Holy grail is a term bandied round a bit too often if for example you peruse the pages of eBay on a regular basis but last month i acheived my first mythical status find in over 15 years of record collecting. An unassuming trip to Londons Music & Video Exchanges was going averagely (Notting Hill just isnt what it used to be) but i soldiered on and amongst the 50p section of Camden's bargain dance 12"s i spotted a record that looked out of place. I immediately pulled it out and onto my small pile and racked my brains to where i had seen or heard of it before. A quick check on Discogs via my mobile and i took a sharp intake of breath. Was it possible that one the rarest records of the early 90's was now in my grasp and what was the reception i would get if the guy at the counter had any kind of knowledge and spotted it. I carried on and finished flicking through all of the racks even pulling out a mint copy of Soma 1 and headed to pay. The Soma record was looked at inquisitively but the Jungle Jam record barely got a glance.
I knew i was onto a rare record but on checking at home that night after the irritatingly long journey home i found it had sold previously on eBay (albeit in slighty better condition than my copy which by the way was at least Very Good+) for £440 and 2 copies currently languished on Discogs for just under £300.
I doubt i will ever see this record again which makes keeping it slightly annoying as unfortunately to me the rareness doesnt equal greatness in this case. It is a very adequate warehouse tune sampling Derrick May's Wiggin' bassline but nothing to make me excited musically. Maybe i had to be there in 1990 or had listened to it on an nth generation Grooverider tape. And maybe im being too harsh but for now this beauty is going nowhere.
