Tag Archives: The BCPF

Spinning Sunday or: Now Normal Chronicle Edition

05 Sunday Apr 2020

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Salutations™!!

You’d think in this time of “self-isolation” and “stay-at-home” and being surrounded by a lot of vinyl dreaminess that I’d have a lot of time to catch up on some listening. Yeah, you’d think that. But you’d be incorrect.

donovan

©Epic

See, the thing is, while I am home working, so is The BCPF. We work no more than 12 feet from each other. She and I work with different music strategies. She’s more the indie folk/rock stuff from the early 90s on and I’m all over the place. So, while I do listen to music during this (when I’m not in the studio, alone mind you), it’s usually under headphones and listening to streaming.

Since we are both home and working, it’s less practical to put on a record or be mindful of what to listen to next. If we listen to something collectively, it’s Yacht Rock Radio on SiriusXM because we both dig that.

Plus, on top of this, I have been busier than I was before the lockdown. That food and beverage list has kept me steady for the last three weeks. It’s going great and getting a lot of traction but it is a lot of work. There are other lists that may have as much as we have on our list but they are using the Ron Popeil method of “Set It and Forget It.” They put the list up and don’t update it. They have erroneous information and… well, that’s not what this post is about. This post is about records and vinyl and listening and stuff.

I realized, too, that not only have we had limited listening chances but also that I haven’t posted a record-listening post since early March. Almost a month, actually. So, I’m going to make up for it today. This is what we have listened to since March 7.

Since I can’t get by Underdog Records (he’s not open), then we have to rely on our back catalog of vinyl. That’s a shame, right? We only have slightly less than 2500, I mean we’ll run out. I kid. Underdog Records has been selling still. Jonathan is posting on social media and people have been buying from there, the website, which he’s spent a lot of time updating, or from Discogs. He ships flat rate of like $4 or something (check the site) and if you live within 10 miles of downtown, he’ll hand-deliver your items to your door with “no contact” delivery.

There hasn’t been much TLD to talk about so there are not any TLD/UR specials right now. We’ll get back to that when we get back to life. Watch Underdog Records on social media or visit the website and buy some records, would ya?

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“I’m so sorry you have just reached my answering machine. I’m not in at present, I’m sure you know this whole routine. Leave your name and number and I’ll try and get back to you. You have thirty seconds to talk to me before you’re through.” – “Answering Machine” (Holmes)

Spinning Sunday or: The “Haul” 3/2X/20

22 Sunday Mar 2020

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Salutations™!!

Lostinthedream

©Secretly Canadian

Nothing is familiar right now. Nothing is “ordinary.” Underdog Records, while not “officially” open has been doing some social media sales and The BCPF purchased two records from Jonathan this week. I don’t remember what day it was. They’re all running together. Here’s what they were:

  • The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream — Like a vocally-talented, young Bob Dylan. Ethereal songs with good vocals. Airy and light, it’s a good listen. 2xLP. New.
  • Polvo – Today’s Active Lifestyles — The BCPF warned me ahead of time it was going to be “out of my wheelhouse,” if you will. She was right. It reminds her of her college days when she was a college radio DJ. I thought it was really rough, but hey, if my girl likes it… New.

Right now, more than ever is a great time to follow Underdog Records on Facebook and Instagram. That’s pretty much the only way he’s doing any selling whilst the health situation is happening. He offers limited curbside pickup and limited delivery. I’m not sure how long this will go on, but support him the best you can. There is no TLD/UR special right now. Just be safe. Use Discogs and wash your damn hands!

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!

—
“With a comb down here, it’s easy. But do you rather have a good day? But a dream like this gets wasted. That you’ll bend under pressure.” – “Under the Pressure” (Granduciel)

Day Two or: More Food Stuffs

18 Wednesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Food, Life as We Know It, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

20200317_155633

Over the last two days, I have written more blog posts at TMWATT and definitely have edited one more than any other post that I’ve ever done. And, we are still hanging out working here at home, The BCPF and I. Working from home for both of us have been really busy. She’s been dealing with canceling functions through her work because of the “illness-that-shall-not-be-named” and I have been doing all the updates for the food and beverage industry.

