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.
Monday, December 31, 2018
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
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
November Thoughts
There seems to be some viewers coming in from the cold. So thought I pop in to let the world know the Crab Curator of Record World is still around.
The major story is the major winter storm that dumped a foot of snow, an all time record in November in the Quad Cities and Iowa City got 7 inches of the lovely white crap but up here in Cedar Rapids we missed out. Which doesn't break my heart. The car doesn't do well trying to get up an icy 2 inch snow cover that we had two weeks ago. We missed out but rest assured I saw the storm from afar as I made my way to Stone City to play in the Acoustic Showcase Sunday. Snowstorms do glow in the darkness. We were supposed to have 4 to 6 and a Winter Storm Warning was issued, but as Saturday Night progressed on and waking up to take pee breaks and looking outside, all I saw was brown grounds and howling winds. But no snow. Sunday Morning, the storm teased and threatened us but nothing came of it. But I was watching the Rochelle Train cam and watching that turned into the nightmarish scene from the Shining of blurry lights and a blinding snow with an occasional snow covered train coming in from time to time. In the meantime, Oskaloosa got 17 inches of snow and traffic stalled on the I-80, but up here, the winds howl and nothing came out of the skies. On Monday, The Quad Cities continue to dig themselves out of a foot of snow and traffic is still not recommended. But this does seem to signal that winter, it will be a lot more snowy and colder than previous. And, as most people know, I'm no fan of the snow or cold. But we did managed to miss this storm,
If Kane Brown was pop he'd be taken more seriously than his "country" album. I have no use for him, autotuned rap masquerading as country isn't for me but the folks at Saving Country Music wrote up the review. We'll take them at their word on this forgettable album that nobody will remember a year from now. As with new music anyway. https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-kane-browns-experiment/?fbclid=IwAR2BMTdvFiFSF8PVckKJK0QEB-SNiQre3SdRZnHzu_KJQ-MNgwGtpOD44J0
I'm surprised at the ratings jump for the month here since Record World is no longer an active blog, unless I find a bunch of 45s to write about. 12 years ago, Record World came into being after My Space decided to drop the blog and I toiled around in another obscure website before using Blogspot. So far the archives are full of forgotten songs, thoughts and sports related nonsense and some eye candy. And some of the old pictures have disappeared, never to be seen again. I try my best to keep things up for use and replace the old deleted pictures but nowadays it seems like a lost cause. Time flies and yes I spend too much time on the internet, 12 years gone just like that. I do have a special friend (not GF) that I get together every now and then and go watch a movie with or hang at the house. As they say, It's complicated. Like you and yours.
The big story and reissue is The Beatles White Album which has loads of outtakes but that has never been one of my favorite albums and most of the highlights were on Anthology anyway. I have gotten burned out of rebuying these albums back in the past. I did decide on the single CD of More Blood More Tracks, rather than buying the complete coffee table 6 CD box set of the Blood On The Tracks sessions. Probably would have been better had Columbia issued the first edition of BOTT but for a different view, the single CD More Blood will do. But it won't replace the original go to album.
Samantha Fish, the Kansas City dynamo guitar blues slinger has been signed to Rounder Records after many years on Ruf. Fish has managed to play in this neighborhood on a regular basis for close to 8 years now and continues to get better.
Paste Magazine has already put together a the best of 2018 albums and I don't have any of the top 50 albums at all. Kinda like that in 2017. I have no use for Father John Misty, he tends to be one of those overblown critics darlings and the last album I heard I didn't care much for. The only album I thought about was Ashley McBridye Girl Going Nowhere, and it's more country than Kasey Musgraves last album, which Kasey made her pop move. From what I heard on You Tube, Ashley's songs are more folk than country and make nice background music at coffee houses. A bit too mellow for my listening consumption.
RIP Steve Hillenburg https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/spongebob-squarepants-creator-dead-dies-stephen-hillenburg-1203037362/?fbclid=IwAR2gWdoOorvfqJzM9GLqCDUMKMXRlar6CWvK84JU3aX70tit1xQKB19HJkk
In decemeber I'll try to put together the best of 2018 in music and of course the famed Crabby Awards for best places but that list is also shorter than usual. Plus we await who will be the next Rock and Roll Hall Of Famers for next year, but the interest is waning on that too. But I am surprised at the surge of readership this month Even when this was dormant for a while.
Sit back, do nothing and watch the ratings rise. But we're back to only 40 or less views per day.
Back to normal again.
