“The UNEXPECTED 2024 List” a/k/a LIST #98 WHY UNEXPECTED? That’s because this list was supposed to be early 2025. It changed only because of a “quirk” in my list numbering sequence; this is #98. At 77 years old ,I want to be sure I reach LIST #100. Putting a list out now advances #100, probably my final list, by a few months. This helps to assure I reach that milestone. I probably would have stopped 2-3 years ago and sold out, but the INTERNET is so irresistible; it’s no accident that my twice-or-more-per-year lists stopped so soon after the internet entered my life. Having the equivalent of many of the world’s libraries, music archives, film archives, art and history museums, extreme access to tourism and traveling tips, puzzles and gaming, etc. only a keyboard and computer away from me is an INTENSE draw, “stealing” well over 1,000 hours per year, which is not trivial. My emails alerting you to my new list were supposed to start going out 04 September, but I had to delay them because I came down with COVID, and I wanted to first assure I was recovered. If I had a severe disabling illness just after sending out notices, that’s more horrific than almost everything else I can imagine. I was fortunate that I barely got sick at all. IT IS NOW SAFE TO ORDER AS USUAL! I have changed some dates on my timetable, but I can’t consider extending anything past 31 October for absolute “finishing” FOR ANY REASON, because my Canadian trip could become impossible after 05 November. Frank Merrill/Saturday Night Records 848 Dodge Avenue, #PMB-112 Evanston IL 60202 fmerri4llj4r@gma4il.com (REMOVE THE 4s to see my correct email address.) 27 July 2024 (8:03PM Central Time): I know, I know – there was going to be NO LIST in 2024. However, this is not the usual list. See “WHAT TO EXPECT ON THIS LIST” below – this list is truly a different animal! Most notably the NONCHART section is smaller than usual. This is intentional, in hopes of reducing “PRIORITY WARFARE” which allows this list to fit into 2024 On the other hand, I have added MASSIVE SECTIONS FOR NOVELTY, CHRISTMAS, LIST 98 CHARTED. People buy these records, but they tend to cause relatively few major conflicts with Priority Requests. Everybody should still have a lot of fun with this list. This list will have another unusual difference: EXPECT TO SEE 78s, LPs, CDs! Also, expect to see some bulk offers (especially in the LP/CD listings) that mention many more items being available from a particular series, or possibly grab bags. I am trying to “set up” for getting rid of truly legendary and massive quantities of records, perhaps literal TONS. For example, I may list two or three live Country concerts (such as Silver Eagle) and mention I have many others. THERE’S ONE MORE REASON FOR THIS SURPRISE LIST: I AM NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER. Though I have no known health issues at the moment, I realized that it would entirely SUCK if I reached List #99 (originally planned in 2026) and realized I couldn’t do #100! This decision should put List #100 in 2026 instead of 2027. That also may be a REALLY good time for me to finally shut it all down. And, NOTE, I’ve already got about 2,000 NONCHART records ready and sorted for List #99 in 2025! Before I go into a summary of what I’ve been doing, or being more specific about the contents, ordering instructions, etc.: PLEASE **DO NOT** OVERBID (which will mess me up!) ON GARAGE, DOOWOP, NOVELTY, ADS, CHRISTMAS, ROCKABILLY, MISCELLANEOUS, ETC! – ONLY UNDERPRICED SOUL OR POPCORN! (IN OTHER WORDS, northern soul, funk, “xo” or such, or popcorn) TOO many overbids on other categories in recent years, has made my schedule get longer and longer. This has also been known to cause as many as 200 or 400+ extra emails per list, it causes customer hard feelings, etc. I instead ask you to use the Priority System, because that’s its purpose, and I’ll turn it into an AUCTION item only if awarding is otherwise completely unsolvable. THIS PRESERVES MY SANITY. All the overbids on non-overbid categories threatens me with burnout. I probably couldn’t even consider a 2024 list without this new limitation. This will make my life-during-a-list FAR easier. I may get somewhat fewer $$, but I get parts of my life back, which is important to me! &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& SO, WHAT’S NEW SINCE LAST TIME? OK, so far only one major trip in 2024, and a three weeks one in late fall 2023, with hopefully one more major trip to follow in 2024 after this list. And…I’ve kept up on the hiking that I started after 29 June last year. FALL EAST COAST TRIP (NOV/DEC 2023): This was entirely the northeastern quadrant of the United States. I was no farther south than the Maryland suburbs. I visited two friends there who I know from records, one of them being a good source for interesting 45s at prices that allow liberal guesswork. It wasn’t at all hard for three weeks to be eaten up there (stopping in Indianapolis to visit a friend there first), and three friends in Pennsylvania, the usual long stay in Metuchen NJ and friends in Jersey City, visiting some friends in New York City (Manhattan, Bronx), never into New England at all, and back to Chicago, not even stopping in Michigan. The times spent in Metuchen are ALWAYS the best part of any eastern trip I take (or, for that matter, anywhere I ever travel), with intensely-altered awarenesses and consciousnesses being the rule. (Only minuscule and common mind-altering substances included.) This “short” trip (few people say three weeks is SHORT!) was squeezed between an extremely-late-running record list, and winter. 