Amazon exiles discussion

Inspired by Sera, Grimmy is asking us to delve back into the mists of time and choose a track from the very first album we bought - and then to contrast it with a track from the latest album purchased.

The next FIVE themes are:

Theme 468 – Theme 468 – Song titles containing a word that has been used by car manufacturers as a model name. For example, viva, fiesta, dart, zephyr, ram, etc. - Derek
Theme 469 - "Bronze medal" - the 3rd song on an album. The place where the singer's ballad goes to die, where rock albums flounder and the spectre of the skip button looms large. Does anyone do albums anymore? Pick the 3rd song. No greatest hits, original artist album only. - Sera
Theme 470 - Songs with a drum intro - Jemma
Theme 471 - Collaborators. Songs by an artist with another well known artist collaborating either vocally or instrumentally - Grimmy
Theme 472 - I write the songs - pick two songs by THE SAME songwriter (can be in collaboration with others) and can be sung by the songwriter or another artist. The catch: the songwriter must be someone who YOU think is under-rated as a songwriter. If you think Lennon/McCartney or Dylan are under-rated I won't believe you, but I might allow Jagger/Richards. - Val

New ideas can be added at:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

A grand total of 64 years between my first and last!

In 1961 I received a portable record player (Phillips? Pye?) for my 12th birthday and two LP vouchers. It was the height of the Elvis v Cliff rivalry (well, in my circle anyway) so I hedged my bets and bought one of each - Cliff's "Me And My Shadows" (which I've still got) and Elvis's "Elvis Is Back" (which was possibly given to a school fete).

Fast forward to 2025 and my latest purchase was The Waterboys' "Life, Death And Dennis Hopper" (aside, is it just me or are CDs becoming ridiculously expensive?). It's such a specific record of Dennis Hopper's life that I doubt I'll play it as much as "Modern Blues" which I still love. But I do like that each track reflects the era of Hopper's life (pop, rock, psychedelia, Americana, etc). I've chosen a track about Andy Warhol written as an early 60s pop tune.

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D01Yt...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um2Ut...

Val wrote: "is it just me or are CDs becoming ridiculously expensive?"

Is it an Aussie thing, I wonder? I just looked up that Waterboys album on 'zon and HMV, where it's a bit under £15 on both. From memory that's not too much different from what CDs cost when they first appeared back in the mid-1980s.

anyways, after Val.

First album I owned was Elton John 'Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The. Piano Player'. The Most recent purchase was Eddie & the Hot Rods 'The Island Years', which alongside the band's three albums also contains a disc of Peel sessions and a disc of BBC In Concert appearances. As an aside, people who keep an eye on the what you listening to thread might say, hang on you've got Tull on the machine now and the Rods before them. That's true, but I'd bought the Tull set. before the Rods one, but it took rather longer to arrive.

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBNEd...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4gus...

Tim wrote: "Is it an Aussie thing, I wonder? I just looked up that Waterboys album on 'zon and HMV, where it's a bit under £15 on both. F..."

Agreed, when I first started buying CDs in the late 80s, £15 would have been the norm but over the years, new, popular releases (talking Top 20) dropped to about £10.00. I paid that for The Streets' Original Pirate Material in 2002, £10.50 for Tim Minchin's Apart Together in 2020. Tim's new album is available online for £16.50 plus postage. And as for pre-ordering via Bandcamp, don't get me started - Jason Isbell's Weathervanes was £27.70 last year, Jake Xerxes Fussell's When I'm Called £21.60, also last year. Of course, this also includes postage. Amazon also varies considerably: Alison Krauss' latest £16.50, Patterson Hood's £17.00 and I would have to bundle them to get free postage or use my daughter's Prime account. I find I often need to scout around eBay, Discogs, etc and maybe wait a bit rather than buying hot off the presses. I only have one physical record shop within a reasonable distance (and CDs are only a small part of their stock) so postage is always going to be a factor for me.

EDIT: Amazon.au only offers the latest Waterboys in vinyl. To buy the CD the cheapest offer is £16 from Rarewaves UK so again postage would up that considerably.

After Tim

I now find that I can't remember exactly what was the first LP I bought. It was 1969 when, like Val, I got a portable record player. I can remember some of my earliest albums, but I am not sure which one was the first. I think it was Stonedhenge by Ten Years After, but it could have been Book of Taliesyn by Deep Purple, or possibly Electric Music for Mind and Body by Country Joe and the Fish. I will stick with my first guess ... My most recent purchase was an Osric Tentacles, but it was a present for someone, so here is a track from the most recent purchase for me

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal

https://youtu.be/y4NSyIbd4j8?si=giWk5...
https://youtu.be/IrB47Y0bAkk?si=qIBCS...

