I can tell when I'm going to have a good find of 45s. It usually starts at the St Vincent De Paul store and then Goodwill has some interesting ones, and then if I feel up to the challenge, dive into Moondog Music's boxes of 45s. And wouldn't you know it, the guy mentioned that there was four new boxes of just acquired 45s and I was free to take a look at them for as long as I wanted or closing time.
For a record hoarder like me, I tend to be open minded on what's out there and check them out. There was a treasure box full of Del Shannon stuff, The solo Beatles, Gary Lewis And The Playboys and other oddities. I did eventually went home with 16 blasts from the pasts and a couple of oddball things worth a listen. Tho' I didn't find anything at St Vincent De Paul, I took note of a Ray Price cover of Scotch And Soda on Viva/WB, but the rest of the 45s they had were beyond buying. Scratchy, broken and so forth. So I went to Goodwill and found these 45's
1) Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher And Higher-Rita Coolidge (A&M 1922) #2 1977
I've seen this 45 used time and time again, but never seen the need to pick up a copy. Rita was a sex symbol, married to Kris Kristofferson for a while (they made a couple listenable albums) and after the divorce, Rita returned back to making music. Mostly MOR pop, but this song is driven by Booker T Jones arrangements. Rita has never stood out for me as a singer but this song brings back high school memories. Mostly of being stood up by a couple of ladies that promised to dance with me but never did. B side is Who's The Bless And Who's To Blame, The record was in pretty good shape.
2) (Little Darling) I Need You-Marvin Gaye (Tamla T-54138) #47 1966
A disappointing seller for sure, this single may have been a part of my record collection years ago (The early 60s Tamla label was a strange looking logo, but time and history has clouded my mind if it was Marvin or the Marvelettes). The Doobie Brothers did cover this in 1977 from the forgettable Living On The Fault Line album. Marvin's version of this song isn't found on too many best ofs, in fact I looked up Super Hits and it wasn't on it. In fact, later on, I picked up another Marvin Gaye best of, that had Trouble Man, a great 1972 song that you never hear anymore. This 45 looked worse for the wear but actually plays decent despite no record sleeve and being exposed to the elements. B side is the toss off Hey Diddle Diddle. A major difference between producers. Holland, Dozier and Holland produced Little Darling, Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol took care of Hey Diddle Diddle.
3) Condemned Without Trial-Eddy Arnold (RCA Victor 47-5108) 1952
Hillbilly country from Eddy. Written by Don Robertson and Hal Blair, this moody weeper came out in December of 1952. B side Eddy's Song got some airplay as well. I usually don't think Eddy as a uptempo singer but in this era, Eddy did know how to play hillbilly country with the best of them. This record I have is a bit warped on the edge and plenty of pops and ticks. It's been played a few times and left on something hot to warp it.
4) Eat Drink And Be Merry-Porter Wagoner (RCA Victor 47-6289) 1955
I'm guessing the same owner that owned Eddy's 45 had this one too, due to it also being warped a bit and plenty of surface scratches, but it is Porter Wagoner and if it's in fair shape and can be played, I'll take a copy. Even in the hillbilly days, Porter would find some of the more darker love songs and cover them. He would also cover silly songs as B side Let's Squiggle is a silly hillbilly number. He could do better.
5) Sure Didn't Take Him Too Long-Homer Joy (Capitol 4068) 1975
The guy that wrote Streets Of Bakersfield for Buck Owens recorded five singles, most of them didn't chart and were simply promo copies. He covers a Waylon Jennings song for his final Capitol single.
6) Goodtime Baby-LaWanda Lindsey (Capitol 4094) 1975
Another late comer to the Bakersfield/Buck Owens sound was Lindsey, who had a couple of top 30 hits with Hello Out There and a duet with Kenny Vernon, Picking Wild Mountain Berries which were on Chart Records. Buck Owens produced Hello Out There after LaWanda moved to Capitol from Chart in 1973. She was a singles artist from the get go. But around 1975 Jim Shaw took over production and came up with this so so country number. She later would have a modest hit for Mercury with Walk Right Back before retiring from music in 1979.
And now, the Moondog 45s. Rated faves to nay.
1) She's The One-The Chartbusters (Mutual 502) #33 1964
A while ago, I did a discography on Bobby Poe, who as Bobby Brant stuck up a piano boogie rocker called Piano Nellie with Big Al Downing pounding on the 88s, This time out, Bobby co produced this Beatles influenced number which basically has the same riff as I Saw Her Standing There. I've been on the lookout for this record and Moondog had two copies, both has seen better days but thankfully this one plays decent. Poe would later invent the pop rock survey and later passed on in 2011.
2) Ain't That Loving You Baby-Elvis Presley (RCA 47-8440) #16 1964
B Side: Ask Me #12
3) Burning Love-Elvis Presley (RCA 74-0769) #2 1972
It's hard to find decent Elvis 45s, tho' more recently I am having better luck in coming across them. Ain't That Loving You Baby is not related to Jimmy Reed but rather written by Ivory Jo Hunter and Clyde Otis, and is one of the more harder rocking songs that Hunter came up with. By 1964, Elvis was more of a movie star and rocker but whatever the case, Ain't That Loving You Baby is one of my fave Elvis rockers of all time. That's saying something. B side Ask Me, is throwaway ballad and not one of my favorite Elvis songs of all time. Burning Love is latter day Elvis taking a Dennis Linde song and turning into a concert staple. By then Elvis was losing interest in real rockers and turning into a over the top balladeer that bored me. B side A Matter Of Time, is a underrated country song.
4) Just My Imagination-The Temptations (Gordy G-7105) #1 1971
Perhaps the sweetest and sadness of all the Temptation songs ever recorded and the last that featured Paul Williams according to the mini series that VH1 would pull out every other month. You can feel the sadness in Eddie Kendricks' voice. At that time, the Temps were working with Norman Whitfield and like Gamble-Huff with Jerry Butler, he bought the best out of the Temps, tho' not every song would be a hit, It's Summer stumbled to number 51, Superstar would make it to number 18 and two more songs would not cause much of a ripple but then Whitfield struck gold with Papa Was A Rolling Stone. B side You Make Your Heaven And Hell Here Right On Earth brings the funk but that song was also covered by The Undisputed Truth.
5) Silver Moon-Michael Nesmith/First National Band (RCA 74-0399) #42 1970
Probably the best songwriter from The Monkees, he went country rock with the First National Band. While Joanne sold due to name association, Silver Moon sold less as with each singles but for my money and ears, the best song that Nesmith wrote that the Monkees didn't record. The yodel is a wink and nod to Slim Whitman, B side Lady Of The Lake is passable listening.
6) Fool Like You-Tim Moore (Dunhill/ABC D-4337) #93 1973
I could have swore this single had a higher charting rating than what Billboard gave this, I'm certain KCRG had this in their Super 30 at around that time too. Moore was a songwriter that sounded a bit like Gilbert O'Sullivan without the sarcastic wit. Jessie Frederick also comes to mind, since Jessie had I Belong To You as a single earlier in 73. Moore would later pen Second Avenue for Asylum and had a number 58 chart with that song. Art Garfunkel covered that one.
7) Born A Woman-Sandy Posey (MGM Golden Circle KGC-167) #12 1966
Posey recorded a bunch of MGM sides with Chips Moman producing and using some of the finest Memphis players out there. Nick Lowe covered this during his Stiff years. B Side Single Woman also made it to number 12. She didn't have much chart loving in her years but she did spend a few years at Columbia and Warner Brothers and making the country charts, more than pop. For the most part, Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill seemed to get the best songs out of her.
8) Freight Train-Duane Eddy (Congress C-6010) 1969
I grew up listening to Duane's guitar songs of the 60s, his version of Peter Gunn is the most driving of all songs but Duane has teetered on more pop than rock. Lee Hazelwood got the best out of him, even on the Reprise album The Roaring Twangies. By 1969, Jimmy Bowen was producing his songs and on a whole they didn't stand out much. Freight Train is the usual Eddy Twang complete with honking sax, tho we are missing the hoots and hollers from overzealous musicians. I'm thinking B side Put A Little Love In Your Heart was the plug side, it least it seems that way to these ears. Needless to say, nobody cared enough to buy the record. Eddy would move over to UNI for one more single and weave in and out of record labels to make a single here and there.
9) Put Your Mind At Ease-Every Mother's Son (MGM K 13788) #46 1967
The followup to the smash single Come On Down To My Boat shows E.M.S. going for a more psychedelic sound, something like Revolution era Paul Revere And The Raiders or Headquarters era Monkees . With Wes Farrell producing, he was trying to steer them into bubblegum pop but you wouldn't know it on this track. It does rock The B Side The Proper Four Leaf Clover takes psychedelia a bit too seriously for its own good.
10) Changin' Winds-The Robbs (Atlantic 2578) 1968
One of two singles The Robbs recorded for Atlantic after leaving Mercury. This was the final one, with Johnny Pate (B B King) producing, a very strange pairing and not exactly a memorable ballad. B side A Good Time Song was better.
11) Rumors-Timex Social Club (Jay 7001) #8 1986
This got plenty of airplay on top forty radio and at the dance club. TSC is considered to be the forefathers of New Jack Swing, a hybrid of hip hop and rap but with a more smooth groove. Rumors had a showing in the top 10, and then they broke up, their producer formed Club Nouveau which you all know that they had a number 1 hit with Bill Withers' Lean On Me.
12) I'm Gonna Change-The Montanas (Independence IND-87) 1968
Best known as a band produced by Tony Hatch (Petula Clark) The Montanas recorded for UK Pye to which Warner Brothers and later Independence Records released their music out in the states. Only You Got To Be Loved made the charts at number 58, and the followup stayed over the top 100. B side A Step In The Right Direction was a better song.
13) Sleepy-Walter Perkins MIT +3 (Vee Jay VJ 340) 1960
Anything from Vee Jay Records is worth a listen, even the jazz sides are worth hearing. I knew nothing of this 45, when I saw it in the box of records at Moondog Music. So I figured it would be either R and B or jazz. Funny thing about jazz records is when you get the album the songs are about 6 to 7 minutes long but a 45 and they about 2 and half minutes at best. Sleepy seems to be inspired by Max Roach and a bit of Monk in there. It's over and done a little over 2 minutes. The other side The Whiffenpoof Song is 2:19. While stock copies have the catalog number VJ 340, my 45 is a special DJ release. Which might have been a big deal back then but I doubt if anybody got too excited over short jazz compositions.
14) Lila-Doyle Holly (Barnaby B-5027) 1973
Holly was once part of Buck Owens' Buckaroos and released a couple Capitol singles featuring them before venturing out on his own, moving to Andy Williams' Barnaby Records. The best known song from him might be Queen Of The Silver Dollar, but Lila is a memorable song if you hear it. B side is a cover of Willie Nelson's Darling Are You Ever Coming Home. Side note; in 1988 Holly recorded The Fireman, written by Mack Vickery and Wayne Kemp for New Dixie Records. George Strait would cover this song to the top of the country charts in the 1990s.
