Page 127 - Hi-Fi World (January 2020)

AUDIOPHILE BOOK

Whole

of Italy

Italian 1970s Prog Rock catalogued. Paul Rigby is
impressed.

70s Italian LPs

All Around A Hole - The Vinyl Collector’s
Notebook
Author: Paolo Verda

Price: �£75

erda’s first tome was of (23-hole) binder. It fits the bill and accompanied by 435 LPs (with
British artists’ LPs featur- does it well. index). Those artists include the likes
ing a combination of pro- Inside is a brief glossary of of Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Area,
gressive, psychedelic, folk, terms and then a ‘How to use your Electric Frankenstein, Goblin, Jacula,
blues and jazz issued in Notebook’ section. This section Janus, Le Orme, PFM and many more.
Vthe UK during the sixties shows you that you can fill in notes Each album is a mine of
and seventies. It is still available and about your collection in the book information. Let’s take Acqua Fragile’s
perfect for devoted fans of the same itself. There’s space to indicate if self-titled album from 1973. Apart
– and with superb design aimed at the item is in your collection, who from the date, label and catalogue
collectors. supplied it and at what price. You number, you’ll find alternative
This new book is based around the get a valuable guided tour of the versions (there’s two price points
the same general design but it various label stamps and indicators here for two variants), the price
focuses on Italian releases during denoting copyright information and for ‘mint’ (surely that’s ‘near mint’?)
the seventies. I was looking forward the various styles of the same and condition, sleeve info full text
to getting my hands on this one notes directed at bootlegs. rundown, physical oddities (there’s
because the bulk of the content The first main section is an a deep groove on the label on one
looks at progressive music in all its overview of the 110 Italian labels in variant of this LP), label printing and
varied forms. their 186 variants. These are listed matrix information.
During the seventies, Italy in alphabetical order with the main In short, everything a collector
produced some of the best prog represented bands included under and prospective buyer needs to
in the world. Wholly under-rated, each label heading. A sample image know and wants to look for. Ideal
terribly under-played and cruelly of each label is then presented with too for those wary of buying
ignored, there are enlightened prog a set description place underneath. a bootleg when it’s being sold
fans resident outside of Italy who All of the above is easy to locate as an original, for example. An
have been exposed to the delights and digest – with image quality accompanying image of the cover
of Italian prog but, if you’re into high – is easy. Paper quality is also and label is added.
prog and you’ve yet to taste its fine excellent, while the paper itself is In short, this is a brilliant, even
dining elements, then grab this book matt in finish – better than gloss dazzling book for Italian prog fans.
– firstly as a grounding or overview when you’re looking at a reference, One that every prog fan should
and then use its contents to inform especially if you use this book on the own. One that every vinyl collector
and educate. move, in varied lighting conditions. should own. I look forward to seeing
The design of the book is aimed You don’t want to be referring to where Verda journeys for his next
at music fans on the go. People who pages in a dealer’s location with project.
want to use the book as a tool. It’s strong lighting bouncing off a glossy
a book that's designed to be used page and you can’t read for the glare.
regularly. Hence, the thick, tough Then there’s the mammoth Contact:
outer boards and the multi-ringed Artists section of 250 artists www.allaroundahole.cloud/store.html

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk JANUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 127