You're always window shopping but never stopping to buy

Continuing my trip back through the 1968 album charts.

01/12/68 : Live At The Talk Of The Town - The Seekers

Well - you weren't expecting to be back at The Talk Of The Town quite so soon, were you?  Oh, you were?!?  Fine - be like that then.  Maybe you know what The Seekers are like as well then?  I know I know some of their stuff and I also know they both did and didn't turn into The New Seekers - but I don't have actual details on what happened (but I suspect Wikipedia will help me out here).  I'm expecting this to feel super dated, but in a nice way...

Well - there's good news and bad news.  The actual album isn't available - there's no hint of it anywhere!  But (after some research), this resulted in some AMAZING news - stick with me, this is a bit of work, but it's pretty cool.  The TOTT show was actually a rehearsal for (and pretty much the same as) their final ever concert which happened a week later and was televised on the BBC - and it's all on YouTube!  And the visuals really add to the retro experience - particularly with the cheesy chat (and there is a LOT of extremely cheesy, but kinda nice, chat).  The ones I knew were "I'll Never Find Another You" and "Georgy Girl" - I can't say it's really my kind of thing, but there's definitely skill involved and it offers a fascinating window on the time.  And yes, it's very dated in a Peter, Paul & Mary kind of way...

We're at #8 in the charts this week on its thirteenth week of a 22 week run - and it peaked at #2, spending seven (non-consecutive) weeks at that position (we'll find out what kept it off the top soon).  The top five this week were The Beatles, The Seekers (again!), TGTBATU, The Hollies best-of and TSOM and the next highest new entry was Des O'Connor (#31) - I've avoided him so far, but I'll be amazed if I get through the year without experiencing his particular brand of joy.  One other fact for you - Simon & Garfunkel have FIVE albums in the charts this week (and we'll be seeing them again very soon!).

Wikipedia has one critic's comment and that's it.  And it's safe to say he's a fan - "Live at the Talk of the Town is an extraordinary album".  It also seems like it didn't chart anywhere else in the world - despite them being Australian it seems like it was only us that took them to our hearts.  As previously mentioned, they broke up soon after this concert and Keith Potger (the guitarist) fancied himself a bit more success so created The New Seekers - it took a bit of time, but they got there eventually, most notably with "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" (which started out as "Buy The World A Coke").

"Customers also listened to" - I can't say for this album, but for their greatest hits we get Judith Durham (their lead singer), Mary Hopkin (her voice is very similar) and, unsurprisingly, The New Seekers.  As I previously said, this really isn't my kinda thing (although I quite like "Georgy Girl") but the video was certainly an interesting watch - it very much felt like something from a different era.

24/11/68 - Not as good as its good bits
08/12/68 - Some Swinging Sixties night-life

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