Spin Record Store, Middelburg, The Netherlands AND Live in Amsterdam
Finding myself in a strange city, I walk through the shopping street and come across Echo Music, a fine, high-end, stereo equipment store. In addition to many different components and speakers, they sell Pro-Ject turntables - I look at the Debut III, just for fun. Beautiful, simple. When my family return to retrieve me - I can get lost in a store like this for hours - I FINALLY ask the owner if there is a used-record store in Middelburg. Yes, just a short walk away, on the Damplein. Number 48.
After lunch, I take a stroll to visit Spin. Open since June, 2006, Spin is small storefront specializing in new CDs, but there is a back room - really just the alcove pictured above - filled, wall-to-wall, with used vinyl.
It is always funny for me to visit record stores in Europe, because I don't really know what to shop for and what is a 'find' and what is not. I need to educate myself. Buying American music does not make sense - does it? - and European pressings of American records - is that worth doing? But, English bands, and of course, in Holland, Dutch bands, would make sense, if I knew more about them....
Still, there is something exciting about flipping through any record store and I really like this place. The tall Dutch guy at the counter seems friendly, and a couple of people walk in to talk to him and ask questions. I am standing in the back, sweltering under the skylights in the back.
I come across several interesting records, but nothing really special. Prices are reasonable, so anything great would come home with me. I grab a few records to think about, but knowing that they are not really interesting. Then I come across the one record that I end up carrying home with me.
By 1971, The Flying Burrito Brothers had lost all of their original members. Rick Roberts continued to tour in Europe with the band through 1973, but A&M Records did not want to record this unit, so the band disbanded. I like the original line-up of Flying Burrito Brothers and have a couple of their records.
But the Flying Burrito Brothers disk I find at Spin Records today is a bit of a novelty, I think. Called 'The Flying Burrito Brothers: Live in Amsterdam,' it is a two-disc set on Ariola, a Dutch label from Haarlem, that includes many of the Brothers' classic songs. I guess since none of the original members plays on it, it is not really classic Burrito Brothers, but I am still looking forward to hearing their songs live, songs like 'Sin City,' the Stones' 'Wild Horses,' Chuck Berry's 'Roll Over Beethoven,' and classic country tunes like Hank Williams' 'The Wild Side of Life.'
I love the Internet. It turns out that this record IS a rarity from 1973, only released in Holland. It consists of a show secretly recorded without the knowledge of the 'Flying Burrito Brothers' - at least this iteration of the band with Rick Roberts and friends -and then bootlegged as 'Sin City.'
Quoting from http://www.hairbybruno.at/fbb3.htm:
"The major show in Holland was at the "Concertgebouw" in Amsterdam in March, 1972, and unknown to Rick at the time the whole show had been recorded which soon emerged as a bootleg LP titled "Sin City". Later under pressure from the Dutch based record label, Rick agreed that the show could be released officially, but in Holland only, and in 1973 Ariola released a double LP set "Live In Amsterdam" containing most of the show."
This is the record I find at Spin Records today.
But there is more. From hairbybruno:
"In 1974 the double album titled, "Live in Amsterdam" was reissued as two single albums. "In Concert" & "Bluegrass Special" were put out by Ariola under the Burrito name with the second LP containing the complete "Country Gazette" segment with several songs not on the original 2 LP set. Rick was never happy about the quality of the live recording and is convinced that the bootleg was actually a record company ploy to get an official recording released, certainly the albums were easy to come by outside of Holland."
Turns out, the Flying Burrito Brothers played their last show together in Holland. considering how popular they were and are here, seems fitting.
Can't wait to hear my new record. I'll let you know what it is like....
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