So the last album bought was Faceless by Shrink the Giant, which is only 11 years olde at this point. So, i'm still up with the kids right? Right??? The first albums i remember wanting were The Beatles Red and Blue albums but i never got them. And i remember Father Abraham and the Smurfs, Bucks Fizz, and Fun Boy Three, The Jam, Specials and Madness a little later and i'm sure i had albums by some of them but can't for the life of me bring any to mind. But i have a vivid memory of the record racks in WH Smiths (Upstairs, next to pens and stationary, set up like and airport queuing line in concentric L shapes, an absolutely forgotten part of the store even in those days) and walking away with Ozzy, Dio, Dire Straits, Marillion and others.

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvydi...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jbCl...

tidy

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant

The stereo was in my older sister Donna's room, so until I got my own I would listen to her albums and singles. Not counting those I was given as pressies or taped copies, I think my first actual purchase was probably Whitesnake "1987". My latest purchase a couple of days ago is a Crue EP "Cancelled". Last album purchased is Joey Tempest "Joey Tempest"

After Grimmy's tidy..

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3suQ9...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq_Ae...

After Collette

I have absolutely NO recollection of which album was the first to be bought with my very own money. So I will pick a track from the first album that I have the most vivid and clear memories of: Captain Beaky And His Band.

The second track is the lead track from a recently released compilation album of '80s underground Japanese electro. I have found it on YouTube but the sound quality is really bad, so I'm linking to Bandcamp instead, I hope this is ok.

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IRNdqtp...

https://mecanica.bandcamp.com/track/c...

Okay than......i didn't have the luxury of a record player at 11 years old (my maternal grandfather did give me his old 1970s Bush all in one wooden cased hifi later that year - lovely old thing, wished I'd kept it), so i bought a cassette tape of my first purchase....and in 1985 there was one song that was being played everywhere on the radio, and i was obsessed with this song.....i played that song over and over and over again until i wore out the tape! That song is Dire Straits' Money For Nothing from the album Brother In Arms. I got the vinyl album later on that year and began collecting all the previous albums in time and future releases..and i still have them all today. I will choose another track from that album, one i haven't heard in quite a long time now. The last purchase i made was Harry Nilsson's Nilsson Schmilsson album in November 2024, from which my favourite song 'Jump Into The Fire ' i had nominated not that long ago. Thus, here's a different track from that album, and no, it's not one of the obvious ones, i can't stand Without You and Coconut has been nominated enough times already, so I've chosen this one.......

After Helen:

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits
Down - Harry Nillsson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmatu...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqwYG...

Val wrote: "And as for pre-ordering via Bandcamp, don't get me started"

Were those examples American releases perchance? The shipping from the U.S. is just ridiculous. I remember buying a CD where the postage was more than the disc a few years ago! 🤪

My first album that I bought was The Art Of Noise's 'Who's Afraid Of The Art Of Noise', which I still rate to this day. The last album in my collection is a compilation album, "Silberland - Kosmische Musik Vol 1 (1972-1986)", a German compilation of psychedelic electronica music that my daughter bought me for Father's Day. It's a mixture of Kraftwerk inspired music, early Pink Floyd and other weird and wonderful stuff.

After TheDuke

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits
Down - Harry Nillsson
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSWhz...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv1mW...

Sera's memories of WH Smith have just reminded me of being in John Menzies in Dumbarton (which later became a WH Smith) a long long time ago. A 15 or 16 year old me in said shop with my big sis Tracy and my niece Kelly-Marie (now almost 37) in her buggy. My daft sis caught the buggy wheel on a bottom shelf of cassettes, which totally collapsed. I would probably find that hilarious now but at the time it was bloody mortifying.

No idea what the first album was that I bought, so went with the first single (on 78) when I was eight.

The last album is from 1997 by The Fraternal Order of the All (otherwise known as Andrew Gold), and is sort of a homage/piss take of the psychedelic scene of the late sixties.

After TheFoe

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits
Down - Harry Nillsson
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwzcl...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pMIz...

18 nominations (where's Jemma??? and Jim???) means SIX votes each this round.

I like this theme - it's given us a real insight to the life and times of posters.

Here's the playlist.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

and one Bandcamp track:

https://mecanica.bandcamp.com/track/c...