We’re hanging in, though. If you want to catch up on that list, you can do so here.

I also posted a TLD episode today. You can hear that here.

Until tomorrow, wash your damn hands!
Scorp out!

—
“Thank you for doing what you do!” – Chelsea Tart

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 3/14/20

15 Sunday Mar 2020

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Salutations™!!

It’s a weird world we’re in right now, Dear Reader. This COVID-19 is throwing the world and everyday life into havoc-filled disorder. Nowhere is immune to this and we have to be vigilant and hygiene-minded. As I have said a lot of times over the week, “wash your damn hands.” You don’t have to do “Happy Birthday.” Pick another song. Whatever.

The BCPF and I went to breakfast, to Underdog Records and back home, used a lot of sanitizing wipes and washed our hands profusely. At dinner, we took our own hand sanitizer and when we got home, we washed our hands. Whilst at Underdog Records, here’s the haul:

YRR HDITJ

©Pleaserock Records

  • Yacht Rock Revue – Hot Dads In Tight Jeans — A band that started by being a cover band doing the soft rock goodness that we all got from the late 70s to the early 80s. The BCPF and I love our Yacht Rock and will spend a lot of time listening to that on SiriusXM as it has its own channel. I’ve not yet listened to this as I had to spend about 45 minutes putting it on Discogs because no one else had. New, orange transparent vinyl.
  • Lambchop – FLOTUS — The BCPF loves Lambchop and this came out in 2016. It is not named after the First Lady of the United States, however. It stands for “For Love Often Turns Us Still.” It was the usual soft-spoken indie rock it is. A good listen, too. 2xLP, EX.
  • The Chipmunks – Chipmunk Rock — The third of the Chipmunk albums that I have. I liked Chipmunk Punk (1980) and was okay with Urban Chipmunk (1981). This was the third of the series, too. I say series because even though they were out in the 50s and 60s, this was the “reintroduction” of the “genre” that Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. crafted from his dad’s creation. It was just a year after these albums came out that the 80s cartoon series (that, yes, I did watch) started, with Ross, Jr. doing the part of Dave. VG+.
  • The Moody Blues – In Search Of The Lost Chord — I have been trying to fill my Moody Blues collection and there were three at Underdog, all reasonably priced, that I didn’t have so, I picked them up. This one was difficult to find in Discogs, though. I didn’t know it was a reissue and searched high and low for the original with the blue London label and that wasn’t a gatefold cover. I found it and I like the album art. It was the Moodys’ third studio album (again, this is a reissue from 1971 or so). EX.
  • The Moody Blues – The Present — One of their 80s offerings. They tried to capture the essence of their previous release, Long Distance Voyager, which was much more successful. VG++.
  • The Moody Blues – Octave —Their ninth, released in 1978, it was the last to feature keyboardist Mike Pinder, who wanted time with his family and had some friction with his bandmates. VG+.

So, another short haul for us. I have a dilemma right now. Record Store Day, which was to be April 18, has been moved to June 20 because of the COVID-19 scare/outbreak. I was like, okay, I know what the weather will be like in June. It’s testy in April. But, that’s not the kicker. I have a lot of activities in April that I am supposed to be part of, and it just so happened that the 18th of April was not one of those days. However, the move to June 20, kind of ruins some stuff. I’m supposed to go to Boston with The BCPF for her work conference (because I love Boston) and that’s the same week/weekend. Also, I have a Carolina Cobras game on that evening. There’s a chance I can pull it all off, but it will be rough. Or, I’ll have to rework the schedule. Or, I’ll have to cancel something. Or, I’ll just not go camp out. But, that’s part of the fun for me. There is still plenty of time to figure that out and there is still a chance some or all of those events could be postponed or canceled outright. So, we’ll see how it goes. Go to the RSD website to see what the list looks like. Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to hear the TLD/UR special of the week. Use Discogs to track your collection. And, wash your damn hands!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I worked like a slave for years. Sweat so hard just to end my fears. Not to end my life a poor man. But by now, I know I should have run.” – “Ride My See-Saw” (Lodge)

One of My Favorites or: That Woman of Mine

12 Thursday Mar 2020

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Salutations™!!

