Yesterday, it was announced that murderous, yet borderline genius Phil Spector had passed away at the age of 81. Spector was serving out a 19-to-life in prison for the murder of Lana Clarkson whom he shot in his mansion/castle in Los Angeles. Be that as it may, he was previously best known for his “Wall of Sound” (WOS).
The Wall of Sound on “The Long and Winding Road” by The Beatles
I have read someone compare his WOS ambitions to Wagner and how epic Richard Wagner’s compositions were. The WOS was Wagnerian in scope. He wanted to make it sound as if the listener was encased in the sound.
Some critics didn’t like that. They thought he cheapened or perhaps covered a lot of crap from the artists’ renderings of the tunes. I like production and I have conflicting feelings about the WOS. If you’re wondering about what the WOS is, well, you can listen to The Beatles Let It Be album. It’s all over that. If you don’t believe me, then listen to Let It Be: Naked which is the album without the WOS treatment. I actually prefer his work on this album.
One of the things about the Righteous Brothers’ music, in particular the two biggest hits, “Unchained Melody” and “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling” (which Spector co-wrote) that I have never liked is how they sound like they’re in a big underground tank. That is Spector’s doing. I hate that.
So, as I said, hit or miss with him for me. Spector died on January 16, 2021 from natural causes. Some said it was C-19 but it’s been confirmed it was just death and nothing more. RIP, I guess, Phil. You definitely left a mark on music. I know this is a very truncated post about Phil but who has time to write all that? Plus, Given how I’m hit or miss, I’m even more hit or miss to the man himself, so…
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “I’m dealing in rock’n’roll. I’m, like, I’m not a bona fide human being.” – Phil Spector
The BCPF and I got up and headed to Underdog Records grabbed our goodies (he was busy, that was good) and then literally got in our own bubble and had lunch at The Porch. Lots of record listening yesterday, too. A good day. Here’s the haul:
Crosby, Stills & Nash – Crosby, Stills & Nash — Yes, we already had this one, but this was a reissue and still sealed. The one we had was in Fair condition at worst, Good condition at best. So, we decided to upgrade. The album is fantastic, so why have a crappy copy? New.
Neil Young + Stray Gators – Tuscaloosa — It’s a 2×LP/3-Side record with Side D being etched art. Recorded at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on February 5th, 1973. Gatefold jacket with cardboard inner sleeves containing photographs. Sealed. New. I didn’t realize until just now that while they are separate, we got CSN&Y yesterday.
New Order – Western Works (Demos 7-9-80) — This excerpt from Discogs: An interesting excerpt from a 2014 University of Sheffield News on-line post regarding the Western Works recording studio at the University of Sheffield:
The John Pemberton Lecture Theatres in the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) are as close as it is possible to get to site of the former Western Works, where Cabaret Voltaire and countless other pioneering Sheffield industrial and post-punk bands made their mark on the music scene.
From 1978, Cabaret Voltaire rented rooms on the top floor of Western Works, which stood at the corner of Regent Street and Portobello. Having private recording and rehearsal space was unusual for bands of that era, which led to the building becoming a magnet for like-minded groups including Clock DVA, New Order and Lydia Lunch.
But the building was demolished in 1993 and now has a very different use as the home to ScHARR and the University’s Department of Computer Science.
I don’t know what we’ll get from this but since Ian Curtis died in May, 1980 and New Order came from the chaos of the demise of Joy Division and this is from July, 1980, it wasn’t long after Curtis’ death. They had decided to go on nearly at the same time. I wonder how much of this was supposed to be Joy Division and they just reworked it? Well, I know “Ceremony” was a Joy Division song and the first singly from New Order and only two of the tunes on this demo made it to Movement, the debut New Order album. Interesting to me, anyway. New. Import. 12″ 45RPM.
Jeff Tweedy – Love Is The King — As much as I want to like Jeff Tweedy and Wilco, I just cannot get into him. I think he’s overrated and is a warbly, off-key singer. I just can’t. But, I bought this because of The BCPF. She is so into him. New. Clear vinyl.