12 December is about the latest I want to travel in the Great Lakes area! That break was needed more than one can possibly imagine. SPRING 2024 TRIP (37 DAYS): I never made a road trip before that included both NEW ORLEANS and NORTHERN MAINE! This wasn’t truly an “entire east coast trip” however, because I was basically never on the southeast side of Interstates 65, and 26 once I caught that continuing northeasterly. I dropped by Sunday and again Monday to visit with the cool guys who have Goner Records, limiting it mostly to visiting due to lack of time. I got great barbecue over the state line in Mississippi, and later was heading south through there and stopping in Greenwood. I’ve rather surprisingly come to like that town, I did about six miles of hiking, had some great conversation and chillin’ – I spent my time almost strictly in downtown, and around the black south side. While in the latter area, I saw a sign that looked like it was for a restaurant. It wasn’t, but somebody greeted me from inside. What resulted was the most INCREDIBLE time hanging with a guy who operates Civil Rights history tours, including out-of-town ones to places like Memphis and Selma-Montgomery. I was there for about an hour, and the experience was so magical, and I learned a lot. I hope I never “feel” too old to learn! He hopes to set up some kind of museum that would illustrate civil rights history more-specific to the Mississippi Delta. Of course music will also be integral to it, and one thing that I didn’t know is that Money, where Emmitt Till was horrifically killed in 1955, is only a few minutes from Greenwood. For the second time now, I’m very happy that I stopped in Greenwood. There is a LOT of interesting undercurrent going on in that small city – it almost feels like one of those “vortex” places. Onward to New Orleans, where I HAD TO GO to meet one of my Chicago customers!! OK, I was meeting a really cool guy there who’s a major punk collector, and one of my punk customers (and his wife) just happened to be visiting. We had some great times hanging out, and I also met up with another guy who has collected an incredible amount of New Orleans memorabilia. I met with this guy, unfortunately, right in the dead center of his huge storm: his wife was likely to die “pretty much at any time now” from an extremely rare cancer (like only a few dozen cases ever known). It impressed me he could get together with such a terrible thing happening (and he also being her Primary Caregiver). I feel very fortunate that I could give him what comfort and empathy and concern as I was able, and he definitely appreciated it. She died only a few days after I left. I stopped in Mobile the next day, and I was very impressed by the vibrancy of downtown along Dauphin Street; really a nice change to see something “really cool” in Alabama. A later stop got me to Stone Mountain, which I walked to the top of with a friend from Atlanta. We did everything EXCEPT seeing the actual mountainside carving but, hey, I’ve seen countless pictures. I visited with my nephew and his wife in Greenville SC (what an interesting place! “Cooler” than you probably know), and a couple up the road in Hendersonville NC, and an afternoon walking around beautiful Asheville. I visited one of the Maryland guys again, the three Penna. guys I visited in November as well as a couple in Montgomery County who I missed last time. I did the Metuchen and Jersey City stops again as usual, but this time also visited somebody in Fair Lawn I missed last time, and he invited somebody over who I’d been pen-pals with *SIXTY* years ago but had never met! I again visited in NY City (this time just two women who I know), and (after having backtracked to my Pennsylvania friends) I drove to Greenville, Maine to SEE THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, ALL 3:10 OF IT TO BE SEEN THERE. The whole event was a street fair with food trucks from who-knows-where, etc. which may not be common in this town of 2000 people. I was surprised to find a room, and not be price-gouged, in Lewiston on almost zero notice. I visited a couple I know in Portland afterward. I hung out for three days, mostly old-fashioned record traveling with a customer from Putnam County NY, spending all our time in CT and MA. This was a fun time as our interests both cover an absurdly wide range. I visited with Erik near Cape Cod for a couple days, and on the way back stopping at In Your Ear in Warren RI, and being very surprised that Reed Lappin had MOVED out of Boston to RI. Pleasant surprise, because I thought I’d never see him again when In Your Ear near B. U. closed a couple years ago. I visited with three different friends in Pittsburgh, and two more in the Cleveland-Akron area, onward to Michigan to visit friends near Detroit (including Bill who I’ve known longer than anybody else in the world outside family or