Making car wax sexy

More dubious advertising from the 1970s; this from Popular Motoring magazine for September 1972. The model is believed to be Vivien Neves, who unfortunately died following a long battle with multiple sclerosis in 2002 aged only 54. She famously upset 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' by appearing nude, in a full page advert for Fisons in The Times newspaper in 1971.

Ghosts of gigs past

I took this photograph in London (I can't remember exactly where, possibly around Waterloo), sometime in 1973. Groups featured include Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Springfield Revival, Ralph McTell and Barclay James Harvest. I only went to one London gig (did we call them that then?) during the 1970s, to see the ever excellent Colin Blunstone, supported by Highway and Brian Augers Oblivion Express at the Sundown, Edmonton.

I cannot remember how much it cost, although I have the ticket somewhere, but I bet it wan't much. In 1979 you could, for example, have seen John Martyn for just £1.50, which seems a bargain compared to Hawkwind (£3.00), Talking Heads/Human League (also £3.00) or Gallagher & Lyle or Ronnie Lane for £3.75. Mind you, Dr Feelgood plus supprort were on at the Queensway Hall in Dunstable, ten minutes walk away from my flat on 16 December. Yes I know I should have gone..........

The average price for a chart album in 1979 was £3.99.

Bargain Buy

I occasionally collect old film cameras, mainly from car boot or jumble sales. Charity shops can also throw up the odd bargain, such as this irresistible 1970s Pentax SP1000 with 50mm f2 lens. It is in excellent condition and well worth the ten pond note I exchanged for it at the local British Heart Foundation shop. I used several of these cameras throughout the 1970s and beyond and although I still own them all, they were decidedly knocked about over the years and none work properly any more. I had intended to put a film through over the Christmas holidays, but the weather has been too bad.

The Pentax Spotmatic family of cameras was introduced in 1964, being superseded by the K-series in the mid-1970s, these fitted with bayonet mount lenses. This advert is from Amateur Photographer, issue dated 18 January 1967.

Hello 1948..........

From Punch magazine; the artist is Joshua Armitage (1913-98), also known as Ionicus.

A happy 2014 to all who have looked in on my blog over the past year.