City And Colour – If I Should Go Before You — This is the one that I was most excited about. I saw Dallas Green (who is City and Colour, by the way) do “Rain When I Die” from Alice in Chains’ induction into the MoPop (Museum of Pop Culture founded by Paul Allen and his sister, Jody Patton). I thought it was a fantastic rendition and loved his voice. I thought it would please The BCPF because it is right up her alley. I got this album for me but hoped it would be something she liked. She admitted to me that she had heard a few things by City and Colour and thought I had gotten it for her. She hadn’t heard this one and we both loved it. It is my favorite musical acquisition so far this year. It is darn good. The name City and Colour comes from Dallas (city) Green (color/colour) himself. This was his fifth album under this name and came out in 2015. Jonathan special ordered it for me. It’s 2×LP, 45RPM, 180g. New.
As I said earlier, Jonathan was rocking the store yesterday. Good crowd (only six allowed in at a time), good tunes over the stereo, good times all around. Underdog Records is open Thursday through Saturday 11a-7p and does deliveries and shipping Monday-Wednesday. You can order day or night 24/7 by visiting the Underdog Records website. I use Discogs to track my collection and if you see me at the record store, you know I have my phone out looking stuff up on Discogs all the time to make sure I don’t already have something or check the grading of the albums I’m looking at that I may already have.
Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’… Scorp out!
— “If you smile at me, I will understand ’cause that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language. I can see by your coat, my friend, you’re from the other side. There’s just one thing I got to know. Can you tell me please, who won?” – “Wooden Ships” (Crosby/Kantner/Stills)
Some sources say that today is the release anniversary of Peter Murphy’s third solo album after leaving Bauhaus, Deep, while others say it’s in December, 1989. Either way, it’s what I want to highlight today. So, let’s go with today being the 31st anniversary of it, yeah? Okay. The album spawned three singles: “The Line Between the Devil’s Teeth (And That Which Cannot Be Repeat)” which has to be one of the longest titles of a released single, ever, “A Strange Kind of Love,” and this one. This one went on to be a pretty big hit for him. I like C-19 created vids, so I went with this. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “You know the way, it twists and turns, changing color, spinning yarns. You know the way, it leaves you dry. It cuts you up and takes you high. You know the way, it’s painted gold. Is it honey? Is it cold? You know the way, it throws about. It takes you in and spits you out. (Oh…) Cuts you up.” – “Cuts You Up” (Murphy/Statham)
Today is the 31st anniversary of The Sundays’ Reading, Writing and Arithmetic album. The BCPF loves this band and I have grown to really dig them, myself. This is their debut album. I think the big hit was this one and I had a hard time choosing a great cover but, I know The BCPF loves when banjos and other non-traditional rock instruments show up in her music, so, I went with this one. A great tune. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “People I see, weary of me, showing my good side. I can see how, people look down. I’m on the outside. Here’s, where the story ends.” – “Here’s Where the Story Ends” (Gavurin/Wheeler)
Today is the 44th anniversary of David Bowie’s Low album. It was the first of the “Berlin Trilogy” that he did with Brian Eno and Tony Visconti after he and Iggy Pop moved to Berlin. This album is unlike anything else Bowie had done before and after it. There are a lot of orchestral instrumentals and I think the album is fantastic. I love listening to it. Bowie was a genius, plain and simple. Here’s a one-man show doing a cover of Side B/Track 1. Enjoy!
Today is the 52nd anniversary of one of the Beatles most polarizing albums. Now, is it a Beatles album? I think so. A lot of it (the whole second side) is instrumental selections that George Martin wrote for the animated film’s soundtrack. I like those, too. Side A, though, has a lot of great tunes, many of which I think is overlooked because of the album’s place. I don’t know, perhaps, I’m making that up, but I don’t think that I am. Here’s my favorite tune from that album and how can you go wrong with Dave Grohl and Jeff Lynne doing a Beatles tune with two of the Fab Four sitting right in front of them, John and George’s kids and all that. So, enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “Big man (Yeah), walking in the park. Wigwam, frightened of the dark. Some kind of solitude is measured out in you. You think you know me but you haven’t got a clue. You can talk to me. You can talk to me, You can talk to me. If you’re lonely you can talk to me.” – “Hey Bulldog” (Lennon/McCartney)
