FROM THE ARCHIVES (SLIGHT RETURN)

Well, here they are again, for those who didn't catch their earlier brief, Halleys Comet-like appearance on this blog. These pictures, taken by the mighty Tom McShane, are from last years Record Store Day, which was a pretty amazing day all told, including a DJ set from Can legend Irmin Schmidt and a storming live set from Baltic Fleet amongst others. But the highlight for me was the arrival of Billy Bragg, who did a hilarious set (I'll never hear Beethovens 9th in the same way ever again) and then did a signing session before adding his handprints to our Counter-Cultural Icons selection, as chronicled in these photos. He was as funny and amiable company as you'd imagine, and Spencer, Phil and I were all a tad starstruck - it's BILLY BRAGG! A hero to us all. The greatest moment for me was later, when, after shouldering all his own kit (a true one-man band), he gave me the thumbs up on the way out of the store. The thumbs up from Billy Bragg! Life doesn't get better than that. Anyway - here's hoping that this years Record Store Day will bring good some good memories to look back on as well!

Photographs copyright Tom McShane. Cheers Tom!