15) I Love You More Today Than Yesterday-Marquis (Eagle 212416-001) 1972
One of two mystery records found. A search through google and the internet didn't turn up anything. So the guess is that this version of Marquis was based around Dubuque Iowa and had a decent following to make a single, which was a so so remake of the Spiral Staircase song. B side is a take on Solitary Man by Neil Diamond and it sounds like that the band may have paid for an hour recording session and needed to get something on vinyl. A product of the times I suppose.
16) That's All Right (Sun-1129) 1972
Artist unknown, but it turned to be Jimmy Ellis, aka Orion
The second mystery 45. When I found this record, I thought it was Sun's reissuing of Elvis Presley's song that started the rock and roll era.but instead it was the cover version done by Jimmy Ellis, better known to the world as Orion, a dude that hid behind a mask while playing and singing Elvis hits. While it's easy to slang Ellis and the man behind the mask, Jimmy really wanted to ditch the mask and be known under his regular name instead of Orion. When the late Shelby Singleton said no to that, Ellis walked away from it all. However he still continue to do shows here and there but not enough to sustain the money that he did make as Orion. In 1998 Ellis was gunned down at his pawn shop by a robber.
Back to the single, That's All Right is a sloppy remake, probably done in one take. The bass player would use the same bass runs on b side Blue Moon Of Kentucky. Blue Moon is a bit more polished although the lack of originality from the bass player makes this song and the single like listening to a bar band in a dive bar.
Even 21 years after his death, Jimmy Ellis still gets lambasted, the most recent from Jimmy Fallon. Nowadays nobody pays much attention, if they do, it's from You Tube and the selected singles. For a Elvis imitator there's much worse out there. But it's a dated scene should you come across old Orion videos and the cheap mask that hid his eyes. Ellis wanted a name for himself which is why he walked away from the steady income that Shelby Singleton provided. I guess you can say Ellis did it his way to quote the Paul Anka song of My Way. For that we'll give him credit.
Sunday, June 2, 2019
Monday, May 27, 2019
Rock and Roll and The Gold Dust Woman
Well did she made you cry
Made you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
And Is it over now
Do you know how
To pick up the pieces and go home (Stevie Nicks-Gold Dust Woman)
Singles Going Steady Medley-Memorial Day Finds.
Dreaming-Cliff Richard (EMI America 8057) 1980 #10
Every Day I Learn A Little More About Love-John D Loudermilk (Music Is Medicine MIM 002) 1978
Love Is A Sometime Thing-Bill Anderson (Decca 732643) 1970
Who Will The Next Fool Be/Rita Mae-Jerry Lee Lewis (Elektra E-46067) 1979
Kiss The Lips Of A Fool-Rufus Lumley (RCA 47-9579) 1968
I'll Forgive You (But I Won't Forget)-Tony Pastor Jr. (Tower 204) 1966
For some reason these songs fit the mood that I am. Cliff Richard in 1980 had a comeback year with a couple to top ten hits with Alan Tarney from the Tarney/Spencer Band producing. Dreaming is lightweight bubblegum pop, but I enjoyed this song over We Don't Talk Anymore. The John Loudermilk song is ho hum including with a kiddie choir and Bill Anderson covers Jan Howard's song. My dad has both Bill's and Jan's version. Jerry Lee Lewis covers Charlie Rich with good intentions but the B side is Rita Mae, a Bob Dylan cover. Jerry's 1979 Elektra album is perhaps his last shining moment in the country side of things. And Rufus Lumley? This was his last RCA single, and it's better than the B side, which is Vegas pop overkill. Kinda reminds me of Tony Pastor Jr, whose single I'll Forgive You was found at the Maquoketa Goodwill a couple years ago and I thought I documented it in a previous Singles Going Steady Medley but everything has come up empty in the archives. Therefore, I'm finally adding it to the singles that were bought. It might be wishful thinking that I can salvage this relationship but I think I'm just wasting time and energy.
I also found a bunch of 45s from Moondog Music over the weekend and will write up a blog later on in the week.
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Singles Going Steady-2019 Edition
It has been a very quiet year on finding 45s of note but for the most part I continue to look for them but alas, the ones I do find are scratchy and have seen better days. And to the Salvation Army of Davenport that usually has then, the last trip they had none in the store. None to be found, no jukebox copies, no scratchy and broken records. But Davenport has had their own problems of late, basically the all time highest Mississippi River crest on record. And they still can't play baseball there. The stadium is an island in the river.
(Ragged Records Flood of 2019)
Let's face it. Us record crate diggers who take pride in their record finds will continue to search the area over for more music, and more 45s. I have noticed that this year I have found three copies of disgraced comedian Bill Cosby's Hikky Burr (Part 1 and 2) at Goodwill and did pick one up. He knows how to get funky, he has a great ear for jazz, but it's hard to listen to Bill and keep an open mind. I also did find Garland Green You Played On A Player.twice. The original copy I found last year had a nasty scratch on the B side. It's weird to find two singles from 50 plus years ago in decent shape from Bill Cosby an Garland Green. But then again, I have a knack of locating better copies of 45s and Cds for that matter. Just a force of habit, anybody can do it. But in this day and age the young generation don't give a shit about 45s. They're too busy gazing into their smart phone as the world passes them by.
I have written about 40 blogs about the 45s that I found and for a reference to myself, I tend to marvel or gasp at what I did find for music. If the song is memorable and part of my childhood years then that's another piece of the puzzle that is my life. I've been lucky in past years of finding past tunes and reconnecting with a lost part of my youth. But this year it has been slow going. Half Price Books haven't had much, neither has Goodwill. Analog Vault does managed to get something in from time to time and last Sunday, I had a chance to actually find some cool stuff. While Davenport failed to yield anything of note, Goodwill Moline had three pop singles, one from Dean Martin and two from Bobby Darin, who is enjoying a comeback of sorts here on Record World. He would have a third record but it was too chewed up to be played. The big surprise was finding The Beatles/From Me To You as a Vee Jay Promo, which cost me 8 dollars when I found it at Analog Vault. And it was in VG plus condition. After that, we're back to country singles and off the wall stuff that only myself would be interested to hear.
(bob herrington photo credit-Ragged Records May 9, 2019)
As of this writing, Ragged Records in Davenport still has Mississippi mud sludge in their building and any trip will have to wait but their second location in Rock Island is dry and perhaps that might be worth going to next time I'm in town. Until I go to Madison, there's not going to be much to report about 45s. But I do keep my eyes and ears open for the next estate sale that does sell 45s.
1) Hello Dolly-Bobby Darin (Capitol 5359) #79 1965
2) Mane-Bobby Darin (Atlantic 2329) #53 1966
Two songs written by Jerry Herman, both did get covered by Louie Armstrong, those ones I remember quite well. Richard Weiss who arranged most of Bobby's earlier Vegas stuff does the Hello Dolly song, Perry Botkin Jr arranged Mane and I think Mane is fun stuff. Even more fun is the B side Goodbye Charlie (Hello Dolly) which is the most jazz that Bobby Darin ever attempted. Walking In the Shadow Of Love, the Atlantic flip side is country sounding but not one of the better songs that Bobby ever did. But at this point, Darin was slowly moving into a more folk style that would come into play later with If I Were A Carpenter. But at this point, Bobby was still doing more of a swinging pop style.
3) Not Enough Indians-Dean Martin (Reprise 780) #43 1968
Written by Baker Knight, Dean is using Jimmy Bowen as producer, and Ernie Freeman on dated arrangements, just like Everybody Loves Somebody but the results and chart placements were getting lower and lower. Deano made it easy, he usually did one take and went on his merry way. B side Rainbows Are Back In Style was covered by Slim Whitman.
4) Thank God And Greyhound-Roy Clark (Dot DOA 17355) #90 1970
My favorite Roy Clark song of all time. Great guitar player but he made some of the most blandest country songs of the 60s and 70s but this one has the Hee Haw wit and since of humor. On the country charts he did well, on the pop side of things, not so much.
5) Lonely Women Make Good Lovers-Bob Luman (Epic 5-10905) #4 Country 1972
Like most rockabilly artists, Luman enjoyed a decent country music career before pneumonia cut his life short at age 41 in 1978. Out of all the country singles he did, this is probably my favorite song of his. Took me forever to find a decent 45 and even my copy must have spent some time in somebody's jukebox.
6) Honky Tonk Wine-Wayne Kemp (MCA 40031) #17 Country 1973
Another journeyman country singer, Kemp had his highest charting single with this Mack Vackery written number, complete with a fuzz tone guitar, quite uncountry like for the times. He's best known for writing One Piece At A Time, a number 1 country hit for Johnny Cash in 1976. Back when country was still fun to listen to.
7) Let Me Know-Dick Todd (Decca 9-28583) 1953
Known as Canada's answer to Bing Crosby, Todd recorded for Bluebird, Rainbow and Decca. Of course I wouldn't be that interested but till I heard this song. B side was Bumming Around to which Johnny Horton had a minor hit but I know this song from Jan Howard, who recorded a country version of this. Backed by the Ray Charles Singers to which is not related to the Genius of modern country and blues.
8) Ain't It Amazing Gracie-Buck Owens (Capitol 3563) #14 1973
The last great period of Buck's recording years with Capitol. Times were changing and tho' his singles continued to chart, the newer country stars were pushing Buck to the back of the bus. But I still grant Buck had a ear for crafting 2 minute songs that were straight and to the point. Omnivore is slated to release the third and final volume of Buck's Capitol years, if they haven't already. Hard to find a record store that would stock it.
9) Moody Woman-Jerry Butler (Mercury 72939) #24 1969
Butler's best songs were with the Gamble/Huff production team and the Philadelphia sound went very well with Butler's smooth Chicago R and B vocals. The template for the Philadelphia International sound later with the O Jays, Harold Melvin and The Blues Notes and others, but it actually started with Jerry. B side Go Away Find Yourself is a very moody slow r and b cooker.
10) Wake Up Wake Up-The Grassroots (Dunhill D-4105) #68 1967
I was listening to the now deleted Complete ABC/Dunhill singles that Real Gone issued a few years ago (not complete since No Smoke Without Fire was omitted for the censored Let's Live For Today version) and was taken by how samely the songs would be beginning with Midnight Confessions and so on and so forth. You can tell the difference between the more inspired I'd Wait A Million Years, or Heaven knows and watching the Grassroots recycled the same arrangements for later songs (the awful Two Divided By Love or Sooner Or Later) and the songs became a cliche formula. But on Wake Up Wake Up, PF Sloan still had some say in having the guys branch out a bit. Somewhat of a cross between Paul Revere and the Raiders and even Del Shannon comes to mind. Slightly psychedelic and bubble gum, Wake Up Wake Up could be the answer to My World Fell Down or Susan by the Buckinghams. The fun of trying to figure out the influences and sounds of a band that Steve Barri would hijack and rewrite the same songs over and over, but as long as they charted in the top 30, things would be fine. B side No Exit is a band comp without Sloan nor Barri's help. Sound kinda dull too.
(Photo Courtesy: The Bargain Hunters Network: Found at Analog Vault, CR, IA)
Finally. If you read this far. The find of the day.
