Private Eye flexidiscs

4-1-09 Private Eye – Flexidiscs

This is part of my “UK Special Collection” – some British comedy flexidiscs from the late 60’s / early 70’s. Typically, they came with the Christmas issue of the British satirical magazine “Private Eye”, and feature people like Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Barry Humphries etc.

7" ABOMINABLE RADIO GNOME LYNTONE LYN 1354

1967 1 TRK flexidisc, no pic sleeve

7" B.B.C. GNOME SERVICE LYNTONE LYN 1138

1966 1 TRK flexidisc, no pic sleeve

7" DEAR SIR, IS THIS A RECORD? LYNTONE LYN 1962

1969 1 TRK flexidisc, no pic sleeve

7" FARGINSON LYNTONE LYN 3034

1975 1 TRK flexidisc, no pic sleeve

7" HULLO SAILOR LYNTONE LYN 2558

1972 1 TRK flexidisc, no pic sleeve

7" JUST FOR THE RECORD LYNTONE LYN 2140

1970 1 TRK flexidisc, no pic sleeve

7" LONELINESS OF THE LONG PLAYING RECORD LYNTONE LYN 1677

1969 1 TRK flexidisc, no pic sleeve

LP PRIVATE EYE BLUE RECORD TRANSATLANTIC UK TRA 131

1965? 12 TRKS

LP PRIVATE EYE GOLDEN SATIRICALS ISLAND/SPRING HAHA 6002

1981 10 TRKS

The flexidiscs are collected on the “Private Eye Golden Satiricals” LP (together with some ones I do not have, the first few – there are 9 or 10 all together, I believe). I found the ones that I have in London (Record & Tape Exchange, Notting Hill Gate), towards the end of the 70’s – I am certain they were inexpensive, as I bought them not really knowing what they were! (Did I think that the use of the word ‘gnome’ meant it possibly had involvement of the French-Anglo band Gong? Or did the sleeve they were in say “Private Eye”? I do not remember!) – I was delighted to discover Cook & Moore on those flexidiscs! The “Private Eye Golden Satiricals” LP even gives some sort of description of the contents of the flexidiscs.

The “Private Eye Blue Record” is another story altogether! I got it so long ago, that I do not remember where (maybe at a soundtrack store?). I certainly did not totally know what it was, I would’ve bought it solely because it was a British pressing from eth 60’s – and it sort of looked like a comedy LP. It’s possible the first place I ever heard Barry Humphries. Please remember, in the 70’s – when I was most interested in material of this nature, there was NOTHING written about it, no internet – and nobody for me to ask “What the heck is this stuff?”. I was merely a Peter Cook fan in the wild, picking up vinyl as it crossed my path – the “Bedazzled” O.S.T, LP, for instance. As a young man, I knew I wanted British comedy records, which were few and far inbetween!

I also punked my friend Warren about the “Golden Satiricals” LP – “Oh, dude, you’ve got to let me have this LP! It’s missing from my collection, I need it etc?” – he duly gave it to me, I took it home…OOPS! I’VE ALREADY GOT ONE…