Bad Accidents With Rare Records?

[Ian Dewhirst]

Are there any stories about terrible accidents which have resulted in the breakage or devaluation of a rare record?

I'm thinking of the all-time classic example of when Dave Withers (I think it was Dave but please correct me if I'm wrong) borrowed Richard Searling's copy of the Jades "I'm Where It's At" after months of begging (so he could tape it), only to stop at a chippie on the way home where he layed the record on top of the metal thingy which keeps the fish and chips warm and WARPED THE RECORD!!!

Cue one very pissed-off Richard the next day. I think it was the only copy at the time.....

Also I did hear an unfortunate story about the 2nd or 3rd copy of the Invitations which was found and was destroyed in a car accident on the way to a gig.

The worst for me was when my daughter stepped on my original Joe Mathews "Ain't Nothing You Can Do" and cracked it in half. Plus a Bobby Hutton on Phillips got totalled when I crashed the car coming back from Cleethorpes one morning.

But there must be other stories which are equally as horrific, so anybody got any?

Ian D

[Mark B]

richard was seems to be unlucky with record coming out of carolines one tuesday night he put a couple of albums on the roof of his car then drove off onr of them was the len barry album at the time i think it was a one off.

mark

[Ian Dewhirst]

richard was seems to be unlucky with record coming out of carolines one tuesday night he put a couple of albums on the roof of his car then drove off onr of them was the len barry album at the time i think it was a one off.

mark

Ouch. Human error though! Good job he didn't do with Christine Cooper LOL......

Ian D

[Gasher]

Ask Soul Sam about his Joseph Webster cracking

........cracking story literally

the gasher

i'll get my coat

[Ian Dewhirst]

Ask Soul Sam about his Joseph Webster cracking

........cracking story literally

the gasher

i'll get my coat

Go on. Tell! Please. I know Sam but I haven't heard this story.........

Ian D

[Philb]

Are there any stories about terrible accidents which have resulted in the breakage or devaluation of a rare record?

I'm thinking of the all-time classic example of when Dave Withers (I think it was Dave but please correct me if I'm wrong) borrowed Richard Searling's copy of the Jades "I'm Where It's At" after months of begging (so he could tape it), only to stop at a chippie on the way home where he layed the record on top of the metal thingy which keeps the fish and chips warm and WARPED THE RECORD!!!

Cue one very pissed-off Richard the next day. I think it was the only copy at the time.....

Also I did hear an unfortunate story about the 2nd or 3rd copy of the Invitations which was found and was destroyed in a car accident on the way to a gig.

The worst for me was when my daughter stepped on my original Joe Mathews "Ain't Nothing You Can Do" and cracked it in half. Plus a Bobby Hutton on Phillips got totalled when I crashed the car coming back from Cleethorpes one morning.

But there must be other stories which are equally as horrific, so anybody got any?

Ian D

I sat on a Mel Britt original it was on my bed, the ironic thing is that i was taking photos of all my records for insurance.

[celthomas]

Are there any stories about terrible accidents which have resulted in the breakage or devaluation of a rare record?

I'm thinking of the all-time classic example of when Dave Withers (I think it was Dave but please correct me if I'm wrong) borrowed Richard Searling's copy of the Jades "I'm Where It's At" after months of begging (so he could tape it), only to stop at a chippie on the way home where he layed the record on top of the metal thingy which keeps the fish and chips warm and WARPED THE RECORD!!!

Cue one very pissed-off Richard the next day. I think it was the only copy at the time.....

Also I did hear an unfortunate story about the 2nd or 3rd copy of the Invitations which was found and was destroyed in a car accident on the way to a gig.

The worst for me was when my daughter stepped on my original Joe Mathews "Ain't Nothing You Can Do" and cracked it in half. Plus a Bobby Hutton on Phillips got totalled when I crashed the car coming back from Cleethorpes one morning.

But there must be other stories which are equally as horrific, so anybody got any?

