Salutations™!!

The BCPF and I each got our hair cut yesterday. We went to the same person and we just took turns with Cynthia Pratt-Miller at Hair Bomb Hair Salon which is conveniently directly beside Underdog Records! Having Mojito for lunch was delicious but dang! It was cold on that patio. Yesterday was a mild day temp-wise but the patio at Mojito is a breezeway. It’s between two buildings and there’s an arched roof so the wind just gets pushed through there. That’s great when it’s 90° out, but when it’s only 40°…? Whew! But, the food was delicious and it was worth the misery to have it. Here’s the haul:

Built To Spill – There’s Nothing Wrong With Love — Whilst The BCPF was getting her ‘do did, I was shopping and talking with Jonathan. I saw this, checked Discogs to make sure we didn’t have it and had Jonathan put it behind the counter so she couldn’t see it. When we got home, I told her that I had a surprise for her and within the first two seconds (if that) of Side A, I heard an audible gasp and her eyes got wide. She came over and hugged me hard. I felt good about that. She has never sang in front of me, be she did look at me and pantomime a good bit of it to me. Again, that made me feel good, making her feel good. She said it’s from her early college days. New.

Pixies – Bossanova — So from her college days, we back up a little bit and hit her high school years. The Pixies are always hit-or-miss with me, but they’re almost always hit for her. She got this one on her own. Reissue on 180g vinyl. New.

Cherry Glazerr – Haxel Princess — We picked up a Cherry Glazerr album in 2019 and I remember enjoying it. It was the latest release from them at the time. This is their debut album from 2014. I love the cover and it reminds me of a friend of mine. Red Translucent vinyl. New.

David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World — Jonathan had just gotten a shipment and was checking them in when I saw this. I had to look it up and was surprised that we didn’t already have it. I could have sworn we had. But, we hadn’t, so I rectified that; made it right, if you will. Textured cover, LP in poly-lined inner sleeve. Additional replica of the original paper inner sleeve included. Remastered, 180g. New.

Yo La Tengo – Sleepless Night — 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single Sided, EP released last year. Original cover art by Yoshitomo Nara. Drawing of the band by Georgia. Illustration by James etched on the record’s flip side. A Sleepless Night poster was included with EPs preordered prior to August 28, 2020 yet this wasn’t what we did. These tracks were originally available as part of a multi-media catalogue from artist Yoshitomo Nara published by Los Angeles County Museum of Art for Nara’s eponymous exhibition in 2020. The etching on Side B is pretty cool. New.

The Zombies – R.I.P. — Limited Edition Record Store Day 2015 release. 5600 pressed. Intended as the follow-up to the iconic Zombies album Odessey And Oracle. This is the first legitimate vinyl release of the never issued Zombies R.I.P. album as it was intended in the United States. Reissue, 180g. NM.

Various – Original Soundtrack From The Vestron Motion Picture – Dirty Dancing — Yeah… and? I have no problem saying this. I love this album. I loved it (and kind of liked its companion Vol. 2) when it came out. I was 17. I love pop music. I loved the Patrick Swayze song. I’m not ashamed. I like what I like. And there you have it. VG+.

The Clash – Give ‘Em Enough Rope — Reissue on blue Epic labels, with original JE cat. # prefix. Jacket front cover is second U.S. issue with “Oriental”-style block font. Jacket back cover includes barcode and updated B5 track title and credits. “P” stamped in runouts denotes Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman, pressing. Track B4 title on jacket: “Cheap-skate.” First cat. # on labels, jacket spine. Second cat. # on jacket back cover. That’s all from the notes on Discogs. VG+.

Now, this one…
Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms — Yes, I had this already. But, again, I didn’t. The original US vinyl versions had truncated versions of every song on the first side minus one, “Walk of Life.” I am so over that song and, honestly, I think it’s the worst song on the album. So, of those first five songs four of them were shortened. The biggest travesty of that was the extended saxophone solo at the beginning of “Your Latest Trick” being completely omitted. Now, I get it, media constraints dictated that they had to cut some stuff. I wish they had cut “Walk of Life” completely, but it was a big hit for them.

Brothers in Arms was one of the first albums for the CD market, and was a full digital recording (DDD) at a time when most stuff was recorded analog. I remember seeing a lot of ADD on CDs back then. Producer Neil Dorfsman says the digital multitrack was mixed on an analog board with the resulting two track mix re-digitized via a Prism A/D converter and recorded on a DAT machine. I had this on cassette and where that was dependent on amount needed, the cassette presented full versions of the songs. I then had it on CD and it, too, had full versions. I was so disappointed to hear the truncated songs.

All (or most) of Dire Straits catalog was reissued just earlier this year and on double LPs (in some cases) with remastering and all that. But, for whatever reason, even though this album was on 2×LP, I was informed that it was still the truncated versions. I didn’t get it and I still don’t. If you expand to the 2×LP model, then you can easily expand to full-versions.

Well, this made me have to search and seek elsewhere. I found this version on the Discogs Marketplace and reading through the descriptions, this one, released in 2015 by Mercury for their “Back2Black” collection, was 2×LP with what I sought. I had a great back-and-forth with the seller who happened to be UK and Poland (he has inventory in both places). There were no listings of run times on the cover (and not on the label either, I found out), and he was pretty sure this was the right version. It was sealed so he couldn’t look on the inside. I took a chance. Worst case scenario, I got a really good copy and could sell my VG+ back to Jonathan for credit. I got it yesterday. It was waiting for me on my porch when we got in from our Saturday trek. I opened the packaging, still reluctant and when I played it, everything was there in its full-glory. I was ecstatic! So, now I have the full-on album, the way it was intended. Thanks to Andrew for your help and thanks to Discogs for giving me a place to shop for records when Jonathan can’t get me something. He checked and it wasn’t available through any of his distributors. So, I had to step out but I am so happy to have this. And the album is amazing.

Jonathan and I are still in discussions about how this new project we’re working on will go, but just keep your eyes peeled. It is indeed coming. Go by and check out Underdog Records, open 11a-7p Thursday – Saturday and he does deliveries Monday – Wednesday (weather permitting). He will ship to you, as well. You can look at what he has for sale (unused, new vinyl only) by visiting the Underdog Records website. Tell him that I sent you! Obviously, I also use Discogs to track my collection and buy from the Marketplace when I need something.

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!

—
“She’s like the wind through my tree. She rides the night next to me. She leads me through moonlight only to burn me with the sun. She’s taken my heart but she doesn’t know what she’s done.” – “She’s Like the Wind” (Swayze/Widelitz)