I’m loitering in the wings at the moment Val, should be back next week. 😃

Dire’s - 6
Eddie - 5
Joey - 4
Waterboys - 3
Elton - 2
Lonnie - 1

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys - 3
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 5
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 4
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 6
Down - Harry Nillsson
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 1
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All

After The Loiterer

The All - 6
Eddie - 5
Art - 4
Waterb - 3
Ozzy - 2
Shrink - 1

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
Andy - The Waterboys - 6
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 10
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne - 2
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant - 1
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 4
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 6
Down - Harry Nillsson
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise - 4
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 1
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All - 6

I was intending to nominate for this but life intervened 😖

After Helen

Eddie & The Hotrods - 5
Hinomaru Factory - 4
Deva Premal - 3
Cliff Richard - 2
Captain Beaky - 1

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows - 2
Andy - The Waterboys - 6
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 15
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal - 3
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne - 2
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant - 1
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 4
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band - 1
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory - 4
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 6
Down - Harry Nillsson
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise - 4
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 1
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All - 6

After TheFoe

Captain Beaky And His Band - 6
The Fraternal Order of the All - 5
Dire Straits - 4
Harry Nilsson - 3
Hinomaru Factory - 2
Shrink the Giant - 1

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows - 2
Andy - The Waterboys - 6
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 15
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After
Prabhujee - Deva Premal - 3
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne - 2
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant - 2
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 4
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band - 7
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory - 6
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 10
Down - Harry Nillsson - 3
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise - 4
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 1
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All - 11

after Val

Ozzy Osbourne - 6
Nilsson - 5
Dire Straits - 4
Ten Years After - 3
Fraternal Order Of The All - 2
Lonnie Donegan - 1

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows - 2
Andy - The Waterboys - 6
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 15
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After - 3
Prabhujee - Deva Premal - 3
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne - 8
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant - 2
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 4
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band - 7
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory - 6
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 14
Down - Harry Nillsson - 8
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise - 4
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 2
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All - 13

After Tim

Because it reminds me of my first trip, and I love me a bit
of xylophone:
Shrink - 6
Dennis Hopper was mad as a box of frogs and not in a nice way, but this is a pleasant little 60's pastiche:
Waterboys - 5
Another sweet 60s pastiche, love the Beatlesque ending:
TFOOTA - 4
The energy, the energy, and the accomplishment, used to catch them when they were an up and coming pub rock band:
Eddie & The Hot Rods - 3
Total over the top, they don't make 'em like this anymore, wannabe Led Zep on steroids, such eye-popping contrived excess .... and that's just the video:
Whitesnake - 2
Minimalist Funk:
Pop Mech - 1

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows - 2
Andy - The Waterboys - 11
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 18
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After - 3
Prabhujee - Deva Premal - 3
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne - 8
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant - 8
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake - 2
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 4
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band - 7
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory - 6
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 14
Down - Harry Nillsson - 8
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise - 4
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik - 1
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 2
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All - 17

after Grimmy

6. Eddie and the Hot Rods
5. Fraternal Order of the All
4. The Waterboys
3. Ten Years After
2. Joey Tempest
1. Captain Beaky

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows - 2
Andy - The Waterboys - 15
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 24
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After - 6
Prabhujee - Deva Premal - 3
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne - 8
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant - 8
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake - 2
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 6
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band - 8
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory - 6
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 14
Down - Harry Nillsson - 8
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise - 4
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik - 1
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 2
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All - 22

After Sera69

Shrink the Giant - 3
Cliff - 2
Dire Straits - 1

Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows - 4
Andy - The Waterboys - 15
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 24
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After - 6
Prabhujee - Deva Premal - 3
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne - 8
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant - 11
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake - 2
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 6
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band - 8
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory - 6
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 15
Down - Harry Nillsson - 8
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise - 4
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik - 1
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 2
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All - 22

After Derek:

Eddie & the Hot Rods - 6
The Waterboys - 5
Shrink the Giant - 4
The Art Of Noise - 3
The Fraternal Order of the All - 2
Ozzy Osbourne - 1


Lamp Of Love - Cliff Richard & The Shadows - 4
Andy - The Waterboys - 20
Have Mercy On The Criminal - Elton John - 2
Teenage Depression (Peel Session) - Eddie & the Hot Rods - 30
Woman Trouble - Ten Years After - 6
Prabhujee - Deva Premal - 3
Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne - 9
Fast and Far - Shrink the Giant - 15
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake - 2
Don't Change - Joey Tempest - 6
The Trial Of Hissing Sid - Captain Beaky And His Band - 8
Chinese Boy - Hinomaru Factory - 6
The Man's Too Strong - Dire Straits - 15
Down - Harry Nillsson - 8
Beatbox (Diversion One) - The Art Of Noise - 7
Scharfer Schnitt No. 1 - Populäre Mechanik - 1
Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan - 2
Time Is Standing Still - The Fraternal Order of the All - 24

All done then.

First place goes to Tim with the ringing endorsement of 30 votes for Eddie & the Hot Rods.
In second is Derek with 24 votes for The Fraternal Order of the All.
And in third, it's me with 20 votes for The Waterboys.

Nice work everyone and no wooden spoons!