Today is the 52nd anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s debut album. It kind of set the world on fire, I’d say. It’s pretty righteous. There are so many tunes from this album to choose from to highlight today. I will say, I like Led Zeppelin II better than the debut, but this one was powerful. I love this song and you know, Dear Reader, that I like to seek out good covers and technically, this is a cover (twice over), written by Anne Bredon and covered, first, by Joan Baez (blech). Plant and Page heard Baez’s version and covered it, their way. Originally, they had it credited to “traditional arranged by Page.” Well, Bredon found out about and now, it’s credited correctly. Those crazy kids. This is a really great version, too. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “Babe, babe, babe, babe, babe, babe, baby, baby, I wanna leave you. I ain’t joking woman, I’ve got to ramble. Oh, yeah, baby, baby, I believin’. We really got to ramble (I can hear it calling me). I can hear it calling me the way it used to do. I can hear it calling me back home.” – “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” (Bredon/Plant/Page)
Today is the 47th anniversary of Carly Simon’s Hotcakes album. I think it’s kind of silly for an album title but it had that more-than-slightly-silly “Mockingbird” with her then-hubs, James Taylor. I hate that song. So, I didn’t choose that one. The bigger hit was this one. It’s a good version with decent sound quality. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “Suffering was the only thing that made me feel I was alive. Though that’s just how much it cost to survive in this world, ’til you showed me how, how to fill my heart with love. How to open up and drink in all that white love pouring down from the heaven. I haven’t got time for the pain.” – “Haven’t Got Time For The Pain” (Simon/Brackman)
It was good for The BCPF and I to get back to Underdog Records after their short (but well-deserved) hiatus. We bought some cool things and got to listen to a few whilst watching the NFL Wild Card Saturday games (with TV on mute, of course). Here’s the haul:
The first few are the $1 albums that I forgot to put in last time:
Eric Martin Band – Sucker For A Pretty Face — Eric Martin was the lead singer for Mr. Big during their heyday (which is subjective, I guess). I like his voice. I didn’t know anything he did prior (or after) Mr. Big. I found it interesting that Troy Luccketta played on this album and was part of the band. He went on to be drummer for Tesla. John Nymann, the co-founder of this band was friends with Y&T and eventually joined them. That’s all I know. VG(+).
k.d. lang – Invincible Summer — I contend that k.d. lang has one of the best voices in music. Such soul and her timbre is that of silk. I love it. I love hearing her sing. This was the 20th anniversary edition, which is weird when you know that it came out in 2000. Man, time flies… New.
The Love Language – The Love Language — A Merge Records artist. The BCPF goes nuts for anything Merge Records. It’s her love language, I think. Good listen! New.
Crayon – Brick Factory — The BCPF loves to find things that she used to play on the radio when she was a student jock at WUAG (at UNCG). She played some weird and wild things. This was a fun listen. It’s a bit screechy and quite “indie” but hey, she audibly gasped when she saw it, so… NM.
Jacqueline Boyer – Chanteuse — More French music. Again, we love the heck out of this stuff! This is from 1962 and is an original pressing the best I can tell. VG+.
Various – Nostalgia Vol. 1 — The Mystics, Dion, Chiffons, The Royal Guardsmen, The Music Explosion, The Jarmels, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Gary (U.S.) Bonds. VG+.
Various – Windham Hill Records Sampler ’82 — We have a few George Winston albums and those were on Windham Hill Records. William Ackerman, Winston, Michael Hedges, Ira Stein & Russel Walder, Shadowfax, Liz Story, Darol Anger & Barbara Higbie, Scott Cossu, Alex de Grassi. All that. EX.
Underdog Records is resuming the pre-holiday “C-19” hours of Thursday-Saturday from 11a-7p. Jonathan is doing deliveries M-W and some store pickups and stuff like that. You can check out and purchase brand new items 24/7 on the Underdog website. Keep watching as Jonathan and I have news coming. I use Discogs to keep track of my collection and you should, too!
Until tomorrow, keep spininn’… Scorp out!
— “Are you breathing what I’m breathing? Are your wishes the same as mine? Are you needing what I’m needing? I’m waiting for a sign. My hands tremble. My heart aches. Is it you calling? Is it you calling?” – “The Consequences of Falling” (Steinberg/Nowels/D’ubaldo)
Today is the 37th anniversary of my favorite Van Halen album, 1984. We lost the architect behind this masterpiece this year, Mr. Edward Van Halen. I don’t know how I feel about this cover, but it’s probably better than what Diamond Dave would have done in the last few years. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel… Scorp out!
— “Oh! Hey you! Who said that? Baby, how you been? You say you don’t know, you won’t know until you begin. So can’t you see me standing here? I’ve got my back against the record machine. I ain’t the worst that you’ve seen. Oh, can’t you see what I mean? Ah, might as well jump (Jump!)” – “Jump” (Anthony/Roth/Van Halen/Van Halen)
