Sunday 28 August 2011

Tactile #2






Thanks to all that posted comments and replied personally to the Tactile piece I posted earlier. I have been sent some pictures of Spacemarker / Tactile live at Fylkingen in 1998, so I thought I would share.

Pictures:
1: Spacemarker Live at Fylkingen. (Tuborg)
2, 3 & 4: Tactile Live at Fylkingen. (White Wine)
5: Post gig drinks with Carl.

Friday 26 August 2011

The Haxan Cloak #2



I have just spent a pleasant while listening to the debut album by The Haxan Cloak (not too sure about the "The") on the Aurora Borealis label. (CD:ABX 050). I have been playing the CD for quite a while. Its' sound is one of darkness, of dark empty places, of creakiness and despair. It plays very much like a soundtrack. I bought the album shortly after the 12" "Observatory" and I was completely surprised by the sound. The 12" is very electronic, clever looping a la Bruce Gilbert or Andrew McKenzie mixed with New Age electronics of say Biosphere or CJ Bolland, the CD album is all scraping strings and bass Sensurround. Playing the album today. Listening to the stretched strings of viola of cello of violin it dawned on me that I was listening to an extension on the sound of Last Few Days. Whether Bobby Krilic (Haxan Cloak mainman) has heard (of) Last Few Days I have no idea - but with the sound he has, the desperate strings and harmonious (female) voices droning like a Mauthausen Opera it is like listening to a 21st Century Last Few Days...and I love it. There are a couple of rhythm lead pieces, heavy (acoustic) drums that conjure up Mick Harris stuff of old, but that all adds to the sound of a great album.
Two releases and two completely different sounds, looking forward to the next release and witnessing Haxan Cloak live.

So, what ever happened to Last Few Days? I have the Touch 12" + 7", the retrospective LP on Dead Man's Curve and the live cassette on Staalplaat..but what became of Fritz, Si Gross, Keir Warhead and D.Styme? I know they had a brief and fuck awful dalliance with white funk at the beginning of the 1990's and soon became Fontana bargain bin specialists - but what about the last 20 years? Anyone know?

Pictures:
1&2: Haxan Cloak CD cover and inner sleeve artwork.
2: Last Few Days Cassette.

Monday 22 August 2011

Astral Social Club #7


Have just spent a pleasant while listening to a couple of new releases by Astral Social Club.
Firstly comes the self released CDr album "Scudding". A title that intrigued and I had to look up:

scudding

A sexual activity involving some preparation. One participant among a couple or group eats a high protein diet for a number of days resulting in a rock hard poo. This can then be "fired" up the partners anus, when both are bent over bottom to bottom, in the fashion of a scud missile being launched.


Well there y'go.
It is an excellent album, and different from the last Astral Social Club release I got hold of....which is one of the reasons why I like this project alot. I never know what sounds are going to be coming out of my speakers, in that sense I align Astral Social Club to Column One. "Scudding" starts off quietly with feint knockings and pulses before developing in to a steady rhythm. For those who can think "Still Walking" by Throbbing Gristle and imagine an expansion on that theme....think on. A rapid chopping rhythm plays whilst sequencers, guitars, disembodied voices and magic intertwine throughout - even polyphonic keyboards at the end. It has taken a couple of listens to appreciate this release. It's 45 or so minutes long and a must. Running somewhat shorter is the Astral Social Club release on Beartown Records. A C30 cassette called "Two Slabs". (No searching the Internet to know what this title means). The inner sleeve holds two cryptic titles; "Rare Rare Congletincy" & "6879 6758 000390". The latter maybe a mobile phone number thus following the tradition of naming great songs after phone numbers - The B52's "6060842" and City Boy's "5705" spring to mind. Anyway, Slab #1 has a Seventies sequencer feel to it - again I was taken back to early TG and Cartertronics. Slab #2 has Neil in drone mode, heavy drone mode...both pieces are OK (highly listenable) but I do get the sense that they are taken from longer pieces and that is "something" that annoys me a tad. I also got a copy of Slump's "Malpas Way" the same time as the ASC cassette (another Beartown Records release) and although the cassette is very enjoyable / highly listenable both tracks end suddenly - a journey cut off before its' natural end...and I think that is wrong. it is something that annoyed me back in the 1990's where bands such as Lull were putting out 7" singles of tracks which were obviously longer than four and a half minutes.
Beartown Records get in touch. A fine and reputable cassette label. They say that they want to put out a cassette of two tracks - 15 mins a side, do you record two tracks that are 15 minutes long especuially for the release or just give them something that cuts off after fifteen minutes? I feel Slump go for the latter - a shame as side two builds beautifully...side one is a bit too Terry Riley!
Both releases are recommended and available from Astral Social Club (just google) and try Beartown Records for "Two Slabs". (www.beartownrecords.com). The tape is limited to 49 copies and is £4 postage paid in the UK - fucking bargain. I did notice that Second Layer Records in London were selling the excellent "Skelp" 7"/CDr by Astral Social Club for £4 on their mail order web-page. Another fucking bargain! BUY.