Today is The BCPF’s birthday. The woman that keeps me alive. The woman that keeps me sane. The woman that keeps me. My honey. My baby. My lady. My woman. My Cinnamon Toast Crunch. My rock. My best girl. My everything.

Stephanie

My birthday girl!

Even in my (in)famous verbosity, I can’t come up with enough things to say about this beautiful woman. I can thank her parents for being the artists they were and creating such a perfect piece of art. She is everything I could ever want in a wife and a life partner. I don’t deserve her. I really don’t. But, I feel lucky every day about how I’ve somehow won this lottery.

I know there’s a lot of mushy-mushy in that, but it’s all 100% true and heartfelt.

I know that she likes to know this stuff and is probably well-aware of the info I’m about to give, but for those of you who are just reading this and have waded through the sickening PDA above, you may find it interesting who she shares a birthday with.

  • Rita Angus, a famous New Zealand painter.
  • Agatha Von Trappe, the eldest daughter of Georg Von Trappe, who was the subject of The Sound of Music; she was portrayed as “Liesl” in the film. 
  • Leonard Chess, founder of Chess Records which was big in the development of electronic blues, Chicago blues and rock and roll.
  • Millard Kaufman, an American screenwriter and novelist. His works include the Academy Award-nominated Bad Day at Black Rock. He was also one of the creators of Mr. Magoo.
  • Elaine de Kooning, an Abstract Expressionist and Figurative Expressionist painter in the post-World War II era.
  • Gordon MacRae, an American actor, singer and radio/television host, who appeared in the film versions of two Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Oklahoma!  and Carousel.
  • Jack Kerouac, pioneer of the Beat Generation. His books include On the Road, The Sea is My Brother, Big Sur among others.
  • Mae Young, a bad-arsed pioneer in women’s wrestling. She was still taking hard bumps, off of stages through tables, well into her 70s/early 80s.
  • Harry Harrison, an American science fiction author, known for his character The Stainless Steel Rat and for his novel Make Room! Make Room! which was the rough basis for the motion picture Soylent Green, which I made The BCPF and her mother watch while they were attending to me during my recovery from surgery. She’s never forgiven me for that and I keep rubbing salt in that would.
  • John Clellon Holmes, an American author, poet and professor, best known for his 1952 novel Go. Considered the first “Beat” novel, Go depicted events in his life with his friends Jack Kerouac (whom he shared a birthday), Neal Cassady and Allen Ginsberg.
  • David Nadien, violinist.
  • Edward Albee, an American playwright known for works such as The Zoo Story, The Sandbox, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, A Delicate Balance, and Three Tall Women.
  • Myrna Fahey, an American actress best known for her role as Maria Crespo in Walt Disney’s Zorro and as Madeline Usher in the film version of Edgar Allan Poe’s, The Fall of the House of Usher.
  • Barbara Feldon, American character actress, primarily known for her roles on television. Her most prominent role was that of Agent 99 on the 1960s sitcom Get Smart.
  • Virginia Hamilton, an African-American children’s books author.
  • Al Jarreau, American singer and musician who sang, among other things, the Moonlighting theme.
  • Dean Cundey, American cinematographer and film director. He is known for his collaborations with John Carpenter, Steven Spielberg, and Robert Zemeckis.
  • Liza Minnelli, an American actress and singer who happens to be the daughter of Judy Garland.
  • Frank Welker, American actor and voice actor. One of my favorite voices, ever. He is best known for voicing Scooby-Doo and Fred Jones from the Scooby-Doo franchise, Megatron and Soundwave in the Transformers animated cartoons and countless voices for Disney and other animators.
  • Mitt Romney. She’s probably not too happy about this one.
  • James Taylor, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is happy about this one.
  • Rob Cohen, American director, producer, and screenwriter of film and television.
  • Steve Harris, English musician, bassist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, primary songwriter and founder of the band Iron Maiden.
  • Dale Murphy, played for the Atlanta Braves.
  • Marlon Jackson, entertainer, singer, and dancer. Jackson was a member of the Jackson 5, and is the sixth child of the Jackson family.
  • Jason Beghe, American film and television actor.
  • Courtney B. Vance,  actor notable for his roles in the feature films Hamburger Hill and The Hunt for Red October, and more.
  • Titus Welliver, an actor on Sons of Anarchy and others.
  • Chris Sanders, American animation director, film director, screenwriter, producer, illustrator and voice actor. He is best known for co-writing and directing Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon.
  • Daryl Strawberry, baseball.
  • John Andretti, race driver.
  • Steve Finley, baseball.
  • Aaron Eckhart, actor, Harvey Dent/Two-Face in Dark Knight.
  • Jake Tapper, CNN.
  • Pete Doherty, an English musician, songwriter, actor, poet, writer, and artist. He is best known for being co-frontman of The Libertines.
  • Holly Williams, singer/songwriter, daughter of Hank Williams, Jr. and granddaughter of Hank, Sr. (obviously).
  • Sam Levine, an American actor and comedian. He is known for his portrayal of Neal Schweiber on NBC’s short-lived Freaks and Geeks.
  • Christina Grimmie, an American YouTuber, singer, songwriter, and actress. She was on The Voice and was murdered by an obsessed fan in 2016.

