What a performance

We are being pestered at work by the performing rights society to get a licence for playing Radio One over an old fashioned Radiogram to 4 staff.
Two Letters, two phone calls, and a threat that they could turn up to check at any time and if we are caught playing music that is heard by members of the public as well the charge will be even more.

Music licences for playing in staff only areas start at £ 44.00 a year (plus vat) for 4 employees or less, so even if there are only two of you that's still £44.00(plus vat), although we are covered for live bands should U2 drop by.
To me radio is just one mass commercial for their music anyway and they charge radio stations for the privilege of playing these little commercials. But fairs fair, these radio stations are making money out of it as well, commercial radio from commercials, BBC from a licence fee, so why not ?.
But to then charge the listener for the privilege of listening to it at work as well ?.

I'm not sure whether they are trying to corner the market in sound itself or are just getting greedy, but all the boss will do it turn the radio off. And they wonder why they are hated so much.

Guinness Book of British Hit Singles

As a singles collector this book has always been a bit of a bible to me.

For those who don’t know the Guinness book of British Hit Singles is a reference book.
It lists all the Singles ever to reach the top 75 in the UK, with highest chart positions, weeks on the chart, year of release etc . As well as a list of every Number one single since they began compiling charts in 1952

There is also an album version as well and other spin off book on a same theme, but I was only ever interested in this book.
It used the “Official” UK top 75 as used by the BBC, Top of the Pops, Radio One and most Record Shops I know.

Over the years I have avidly bought each updated edition as it was printed every couple of years.
But to be honest during the past few years I lost interest.
Not in the music, I will never lose interesting that.
But who cares anymore what was number one in June of this year?, in fact who remembers?.

Chart positions seem irrelevant nowadays , artist come from no-where and disappear as quick, forgotten forever because even though it got to number 13 for a week, hardly anyone bought it, so unless you were amongst the half dozen people who bought a hard copy or downloaded the mp3, you wouldn’t have a clue.
Looking back through a book like this for hit singles during the last 5 years I’m sure would be like looking at a list of unknown artists.
I know I sound like an old fart here but it’s fact, even if you don’t like old music from the past 50 years, nine times out of ten you will have heard them, or at least of them.
But back to the book.

I decided to Update my copy anyway, but couldn’t find anyone stocking an updated edition.
When asking at Waterstones the guy behind the counter said he was asked quite a lot for this book but he wasn’t sure whether they were still publishing an updated version, he had no idea when or if they would be stocking it anymore, and the website just said “If you have an enquiry regarding the Book of BRITISH HIT SINGLES & ALBUMS please email or write to:- “
He also said that the internet has killed off quite a lot of reference books like this, as there are plenty of sites where you can get the info for free and it’s updated daily.
True, but that’s not the point of a book like this. It’s there to flick through. A trip down memory lane, to remind me of things I had forgotten about.

Maybe I’m getting old but I left the shop with the same feeling I had when Woolworths announced they would no longer be stocking Vinyl.

Do you remember Woolworths ?