Apollo

Celebrating the recent upgrade of my record player by starting to work my way alphabetically through the slightly random mix of inherited ancient vinyl, odd charity shop finds and new re-issues that make up my record collection. So, the A’s – Altered Images’ ‘Pinky Blue’ (irresistably perky sugar-rush nursery rhymes, Charity Shop), Alvvays’ ‘Antisociallites’ (recent indiepop in a classic vein) and then ‘Apollo Saturday Night’, a vintage soul compilation featuring Otis Redding and Ben E. King amongst others in glorious crackly mono. All recorded live on one night at the legendary Harlem nightspot. It came to us from Beck’s dad (his name is written on the back, in case there was any doubt), all the way from 1964, and I’m fairly sure I’ve not actually listened to it all the way through before. Still it’s a lot of fun, particularly when emcee King Coleman accosts a heckler with “you’ve got so much mouth, you could fit two sets of teeth in there…!”