Ian D

hello ian,

i think it was my old mate,DAVE McADDEN, with that jade's record

the editor of SOUL GALORE mag

poor soul is dead now,

all the best

cel thomas

[Citizen P]

hello ian,

i think it was my old mate,DAVE McADDEN, with that jade's record

the editor of SOUL GALORE mag

poor soul is dead now,

all the best

cel thomas

Deffo Dave McCadden.

Tony

[Ian Dewhirst]

I sat on a Mel Britt original it was on my bed, the ironic thing is that i was taking photos of all my records for insurance.

Very painful! I've never had one so that would've killed me! Those styrene ones break too easily (like the Joe Mathews above).

Did you claim for it by the way? And did you find another?

Ian D

[Ian Dewhirst]

hello ian,

i think it was my old mate,DAVE McADDEN, with that jade's record

the editor of SOUL GALORE mag

poor soul is dead now,

all the best

cel thomas

Cheers Cel - good job I checked. I remember him even though senility starts creeping in when you get to my age LOL.....

RIP Dave.

Ian D

[Philb]

Very painful! I've never had one so that would've killed me! Those styrene ones break too easily (like the Joe Mathews above).

Did you claim for it by the way? And did you find another?

Ian D

I'm afraid to say No & No on both accounts, but never say never.

Phil.

[Ian Dewhirst]

I'm afraid to say No & No on both accounts, but never say never.

Phil.

I'm just talking on the scale of records (Lord knows a lot worse things can happen as we can see on other threads) but would you say it's haunted you ever since? I'm being serious here. I cried when my Joe Mathews snapped because I knew I'd probably never get another. And I haven't since.

But I couldn't keep the snapped one either. Too painful. I ended up taping it back together and ended up flogging it to Gary from Leeds...........

Ian D

[Philb]

I'm just talking on the scale of records (Lord knows a lot worse things can happen as we can see on other threads) but would you say it's haunted you ever since? I'm being serious here. I cried when my Joe Mathews snapped because I knew I'd probably never get another. And I haven't since.

But I couldn't keep the snapped one either. Too painful. I ended up taping it back together and ended up flogging it to Gary from Leeds...........

Ian D

Very much so, I had a sick feeling everytime i looked at it.

[Robin S]

I remember sending Ian Clark a copy of The Arcades "Theres Got To Be A Loser" in the post around 1979/80 when it was first getting played..I was well chuffed to have found a couple of copies in the States. Unsecurely packaged by myself and ending up broken in the post - I still have it - learnt my lesson - and yes there had to be a loser and it was me!

[Russ Vickers]

I remember sending Ian Clark a copy of The Arcades "Theres Got To Be A Loser" in the post around 1979/80 when it was first getting played..I was well chuffed to have found a couple of copies in the States. Unsecurely packaged by myself and ending up broken in the post - I still have it - learnt my lesson - and yes there had to be a loser and it was me!

Slightly different, but similar........i was record hunting in Texas & whilst i didnt have amazing luck, i'd still found a Rhonda Davis pink demo M- ish nick & a few other bits n bobs, i have a small record box that holds maybe 10 - 12 records that i usually put into a bag to keep any finds safe on the way home...........well, got back to the hotel & there is no sign of the box any where, did i leave it on the car roof or the curb ????? has it disappeared into that great lost record void along with millions of odd socks. I did kick myself, but hey you cant beat ya self up forever, i do wonder tho, what the chances of a Brit walking along a curb in Texas looking for the next flea market or oldies store & finding this box on the curb, complete with the obligatory torn out sheet from the yellow pages !!!!!!.

Still wondering.......... .

Russ...........the worst record hunter in NATO !

[Dave Thorley]

I've think I've told this story on here before.

Came out of Top Of The World one morning, with my good mates Gary 'Slaphead' Colbourn and Dave 'His Imperial Dimness'. Put my 45 and lp case on pavement and said "I'll get the car, you stay with the records", Dim says "I don't want to be responsible for anything".

Jumped in car, drove round frount of the club, shouted "throw the records in the boot and jump in". Boot gets shut everyone loaded off we head to Stoke for an all dayer at the Roller Rink. Get breakfast on way and generally mess around until midday, get to club, open boot. One 45 box, no lp case, "where the fcuk is my lp case", Dim looks messy and says "well I told you I was a mess, I think there still on the pavement in Stafford".

