Rush – Snakes & Arrows Sealed 2LP (Atlantic 177084)

Released in 2007, “Snakes & Ladders” stands as Rush’s most current studio effort, and was issued by Atlantic in a super nice 180gm HQ-Vinyl version that was pressed by RTI in Los Angeles. It is also widely considered by fans to be the best Rush record in, well, a really long time. The Thom Jurek review over at allmusic.com is pretty epic in its praise for “Snakes…”, more or less calling it one of the band’s best records. Ever. (Me, I haven’t heard a new Rush record in close to 30 years)

Despite the fact it’s only been four years since its release, the vinyl configuration is pretty elusive. Like much of the band’s releases over the past couple of decades. The vinyl run for “Snakes…” is widely recognized to be 5000. I wanna say that there are only a couple thousand copies of “Vapor Trails” out there. But hey, despite the small runs (small in light of how large the band’s worldwide fan base remains), give ’em props for continuing to support the shiny black disc format.

This sealed 180gm two-lp gatefold beauty is housed in a heavy, zippered poly bag, with no jacket issues whatsoever. $150.

Discogs…http://www.discogs.com/sell/list?release_id=1231098&ev=rb

Musicstack…http://www.musicstack.com/item/151034810

Gemm…http://www.gemm.com/ddc/search.pl?&a_refno=GML1875961929

vinyl

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September 6, 2011

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Staples, You Are Dead To Me

And no, not the Staples I used to worth with at Valley Media in Woodland. I’m perfectly cool with that Staples. I mean, as far as I know. No, I speak of Staples, the office supply chain that doesn’t seem to carry, ummm, office supplies. Well, technically, shipping supplies. And office supplies. This is now the third time in a row that I’ve been to the Meadowview store in Sac and walked out without what I would consider staples…at Staples. (But not literally staples). Sorry.

The first time it was bubble wrap. Large bubbles category. Sold out of the large rolls, requiring the need to spend more on less. Second time it was HP ink. Really? Out of probably the most popular ink cartridge on the market? Lame. This morning, a shipping box. Of the approx. ten versions of shipping boxes Staples typically carries, I think they had two. And not the size I need. So, thank you Walgreens (not that I’m a real big fan of you, either).

BTW, I sent an email to Staples the last time I left there empty-handed, complaining that as a small business customer, I continually have issues finding what I need. No response. So yeah, Staples sucks. Hard. I mean, I know I can find what I need cheaper online. But that would require me having better organizational skills than I do. As a result, I often buy something when I run out of whatever it is. Yeah, I’m a model of efficiency.

And then there was the next stop at the Mexican place around the corner. Went in and ordered a breakfast burrito (all of which come with potatoes, natch) and five minutes later I was told the potatoes wouldn’t be ready for 15 minutes. It’s 11am on a Sunday morning and you have no potatoes, and therefore no ability to make a breakfast burrito, as described on your board? And you didn’t know this five minutes earlier? WTF? It continually amazes me how bad customer service can be in this economic climate in which retailers should be fighting for customers. From a big box retailer to a local mom  & pop. At least I’ll give the mom & pop another chance. But I’m done with Staples. Hey, that really was easy.

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August 28, 2011

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Amii Stewart – Knock On Wood / Light My Fire

Hehe. Totally forgot I had this laying around. Happened across it in my current full-on effort to address the stuff that’s been sitting here forever as I continue to procrastinate on deciding their individual fates. As one might expect, my vinyl tired of my continued promises and unionized, and now are collectively putting pressure on me to make it happen. Okay, got it. Mrs. Graypunk is outta town this weekend and I’ve set aside a little *me* time for the vinyl. Satisfied?

Anyway, used to really love this song when I was in high school. (It will be hard for most to even age me by that statement as why would anyone under, say, 45, even know this version?). You see, alongside trashy hard rock and the-then emerging punk/new wave scenes, I’ve always liked dance music. That said, I do not dance. At all. Whatsoever. I’ve always just liked the *sound* of a lot dace music. And I’d probably lay the blame on the Giorgio Moroder’s mixing console. Big, big fan of those early Donna Summer records.

