h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Okay, in the last twelve hours I have a) used up the last of my plates before the next round of washing up needs to be done, b) spilt golden syrup in my slipper (they're a new pair I bought alst weekend as well), c) squirted toothpaste all over my glasses and d) spilt blackcurrant jam all over my newspaper and my trousers.

Oh, and this morning, in between getting out of bed and having breakfast (two things I don't always do in the morning), I did some music shopping.

Now, I'm sure many of you will be familiar with the gimmicks used to promote "special editions" of albums- the bonus CD, the DVD, the satickers, the posters, the postcards etc.

Well, I hit a cracker this morning.

Now, I should come clean and make it quite clear exactly how into modern music I am- the two CDs I bought were "the Best of the Housemartins", a mid-80s indie band, and the preposterously titled "Honkin' on Bobo", an album of blues covers by seventies rock band Aerosmith.

Anyway, both of these CDs came with "the gimmick". The Housemartins one included a DVD of their videos- to be honest, I bought the album purely for the DVD- I've got all the songs on CD, Lp and some on cassette anyway.

But the Aerosmith one's great. the gimmick for Aerosmith is a teeny-tiny harmonica keyring.

Now, this is not merely a keyring in the shape of a teeny-tiny harmonica. No. This is a teeny-tiny *playable* harmonica which you can attach your keys to.

And it's not one of those crappy plastic ones you get in christmas crackers either.

It's a scaled down version of the one on the cover of the album- http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0001KZM2A.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Coolest gimmick *ever*. even better than the hologram with the Red Dwarf video, the "for Sale" sticker from the Fool's Garden Album, and my Beautiful South postcards.

Presumably said harmonica is 'Bobo', on which someone must honk every now and then. Cool. I'm not really into hair bands, but Aerosmith seem to have been less offensive than most, and they did give the world 'Walk This Way'.

I'm very excited about the Housemartins thing though. The early videos in particular are very cool... in the best student house I lived in, it was regular cult viewing - we even learned the dance that they do in 'Sheep', and did the drinking thing like in 'Happy Hour'.

Come to think of it, one of the guys in that house is one of the three I've just started living with...

We don't have DVD in the library, so witht he exception of "Happy hour" and "Varavan" I ahven't seen any of the videos yet.

My Housemartins/beautiful South collection is increasing though- I have all the BS singles and albums, both HM albums, two copies of "now that's...etc", 12" single of Cravan, and 7" of five get overexcited and me and the farmer (HM singles hard to come by, even in Lancaster Oxfam)

Housemartins videos. What an interesting idea. So how much did you pay for this combo?

Housemartins? £10.97 in Music Zone.

I've got a 7" of Happy Hour you can have if you like

Really? You mean that?

Sure... I'm trying to reduce my possessions, and I've got more CDs and vinyl than I can ever listen to. Most of my records are currently still in my ex-girlfriend's flat, and I haven't really missed them. And I've got Happy Hour on lots of other formats, so if you'd like to own the single you're more than welcome to it. The main challenge will be actually finding it...

Being somewhat of a Heaton-anorak, I would *love* a copy of the single, thanks very much.

Oh, something to add to "Okay, in the last twelve hours I have a) used up the last of my plates before the next round of washing up needs to be done, b) spilt golden syrup in my slipper (they're a new pair I bought alst weekend as well), c) squirted toothpaste all over my glasses and d) spilt blackcurrant jam all over my newspaper and my trousers." from post 1:

e) given myself a paper cut while reading the collective magazine.

it's just not my day really...

well thats what you get for getting up before 4 isn't it???

yeah, but I've got this book review to write...

so how does a)throwing preserves all over your clothes
b)buying CD's
c)reading the collective magazine
help you write a book review???

displacement activities, dear boy.

I'd have a bath, but they don't have them in the library.

And the preserve was in BHS. I had to have breakfast, didn't I?

And how can any man reasonably resist a thumb sized harmonica and housemartins videos, eh?

I already have a collection of Housemartins videos (how sad is that, exactly?), but I'm well up for a mini-harmonica keyring. What key is it in?

B

Front door perhaps?

Yes.

I know nothing about music. i have no idea what key it's in. I just like making a tuneless racket with a keyring.

That's really not a phrase we hear often enough, is it?

B

I might make it my motto

I sometimes make a tuneless racket with a piano- there's an untuned piano in the entrance hall to my building, and if I arrive back with friends while very drunk we attempt to play the thing in the early hours of the morning...

I bet that makes you popular.

B