Cruising for Old Vinyl

Twice a year I get to drive into town and hit St. Anthony's Hall to blow a few bucks at the Ottawa Record Show. I've been collecting vinyl LPs since they were the standard in music reproduction and this show is one of the few times I can chase the dream of finding that illusive record I always wanted but never seem to be able to find.

Today I managed to fill in some holes in my collection with some decent picks. Pictured on the left is my find of the day, the first album by The Average White Band, Show Your Hand, issued in 1973 on MCA. I've had the 1975 reissue, Put It Where You Want It, for a long time but had never actually seen the original version before, so I was pleased to find it. Not that it's rare, you understand. Just that I'd never seen it before. (I don't get out a whole lot.)

Other interesting purchases today included:

• Osibisa, Heads (MCA, 1972);
• Checkfield, Distant Thunder (American Gramaphone, 1987);
• Monty Alexander - Ray Brown - Herb Ellis, Triple Treat (Concord, 1982);
• Savoy Brown, Hellbound Train (Parrot, 1972);
• Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, Straight Ahead (RCA, 1974); and
• The Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin, The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia, 1971).

A good opportunity to fill in some holes and just have a lot of fun flipping through bins of great music. The best part was that all the above cost me either $2 or $3, with the exception of Show Your Hand, which was $5. Cheap fun!