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June 3, 2006
Record Weirdo - More Adventures in the Budget Bin
I’ve been to a few record shows this year but I haven’t spent very much money. It hasn't been a conscious or deliberate thing but I believe my method of collecting is becoming more focused. I am more selective in my purchases. I only buy crap.
I don’t understand collectors that are obsessed with “first pressings” or “mint condition.” What does “VG++” mean anyway? It means you have bad breath, a comb-over, and a Sun Records t-shirt that’s four sizes too small.
Each of the following records was purchased this year at record shows for a dollar or less.
Hank Snow - Songs of Tragedy
I bought this for the cover alone. I haven’t listened to it. I don’t want to ruin a good thing.
David Bowie – La grande storia del ROCK
I really like this series of albums that came out of Italy in the 70’s. They always have great colorful covers and what appear to be randomly compiled songs that are seldom representative of the artists. This is a good one. The pictures on the cover show Bowie in his 70’s incarnations of Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke, but the songs are all his pre-fame 60’s slightly psychedelic pop recordings like “The Laughing Gnome.”
Rick Nelson – The Singles Album 1963*1974
This compilation from England goes from “Fools Rush In” to “Garden Party” with a lot of good stuff in between. I like it. It's a shame that Rick will always be overshadowed by Ricky.
Vomit Launch – Exiled Sandwich
I lived in Chico, CA for a few years and used to see these guys (and gals) play in bars and barns all over town. It’s kind of jangly in a Siouxsie and the Banshees meet early REM kind of way. This is a nice time-capsule of 1980’s small-town bohemia. The best song title is “Clowns Are Whores.”
Mrs. Millers Greatest Hits
This record is very popular with collectors. Listening to “outsider” music makes them feel smug and superior. Now that I have a copy, will they accept me as one of their own?
The Southern Death Cult
This is a hodge-podge of demos and live recordings made before this band changed their name to The Cult and got famous. It’s pretty good in a Roger Corman directed Vincent Price movie based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe kind of way.
Randy Hanson
Randy Hanson was a tribute artist before it was such a common thing. He used to do a Jimi Hendrix show that was said to be quite convincing. I’ve never seen him play, but I met him once. I think I heard that the Hendrix family is preventing him from doing his Hendrix act any more.
The songs on this album are all originals. So what does it sound like? Has anybody ever heard of Robin Trower or Mahogany Rush? Not very much like that.
The Titanics
These guys were from back east somewhere – I don’t know – Massachusetts or one of those other “M” states. They had some great songs. I like “Drag You Down To My Level,” “You Just Ain’t Good Enough,” and “Going Out Of My Way To Be Nice To You.” The music is fairly standard post-Replacements guitar rock but with titles that good, who cares? Other song titles of note are “Staying On The Right Side Of Satan,” “Man’s Inhumanity to Man,” and “High On Drugs.”
Why didn’t stuff like this catch on instead of all that Smashing Pumpkins drivel?
Surf Punks –My Beach
I remember song “My Beach” being funny in a Ramones kind of way but I had never heard the whole album. I didn’t miss much. Most novelty music doesn’t age well and this is no exception. It’s not very surf and not very punk. Drummer Dennis Dragon’s brother was the Captain in Captain and Tennille. I really don’t care either.
Elvis Presley – the Ultimate Performance
This is a made-for-budget-bin live compilation from K-tel UK. Not the most exciting recordings I’ve heard, but remember what you’re reading.
Devo – Freedom Of Choice
I was a big fan of the first two Devo albums. When this one came out, the luster had pretty much worn off for me. Then “Whip It” became a hit and I had to stop listening to Devo because everyone else started to. I had some silly self-imposed rule about not liking anything popular. I got over it.
Nite City
I paid fifty cents for this bad boy. There’s something about it that I like, but I can’t figure out what it is. This combo, led by Ray Manzerek of the Doors, also featured Nigel Harrison of Blondie. The music is a cross between slick 70’s rock and new wave pop. Doors biographer Danny Sugerman contributes some goofy Morrison-esque lyrics.
The album is like Velveeta and Spam over a bed of brown rice.
The Rhino Brothers Present The World’s Worst Records, Volume 2
The highlight of this collection is “Goodbye Sam” by Shad O’Shea – a long, rambling narrative using a woman’s descent into prostitution, insanity, and suicide as a metaphor for America’s moral disintegration. It’s a little more hard-hitting than John Wayne’s spoken word album.
“The Troggs Tapes” is pretty good, but it doesn’t really fit the theme of the album. I like “Split Level Head” by Napoleon XIV. I will only mention “Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage” by Killer Pussy for titillation and shock value. Approximately 92% of this album is empty made-to-order sub-Dr. Demento novelty fodder.
U.K. Squeeze
Squeeze’s first album was a little rougher and edgier than their later pop hits. John Cale produced it. “Take Me I’m Yours” is the poppiest thing here. It’s on red vinyl.
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Goodbye Cruel World
The Only Flame in Town (12 inch single)
Everyday I Write The Book (12 inch single)
“Goodbye Cruel World” is arguably Elvis Costello’s worst album. I’ve owned it before but I got rid of it because I didn’t like the way it sounded. I gave it another chance. I like it now. I’ve either become more open-minded and accepting or my ears have become soft and mushy from prolonged exposure to horrible music. The production is very 80’s, but the songs are good. Elvis Costello has said he hopes that sound never comes back.
Among other things, Costello is known for collaborating with his musical heroes. He has worked with George Jones, Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach, Chet Baker, and Allen Toussaint among others. On “The Only Flame in Town” he sings with Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates and fulfills his lifelong dream of being Oates.
“Everyday I Write The Book” was a hit as it should have been. It has a couple of good non-album b-sides.
Grand Funk – We’re An American Band
The Funk of Forty Thousand Years. Okay, let’s weigh the pros and cons here. The title song is great. It stands today as one of the great anthems of 70’s rock and roll decadence. The other songs are okay. The production by Todd Rundgren is fine by me. The shiny gold metallic cover is very nice. I like the yellow colored vinyl. So far, so good, right? If you open up the gatefold sleeve you’ll see this:
What the hell were they thinking? They must have been on dope.
Posted by Big Kev at June 3, 2006 12:08 PM
