Just pondering, and listening to all the debate about additional tracks etc, and it got me wondering. How many of us actually came to Human Menagerie VIA Psychomodo, rather than the other way around? For me, it was Judy Teen on the radio, "got to have the album that's on...", found out Psychomodo DIDN'T have it on-so had to buy that as well (clever Steve!) then bought Human Menagerie as soon as I could afford it the month after.
But who on here honestly went out and bought THM before they bought Psychomodo? (BTW,I am not suggesting Steve plays them the other way round because of that fact -although, ironically I wonder if it might work best
So, I guess I am wondering, many of us have been along for the ride (on a crest it was swell) since Judy Teen on TOTP, but, honestly, who was there at Biba, or who bought THM at the time of release and can claim to be an ORIGINAL Cockney Rebel?

I'm the same as you. Judy Teen first, then as I mentioned in another thread bought The Psychomodo on a school trip to Scarborough. After that it was The Human Menagerie.

Following that my first ever gig was 8th April 1975 which happened to be Cockney Rebel supported by Sailor at Newcastle City Hall on the Best Years tour, which also happened to be my birthday.

I'm pretty sure i also remember that the LONG b-side version of Sebastian that I think was on the other side of Mr Raffles was recorded live on the 12th April 1975, 4 days after my first gig.

I first saw/heard Steve playing in a tube station walkway on the London underground around 71/72,followed the sound until I came across this one guy and his guitar case open on the floor.(with not a lot in it),I was fifteen years old and instantly mesmerised by his songs,his words,the strange way he phrased those words.I actually stood about ten feet away for around half an hour and put a ten shilling note in to his case,and got something along the lines of 'are you sure?,thank you so much'.
I went on my way with those melodies etched in to my head.Many,many months passed and one thursday I went along to the newsagents to collect my usual copies of Sounds/Melody Maker/New Musical Express TO BE CONFRONTED WITH PHOTOS OF A VAGUELY FAMILIAR FACE IN/ON THEM. I then read that a brand new band from London had released a brilliant debut album with a weird new sound.Could it be,no surely not?
I then went straight to my local independent record store in Chesterfield,weirdly named 'SOME KINDA MUSHROOM' (BUT WHAT A RECORD SHOP IT WAS).It was run by a guy named Dave McPhee,who,trust me,could get hold of anything record wise.
(back then I was into Reggae,Tamla,Soul etc,),and Dave used to be able to get me Reggae imports from Jamaica that were just not available in Woolworths,Boots,etc(the major record suppliers in Chesterfield at that time).
I showed Dave my music papers and said that I need to get this new album,and in his usual style dave took a big draw on his reefer and said 'give us a couple of days and it will be here'.The rest is history.Forty years later I am here waiting to hear that very same album being played in a Symphony hall with a full Orchestra and Choir,and getting involved in a small way organising a hotel for all of us genuine fans,and newbies to be together for this night of all nights.
So to sum it all up Mr.Edmondson,I was (proudly) there at the beginning.!!
Hope to see you there.
Jim Pirie,
Chesterfield.

Hi Jim,

Another memory has come back when you mentioned Chesterfield. my parents had friends who lived in Chesterfield at the time and I have distinct memories of visiting a small stall in an indoor market where I used to buy the odd single or 2. it was a bit of a ritual probably very early 70's and loved visiting for that reason.

yes guisboro that was Hudsons record stall and was the second best record supplier in Chesterfield. that stall was still there up to about 4/5 years ago when they moved in to shop premises opposite that indoor market hall.They are still there trading in musical instruments and specialising in vinyl etc for the current rage of house,rave,grunge music etc.
They are currently the best in Chesterfield for getting rarities etc,unlike the biggies on the high st HMV etc.

Jimbo- excellent reminiscing, I remember you telling me that story before- but brilliant to hear you share it again. What was the first show you saw Jim?

I guess I was like a lot of others and it was Judy Teen that frist captured my imagination. I do seem to recall the Psychomodo coming out at the same time/same week as Kimono My House by Sparks. That was a tough one, the reviews of Kimono were fantastic as I recall, and pocket money certainly didn't run to TWO albums in the same week. So the Brothers Mael had to wait (in fact till after THM I seem to recall- gosh, Amateur Hour was probably in the charts before I got KMH!). Funny though, they both turned out to be fantastic, enduring acts didn't they?

At the time, I seem to feel I was on a quest to find MY band. I loved Mott and Bowie of course, but they seemd somehow unaccessible, they were somebody else's band that I happened to like. I really wanted be in at the start of something, to feel like I was there when it all began. I didn't know of THM for a couple of weeks thereafter. (Gosh, this was even before you could Google the hell out of anythng!!). I was frankly disappointed to hear of THM, and I dismayed I hadn't been there at the start after all.

Thinking about that- and Guisboro's painful wait to listen to the Psychomodo- that feeling just doesn't exist now does it? If my kids hear something, they Google it, download it, play it and it's disposable shortly thereafter. And what there is available- it's mind blowing. Kids nowadays don't have the anticipation, the excitement, the tactile experience of holding the Pyschomodo (or whatever) and looking at a 12x12 picture that somehow captured the spirit of the whole thing in one image. Do you remember walking proudly to/from school with an album under your arm- just simply advertising how cool you were even though you were only still in the 4th form (or whatever?)
"Look- I am a Cockney Rebel Man. I might be 124, living in Leyland Lancashire, but I am as cool as can be because this is MY band!!"

Happy days....