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The Fabulous Little Richard - Little Richard - 1959 Specialty
Unusually subdued, these performances were recorded by Richard at his first Specialty sessions in 1955. It was sold to me discount by Jane Greene. More of her later.

Charlie Mingus - Oh Yeah - 1961 Atlantic
Medhurst was the biggest departmental store in Bromley my British hometown in the early sixties. In terms of style, they were to be pulverized by their competitors down the road who stocked up early on the new 'G-Plan' Scandinavian style furniture. But they did have, unaccountably, a fantastic record department. Run by a wonderful 'married' couple, Jimmy and Charles, there wasn't an American release they didn't have or couldn't get. Quite as hip as any London supplier, I would have had a very dry musical run if it were not for this place. Jane Green, their counter assistant, took a liking to me and whenever I would pop in, which was most afternoons after school, she would let me play records in the 'sound booth' to my hearts content till they closed at 5.30 p.m. Jane would often join me and we would smooch big-time to the sounds of Ray Charles or Eddie Cochran. This was very exciting as I was around thirteen or fourteen and she would be a womanly seventeen at that time. My first older woman. Charles let me buy at a huge discount enabling me to build up a fab collection over the two or three years that I frequented this store. Happy days. Jimmy, the younger partner, recommended this Mingus album one-day around 1961. I lost my original Medhurst copy but have continued to re-buy it throughout the years as it was re-released time and time again. It has on it the rather giveaway track 'Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am'. It was also my introduction to Roland Kirk. David Bowie Sounds Of My Universe.

David Bowie Book Starman.
At Fourteen he had succumbed to the obsessions
that would define the years to come: music and girls. He would feed both these addictions after school in a quintessentially suburban location on Bromley high street: Midhurst's department store, a huge Victorian building that sold furniture and other household goods
and also boasted one of South London's best gramophone departments. Housed in a long narrow corridor, the gramophone section was overseen by a discreetly gay couple named Charles
and Jim. Although they stocked the customary chart hits and sheet music. the partners were also aficionados of modern jazz music and specialized in American imports. Davis turned up most afternoons afar school to check out new releases at their listing booths.

His music interest had become an obsession, and in those years he would buy singles and albums by Elvis Presley and little Richard, as well as by UK artists like Joes brown. As time went on , his tastes became more and more eclectic, and, encouraged by Terry, his record collection expanded to include jazz releases by Charlie Parker and Charles Mingus. Soon he gained the status of a regular: Jim the younger of the two partners, would let him have at a discount, would Jane Green, the assistant. Soon, David explains, she "took a liking to me. Whenever I would pop in,
which was most after noons after school, she'd let me play records in the 'sound booth' to my heart's content till they closed at five thirty. Jane would often join me and we would
smooch big-time to the sound of Ray Charles or Eddie Cochran. This was very exciting as I was 13,14 and she would be a womanly17 at the time. My first older woman"

Peter Frampton also hung out in the same places as Bowie.

In the early 60s, Medhurst’s was the biggest department store in Bromley, my British hometown. In terms of style, they were to be pulverized by their competitors down the road, who stocked up early on the new, “G-Plan” Scandinavian-style furniture. But Medhurst’s did have, unaccountably, a fantastic record department, run by a wonderful “married” couple, Jimmy and Charles. There wasn’t an American release they didn’t have or couldn’t get. Quite as hip as any London supplier. I would have had a very dry musical run were it not for this place. Jane Greene, their counter assistant, took a liking to me, and whenever I would pop in, which was most afternoons after school, she would let me play records in the “sound booth” to my heart’s content till the store closed at 5:30 P.M. Jane would often join me, and we would smooch big-time to the sounds of Ray Charles or Eddie Cochran. This was very exciting, as I was around 13 or 14 and she would be a womanly 17 at that time. My first older woman. Charles let me buy at a huge discount, enabling me to build up a fab collection over the two or three years that I frequented this store. Happy days. Jimmy, the younger partner, recommended this Mingus album one day around 1961. I lost my original Medhurst copy, but have continued to re-buy the print through the years, as it was re-released time and time again. It has on it the rather giveaway track “Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am.” It was also my introduction to Roland Kirk. David Bowie.


Comments

Mike
28 Aug 2024 at 03:40
I worked at Medhurst in the mid 70s. The guy who ran the record department scoffed when I said I liked Led Zep because they played Blues music. My education on Blues music started there..

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