For The Record

'Unhalfbricking' by Fairport Convention, Diogenic Attemps Ltd./Eric Hayes, 1969

I don't generally use Leicester’s city centre much for shopping or recreation these days but found myself doing so twice in the last couple of weeks.  It reminded me of the years when I worked in central locations and spent most lunch hours, and Saturdays, wandering around the centre in more prosperous times.  Surprisingly, amongst the empty units, I actually found two functioning record shops, which seems to completely buck two heavily reported current trends.  It seems HMV is still trading here whilst; even more uplifting, is the decision of our last remaining independent, Rock a Boom, to persevere in smaller premises but apparently buoyed by the current enthusiasm for 12” Vinyl.  It was cheering to hand money to real humans and enjoy a chat at the same time.

 'On The Shore' ByTrees,  Hipgnosis/Storm Thorgerson, 1970

I can’t afford expensive vinyl and have never shared the enthusiasm for surface noise, (even when I was young and it was an inescapable feature of the default format).  However, the current fashion does seem to put a greater focus on quality artwork again, which is something to be enjoyed.  There are some good recent examples around (see my recent reference to ‘Tomorrow’s Harvest’).  But here’s an excuse to visit two more favourites from my early years.

I was reminded of this kind of thing with a wave of self-indulgent nostalgia when Storm Thorgerson died a few weeks back.  Ironically, I didn’t hear these two actual albums till years later, (both great), but I’ve always loved their artwork and the way they seem to distill something of my pre-Punk youth.  Both display a peculiar English Romanticism that is redolent of the era and highly appropriate to the Folk-Rock idiom they represent.

While I’m at it, here’s a fond reminder of Lincoln’s long-defunct Sanctuary Records.  It’s the local record shop I grew up with as a teenager and, consequently, the best ever.