The Intro

Over that time my appreciation has moved on from the teen hard/rock what we considered dangerous stuff in 1974...although Sabbath and doom/stoner is a genre of choice...and I was fortunate enough to be around when you could pick up amazing albums for pennies in cut out bins and record fairs as from say 1977 onwards, 'the scene had moved on man' and what we would call prog and all PA categories related to that was 'so over'.

Hence the bedrock of my collection was acquired cheaply and you could afford to be 'curious' when an album looked interesting and the man says 'give us a quid' for Cans double Tago Mago for instance. I have just over 5k albums and about 400 cds ....I will always be a hard copy kinda guy and not a streamer...which my limit my pallet...but over the years I estimate have had about 17.5 k albums through my hands...space dictating and plus you have to 'trade and exchange' now as prices are just plain stupid.

What do I listen too? My Italian prog and jazz/rock fusion are the growers currently. Of old school stuff VDGG/Hammill and the 70's fusion usual suspects but luv a bit of heavy prog and like quirky (Family/Streetwalkers....Gentle Giant) and 70s stuff we don't have here (SAHB) and sublime blues/rock (Free). My jazz collection, beyond say Miles Davis and the crossover fusion 70s albums from jazzers, is also increasing...but that's 'age' for you I guess!

To sum up, a mate said of my collection 'this stuff is all over the place'...it isn't, it is alphabetic and on custom built shelving....but I do think the wider your spectrum, the more references you can bring to reviews and make links that help anyone who reads them to make a more informed choice of if to give it a try or not. Am a bit OCD ...every album (it used to be in a lever arch file...well 5 actually but now a digital data base) I have purchased since 1977 is recorded as to where bought and how much and if new or s/h plus it is dated with every time it is played. I would get out more...but I have a lot of music to listen to! So if a review chucks in some of that information, trust me, it isn't made up for effect! I am 'getting better' as I recently gave up my search to own all the Vertigo swirls. I was 5 short ...3 of which I had cd copies of...but realised it was never going to be completed! Got some amazing prices for the half dozen I hadn't listened to for ten years plus too!

Most embarrassing moment? Falling asleep during Camels Snow Goose tour gig in the mid to late 70's. Believe me it was very zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Best moment/s: A day in May 1981 in a pub in Herne Bay Kent (near Canterbury) that was run by the mum of the Hastings brothers from Caravan, one who was sat there with another ex Caravaner and we sat and chatted for an hour re music. Then had to hop a train to London for a Roy Harper gig. He does half an hour acoustic then brings a band out. On drums...clap...on bass....clap...and on guitar, Mr Dave Gilmour.

The above is all me. I know, it is why I drink (I dont really....it is called satire...).