Salutations™!!

The post mother’s day edition of Spinning Sunday Monday is here. We had a whole weekend that was “normal” for us and about time. Started with breakfast, then to Underdog Records, buying and listening and then to dinner. A great day, minus the rain, but we were in listening to records, so there’s that! Here’s the haul:

©Geffen Records

• Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction — #62 on the RS list and really a great all-around album. I had never had it on vinyl and was waiting to find a good used copy but people don’t just give that up so we bought it new. This album was a game changer. I know I give Nirvana a lot of flack for “killing my music,” but I really believe this is where the killing started. They may have had a song about “doing it” but most of it was slinging their stuff around with attitude and extreme prejudice. They weren’t fluffing anything and taking no prisoners. Hair bands couldn’t keep up with this and the scene shifted a bit. Hair was still going strong into the 90s but it was watering itself down and then in 1992, it all really fell apart. This was just turning the eye on. I will say if I never hear “Paradise City” again, I’ll be happy. Everything else on the album is great.
• Judas Priest – British Steel — Four to go. I have every official Judas Priest album from the first Rocka Rolla to Screaming for Vengeance and also Turbo. I want to fill the gap to Painkiller which is what I think of as the definitive “Priest Discography.” Yes, they did stuff, good stuff, even after, but once you get past 1990, then records weren’t the thing any longer. I need Defenders of the Faith, Priest Live, Ram It Down and Painkiller to have them all. I am glad to have what I have so far. Great first wave of British Heavy Metal stuffs. New.
• Lambchop – This (Is What I Wanted To Tell You) — The BCPF loves Lambchop, but this, his latest release, was a bit of a departure from what he’s done in the past. It was good, but he used a bit too much autotune as a prop, I felt. The BCPF agreed, I think. It’s on cool clear vinyl, though. New.
• Rush – Caress Of Steel — I have started trying to fill my Rush discography, as well. I got three steps closer on Saturday. This album is the oldest of theirs that I have and a little rawer than I’d like but it has some great stuff on it. “Bastille Day” is probably the biggest thing from it. It’s just starting to be a little more prog from the band at this point. VG+.
• Rush – Permanent Waves — The album that followed Hemispheres (which I need to get) and before their biggest album Moving Pictures, this has “Spirit of Radio,” “Free Will” and “Entre Nous” on it. I didn’t know that I was such a fan of what they did before yesterday. Yeah, I know stuff I like, but I’ve always said they were too robotic and lacked feeling. That is true about some aspects of their music, but the lyrics are deep (sometimes too deep) and they tell a story with the music, even above the lyrics at times. I liked it. VG+.
• Rush – Grace Under Pressure — The band was definitely in their synth years at this point, which I love because I’m a synth fan. When I saw the video for “Distant Early Warning” for the first time, I didn’t get it and didn’t like the song. Now, though, I dig the song. I like this album and it had four “official” singles, “Distant Early Warning,” “The Body Electric,” “Afterimage” and “Red Sector A.” “The Enemy Within” had a video and was the very first video played on Canada’s MuchMusic in August 1984. VG+.
• Pet Shop Boys – Please — The debut album from Pet Shop Boys, it is probably still what they’re best known for, even though they have had some great things since. The big singles were “West End Girls,” “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money),” “Suburbia,” and “Love Comes Quickly.” Great synth-pop from some of the masters of that genre. VG++.
• ELO – Time — The ninth studio album from Electric Light Orchestra, although for this album they were credited as ELO only. It’s a concept album and had five singles released for it: “Hold On Tight,” “Twilight,” “Ticket to the Moon” (backed with “Here Is the News”), “Rain Is Falling” and “The Way Life’s Meant to Be.” This was more synth-based music as Jeff Lynne had already gotten rid of the orchestral aspect of the band, which may be why they went with ELO as the band’s name? Who knows? VG+.
• Chilliwack – Lights From The Valley — I know little about Chilliwack, except for two songs, “My Girl (She’s Gone, Gone, Gone)” and “I Believe” in which neither is on this album. They came later. But, in my quest to become more rounded in my musical knowledge, this was at Underdog and I wanted it. It was sealed, which, I immediately unsealed it to get the catalog number to be able to put it in Discogs. The vinyl is in NM condition and the sleeve is VG+ with a little wear on it, including a “record ring.”
• Bangles – All Over The Place — The band’s debut album with the singles “Hero Takes a Fall” and “Going Down to Liverpool,” written by Kimberley Rew of Katrina and the Waves. Great pop record, this. VG++.
• Roger Hodgson – In The Eye Of The Storm — I asked Jonathan if Hodgson’s solo stuff sounds like Supertramp (since he was one of the main songwriters/singers) and he said that not only does it, but he has this record in his collection and loves it. So, I bought it. I’m a fan of Supertramp, so I figure I’ll be a fan of this, too. VG++.
• Various – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band — I know a lot of people hated this film. I didn’t hate this film. Plus, I mean the all-star lineup for the soundtrack is hard to beat and they’re doing Beatles songs? Heck yeah! 2xLP. VG.
• Donnie Iris – Back On The Streets — Donnie Iris, the former songwriter/singer of The Jaggerz (“The Rapper”) and post-“Funky Music” Wild Cherry, I came to know him for one song. “Ah, Leah.” It was brought to my attention because my sister’s name is Leah and she liked the tune. That’s on this album and why I snatched it from the $1 bin. VG.
• Rud Wharton And The Musette Street Players – –  Sidewalks Of Paris — Because The BCPF and I are suckers for anything Parisian. No other reason. Well, that and this was a $1 bin find. VG.
• Peter, Paul And Mary – A Song Will Rise — It’s sappy 60s folk, just the way The BCPF likes it from the $1 bin. VG-.
• Peter, Paul And Mary – Album — Second verse, same as the first. VG-.
• Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River — A very “fair” copy of this album. It’s scuffed, it’s scratched, I almost didn’t include it in the collection. But, it is here, now. G at best and that’s pushing it. $1 bin find.

Underdog Records was a bit empty when we got there but people started coming in pretty steady by the time we left. Jonathan wasn’t feeling good, so watch social media to make sure he’s back by Tuesday. Always listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to find out what the TLD/UR special of the week is.

I use Discogs to rate, catalog and track my collection. You can do it with CDs and cassettes, too.

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’!
Scorp out!

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“Off on your way, hit the open road. There is magic at your fingers. For the spirit ever lingers, undemanding contact in your happy solitude.” – “Spirit of Radio” (Peart/Lee/Lifeson)