David Bowie, ChangesOneBowie (1976)

I already had the double-album/updated cassette tape version – but I bought this, I guess, for the cover as much as anything. It was cheap. It was snapped up, no real thought involved – just something to have, no real need to ever play it by that stage as I had all the songs on so many other albums and compilations; all the David Bowie albums that are covered here and at least two other compilations – but then I started listening to this, more recently, trying to hear it (imagine it) for when it was released. What an immaculate, lean, mean greatest hits set. No duds. No filler. Not many hits albums actually offer that. Also, my copy (well, my copy now) has, in silver pen, the name HOGG in the top left corner. I’m always interested in the naming of albums that end up in my collection; one of the fascinations of a second-hand fetish of sorts. I can’t lie – years ago when I bought this I thought, maybe, just maybe, this record used to belong to Colin Hogg. Sold, not because of the change to CDs so much as his change to writing for The Women’s Weakly or whatever it is he does. But of course that’s no more likely, really, than saying this album used to – maybe – belong to Australian fast-bowling legend Rodney Hogg. Well, maybe it is more likely that Colin owned it – but in finding another Hogg just now I’ve decided that’s a far better story. Yes, this album used to be Rodney Hogg’s. Lines of blow were no doubt carved out across this. Him and Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee all partying it up to Jean Genie, right? Yes, that’s what happened. But it was all so long ago. In another lifetime for this LP.

Sample Track: Fame

The Vinyl Countdown is a document of every LP I listen to, brand new discoveries and old-old favourites; extremely pre-loved, previously abandoned or with the shrink-wrap having just been removed it’s all here at The Vinyl Countdown