2018 Worst Country Singles: https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/saving-country-musics-worst-songs-of-2018/?fbclid=IwAR3xAWWmjURipJ4f_TNRglxh0VYmB94hjz1FqJrXiKAzbLMFVnbINzsIptM
Reissues:
10 Years After: A Space In Time, Going Home, Live At The Fillmore East (Chrysalis)
Remastered for the digipack era, A Space In Time Returns back in print and it still might be their best overall album, tho' time has treated Rock N Roll Music To The World better it seems but that record lacks I'd Love To Change The World. It's not the B minus album that Robert Christgau claimed it is (Not enough hip hop or African World Music to his liking) but it still remains a solid listening especially on the second side with I've Been There Too, or Once Upon A Time. In theory, Alvin Lee was never much of a lyricist and he does recycle the Good Morning Little Schoolgirl riff on Let The Sky Fall. His jams are hit and miss but One Of These Days is solid boogie and Baby Let Me Rock And Roll You is 2 minutes of boogie fun.
In 1978 London Records in the US, on their death bed issued Going Home, a very spotty best of, that is about as half assed as they come, taking three songs off Stonedhedge (at that time out of print in the us), the single edit of Love Like A Man and side two started with I Woke Up This Morning and a cut from Undead and then the crowd pleasing I'm Going Home from Woodstock, Lee's signature song. 10 Minutes of in your face boogie rock, then after the 2 minute mark extending the song to boring proportions. Better seen live when trying to hear it fifty years after the fact. I have good memories of Going Home, I bought it on a sky blue cassette,cheaply made that sounded like crap in the car, especially on cold winter days which was the winter of 78-79. Unless you're a completest, Going Home isn't essential and since Stonedhedge is still in print, redundant. However, this is the first time it has been issued on CD and under the Chrysalis banner to which most if not all 10 years after albums are now under.
Which leaves us to Live At The Fillmore East, which Capitol issued in 2002. Before that, we had Recorded Live, a bloated 1973 2 LP set that Columbia released and to these ears a better way to check out the Alvin Lee Guitar show, but that album is much more polished than the rough drafts of the 1970 set. Lee and company go through a 20 minute I Can't Keep From Cryin Sometimes and a 16 minute blistering Help Me, to which I'm Going Home in it's 11:57 glory seems to be a Ramones type run through. Make no mistake, Alvin Lee cooks on lead guitar but fifty years on, droning 10 plus minute guitar tend to lose favor and attention spans and on Ric Lee's 10 minute drum soloing on The Hobbit still remains boring as hell, a bathroom break for all of the other guys. Another complaint: Alvin can't remember the words to Sweet Little 16 to save his ass, it didn't help him on Watt (which might be the same version as the Fillmore). And if you make it past the other blotched Chuck Berry cover, you get a new run through on I Woke Up This Morning and the concluding Spoonful . In the long run, Recorded Live was the better and more tolerable effort. For excessive rock noodling Live At The Fillmore East is Lee's grand statement.
Grades:
A Space In Time: A-
Recorded Live B-
Going Home: Greatest Hits: C+
Live At The Fillmore East C+
The major story is the major winter storm that dumped a foot of snow, an all time record in November in the Quad Cities and Iowa City got 7 inches of the lovely white crap but up here in Cedar Rapids we missed out. Which doesn't break my heart. The car doesn't do well trying to get up an icy 2 inch snow cover that we had two weeks ago. We missed out but rest assured I saw the storm from afar as I made my way to Stone City to play in the Acoustic Showcase Sunday. Snowstorms do glow in the darkness. We were supposed to have 4 to 6 and a Winter Storm Warning was issued, but as Saturday Night progressed on and waking up to take pee breaks and looking outside, all I saw was brown grounds and howling winds. But no snow. Sunday Morning, the storm teased and threatened us but nothing came of it. But I was watching the Rochelle Train cam and watching that turned into the nightmarish scene from the Shining of blurry lights and a blinding snow with an occasional snow covered train coming in from time to time. In the meantime, Oskaloosa got 17 inches of snow and traffic stalled on the I-80, but up here, the winds howl and nothing came out of the skies. On Monday, The Quad Cities continue to dig themselves out of a foot of snow and traffic is still not recommended. But this does seem to signal that winter, it will be a lot more snowy and colder than previous. And, as most people know, I'm no fan of the snow or cold. But we did managed to miss this storm,
If Kane Brown was pop he'd be taken more seriously than his "country" album. I have no use for him, autotuned rap masquerading as country isn't for me but the folks at Saving Country Music wrote up the review. We'll take them at their word on this forgettable album that nobody will remember a year from now. As with new music anyway. https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-kane-browns-experiment/?fbclid=IwAR2BMTdvFiFSF8PVckKJK0QEB-SNiQre3SdRZnHzu_KJQ-MNgwGtpOD44J0
I'm surprised at the ratings jump for the month here since Record World is no longer an active blog, unless I find a bunch of 45s to write about. 12 years ago, Record World came into being after My Space decided to drop the blog and I toiled around in another obscure website before using Blogspot. So far the archives are full of forgotten songs, thoughts and sports related nonsense and some eye candy. And some of the old pictures have disappeared, never to be seen again. I try my best to keep things up for use and replace the old deleted pictures but nowadays it seems like a lost cause. Time flies and yes I spend too much time on the internet, 12 years gone just like that. I do have a special friend (not GF) that I get together every now and then and go watch a movie with or hang at the house. As they say, It's complicated. Like you and yours.
