In January 2010 there were a number of things I didn't know: I'd never heard of Banquet Records nor the Daytrotter Sessions, and I didn't know the name of the attractive girl in my maths class. I've since forgotten the latter, but I did find it out at one point and naturally had a very quick Facebook stalk. In the Pages she liked there was one about Frank Turner playing at the Hippodrome in Kingston, all arranged by this record store that looked incredible. It probably says a lot about me that I then spent even longer on their website than her page on Facebook, promptly forgot all about her and planned a trip to Kingston as soon as possible.
A few days later I got on a train to Kingston (which always involved a 25 minute wait at Twickenham) and made a line straight for Eden Street. I wasn't disappointed. I'd seen pictures of the shop and thought it looked very cool. My memory is a bit hazy due to the excitement that comes from finding such a shop, but I'm pretty sure this is one of the first records I picked up in there, and when I realised that "very cool" was quite the understatement. I'm a big fan of Chuck (as I've mentioned before, and will again) and would buy every record he's ever put out if I had the cash. As I said, I'd not heard of Daytrotter, and even less that this recording existed so I was very excited to get it. I spent a lot of time and money that afternoon, and text Hugh afterwards very excitedly to tell him about the shop and my purchases.
The session on the record is awesome. I'm not sure Chuck has ever played a bad show, and even if he tried the songs would make it brilliant alone. When I come to talk about Feast or Famine on here I will undoubtedly rant about the first time I saw him and how California Burritos is way up there on the list of Songs That Changed My Life. That said, Glory is such a brilliant song I rate that one nearly as highly. The version on here is great. It's lovely little record in every way. Nice orange vinyl and some words from Chuck about each song too.
A few days after my first-of-many trip to Banquet I got round to checking out Daytrotter's website and was taken back again. The list of bands that have recorded for them is incredible. I spent the next day filling up my office computer with session after session of my favourite bands, bands friends were into, and bands I'd never heard of. Through that website I got into Low, Doomtree and the Constantines and heard so many fantastic recordings. I love the whole set up (bands passing by pop in and record a few songs for them) and the bands they get to come in never fails to amaze me. Not all end up on vinyl, but I'm glad this one did, otherwise I may still be ignorant to it.
All in all, this record alone represents a number of massively significant events both in terms of the music I'm listening to, but also (and more importantly) to the fact I now live in Kingston, visit Banquet nearly weekly and go the shows they put on. I can't even begin to list the bands I've got into because of them, nor the incredible shows I've seen. Of course it's mostly down to how awesome the guys that run Banquet are, but in part it's down to that little bit of Facebook stalking. I'd thank the girl, except I've forgotten her name and it would be incredibly creepy.
Format: 10", insert
Tracks: 7
Cost: £10 new
Bought: Banquet
When: 18/01/10
Colour: orange
Etching: no
mp3s: no (but all Daytrotter Sessions are free downloads)