school). Also a fun afternoon party in Ann Arbor put on by a married couple, and I visited his brother there as well. This ranks very highly among my all-time favorite trips! LIFE IN CHICAGO: As mentioned, I’ve continued hiking. I’ve also maintained my time playing Scrabble in the group, and attending the sensual events for men. What some will treat as quasi-sexual or even fully so, that concept has left me with none of that which I can notice. Instead it got supplanted and absorbed by a more-elevated, powerful, and incredible awareness that reboots my spirit, while strengthening my traits such as altruism, empathy, and fondness for humanity. I have so “won” on this! So far, and hoping for continuing good health, the decade of my chronological 70s has easily been my favorite decade. Furthermore, for the first time ever I’m living permanently in a city that I actually love. (My living space is in Chicago.) I think it’s rare for people to say their 70s is their best! As for the HIKING, my first year of keeping track ended on 29 June. I ended up charting more than 1,166 miles in that first year. I’ve done two hikes exceeding 28 miles each, and I accomplished all four of my goals during that first year: Set my one-YEAR record that will probably never be broken, set my one-MONTH record that will probably never be broken, set my one-DAY record that will probably never be broken, and successfully hike EVERY designated street in Evanston. Little did I realize that I was going to beat my single-day record (28.4 miles) with a 28.6 mile hike on 06 July. I’ve also been tallying how many MUNICIPALITIES that I hike to from Evanston, with two requirements: (1) it must be a full round-trip in one waking day, and (2) it must include a part of Evanston east of the river. (Only locals will relate to this.) I believe I’ve reached Chicago, Evanston (of course), and 21 other suburbs. Theoretically there are seven more suburbs “reachable” on a 28.3 mile hike, and two 27-mile hikes…it’s possible I’ll not finish all of that. Another single suburb is reachable in 27.6 miles, but such a hike isn’t justified for just one. Those three potential hikes, and a hike around Geneva Lake in Wisconsin with a friend (22 miles), are the only known planned super-hikes. With those the only remaining likely hikes exceeding TEN miles, I don’t expect to break my yearly or monthly record. My monthly record of 154.9 miles was set in…wait for it…JANUARY!! Don’t forget this is January in Chicago. Yeah, the winter here was what may be more typical of Louisville or Wichita, but still… I’ve had a couple of friends visiting me, and I’ve made a few visits as well, but when I’m at home I’m mostly a hermit. That’s because it’s not only records that keep me busy, but ALL OF THE VERY WORST FEARS THAT I HAD ABOUT THE INTERNET HAVE COME TRUE: it is a massive, massive distraction – far more than any three or four other things in my lifetime (EXCLUDING travel, and my work). I wasn’t on the internet until 2003, and it took me until late 2006 to do records there. At the time I realized it was necessary for me to get online ASAP, or I’d be out of business, because Goldmine had become a nonentity for finding new customers when I ran a full-page ad in 2003 and got almost no response. If not for that, I assume I would have been on the internet BY NOW, but I think it would have been more like 2011 or 2014, and I still would have been reluctant, because I truly KNEW that it would eat my spare time. YouTube, Wikipedia, the equivalent of having all the libraries in the world accessible by keyboard, etc.is incredibly distracting. I love what’s up there, but it’s TOO much fun, lol! In Chicago (and some suburbs) I’ve continued to explore more fun cuisines. Notably since my last list, I’ve found some very yummy foods from local restaurants with Sri Lankan, Bolivian, and Yemeni cuisines. I’ve also been introduced to Dengio’s, a wonderful restaurant in Skokie whose food is entirely like “slow food” but it’s all with a “fast food” service approach, which is totally amazing. Neither of us (I go there with one of the Scrabble guys) can figure out how it’s possible to serve, say, “five-star” ribs or Greek chicken in FIVE MINUTES. I’ve never seen such a business model before, and it’s pretty damn cool. POLITICS: I don’t talk about it much anymore, because, shall I say, it’s DEPRESSING. However, I will drag myself over 10 kilometers of broken glass, razor wire, and rotting corpses to make sure I vote this year. I hope that all people reading this (especially those in the USA) go out and vote! I find it amazing how far politics have degenerated in recent years, such that at least 70%(?) of us Americans think that the “other side” will destroy democracy forever. (OK, I admit I’m one of them…and it’s so blatantly obvious. All of you should consider reading a good summary of Project 2025. As I type this, Donald Trump said over the weekend “YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TO VOTE AGAIN” if he wins. (What in the bloody hell does THAT mean?). What does that mean, other than his plans to install himself as perpetual king and dictator. There cannot be interpreted in any other way. If he wins, the USA’s concept of “being American” is in the crosshairs. Even