So, that’s a “short” list of the many people that share a birthday with the Most Awesome of Awesomes.

Stephanie (yep, that’s her name), I love you with more than my heart. My heart is flawed and you deserve a lot more than that. So, I love you with all my being. Here’s to the next 4X years with you!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“And now I’m even older…” – The BCPF

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 3/7/20

08 Sunday Mar 2020

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Salutations™!!

Early to rise and out the door. The BCPF and I went to Young Cardinal Cafe (again) and had a fantastic breakfast. We then went to Underdog Records and got just a few records and came home to listen. It was a good day. Happy Daylight Saving Time. There’s the haul:

Thecautionhorses

©RCA

  • Cowboy Junkies – The Caution Horses — The BCPF’s and my first date was to see Cowboy Junkies in Charlotte. This is from 1990 and, while a cut-out, was still sealed and so we are taking it as new. I’ll admit that CJ isn’t my favorite stuff. I like the folky aspect but some of it gets a little annoying. But, The BCPF likes them, a lot, and that was our first date, so… New/NM.
  • Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell — The remastered, reissue of DMode’s debut album. It was the only one to feature founder Vince Clarke before he went on to form Yaz/Yazoo! with Allison Moyet and then Erasure with Andy Bell. The big hit on this album is “Just Can’t Get Enough.” I love me some synth-pop/synth-heavy music, especially from this era. New.
  • Bob Dylan – Street-Legal — Whew… Dylan. I’m just… I don’t know. This is late-70s electric Dylan and while it wasn’t bad… I just cannot get into it. One thing I did find interesting, though, on the back cover, it looks like Bob is doing his best Alice Cooper imitation. VG+.
  • The Cuff Links – Tracy — It turns out that the Cuff Links was pretty much just one of many projects by Ron Dante. The title track reached #9 on the charts in 1969. All the rich vocal harmonization was done by Dante, himself. When this got to the charts, the #1 song was “Sugar, Sugar” by the Archies (modeled after the comic strip/book) and guess who was the head of that? Yep, Dante. So, it was just a lot of his playing around, which I can certainly respect. I’d do it. I have done it. So… VG+.

It was a very small haul this week, but Record Store Day is coming up, the list has been released, and I am having to save my collection money for that as we are up to 21 titles that we want. The average cost of these records can be around $25-30 and that’s a good chunk of change. We will pare down the list as the day gets closer and I figure what I can do without. The BCPF will have to do the same. If something comes along that I have to have before RSD, then I’ll buy it but my buying will probably continue to be light for the next little bit. You should go by and see what they have and what I’m leaving for you to buy! Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to see what the TLD/UR special of the week is. Use Discogs to catalog your collection. The “random” feature is pretty cool.

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!

—
“We walk together, we’re walking down the street. And I just can’t get enough. And I just can’t get enough. Every time I think of you, I know we have to meet. And I just can’t get enough. And I just can’t get enough.” – “Just Can’t Get Enough” (Clarke)

MISS FIT BOSS or: She What Kicks Butt!