From Me To You-The Beatles (Vee Jay 522) #46 1964 (released in 1963)
Back around 1963, there was a certain band from Liverpool who was tolling in the underground music scene at Hamburg but was causing up such a rawkus that the american Capitol label, didn't promote much of their music before I Wanna Hold Your Hand, to which that song made number 1 and the world was never the same but at that time, Capitol was rather license the songs out to minor labels and not give a shit. Things changed big time once I Wanna Hold Your Hand blew up the charts. Vee Jay, was the second biggest R and B label next to Chess but they managed to grab hold on a few singles and managed to manipulate things and released the same songs on various albums before EMI/Capitol said enough. The version that charted was Vee Jay 581 but my copy is a DJ promo VJ 522. And I paid 8 dollars for a DJ promo, which is cool. You do not see many Vee Jay Beatles pressings out in decent shape anywhere, unless you take out a second mortgage should you find a unmarked copy at a deceiving record store and they have to look it up on EBAY and apply the screws on you. I don't mind paying 8 dollars for a VG VJ copy. It's one of those rare singles which Paul McCartney/John Lennon are co writes, later editions would fall under Lennon/McCartney.
B side is Thank You Girl, to which Vee Jay would issue a stand alone promo copy that's is quite hard to find if they haven't been broken up in little pieces after the license to Vee Jay ran out and Vee Jay was forced to destroy the records. In the process by losing the battle, Vee Jay would go out of business. But in the CD era, the Vee Jay Partnership has returned, putting out compilations of the blues hits of John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and a few others. However, the Beatles (and Four Seasons) songs were hands off. But there is something special of owning a Vee Jay Beatles records (or a Swan or Tollie) and fifty years on, they remain a good investment for the 45 collector. And of a special time before the major labels, realizing what they have, would issue product to the independent labels. You won't see that anymore.
(Ragged Records Flood of 2019)
Let's face it. Us record crate diggers who take pride in their record finds will continue to search the area over for more music, and more 45s. I have noticed that this year I have found three copies of disgraced comedian Bill Cosby's Hikky Burr (Part 1 and 2) at Goodwill and did pick one up. He knows how to get funky, he has a great ear for jazz, but it's hard to listen to Bill and keep an open mind. I also did find Garland Green You Played On A Player.twice. The original copy I found last year had a nasty scratch on the B side. It's weird to find two singles from 50 plus years ago in decent shape from Bill Cosby an Garland Green. But then again, I have a knack of locating better copies of 45s and Cds for that matter. Just a force of habit, anybody can do it. But in this day and age the young generation don't give a shit about 45s. They're too busy gazing into their smart phone as the world passes them by.
I have written about 40 blogs about the 45s that I found and for a reference to myself, I tend to marvel or gasp at what I did find for music. If the song is memorable and part of my childhood years then that's another piece of the puzzle that is my life. I've been lucky in past years of finding past tunes and reconnecting with a lost part of my youth. But this year it has been slow going. Half Price Books haven't had much, neither has Goodwill. Analog Vault does managed to get something in from time to time and last Sunday, I had a chance to actually find some cool stuff. While Davenport failed to yield anything of note, Goodwill Moline had three pop singles, one from Dean Martin and two from Bobby Darin, who is enjoying a comeback of sorts here on Record World. He would have a third record but it was too chewed up to be played. The big surprise was finding The Beatles/From Me To You as a Vee Jay Promo, which cost me 8 dollars when I found it at Analog Vault. And it was in VG plus condition. After that, we're back to country singles and off the wall stuff that only myself would be interested to hear.
(bob herrington photo credit-Ragged Records May 9, 2019)
As of this writing, Ragged Records in Davenport still has Mississippi mud sludge in their building and any trip will have to wait but their second location in Rock Island is dry and perhaps that might be worth going to next time I'm in town. Until I go to Madison, there's not going to be much to report about 45s. But I do keep my eyes and ears open for the next estate sale that does sell 45s.
1) Hello Dolly-Bobby Darin (Capitol 5359) #79 1965
2) Mane-Bobby Darin (Atlantic 2329) #53 1966
Two songs written by Jerry Herman, both did get covered by Louie Armstrong, those ones I remember quite well. Richard Weiss who arranged most of Bobby's earlier Vegas stuff does the Hello Dolly song, Perry Botkin Jr arranged Mane and I think Mane is fun stuff. Even more fun is the B side Goodbye Charlie (Hello Dolly) which is the most jazz that Bobby Darin ever attempted. Walking In the Shadow Of Love, the Atlantic flip side is country sounding but not one of the better songs that Bobby ever did. But at this point, Darin was slowly moving into a more folk style that would come into play later with If I Were A Carpenter. But at this point, Bobby was still doing more of a swinging pop style.
3) Not Enough Indians-Dean Martin (Reprise 780) #43 1968
Written by Baker Knight, Dean is using Jimmy Bowen as producer, and Ernie Freeman on dated arrangements, just like Everybody Loves Somebody but the results and chart placements were getting lower and lower. Deano made it easy, he usually did one take and went on his merry way. B side Rainbows Are Back In Style was covered by Slim Whitman.
4) Thank God And Greyhound-Roy Clark (Dot DOA 17355) #90 1970
My favorite Roy Clark song of all time. Great guitar player but he made some of the most blandest country songs of the 60s and 70s but this one has the Hee Haw wit and since of humor. On the country charts he did well, on the pop side of things, not so much.
5) Lonely Women Make Good Lovers-Bob Luman (Epic 5-10905) #4 Country 1972
Like most rockabilly artists, Luman enjoyed a decent country music career before pneumonia cut his life short at age 41 in 1978. Out of all the country singles he did, this is probably my favorite song of his. Took me forever to find a decent 45 and even my copy must have spent some time in somebody's jukebox.
6) Honky Tonk Wine-Wayne Kemp (MCA 40031) #17 Country 1973
Another journeyman country singer, Kemp had his highest charting single with this Mack Vackery written number, complete with a fuzz tone guitar, quite uncountry like for the times. He's best known for writing One Piece At A Time, a number 1 country hit for Johnny Cash in 1976. Back when country was still fun to listen to.
7) Let Me Know-Dick Todd (Decca 9-28583) 1953
Known as Canada's answer to Bing Crosby, Todd recorded for Bluebird, Rainbow and Decca. Of course I wouldn't be that interested but till I heard this song. B side was Bumming Around to which Johnny Horton had a minor hit but I know this song from Jan Howard, who recorded a country version of this. Backed by the Ray Charles Singers to which is not related to the Genius of modern country and blues.
8) Ain't It Amazing Gracie-Buck Owens (Capitol 3563) #14 1973
The last great period of Buck's recording years with Capitol. Times were changing and tho' his singles continued to chart, the newer country stars were pushing Buck to the back of the bus. But I still grant Buck had a ear for crafting 2 minute songs that were straight and to the point. Omnivore is slated to release the third and final volume of Buck's Capitol years, if they haven't already. Hard to find a record store that would stock it.
9) Moody Woman-Jerry Butler (Mercury 72939) #24 1969
Butler's best songs were with the Gamble/Huff production team and the Philadelphia sound went very well with Butler's smooth Chicago R and B vocals. The template for the Philadelphia International sound later with the O Jays, Harold Melvin and The Blues Notes and others, but it actually started with Jerry. B side Go Away Find Yourself is a very moody slow r and b cooker.
10) Wake Up Wake Up-The Grassroots (Dunhill D-4105) #68 1967
I was listening to the now deleted Complete ABC/Dunhill singles that Real Gone issued a few years ago (not complete since No Smoke Without Fire was omitted for the censored Let's Live For Today version) and was taken by how samely the songs would be beginning with Midnight Confessions and so on and so forth. You can tell the difference between the more inspired I'd Wait A Million Years, or Heaven knows and watching the Grassroots recycled the same arrangements for later songs (the awful Two Divided By Love or Sooner Or Later) and the songs became a cliche formula. But on Wake Up Wake Up, PF Sloan still had some say in having the guys branch out a bit. Somewhat of a cross between Paul Revere and the Raiders and even Del Shannon comes to mind. Slightly psychedelic and bubble gum, Wake Up Wake Up could be the answer to My World Fell Down or Susan by the Buckinghams. The fun of trying to figure out the influences and sounds of a band that Steve Barri would hijack and rewrite the same songs over and over, but as long as they charted in the top 30, things would be fine. B side No Exit is a band comp without Sloan nor Barri's help. Sound kinda dull too.
(Photo Courtesy: The Bargain Hunters Network: Found at Analog Vault, CR, IA)
Finally. If you read this far. The find of the day.
From Me To You-The Beatles (Vee Jay 522) #46 1964 (released in 1963)
Back around 1963, there was a certain band from Liverpool who was tolling in the underground music scene at Hamburg but was causing up such a rawkus that the american Capitol label, didn't promote much of their music before I Wanna Hold Your Hand, to which that song made number 1 and the world was never the same but at that time, Capitol was rather license the songs out to minor labels and not give a shit. Things changed big time once I Wanna Hold Your Hand blew up the charts. Vee Jay, was the second biggest R and B label next to Chess but they managed to grab hold on a few singles and managed to manipulate things and released the same songs on various albums before EMI/Capitol said enough. The version that charted was Vee Jay 581 but my copy is a DJ promo VJ 522. And I paid 8 dollars for a DJ promo, which is cool. You do not see many Vee Jay Beatles pressings out in decent shape anywhere, unless you take out a second mortgage should you find a unmarked copy at a deceiving record store and they have to look it up on EBAY and apply the screws on you. I don't mind paying 8 dollars for a VG VJ copy. It's one of those rare singles which Paul McCartney/John Lennon are co writes, later editions would fall under Lennon/McCartney.
B side is Thank You Girl, to which Vee Jay would issue a stand alone promo copy that's is quite hard to find if they haven't been broken up in little pieces after the license to Vee Jay ran out and Vee Jay was forced to destroy the records. In the process by losing the battle, Vee Jay would go out of business. But in the CD era, the Vee Jay Partnership has returned, putting out compilations of the blues hits of John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and a few others. However, the Beatles (and Four Seasons) songs were hands off. But there is something special of owning a Vee Jay Beatles records (or a Swan or Tollie) and fifty years on, they remain a good investment for the 45 collector. And of a special time before the major labels, realizing what they have, would issue product to the independent labels. You won't see that anymore.
Thursday, May 2, 2019
The Davenport Flood of 2019
It's been a quiet five months here in Record World land. I have been busy in my other blog world, and taking notes of the the songs and places that I played at and bands that I have been playing in. I don't promote that page much, it's for a reference for me to see what songs worked and what songs don't, and the continual up and down of being a adversary in a relationship that hasn't pawned out much. Less said the better and I already said too much.
2019 hasn't been a boom in looking for new music, in fact I only bought three new albums and am more interested of what I can find for two dollars or less at the thrift store. I do frequent the record stores when I'm in the neighborhood. In fact two weeks ago, I stopped at Davenport to get the new Dawn album, but got to Ragged Records too late and they were closed (they closed at 5, I got there at five minutes afterwards) and to take in a River Bandits game. This season, that hasn't been possible.