Those Arthur Baker-produced New Order singles? Love ’em. I bought Madonna singles because I wanted to hear the Jellybean or Pettibone remix. Even got into those Patrick Cowley-produced high-energy tracks cut for Megatone. (Dude, they sounded amazing) Yeah, I know. Crazy. Yep, Moroder and more or less disco in general. I mean, there was a truly huge amount of bad disco, but the good stuff, the stuff that you would never hear on the radio, was really, really good. Tom Moulton. Francis Kevorkian. Todd Terry. Yeah, love that stuff, man.

This cover of ‘Knock On Wood” was a #1 single. And also received huge rotation at the high school dances in my senior year. Again, I will stress that I do not dance. And dancing in my senior year may have happened, but if it did I’ve blacked it out (and hopefully anyone who *may* have witnessed this has done the same). Loved that song because it just, yeah, sounded great, and that massive descending drum refrain just made that track. And hey, it was my introduction to a great song. True. Never knew the original until much later (tho before 1985, which is when this version was released in the UK and was, again, a hit). Oh, and for the record, can’t really support the Doors cover on the flip.

Oh, high school.

NO sales pitch. I think this single, as my wife has already told me on more than one occasion, is totally worthless.

nonsense

August 26, 2011

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Black Crowes – Warpaint Sealed Picture Disc LP w/ Bonus 7″ (Silver Arrow)

I have had a long love/not-so-much love affair with the Crowes. It extends back to the late 80’s, when they were then-known as Mr. Crowe’s Garden. I saw them at the original Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill, NC, opening for Drivin’ & Cryin’. They hadn’t quite made their way to the straight up Stones/Faces amalgamation that you heard a couple years later on “Shake Your Moneymaker”. But you could definitely tell that there was something going on there.

A couple of years later, not having heard from the band since that Chapel Hill show, I find myself in Atlanta for the band’s record release party. Rick Rubin was in the house. I was a big Rubin fan back in the day. Just always seemed like anything he produced had an aura of cool about it. And I really liked cool. I never really had a problem conversing with musicians, regardless of how small or large their stature may have been at the time, but I never could bring myself to engage Rubin in conversation. Was afraid I’d look, and sound, stupid.

So…Black Crowes. LOVE that first record. Pretty much ditto for the follow-up, “The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion”. Great f’n title to boot. LOVED the cover for “Amorica”. Like the record quite a bit. But the next decade, for me, was truly hit and miss. Mostly miss, as I am not a huge fan of the jam. When the Beatle boots and mod shags were replaced by ponchos and big beards, I just found it tough to hang. (And apparently still do, having left a two-set Chris Robinson show earlier this year before the end of the first set).

“Warpaint” was somewhat a return to form. As well as just a return, a seven-year gap between studio records, regrouping with Luther Dickinson on guitar. It as also a return to writing *songs*, rather than loose templates for songs. The jamminess was still there, but it seemed tempered, tolerable. It still wasn’t the same band I fell in love with, but it was a helluva lot closer than, say, “Lions”. Ouch.

This is a sealed and fairly limited gatefold picture disc first pressing, with a bonus 7″ of the original “Here Comes The Daylight” backed by a spot-on cover of Joe South’s “Hole In Your Soul”. Jacket is pretty much close to perfect. Super nice, hard-to-find minty Crowes goodness. $50.

Discogs…http://www.discogs.com/buy/Vinyl/Black-Crowes-Warpaint/41734244?ev=bp_rel_det

Musicstack…http://www.musicstack.com/item/132849454

Gemm…http://www.gemm.com/ddc/search.pl?&a_refno=GML1458105245

vinyl

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August 18, 2011

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Bruce Springsteen – Devils & Dust Sealed Double LP (Columbia; C2 93900)

What am I going to tell you about Springsteen that you don’t already know? Relatively recent release, but is now mighty difficult to track a copy down. Sealed 2LP gatefold pressing in a killer jacket with a custom sticker. Come and get it. $85.

Discogs…http://www.discogs.com/sell/list?release_id=1132381&ev=rb

Musicstack…http://www.musicstack.com/item/132849445

Gemm…http://www.gemm.com/item/Springsteen-c—Bruce/Devils–and–Dust/GML1458105236/

vinyl

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August 17, 2011

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Finnigan And Wood – Crazed Hipsters Sealed LP (Blue Thumb; BTS 35)

I know it seems like I type this often, but once again here’s another one that I don’t, well, know much about. Pretty close to nothing. The problem with sealed records, especially those that were never released on CD, or were so fleetingly, is that one is at a loss to convey some kinda feel for what the music actually sounds like. And those who talk about Spotify (or any other music service, really) being a great reason to dump your music collection are apparently not deep listeners. Deep as in catalog, that is. Anytime I go looking for some obscure record to listen to, it is invariably, ummm, unlistenable. Because it remains one step short of unavailable.  The only way to source thousands of pieces of music is via vinyl. Or someone’s terrible rip on a file-sharing site. Pass.

