Of Sex Shops, Associates, Hefner and My Guilt Complex

Since my wife was catching up with some old university pals over a Sunday Lunch, I decided to do a spot of Christmas shopping, and at the same time make the most of the unusually rain-free December streets, and the vivid blue, cloud-free December sky.

After a couple of hours of browsing around the Seven Dials district of London (Mrs Nickoll has some expensive tastes) and having crossed off a few of the items from her Christmas list, I felt a sudden, powerful, guilt tinged desire (aren't most desires?) to pop into a few of the record stores on Berwick Street, Soho.

Much like the awkward looking American tourist, timidly darting into one of the many sex shops in this part of town, I began to feel somewhat depraved.

"How could I possibly be thinking about buying myself some records, when I'm ostensibly buying gifts for others?"

"Why must I constantly spend money on myself?" etc etc. And so the inner self lacerating dialogue continued, until I walked into Music & Goods Exchange, 75 Berwick Street, that is.

The store was happily busy for 2.30ish on a Sunday; an Italian chap leisurely flipping through the wracks whilst his girlfriend tried vainly to catch his attention, an 8 foot giant of a man, with two crutches, feverishly raping and pillaging his way through assorted cds like an angry Viking, and a couple of trendier types, more cooly hovering around the sections of the store that I don't usually dabble in (Drum & Bass, Dubstep...)

I quickly found my first 3 purchases, all being filed under "A."

A beautiful Japanese issue of "Sulk" by the Associates for a reasonable £15. Followed by a couple of Associates 12 inches, namely "Club Country" and "18 Carat Love Affair."

This is what I love about record shops in a nutshell. I haven't thought or listened to any Associates records for half a year or so, I love them dearly, but my neurological hard drive had temporarily removed them from my seasonal playlist to make room for other swarming bees in my bonnet. So, I must confess that my heart leapt a little when I spied these stunning specimens waiting patiently for me to bag 'em. And bag 'em I did.

Just before I dragged myself out of the store, I had a little look at the singles, and, my record collecting Guardian Angel (we all have one of those) rewarded me with a Hefner single "Half a Life." Since Hefner main man Darren Hayman lives about 2 streets a way from me in East London, and I very much admire his albums "Pram Town" and the "Great British Holiday EPs" I was delighted to come upon this Hefner vinyl.

And so with a receipt for £26 hastily shoved into the recesses of my wallet, I skulked out the door to join the rest of the Soho sinners.

Details:

Artist: Associates
Album: Sulk
Label: WEA/ Beggers Banquet Records P-11242
Year: 1982

Artist: Associates
Single: Club Country
Label: WEA/ Beggers Banquet ASC 2 T (A)
Year: 1982

Artist: Associates
Single: 18 Carat Love Affair
Label: WEA/ Beggers Banquet ASC 3T

Artist: Hefner/ Murry The Hump
Single: Half a Life
Label: Too Pure/ Pure 122s no. 2642
Year: 2001