heresy could come back as a crime, gone for centuries, as Dominionists are involved in this mess. VOTE!!! ANTICIPATED TRAVEL: I am hoping to make a major CANADIAN trip after I’ve finished up the work required on this list. I feel that I MUST TRY TO CROSS THE BORDER **BEFORE THE U. S. ELECTION** because if Donald Trump is elected, Canada could decide to close the border! I may otherwise never again have a chance to see Canada. If I haven’t already entered, I may have blown the last chance I’ll ever have. This is also why I hope my TIMETABLE is viable for you; with those lost COVID days I’ll have to really buckle down now. I am hoping everybody has their records, and has had time to assess if there are any issues, before I leave. I have also made NO travel promises for 2025 yet. We are now deep in uncharted Twilight Zone territory. OUR REPUBLIC! VOTE! WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS LIST: Some of the parts of this list will have different attributes than what you may be accustomed to. I will mention each section. The ***SECTIONS will include some LP’s and/or CDs, and sometimes 78s. Do make sure you check these, and in some cases RADIO SHOWS may be “test listings” where I have many more of them. NON-CHART***: There are a few hundred 45s added, a mix of premium and not (fewer additions than any previous catalog), but REMEMBER there are a couple thousand records which are deeply discounted from my prior list, and this is still a great section! THIS INCLUDES A MASSIVE QUANTITY OF LPs, RADIO SHOWS, AND 78RPM SINGLES. Shortening this section greatly, makes this 2024 list possible. PUNK, PICTURE SLEEVES aren’t on the paper list this year, but good amounts of both are available on my website. COUNTRY***, HORROR, WAR***, POP/ EASY: These sections will be smaller than usual, because the number of added items is fewer than what I usually add. MISCELLANEOUS***: This will be the largest Miscellaneous section I’ve ever listed, because I’ve added an entire new box of these records, AND about 100 movie and TV ads. ENTERTAINMENT: This section will be the largest one I’ve had in many years, but I think it’s been larger once or twice in the past. NOVELTY***: I’ve greatly expanded this section over its usual length! Included is the entire remaining part of my former collection of BASEBALL records. CHRISTMAS***: I THINK there will be LP’s and CD’s included…but this is most definitely and by far the most massive Christmas 45s list that I have ever done! BILLBOARD CHART HITS (FULL PRICE/some 78s)***: This section isn’t the largest-I’ve had, but it it’s definitely much larger than my usual. BILLBOARD CHART HITS (40% DISCOUNT): As always, I’ll use a part of the alphabet to fill up any remaining unused space on a sheet of paper. [THIS COMMENT pertains to paper lists only!] Those of you who check this section ONLINE, I’ve added yet more hundreds of new titles to this list. I believe I've reached the end of my ramblings - OUT OF NECESSITY - I really need to get to work now, and TYPE THE LIST! A TUTORIAL ON HOW I FILL ORDERS, and why service can be slow: This is NOT a “fast-food” list! I’m not sure if anybody else, ANYWHERE in the entire history of anything collectible, has ever done what I do! It’s a task that’s LITERALLY impossible! (And…I don’t even KNOW how I manage this impossibility, but somehow, I DO.) This method and “quick/fast service” usually don’t coexist (other on occasional small orders), because it’s impossible, but anybody who sends me a TIMELY order should get a favorable result. I try hard to assure this, WHILE awarding as many Priority (most-wanted) requests as I can. I am “SIMULTANEOUSLY” awarding THOUSANDS of records as if EVERY TIMELY ORDER got here at the same split second (in reality covering a time period several weeks long), which makes it impossible to determine who ordered first. Also, if I get 26 USA postal orders in the mail on the same day, which of THOSE came first? Postmark dates are not often not readable, either. Very few of you will get your stuff within 14 days, but many people tell me they’re much happier with the results, because EVERYBODY has a chance! TABLE OF CONTENTS, ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS , TIPS, SUGGESTIONS, etc.///MINIMUM ORDER $10, PLEASE. TABLE OF CONTENTS This list is LOADED!!! **PAGE NUMBERS ARE MEANINGLESS on the website list** PAGE HUGE NONCHART SECTION! – R&roll, girl groups, Nor. soul, funk, instrumental, ETC. 45s, 78s, LPs!! 45s here are MOSTLY items deeply discounted from 2023, and I’ve added in a few hundred new titles, INCLUDING LPs AND CDs. [NOT ON THIS LIST] PUNK, NEW WAVE, ETC. – I am adding no new punk on this list (other than a handful of punk, avant garde,. Etc. In the NONCHART LP section). The two punk sections on my website, though, are WORTH CHECKING OUT because I’ve reduced prices on at least 1,000 titles, often as much as 25% to 40%. [NOT ON THIS LIST] PICTURE SLEEVES – I’ve also decided to do nothing with these, either. PAGE MISCELLANEOUS, SPOKEN WORD, ADVERTISING, ANNOUNCEMENTS, LOCAL/REGIONAL “PRIDE” SONGS! 45s/78s/LPs You’ll see stuff like movie commercials, sports narrations, songs praising small towns or large cities (or regions), promotions and advertising, interviews, and some various and sundry stuff. THIS SECTION IS HUGE! PAGE COUNTRY AND WESTERN – 45s, 78s, LPs!