Spiral Scratch 1976 - 2017

So there's a real Buzz (Pardon the pun) around the place.  Is it really 40 years ago that I walked into Virgin Records in Manchester Lever Street, and bought one of the initial 25 copies of the first run of 1000 Spiral Scratch E.P's that the store had taken.

Yes it was and I was surprised to note this in the article here on the Guardian online.
I used to frequent this record shop in Manchester and Derek Guest records in Bolton regularly back in 1976, Derek guests I bought a copy of Spiral Scratch from too but I can still remember Virgin selling these on their counter top in a cardboard box, they did this for a few bands.

And boy did I not realise way back then how much money I'd end up spending on this band collecting, watching them gig for the next 40 years not to mention Magazine, solo works from various band members etc.

Even aged 13 when Punk kicked off I was savvy enough to go and hang out in these stores, student unions and tech refectory's at Bolton Technical College, BIT etc.

I used to go to the local YMCA on Deansgate in Bolton just around the corner from the then BIT where Pete and Howard attended with some of the then older punks who took a shine to me as 'that kid.'

It's what got me into seeing some of the most amazing gigs at such a young age some of which have since become legendary. I'm one of the few if not the only one that saw the inaugural Pistols gig that never went on to form a band afterwards :-)

It was Bolton BIT that I saw Buzzcocks get thrown out near enough for being not so Heavy Rock as most Bolton bands were back then,a thriving rock community Punk was not ready for Bolton at that time though it was a not that long after.

I still have my two copies of Spiral Scratch to this day (see pics) and a novelty Spiral clock made from one of the original 2nd issue singles (Destroyed and turned into a clock) disgraceful act of wanton vandalism :-)  Good job I rescued it from a Manchester Market.