05 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by in Blogging, Food, Life as We Know It

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Salutations™!!

I don’t do a lot of exercising although I really, really need to. Heck, we all need to. Last year, we had one of our rounds of Allan Younger’s Cast of the Charismatic Creative Club, or whatever I decide to call the “Launch Challenge” finalists when Allan brings them in from the Small Business Center to be on The Less Desirables. In one of those sessions, I met an amazing woman.

Liz Hronek

©Liz Hronek, Miss Fit Boss

Her name is Elizabeth Hronek, I may have talked about her on here before. Her business is Miss Fit Boss and she’s not just another “fitness guru” or yoga instructor or nutritionist and all that mess. Not that I’m discounting any of those fine folks; many are my friends. They do good and important work. I love them all and will do anything I can for them.

I can almost wager that none of them went from around 300 pounds to around 150, has been featured on several news channels/talk shows for that and graced the cover of People™ Magazine or other publications because of it. Liz has.

When Liz was on TLD she was telling her story and I was feeling the weight, not only my over 300lbs arse, but, the health, mental and wellness aspect that comes with being a large person. When she and I were talking, the rest of the room blurred like the vignette filter for photos, no one else existed at that moment as she and I stared into each other’s eyes.

Now, don’t think this is some romantic thing, that’s not what I mean. There was just a connection. A spark. A moving feeling. She “touched” me in the heart and mind. I told The BCPF about that and she was intrigued because I have no self-motivating and self-determinating gumption to do anything physical. I hate working out and I hate exercise and I hate anything where my adrenaline gets going. That sounds like I’m lazy, and yes, I am, but that’s not necessarily the reason for my sloth-like tendencies. The BCPF was intrigued because it at least sparked some kind of intrigue in me.

But, Liz and I talked. We talked about her journey. We talked about my woes, not only the weight but the motivation and, again, gumption. She and I talked via telephone a few days later to get a better grasp of my “situation.” She has been on me ever since, but while I’m always glad to get her, “how’s it going?” texts, I generally pass it off as, okay, there’s the check-in. I think that’s an exaggeration. I do “mean” to do something but today, she asked for her update and I said, “my walking is still down, healthier options are up (we have been eating better stuff at home and West End Poke and Yamas and good, cleaner food has been eaten all around), my awareness of what I’m eating is up. That’s a plus.”

Her reaction? “That’s what up!! How can I support you?”  That’s what I love about Liz, she wants to support her “people.” That’s how I look at my “people.” I want to support them any way I can. My response was, “just keep on me.”

From there we went into a conversation about me wanting to do stretches. I am so stiff, that even washing my body in the shower is difficult, even in the warm water. We talked about a schedule for that and, of course, I found excuses and reasons why I can’t do that, knowing if I really want to do it, I can. Then I said, “I am alone in the studio, I’m thinking now would be a good start.” Her: “Ok, what time are you going to do it?” Me: “Maybe right now.” Her: “Maybe?” Me: “Yeah, I’m fighting with myself. Plus, I don’t know what to do. Find some beginners’ stretches on YouTube?”

That was at least a start, right? Then she sent a graphic of “RESET STRETCH” with some low-impact but effective stretches that also included some sitting, which I do really well. I did all of those twice. And that felt good. I asked what she had for hips and legs and she sent another graphic with some leg stuff.

All-in-all, I did those for about 20 minutes, in both sets and rotation. I broke a sweat, which is good and ridiculous at the same time. I was winded, too.

In the studio, I put on some meditation music over the studio monitors and kept the main room dark. The only light was natural light from the studio and the light from my phone. I felt good. She asked what time I was going to do it tomorrow and that I needed to set an alarm on my phone. I should get up earlier and do it first thing, get moving. The BCPF agreed to get me up between her bike and yoga times for me to do that.

I went to New Sichuan and had dinner. Good food, peppers, pork and soup. I came home and instead of going straight for the couch, I decided to file away the “listened-to” stack of records that had gotten to a stack about 12 records deep. I was bending over and kneeling to put the records away. I sent Liz a text telling her of my accomplishment, minute as it may be, it was a big step to me, and I felt good. She sent back, “Yes!!! Now start a success journal and write it in there to remind you.”

