A very strange last day in Texas, I woke, everything was fine, Sarah was picking us up, and we were going on a Blundstones hunt, then the post office. But just as we were about to leave, I got really dizzy and had to sit down for an hour. When you get dizzy, it makes you feel sick, so I had to just sit there until the ‘episode’ passed. It was terrible, so much to do and incapacitated. I finally started to feel better, and we drove to Nordstrom’s to look for the particular shoes I’m after, Blundstone 550s. They were out of stock, out of season, and couldn’t guarantee that they would have the particular model when they came back in. I may have to wait till my next trip to Australia. We made it to the post office, I stayed in the car, it was 98°F/36°C. Olivia posted NJ Brian’s pedal bag and two pedals and Tom Matthews’ records that I’d autographed. Next stop: 14 Records.

I’ve known Bucks who owns the store for so long, I can’t remember how long it is. He was there as was Paul who has been working on the projects with us, Paul looks after the store when Bucks isn’t there. Salim came by too, and we chatted and browsed, I finally managed to get the Yoko record (1970) that looks exactly the same as the first Plastic Ono Band album, until you look closely. I’ve been looking for that for years. I also got Pink Fairies – Chinese Cowboys Live 1987 (2005), Cream at the BBC 1966-68 (2003), and the US version of the first Black Sabbath album (1970) with a different track listing. I got the rare French Go 2 (1978) by XTC with different cover art. Another US copy of Nantucket Sleighride (1971) with inserts (complete for the imaginary wall), and US copies of Be-Bop Deluxe‘s Sunburst Finish (1976), and Tyranny and Mutation (1973) by Blue Oyster Cult with the red and black labels. A good day for The Archive. But what is the imaginary wall? Well, if I had space, I would have a wall of Nantucket Sleighrides and King Crimson’s In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969) – today I got another KC sleeve as Bucks had one with no record in it. Why would I do this, I just like the cover art on the Mountain album, and I’m sure I don’t have to explain why on the King Crimson album.

From there, we went to the studio to listen to the mixes of NJ Brian’s Valley of Salt album, with engineer Kevin and drummer Jason taking notes for mix tweaks. It really was the last evening in the studio. We went to dinner, our favourite restaurant, for the last time.

It’s been a day of saying goodbye, sad, but we’ll be back. We arrive in Porto on Wednesday morning, so if you’ve been trying to get hold of me and have been reading the blog and know that I haven’t had a second, then from next week I’ll have lots of seconds in between the work hours of renovating The Archive with the builders.

Music today has been Cream – BBC Sessions 1966-1968 (2005), that I picked up today at 14 Records, thanks Bucks and Paul. Farewell Dallas, love to all, I’ll be back.

Music Of The Daze