For you see we had a very wet winter, and a rapid snow melt and two cyclone bombs to make the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers into one great big sea. The Missouri is somewhat back to it's banks but for 40 straight days and counting, the Mississippi has flooded parts of Davenport, normally on River Drive and the parks next to the river. In fact The River Bandits have only played three home games all year since Modern Woodsman Park is a island and the parking lot flooded. It's not about to change anytime soon.
The city of Davenport had installed HESCO flood barriers to keep the Mississippi at bay. The HESO barriers were a success keeping the Cedar River out of downtown Cedar Rapids in 2016, but they were only good for a quick flood. The Mississippi on the other hand, is a whole different river, and for 40 days, the HESCO barrier was not supposed to be used that long. On 3:30 Tuesday Afternoon, the river broke through and flooded the South East corner of downtown. To which Bob Herrington at Ragged Records woke up to find the river approaching closer and closer and decided to take action and move his inventory upstairs and six feet off the floor for the lesser stuff. He has kept us updated on the situation and as of this morning, he has resigned in frustration that the inventory downstairs might be a total loss now that the Mississippi is now four feet into the record store. Trash Can Annie, the vintage clothes shop that shares the space with Ragged Records. They managed to clear out that part of the store within two hours.
While the media tells you that downtown Davenport is all flooded, it's not. The area where Ragged Records is located at is down hill. Centennial Park, located next to Woodman's Park is basically on the riverbank and everything is flooded down there. The amphitheater,the bathrooms, the old hot dog stand are underwater. Front Street Brewery Company, they tried to save with sandbags but that failed after the Hesco breach. The old Antique Mall/Pawnshop, flooded big time as well. The Source Book store is doing okay, but I'm not sure about the basement, there's probably water in the basement there too. But the area around 2nd Street and Pershing got nailed. The Peterson Paper Company Loft Apartments, an Art Center, any store, any bar in that vicinity is dealing with the flood.
At any point, The Flood of 2019 will be bigger than the 1993 Flood that for 85 days, made parts of Davenport, part of the Mississippi. Back then, Davenport wasn't the vibrant city of micro breweries, restaurants and live entertainment after sundown, it was quite depressing to be downtown back then. The best known photo was the ballpark flooded big time. 26 years onward, improvements to the ballpark and the infield doesn't get flooded. But the city prided itself on having a riverview and so they chose not to build a flood wall, like Moline across the river did. There's some flooded streets in the lower areas tho but not as bad as when the rainy season hits Davenport.
Barring any more rain, the Mississippi should crest later today.Around 22.7 feet which would be the biggest flood in their history. But the forecast is not being kind to them. Predictions of more heavy rain forthcoming this weekend. Meanwhile at Ragged Records, they can only look from a distance and hope the damage will be minimal. But it will be a while before downtown Davenport gets back to normal if ever. I have a feeling this flood will last longer than the 85 days of the 1993 Flood.
2019 hasn't been a boom in looking for new music, in fact I only bought three new albums and am more interested of what I can find for two dollars or less at the thrift store. I do frequent the record stores when I'm in the neighborhood. In fact two weeks ago, I stopped at Davenport to get the new Dawn album, but got to Ragged Records too late and they were closed (they closed at 5, I got there at five minutes afterwards) and to take in a River Bandits game. This season, that hasn't been possible.
For you see we had a very wet winter, and a rapid snow melt and two cyclone bombs to make the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers into one great big sea. The Missouri is somewhat back to it's banks but for 40 straight days and counting, the Mississippi has flooded parts of Davenport, normally on River Drive and the parks next to the river. In fact The River Bandits have only played three home games all year since Modern Woodsman Park is a island and the parking lot flooded. It's not about to change anytime soon.
The city of Davenport had installed HESCO flood barriers to keep the Mississippi at bay. The HESO barriers were a success keeping the Cedar River out of downtown Cedar Rapids in 2016, but they were only good for a quick flood. The Mississippi on the other hand, is a whole different river, and for 40 days, the HESCO barrier was not supposed to be used that long. On 3:30 Tuesday Afternoon, the river broke through and flooded the South East corner of downtown. To which Bob Herrington at Ragged Records woke up to find the river approaching closer and closer and decided to take action and move his inventory upstairs and six feet off the floor for the lesser stuff. He has kept us updated on the situation and as of this morning, he has resigned in frustration that the inventory downstairs might be a total loss now that the Mississippi is now four feet into the record store. Trash Can Annie, the vintage clothes shop that shares the space with Ragged Records. They managed to clear out that part of the store within two hours.
While the media tells you that downtown Davenport is all flooded, it's not. The area where Ragged Records is located at is down hill. Centennial Park, located next to Woodman's Park is basically on the riverbank and everything is flooded down there. The amphitheater,the bathrooms, the old hot dog stand are underwater. Front Street Brewery Company, they tried to save with sandbags but that failed after the Hesco breach. The old Antique Mall/Pawnshop, flooded big time as well. The Source Book store is doing okay, but I'm not sure about the basement, there's probably water in the basement there too. But the area around 2nd Street and Pershing got nailed. The Peterson Paper Company Loft Apartments, an Art Center, any store, any bar in that vicinity is dealing with the flood.
At any point, The Flood of 2019 will be bigger than the 1993 Flood that for 85 days, made parts of Davenport, part of the Mississippi. Back then, Davenport wasn't the vibrant city of micro breweries, restaurants and live entertainment after sundown, it was quite depressing to be downtown back then. The best known photo was the ballpark flooded big time. 26 years onward, improvements to the ballpark and the infield doesn't get flooded. But the city prided itself on having a riverview and so they chose not to build a flood wall, like Moline across the river did. There's some flooded streets in the lower areas tho but not as bad as when the rainy season hits Davenport.
Barring any more rain, the Mississippi should crest later today.Around 22.7 feet which would be the biggest flood in their history. But the forecast is not being kind to them. Predictions of more heavy rain forthcoming this weekend. Meanwhile at Ragged Records, they can only look from a distance and hope the damage will be minimal. But it will be a while before downtown Davenport gets back to normal if ever. I have a feeling this flood will last longer than the 85 days of the 1993 Flood.
Monday, December 31, 2018
The Best Of 2018 In Music An Oxymoron At Best
That time of year again.
Where NPR and Pitchfork and Paste Magazine puts out their best albums of the year.
Yawn
With each passing year, I continue to lose interest in the next big thing, the next big band or the next big hype and it makes less sense to continue to put out a best of music blog. Even with new releases I tend to listen one time, base a judgement and then file it away, only to donate it or sell it to Half Price Books for pennies on the dollar. If Greta Van Fleet is the future of rock and roll, they better do a better job on the next album, it simply wasn't enough rock and roll fun for me.
Let's face it, fifty years ago, rock and roll was in the glory years, always new exciting music on the horizon. Fifty years later Beatles White Album outtakes are still selling but nobody is breaking in new acts. There's too much rap and hip hop and autotuner for me to give a flying f**k. And for the so call new rock, it sounds the same, right Lukas Graham? The major labels don't give a shit, new country is worse and corporate radio still plays the same 30 to 40 year old songs over and over. Nothing new, nothing surprising and people are glued to their smart phone and streaming to care anymore. With Best Buy jumping off the CD bus and Wal Mart and Target shrinking CD shelf space to 10 feet, it's hard to get anything new on CD. But you can always buy the LP for 25 or 30 dollars.
It doesn't help that digipacks are the main supplier of albums. I quit buying Neil Young's album simply of the fact that he has them in overshaped mini LP facsimile digipack. Do I see a need to pay 70 dollars for a 2 LP archives collection? Nope and as Neil Young falls by the wayside I continue to took my attention more to those who still use the jewel case, not good for the environment but at least you can stack them just right unlike the Neil Young albums.
For the most part, the classic rock acts are now into their 60s or 70s and even 80s and still make albums from time to time. Willie Nelson will make 100 more albums before he's dead and gone and Neil will have 200. With no foreseen future rock bands grabbing my attention, I'm resigned to go to second hand stores to find albums in the dollar bins to get me through the day. If there was anything new worth getting, it would be a trip to Moondog Music to get such music or up to Madison. This year I did buy some new albums but in my estimation, I didn't buy as many as I did in 2017. Except for that rare occasion of new music that came out in the same week (Bottle Rockets, Rhett Miller, Marianne Faithfull) new music was few and far between. Even the Gin Blossoms put out their first album in a few years but I can't remember how most of the songs went, they came and went past by me like a summer wind. Or the Judas Priest, which was better than the last album but again about four songs too many and my attention span went back to the Train Cam at Rochelle Illinois.
Last year's best of 2017 I found myself still playing Deep Purple's Infinite and So You Wanna Be An Outlaw by Steve Earle which must have meant there was some substance there. Of course there was, but Steve Earle was too country for new country and as for Deep Purple, Classic Rock Radio don't care. The Question remains if the Best of 2018 will have one or two of the top faves still in the player a year or two from now and there'll be one or two. But overall, when you're dealing with 60 plus years of rock music, you're not going to have time to hear everything. Reality won't wait and neither will the better half. When I checked out NPR and Pitchfork's best of, none of their selections were mine, nor did I care to seek out their best, tho' number 3 Kasey Musgraves Happy Hour was in my possession for a couple months. It's a good pop album but in reality I couldn't relate to it very well. But for Mitski and Janelle Monae, I'll stick with Marianne Faithfull. It's the sign of the times and it's the youngster's music, but I guarantee you five or ten years from now, nobody will remember Janelle Monae, but they'll remember The White Album From The Beatles. Especially if they reissue the GD thing for the 60th or 70th anniversary reissues. By then, I'll be dead by then.
So once again, in no particular order or indifference, is my faves of 2018. The ones that haven't gotten taken to Half Price Books for cash. But I'm sure that will change a month or two from now.
My Faves of 2018
Willie Nelson-Last Man Standing (Legacy)
He's 84 and still putting out two to three albums per year and he'll make another 20 more before he's dead and gone, but Last Man Standing is a better and more lighthearted album than God's Problem Child. Album number 2 of the year My Way, shows that he can still channel his inner Frank Sinatra, tho' it's not as good as say, Stardust was, but it does kick Healing Hands Of Time all over the place.
John Prine-The Tree Of Forgiveness (Oh Boy)
His first new album of originals in quite some time and like Willie's Last Man Standing is one of his best album's ever. When I Get To Heaven is a fine ending and grand statement to this cd.
Richard Thompson-13 Rivers (New West)
Freed from Concord/Fantasy, Thompson puts in one of his more angriest guitar playing albums ever. That's saying something. Not for the faint of heart.
Blackberry Smoke-Find A Light (Thirty Tigers)
Their last album kinda left me thinking they were missing something but Find A Light returns them to a more Southern rock and roll that was heard on Holding All The Roses. Flesh And Bone rocks.
Nik Turner-Life In Space (Purple Pyramid)
He's has more of the classic Hawkwind sound down better this decade than his former band.
The Damned-Evil Spirits (Spinefarm)
The biggest surprise is how good this record is from start to finish. Tony Visconti helps with the production. Paul Gray, ex Eddie and Hot Rods bass extraordinaire adds collective bottom cool too.
