I got it.

I am now the proud owner of a CD of ANOTHER SIDE, the groundbreaking 1988 house album by Fingers Inc., and the last album in the AM top 2000 (currently #1351) that I did not have. I finally, after several tries, won the album in an Ebay auction; it wasn't cheap, but I didn't have to pay the over-$200 prices that I've previously seen, either.

So, an update: the highest-ranked album in the current top 3000 that I don't own is now 4Hero's PARALLEL UNIVERSE (#2017). Give or take a few cheats that I've described before(a Ronettes anthology to stand in for the unavailable-on-CD PRESENTING..., with 10 of its 12 tracks included; the Redding/Hendrix Monterey album recreated by means of Hendrix's solo Monterey CD and disc 2 of Otis' DREAMS TO REMEMBER collection, which closes with all 5 of the tracks from his half), I now have 2,938 of the top 3000.

Congratulations Harold, I must admit I,ve had a minor fascination with that album since you first mentioned it. I was wondering, out of the 62 you still dont have, which albums will prove most difficult to get a hold of from a financial and availability or lack of, point of view?

Wow, congratulations Harold!

Knowing that you're not the world's biggest electronica fan, I hope that, with all that money spent, you also like the album a bit.

A bit. It helps that 11 out of the 12 tracks are vocals, and that the singers are exceptionally good. It also helps, even more, that Larry Heard's beats and arrangements are consistently interesting. The biggest problem, as is true of most electronic music, is that the tracks all go on far too long; but I suppose you don't notice it so much when you're dancing.

As far as availability goes, off the top of my head I'd say John Martyn's ONE WORLD, Lennie Tristano's CROSSCURRENTS, TO BE TRUE by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Smokey Robinson's WARM THOUGHTS, and TENDERNESS JUNCTION by the Fugs. Financially speaking, I'd love to find reasonably priced CDs - that don't look dodgy in terms of their condition, because after all I'd also like to be able to LISTEN to them - of the aforementioned 4Hero album (PARALLEL UNIVERSE), AMC's CALIFORNIA, and HORSE ROTORVATOR by Coil.

Of course, I check Amazon and Ebay on a regular basis for all these, and I've occasionally stumbled across astonishingly unexpected finds at local used record stores (most recently, Phil Ochs' great PLEASURES OF THE HARBOR).

And yes, I realize that when Henrik posts the next update I'll have to amend all this. Rest assured, I'm working on that, too.

One day, when you die, someone is going to inherit the most incredible collection of music ever assembled.

I call dibs.

no chance, son. that bounteous donation will be sent directly to the FrAMzonian Museum in due time..

Let me add my congratulations, Harold. Your room is for sure paradise for music enthusiasts, the real “tower of song”.

So you'll burn us all copies, right?

that's so epic! congrats!