Merry Christmas fellow BAFers, I am here to tell you a little story.
A couple of days ago I had a reggae epiphany. Earlier in the evening I had paid £17 in my local pub for a pint of beer for myself and a glass of wine each for two friends. When I got home it put me in mind of this thread. If I am wiling to pay that for three drinks, why would I not pay £50 for something I really want - a double vinyl copy of my favourite album of the year which includes the all important (to me) dub versions of many of the tunes which aren't available elsewhere? It's Christmas after all, I have no children, I've worked hard all year, I deserve a present

.
So, that night, (the 23rd) I sent an email to Rory saying that I would like a copy and how much would the postage be to London. I then woke before 6, to find that I had an email back from Mr Stone Love (sent at 3.40am UK time) giving me his number and asking me to WhatsApp him in Jamaica and saying that if I wanted to I could pick up a copy of the album from South London. So bleary-eyed at 6am on Christmas Eve and without even making a tea (very unusual for me) I communicated via WhatsApp with Rory and we agreed that he would let me know when his sister was at home so I could go and pick up the LP from her house. I then paid the money to him via Paypal which he acknowledged when he'd received it.
Thirteen hours later, I sent a message to Rory saying that if it wasn't possible to pick up the LP today I would be happy to pay for it to be posted to me. It was now getting close to 7pm and I was aware that the trains stopped early on Christmas Eve. He came back quickly: Don't worry, you can go now, my sister is expecting you. So, being quite an obsessive person, particularly about reggae, I bolted down my dinner and finished my beer and rushed out of my flat in Bethnal Green, East London. Three overground trains and two 15 minute fast-walks later, I was in a quiet suburban South London street, knocking on the door of Rory Stone Love's sister at 8 O clock on Christmas Eve evening. After a quick but courteous handover - I think she was in the middle of Christmas food preperations - I was back on my way clutching the reassuringly heavy-feeling package of double vinyl.
Back home by 9.30, I cracked open a Red Stripe, unpeeled the cellophane and whacked on the first disc of the most expensive LP in my collection (the most I'd previously paid was 30 odd quid for a second hand copy of the Lee Perry 'Open the Gate' compilation). Then I plugged in my headphones and turned it up.
So what did I get for my money? And how it is different to the cd? Well, there is one less vocal track, 'There is a spirit' has been dropped from the vinyl, shorter versions of 'Rasta Nuh Gangsta' (not the epic nine minute mix) and 'Is it because I am Black?' In addition to the twelve remaining vocal tracks, you get eight dub versions - and this is what I really wanted - I'm not a vinyl for vinyl's sake man. On first listen, the dubs sound fantastic - suitably heavy, yet subtle, as befits the superior rhythms. So for me, it's been worth it, in fact in some ways it's made my Christmas, and I can't wait to sit down and enjoy it again today.
Sorry I've gone on a bit. Happy Holidays everyone. Cheers, Reggie.