The Bottle Rockets-Bit Logic (Bloodshot)
I don't think they ever made a bad album and there's always a guaranteed spot in the top ten best of when they put a album out. I tend to think Jeff Tweedy gets to be overrated but at the same time Brian Henneman is a much better songwriter in terms of getting older.
Rhett Miller-The Messenger (ATO)
Another fine effort by Rhett. The shiny love songs do get darker as the record goes on. Of course he will always be the voice behind the Old 97s but this album is better than last couple Old 97s album.
Ace Frehley-Spaceman (E One)
40 years after his Casablanca album, which blew away his bandmates solo albums, Ace returns to the style and sound of that album. Even gets Gene Simmons to write a couple songs and play too.
Crack The Sky-Living In Reverse (Loud N Proud)
Another 40 year old band finally getting some much needed love, Living In Reverse is in reality their most visable album, thanks to being signed to a major/minor independent label. Crackology, their digital only streaming album, revisits their better known hits. Until, somebody wrestles the album away from Cashman/West Lifesong Records this will have to do, but they might be that 40 year old overnight sensation band that you might get to hear on the radio. Or maybe not.
Reissues of the year:
Bram Trchovsky-The Complete Albums
Strange Man, Changed Man and Funland are excellent albums, the second album Pressure (Or The Russians Are Coming) isn't that good, but Funland was one of my all time favorite albums of 1981
Neil Young-Songs For Judy
79 minutes of prime Neil unplugged back in 1976, when he was restless, writing and scrapping songs at a record pace but whatever he thought was throwaways or not ready for the public, most if not all of these tracks captures him at his best. I'm still not that thrilled at A Man Needs A Maid but listen for the riff that would eventually become Like A Hurricane later on.
Bob Dylan-More Blood More Tracks
The single CD was the one that I got instead of the Dust collector 6 CD Set. Tho' the single CD isn't the original first release of Blood On The Tracks it does provide an interesting insight of what Dylan would have done had he kept it a unplugged folk album. It does include Up To Me, an outtake that didn't make the album but Roger McGunn did cover for the 1976 Cardiff Rose album.
Bob Seger And The Lost Heard-The Cameo/Parkway Singles- A very brief look at Bob's early singles for that label before Capitol claimed him. Before he decided to go all out on the Springsteen true confessions route, he embarked on blazing display of Detroit rock and roll on these singles, including Heavy Music Part 1 and 2 and Sock It To Me Santa, which is much more harder rocking than anything Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels ever came up. The missing link between the MC5 and The Detroit Wheels, even if he only did five singles for Cameo. Detroit rock in the 60s kicked ass.
Don Gibson-Best Of The Hickory Records Years- He had some good songs after leaving RCA for Hickory and spent over a decade there. Highlights include Woman, Sensuous Woman (A song that you may have heard me cover this year), One Day At A Time and Touch The Morning.
Buck Owens-Country Singer's Prayer-Originally Capitol planned to issue this but had cold feet and issued a half assed best of Buck Owens Volume 6. After the death of Don Rich, Buck never recovered and the record wasn't that inspired. The new female singer didn't sound right for the Buckeroos. Best song was John Law, which Rich recorded and sang lead vocal on.
Marianne Faithful-Come Away With Me. Mostly pop songs of the mid 60s, starts out with fairly great, then goes nowhere. Marianne would drop out for a couple years before returning with a new vicious sound with Sister Morphine, her sweet honey voice became an inflamed mix of drugs, booze and lots of cigarettes. That song would point the way for her alternative rock career with Broken English.
Honorable mention:
Marianne Faithful-Negative Capability (BMG)
Ministry-AmeriKKKant (Nuclear Blast)
Judas Priest-Firepower (Epic)
Willie Nelson-My Way (Legacy)
Gin Blossoms-Mixed Reality (Cleopatra)
Pistol Annies-Interstate Gospel (RCA)
Kasey Musgraves-Golden Hour (MCA)
Alice In Chains-Rainier Fog (BMG)
Brian Fallon-Sleepwalkers (Island)
Roger Daltrey-As Long As I Have You (Republic)
The honorable mentions are basically the rest of the albums that I listened to that came from 2018. There were a few other new albums from artists that I didn't get around to review or listen to due to unavailability, or I didn't get the order in, nor seen the bands at hand. Delta Moon, Amy Rigby and local faves Wooden Nickel Lottery issued new albums and I'm sure I'll get around listening to all of them. Graham Parker's latest album was ordered at the last minute and will be the first album of 2019 to review. I have come to find the new Ministry was a better listen than,Judas Priest or Alice In Chains but all three albums were better than most metal or hard rock albums that came out. I'm getting too old to really get into the new metal bands. I'm sure there's some great albums out there, but since radio doesn't play nothing but 30 year old corporate classic rock, Sirius XM is slightly better but still has its nose stuck in the past as well and I am not a fan of streaming new stuff.
The honorable mention does have a couple albums that would have made my turd list but I will not mention names. Musgraves outdid herself on Happy Hour, which was more of a pop album than country, but even a country mode, that record seemed too country for new country music, which is basically watered down rap pop pap. While critics gave The Pistols Annies room on the best of, I still can't get into this album of theirs. Perhaps Miranda Lambert's time as country music darling is now past, she is the Loretta Lynn of new country, loved and cherish by many but not suitable for country radio anymore. To which I blame the music corporations for their narrow minded and sexist playlist of hack fools (FGL, Kane Brown) and copious amounts of autotuner and snap beats. And it won't get better anymore. Thank Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton for that 1996 Telecom Act this is responsible for outdated classic rock and new bands who grew up on Nu Metal, Wu Tang Clan, Backstreet Boys, Poison and New Direction for lack of decent music. Sorry folks, the classic rock years are gone, what was new and exciting is now stale and boring now. Even when they bring back Woodstock this summer, we can't return to the garden. The hippie dream is gone.
But even in this list, we saw the return of the Gin Blossoms, 25 years removed from their classic New Miserable Experience and still making 3 chord songs but they never recovered from outing the doomed Doug Hopkins who made their best songs. Danny Wilde tries, as he has been the last couple of GB albums but it just isn't the same. The Roger Daltary album does have Pete Townsend helping out, tho' it's not a official Who album, As Long As I Have You was better than Endless Wire but not by much. And Brian Fallon quietly put out a album that recalls The 59 Sound from his idled band Gaslight Anthem but nobody paid much attention to it. The reason why Best Buy had about 5 copies of that album on their liquidation sale for 20 percent off. The last CD I ever bought from Best Buy as well. Useless trivia if there is ever one.
For reissues, I'm am aware of the Beatles White Album 50th Anniversary Album but didn't think it was worth 40 bucks buying the whole thing over just to hear bonus tracks that have been out in various bootlegs Wounded Bird, did put out some of the out of print Rhino Handmade double CD sets (Lee Hazelwood Story, Peter Ivers) but even for specialized labels reissuing albums that made an impact years ago, there wasn't much to hang your hat on. Real Gone, the best of the reissue labels did put together a decent Four Tops ABC Dunhill Records Overview which captured the final finest moments that the Tops had to offer and The Essential Eric Andersen to which I did buy and thought it was okay, warts and all, much to my chagrin, I saw that one used when I was up in Madison during the WNBR weekend bargain hunt.
I don't forsee 2019 to be any better for new music that will be memorable. I don't have time to listen to subpar music when there's so much from the past that needs to be rediscovered. Joe Jackson has a new record that might grab my attention for a second. Plus I'm tired of buying digipack albums that don't fit on a shelf (Neil Young is notorious for this). Collector's Choice Music has been the best mail order for getting the hard to find but even their shipping and handling charges and now us paying Iowa income tax (thanks Republicans) I haven't bought much of late. Unless something that hasn't been reissued before (Bram T.) I'm not going pay much mind. Most of the Elvis stuff has been recycled, Led Zep, Beatles as well. I kinda took note on the Steven Wilson remastered prog rock albums from King Crimson and Jethro Tull but unless he takes a crack on The Godz Nothing Is Sacred, I continue to pinch pennies and take chances in the dollar section at Half Price Books or Stuff Etc.
In the end, the best of 2018 is nothing more at this point than posting the albums that I did buy, the good and bad and both are beginning to be part of the best of and that's not a good thing. It used to be that the best of, were the best of and the worst likewise. Nowadays it blurs in just like radio.
No rhyme or reason.
Happy new year.
Where NPR and Pitchfork and Paste Magazine puts out their best albums of the year.
Yawn
With each passing year, I continue to lose interest in the next big thing, the next big band or the next big hype and it makes less sense to continue to put out a best of music blog. Even with new releases I tend to listen one time, base a judgement and then file it away, only to donate it or sell it to Half Price Books for pennies on the dollar. If Greta Van Fleet is the future of rock and roll, they better do a better job on the next album, it simply wasn't enough rock and roll fun for me.
Let's face it, fifty years ago, rock and roll was in the glory years, always new exciting music on the horizon. Fifty years later Beatles White Album outtakes are still selling but nobody is breaking in new acts. There's too much rap and hip hop and autotuner for me to give a flying f**k. And for the so call new rock, it sounds the same, right Lukas Graham? The major labels don't give a shit, new country is worse and corporate radio still plays the same 30 to 40 year old songs over and over. Nothing new, nothing surprising and people are glued to their smart phone and streaming to care anymore. With Best Buy jumping off the CD bus and Wal Mart and Target shrinking CD shelf space to 10 feet, it's hard to get anything new on CD. But you can always buy the LP for 25 or 30 dollars.
It doesn't help that digipacks are the main supplier of albums. I quit buying Neil Young's album simply of the fact that he has them in overshaped mini LP facsimile digipack. Do I see a need to pay 70 dollars for a 2 LP archives collection? Nope and as Neil Young falls by the wayside I continue to took my attention more to those who still use the jewel case, not good for the environment but at least you can stack them just right unlike the Neil Young albums.
For the most part, the classic rock acts are now into their 60s or 70s and even 80s and still make albums from time to time. Willie Nelson will make 100 more albums before he's dead and gone and Neil will have 200. With no foreseen future rock bands grabbing my attention, I'm resigned to go to second hand stores to find albums in the dollar bins to get me through the day. If there was anything new worth getting, it would be a trip to Moondog Music to get such music or up to Madison. This year I did buy some new albums but in my estimation, I didn't buy as many as I did in 2017. Except for that rare occasion of new music that came out in the same week (Bottle Rockets, Rhett Miller, Marianne Faithfull) new music was few and far between. Even the Gin Blossoms put out their first album in a few years but I can't remember how most of the songs went, they came and went past by me like a summer wind. Or the Judas Priest, which was better than the last album but again about four songs too many and my attention span went back to the Train Cam at Rochelle Illinois.