Sunday 21 August 2011

People Who Do Noise



Just found this whilst trawling around the internet - I have yet to watch it all but thought I'd share...

Friday 19 August 2011

Dave Haslam:Young Hearts Run Free


I have spent August reading the book "Young Hearts Run Free" by Dave Haslam. I bought the book as I was keen to read a book by Dave. As I mentioned in the piece about the book "Shadowplayers", I met Dave when he used to write / edit / produce the fanzine Debris in Manchester 1983 - 1984. We used to drink and chat at the Hacienda - before the music there became shite. I knew Dave then went onto DJ at the club (in the late 1980's through to the 1990's) but I did not know he had turned published author. Dave has written books about the DJ culture and the history of Mancunian music, but I chose "Young Hearts Run Free:The Real Story Of The 1970's"...the title appealed.
A lot has been written about the decade and Dave was pissed off of with "Abbafication" of it all. The documentaries that go: "I remember Top Deck Shandy" / "I had a space-hopper" / "I lost my virginity playing Twister" / "Vesta Chow Mein was like eating posh nosh". you know the kind of stuff. Music was Glam Rock - Prog Rock - Top Of the Pops - Punk and that was it. I kind of agree. Dave and I are the same age, and as Dave spent the 1970's in the West Midlands, I was in the East.

I like the title too, taking its' name from a great Candi Staton song. (Pronounced "State-On" not "Statt-On" just in case you didn't know. "Just say State"...poor hip-hop in joke there).
The book surprised me in the way that it wasn't a personal recollection, a personal trip through the decade a la Andrew Collins and his excellent "Where Did It All Go Right", or Mark Radcliffe's "Showbusiness:The Diary Of A Rock N' Roll Nobody". No, Dave has spent time in the research library looking up facts, times and dates of public upheaval of strikes, terrorist attacks and government overthrows. There are recollections from friends and colleagues, Alan Jones and Jayne Casey make an appearance (and thankfully not a mention of Chrissie Hynde - quite a rarity in a book about the 1970's).

The book is a good read, I read it, if it wasn't a good read I would have just put it away and not bothered, but....I was slightly disappointed with what I was reading. I was not reading (as the blurb told me) "The real story of the 70's that has never been told before". But then again the book was published in 2005, six years ago and in that time BBC 4 and the like have been producing documentaries about the 1970's that avoid the "Abbafication" - leave that to BBC 3 and Channel 4. Perhaps Dave and this book acted as a catalyst?

The book has a lot of meaningless throwaway sentences and veers off on tangents that are not really necessary...unless the book is being used by students who have to write a thesis on the 1970's? Bowie is mentioned a lot, as is Jim Morrison, The Real Thing and Iggy Pop. The activities of the RAF and Baader Meinhoff get covered as well as the IRA and UVF, a lot of the time I felt like I was just reading dates, names and facts and no real "story" was coming out - this is how it was...OK? The 1970's of Europe and America is covered (with a little bit of Africa when Rastafarians enter the scene with Bob Marley and Steel Pulse), no Australia, Japan etc.

