Blue Monday Owners’ Club

Do you own an original 12" copy of Blue Monday by New Order? Then you too can join the Blue Monday Owners’ Club.

There must be a fair few of us, because it was the biggest selling 12" single of all time.

But it has to be the version released in 1983, with the elaborate die-cut design which referenced the thin, flexible computer floppy disks originally invented by IBM. And the legend goes that it cost so much to manufacture that it wiped out any profit that the group made.

That Peter Saville, eh? Give him an inch and he'll specify a special fifth colour - no, he'll make it a metallic silver. Which he did on a second print run which left off the expensive die-cuts. Tony Wilson at Factory Records must of had a right laugh when he picked up the bill for that one. But what a designer.

Anyway, back to the Blue Monday Owners’ Club. It's put together by the artist Spencer Graham, whose latest project is to create a photo collage of the many owners of Blue Monday worldwide, all pictured proudly holding this amazing disc.

Simply get a snap of yourself taken and visit the site here

God Save The SCVA – 30th Birthday Celebrations

Saturday 5th April 2008

As an occasional record selector, I was thrilled to be asked to provide background music for the Sainsbury Centre’s 30th Birthday Reception.

It's not often you get a chance to play records in such modernist surroundings as this superb Norman Foster building. And there I was, positioned in the exhibition area much like an art installation – Will I qualify for next years Turner Prize? Marooned along side the current Cloth and Culture Show, I was thankful I was granted permission by its owner that I could have a glass of wine or two.

As the SCVA opened its doors in 1978, the record selection policy was strictly seventies – so the well dressed arty crowd were treated to such folky delights as Tim Buckley and John Martyn to glamed -up David Bowie and Roxy. This was no exercise in guilty pleasures, as David Essex made a glorious appearance after the speeches. Rock on.

An appearance of Olivers Army persuaded a brave few to cut a rug. And later, feeling a bit cheeky, I played the Sex Pistol’s God Save the Queen. Sadly, it did not provoke scenes of spitting or pogo-ing. It is the stately SCVA after all.

There were no requests for ABBA, though I was prepared with The Name of The Game. The Bee Gees sat on the substitute bench just in case of demands for Disco. Perhaps appetite’s were sated with Donna Summer’s lascivious, I Feel Love.

As the last of the wine was consumed, the evening was brought to a dignified close, in typical Daz fashion with Neil Sedaka and The Last Waltz by The Band. Nice.

Happy Birthday SCVA!

Love and thanks to Kate Carreno and Sally Goldsmith