—You will see a small section, but most items are NEWLY-LISTED ITEMS, and deeply-discounted stuff. PAGE HORROR, MONSTERS, HALLOWEEN – HAVE FUN!! This isn’t a large section, but there’s some great items in here. PAGE WAR, MILITARY, TROOPS (VIET NAM etc., COLD WAR, VARIOUS CIVIL WARS, WATERGATE, PATRIOTIC FOR U.S.A. AND OTHER COUNTRIES, ETC. – This is also a small section, but I think it includes lot of items I’ve never listed before. PAGE MOVIES, TV, SHOWS AND PERSONALITIES—MOVIE AND TV COMMERCIALS are no longer here! They are now in Miscellaneous. THIS IS A VERY LARGE SECTION, far larger than what I usually offer.. PAGE POP, EASY LISTENING JAZZ, NON-ROCK – 45s, LPs! Collectors should look here, but this is a small section. PAGE NOVELTY AND TOPICAL (ALL TYPES)—HUGE SECTION – 45s, 78s, LPs, CDs!! This may be the largest section I’ve ever had! I’ve added MANY answer records, break-ins, and baseball records, this year. This will be a great section for you! PAGE CHRISTMAS—This section is PROBABLY the largest Christmas section I’ve ever listed. Other holidays: there is *one* Easter record in here, as Christmas has many many times more records than all other holidays. THIS SECTION IS HUGE!!. PAGE BILLBOARD CHARTED HITS *HOT 100, SOUL/R&B, BUBBLING UNDER* - You should ALL look! This year has A GREAT ASSORTMENT, with some surprising rare records that actually charted. A LOT of Bubbling Under is in here, too! LOTS OF SOUL/R&B, RARE LOW-CHART AND BUBBLING UNDER, a lot of pre-Beatles stuff, and generally cool stuff. PAGE BILLBOARD CHARTED HITS (Hot 100, R&B. Bubbling Under) AT 40% DISCOUNT. SURELY look! This section will resume The alphabet (wherever I stopped in 2023). I have added a few hundred new titles to these listings. and remember there’s a lot of very cheap Mint stuff here! If you order from this section, ADD UP what you order here, and deduct 40%, and remember there are many thousands more titles on my website as well.. NOTE THAT SOME OF THESE SECTIONS/DOCUMENTS WILL INCLUDE LPs AND/OR CDs, sometimes 78s, as I described above. Please note that WEBSITE and PAPER LIST have the same advantages and competition for your RESULTS, to the extent that is physically possible. BUT: the WEBSITE also lists many 1000’s of additional titles. I strive for fairness, and EQUAL chances for non-computer buyers. The website is a GREAT substitute for the small print on the paper list! Also note that the website can show last-minute corrections and such, which paper cannot do. If I don’t have an email address for you, you should send it to me (if you have one), so that I can contact you quickly if necessary. QUESTIONS? Email me to the link shown at the top and, also, it will HELP all of us if I get the overseas orders sooner. Using email if you can, is ESSENTIAL for OVERSEAS! Though mail slowdowns are no longer as catastrophic as they were during 2020, letters can still be slowed down and received TOO LATE to consider. *ORDERING TIMETABLES* PLEASE PLEASE, send your order as early as possible. Here are latest timetable estimates: PRIORITY REQUESTS: I may be UNABLE to help as easily after 28 September. Ordering before then will help US a lot.! OVERBIDDING (soul and popcorn only, please!): After 05 October, please DO NOT SEND new overbids. HOPING TO HAVE PREPAID USA ORDERS UP TO DATE: I’m estimating 14 October, at this point. CHARGE AND SHIP OVERSEAS CREDIT CARD ORDERS: hopefully finishing by 19 October. NOTIFYING “PART-PAID” USA ORDERS **AND** NON-CREDIT-CARD OVERSEAS: Hoping for 19-21 October. [NOTE this puts “deposit” USA orders in danger of a month-long delay, because missing my trip may be unavoidable. I will be able to update this better when the time comes.] PLEASE try to do what you can so that all of my work doesn’t “PILE UP” at the last moment. Mistakes and other such things become far more possible on later orders as well. TARDY ORDERS will be accepted, but travel logistics could delay them for many weeks, and priorities/overbids may become entirely useless. Please try to order early. “PILING-ON” orders toward the end is probably more challenging this year than it’s been in years, because I lost more than a week from COVID. Thank you so very much! NO PAYPAL OR CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS FROM USA - funds to be sent by POSTAL MAIL. U. S. A. orders MUST be prepaid (ALL OR PARTIALLY), I prefer check or M.O. rather than cash (which is also OK), Not sending Postal payment makes it FAR too easy for me to misplace an order. PayPal and Credit Card in USA are “too messy” for me, not to mention fees. Checks /MO’s are free or cheap. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ABBREVIATIONS BEING USED ON THIS LIST: SAMPLE LISTING: MEL OTT: dracula 666dj [m- PS] – don’t steal my bat! mono/stereo vg sol-b WARP (2 Gram) BID//MIN:10 midt Nor. Instr. FORMAT: ARTIST; release info/#; PIC. SLEEVE (IF ANY); titles; grades-and-blemishes; PRICE (no $ sign); descriptions/notes WHAT THE ABOVE EXAMPLE SAYS: Flip is the same title. (Old “carryover” listings might instead show it as “steal my bat!”