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| 'Polydor' acrylic on canvas 7" x 5" |
At the arse end of 1972 I managed to scrape enough pennies together to buy my first ever single. I'd heard it on Top of the Pops the week before and I just knew I had to own a copy. It was Gudby t'Jane by Slade and, as I was to find out when approaching the counter of the Music Inn, it was on the Polydor label. Around that time you'd see many other Polydor releases in either the singles or album charts: Hendrix, Focus, The Hollies, The New Seekers and Rory Gallagher to name but a few. But it was a much bigger hitter than any of the above who bankrolled the label. Thanks to my parents and people like my parents, whenever they had the neighbours round for a shindig, it wasn't just impregnable tins of Watneys Party Seven that made parties go with a bang. Oh no, it was a bearded white suited bandleader from Deutschland. That's right, James bloody Last.
Even now, whenever I see the red and black label I always think of Slade. Ask my dad and he'll no doubt tell you the King of Elevator Music.
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This blog is five years old today. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to stop off and shoot the breeze with me. I do appreciate it.
In the 1960s my Nan and her second husband, Uncle Ted, preferred the gently swinging sounds of Bert Kaempfert - also German, also a million seller and also on Polydor.
ReplyDeleteFive years old? You don't look a day over 3½. Congratulations and here's to the next five.
Thank you S. In Last's defence, his 'orchestra' knocked up a blinding version of Ballroom Blitz back in the day. I'll put it up when I get a minute.
DeleteI love the Polydor label (the red one as so brilliantly painted above) for all it's memories. I, too, bought 'Gudby T'Jane'. My first on the label was, however, either 'I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing' or 'Coz I Luv You'. Which came first? Weird, I know. Bloody James Last! If only he'd joined Neu!
ReplyDeleteThe New Seekers? Coke's got a lot to answer for.
DeleteFive years - good work J, and what better way to celebrate than with a stomper from Slade.
ReplyDeleteCheers Dave. It's all your fault!
DeleteCongratulations on the birthday and here's to another 5. I've got that single, though I was a bit young to buy it at the time. I bought a batch of Slade singles on eBay a while back. Gudbuy and Coz I Luv You are my favourites. The thing I don't like about Polydor is that they pioneered those moulded plastic labels that I never really warmed to.
ReplyDeleteRainbow were on Polydor too. I've got a scratched, played to death version of All Night Long that sounds as though it was made in the 20s.