Golden Earring : Moontan

 The first I ever heard and saw Dutch band, Golden Earring would probably have been on BBC 1s Top Of The Pops show in the early 70s. As I bought this tape in June 1974 (see photo below for details), this must have been in late '73 when their then hit, 'Radar Love' was beginning to make inroads into the charts. In fact, I bought this tape on the strength of that one great single which had been getting a lot of airplay that year. 'Moontan' is the band's ninth album but up until 'Radar Love' -and like most people outside of the Netherlands, I imagine- I'd never heard or heard of them before. They formed way, way back in 1961 and were still releasing stuff in 2012!

Anyhow, this and the 1976 album, 'To The Hilt' (which I also have on tape format), are the only two recordings of the band which I possess. I don't recall much about that second tape -I'll have to give it a listen again- but I really like(d) this album. 'Radar Love' is still classic-rock radio fare today. One of those great in-car, driving songs that you singalong with whenever it comes on the radio:

'I've been driving all night, my hands wet on the wheel
There's a voice in my head that drives my heel
It's my baby calling, says "I need you here"
And it's a half past four and I'm shifting gear'
( ©: Writer(s): George Kooymans, Barry Hay)

'Moontan', thanks to 'Radar Love', turned out to be the band's best selling album ever outside of the Netherlands as well as something of an international hit. There's no information on my tape of who did the artwork but Ronnie Hertz took the photograph of the 'exotic dancer' used for the cover (and inner sleeve pics on the LP version). A cover that didn't go down too well in the USA (what a surprise!). It was later replaced by another (dreadful) one featuring a close up of an ear with a large, round "earring" dangling from it and with the band's name engraved on it. Talk about crap artwork. 

For the anecdote; I know exactly when I bought this tape as I still have the receipt for it. Receipt which I slipped inside the J-card and which has remained there for 44 years (FFS!).

 As you can see in the pic above, there's the receipt. It says where I bought it; the date of purchase; and how much I paid for it (£2.40) as well as the mysterious "Shug Barr is Cool" line beneath the shop's address. 
Of course, that Virgin Records store has long since closed down (it's now Silk & Secrets; a "seedy, cheap, nasty and, even a little bit, intimidating" lingerie shop according to one online comment). All I recall about the place was that it was scruffy -to say the least- and that the staff were all aging hippies with lank hair, flared jeans and flowery waistcoats. I was just a lad so my mind might be playing tricks on me but that's the image I have of the place.
As for "Shug Barr", I've no idea who he is/was or if he is/was "cool." If he's still around he must be an OAP. Maybe even a "cool" OAP. Who knows?

king crimson : red

king crimson
red
island records (1974)
7206 018

Unlike the other Island Records tapes of the 70s this King Crimson tape doesn't come with the usual pink background on the J-card. This one, for some reason has a white background. Also, the cover art for the album artwork is all in black & white. On the LP sleeve the album title is in -you guessed it- red.
No idea why this is unless Island were trying to do things on the cheap for cassette versions. Or that the printer had run out of red ink!

Anyhow, I picked up this cassette a couple of years back at a car boot sale. I still have the a vinyl copy of the album as well. Album which I acquired a few years after its initial release on the strength of hearing its title track; the driving, hard rock instrumental, Red while perusing the vinyl in a record shop. Sounded great on the in-store Hi-Fi and also as good when I played it on my own set up.
The opening track really is a killer one, but the rest of the album sort of pales in comparison. Still, it's a worthy album. Besides this one and the 'In the Court of the Crimson King' one by the band I haven't really had any real interest in King Crimson otherwise.