Like I mentioned earlier, the book is a good read, but don't believe the "blurb".

Dieter Muh #45


Looking forward to this - uncertain what time Dieter Muh will be performing, will keep you informed.

Friday 12 August 2011

The Pop Group : She's Beyond Good + Evil



Probably the best promo video ever!

Mothmen



A couple of old vinyl releases have come through the door of Hartop Towers this week. Firstly I was given a copy of Stiff Little Fingers 7" "Alternative Ulster" by a friend. A classic slice o' vinyl that I probably wouldn't have bought "again", but gladly received as a gift. It has one of those intro's that used to get me onto the dancefloor of Lincioln AJ's or Retford Porterhouse after hearing the striking of the first three chords. Also include The Mekons "Where Were You?", Killing Joke "Wardance" and Punishment Of Luxury's "Brainbomb" onto this list. Songs where I would enter all flaying arms and legs and end up air guitar and mimed vocals after 90 seconds.
I also got an LP by Mothmen. Mothmen have been recommended to me by a couple of folk, Steve Underwood being one of them. I saw their LP "One Black Dot" from 1982 (and released by Do It Records - home of Adam & The Ants and Antony More) for sale cheaply on the internet, so I bought. (Cheaply being change from a fiver cheaply). This LP comes after their time on Absurd Records and On-U Sound.
The album is produced by Hugh Jones. I have another LP produced by Hugh; Clock DVA's "Advantage", my favourite DVA LP (honest!!), so I was quite intrigued to the Mothmen sound. Mmmmm, sounds like Howard Jones (perhaps a relation)? Sounds like smooth funky pop songs a la Medium Medium (when they put out stuff on obscure Dutch labels), or The Transmitters (when they released that fuck awful "24 Hours" LP). There are two tracks "Waddada" and "Weekend" that sound like Sting in the late 1980's. Yep! That bad. It sounds like 4,000,000 Telephones and that other awful Lincoln "White Funk" band from the 1980's Pulse8.
What happened? These are the musicians who delivered (as Durutti Column) "No Communication" on the Factory Sample EP. Needless to say the bass and drums went in to Simply Red shortly afterwards.

There is one pretty good track on the LP - "Temptation". Poptastic. The LP will be filed as an 80's curio, I think I'll try and hunt out the On-U release.

Pictures:
1: Isabel F. with the Mothmen LP.
2: Mothmen.