“Crazed Hipsters” was Finnigan and Wood’s lone release. I understand they recorded another album’s worth of material, but it was never released. This record is considered by some folks to be one of those fell-between-the-cracks lost classics, a Muscle Shoals moved west kinda ambience. (Interestingly, a few years later, Jerry Wexler approached Finnigan about cutting a solo record, which they did, at Muscle Shoals). Country? Check. Rock? Check. Soul? Check. Throw in a little folk, some blues, a touch of pysch, stir and listen.

Just about anything one can dig up on this record relates to Finnigan, as he managed to carve out a nice niche for himself as an organ player (primarily Hammond, natch) and background vocalist, including a gig that found him playing organ on two tracks for Hendrix’ “Electric Ladyland” release. That musta been a pretty sweet session. After that was a stint in the Jerry Hahn Brotherhood, with the band’s jazz-fusiony 1972 self-titled record dropping long before the term “fusion” was even being bandied about.

Which then leads to “Crazed Hipsters”. You know, the album I have for sale for which I know very little. And if you have any ability to fill in the blanks, feel free to do so in the comments section. Please?! I will say this – it’s a really nice copy. Original gatefold with a tiny pin-sized cut-out-hole through the bottom left corner of the jacket. Touch of rubbing (1″) on the top left spine corner. Outside of that, way nice. $50.

Musicstack…http://www.musicstack.com/item/132849444

Gemm…http://www.gemm.com/item/Finnigan–and–Wood/Crazed–Hipsters/GML1458105235/

vinyl

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August 17, 2011

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Electric Light Orchestra – Ole’ ELO Sealed Promo-Only Gold Vinyl (United Artists; SP123)

So, couple of things led me to think about this record. Firstly, I sold a sealed copy of “Out Of The Blue” last night. Original pressing with an untouched build-it-yourself ELO spaceship. S-weet. Secondly, and this is a bit of a journey, I just heard the Fountain Of Wayne cover of The Moody Blues’ “The Story In Your Eyes” (b-side of the band’s new single, “Richie & Ruben” and was then reminded of the band’s live cover some time back of ELO’s “Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” (LOVE that song, both versions). And the original version of the song is found here. Okay, not so much a journey. Maybe a short stroll.

Which, naturally, brings us here. The band’s first compilation, issued both in a commercial version and this promo-only gold vinyl version. Includes the full-length versions of both “Kuiama (11:10) and “Roll Over Beethoven (8:02), which is why side one only has, ummm, three songs. Later versions only appeared in edited form, though I love that even in its shortened essence, “Kuiama” still clocks in at just over nine minutes. Proggy pop.

Sealed gold. Sorta. $50. Exactly.

Discogs…http://www.musicstack.com/item/81903300

Gemm…http://www.gemm.com/item/Electric–Light–Orchestra/Ole–ELO/GML1448426732/

vinyl

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August 4, 2011

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Sunset Valley – New Speed / Blue Speed Sealed LP (Sugar Free; SF007)

Ahhh, the 90’s. A decade in which a slew of bands that weren’t named The Pixies or Sugar wanted desperately to sound like The Pixies or Sugar. Many failed. Some succeeded. And some actually did both. Portland’s Sunset Valley, fronted by Herman Jolly fell into that latter category, pretty much nailing the super catchy, super fuzzy tune template, but failing to attract, well, buyers. I’m sure I overstate. I’m sure it’s not by much.

This is the band’s debut recording from 1998, issued on blue wax with an extra track – a cover of “Porpoise Song” (written by Gerry Goffin & Carole King, performed most famously by The Monkees and, not so famously, by The Church and The Wondermints) – not found on the CD version of the record. CD also remains out-of-print and it doesn’t appear that it’s available digitally anywhere either. So there. The vinyl version is super hard to come by, and I’m guessing that there couldn’t have been more than, say, 500 copies pressed. Way nice embossment job on the jacket, with “Sunset Valley” in raised type on the front and back, though reading backward on the back. Nice touch.