Last year's best of 2017 I found myself still playing Deep Purple's Infinite and So You Wanna Be An Outlaw by Steve Earle which must have meant there was some substance there. Of course there was, but Steve Earle was too country for new country and as for Deep Purple, Classic Rock Radio don't care. The Question remains if the Best of 2018 will have one or two of the top faves still in the player a year or two from now and there'll be one or two. But overall, when you're dealing with 60 plus years of rock music, you're not going to have time to hear everything. Reality won't wait and neither will the better half. When I checked out NPR and Pitchfork's best of, none of their selections were mine, nor did I care to seek out their best, tho' number 3 Kasey Musgraves Happy Hour was in my possession for a couple months. It's a good pop album but in reality I couldn't relate to it very well. But for Mitski and Janelle Monae, I'll stick with Marianne Faithfull. It's the sign of the times and it's the youngster's music, but I guarantee you five or ten years from now, nobody will remember Janelle Monae, but they'll remember The White Album From The Beatles. Especially if they reissue the GD thing for the 60th or 70th anniversary reissues. By then, I'll be dead by then.
So once again, in no particular order or indifference, is my faves of 2018. The ones that haven't gotten taken to Half Price Books for cash. But I'm sure that will change a month or two from now.
My Faves of 2018
Willie Nelson-Last Man Standing (Legacy)
He's 84 and still putting out two to three albums per year and he'll make another 20 more before he's dead and gone, but Last Man Standing is a better and more lighthearted album than God's Problem Child. Album number 2 of the year My Way, shows that he can still channel his inner Frank Sinatra, tho' it's not as good as say, Stardust was, but it does kick Healing Hands Of Time all over the place.
John Prine-The Tree Of Forgiveness (Oh Boy)
His first new album of originals in quite some time and like Willie's Last Man Standing is one of his best album's ever. When I Get To Heaven is a fine ending and grand statement to this cd.
Richard Thompson-13 Rivers (New West)
Freed from Concord/Fantasy, Thompson puts in one of his more angriest guitar playing albums ever. That's saying something. Not for the faint of heart.
Blackberry Smoke-Find A Light (Thirty Tigers)
Their last album kinda left me thinking they were missing something but Find A Light returns them to a more Southern rock and roll that was heard on Holding All The Roses. Flesh And Bone rocks.
Nik Turner-Life In Space (Purple Pyramid)
He's has more of the classic Hawkwind sound down better this decade than his former band.
The Damned-Evil Spirits (Spinefarm)
The biggest surprise is how good this record is from start to finish. Tony Visconti helps with the production. Paul Gray, ex Eddie and Hot Rods bass extraordinaire adds collective bottom cool too.
The Bottle Rockets-Bit Logic (Bloodshot)
I don't think they ever made a bad album and there's always a guaranteed spot in the top ten best of when they put a album out. I tend to think Jeff Tweedy gets to be overrated but at the same time Brian Henneman is a much better songwriter in terms of getting older.
Rhett Miller-The Messenger (ATO)
Another fine effort by Rhett. The shiny love songs do get darker as the record goes on. Of course he will always be the voice behind the Old 97s but this album is better than last couple Old 97s album.
Ace Frehley-Spaceman (E One)
40 years after his Casablanca album, which blew away his bandmates solo albums, Ace returns to the style and sound of that album. Even gets Gene Simmons to write a couple songs and play too.
Crack The Sky-Living In Reverse (Loud N Proud)
Another 40 year old band finally getting some much needed love, Living In Reverse is in reality their most visable album, thanks to being signed to a major/minor independent label. Crackology, their digital only streaming album, revisits their better known hits. Until, somebody wrestles the album away from Cashman/West Lifesong Records this will have to do, but they might be that 40 year old overnight sensation band that you might get to hear on the radio. Or maybe not.
Reissues of the year:
Bram Trchovsky-The Complete Albums
Strange Man, Changed Man and Funland are excellent albums, the second album Pressure (Or The Russians Are Coming) isn't that good, but Funland was one of my all time favorite albums of 1981
Neil Young-Songs For Judy
79 minutes of prime Neil unplugged back in 1976, when he was restless, writing and scrapping songs at a record pace but whatever he thought was throwaways or not ready for the public, most if not all of these tracks captures him at his best. I'm still not that thrilled at A Man Needs A Maid but listen for the riff that would eventually become Like A Hurricane later on.
Bob Dylan-More Blood More Tracks
The single CD was the one that I got instead of the Dust collector 6 CD Set. Tho' the single CD isn't the original first release of Blood On The Tracks it does provide an interesting insight of what Dylan would have done had he kept it a unplugged folk album. It does include Up To Me, an outtake that didn't make the album but Roger McGunn did cover for the 1976 Cardiff Rose album.
Bob Seger And The Lost Heard-The Cameo/Parkway Singles- A very brief look at Bob's early singles for that label before Capitol claimed him. Before he decided to go all out on the Springsteen true confessions route, he embarked on blazing display of Detroit rock and roll on these singles, including Heavy Music Part 1 and 2 and Sock It To Me Santa, which is much more harder rocking than anything Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels ever came up. The missing link between the MC5 and The Detroit Wheels, even if he only did five singles for Cameo. Detroit rock in the 60s kicked ass.
Don Gibson-Best Of The Hickory Records Years- He had some good songs after leaving RCA for Hickory and spent over a decade there. Highlights include Woman, Sensuous Woman (A song that you may have heard me cover this year), One Day At A Time and Touch The Morning.
Buck Owens-Country Singer's Prayer-Originally Capitol planned to issue this but had cold feet and issued a half assed best of Buck Owens Volume 6. After the death of Don Rich, Buck never recovered and the record wasn't that inspired. The new female singer didn't sound right for the Buckeroos. Best song was John Law, which Rich recorded and sang lead vocal on.
Marianne Faithful-Come Away With Me. Mostly pop songs of the mid 60s, starts out with fairly great, then goes nowhere. Marianne would drop out for a couple years before returning with a new vicious sound with Sister Morphine, her sweet honey voice became an inflamed mix of drugs, booze and lots of cigarettes. That song would point the way for her alternative rock career with Broken English.
Honorable mention:
Marianne Faithful-Negative Capability (BMG)
Ministry-AmeriKKKant (Nuclear Blast)
Judas Priest-Firepower (Epic)
Willie Nelson-My Way (Legacy)
Gin Blossoms-Mixed Reality (Cleopatra)
Pistol Annies-Interstate Gospel (RCA)
Kasey Musgraves-Golden Hour (MCA)
Alice In Chains-Rainier Fog (BMG)
Brian Fallon-Sleepwalkers (Island)
Roger Daltrey-As Long As I Have You (Republic)
The honorable mentions are basically the rest of the albums that I listened to that came from 2018. There were a few other new albums from artists that I didn't get around to review or listen to due to unavailability, or I didn't get the order in, nor seen the bands at hand. Delta Moon, Amy Rigby and local faves Wooden Nickel Lottery issued new albums and I'm sure I'll get around listening to all of them. Graham Parker's latest album was ordered at the last minute and will be the first album of 2019 to review. I have come to find the new Ministry was a better listen than,Judas Priest or Alice In Chains but all three albums were better than most metal or hard rock albums that came out. I'm getting too old to really get into the new metal bands. I'm sure there's some great albums out there, but since radio doesn't play nothing but 30 year old corporate classic rock, Sirius XM is slightly better but still has its nose stuck in the past as well and I am not a fan of streaming new stuff.
The honorable mention does have a couple albums that would have made my turd list but I will not mention names. Musgraves outdid herself on Happy Hour, which was more of a pop album than country, but even a country mode, that record seemed too country for new country music, which is basically watered down rap pop pap. While critics gave The Pistols Annies room on the best of, I still can't get into this album of theirs. Perhaps Miranda Lambert's time as country music darling is now past, she is the Loretta Lynn of new country, loved and cherish by many but not suitable for country radio anymore. To which I blame the music corporations for their narrow minded and sexist playlist of hack fools (FGL, Kane Brown) and copious amounts of autotuner and snap beats. And it won't get better anymore. Thank Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton for that 1996 Telecom Act this is responsible for outdated classic rock and new bands who grew up on Nu Metal, Wu Tang Clan, Backstreet Boys, Poison and New Direction for lack of decent music. Sorry folks, the classic rock years are gone, what was new and exciting is now stale and boring now. Even when they bring back Woodstock this summer, we can't return to the garden. The hippie dream is gone.
But even in this list, we saw the return of the Gin Blossoms, 25 years removed from their classic New Miserable Experience and still making 3 chord songs but they never recovered from outing the doomed Doug Hopkins who made their best songs. Danny Wilde tries, as he has been the last couple of GB albums but it just isn't the same. The Roger Daltary album does have Pete Townsend helping out, tho' it's not a official Who album, As Long As I Have You was better than Endless Wire but not by much. And Brian Fallon quietly put out a album that recalls The 59 Sound from his idled band Gaslight Anthem but nobody paid much attention to it. The reason why Best Buy had about 5 copies of that album on their liquidation sale for 20 percent off. The last CD I ever bought from Best Buy as well. Useless trivia if there is ever one.
For reissues, I'm am aware of the Beatles White Album 50th Anniversary Album but didn't think it was worth 40 bucks buying the whole thing over just to hear bonus tracks that have been out in various bootlegs Wounded Bird, did put out some of the out of print Rhino Handmade double CD sets (Lee Hazelwood Story, Peter Ivers) but even for specialized labels reissuing albums that made an impact years ago, there wasn't much to hang your hat on. Real Gone, the best of the reissue labels did put together a decent Four Tops ABC Dunhill Records Overview which captured the final finest moments that the Tops had to offer and The Essential Eric Andersen to which I did buy and thought it was okay, warts and all, much to my chagrin, I saw that one used when I was up in Madison during the WNBR weekend bargain hunt.
I don't forsee 2019 to be any better for new music that will be memorable. I don't have time to listen to subpar music when there's so much from the past that needs to be rediscovered. Joe Jackson has a new record that might grab my attention for a second. Plus I'm tired of buying digipack albums that don't fit on a shelf (Neil Young is notorious for this). Collector's Choice Music has been the best mail order for getting the hard to find but even their shipping and handling charges and now us paying Iowa income tax (thanks Republicans) I haven't bought much of late. Unless something that hasn't been reissued before (Bram T.) I'm not going pay much mind. Most of the Elvis stuff has been recycled, Led Zep, Beatles as well. I kinda took note on the Steven Wilson remastered prog rock albums from King Crimson and Jethro Tull but unless he takes a crack on The Godz Nothing Is Sacred, I continue to pinch pennies and take chances in the dollar section at Half Price Books or Stuff Etc.
In the end, the best of 2018 is nothing more at this point than posting the albums that I did buy, the good and bad and both are beginning to be part of the best of and that's not a good thing. It used to be that the best of, were the best of and the worst likewise. Nowadays it blurs in just like radio.
No rhyme or reason.
Happy new year.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
2019 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame
In order of importance.
Roxy Music
For many years they been ignored by the HOF but this year the biggest surprise. Led by Bryan Ferry and helped by Phil Manzera and Andy McKay, they went from Prog rock glammers to a more mellower MOR rock sound. They were rock with Phil Thompson on drums and John Gufstason on bass and Brian Eno added oddball sounds on the first two albums. They never made a bad album, in fact Avalon is fun music to get romantic with, but I enjoy the craziness that is their 1979 album Manifesto. Siren is a bit overrated, Country Life is better. Ferry's solo albums of that time had Roxy members guest starring but by the 1990s, Ferry's albums weren't standing out either. After Avalon, Roxy Music never made a new album, but did put out a couple a reunion albums that kinda captured the spirit of the early years.
