Indie-disc : A review of the Lyon record fair in France !

Sunday is a good day for rest and sleeping in. Nevertheless, today's event remains the famous vinyl fair, organized in the premises of the Espace Tète d'Or. As a result, there is no Sunday greeting for me. Just arrived in the world of album collection, whatever its format, I had to participate in this meeting in order to answer the call of my curiosity but also my desire to do some deals. As the first rays of sunlight struggled to penetrate this overcast sky, I was out of bed, ready to go to the spot.

It is almost 9:30 am when I reach the space where this joyful celebration will take place. In other words, I am not alone, since a line of nearly ten people is in front of the entrance. During this half hour of waiting, I check my wishlist which I then built with a lot of attention on Discogs. Will I be able to find the few Grails I want so much ? Or would I be outpaced by other experts ? However, I have no illusions and remain very humble in my hopes. Come on, I'm telling you about my day in the vinyl bins and other CDs, through the few purchases I was able to make.

GG Allin ‎– Always Was, Is And Always Shall Be

So yes, I was somewhat disappointed and confused that I didn't have as many choices as I had hoped. Among all the stands present, only a few of them had sections dedicated to independent artists. I, who thought I would find some rarities, was deeply disappointed. However, all is not lost, at the other end of the room my sharp sense of sight allowed me to see a dealer specialized in metal and another in pop-rock/new wave. Before I head inexorably towards them, however, I decide to take a tour of the room for the sole purpose of checking if a few nuggets hadn't slipped between the sections dedicated to Johnny Hallyday and Mylène Farmer. That's when I came face to face with this prodigious specimen. In a typical punk-rock tub, well hidden between a few Ramones and The Damned albums, stands a majestic GG Allin and geez, he looks great !

This cahotic man's very first album, in collaboration with the Jabbers, Always Was, Is And Always Shall Be is an excellent, totally handcrafted production that totally reflects the character's latest fantasies. Don't worry, this is not an official and original version but a pirate repress. Something that the seller tried to deny when I told him about my discovery. In short, whatever this production is, which is in short a reproduction remains very surprising, thanks in particular to a rather good sound quality overall. For 15€, we're not going to be picky eaters !

Misfits ‎– Walk Among Us

After having spotted two-three interesting records, I go around the room again, hoping to find THE record that will make me jump with joy. In this ultra-mainstream slump, I detect in the distance a cover that is somewhat familiar to me. Yes, here I am in front of a new copy of Walk Among Us by Misfits. Ah! The Misfits ! How to combine Punk-rock and horror in energetic pieces, composed with brio. Out of pure nostalgia, I began to sing the chorus of Skulls and admire the cover from every angle. So here is a very good press, in 180g moreover ! With all these melodies in mind, I leave with the lp under my arm and go hunting again...

Septic Death ‎– Now That I Have The Attention What Do I Do With It ?

And that's when I faced a very unusual underground album that was quite popular with amateurs. Yes, Septic Death ! The sticky Hardcore/Trash album recorded with microphones straight out of a discharge and low-end used instruments. All we love about it is ! But could it be an original ? Because only about a hundred copies of this legendary album have been published. I literally rush onto the cover and scrutinize every detail. No, here I am again in front of a representative who is clearly not official. But to hell with the detail of the origin, an album of this kind, whether legitimate or not, is still quite difficult to find. A little anecdote: When I returned to my home, I had some fears when I listened to this lp. The reading speed seemed relatively slow to me. Indeed, I forgot to switch to 45T ! :)

This Mortal Coil ‎– It'll End In Tears

Do you remember that article I submitted to you about a few pieces of music touched by grace ? Well, This Mortal Coil - It'll End In Tears is a blessed album of the gods ! Thought as a group of everything that was best done on the 4AD label in the early 80's, Mortal Coil combines dark poetry and gothic, ambient music as well as dream-pop. Harmonies of a rare quality that will provoke shivers of pleasure in all good music lovers who respect each other. Elizabeth Fraser, Lisa Gerrard, Simon Raymonde and many others are featured in 12 exceptional pieces that captivate the listener's mind.

Conceptual, deeply spiritual, smelling good with the neo-classical, It'll End In Tears is an innovative album released in 1984 and which has not aged at all. So I had to take it. This is a French version distributed by Virgin but also the very first edition in our regions ! And the sound ! The sound ! My friends, I have never heard a vinyl of such quality so clear, limpid, even crystalline. Of course, the support is a bit old and some crackling can be heard from time to time. However, I am sure that after a good cleaning in good order this anthology disc will shine again with a thousand lights on my turntable !

Alice Cooper - Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits

Of course, it's not indie and it's not necessarily an album I was really looking for. However, I love Alice Cooper's first steps and this 1974 compilation could only arouse my interest. A record that includes I'm Eighteen, Is It My Body, School's Out ? And only 8€ (negotiated) for a record from that time ? Come on, get in my bag !

Crucifix ‎– Dehumanization

There he is, finally, my precious of the day. While everything seemed lost, I resigned myself to walking around the front of the stand of this metal retailer. During a conversation between the manager and a customer, I heard these magic words: "I have a whole case of US Punk/Hardcore LP and these are original versions of the time !" My blood only took one turn, it only took a fraction of a second for me to react. "What ?! I'm interested !!!!!" The boss waved at me to go to the back of his booth. There, out of sight, I stood before the saint of saints for all lovers of this kind. Priceless jewels, historical pieces from collections in mint condition !

My heart was racing, as if I had just met love again for the first time. Poison Idea first press, Youth Of Today american editions in full period of Youth Crew movement in 1988-89, Necros, Black Flag first editions, Minor Threat and many more... I didn't know where to head until my hands landed on Crucifix. The very moment I laid my hands on this relic, time stopped. I couldn't afford to buy all these records. I then had to devote myself to one of these masterpieces and without noticing it, it came to me.

Original edition of 1983 on the legendary Corpus Christi label, UK press for one of the biggest American hardcore bands. Dehumanization a title precisely found for an album where there is a deep anger against the capitalist system and its abuses. A production of such musical intensity, with deep, meaningful words, literally coming out of the guts of Sothira Pheng, the singer with hatred exacerbated against any form of authority. This work, which stems from his flight from Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge takeover, literally pushes him to revolt ! Like any good lp of this label, the cover is in fact only an artistic set of cut-outs forming a single poster. Everything is complete, in perfect condition as if the former owner of this record had kept it carefully, without having played it. In other words, I was a little feverish when I put the record on my turntable !

Finally, it was worth getting up so early !