The Boo Radleys

4-6-09 The Boo Radleys

CD C'MON KIDS CREATION UK CRECD 194 1996 13 TRKS

CD KINGSIZE EPIC/SONY JPN ESCA 7384 1998 15 TRKS (1 x bonus track)

CD5 LAZARUS COLUMBIA US CSK 5327 1993 6 TRK CD Single CD5 promo

CD5 WAKE UP BOO! EPIC/SONY JPN ESCA 6252 1997 6 TRK CD EP CD5

CD WAKE UP! COLUMBIA US CK 67249 1995 12 TRKS

CD5 WHAT'S IN THE BOX? #1 CREATION UK CRESCD 220 1996 4 TRK CD Single CD5

CD5 WHAT'S IN THE BOX? #2 CREATION UK CRESCD 220X 1996 4 TRK CD Single CD5

The first thing I ever heard by the Boo Radleys was a ‘blind listen’ to the “What’s In The Box” CD single, about 1996/7. It was at a ‘music listening party’ and we were all drinking / relaxing. They wouldn’t tell me who it was, and it was played loud. “He’ll never guess this!”, I could hear them say.

They were right. I thought it sounded like…The Who (or something like it, obviously with a different vocalist). “What’s in the box, see what you got…” etc.

Well, my entire Boo Radleys collection was obtained on the strength of that one song. Seriously. I am not particularly a “Creation Records” fan, so there really wasn’t any pre-disposition that I would investigate them more, upon finding out what label they were on. Only thing that was obvious from first listen – they’re British.

I didn’t really do a lot of the mid-90’s wave of Blur / Oasis “Britpop”. I saw the videos on videotape from Australia or the UK, and I heard a few of the more omnipresent singles, such as Blur’s “Boys & Girls”. But I don’t really consider then B-R to be part of that. Certainly, they were around before the 90’s. But I never heard (or saw) their late 80’s stuff at all. Ever.

But 3 x full-length CD’s and 4 x CD singles, on the strength of one song? I sure don’t do that very often! The newest thing by them I got was “Kingsize”, about 1998. I’ve kept all of these for over a decade without adding to this collection. And I have no vinyl on them. If I ever were to try and cut down on the sheer numbers of my CD collection, I would likely get rid of everything except for 1 of the 2 x CD singles of “What’s In The Box?”. No point in that really, as their stuff seems to be value-less, in terms of ‘trade’ at, say, Amoeba Hollywood (I might do better trading them in somewhere where they see less imported CD’s, like Las Vegas, San Diego, Berkeley or San Luis Obispo).

So – thumbs up or down on the Boo Radleys? Am I missing something by not investigating them deeper? Maybe I would feel more strongly about them if I could find either a 7” or 12” of “What’s In The Box?” – but I guess I should quit being so fixated on that one song. I never even saw a video for it.