Drove back to Stafford, no box, never saw it or any of the records again. What was in the box ?

The first copy of Flowers-For real- on a 10" acetate

10" acetate, version 3 alternate Jimmy Soul Clark-Sweet darling

Jobete-Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow lp

First Copy of Jesse Henderson-I did it again

Not a good day in Thorleyland

Edited November 23, 2007 by Dave Thorley

[Ian Dewhirst]

I've think I've told this story on here before.

Came out of Top Of The World one morning, with my good mates Gary 'Slaphead' Colbourn and Dave 'His Imperial Dimness'. Put my 45 and lp case on pavement and said "I'll get the car, you stay with the records", Dim says "I don't want to be responsible for anything".

Jumped in car, drove round frount of the club, shouted "throw the records in the boot and jump in". Boot gets shut everyone loaded off we head to Stoke for an all dayer at the Roller Rink. Get breakfast on way and generally mess around until midday, get to club, open boot. One 45 box, no lp case, "where the fcuk is my lp case", Dim looks messy and says "well I told you I was a mess, I think there still on the pavement in Stafford".

Drove back to Stafford, no box, never saw it or any of the records again. What was in the box ?

The first copy of Flowers-For real- on a 10" acetate

10" acetate, version 3 alternate Jimmy Soul Clark-Sweet darling

Jobete-Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow lp

First Copy of Jesse Henderson-I did it again

Not a good day in Thorleyland

More pain! Somehow I feel slightly better about my own mishaps now. But this confirms my theory that everytime you leave the house with a box of valuable records there's always the potential for disaster. Plenty of human error instances here too. Seems like the elation of a great gig or a great record find can cause momentary loss of normal controls LOL......

Ian D

[Ian Dewhirst]

Slightly different, but similar........i was record hunting in Texas & whilst i didnt have amazing luck, i'd still found a Rhonda Davis pink demo M- ish nick & a few other bits n bobs, i have a small record box that holds maybe 10 - 12 records that i usually put into a bag to keep any finds safe on the way home...........well, got back to the hotel & there is no sign of the box any where, did i leave it on the car roof or the curb ????? has it disappeared into that great lost record void along with millions of odd socks. I did kick myself, but hey you cant beat ya self up forever, i do wonder tho, what the chances of a Brit walking along a curb in Texas looking for the next flea market or oldies store & finding this box on the curb, complete with the obligatory torn out sheet from the yellow pages !!!!!!.

Still wondering.......... .

Russ...........the worst record hunter in NATO !

This in a way is an even nastier twist on the theme because you never really had the time to enjoy your extraordinary find!

It reminds me of when I when to Cheyenne, Wyoming once to see an original Rodeo - I was frog-marched there by an American friend to 'get me away from record shops and see the real America' LOL. Naturally I found a record shop in town had a quick look and found an Al Wilson "Help Me" and a couple of other bits. Several hours later as we staggered out from yet another bar I realised I no longer had the records with me. We couldn't remember which bars we'd been in, so there's a nice Al Wilson promo still knocking around Cheyenne somewhere...........

Keep 'em coming......

Ian D

[Pete S]

I had a Joanne Courcey which I arranged to sell to Max so I said I'd bring it over, so instead of just chucking it under the dashboard or putting it on the seat, I thought I;d put it in a mailer with some card...put the record and card into the mailer, pushed down, and put my thumb through the edge of the record causing a 1" crack.

Then there was the legendary time I got a haul of 200 or so records, got fed up of manually cleaning them so put 20 of them in the dishwasher on rinse and melted the lot after forgetting they were in there.

[Dave Thorley]

I had a Joanne Courcey which I arranged to sell to Max so I said I'd bring it over, so instead of just chucking it under the dashboard or putting it on the seat, I thought I;d put it in a mailer with some card...put the record and card into the mailer, pushed down, and put my thumb through the edge of the record causing a 1" crack.

