Some spooky 7 inch vinyl:
1. There's A Ghost In My House - The Fall (Beggars Banquet 1987)
I have many records by The Fall, but this was probably the last one I bought on release day. They'd put out a lot of excellent albums & singles before this, but were always singularly uncommercial. Mark E Smith in the pop charts would not have been considered possible prior, yet here they were at #30. Manchester meets Motown, splendid stuff & with a cool, limited edition hologram cover.
2. I Ain't Nuthin But A Gorehound - The Cramps (New Rose 1983)
The Cramps were so good, I think I love them ever more as the years pass, just brilliant. This was probably the first of their records I bought, live at The Peppermint Lounge, raw, groovy, punk, rockabilly with a classic sleeve, love it.
3. Spirit - Bauhaus (Beggars Banquet 1982)
Bauhaus would be considered one of the originators of Goth, but they were always more than that, definitely dark & moody but also full of funk & dub. This one came out just before their big hit (a cover of Ziggy Stardust), & is a decent, kinda Bowie-esque track.
4. Ghosts - Japan (Virgin 1982)
Loved Japan, great band, before this they'd released European Son, Life in Tokyo & Quiet Life which were all excellent. Ghosts was a massive hit, #5 in the pop charts & really just such a weird record to be so big - slow, minimal & moody, with no drums at all. Later sampled by Goldie for a Rufige Kru release that definitely did have drums :)
5. Anaconda / Phantom - The Sisters Of Mercy (Merciful Release 1983)
Anaconda is nothing special, but Phantom is one of my favourite Sisters tracks, both groovy & spooky. I was very into this band, they had a great run of singles leading up to the first album, & also amazing live shows, full of dry ice & vibes. I remember being quite underwhelmed when the album came out, but I've been listening to it recently & really like it now :)
I don't buy a lot of records these days, having settled into the convenience of digital, but still love crate digging when there's opportunity. It's always a joy going through the collection & digging out gems - all these records still sound good 40+ years later. There's something very satisfying about vinyl, that digital can never have - the memories, cover artwork, even the ring-wear on the sleeves & dusty crackles are all part of the magic.