/same. I now try to be more specific.) Record is graded VG [Very Good], sticker on label. Warp should play OK with 2 grams of tracking; BID at least $10 on this. It’s a midtempo Northern soul Instrumental. GG – Girl Group: A decreasingly-but-still-common abbreviation on this List, which is likely to run its course on this list PS – record has a PICTURE SLEEVE, graded as shown. If it’s a TITLE SLEEVE (or SLV), that will be fully spelled out. WARP (Play OK) -or- WARP(x grams) Record is warped. “Play OK” it means that it did not “jump” at 1½ grams tracking that I use. If a weight is shown, THAT’S THE WEIGHT AS WHICH THE SKIPPING OR STICKING STOPPED for me. wol = Writing On the Label sol = Sticker On label tol = Tape On label xol = “X” or “XX” on... #ol = Number On Label NOTE: BEGINNING IN 2021 and carried over since, I show which side is defaced…so “sol-b” means sticker on the flip side label. coh = “CUT OUT HOLE” or bb hole in label (if the PS also has a coh, that will also be shown separately) dj = Disc Jockey or “Promotional” copy. (THERE ARE ALWAYS *MANY* OF THESE ON MY LISTS…) BID//MIN: xx --These are BID, not set sale items. (Don’t confuse with overbid warning.) A bid at the minimum or higher, may win the item for you. (Sometimes, prudent underbids may also win, but don’t assume they will.) IMPORTANT NOTE: “BID” IS A MAJOR LABOR-SAVING DEVICE FOR ME. There are items which I think could “go crazy,” or which I don’t feel I can price very well. Most “BID” items won’t return to my lists, so it’s usually now or never. “BID” is also intended to avoid big “PRIORITY” battles. THESE BID ITEMS WON’T DELAY YOUR ORDER IN ANY WAY, as BIDS “resolve” at the very same time that I can resolve other ordering complexities. . METHODS OF LISTING TITLES: don’t steal my bat!/same (OR, SINCE 2020: mono/stereo, or…) SAME TITLE ON BOTH SIDES don’t steal my bat!/going going gone THIS IS A RECORD WITH A DIFFERENT FLIP SIDE TITLE (which is most typical) don’t steal my bat!/you stink/pop my zits +2 RECORD WITH 3 OR MORE TITLES (this example has 5 titles.) don’t steal my bat!///TY COBB wonderland by night (TRIPLE SLASH MARKS) Different artist on flip; see artist names! don’t steal my bat!// m- wol 5 sometimes I won’t list the flip title, if I need to save space or it’s not “worth” listing.. MUSIC DESCRIPTIONS – R&R = rock and roll R&B = rhythm and blues c&w = country and western RAB = rockabilly [words in single brackets] = I consider input from Popsike or prior seller for this description in the brackets. No time to play so many! Inst, Instr, Instru = Instrumental N., Nor. = Northern Soul (usually I’ll spell it out) sl, ms, midt OR mid, mf, fast = TEMPO/SPEED of the music (slow, midslow, midtempo, midfast, fast) (sl is RARE, fa no longer used) TIMETABLE FOR THIS LIST: The above dates are approximate, but I can keep people waiting ONLY “so” long, until the waiting becomes discouraging for everybody. I also consider my customers WHO DO NOT HAVE COMPUTERS , and I have utmost respect for giving them good results as well. Nearly every other seller in the world ONLY has an online list, and no paper. Please try to order as soon as possible. Some smaller “not complicated” orders, may go out as early as before 17 September. MY SEQUENCE: After finishing the PREPAID order mail-outs, I write to Overseas people, and the U. S. customers who ordered with PARTIAL PAYMENTS (deposits). Please try not to order “LATE” because preserving this schedule is IMPORTANT. (Of course it takes a lot of effort to go through this huge list,, and some of you check YouTube videos, etc.) All of this work will finish as quickly as humanly possible! (Again, estimating dates is difficult, and if a lot of orders “JUST PILE IN” toward the deadline. That can destroy estimated dates.) USA, please don’t even ask to use Credit Cards or PayPal – Inconsistency will confuse me and, anyway, YOU WILL INCUR FEES around or above 4% which are entirely preventable by using a check. OVERSEAS: no PayPal using FRIENDS, FAMILY, GIFT – because I don’t need more “red flags”. They don’t “like” the highly anomalous activity which is almost all concentrated in a few weeks of the YEAR. Sometimes my PayPal account gets FROZEN because they keep being suspicious. My activity IS very much an anomaly. ORDERING…IF YOU ARE IN U. S. A. – FLAT postage (for 45 orders only) $7.75 INSURED, or $5.40 NOT INSURED. (“Partially-paid/deposit” orders will be adjusted to actual mail costs.) Postage will surely be higher for any order including LPs or 78s, so including some extra $$ may avoid some emails, and more than one package will often be necessary. 1. U.S. BUYERS PLEASE USE POSTAL MAIL, NOT EMAIL, to order (though if you’re running late or your order includes stuff like bids or competitive priorities, a “heads-up email” CAN be helpful). A POSTAL COPY (even if you email me) is still necessary, due to needing payment.. Feel free to EMAIL ME for questions, comments, etc. – I’ll try to reply quickly. For those who read my lists online only, a note letting me know that you’re AWARE of my list is VERY important, so I KNOW you’re aware that I have a new list. That’s very helpful, because some emails may not go through! 