Then there was the legendary time I got a haul of 200 or so records, got fed up of manually cleaning them so put 20 of them in the dishwasher on rinse and melted the lot after forgetting they were in there.

Didn't you once have a bad accident with a Carstairs

Edited November 23, 2007 by Dave Thorley

[Pete S]

Didn't you once have a bad accident with a Carstairs

No, it was an accident prone record, it somehow got run over by a thomas the tank engine, impaled with a knife and fell onto the gas ring of the cooker, all in one day...amazingly three quarters of it still survive but I'm working on that

[Dave Thorley]

No, it was an accident prone record, it somehow got run over by a thomas the tank engine, impaled with a knife and fell onto the gas ring of the cooker, all in one day...amazingly three quarters of it still survive but I'm working on that

Well as there say 'Quality always comes through'

Edited November 23, 2007 by Dave Thorley

[Ernie Andrews]

Recently sold Winfield parker - I wanna be with you to someone on ebay. Packed it up with all the rest and left it in the kitchen- The person took so long to pay for it I forgot about it. When records come into me I leave the mailers if they are damaged again in the kitchen. I use them to get my Boxy fire central heating system going at the back of the kitchen . I must have put the Winfield parker with the empty mailers because when I started the fire all I could smell through the cardboard ,wood and coal was a strong smell of Plastic- That will teach me! ooops

Think John Weston has a rare record story to tell - Come on Johnny - we are all sitting comfortably!

[Ian Dewhirst]

No, it was an accident prone record, it somehow got run over by a thomas the tank engine, impaled with a knife and fell onto the gas ring of the cooker, all in one day...amazingly three quarters of it still survive but I'm working on that

No wonder the title's "It Really Hurts Me Girl" LOL

Ian D

[Spaghetti Weston]

Recently sold Winfield parker - I wanna be with you to someone on ebay. Packed it up with all the rest and left it in the kitchen- The person took so long to pay for it I forgot about it. When records come into me I leave the mailers if they are damaged again in the kitchen. I use them to get my Boxy fire central heating system going at the back of the kitchen . I must have put the Winfield parker with the empty mailers because when I started the fire all I could smell through the cardboard ,wood and coal was a strong smell of Plastic- That will teach me! ooops

Think John Weston has a rare record story to tell - Come on Johnny - we are all sitting comfortably!

INDEED EARLIER THIS YEAR SWAPPED 3 EXPENSIVE RECORDS FOR THE ROYAL ROBBINS WHICH IVE BEEN AFTER FOR 20 YEARS,I HAD IT 5 DAYS UNTIL I CAME HOME ONE EVENING TO FIND THAT IT WAS NOT WHERE I HAD LEFT IT,SO I ASKED HER INDOORS WHY IT WAS WHERE IT WAS AND SHE SAID THAT WHEN SHE WALKED INTO THE ROOM IT WAS ON THE FLOOR AND TROD ON IT OH DEAR WHEN I TOOK IT OUT OF THE COVER IT HAD A CRACK DOWN ONE SIDE WELL PISSED OFF I GOT IN THE CAR AND DROVE AROUND FOR 2 HOURS TO CALM DOWN

[Ian Dewhirst]

INDEED EARLIER THIS YEAR SWAPPED 3 EXPENSIVE RECORDS FOR THE ROYAL ROBBINS WHICH IVE BEEN AFTER FOR 20 YEARS,I HAD IT 5 DAYS UNTIL I CAME HOME ONE EVENING TO FIND THAT IT WAS NOT WHERE I HAD LEFT IT,SO I ASKED HER INDOORS WHY IT WAS WHERE IT WAS AND SHE SAID THAT WHEN SHE WALKED INTO THE ROOM IT WAS ON THE FLOOR AND TROD ON IT OH DEAR WHEN I TOOK IT OUT OF THE COVER IT HAD A CRACK DOWN ONE SIDE WELL PISSED OFF I GOT IN THE CAR AND DROVE AROUND FOR 2 HOURS TO CALM DOWN

20 years of waiting then the other half steps on it! Sounds like divorce material right there!

