Isn’t this picture is an assault to the
eyes? For a start the colours clash like a bad fashion disaster, and what in
God’s name is an obscure mid-sixties US soul gem of a 45 doing clothed in a
mid-seventies sleeve of a UK company known for pop-soul (OK, I grant you, GTO
did have a half decent roster: Donna Summer, Heatwave, Billy Ocean, and not
forgetting Fox!, all made some pretty good records).
When I buy a 45 I like it to come in its
original sleeve. This particular 45 was released in 1965 (it’s 50 years old!).
LLP was a tiny label so I’m sure it wouldn’t have come in a company sleeve, but
I would have expected a plain brown (probably) sleeve. Then I could have
obsessed over thoughts of it lying around unwanted and unplayed in a warehouse
or two, and maybe a garage or two too, for all of its 50 years until finally I
came to its rescue, taking it out of it mailer, slowly turning it over as I
admire it, carefully withdrawing it from the sleeve and placing it on the
turntable, lowering the needle onto the run-in and hearing it give up – for the
first time after all these years? – the secrets it holds in its grooves.
Imagine my initial gasp of horror when I
pulled this out of its mailer. How could I perform my little ritual with any
conviction when it was nestling in that sleeve?! Its essence had been besmirched. What happened
to its original sleeve? Did the poor record exist without a sleeve for some
time before somebody so heartlessly mismatched it with the GTO sleeve?
(probably not, actually, as the record is in tip-top condition). This came from
a Soul dealer too, they ought to know better. If they had acquired it in this
state they surely could have set the record (and sleeve) straight. I could have
at least played out my little ritual then (even though it was really an illusion).
Get over it! It’s what’s in the grooves
that counts. And both sides of this record contain something magical.
I’ve featured a Gloria Parker 45 here
before (the ritual then was full and real!). As far as is known Gloria only
released three records, two on LLP in 1965, and a final one on Samar in 1966
which was a disappointment in comparison to the LPP releases. That’s a shame, I
would have enjoyed hunting down some more of her records, and performing my
little ritual with them.
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4 comments:
The incongruity of the sleeve and the record/label! Why?! How?! I know just what you mean, but I'd never heard it articulated before... Brilliant.
a mention of Fox, and no s-s-s-single bed!
.....by the way, my partner was totally incredulous at your indignation about the record sleeve.
C: I knew I wouldn't be alone in my feelings :)
George: mars and venus and all that.
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