Saturday 3 November 2007

The Entrepreneurs

The other week there was a flea market to raise funds for No 2 son's brass band. At the end of the day he and his mate volunteered to clear up the unsold items from the Civic Hall. Tidying turned to browsing which turned to an entrepreneurial discussion about the likely Ebay value of some of the products. What particularly caught their eye were the record cabinet contents of someone probably about the age of my (and 70s Teen's) parents. "These must be worth something" they excitedly and optimistically said to each other as they flicked through about 30 LPs which, as I type, are stacked beside me waiting for someone to consider them valuable. Here are a few samples, do let me know if you are tempted:

- Rolf Harris, Altogether Now
- Val Doonican, Especially For You
-
Roger Whittaker, The Mexican Whistler
- James Last, 10 Years Non Stop (God forbid), The Jubilee Album (Priced at £1.75))
-
Harry Seacombe, If I Ruled The World (My Gran C would have loved that)

- Herb Alpert, Tijuana Brass, The Sound of Brass

What amused me though, was that these were the albums that they thought 'might be worth something' they skipped over the Bay City Rollers' Once Upon a Star which actually might appeal to someone.

Interestingly there was a tribute show to Herb Alpert on the radio last week and it seems he is uber-cool again with many of his old hits remixed - or re-whipped: a reference to his hit Whipped Cream - in a chill lounge style with many new improvised solos by the man himself. Click here to listen to some clips - I like it, yeah baby.


So here's my question: if they can do it for that old smoothie why can't they do it for Val Doonican and Rolf Harris? Watch this space for the Two Little Boys Remix with Stylophone improvisation.... actually I wonder whether that idea might be worth something...

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

It seems to be quite the thing at the moment to remix easy listening classics like this. But where will it stop I wonder. Are we soon going to hear Friday night DJ's giving a "BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE RICHARD CLAYDERMAN MASSIVE!!" ?? I do hope so.

Unknown said...

Rolf Harris! We had a Rolf record when I was very small. Two Little Boys reduced me to tears (I was very sensitive). Too right it would be worth something!

Don't know about the Bay City Rollers, but if you re-whipped ole Rolf I might even part with money :-)

Mystic Veg said...

I've got a single with Rolf Harris singing Led Zep's 'Stairway to Heaven'. I thought it might be worth something when I spotted it a car boot.
Perhaps some of those sad souls who have forked out thousands to see the Zep reunion might be interested?

Crofty said...

It certainly seem that Rolf has a firm fan base and to be honest I think I'd rather go and see him do Stairway to Heaven that a reformed Zep - I was disappointed with Robert Plant: he seems to be one of the few rock dinosaurs to have evolved into something better. Check out his album The Mighty Rearranger if you need convincing.

Cowgirl you really were sensitive weren't you... all it did to us primary school age boys was reduce us to fits of giggles as we made up rude words for it!

Mr W: Yes I can see it now, and why stop with Clayderman?... lets do a piano type thing and include Mrs Mills, Liberace and Russ Conway.

70steen said...

I may have posted this before but a purchase I dithered about once and sorely regret was an LP in Makro some years ago ..... Elaine Page sings Queen

Anyway back to the plot ... thanks for the mention & yep my mum would love the James Last album, are you selling at face value?? :-)

70steen said...

Crofty , just seen your books listed on your blog ... I am passionate about Seb Faulkes, have read all as you may have seen on 70s ...... A must read is Engleby, I have just finished it. It is similar to Human Traces but more contemporary and much more compelling

boat tart said...

Sounds like the contents of my parents record collection...just add Bert Kaemfert and we're away....Mind you they play that as background music on Virgin Radio...!!!!!

Crofty said...

70s: I've got a big fat book token to use, I might have a look at that. I installed Shelfari on the blog, not sure whether I like it yet; it takes up a lot of room.

boat tart: That's the thing, it's tempting to write it all off as rubbish simply because it was in our parents record collection. I'd be horrified if I thought my sons thought my music was crap!

70steen said...

You won't be disappointed with Engelby it is set around our era.

Now as for 'I'd be horrified if I thought my sons thought my music was crap!'...... don't you know that goes with the parent territory.. I couldn't stand the Burt Baccarach, Slim Whitman, etc stuff my mum listened to oh not to mention the crackly old Mario Lanza and who did '4 in the Morning and once more the dawning, woke up the warning in me' was that Slim?
& my teen so hates most of what I listen to, it is natural evolution. But saying that Phil Collins is back in vogue the biggest download track just now lol