Have you forgiven her yet? Or renewed your marriage vows LOL?

Ian D

[Eddie Hubbard]

I took my copy of Clydie King " Missin' my baby " Imperial WD down to Tescos to photo copy , , put it back in sleeve, picked it up along with several other records , didn't realise I'd put it in the pile upside down , it fell to the floor on it's edge and split across one half , and chipped the edge - gutted !! On the Dave McCadden Jades story , Dave told me it actually grew to twice it's size with the heat .Did you ever hear about the time Dave bought a Drifters " Gotta pay your dues " , put it inside an album for safekeeping , whilst walking home it fell out and went straight down a drain without touching the sides !! Best ,Eddie

[Steve G]

Was DJing at a New Chapter last year. The DJ booth / area there was shall we say compact to the point where some of the Tellytubby DJ's would have struggled to get in thereat all. Anyway I was dancing to myself and lifted Halo off the turntable and it slipped out of my hands and landed on a metal pipe by the floor. Result 1/2" crack. It's an expensive record all right and fortunately it still plays OK.

Once when I was in the Soul 24-7 studio I left a Houston Outlaws on the floor, forgot about it, and then promptly pushed back across the floor on my wheelie swivel chair......crunching it into pieces in the process.

Left a Mary Love on Stateside on a shelf above a radiator and forgot about it. Warped beyond repair.

I could go on, but this is proving too painful!

Steve

[Guest]

Bought a record from a reputable mail order specialist years ago, and didnt like it at the time, so returned it as it arrived in the mailer, for a swop or refund.

Had it returned saying it wasn/t packed properly, and it had cracked in the post. Cant remember wot it was now. Spellbinders or something. We learn by our mistakes!

[Steve G]

Bought a record from a reputable mail order specialist years ago, and didnt like it at the time, so returned it as it arrived in the mailer, for a swop or refund.

Had it returned saying it wasn/t packed properly, and it had cracked in the post. Cant remember wot it was now. Spellbinders or something. We learn by our mistakes!

Styrene - the worst! Same with the Joe Matthews......mentioned above

[Simon M]

Styrene - the worst! Same with the Joe Matthews......mentioned above

whats the rarest styrene record then... nasty stuff

[Pete S]

The unlucky Carstairs meet with yet another household accident

[Guest Buey]

Sold Minnie Jones to Danny Huff for twenty quid, now that was a nasty accident... Had a twelve inch mailer bent in half so my lovely postie could post it through the letter box result: One broken clean in half copy of Brothers by choice and my all time clumsy favourite was djing very pissed managed to pick up the playing record instead of the stopped one... resulting in a 2 inch scratch in Why wer'nt you there....boo hoo.

[Guest Fatius Bumius]

Shame you've not got two copies, u could have had a toasted sandwich

[Guest SoulBoogieAlex]

So many horror stories

Mine is my own fault. I placed my Sam Cooke 45 on a radiator, accidentily, it slipped behind it I could never convince the owner of the bar to take the radiator down to retrieve it. That bar must have had a whopper of a stink come winter

[Eddie Hubbard]

whats the rarest styrene record then... nasty stuff

Probably Frank Wilson ? Best ,Eddie

[Simon M]

Probably Frank Wilson ? Best ,Eddie

[Ernie Andrews]

The unlucky Carstairs meet with yet another household accident

Anymore of that Pete and you will be up before the judges in Haig for "Crimes against the Carstairs"

[Simsy]

Postmen are the enemy. Urban myth stories of, it's got fragile written on it, lets have some fun.

Sellotaped flip of The Valadiers - I found a girl. Cracked from edge to run out, by the postman.

Still plays fine though..

[Ian Dewhirst]

Anymore of that Pete and you will be up before the judges in Haig for "Crimes against the Carstairs"

At least it's only a re-press!

Ian D

[Spaghetti Weston]

I ALSO HAD ALOAD OF STYRENE RECORDS DAMAGED WHILST DJ'IN BY A HEAVY STYLUS STUFF LIKE THE SEVEN SOULS,JOHNNY BARTELL,TOMMY FONTERA THEY ALL HISSED FOREVER AFTERWARDS

[Pete S]

At least it's only a re-press!

