





The Buggles - ‘Adventures in Modern Recording’ Acetate & ‘I Am a Camera’ Test Pressings
Three discs from the Buggles’ second and final album, Adventures in Modern Recording, recorded at Sarm East in London and released in November 1981. Trevor Horn’s partner in the Buggles, Geoff Downes, left to join Asia on the day recording was due to begin. Horn carried on, producing the record with Downes and John Sinclair, and Downes still played keyboards on several tracks. After Island dropped the duo, Jill Sinclair struck a deal with the French label Carrere to fund and release the album. Its widescreen electronic production pointed straight at the sound Horn would go on to define at ZTT, and later critics have noted how far ahead of its time it sounded.
The album failed to chart in the U.K., peaked at number 161 in the U.S., and has become hard to find. At the center of this lot is a lacquer acetate cut at Strawberry Mastering in Westminster, its house labels hand-marked “CAL 131 A” and “CAL 131 B” (the album’s Carrere catalog number) with “Buggles” on each side. It sits in a paper sleeve annotated “Buggles Acetate ‘Adventures in Modern Recording.’” With it are two 12-inch test pressings of “I Am a Camera,” the album’s lead single, released on October 2, 1981, with “Fade Away” on the B-side. The test pressings have pink labels. One sleeve is annotated “I Am a Camera – Buggles – Test Pressing”; the other reads “Buggles 12″ Singles – A: I Am a Camera, B: Fade Away.” The sleeves show age toning and light spotting.
Key details & collectability
- One 12-inch lacquer acetate of Adventures in Modern Recording, Strawberry Mastering labels, hand-marked CAL 131 A/B
- Two 12-inch test pressings of “I Am a Camera,” with B-side “Fade Away”
- Contemporary handwritten annotations on all three sleeves
- Pre-release discs from an album recorded at Sarm East
Provenance
- Recovered by producer Chris Allison during a clearance at Sarm Studios
Pairs well with
Provenance
Disclaimer: Use of Recorded Material or Photography
By bidding on or purchasing any item from this collection that includes recorded audio material (such as master tapes, demo recordings, or unreleased sessions), or photography you agree to the following terms:
- These recordings and photographs are sold strictly for private, non-commercial use by the winning bidder only.
- Ownership of the physical item does not grant any rights to the underlying recordings, compositions, performances, images or intellectual property. All rights remain with the original rights holders.
- You may not reproduce, copy, distribute, publish, share, broadcast, perform, licence, monetise, or otherwise exploit them in any form.
- They must not be shared with third parties in any format, whether for free or for financial gain.
- Any unauthorised use may result in legal action, including claims for copyright infringement, injunctive relief, and recovery of damages and legal costs.
By proceeding with a bid or purchase, you confirm that you understand and accept these terms in full.
As a condition of sale, purchasers of recorded media, photographs, or other copyrighted materials may be required to sign a transfer agreement acknowledging that ownership of the physical item does not confer any intellectual property, copyright, publishing, master recording, or exploitation rights in the underlying works.
Before you bid
Before you bid:
Please note that, on top of the final bidding price, you (the buyer) will be charged the following:
- Buyer premium of 20% on top of the final hammer price. E.g. for a winning bid of $100, you will pay $120 plus shipping, insurance, and taxes. The buyer premium helps us invest in curation, appraisals, verification, content and platform development.
- Shipping, packing, insurance & handling costs - see 'shipping' section below for more details
- Import duties and taxes - these vary by location and are payable by the buyer upon delivery, if applicable
Shipping & insurance
Shipping method: All orders are shipped tracked.
Insurance: For all orders over $200 we will include 1.3% on top of the hammer price to cover insurance.
Packing: We work with trusted packing teams to ensure the best delivery of your items. This will be added to the final cost.
Expected delivery: Item ships 2 weeks after auction closes. Delivery time varies by location.
The bidding process
We run a popcorn bidding process. This means that if you put a bid in within the last minute of the auction, the clock will extend for another 5 minutes. This allows everyone time to get their bids in fairly.
Signed "Intergalactic Soul" Vinyl
Signed + Sealed "Here to There" Vinyl
Signed BBE Album Release Party Poster
Signed BBE "Beat Generation" Album Poster (Here to There)
Russ Gibb Signed Grande Ballroom Pass (1968)
The Yardbirds – Having a Rave Up Signed LP
Detroit Grande Ballroom – A Tribal Rock Flow Concert Poster
The Vapors – Second Album Acetate
Beach Boys Test Pressing – Celebration (Annotated)
Stevie Nicks – "Think About It" Annotated Test Pressing
WAX POETICS LIMITED PRINT: MAVIS
WAX POETICS LIMITED PRINT: KING
WAX POETICS LIMITED PRINT: KEB
Frankie Crocker WBLS Subway Sign
If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact us. We'll get back to you as soon as possible, within 24 hours on weekdays.
-
Shipping Information
Use this text to answer questions in as much detail as possible for your customers.
-
Customer Support
Use this text to answer questions in as much detail as possible for your customers.
-
FAQ’s
Use this text to answer questions in as much detail as possible for your customers.
-
Contact Us
Use this text to answer questions in as much detail as possible for your customers.























































































































