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Special Interests



This summers reading has included the latest edition (Number 6) of Finnish magazine "Special Interests". "Special Interests" is produced by Mikko Aspa of Freak Animal Records. As long as I have been aware of the activities of Mikko he has always been behind a magazine. Freak Animal Magazine (in which issue #12 carried an in depth Dieter Muh interview) followed by "Degenerate" (Co-Edited with Jukka Matilla of Kaos Kontrol label), and now "Special Interests". Mikko also administrates the web forum board of the same name as well as recording, releasing and performing as Grunt, Nicole 12 and Alchemy Of The 20th Century. Where does the bugger find the time?
I must admit to not being too enamoured with the first few editions of "Special Interests". The print was tiny, the projects interviewed were pretty bland and there were too many reviews, and a section asking folk what their personal top-ten releases are. (This item still runs in #6, but is limited to only three folk). The other day I was sent a link to a website that tells you what "rock stars" buy at a certain record store in Los Angeles, a kind of "what's in their bag" feature with video footage. Andy Gill of Gang Of Four told us what was on his shopping list, then came the opportunity for me to "buy" the same discs. Be just like my favourite rock star - only difference being that I doubt whether Andy Gill actually paid for his fucking CD's! The item in "Special Interests" reminds me of this....
So, issue number 6 and all is improved. The print is larger, the magazine is larger, there is clarity in the print. (I must go to Specsavers). The essential reading starts off with an interview with Tommy Carlsson. Tommy runs Abisko as well as performing as Treriksroset. He used to operate the fine label Segerhuva Records. The interview covers the beginning of Tommy's interest in experimental / noise music as well as the beginning of Segerhuva and his Trerisksroset project. Tommy comes across as a fascinating and honest chap with great intellect and insight. I have met Tommy, just the once, at The Fylkingen in Stockholm. He fascinated my wife with his knowledge of the graphic novel and comics.
I will not give away too much of the interview - which is extensive - but I do concur with alot of what Tommy says:
Old artists reunions: Some of the new Mauthausen Orchestra stuff would never have been released if it wasn't under a recognised name. Some of the MB stuff is pathetic, just a waste of plastic. Seeing Sutcliffe Jugend live last year was knee-slapping laughable. Blood Ov Thee Christ did a couple of brilliant tapes in the 80's but what does the current incarnation of BOTC have to do with any of that? And yet, we revere these people who should have been out of the door a long time ago. And of course it's a problem. But, when you have a scene where you offer people, "sure you can come and play, just bring your laptop, we'll have a free trip around the world, it doesn't have to be good, just be there under your old name, we'll pay for it". I think all these reunions and all these - well, Sutcliffe Jugend is a perfect example. It's clearly something else touring with a name of a band christened as a teenager devoted to a UK serial killer in the 1980's - that was then! (Laughs). So you're away for a while, you do something else, and then you come back. And you're welcome to play, everywhere around the world and to do luxury LP releases. If it was someone else, under anybody else's name these people would maybe get harsh criticism that they need. But instead they're just given a license to just go on a paid vacation, all because of some weird misguided need for nostalgia.
Tommy. Well said.
After Tommy comes a great career overview and exploration into the mind of Boyd Rice. It is quite an exclusive as Boyd doesn't give that many interviews these days. I don't know whether or not the interview has been "syndicated" or is exclusive to "Special Interests", but it is a must read. The American noise-artist Slogun gets an interview. I saw Slogun a few years back and like Tommy at a Sutcliffe Jugend gig I found his live set knee-slappingly laughable. Slogun played at the Fenton Arms in Leeds and came out all bravado and "hard", he got jostled and pushed about a bit and continued the gig behind the safety of "his band". A lesson learnt Mr. Slogun, you don't mess around with Yorkshire folk. Slogun now seems to be maturing in sound and approach, we are probably not far off a John Balistreri "ambient" album. Then comes an interview with Finnish artist Mika Taanila. For me this was a great read. Whilst in Helsinki earlier in the year I bought a tape ( a double tape) by Musiikkivyory (AKA Mika Taanila). I had no idea what the sound was like, the packaging, the look of the tape just hit a chord with me. The lady who sold me the tape told me it was of a Finnish film-maker's tape recorder experiments from the early 1980's. Mika Taanila. It is an excellent listen and now it makes sense:
Recording these tracks enabled to get certain frustrations out of my system. I guess I was vaguely inspired by This Heat, Dome, Cabaret Voltaire, Glaxo Babies, Tuxedo Moon and so on, and wanted to create sounds like them. Maybe somewhat unconsciously Mass was the closest thing I was aiming towards......H.S. Tuominen gave me a copy of their LP Labour Of Love. It's an amazing record. For somebody interested in the zeitgeist of the era, I recommend it.
There speaks a man after my own heart, and maybe Steve Underwood who follows as "Special Interests" interviews the two chaps behind the magazine "As Loud As Possible", a noise magazine will eat itself situation? It is an interesting insight, the magazines' "manifesto" is laid out for all to read and Steve Underwood's parting shot of;
I still find more excitement and adventurous experimentation locked into the four sides of the Swell Maps' Whatever Happens Next ... set than I do in the entire back catalogue of whatever chump is churning out ten CDrs a month at the moment. I have a preference for those artists and labels that release less rather than more.
There speaks a man after my own heart.
The Belgian group Militia are also interviewed. I like Militia, I have the split tape with Con-Dom and the recent tape on No Visible Scars and they have a real interesting sound. I remember after the Con-Dom split that their next release was a triple LP box set that was way too expensive to experiment with. The power electronic super-duo Ke/Hil give an interview, again interesting to read - I have yet to hear their sound but I imagine it to sound like Anenzephalia, for that's who it is. There's also a lovely little piece written by GX Jupitter-Larsen entitled "For Little Box (Cassette Is French For Little Box)". Here GX writes about cassette only releases that mean something to him and how the cassette culture is still alive and well and thriving. The piece would not have been out of place in "As Loud As Possible".
There's also some interviews/articles on Control (Nice man, met him), Black Boned Angel, Ilios, Gnaw Their Tongues and the New Force of American PE. I haven't read these yet as now the magazine has become a dip in to magazine.