The Zombies:
One of the best singles band from the UK, their Odessey And Oracle album probably were the inspiration for another Rock Inductee band Radiohead. The best introduction remains any of their best ofs out there. Rod Argent and Colin Blumstone are the only two remaining members of that band still out there. Varese Records did issued a couple comps with lesser known and b sides that are worth seeking out and loaded up the bonus tracks on OAO, which can be a good thing since the original album didn't go past 30 minutes.
The rest;
The Cure
Cutting edge mope rock. Their best years were with Sire but I really didn't pay a lot of attention to them. I did get a chuckle out of their Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me album but the only album that ever made to my player was Staring At The Sea best of, later replaced with The Cure Greatest Hits. Maybe sometime I'll search the Sire albums to see what I have missed but for a band that gets lumped in with Bauhaus, I don't have that much enthusiasm to go look. Unless the records are in the dollar bins.
Stevie Nicks
I'm sure Lindsay Buckingham is LOL on this one and truthfully, Stevie's albums have been problematic. She was a sex symbol around the time of Rumors and Bella Donna and as time marches on, you wonder what the fuss the solo albums were about. Not exactly hall of fame material. Trouble In Shanghai has been my favorite of her solo output even with Sheryl Crow (2027 rock inductee) on it. Her shining moment remains, Silver Springs, the B side to Go Your Own Way and should have been included on Rumors, to which Rhino did tack on a limited edition reissue.
Radiohead
For most overblown and overhyped band Radiohead is first ballot all the way baby! OK Computer being the most overhyped album ever,tho' it does seem to be one of the more listenable albums, overall best ever? No. Kid A influenced a lot of the new acts (Lukas Graham, Franz Ferdinand) but to me it's a crap album. Best album I'd think would be In Rainbows, but I don't have a lot of use for Radiohead. They did shed that Cure Mope rock skin after Pablo Honey and became something more to the critics but they never did rock much.
Def Lepherd
This year's fan favorite. Their best was On Through The Night, which remains their hardest rocking album, and they traded Tom Allom for Robert John Lange and scored big time. There's a AC/DC influence on the next two albums and then Pyromania broke them big. They really had nothing to say with their goofy lyrics (rock rock till you drop, rock rock never stop) and Photograph had that trademark RJ Lange method of catchy lyrics and riffs and a hooky chorus to remember that song by. On Hysteria, they sold their soul to the classic rock radio mode (mold). Pour Some Sugar On Me is their answer to Yummy Yummy Yummy.
Janet Jackson
Like Radiohead JJ's induction was coming and like brother Micheal, Janet dominated the R and B charts of the 1980s, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis the secret weapon. Control and Rhythm Nation are her two best but after that, I couldn't tell you anything off later albums.
And there you have it. Your 2019 rock hall members.
Roxy Music
For many years they been ignored by the HOF but this year the biggest surprise. Led by Bryan Ferry and helped by Phil Manzera and Andy McKay, they went from Prog rock glammers to a more mellower MOR rock sound. They were rock with Phil Thompson on drums and John Gufstason on bass and Brian Eno added oddball sounds on the first two albums. They never made a bad album, in fact Avalon is fun music to get romantic with, but I enjoy the craziness that is their 1979 album Manifesto. Siren is a bit overrated, Country Life is better. Ferry's solo albums of that time had Roxy members guest starring but by the 1990s, Ferry's albums weren't standing out either. After Avalon, Roxy Music never made a new album, but did put out a couple a reunion albums that kinda captured the spirit of the early years.
The Zombies:
One of the best singles band from the UK, their Odessey And Oracle album probably were the inspiration for another Rock Inductee band Radiohead. The best introduction remains any of their best ofs out there. Rod Argent and Colin Blumstone are the only two remaining members of that band still out there. Varese Records did issued a couple comps with lesser known and b sides that are worth seeking out and loaded up the bonus tracks on OAO, which can be a good thing since the original album didn't go past 30 minutes.
The rest;
The Cure
Cutting edge mope rock. Their best years were with Sire but I really didn't pay a lot of attention to them. I did get a chuckle out of their Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me album but the only album that ever made to my player was Staring At The Sea best of, later replaced with The Cure Greatest Hits. Maybe sometime I'll search the Sire albums to see what I have missed but for a band that gets lumped in with Bauhaus, I don't have that much enthusiasm to go look. Unless the records are in the dollar bins.
Stevie Nicks
I'm sure Lindsay Buckingham is LOL on this one and truthfully, Stevie's albums have been problematic. She was a sex symbol around the time of Rumors and Bella Donna and as time marches on, you wonder what the fuss the solo albums were about. Not exactly hall of fame material. Trouble In Shanghai has been my favorite of her solo output even with Sheryl Crow (2027 rock inductee) on it. Her shining moment remains, Silver Springs, the B side to Go Your Own Way and should have been included on Rumors, to which Rhino did tack on a limited edition reissue.
Radiohead
For most overblown and overhyped band Radiohead is first ballot all the way baby! OK Computer being the most overhyped album ever,tho' it does seem to be one of the more listenable albums, overall best ever? No. Kid A influenced a lot of the new acts (Lukas Graham, Franz Ferdinand) but to me it's a crap album. Best album I'd think would be In Rainbows, but I don't have a lot of use for Radiohead. They did shed that Cure Mope rock skin after Pablo Honey and became something more to the critics but they never did rock much.
Def Lepherd
This year's fan favorite. Their best was On Through The Night, which remains their hardest rocking album, and they traded Tom Allom for Robert John Lange and scored big time. There's a AC/DC influence on the next two albums and then Pyromania broke them big. They really had nothing to say with their goofy lyrics (rock rock till you drop, rock rock never stop) and Photograph had that trademark RJ Lange method of catchy lyrics and riffs and a hooky chorus to remember that song by. On Hysteria, they sold their soul to the classic rock radio mode (mold). Pour Some Sugar On Me is their answer to Yummy Yummy Yummy.
Janet Jackson
Like Radiohead JJ's induction was coming and like brother Micheal, Janet dominated the R and B charts of the 1980s, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis the secret weapon. Control and Rhythm Nation are her two best but after that, I couldn't tell you anything off later albums.
And there you have it. Your 2019 rock hall members.
Friday, December 7, 2018
The Crabbys: 2018 Best of Places.
And so, it begins again.
The year end of awarding the Crabby Awards to my favorite places. And they're getting to be few and far between.
2002. Was the year that CD sales were sliding down and places to hang out to buy CDs are now faded memories. 2002 was the year that Pawnshops decided that CDs weren't worth selling and nobody was bringing their Pink Floyd or Zeppelin but the tons of dog shit rappers and plastic pop and American Idol rejects making shitty EPs or CDs. But in 2002 we still have FYE and Hastings to find the cheap stuff. Trans World or who ever owned FYE bought up the Wherehouse Music stores, which made my trip to Seattle tolerable since the woman I was seeing at the time was making my vacation a trip to hell. At that time, I had a choice of 7 Wherehouse Music stores or in Spokane 4 Hastings stores to keep me occupied.
Going to the big cities would enable me to find the hard to find stuff. Cellophane Square Music in Seattle was the place to go to, in Phoenix there was FYE, Wherehouse Music, Zia's, at least 25 stores in the area, not including Goodwill. For a bargain hunter I was doing well. But as the 2000's continued on, record stores were closing up. The Virgin Music Store in Vegas and Phoenix closed their doors, so did Tower Records, yeah they were overpriced as hell but I could waste 2 to 3 hours looking at inventory. Up in my town, Relics closed shop, so did Rock n Bach. Co Op Cedar Rapids and Waterloo were no match for either stores but at least I didn't have get on a airplane to look.
Northern Arizona had Hastings as well and all of a sudden, I had a place to hang out when I was in Kingman or Flagstaff and even discovered one in Ames before they pulled the plug in 2010 in the area and gave up the ghost in 2016. I haven't been back to Arizona in over five years, but as far as I know Zia's is still going strong, but FYE did closed my favorite hangout on Longmore across from Fiesta Mall, now also history. The places that I used to go to are now long gone.
I think the vinyl revival is finally slowing down, however Wal Mart and Target continue to shrink their CDs down to a paltry 500 and Best Buy stopped selling them this summer. We still places that sell records and CDs, and they're still hanging on. The places and people are changing tho'. Thrift stores are doing well but Marion decided to boot the Salvation Army out of their longtime area on 7th Avenue in favor of a Dollar Tree. One less thrift store to find records or donate. The demise of Best Buy has opened Books A Million to have their own used DVD and CD section and I managed to find some cheap finds at both Dubuque and Davenport locations. The Books A Million buy back program is no different than say, Half Price Books but at least you can get something back for your unwanted stuff. The BAM selection will not wow people but once in a while they might have something 30 percent off if you planned it just right.
So anyway, the rules are simple. I put up the best places to look for records being used or whatever. But it's not what it was were. What is number 1 is my go to place and the rest do get a visit. But the top rated ones are, shall we say, more reliable than your local Wally World or Target or the obsolete K Mart.
Best Record Stores In My Area
Moondog Music-Dubuque
Analog Vault-Cedar Rapids
Ragged Records-Davenport/Rock Island
Wax Ecstatic-Marshalltown
Co Op Records-Moline
Weird Harolds-Burlington
CD's 4 Change-Dubuque
Record Collector-Iowa City
Metro Records-Cedar Falls
Mohair Pear-Cedar Falls
Books A Million-Dubuque/Davenport
Wal Mart-(Various locations)
Barnes And Noble-(Cedar Rapids, Davenport)
Target (Various)
Best Buy (Lp's only)
If you're looking for new releases on Cd, Moondog Music remains, hands down, the best for that. Look hard enough and they might have some new releases on sale. Ragged Records has grown so much that they now have a second location in Rock Island. Bob Harrington continues to outdo the competition on new vinyl releases. Analog Vault is the closest and therefore remain the second best place, they're in New Bo, what better place to relax and chat and hear music from scratchy LPs. Wax Estatic in Marshalltown had a tornado that tore through town and cause the store to shut down for about six weeks but they have rebounded quite nicely. Co Op Moline does a better job in terms of new CDs, Reid Robinson has done wonders. The new owners of Record Collector in Iowa City continue the tradition of Kirk Waltier and they still are worth a trip to Iowa City, even if they are the last standing record store in Iowa City. But I have found going to Dubuque is a better place, they have three record stores in a two mile radius, with Books A Million getting into the used Cds field. Until Dubque or Davenport get a Half Price Bookstore, they're not match for BAM. Davenport has their share of good stores, but Waterloo is lacking and Cedar Falls I only heard of Metro Records, and judging by their inventory, I wouldn't be in there very long. Mohair Pear is owned by the leader of House Of Large Sizes band, and is the place to go if you're looking for their music on vinyl.
As for the the retail stores, It's Wally World or nothing else. Target only has the top 10 best sellers or new releases. They haven't been relevant in quite some time. Barnes N Noble, better on the lesser known but still overpriced most of the time than not.