Ian D

Thing is though, all those pink ones ares old as originals

[soulfulsaint]

Are there any stories about terrible accidents which have resulted in the breakage or devaluation of a rare record?

Ian D

Yes Ian the copy of Othello Robertson's 'So In Luv' (Baby Luv) I got at Soul Bowl, Richard played it at Wigan that night, you borrowed it a few weeks later to play at Cleethorpes, and closed the lid on it chipping the record. I've forgiven you now.

No doubt your MP3 version is not chipped. Stuart Cosgrove

[Ian Dewhirst]

I ALSO HAD ALOAD OF STYRENE RECORDS DAMAGED WHILST DJ'IN BY A HEAVY STYLUS STUFF LIKE THE SEVEN SOULS,JOHNNY BARTELL,TOMMY FONTERA THEY ALL HISSED FOREVER AFTERWARDS

The decks at Samanthas in Sheffield were notorious for destroying styrene presses! If I were seriously collecting today's ultra-rarities I honestly don't think I'd risk playing 'em unless the equipment was up to scratch. Mind you - you can't always tell.....

I wish you'd put this in the other thread about playing rare records out 'cos this is EXACTLY what I was getting at. It's nice playing these goodies out but you have to live with the hiss forevermore.........

Ian D

[Ian Dewhirst]

Thing is though, all those pink ones ares old as originals

I don't think they are. Only the promos were around for the first few years - not a pink one in sight. If they were as old as the promos, then where were they all that time?

Ian D

[Ian Dewhirst]

Yes Ian the copy of Othello Robertson's 'So In Luv' (Baby Luv) I got at Soul Bowl, Richard played it at Wigan that night, you borrowed it a few weeks later to play at Cleethorpes, and closed the lid on it chipping the record. I've forgiven you now.

No doubt your MP3 version is not chipped. Stuart Cosgrove

I can't remember that! Are you sure Stuart?

If I did it was a one-off 'cos I've never chipped any of my own records LOL...

Please accept my humble apologies (but NOT at today's prices)!

And that's what I love about digital files - no hisses, pops, farts, cracks or clicks and.....oh shit....my motherboard's crashed.........

Ian

[soulfulsaint]

I can't remember that! Are you sure Stuart?

If I did it was a one-off 'cos I've never chipped any of my own records LOL...

Please accept my humble apologies (but NOT at today's prices)!

And that's what I love about digital files - no hisses, pops, farts, cracks or clicks and.....oh shit....my motherboard's crashed.........

Ian

Got another thanks to the man known as modernsoulsucks which is code for he loves modern soul really he just can't dance for more than 2mins 45 seconds.

[Pete S]

I don't think they are. Only the promos were around for the first few years - not a pink one in sight. If they were as old as the promos, then where were they all that time?

Ian D

They appeared in 75, supposedly licensed presses via I.L. to meet demand from the tone-deafs

[Ian Dewhirst]

Got another thanks to the man known as modernsoulsucks which is code for he loves modern soul really he just can't dance for more than 2mins 45 seconds.

Phew. Thank the Lord for that!

Well done that man 'modernsoulsucks' and good luck with the hearing aid.

Anyway, Stuart, I owe you a drink for that plus Steve Rumney sends his dearest regards and wouldn't mind meeting up for a drink as well. So since it's the season of goodwill to all men and forgiveness for any perceived Othello Robinson injustice can I suggest you PM me and maybe we can rope in the two Steves and meet up for a dwinky?

Ian D

[Ian Dewhirst]

They appeared in 75, supposedly licensed presses via I.L. to meet demand from the tone-deafs

Well since it is in fact the Greatest Record Of All Time I can imagine that they would have to meet the demand. But the promos beat 'em by a good couple of years at least in that case. There was only one known copy for a good 9 months to a year after Levine found it - I know 'cos I had the 2nd one.........

Was it you that put one in a toaster on another thread? Or was that modernsoulsucks LOL....

Ian D