Print magazines are essential, and they don't come much better than this - or at least I haven't seen one this year. Mikko has the knowledge. Chris Groves, who produces the excellent "Night Science" magazine also writes and reviews for "Special Interests". The magazine is stocked in the UK by Second Layer, Unrest Productions and Cold Spring (who have a knee slappingly laughable advert on the back page). I imagine RRR and Hanson in the US and from Freak Animal in Europe.

Pictures.
1: Special Interests #6 Cover.
2: Musiikkivyory Sleeve.
3: Steve Underwood.

Monday 8 August 2011

On The Road Again

Dieter Muh will be performing live on September 17 at The Windmill in Brixton, London. Also appearing will be Kylie Minoise and Z'ev with more artists to be announced. I'll fill in more details as I get to know them.

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Raionbashi & Kutzkelina




I have just spent a pleasant while listening to the latest LP from Raionbashi & Kutzkelina. "Aktion 091216 Berlin" has just been released by UK label Harbinger Sound.
I am always a little cautious about performance art being released as document as it doesn't always work, the sound isn't strong enough sans visuals, so I put the record on with a "plan B" in mind. Not needed. I sat there (in my chair) gripped by what I was hearing, the sound that was unfolding. I knew it was a performance and my brain began to create wonderful visuals as I was listening. I sat there gobsmacked. I have played the 12" repeatedly today, and always in a state of wonder...and the last time in joy.
So what does it sound like?
The record starts with amp hum (I love amp hum) and the sound of snoring, deep sleep snoring and a rattling cow bell. The snoring is accompanied by an accordion. Breath sounds. The snoring and the accordion lasts throughout the piece, varied in the mix. Distant voices. Dogs bark and echo, crystal clear as if they are in the room with me, wolves howl and then there's the sound of "something" hitting the ground running. Sporadic bursts of grating/grinding/harsh noise. By now the piece has me glued. Yodelling, there's someone yodelling, the voice sustained through echo and reverb. Beautiful female voice.
And it is over. It is a mixing desk recording, beautifully clear and is probably the best (one-sided) LP I have heard all year, certainly one of the finer Harbinger Sound releases. The nearest I can equate to the sound is Vagina Dentata Organ, but that doesn't come close...the sound is fresh.

I do not know how many copies have been pressed, but I think RRR in USA, Second Layer in UK and Tochnit Aleph in Germany should be stocking copies, this release is essential.

Pictures:
1: Raionbashi & Kutzkelina LP Cover.
2: Live.
3: Flyer for the performance. (Comes with the LP).

