Category: Small objects of desire

Posted on

Button badge goodness: Cocteau Twins

These badges all date from 10 December 1984, which – no coincidence – is when I saw Cocteau Twins play live at Edinburgh Playhouse. These were all on sale at the merchandise stall, along with a T-shirt design I bought but has long ago passed on to T-shirt heaven, through wear and tear.

Cocteau Twins 1984 badge set 1
^ Cocteau Twins 1984 badge set 1

There were two separate sets of 1″ button badges available, along with a more expensive enamel/metal badge, which was particularly beautiful.

Cocteau Twins 1984 enamel/metal badge
^ Cocteau Twins 1984 enamel/metal badge

I used to have the accompanying paper merchandise stall flyer that documented all the available merch along with prices, but it seems to have disappeared over the years. If I come across it again I’ll scan it and post it here for reference. Continue reading “Button badge goodness: Cocteau Twins”

Posted on

Propaganda – ‘Complete Machinery’ Cassingle (ZTT, CTIS12, 1985)

A particularly fine example of ZTT and their multi-format splendour that helped to foist Propaganda into the consciousness of the world with the polished perfection of ‘p:Machinery’, styled here as ‘COMPLETE MACHINERY – A CASSETTE COMPILATION OF PROPAGANDA’S THIRD SINGLE’. It was one variety of the first outing for ‘p:Machinery’ as a single in August 1985, which came with standard 7″ and 12″ formats plus this lovely cassingle/singlette. (It would soon be joined, in the UK at least, by clear vinyl versions and a βeta mix 12″ not long after – and then, just before the year’s end, a second life in ‘Reactivated’ remixed 12″ and 7″ form… but that’s another story…) A QUARTER HOUR OF ‘P: MACHINERY’ PLUS ‘FROZEN FACES’, the inlay card for this card spells out nice and clear in capital letters. COMPLETE MACHINERY IS NOW NUMBER 107 IN AN INCIDENTAL SERIES. BETTER STILL IT IS A PART OF NUMBER TWELVE IN THE ACTION SERIES, it adds further.

Propaganda 'Complete Machinery' cassingle, front case design
^ Propaganda ‘Complete Machinery’ singlette, front case design
Continue reading “Propaganda – ‘Complete Machinery’ Cassingle (ZTT, CTIS12, 1985)”

Posted on

Button Badge Goodness: Gary Numan (Part 1)

Fair warning, there could be several posts in this series, as being a fan of all things Gary Numan since 1979, I have a LOT of these little things. So, here are just a few to get started with, but a nice little selection of vintage cold wave, icy synthesizer cool lapel adornment they are too, I’m sure you’ll agree…

Gary Numan metal lapel badge with 1979 'Touring Principle' era live shot
^ Gary Numan metal lap badge with 1979 ‘Touring Principle’ era live shot

Continue reading “Button Badge Goodness: Gary Numan (Part 1)”

Posted on

Button badge goodness: Cabaret Voltaire

A little helping of button badge goodness in the shape of ‘Red Mecca’ era Cabaret Voltaire, a particularly fine vintage. Well, at least two of them are of that era – the pale blue one dates from a bit later, 1982 or 1983, can’t quite recall exactly when it was I bought it, but it would have been one of those years.

Cabaret Voltaire badge, 'Red Mecca' era logo
^ Cabaret Voltaire badge, ‘Red Mecca’ era logo

Continue reading “Button badge goodness: Cabaret Voltaire”