I don’t know if I’m going to do that, but since I am not afraid of blogging, perhaps I’ll roll out an old favorite that I’ve ignored for a while and let that be my “journal?” I don’t know, we’ll see. But, if nothing else, this is a start.

All that said, I want to point out that she does this for a living and she is darn good at what she does. She’s motivational, sweet, and somewhat scary. She cares. Find out more by following her on social media as missfitboss, Elizabeth Hronek or by visiting her website.

She is not paying me to pump her up. I am giving this unsolicited endorsement because I believe in her as she believes in me. Liz, I cannot thank you enough. Here’s to more motivation.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“If you’re having a challenge I promise you, you’re not alone!” – Liz Hronek, Miss Fit Boss

Spinning Tuesday? or: The Haul 2/29/20

03 Tuesday Mar 2020

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Salutations™!!

Yeah, I know I said on Sunday that I’d be doing the haul on Monday, but you know… That Saturday was long, The BCPF and I had a full plate, literally and figuratively. Here’s the haul:

Queensryche_-_Rage_for_Order_cover_1

©EMI America

  • Real Estate – The Main Thing — Again, anytime I can find material that I know that The BCPF would like comes up, I try to grab it and whilst I was making the Underdog Records ad for TLD, I heard this. She loved it and grabbed the download code immediately. This is a band made up of fans of Pavement, Built to Spill and Weezer, all of which are faves of The BCPF. New.
  • Queensrÿche – Rage For Order — I let out an audible “gasp!” when I saw this. I have been waiting for this on vinyl. It’s one of my favorite Queensryche albums and this is an original pressing with everything original and it is in NM condition. This is amazing!
  • The Secret Sisters – Saturn Return — We saw, and met, the Secret Sisters when they opened for Iron and Wine. They were so good. Kind of country and kind of jazzy/folky. We have their debut s/t album and now their latest release. This is only their fourth album in 10 years. New.
  • Bob Marley – Chances Are — This album was issued after Marley’s death in May 1981. Chances Are is a collection of previously unreleased recordings from 1968 to 1972 that were produced by JAD Records during Marley’s time living in the U.S. and otherwise working with JAD back and forth from Jamaica to the States. The selected tracks on this collection were overdubbed, remixed, and in many cases, extended beyond their original duration, especially for this album. VG+.
  • Herbie Hancock – V.S.O.P. — A 2xLP “live” album featuring a shload of top-notch musicians. Of course, it features Herbie Hancock, featuring acoustic jazz performances by the V.S.O.P. Quintet and jazz fusion and jazz-funk performances by the Mwandishi band and The Headhunters. EX.
  • Crow – Mosaic — I have really liked what I’ve heard from Crow and this is their third studio album and the third that I have on vinyl including a greatest hits album. VG.
  • Jerry Goldsmith – Star Trek: The Motion Picture — I love film soundtracks, especially dynamic orchestral kind and I love Jerry Goldsmith. So, I couldn’t pass this one up. VG+.
  • Mary Hopkin – Post Card — I know very little about Mary Hopkin but she was one of the first to sign to Apple Records, the record label owned by The Beatles. EX.
  • Arthur Fiedler With The Boston Pops Orchestra – Overtures — 3xLP that features, as the title suggests, a ton of overtures. NM with VG+ cover.
  • Robert Plant – Pictures At Eleven — The debut solo album from the former Led Zeppelin singer. Cozy Powell played on two songs and Phil Collins on the rest. It was one of the last albums released on Zep’s Swan Song label. VG+.
  • The Innocents – The Innocents — All I can find on this album and the band is it’s an American new wave band that were the subject of an NBC documentary called “Rock and Roll Dreams,” which aired on February 21, 1982. According to Discogs, this is the only album they released. VG+.
  • Various – A Prairie Home Companion Anniversary Album — 2xLP compilation of skits, jingles and songs from the popular radio program. EX with VG+ cover.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, The Bulgarian Quartet, Dimo Dimov, Alexandre Thomov, Dimitre Tchilikov, Dimitre Kosev – The String Quartets: Volume I — NM.

