The Next Big Thing

So it's that time of year again. The time when we act as a mini-Scottish tourist board and schlepp our cronies from all over the globe around some alternative sights. Of course this includes record stores and over the past couple of days we've been in the best and worst. The best is of course Monorail in Glasgow. A civilised home away from home which is a zillion miles away from the chain malaise. Monorail is situated within Mono, a fine bar and eaterie and anybody who visits Glasgow will have to make a pitstop there. It's mandatory. On the other side of the tracks there's Backbeat Records in Edinburgh. What a chuffing overpriced dump. I saw the Phast Phreddie and thee Precisions album in there for £25(!) and a Blasters Spin Radio Promo for a penny under 60 quid. They are cruel to vinyl too with dirty big plastic bins perched atop one another. You wouldn't do that to animals and you shouldn't do it to discs either. There oughtta be a law, or maybe even 5.