Chubby Checker – ‘Gypsy’

Record shops have played and enormous part of my life, from early explorations in Scorpion to working behind the counter of Eastern Bloc in Manchester during the frantic Madchester era. I've been blessed over the years to have lived near several magical emporiums. Manchester had some of the greatest spots for dedicated trainspotters and dust enthusiasts, King Bee, Piccadilly, Vinyl Exchange, the weird and wonderful 'Hang 'Em and Bang 'Em', Decoy, Eastern Bloc, Spin Inn and a host of others I've probably forgotten about. One of my favourite spots was Goldmine records, formally of Shambles Square, it was reborn as Beatin' Rhythm in the 90's when it moved to Tib Street. It was a literal goldmine of sounds, mainly amazing quality soul, but with with plenty of scope for curve balls. Derek and Tom were always quite perplexed as to what it was, I was after musically, one week it would be pre disco 45s, another off kilter 60's pop. But they would always keep their ears open for sounds I might dig. This was one of those numbers, from Chubby's psychedelic period, the b- side of a not-so-great tune called 'reggae my way'. It is fully demented.