So, while we didn’t have a chance to listen to much, we did have a good haul to go through. Jonathan still had a lot of used stereo equipment for sale so go grab some EQs, tuners and such. Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to hear the TLD/UR special. Use Discogs to catalog your music collection. Say no to drugs. Drink you milk, say your prayers, take your vitamins… okay, whatever on that last part.

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!

—
“Despite the crushing weight of all that’s on our plate, despite the true significance of everything at stake. I will stay true. The main thing. It’s all I can do. The main thing.” – “The Main Thing” (Courtney/Bleeker/Lynch/Kallman/Pollis)

Non-Silent Sunday or: The Day After

01 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Beer, Food, Life as We Know It, Podcasting, Spirits, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

The BCPF and I did go to Underdog Records yesterday but we were out of our house from 10a until 10p and didn’t get to listen to any records. I just put them in my Discogs and that will be tomorrow’s post. Today, however, I have to recap an awesome Saturday.

 

Huevos Rancheros
Young Cardinal Breakfast

We started with breakfast at the brand-new Young Cardinal Cafe on Fourth Street, downtown. I had eaten there the day before for their first day and knew that I had to take The BCPF so she could try it. Great food, great quantity and great price. All a plus! I had the Huevos Rancheros and she had the Young Cardinal Breakfast.

We then went to Underdog Records and scored a huge haul but we didn’t get to come home to listen to any of it, as I stated earlier. Collage 2020-03-01 10_10_54

It was time to go judge The Big Sip’s Mac-n-Cheese festival. We had a lot of mac-n-chz and a lot of beer and spirits. A lot of both!! We met up with some good friends, we met some new friends and we just had a grand ol’ time. I got to sing on stage a little with Doug Davis (yes that Doug Davis), which is never a bad thing. But, eating a big breakfast and then all that mac-n-cheese? What was I thinking?

Then it was on to the annual TLD Post-Holiday/Anniversary Party at Finnigan’s Wake. We had a gracious host in Opie and our server Rachael, whom I called Rachael-By-The-Way (inside joke), took amazing care of us. We ended up with about 22 people, which is where I was hoping to have it. Only Bethany and Tracy were there from any of the Network shows but I’ll admit that I really didn’t put a lot of backing behind promoting it.

First, I had forgotten to even schedule it and then I forgot to promote it outside of the invitations on the first day. It wasn’t a lack of want or interest, I have just been slammed and that’s how it goes. That’s also what we’d call “careful what you wish for.” But, I’ve no complaints.

I want to thank Bethany, her daughter Bri; West End Poke/Burke Street Pizza/Quiet Pint/Uncle Buzzy’s (RIP) owner Dave Hillman and his lady friend Susie (or Suzy); The TLD Beer Guru C. Jay Platt and the Barley Babe Dory; Tracy and her date, Sean; Jordan Googe; Teleporter Extraordinaire Jeff Davids and his wife, Lynda’ my dear friend Elizabeth Nance; Maria and Rich Holbein; Brad and Faith Ward; Dale Cole; Kevin Heath; Angela and Hector Ruiz for coming to celebrate with me.

Danielle planned to come but one of the perils of owning a business is that you have to be there for it first and foremost. She was caught up at work. The Beer Dads both had prior commitments, Ray from TMWATT had a pastor’s retreat, Ty from Fan Interference had a WF softball game to call, and Apartment 5B’s Jeff Evans and Rory… well, I’m not really sure where they were, but I’m sure they were doing something important.

I am so proud of my “little podcast that could” and am very proud of what it has become. I look forward to another 10 years.

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One of the coolest things (of the many cool things) that happened yesterday was being introduced to someone who realized that I was from the podcast that she had just listened to. She pulled up her phone to show me that she was subscribed to TLD and since I had on my shirt, we had to take a pic of it. I can’t remember her name and I hate that, but it’s cool that I got to meet her.

 

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Building relationships is what it is all about. I enjoyed The Less Desirables Annual Post-Holiday/Anniversary Party!” – Angela Ruiz

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 2/21/20

23 Sunday Feb 2020

Posted by in Records, Spinning Sunday

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Salutations™!!