This sealed (blue) slice of 90’s nostalgia can be found, like love, all around.

Discogs…http://www.discogs.com/buy/Vinyl/Sunset-Valley-The-Blue-Speed/32062448?ev=bp_rel_det

Musicstack…http://www.musicstack.com/item/12315334

Gemm…http://www.gemm.com/item/Sunset–Valley/New–Speed/GML1448426954/

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August 2, 2011

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The Sonics – Fire & Ice Sealed LP (First American; FA 7779)

Punk rock. Ground Zero. Man, love that cover shot. Those are some natty northwest punks.

So, another find that I know very little about. One of a couple (several?) Sonics comps to be issued all the way at the end of the 70’s via First American. As I cannot find any true documentation on the history of these recordings, I can only assume that the music found here is comprised of Jerden Records odds and sods, label founder Jerry Dennon (drop some letters, smash ’em together and you have “Jerden”) was the man responsible for the very short-lived First American. (Apparently ran into a little inextricable trouble with the IRS).

I can say that the band’s cover of Zappa’s “Any Way The Wind Blows” is not found here (unless uncredited). The track listing as it appears on the jacket is as follows…

Side 1…Like No Other Man, I’m Right, I’ll Always Love Here, Only She Would Do and Diddy Wah Diddy

Side 2…On The Road Again, I’m Going Home, Once Again and I’ll Stay With You

Any of this First American stuff is pretty hard to get your hands on as, again, the label wasn’t around for all that long. And I doubt that the pressing runs were very extensive, either. Sealed and $25.

Musicstack…http://www.musicstack.com/item/81903340

Hmmm…well, can’t seem to find this on Gemm, which is pretty odd. And Discogs only has an entry for the Munster version, not the First American pressing. (And I can’t be all that bothered about adding one. Yet.) So, if ya want it, it’s Musicstack or me.

vinyl

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July 26, 2011

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Kelly Groucutt – Kelly Sealed LP (Riva; RVL 7502)

One of those records I bought on a whim. As much as I liked ELO (or so I claim, having just sold my entire ELO CD collection to a guy who, well, asked me if I had any ELO on CD for sale; I didn’t…and I did), I would have never been able to pick this guy out of a band line-up. But outside of Jeff Lynne, I could probably say that for every member of ELO. And there were a number of members along the way.

Groucutt entered the picture around 1974, appearing on 1975’s “Face The Music” as both the band’s bassist and co-vocalist alongside Jeff Lynne. Nice timing, as the band was already heady with hits on both sides of the Atlantic at this point. Groucutt hung around for quite a while, making it through, I think, 1981’s “Timeless”. By that time, the “orchestra” was shrinking, the musical direction had changed somewhat (for the worse) and Lynne pretty much took over most of, well, all aspects of the band, including all vocals and bass duties.

His role in ELO completely diminished, Groucutt assembled most of the band that was not named Jeff Lynne and recorded this 1982 self-titled solo record. It was the only record Groucutt would record under his own name, deciding that despite his acrimonious split with the ELO (it actually ended with a lawsuit), he was apparently better served financially by playing Lynne’s songs rather than his own. I guess as long as Lynne wasn’t actually in the band, it worked out. His post-ELO life found him playing with another former ELO bandmate, Mik Kaminski, in OrKestra before both hooked up with longtime ELO-er Bev Bevan in Electric Light Orchestra Part II. Ugh.

All that duly noted, I know nothing about this record. Musically, that is. I can only assume it has some faint likenesses to a ELO record for which Jeff Lynne wrote none of the songs. If that makes sense. Outside of a score of Rod Stewart and John Mellencamp (Johnny Cougar!) records, you’d be hard-pressed to recall another artist that recorded for Riva Records. If it ever comes up in trivia, you know have Kelly Groucutt in your back pocket. Grocutt passed away two years ago at the age of 63 after suffering a heart attack.

Sealed w/ custom sticker and the tiniest saw-cut ever. $25.

Musicstack…http://www.musicstack.com/item/64693373

Gemm…http://www.gemm.com/item/Groucutt-c—Kelly/Kelly/GML1456775667/

vinyl

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July 18, 2011

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