Posted: 15 February 2006 at 5:00pm | IP Logged

A friend of mine at Uni had a copy, but I don't. After I left Uni I joined YFC and once stayed with one of the Advocates' ex-members. So close to that LP, but not quite there for you...

Paul.

Posted: 16 February 2006 at 8:34am | IP Logged

Would that have been Dave Kitchen?

Posted: 21 May 2006 at 2:59pm | IP Logged

Well, I suppose the rarest ATF item I am certain of, aside from original reels, etc, of course, may actually be the missing 80-f album acetate. I only know of one copy. Mine .

I was in Oxford Street in about 1995, or so, and after checking out the Virgin Megastore, I went round the street behind it where there were a couple of tiny second hand record shops. As many of you do, I'm sure, I routinely scan these for ATF items. If there's nothing there, I ask if they anything, to which the usual reply is "who?".

On this day, I asked, and he said, oh yeah hang on, and handed me what might as well have been the turin shroud. The hairs on my head prickled, and a tingle went through me. I knew this was the jackpot. It was pressed by Tape 1 (who were nearby), and the track list on the cover included three songs I had never heard of before. My hands broke out in a sweat. "How much?" I asked. "Hundred Quid" he replied. I wanted to cry. "I'll be back tomorrow, don't sell it, Ok?". "OK".

So the next day, I took £100 back to Oxford Street, and made my way to the shop. It was shut. Apparently, he opens when he feels like it. I wanted to cry. However, he had left me with his phone number, so I rang it from the doorway. I mentioned the acetate. "Yeah, it's still there". And that I was armed with a hundred quid. "Hang on, I'll be there, I'll be there as soon as I can". I then went down to Wendy's for a burger. When I came back, he was just arriving. I gave him the cash, he gave me the acetate.

Back home, I could hardly contain myself. I have only ever played it physically three times now. That first time was magical. Nothing about it is the same as the later version. It was astonishing. The second play was recorded to mini-disc. The third, recently, to hard disc.

And that gentlepeople, is the rarest ATF item I have, of how it was rediscovered, and how it came into my coveted possession.

jules

Posted: 21 May 2006 at 3:03pm | IP Logged

Actually, Mick's blue bass in the front room reminds me, I actually own Ivor. He turned up on Ebay recently, and I bought him for £16. He's propped up in the garage now. So that must be quite rare.

jules

Posted: 21 May 2006 at 3:08pm | IP Logged

My 12" of 8-Ball turned on a bargain shelf of Woolworth's at 99p. I failed to get the aborted Love Will Always Make You Cry. Hard to say what numbers there were. Batteries on Epic label with the ladder sleeve is rare of course, as is the other XP disc - the Rainbow 79 live promo single given away at gigs. Mine is numbered 00079 too.

jules

Posted: 21 May 2006 at 7:25pm | IP Logged

Yes yes yes.....but when are you going to strike a deal with Roughmix so that this rare acetate can be released on CD for us all to enjoy?

Posted: 21 May 2006 at 11:29pm | IP Logged

Fantastic story Julian, and what a great find. A once in a life time thing.

Have you put in in a frame ????

Posted: 21 May 2006 at 11:41pm | IP Logged

Frame it, are you kidding. It's in a secure lead lined box beneath an unspecified mountian in north Wales. If humanity presses the button, and we all fry, at least the acetate will be safe.

jules

Posted: 21 May 2006 at 11:42pm | IP Logged

Oh, and I hate to say this, but it HAS been lovingly mastered to CD, as young Mick may testify. Any thoughts on a cover?

jules