Bob James, Touchdown (1978)

I bought this album off TradeMe – my first TradeMe vinyl purchase (as I explained here). I bought this album because I used to play a Bob James compilation when I worked in a music store, well, parts of a Bob James compilation (this one) because I’d get bored after a while. I wanted Touchdown for one reason – to start with. The Taxi theme. But what I realised – when I finally netted this copy of Touchdown – is that there was something about the thrill of the chase. And that translated to my first listen. I sat and soaked up this album – thought about the number of times I’d emailed people in stores, flip through the sections at any store I’d visit, thumb through op-shop cardboard boxes, always hopeful I might find a Bob James vinyl with the Taxi theme on it. It’s nice to have it – and the album stands up with sublime playing. But that Taxi theme has me hooked every time. It’s happy and sad; it reminds me of that brilliant TV show and it stands apart and away from it. I also wrote recently about music rituals – well I got the Touchdown vinyl for a little ritual really; every time I play a DJ set I finish with Angela (Theme From Taxi) by Bob James. The first couple of times I had to send it out via Mp3. It’s nice to have the “authentic” version; the vinyl version. It feels like the right way to end a DJ-set. I’ve even had people dancing to it. That’s Idris Muhammad for you though, right?

Sample Track: Angela (Theme From Taxi)

The Vinyl Countdown is a document of every LP I listen to, brand new discoveries and old-old favourites; extremely pre-loved, previously abandoned or with the shrink-wrap having just been removed it’s all here at The Vinyl Countdown