Boy in a Candy Store

["Martin Bailey" <mobailey@cwcom.net>]

Yesterday afternoon, I was being driven along Brighton seafront (what better
way to spend a Bank Holiday afternoon?).  I then noticed signs for a
record/cd fair at the Brighton Centre.  It was happening right there, right
now.  Promising to meet back up with my wife and her family in a coffee shop
"in about half an hour", I jumped out of the car and ran in.


I paid the mere 1 pound for entry and started the search of the "W" sections
of the CD racks.  Within minutes I had a handful of Who bootlegs, promos,
demos, rarities and live CDs which I wanted to buy.  This was Bootleg City,
and The Who were everywhere.  I was a boy again, adrenalin was pumping
through my veins, and I was in the biggest sweet shop I'd ever seen.


My only problem was, I only had £40 in my pocket at the time, and these guys
don't take Visa.


Remember that film "Sophie's Choice", where a mother has to quickly choose
between her children?  Well, I felt I had to make a decision of that
magnitude.  (Ok, forgive my exaggeration - maybe not quite such a big
decision.)


But I wanted it all: live Quad concerts from '96, My Generation album with
bonus tracks, The Other Scoop, the complete PT Live at Brixton Academy,
soundboard recording of London Arena 13th November 2000 (I was there!), 30
Years of Max R&B Promo CD, and much, much more.  Not to mention all the
Radiohead rarities, Ocean Colour Scene singles, and an Alanis Morisette
bootleg (for the missus) that I wanted to get.


In hindsight, it was lucky that I only had enough money for around 4 or 5
CDs.  I could easily have spent waaay to much money there.  In the end I
decided upon a couple of Townshend Demo CDs, and a three Radiohead rarities
CDs.


(I didn't want to get any Who live recordings - I would have been too
disappointed if I'd got them home only to find out they were poor quality
guy-in-audience-with-a-microphone recordings.  There's nothing worse than
trying to listen to a taped performance only to hear the words "ssssshhhh -
I'm trying to tape here!".)


I've had a quick listen to both "The Tommy Demos" and "Music Must Change"
(Who Are You and Empty Glass demos), and I'm very happy with my purchases.
I find the creative processes involved in creating great Who albums
fascinating.  Pete's demos show the songs in a raw, "nearly-there", format.
This is how the songs sounded just before ED+M pounce on them, and turn the
Townshend Sound into The Who Sound.


But I'm still a bit sad at not getting that Quad tour CD...


Just wanted to share this with you,


-MB