I’m an All Gone Boy

The story of a record purchase...

Now the first thing I have to say, I have a deep love and fascination for The Easybeats. Their UK period is for me a prime example of an artist at the height of its powers (in my opinion from 1966 to 1986 Vanda & Young were on a creative run to matching anything by Brian Wilson, Ray Davies, or Lennon & McCartney).

Now back in March I was in Paris and wandered down Rue Keller to pop into Born Bad.

www.bornbad.fr/

I looked up and on the wall was a copy of Easy Fever volume 2. This great Aussie Easybeats EP features a perfect running order of Happy Is the Man/ You Me, We Love/ Saturday Night / All Gone Boy . Although released in January 1968 it features the European sleeve of the Good Friday cover.
Now although the record was VG+, the sleeve was very tatty. In fact I was even doubting that it was the original cover, but some sort of composite stuck together. So I passed on it, but then ended up regretting the lack of purchase.
So upon my return I scoured ebay as well as having it listed in my searches. I sent emails to various Australian dealers and acquaintances but nothing showed up. Then 2 weeks ago I received and email notification: It had a appeared as a reasonably priced BIN from an Australian dealer:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151045823124?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2963wt_965

Yes, BUT…no record, Just a sleeve is great condition. Then I remembered my visit in Paris back in March…

So here I am on the 25th of May back in Paris, only thing is that the guys at Born Bad have broken their partnership up. For some reason the record shop has moved to where the clothes shop was (Rue Saint Sabin) and the clothes shop has moved to where the record shop was in Rue Keller. So of course I pop record the record shop, hoping the EP was still there, but no...

The guy tells me that the EP was on sale or return and all SOR records are still in the basement of the clothes shop. So I go to the other shop, get soaked in the rain, and lo and behold, they tell me that they no longer have the SOR records!. Aaaargh.
However they said the record was likely to be back at the record shop. So, I start to walk back and the street is now closed off by the police, so I have to make a detour and somehow try to find my way back. I get there and after a couple of phone calls, the EP is produced! On closer inspection, I realise it is in fact  an original sleeve, but in very poor condition held together by tape.

Tomorrow I return to London. I expect a package from Australia to have been put through the letter box, and hopefully by 1pm tomorrow, I will have a fine copy of the record and a fine copy of the sleeve for the one of the most perfect EP ever created….

Now why do I do all this may you ask?

BECAUSE I CAN!

Now sing along with me…All Gone Boy, I’m an All Gone Boy…