After missing a week of visiting Jonathan at Underdog Records, The BCPF and I made up for it. I went on Thursday and we both went on Friday. I missed having new records in my hands and flipping through the inventory. Here’s the haul:

Iron_Maiden_-_Seventh_Son_Of_A_Seventh_Son

©EMI/Capitol

  • Best Coast – Always Tomorrow — I heard this when I was preparing the ad for Underdog Records on The Less Desirables and thought it sounded like The BCPF’s kind of music. I was correct. She dug it. I dug it. New.
  • King Krule – Man Alive! — This was another one that I heard the lead single from and I liked it so I bought it. Once I got it home, though… meh. I like the artistic chances he was taking but it was hard to follow and hard to get into. Both of us were kind of speechless. But, I don’t give things up easily. I’m keeping it. It’s on blood-red, transparent vinyl. New.
  • Bob Marley & The Wailers – Exodus — The ninth studio album by Marley, it was a departure from most of what he wrote prior. Of the songs that ended up on Legacy, which is simultaneously his greatest hits album and the highest-selling reggae album of all time, this album had more tracks than any other. This album contains “Exodus,” “Jamming,” “Waiting in Vain,” “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” the amazing “Three Little Birds” and “One Love/People Get Ready,” co-written by Curtis Mayfield. NM.
  • Iron Maiden – Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son — I still need Somewhere In Time to have all the “classic” Iron Maiden albums that I really care about. I consider their first seven (of which this is seventh and SIT, sixth) the canon that matters. This isn’t my favorite from them but does have some good moments. I always think of a former classmate of mine, Mark Bohannon because he was the biggest Maiden fan I knew, which was odd to me because I pictured Maiden heads to be stoner types with long hair and all greasy skinned (gimme a break, I was new to this scene) and he was clean-cut, kept and wore sweaters and stuff. Anyway, this was something he talked about a good bit. NM.
  • Alice Cooper – Raise Your Fist And Yell — Alice’s 10th solo record and the last to feature Kip Winger on bass and Paul Taylor on keys, both would go on to form Winger with Reb Beach and Rod Morgenstein. The song “Prince of Darkness” was included in the film of the same name from John Carpenter. VG+.
  • Jill Barber – Metaphora — The 2018 album from jazz/folk vocalist Barber. Laidback and very listenable. A good listen, actually. The BCPF eats stuff like this for breakfast, so she, of course, loved it. On “Coke Bottle” blue/green transparent vinyl. NM.
  • Journey – Next — The last Journey album before Steve Perry came along (with Robert Fleishman making a brief stop, first) and totally pop-rocked them out (which is still my favorite era of Journey). I don’t recognize any of these tunes and it wasn’t what I was expecting. I was looking for it to be a little more proggy like the early Journey albums were, but they were kind of in pop mode here, it seems. None of these songs are in the live lineup of played tunes anymore. I liked it, it was just different to me. VG+.
  • Genesis – Seconds Out — 2xLP live album from Genesis. It was the last Genesis album to feature Steve Hackett, thus making Genesis a “three-piece” after this, in which …And Then There Were Three came along. This was recorded, mostly in Paris, on their Trick of the Tail tour. VG+.
  • Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Liverpool — FGTH’s second and final album. That’s sad because both this and its predecessor, 1984’s Welcome to the Pleasuredome are amazing albums. I love synth-driven pop and this is chock full of that. I enjoyed every note of both albums. Amazing stuff, both. I love them. I hate they didn’t do more.  VG+.

Again, it was good to get by Underdog Records again. They have a slew of electronic equipment for sale, either from the store or on consignment. Now is the time to get the equipment you need or want. Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to hear what the TLD/UR special of the moment is. Use Discogs to keep track of your music collection or to just do “random grab” choices. That’s fun.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“Laugh like the head of Apollo. Young and strong on the wings of tomorrow. Rise up in millions, get off your knees. Dispelling the demons in the valley of danger. We all work together, sculptures in sorrow. With love light to follow on sweet head of Apollo. Rage hard, into the light.” – “Rage Hard” (Gill/Johnson/Nash/O’Toole)