So, after getting more obsessed with Belle&Sebastian as each day passes I decided to try and track down a copy of Tigermilk.. I mean (I asked myself) How hard can it really be? I live in London with a whole plethora of record shops, I'll find a dusty old copy somewhere no problem. 1.30 pm Berwick Street ,Soho If you can't find a record on Berwick Street where can you? Just been paid, money burning a hole in my pocket, don't care how much the thing costs.. First stop , Reckless Records: Second hand exchange emporium . Start browsing through 'B', hopes are high at this point, but nothing apart from Blondie and Bauhaus, so I check out the 'Rarities ' and picture discs on the wall, but no luck. Finally ask the guy behind the counter to check on the computer, he takes a few minutes and then says" yeh, Tigermilk..?" My eyes light up for a second, until he adds "we last had a copy in August 1996" and how much?? "£4.99" Blimey !! 2.15pm Enter Selectadisc. Come across 12"s of LLPJ and Dog on Wheels. Remember that Dog on Wheels is now deleted on Vinyl, and I only have it on CD, so stick that under my arm (I'm sad like that) and wonder off to look at the back catalogue section. Spend half an hour looking through badly produced fanzines and finally leave with The Sundays new album, Dog on Wheels and something else.... oh yeh, the Beatles White album complete with lyric/poster sheet and posters of the fab four. 3.15pm Right, this is where things get serious. Sister Ray Records. March up straight away to the counter and declare "do you have , or have ever had (and here comes the clever bit) OR KNOW ANYWHERE I CAN GET a copy of Tigermilk by Belle&Sebastian?????? The friendly and helpful assistant takes to his computer..... and returns to the counter to declare: " Six months ago we had one, but it will cost you....£40" So we're getting nearer! Six months ago now, but the price has gone up tenfold too. Pay for She hangs brightly by Mazzy Star at £6.99 (pleased about that one) and move on 4.15pm Grubby old second hand shop where you get black fingers from fingering the racks. No Belle&Sebastian whatsoever but the assistant offers to ring round a whole host of second hand shops in London on my behalf. I thumb through the seven inchers while waiting (for what seems like hours) but don't find anything of interest... He gets back to me to inform me that he knew of one sold ONLY three months ago for £75 *gulp* but since then the price has been escalating out of control, and you can get a holiday in the South of France for less! Spend Two whole pounds and fifty pence on New Order Peel sessions and decide to call it a day. But I'm not finished yet. NEXT WEEK: MANCHESTER. susannah@tormentor.clara.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------- . This message was brought to you by the Sinister mailing list. . To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". . For subscribing, unsubscribing and other list information please see . http://www.majordomo.net/sinister . For questions about how the list works mail owner-sinister@majordomo.net . We're all happy bunnies humming happy bunny tunes. Aren't we? -----------------------------------------------------------------------