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Spinning Sunday or: RSD Edition

14 Sunday Apr 2019

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Salutations™!!

As you saw for the last two days, I spent almost 20 hours on the sidewalk in front of Underdog Records, camping out, watching the weather, hoping against hope that it didn’t rain, had my hands butter scrubbed, had a new restaurant stop and offer us samples of their shrimp and grits, was joined by The BCPF, survived without any rain, worked with my friends to make sure we all got what we needed and came home and crashed. There was a lot more detail of this story, but we will probably focus on that later in the week. For today, here is the Record Store Day haul!

Trout_Mask_Replica

©Straight/Reprise Records

  • Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band – Trout Mask Replica — This was the reason I camped out, at least for me. I don’t really “like” this album but I love having it. It is #60 (of all spaces) on the RS list. I understand more about it since my first listen, I love the artistic value and respect the heck out of the project. It isn’t a pleasant listen but it is an interesting one. 2xLP reissue. All of these will be Near Mint or NM and I’ll tell how many were available worldwide. This one doesn’t have limited availability, from what I can tell.
  • Pink Floyd – A Saucerful Of Secrets — Last year it was Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Floyd’s debut album remastered in mono. This year it’s their sophomore effort and I can’t wait to listen to it. I really liked Pink Floyd with David Gilmour minus Syd Barrett. I understand the importance and somewhat maniacal genius that Syd was, but just like I like Peter Gabriel, I don’t really like Genesis with him. Barrett was on this album minimally as he was starting his slide. He was dismissed before the album was finished. The cover was designed by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis and is based on a Doctor Strange comic. 6500 available.
  • Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks Test Pressing — We have Blood on the Tracks which is #16 on the RS list but this is the New York Test Pressing of the album. The
    “hype sticker” on the shrinkwrap reads: “The original New York version of Blood on the Tracks. Replica of the 1974 test pressing. Featuring unique mixes. Available for the first time ever.” So, The BCPF wanted this one, so that’s what she gets. Only 7500 available worldwide.
  • Fleetwood Mac – The Alternate Fleetwood Mac — The last two years’ RSD hauls have had a few “Alternate” Fleetwood Mac albums. 2017 was Alternate Mirage, 2018 Alternate Tango in the Night and now this. I haven’t listened to it yet, but I like the concept. It’s the entire album, in this case, but is all early takes or early versions. Should be cool. There are no “availability” numbers for this album on the RSD website.
  • Duran Duran – As The Lights Go Down (Live Oakland Coliseum ’84) — DD at their height. 2xLP but only three sides. Side 4 is etched. Only 5500 of these are available worldwide.
  • Frank Black – Frank Black — One of the several that I camped out for, for The BCPF. She tells me that it was released a month or so before she graduated high school and they rode around wearing the cassette out. I like what I’ve heard of it. I like it better than Pixies stuff. It’s orange, too. 4500 available.
  • Jeff Buckley – In Transition —  The BCPF loves her some Jeff Buckley and this is 7 previously unreleased performances of his tunes. Only 3000 worldwide.
  • Bingo Hand Job – Live At The Borderline 1991 — So, one of our fellow campers was looking online and came across this one. I don’t know if he was just researching or if he was intrigued by the name but when he looked it up, he found that it was really REM doing their “alias” thing and playing a club. So, being as we were the first four in line, we kept that secret and three of us grabbed them. Hey, we were the ones that camped for 20 hours, we got what we want. 3000 available.
  • a-ha – Hunting High And Low (The Early Alternative Mixes) — I love the original and these are the early alternate mixes making their vinyl debut. There are only 6000 worldwide.
  • The Charlatans – Some Friendly  — This was the title that The BCPF wanted the most. It was Charlatans UK to her (and it says that on the album cover). It is clear vinyl and only 1000 worldwide.
  • Peter Gabriel – Rated PG — I generally have sworn off picture discs, but hey, this is Peter Gabriel. This is a collection of his songs that have been on movie soundtracks. Supposedly, according to Discogs, it is numbered, but I don’t find any indication on mine of a “number.” It does include a digital download, though. Only 2000 worldwide.
  • David J – Thoughts And Prayers — Similarly with the picture disc model, I don’t usually get 7″ either. But, The BCPF wanted it and here it was. Only 500 worldwide.

So, people have asked me if it was worth it. Truly, the actual record buying was secondary to the camaraderie, conversation, friendship, community and experience. That, in and of itself was worth it. The vinyl we got, knowing that we are one of 500-6000 in the world that have one, is priceless. Thank you so much to Underdog Records, especially Jonathan, for being a place where we want to do such things, always having our backs in the inventory and letting us in to go to the bathroom before you go home, bringing us doughnuts and coffee the next morning and just being an all-around awesome dude. And, thank you, Discogs for being available to help us sort this crazy mess out. And, thank you, Record Store Day (yes it is an entity) for doing this awesome “holiday” twice a year. And, lastly, to David, Jordan, Bob, Michael, Taylor, Jay, and The BCPF, thank you for making it a great experience to be out there.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“Master, master. This is recorded thru uh flies ear ‘n you have t’ have uh flies eye t’ see it. It’s the thing that’s gonna make Captain Beefheart and his magic band fat. Frank, it’s the big hit. It’s the blimp! It’s the blimp, Frank! It’s the blimp!” – “The Blimp (Mousetrapreplica)” (Van Vliet)

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 7/7/18

08 Sunday Jul 2018

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Salutations™!!