2. PAYMENT (FULL OR PARTIAL) MUST BE INCLUDED with USA orders. Yes, it’s also OK to use a personal check and avoid Money Order costs.. This entirely avoids separation of your order and payment, which can be a real nightmare. (It’s hard enough that it’s entirely necessary for Overseas to wait until I notify about payment, which is the precise opposite, and which avoids TONS of fees. It also really soaks up time.) It also saves me from having to send hundreds of extra letters/ emails in the USA! This way saves me so much work, so I can ship a lot earlier than would otherwise happen. It also helps MY MIND (if it isn’t “shot” already). It still isn’t quick due to the EXTREME volume no one else dares TRY! If I had the hundreds of extra emails, filing hundreds of orders in a massive alphabet so that I can retrieve them when paid, etc. I would NOT be able to administer this crazy volume. Because “USA PAYS FIRST” I can administer at least 2000 more records per list, giving you many more choices. 3. If YOU SEND PARTIAL PAYMENT, your postage will be charged at actual, but NOT LESS than $7.75 or $5.40, and larger orders can easily be CONSIDERABLY MORE, so full payment should save you $$. YOUR ORDER USUALLY GOES OUT TWO TO FOUR WEEKS SOONER with full payment. However, choosing the “deposit” method WILL NOT HARM YOUR RESULTS at all, but the delay is your disadvantage. Notifying USA “deposit” orders is the last non-shipping thing that I do. 4. PLEASE SHOW YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS, ALWAYS, on your order. 5. Please include postage: $7.75 INSURED, $5.40 NOT INSURED. Do note that sending additional postage, if you order LPs and/or 78s, is a good idea, because it’s possible more than one package will be needed. This is “FLAT” postage, no matter how much you order. (THIS IS BASED ON A ONE-POUND-OR-LESS MEDIA MAIL PACKAGE, WITH MINIMUM INSURANCE.) However, “deposit orders” (requires extra correspondence) will be tallied at ACTUAL estimated postage and small handling, which can easily exceed these amounts by $3 to $5, so many will save some postage by paying in full. Since 2020 it’s become necessary for me to self-insure your packages, because the last 2 times I’ve had a postal claim, the USPS on-line insurance claims process didn’t work! It’s so BROKEN that it wouldn’t even let me submit the claims, which “screwed” me out of close to $1,000. They do claims via internet ONLY. Also, packages now have GREAT tracking! Despite CRAZY-WORK during and after shipping. I’ll TRY HARD to send tracking, but I CAN’T guarantee that ability. Postal insurance via USPS is now an entirely unthinkable SCAM. ORDERING …IF YOU’RE OVERSEAS/NOT IN U. S. A.: 1. ORDERING BY EMAIL IS **ALWAYS BETTER**. I know a few of you CANNOT (no computer access). Postal orders are equally valid, but they aren’t as reliable– they MAY NOT ARRIVE IN TIME because the USPS isn’t as good as it used to be. SOME CUSTOMERS do not have computers at all, and I accept that, but if you have any way to access email, it will help BOTH OF US! Not only will I hear from you earlier, but that earlier response may help “rescue” your most-wanted items if received ahead of deadlines. 2. IF YOU DO ORDER BY EMAIL, I MUST TELL YOU WITHIN 72 HOURS THAT I RECEIVED YOUR ORDER. IF YOU DON’T HEAR FROM ME, the email may be LOST. Please keep track of this.. **EMAIL DEFINITELY CAN GET LOST** PLEASE DO NOT JUST ASSUME I GOT YOUR ORDER IF I DON’T REPLY, because it means that I DIDN’T receive it. 3. PLEASE ADD your SHIPPING ADDRESS with your order (OMISSION OF THIS SEEMS TO BE ALMOST ENTIRELY A U. K. “THING”.) This is also VERY IMPORTANT because a wrong-addressed package may just disappear forever, as happened with a $5000+ package in 2022. It was utterly horrible. It saves me from having to ask, which can cause MISTAKES AND/OR MAJOR DELAYS if the timing falls wrong, which can happen. PLEASE do this. 4. (EMAIL, and paper customers who I email about the new list) WHEN my email says MY NEW LIST IS READY, PLEASE RESPOND within 72 hours, even if you won’t be ordering, so I know your email is still good, and that you KNOW ABOUT THE LIST. (Yes, in other words I need to know that you’re aware of my new list. AND if you’re overseas and using email to order, you need to know I got it.) I want to avoid sending multiple emails to make sure you know about the list. PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR EMAILS or account usages all the time (as I did in 2022!). NO ORDER IS REQUIRED, but please tell me if you don’t plan to order, and if you also are unlikely to order in the future, I can remove your name. I just need to know that you received my email. NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE IT IS, it also saves me some work, and I thank you for that. OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER, AND TIPS: WHEN ARE PREPAID U.S. ORDERS SENT?: Again, I hope to have these finished well before 14 October. Please consider the huge work volume on this huge list (while considering that I AWARD RECORDS carefully so that everybody “wins”). [see TUTORIAL] “DEPOSIT” U.S. ORDERS, AND OVERSEAS, ARE NOTIFIED (or, overseas orders with Credit Card numbers are shipped and notified) as soon as I finish sending the U. S. prepaid orders and get caught-up and current. I can only strive to do both before LATE OCTOBER. Again, I cannot overstate this: *PLEASE TRY TO ORDER QUICKLY, AS YOU ARE ABLE*. IF