The Vinyl Countdown # 1
Noel Crombie, My Voice Keeps Changing On Me [Single] (1983)
I wonder if maybe Noel Crombie is the most underrated/under-valued member of Split Enz. By virtue of his role, or various roles, he helped them achieve such weirdness and within that or around that the stagecraft. You could argue that by costuming the band he was important enough but that might further undervalue his musical contributions. In his solo outings (rare) he got to really explore his role as a kinetic sculptor and sound artist. But he also enjoys just lampooning somewhat. As you see here. Well it’s one of each really – this single a joyous novelty tune. But its b-side is the work of a clever-clogs artist. That’s my take on it anyway. Noel is one of my heroes. I love his work. Read More
When Oscar was about 18 months old and through until he was three or four I guess – Slow Boat Records was one of his favourite places (it probably still is, truth be told). But as a toddler he was allowed to take home singles for free from the 50c bin and he would be very specific in the moment. It would make absolute sense to him. He would have to have that one particular record. Then he’d come home and we’d play it and it might mean nothing to him at all. This was one such example; jettisoned immediately (as far as he was concerned). I’ve held onto this one, I cleaned it up and it plays just fine. I’m slightly more than a fairweather 
I’m still working through a batch of singles a retired DJ gifted to me – this is one of them. People consider 
I’m a sucker. I go into opp shops and salvation army stores and dig through the weary old cardboard box of the same old classical-lite shite. And I sometimes think I’ve found a gem. And sometimes I have. I don’t revisit – but if it’s a store I haven’t been into I feel like I should have a wee dig, just in case. You see those stores of people finding gems – and you don’t want to be the one that misses out. I knew on this occasion I wasn’t getting a gem – but I wanted it anyway. 
Lockdown Records. There were a few. This was one of them. An album that arrived while we weren’t going anywhere – beyond daily walks. And an album I spent a lot of time with, since I was inside for most of each day and the stereo was always on and I moved between streaming platforms and video services to get music and concerts and movies and to consumer media – which, come to think of it, is mostly what I’ve always done anyway but yeah, lockdown, it was definitely stepped up a gear. And so into that fray came the new one by 
I wasn’t a Day One 
Maybe this has always been one of my favourite 
Obviously these are both great songs – and I used to play the B-Side quite a lot as part of DJ sets. I’m not a massive 
albums and particularly the singles; because it’s a slippery slope and I’m trying to not be a collector. I’m not wanting to go any further down the anorak-route. But some things are meant to stick around and though neither of these tracks are my absolute favourites from the record I like having them on this single as well. I’ve played this a lot. It’s a fun wee one-two from Bowie in covers-mode. Always liked Bowie in covers-mode. He was always so keen to show us what he’d been listening to and that he was always listening. He was forever a fan of music and put that across without trying too hard. You don’t always believe that with other musicians. It should be the first requirement.
It’s been a pretty good year for reappraising 
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