Tuesday 2 August 2011

Dieter Muh #2






I was mailed a test pressing of the soon to be released Olympic Shitman double LP today. I noticed that Side 4 included a piece from the gig at the Narrowboat in Nottingham on the 17th December 1994. Dieter Muh were "bottom of the bill" that night, Ramleh were top and Olympic Shitman were squeezed in the middle.
In 1994 Dieter Muh formed for only one gig, we were supposed to support Suicidal Flowers at a venue in York but that fell through so we decided to book a venue and do a gig anyway with our friends from Sahko Records. I mailed a tape of the gig to Mark Durgan of Birthbiter/Putrefier fame and he put me in contact with Steve Underwood with the possibility of of a live gig supporting the upcoming Ramleh/Putrefier gig in Nottingham. I mailed a cassette to Steve, got the thumbs up and what should have been a "one-off" performance was turning into "And the name of the band is..." situation.
Like the York gig we decided not to rehearse, we were 100% improvised. One thing we did learn from the York gig was that 1 hour is too long, so we decided to cut the set to 40 minutes. (I now think that 40 minutes is too long - but these were early days). Dieter Muh played five gigs with the line-up of Bayes/Cammack/Uden and The Narrowboat is my personal favourite. #1 in York was far too long, #3 with Soviet France I have no recollection of and the two following gigs (in Bradford and York) we rehearsed and did "songs", and that was a big mistake.
For the gig Dave wandered around various effects on his Roland JD800 whilst Tim (well forward in the mix this time) mixed in tapes of his field recordings made whilst on his travels in India, Japan and America, I swapped between playing the guitar and bass guitar with a hand held fan through a variety of effects. Gary Mundy (reticently) let me use his VOX AC30 valve amp. Listening to a recording of the gig, the Muh set had its moments. A ten minute section called "Introjection" ended up on the cassette "Mutus Liber", a tape Dave compiled to advance the cause of Dieter Muh.
Naturally - travelling on the day by train from York to Nottingham and then sitting in the venue for roughly 3 hours before Steve Underwood or anyone showed - I was pretty half cut before the evening started. Mark Durgan and Andy Bolus showed up late due to a "smashed windscreen" accident on the A1(M), and Ramleh took an age to soundcheck. Memories are blurred. Olympic Shitman was fun, Ramleh were awful. John Everall walked out it was that bad. 17 years - a long time ago. Dave was angry with Tim. "He's wearing a fucking car coat"! Simon had drugs, and listening to the recording it was a great gig.

Looking forward to indulging myself in some Olympic Shitman.

Pictures:
1: Olympic Shitman Test Pressing.
2: Dieter Muh Live @ The Narrowboat. (Dave on the Left, Myself on the Right).
3: Mark Durgan of Olympic Shitman.
4: Ramleh Live. (P.Best & G.Mundy).
5: Tim backstage.
6: Simon Kane backstage.

Secondhand Record Shops #13: The Cavern, Brixham.


Brixham is a small Devonshire town built like a cul-de-sac. It is a lovely place, there's lots of historic interest in Brixham. It is the country's most busiest fishing port - a fact I find hard to believe, but they said it on the BBC the other night so it must be true. In the port there's a replica of the Golden Hind you can walk on and a lido to take to kids for a swim, or you can stroll up to Berry Head and Shark Point and look for basking shark and dolphin. Brixham is a lovely day out. (OK, touristy bit over...I live a few miles away and never go there)!
When I first moved down here Brixham had two secondhand vinyl emporiums. I have bought virtually all my Absurd singles from Brixham and the Test Dept Box Set, but a few years ago they both closed down. Now a new shop has opened. The Cavern on Cavern Street. The guy has only been open a few weeks and the stock is mainly 1950's and 1960's stuff. A lot of Elvis, Rolling Stones, Cliff...that kind of thing. A couple of boxes of 1980's 12" where you can buy the complete collection of 5 Star for a 5er. The "indie/punk" section was all The Church, the Bolshoi and Joan Armatrading, but like I said the guy has only been open a few weeks so I'll give him time to build his stock. He did have the first London 12" for £1.50 - but it looked a bit scratched.
If down in Devon, go to Brixham and visit The Cavern - it's two doors down from a Wetherspoons.

