Have loads of stories from the States etc, but some of my best trips came looking for Aussie released soul when I lived over there.
My last Paramatta record fair in oct 2005 was a a brilliant strike, drove up to Partamatta from my home on the North shore (sydney) to get there early, just knew I'd get something good but had no idea I'd come away with the following:
Sandy Wynns - Touch of Penis / Philips $60 Aud
Earl Grant- Hide nor hair / Festival $2 Aud
Marvin Smith - Have more time / Coral $8 Aud
Jimmy Soul Clarke - If Only I klnew then / Atlantic $10 Aud
Spiders - i can take care of myself $20 Aud
Bought the Sandy Wynns from one guy who knew that single was collectable, still $60 is very cheap, he had a box of bits on the floor, went through them and pulled out Earl Grant for $2 aud, he had no idea!! Marvin smith was found after going through 20 odd boxes of 45's from a dealer which looked to have a pile of crap, it was at the back in the very last box, I knew the b side by heart and it just flashed in front of me, Result for $8aud, I was going to haggle but 3-4 Ukp for an original Demo in mint condition, you just take em!!! Laughs
I did however pick up and put back Shorty long - Don't Mess With My Weekend / Tamla Motown which had no Uk or USA released 45... the guy had a box and all of them were $1 each..DOH!!
Other visits to places in NSW such as Tamworth and Casino turned up loads of 45's mostly for no more than a dollar a go.. Tamworth by the way is Australia's Country music capitol, with several recording studio's, believe it or not it was hard to find 45's in the center, but on leaving I found 2-3 second hand shops which had stuff like Gene Chandler on Philips, Otis Redding on Atlantic, some US releases by Garland green / cotillion and Big Maybelle on sceptre for £1.50 Aud, cant be bad..
A note on those Jamaican Sam Dees / Atlantic 45's which flooded the Uk market some years ago, they are from a dealer in Sydney, I met him, and didn't like him at all but he did sell me a copy for $60 aud, about 20 pounds..
You wonder why I hardly buy from the uk anymore, records here are far too expensive..!!
Mal.C.