Laurel & Hardy

Mrs Darce and I spent a great weekend in Devon with some friends. It was wall to wall sunshine, good food, and a fair amount of alcohol as we raised a glass or two (or three) to Evie on her 60th birthday. (And if you’ve found Feel It’s url on the back of that envelope in your handbag – hello Mary!). All good things come to end and so it was back to the grindstone yesterday. After such weekends it seems very difficult to get motivated at work, and this week, so far, has been no exception. That lack of motivation has spilled over into blog affairs too and so this post is a little later than planned, and a little short on research.

I have been enjoying Dust & Grooves, a new blog on the block. When I’m not crate digging (and unfortunately that seems to be most of the time) I like nothing better than to look at pictures of shelves and crates full of records and read of others’ experiences of the noble obsession. Eilon’s new blog is therefore the perfect fix for me.

Recently Eilon featured DJ Prestige (he of Flea Market Funk) and finished off the post with a little video clip of an impromptu pavement vinyl affair in which he played a Paul Humphrey record on his little portable turntable. A little cameo that perfectly captured the essence of my continuing love affair with the little black round thing that is the vinyl record. And that Paul Humphrey record was hot! I had never heard it before but one listen was all it took – I knew I had to get a copy for myself. Fortunately “Funky LA” is not a rare record so I quickly found one at a decent price (and in the UK so I didn’t have to worry about the plummeting exchange rate) and a few days ago it dropped through the letter box. I expect DJ Prestige found his copy whilst doing some proper crate digging, rather than the more virtual on-line variety, but, hey, the possibilities of picking up records like “Funky LA” in the UK “out in the field” are limited, and I’m impulsive, so I dig any way I can.

The copy of “Funky LA” I bought has to be the thickest, heaviest slab of vinyl I have ever laid my hands on. I almost needed a crane to lift it onto the turntable! The grooves also deliver a great big fat sound. In the same package that dropped through the letterbox was another purchase - “Stay By My Side” by Bo Kirkland & Ruth Davis. Coincidentally this now has to be the thinnest 45 (not counting those flexidiscs you used to get with NME etc) in my collection – it is bendy – and it also came in the thinnest paper sleeve I think I have ever seen.


So here for your listening pleasure are my latest purchases – I give you Laurel & Hardy!

Paul Humphrey & His Cool Aid Chemists – Funky LA (mp3) 1971

Bo Kirkland & Ruth Davis – Stay By My Side (mp3) 1977