Astral Social Club #6

July has been a busy month for Astral Social Club. A few live dates and a couple of releases. Along with the "Scudding" CDr (on Neil Campbell's own imprint Astral Social Club label) comes the split 12" on Tipped Bowler Tapes.
Tipped Bowler Tapes is a new name to me, and so is the artist with which the 12" is split; Tomutontuu. Research reveals that he is a Finnish artist with releases out on Ultra Eczema and Beta-Lactam Ring. Both artists share a side a piece with Astral Social Club kicking off with "Wet Wheel/Hot Wheel". The piece starts off Duchampian with the sound of a spinning (squeaky) bicycle wheel. Sequencers assemble themselves at dawn and the sound is very akin to Section 25's "Sakura"....A sequencer pattern kicks in and the track takes off. The sound is repetitive, the head makes independent movement from the neck and shoulders, it's cracking stuff. "Klubba Cupol" by Cupol, The Hafler Trio "Bootleg" 12" and "Three Mantras" are evoked, but the sound is more high energy. Sounds and squibbles move around the patterns and they in turn build to what sounds like an orchestrated cacophony of layer upon layer of 70's & 80's disco tracks. (Hot Wheels Of Steel)? It is a lovely track, one I imagine was recorded live in the studio.
From what I understand Tomutontuu remixed the sounds of Astral Social Club for his piece "Syvat Savyt". But Tom has no groove, the track is an unlistenable abstract muddle of "spaced out" sounds. A huge disappointment and I found it very difficult to play all the way through, after about three or so minutes I was thinking "I could be doing better things than listening to this". A shame.
The sleeve's a bit pants, side 2 is unlistenable...but I still recommend the 12", it's a lovely purple vinyl and the Astral Social Club is worth the pennies alone.
Astral Social Club & Preslav Literary School play a festival in Bourn, Cambridgeshire next month, I am looking forward to seeing both loud and live.

Monday 1 August 2011

Secondhand Record Shops #12: Newton Abbot.


Newton Abbot is a small market town in Devon. The town doesn't have a lot going for it, there is no historical Newton Abbot, no pleasant walks just a smattering of catalogue clothes shops, charity shops and boozers. Even the train station is a mile or so out of the town centre. Paying Newton Abbot a visit is not recommended, on my first visit it reminded me of Gainsborough but without the nightlife. But, Newton Abbot does have a secondhand vinyl emporium situated inside the new pannier market.
As a teenager, back in the late 1970's I used to "work" the markets. My mother had a stall selling material (curtains, soft furnishings etc) and I used to help out for cash when I should have been studying for exams. Boston Monday, Gainsborough Tuesday, Newark Wednesday, Ashby Thursday, Gainsborough Friday and Scunthorpe on a Saturday. The timetable has stuck with me all these years. And if the weekly business was slow we'd do Melton Mowbary on Sunday - this is all very pre Car Boot. One of the joys of working on the markets is that every one had a secondhand vinyl stall. (Who can forget Andy Dobbs on Lincoln Market)? Newton Abbot keeps up that tradition.
The stall has no name but is a permanent fixture. The main stock is of 1970's and 1980's rock LP's - expect to see lots of UFO, Genesis, King Crimson, Pink Floyd etc alongside Kingmaker, Senseless Things and Public Image Limited. There were thousands of CD's too with a "punk" section. The guy also has a few 7"'s but keeps them behind the counter. A lot of chart punk like The Stranglers, Skids and Gary Numan. He did have a copy of Leyton Buzzards "Saturday Night Beneath The Plastic Palm Trees" for £1.75, but I've already got it! (that would have been the find of the browse). The chap keeps prices low with an average of a fiver for an LP, four for a CD and thirty bob a seven inch. He told me he likes to keep stock rolling.
If you are unfortunate enough to be in Newton Abbot for an hour or more it is worth a browse...you never know.

Pictures:
1: Stall inside pannier market.
2: Outside Fascia.