YOU RECEIVE A “BAD” RECORD: – PLEASE DO **NOT** immediately RETURN A BAD RECORD, UNLESS I ASK YOU TO, because I may not need to have it returned at all. It’s useless to pay $3 or $14 postage (USA versus overseas) to return a bad $5 record. YOUR SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED for grading mistakes, defects, wrong titles, etc., though the method of satisfaction will vary. Consider that chances are good you won’t be asked to return anything. HOW I GIVE REFUND(s): If you’re in the U.S. or Canada, I use check or small-cash. OVERSEAS, I can do a CREDIT toward another order, but I’d RATHER refund via the same way you paid, so I don’t have to carry it forward, because my lists are now a year apart. TIP: DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ONE COPY? In some cases I’ll have more than one copy of a record (more so with punk). If you can use more than one copy, DO TELL ME SO – IT MAY HELP. It’s in my best interest to sell multiple copies, if available! Please ask. ORDERING IN “LIST SEQUENCE” Please do your best to order records in the sequence as shown on the list. And, if you’re ordering from more than one place (such as Nonchart and Novelty), PLEASE tell me which section or Document the other records are in. This helps your results and helps prevent mistakes here. If you’re ordering from any “6” documents in PART TWO (discounted), please tell me which YEAR the listing is from. You may include records from anywhere on my website. However, please always tell me where the items are listed, especially in Archives or PART TWO. This will make it much easier for me to find what you asked for. PRICING (SET SALE AND/OR BID): I have entirely and unconditionally GIVEN UP on ALL printed price guides that have ever existed, and I now rely almost entirely on POPSIKE.COM which lists ACTUAL compiled sales results for records on eBay, generally a minimum of $20 or more; sometimes also DISCOGS.COM. Most prices under $20 are “guessed”.. I try to price everything to SELL. If a record shows up only twice on Popsike for a $38 sale (in 2011) and $22 (in 2017) I’ll probably ask BID//MIN:10, or $22 or something. AFTER-THE-FACT AUCTIONS I actively avoid this, unless a listed item surprisingly “goes crazy on me” AND there are too many people (two or more) who absolutely MUST get the item! The result is a runoff auction only between the people who MUST get the record. With more-sophisticated research and many BID//MIN: items nowadays, I can avoid most of this, and more than several items is uncommon. I only use this method when absolutely necessary. I don’t think there have ever been more than eight or nine of these. **PRIORITY REQUESTS**--This is one thing which makes my lists so special and unusual. It may be the single most important thing you can include in an order TELL ME, PLEASE, WHICH ITEMS YOU WANT THE MOST, AND I’ll TRY TO GET THEM FOR YOU. No guarantees, because a “hot” record may get multiple requests (with ONLY ONE COPY). Almost always an item will go to somebody who has a “priority” request on it. RARELY I’ll “shift” it to a non-Priority order, perhaps because of horrifying fill otherwise. Please be specific: ranking priorities #1, #2, #3 is FAR better than showing all priorities as equal. Please limit your priority requests, unless you rank them; FEWER high priority = “stronger” priorities! I’ll try hard to help you get these. Again note that by early October, “PRIORITY” assignments become very challenging. OVERBIDDING **AND** UNDERBIDDING—BOTH of these have their purposes and reasons for being. OVERBIDDING SHOULD BE LIMITED TO CATEGORIES LIKE NORTHERN SOUL, POPCORN, MOD, TITTYSHAKERS. PLEASE DO NOT OVERBID ON GARAGE, ROCKABILLY, PUNK, NOVELTY... Also, please note: OVERBIDDING (ONLY ON LIMITED ELIGIBLE CATEGORIES) is * unmanageable* after late September. Late overbids can cause me FAR TOO MUCH added work, and overbid reductions (where possible) WILL be less-favorable. Any OVERBIDS should PLEASE be received by 05 October, adjusted because of the COVID eight-day delay. If ordering by Post from OVERSEAS, consider the delivery time for mail from you to Chicago, and it’s advised for you to ALSO send an email copy. BIDDING doesn’t delay anything at all. I resolve those and regular bidding at the SAME TIME. UNDERBIDS CAN BE USEFUL! BUT: avoid underbids on anything you don’t want to lose. IF SOMEBODY ELSE ORDERS AT FULL PRICE, YOU LOSE IT, but if I have a record for BID//MIN: 100 and nobody bids on it, I’ll happily sell it for $78 rather than carry it over for another year, if you send such an Underbid. Also, when the list is expired, or even when you initially order, you can do as three or four people do every year, and send a long underbids list, and I CAN OFTEN award whatever remains. (NOTE that if underbids are HIGH compared to list price, it’s more likely you’ll win the item. Underbid at 80-85% of the price nearly assures you take everything otherwise left over, but underbids at 45% are RARELY AWARDED.) This can be a wonderful tool for building inventory! A serious and smart underbidding effort is usually very well rewarded for those who try! If I can get rid of records and not carry them over, it also benefits YOU, because I can offer you more new titles in 2025.