Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Record Club

I first bumped into Her Majesty a few years back at Wayno The Winos Mag's n' Album's Xchange, Gowanus [NY - Ed.], where she'd just grabbed a copy of the first, self-titled, album by Morning [Vault, 1970 - Ed.]. "It's the mono, so one is frightfully glad to add it to one's collection!" she gushed, hunting for the 75 cents in her purse. I confessed to having only the stereo, but had she heard their second, Struck Like Silver? Turns out she hadn't, so she invited me to give it a spin at one of her weekly Royal Record Club meets.

It was a couple of years before my parole was served, but eventually I made the trip to Merrie Olde Englande with my treasured copy of Struck Like Silver [Fantasy, 1972 - Ed.], where Her Majesty was pleased to receive me in the splendor of her charming home, which is Buckingham Palace, I shit you not. The Royal Record Club meets every Tuesday afternoon, and is attended by celebrity vinyl enthusiasts such as George and Anal Clooney (big country-rock fans!), Beyoncé [a pop singer - Ed.] and beaucoup Minor Crowned Heads of Europe, each arriving with an album to be spun on the Queen's impressive radiogram which is also a high-class drinks cabinet. Very cool! The atmosphere was informal, though respectful, and Her Majesty passed among us with a costly bowl of Twiglets© while we listened.

It was a great privilege to turn Her Majesty onto that second album, and there was a general agreement that both records were "underrated" and essential components of any self-respecting country-rock collection.  Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, was particularly impressed, praising the "exceptional artistry of the vocals" and the "faultless songwriting". He confessed to slightly preferring the first album for its "authentic psychedelic inflections."

Maybe I'll share other Royal Record Club discoveries, maybe not.