Best Used Stores for Music;
Half Price Books (CR, Des Moines, Madison)
Stuff Etc: (CR, Coralville, IC, Davenport, Waterloo)
Sweet Living Antiques (Iowa City)
Housewerks (Iowa City)
The Closest Door (Iowa City)
Goodwill (Various locations)
Salvation Army (Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)
St. Vincent De Paul (Madison, Waterloo, DBQ)
Books A Million (DBQ, Davenport)
Super Pawn (Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)
As long as there's a Half Price Book store in the area, there'll still be plenty of bargains to be found in their bargain bins, And still will be my second home. Per usual, the thrift stores and bric bracs stores are always hit and miss, but I did notice that Stuff Etc did have, for a while, major inventory of decent music. For old time pop 45s, St Vincent De Paul have them, tho' the only rock records they get are scratched up to the point of decent plays. The closing of the Marion Salvation Army store, now has only the Council St Army still in business. But now, that 45s are now no longer made, except the overpriced Record Store Day crap that really makes no dollar sense to get. I'll take my chances of one song both sides promo every time.
What's missing from this list? Pawnshops. Super Pawn up in Waterloo has the most, but even what they have are junk that nobody wants but for 50 cents you might score a Beatles Sgt Pepper CD. Iowa City did have Klaatu's first on CD but it was too scratched to buy, but they did have Ted Nugent's S/T remaster and also where I got a cheap copy of Pearl Jam 10. Siegal's Jewelry has dropped out of this list, they don't sell CDs any more.
Best Stores for music instruments.
Uncle Ike's (Asbury-DBQ)
965 Guitars (CR)
Bob's Guitars (Cedar Falls)
Musician's Pro Shop (IC)
Rondellei's (DBQ)
West Music (CR, IC, DBQ)
Guitar Center (CR,Davenport)
Griggs Music (Davenport, CR)
It's sad to see the kids of today not playing music as we did growing up. The internet has made slaves out of us all. Uncle Ike's in Dubuque always takes me back to the days of hanging at a old forgotten store and they still have the best used drum selection in the area. In town, you're got a choice of Guitar Center or West Music, who seems to have the latest drums and cymbals than Guitar Center. Darwin at 965 Guitars is the place to go if you're in Cedar Rapids, Bob's Guitar in Cedar Falls worth the drive itself. Griggs continues to disappoint but then again nobody can't afford the latest DW sets.
CD Reviews:
The Monkees Christmas Party (Rhino 2018)
Mostly the Micky Dolenz show with Davy Jones singing two from the grave and Mike Nesmith adding two off the wall traditional numbers. Peter Tork adds a Christmas Turd and if you really care, Target has a CD with two bonus tracks. I'm certain that the Old 97's Christmas album is better, but this album does start out with a couple pretty good Dolenz numbers and House Of Broken Gingerbread is fairly good. Nesmith really doesn't go all out, his take on The Christmas Song is nice. Questionable stuff remains, Alex Chilton's Jesus Christ is tedious, and the world doesn't need another Wonderful Christmastime, tho' it's not as odious as Paul McCartney's original. Compared to Cheap Trick's Christmas album, this isn't in the same neighborhood but for yuletime background music you can do worse.
Grade B
The year end of awarding the Crabby Awards to my favorite places. And they're getting to be few and far between.
2002. Was the year that CD sales were sliding down and places to hang out to buy CDs are now faded memories. 2002 was the year that Pawnshops decided that CDs weren't worth selling and nobody was bringing their Pink Floyd or Zeppelin but the tons of dog shit rappers and plastic pop and American Idol rejects making shitty EPs or CDs. But in 2002 we still have FYE and Hastings to find the cheap stuff. Trans World or who ever owned FYE bought up the Wherehouse Music stores, which made my trip to Seattle tolerable since the woman I was seeing at the time was making my vacation a trip to hell. At that time, I had a choice of 7 Wherehouse Music stores or in Spokane 4 Hastings stores to keep me occupied.
Going to the big cities would enable me to find the hard to find stuff. Cellophane Square Music in Seattle was the place to go to, in Phoenix there was FYE, Wherehouse Music, Zia's, at least 25 stores in the area, not including Goodwill. For a bargain hunter I was doing well. But as the 2000's continued on, record stores were closing up. The Virgin Music Store in Vegas and Phoenix closed their doors, so did Tower Records, yeah they were overpriced as hell but I could waste 2 to 3 hours looking at inventory. Up in my town, Relics closed shop, so did Rock n Bach. Co Op Cedar Rapids and Waterloo were no match for either stores but at least I didn't have get on a airplane to look.
Northern Arizona had Hastings as well and all of a sudden, I had a place to hang out when I was in Kingman or Flagstaff and even discovered one in Ames before they pulled the plug in 2010 in the area and gave up the ghost in 2016. I haven't been back to Arizona in over five years, but as far as I know Zia's is still going strong, but FYE did closed my favorite hangout on Longmore across from Fiesta Mall, now also history. The places that I used to go to are now long gone.
I think the vinyl revival is finally slowing down, however Wal Mart and Target continue to shrink their CDs down to a paltry 500 and Best Buy stopped selling them this summer. We still places that sell records and CDs, and they're still hanging on. The places and people are changing tho'. Thrift stores are doing well but Marion decided to boot the Salvation Army out of their longtime area on 7th Avenue in favor of a Dollar Tree. One less thrift store to find records or donate. The demise of Best Buy has opened Books A Million to have their own used DVD and CD section and I managed to find some cheap finds at both Dubuque and Davenport locations. The Books A Million buy back program is no different than say, Half Price Books but at least you can get something back for your unwanted stuff. The BAM selection will not wow people but once in a while they might have something 30 percent off if you planned it just right.
So anyway, the rules are simple. I put up the best places to look for records being used or whatever. But it's not what it was were. What is number 1 is my go to place and the rest do get a visit. But the top rated ones are, shall we say, more reliable than your local Wally World or Target or the obsolete K Mart.
Best Record Stores In My Area
Moondog Music-Dubuque
Analog Vault-Cedar Rapids
Ragged Records-Davenport/Rock Island
Wax Ecstatic-Marshalltown
Co Op Records-Moline
Weird Harolds-Burlington
CD's 4 Change-Dubuque
Record Collector-Iowa City
Metro Records-Cedar Falls
Mohair Pear-Cedar Falls
Books A Million-Dubuque/Davenport
Wal Mart-(Various locations)
Barnes And Noble-(Cedar Rapids, Davenport)
Target (Various)
Best Buy (Lp's only)
If you're looking for new releases on Cd, Moondog Music remains, hands down, the best for that. Look hard enough and they might have some new releases on sale. Ragged Records has grown so much that they now have a second location in Rock Island. Bob Harrington continues to outdo the competition on new vinyl releases. Analog Vault is the closest and therefore remain the second best place, they're in New Bo, what better place to relax and chat and hear music from scratchy LPs. Wax Estatic in Marshalltown had a tornado that tore through town and cause the store to shut down for about six weeks but they have rebounded quite nicely. Co Op Moline does a better job in terms of new CDs, Reid Robinson has done wonders. The new owners of Record Collector in Iowa City continue the tradition of Kirk Waltier and they still are worth a trip to Iowa City, even if they are the last standing record store in Iowa City. But I have found going to Dubuque is a better place, they have three record stores in a two mile radius, with Books A Million getting into the used Cds field. Until Dubque or Davenport get a Half Price Bookstore, they're not match for BAM. Davenport has their share of good stores, but Waterloo is lacking and Cedar Falls I only heard of Metro Records, and judging by their inventory, I wouldn't be in there very long. Mohair Pear is owned by the leader of House Of Large Sizes band, and is the place to go if you're looking for their music on vinyl.
As for the the retail stores, It's Wally World or nothing else. Target only has the top 10 best sellers or new releases. They haven't been relevant in quite some time. Barnes N Noble, better on the lesser known but still overpriced most of the time than not.
Best Used Stores for Music;
Half Price Books (CR, Des Moines, Madison)
Stuff Etc: (CR, Coralville, IC, Davenport, Waterloo)
Sweet Living Antiques (Iowa City)
Housewerks (Iowa City)
The Closest Door (Iowa City)
Goodwill (Various locations)
Salvation Army (Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)
St. Vincent De Paul (Madison, Waterloo, DBQ)
Books A Million (DBQ, Davenport)
Super Pawn (Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)
As long as there's a Half Price Book store in the area, there'll still be plenty of bargains to be found in their bargain bins, And still will be my second home. Per usual, the thrift stores and bric bracs stores are always hit and miss, but I did notice that Stuff Etc did have, for a while, major inventory of decent music. For old time pop 45s, St Vincent De Paul have them, tho' the only rock records they get are scratched up to the point of decent plays. The closing of the Marion Salvation Army store, now has only the Council St Army still in business. But now, that 45s are now no longer made, except the overpriced Record Store Day crap that really makes no dollar sense to get. I'll take my chances of one song both sides promo every time.
What's missing from this list? Pawnshops. Super Pawn up in Waterloo has the most, but even what they have are junk that nobody wants but for 50 cents you might score a Beatles Sgt Pepper CD. Iowa City did have Klaatu's first on CD but it was too scratched to buy, but they did have Ted Nugent's S/T remaster and also where I got a cheap copy of Pearl Jam 10. Siegal's Jewelry has dropped out of this list, they don't sell CDs any more.
Best Stores for music instruments.
Uncle Ike's (Asbury-DBQ)
965 Guitars (CR)
Bob's Guitars (Cedar Falls)
Musician's Pro Shop (IC)
Rondellei's (DBQ)
West Music (CR, IC, DBQ)
Guitar Center (CR,Davenport)
Griggs Music (Davenport, CR)
It's sad to see the kids of today not playing music as we did growing up. The internet has made slaves out of us all. Uncle Ike's in Dubuque always takes me back to the days of hanging at a old forgotten store and they still have the best used drum selection in the area. In town, you're got a choice of Guitar Center or West Music, who seems to have the latest drums and cymbals than Guitar Center. Darwin at 965 Guitars is the place to go if you're in Cedar Rapids, Bob's Guitar in Cedar Falls worth the drive itself. Griggs continues to disappoint but then again nobody can't afford the latest DW sets.
CD Reviews:
The Monkees Christmas Party (Rhino 2018)
Mostly the Micky Dolenz show with Davy Jones singing two from the grave and Mike Nesmith adding two off the wall traditional numbers. Peter Tork adds a Christmas Turd and if you really care, Target has a CD with two bonus tracks. I'm certain that the Old 97's Christmas album is better, but this album does start out with a couple pretty good Dolenz numbers and House Of Broken Gingerbread is fairly good. Nesmith really doesn't go all out, his take on The Christmas Song is nice. Questionable stuff remains, Alex Chilton's Jesus Christ is tedious, and the world doesn't need another Wonderful Christmastime, tho' it's not as odious as Paul McCartney's original. Compared to Cheap Trick's Christmas album, this isn't in the same neighborhood but for yuletime background music you can do worse.
Grade B
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