We had to do some extensive searching for a parking space when The BCPF and I went to Mary’s Gourmet Diner yesterday morning. The denizens of the Heavy Rebel Weekender were out in full force with their rusted-out Dragulas and slicked back hairdos. And, I mean all of that with love and respect. They own it and that’s how they want it to be. I dig it. Well, I dig them doing their thing. I get absolutely nothing out of that whole scene. So, we found a spot that Annabelle would fit in — she’s a small thing — and went on to Mary’s. We came out and there was a sea of folks down both Liberty and Trade Streets. Nope. On to Underdog for us! Here’s the haul:

Asylum_album_cover

©Mercury

  • a-ha – Hunting High And Low — I’ve been wanting this one for a while. I don’t believe I had it in any format before. I don’t know why. Well, this is the brand new Rhino reissue and we got two pairs, a neon orange and a neon green, of groovy 80s sunglasses. The whole thing is pretty good and is in the same vein as “Take on Me” and “The Sun Always Shines on TV.” New.
  • Bauhaus – Burning From The Inside — My good friend Michael and I went back and forth on who was going to get this album. He wanted it. The BCPF wanted. It was her first Bauhaus album and was what introduced her to the band. I liked the album. She was afraid I wouldn’t. I dug it. VG++.
  • Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston — Her debut album and the only one of hers that I remotely care about. I have said it before and I’ll repeat it here. When Mariah Carey showed up on the scene in 1990, Whitney lost all relevance to me. Mariah’s songs were better and her voice was just amazing. At least in the beginning. She lost me later on, but the first two Mariah albums were amazing. This Whitney album was pretty neat, too. This was #259 on the RS list. VG++.
  • Marvin Gaye – Midnight Love — The last album from Marvin Gaye, which was his biggest selling by which I presume happened because of his death not long after its release. It has “Sexual Healing” on it, which I’m not really a big fan of, never have been. All-in-all, it’s okay.  VG+.
  • Eagles – On The Border — I don’t know if any band has ever created such a like/dislike debate or have been more polarizing than the Eagles. I like them, at least most of the Henley-sung stuff, myself. This had “Already Gone,” “James Dean” (which I hate), “Best of My Love” and the Tom Waits=penned “Ol’ 55.” VG.
  • Stevie Wonder – Hotter Than July – I really dig Stevie. Although I have to admit, this has some serious cheese on it. But, I love “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” and “Happy Birthday,” a song that pressed for MLK’s birthday to be a national holiday. It was deemed so just a few years later. VG++.
  • Toto – Hydra — Just like with Alan Parsons Project, I find that I like just about everything Toto does. I mean, what’s not to like? Also like APP, it’s a set of studio musicians and producers that were the cream of the crop at what they did and turned it into great songs and songwriting. “99” was probably the big hit on the album. VG++.
  • Rickie Lee Jones – The Magazine — We have two RLJ albums and both of them are fantastic. She has a great voice and is a very talented songwriter. VG++.
  • Jackson Browne – Jackson Browne — Browne’s debut album that we happened to find for $1. It has “Doctor My Eyes” and “Rock Me on the Water” on it. The cover is kind of beat up but the record is in really good shape. Even though it was $1 I’m going to say the vinyl was VG+.
  • Jackson Browne – Hold Out — Two Jackson Browne albums both in the $1 bin. Although critically the album has not been as well received as other Browne recordings, it remains his only album to date to reach number 1 on the Billboard chart. The sleeve and the record are at least VG but possibly VG+.
  • Kiss – Asylum — I didn’t get this one from Underdog Records. I bought it from the Discogs Marketplace. It cost me about $17 shipping and all and it is in VG+ shape. There’s a spot on the last track on Side B (“Uh! All Night) but it doesn’t affect the playability at all. It was a great transaction and filled the next spot in the KISSography. Crazy Nights is up next.

I loved seeing a good many people in the store, yesterday, at Underdog Records. It’s always fun when you get to see friends of yours, especially ones in the record collecting community, where you can talk shop and records and just enjoy the community. Keep an eye on the Underdog Records Facebook and Instagram feeds as Jonathan posts several times a day what he is putting out on the sales floor. There’s always something good coming in. There was no Underdog/TLD special this week as he was closed through Wednesday.

And, as I mentioned, I got that KISS album from the Discogs Marketplace. I really dig it. You can find deals, but you have to look for them. I had ordered Queensryche’s Rage For Order but the guy convinced me that shipping was astronomical and said he’d go ahead if I wanted to but it was really no problem to cancel. I did. Anyone else may have wanted to just make money and not care, or maybe he got burned from it in the past. I don’t know. He was honest and that was awesome. It’s a really good community over there. Try it if you’re looking for something. The Marketplace also deals cassettes and CDs as well.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“We’re talking away. I don’t know what I’m to say. I’ll say it anyway. Today’s another day to find you. Shying away. I’ll be coming for your love, OK? Take on me. Take me on. I’ll be gone in a day or two.” – “Take On Me” (Waaktaar/Furuholmen/Harket)