks in at nearly 7 and a half minutes and i was lucky enough to see them do it live at the Stadium, Liverpool in the early seventies. The band were folky,electronic, proggy i was definately hooked and mesmerised by Sonja Kristina at the time!
RENAISSANCE-TURN OF THE CARDS
Despite its reputation for heavy rock i did manage to pick up a few prog albums including this album, the 5th album by the band in 1974, another folky neo classical outing but singer Annie Haslam to me has the purest voice and seeing the band live was something i have never forgotten, front row close up quite an experience. Long structured changing tracks, played beautifully , although someone i went with who preferred heavy metal left early on his motorbike and oddly ended up at a bikers haunt in Shrewsbury, cant please everyone.
So there it is, more memories revived by the planned visit for our next Record Fair, oh yes nearly forgot i saw the movie Help by the Beatles on release at the ABC on Argyle Street, will there ever be hysteria like that again. All i remember is screaming girls besotted by the Fab Four (especially John and Paul) .
Argyle street leads to Hamilton Square then on to Pacific Road, happy days then and now.
If you want another Nostalgia trip let me know, not meant to be self indulgent just a reflection on the times and we must all have our own tales to tell.
Cheers-Colin