The big story and reissue is The Beatles White Album which has loads of outtakes but that has never been one of my favorite albums and most of the highlights were on Anthology anyway. I have gotten burned out of rebuying these albums back in the past. I did decide on the single CD of More Blood More Tracks, rather than buying the complete coffee table 6 CD box set of the Blood On The Tracks sessions. Probably would have been better had Columbia issued the first edition of BOTT but for a different view, the single CD More Blood will do. But it won't replace the original go to album.
Samantha Fish, the Kansas City dynamo guitar blues slinger has been signed to Rounder Records after many years on Ruf. Fish has managed to play in this neighborhood on a regular basis for close to 8 years now and continues to get better.
Paste Magazine has already put together a the best of 2018 albums and I don't have any of the top 50 albums at all. Kinda like that in 2017. I have no use for Father John Misty, he tends to be one of those overblown critics darlings and the last album I heard I didn't care much for. The only album I thought about was Ashley McBridye Girl Going Nowhere, and it's more country than Kasey Musgraves last album, which Kasey made her pop move. From what I heard on You Tube, Ashley's songs are more folk than country and make nice background music at coffee houses. A bit too mellow for my listening consumption.
RIP Steve Hillenburg https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/spongebob-squarepants-creator-dead-dies-stephen-hillenburg-1203037362/?fbclid=IwAR2gWdoOorvfqJzM9GLqCDUMKMXRlar6CWvK84JU3aX70tit1xQKB19HJkk
In decemeber I'll try to put together the best of 2018 in music and of course the famed Crabby Awards for best places but that list is also shorter than usual. Plus we await who will be the next Rock and Roll Hall Of Famers for next year, but the interest is waning on that too. But I am surprised at the surge of readership this month Even when this was dormant for a while.
Sit back, do nothing and watch the ratings rise. But we're back to only 40 or less views per day.
Back to normal again.
2018 Worst Country Singles: https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/saving-country-musics-worst-songs-of-2018/?fbclid=IwAR3xAWWmjURipJ4f_TNRglxh0VYmB94hjz1FqJrXiKAzbLMFVnbINzsIptM
Reissues:
10 Years After: A Space In Time, Going Home, Live At The Fillmore East (Chrysalis)
Remastered for the digipack era, A Space In Time Returns back in print and it still might be their best overall album, tho' time has treated Rock N Roll Music To The World better it seems but that record lacks I'd Love To Change The World. It's not the B minus album that Robert Christgau claimed it is (Not enough hip hop or African World Music to his liking) but it still remains a solid listening especially on the second side with I've Been There Too, or Once Upon A Time. In theory, Alvin Lee was never much of a lyricist and he does recycle the Good Morning Little Schoolgirl riff on Let The Sky Fall. His jams are hit and miss but One Of These Days is solid boogie and Baby Let Me Rock And Roll You is 2 minutes of boogie fun.
In 1978 London Records in the US, on their death bed issued Going Home, a very spotty best of, that is about as half assed as they come, taking three songs off Stonedhedge (at that time out of print in the us), the single edit of Love Like A Man and side two started with I Woke Up This Morning and a cut from Undead and then the crowd pleasing I'm Going Home from Woodstock, Lee's signature song. 10 Minutes of in your face boogie rock, then after the 2 minute mark extending the song to boring proportions. Better seen live when trying to hear it fifty years after the fact. I have good memories of Going Home, I bought it on a sky blue cassette,cheaply made that sounded like crap in the car, especially on cold winter days which was the winter of 78-79. Unless you're a completest, Going Home isn't essential and since Stonedhedge is still in print, redundant. However, this is the first time it has been issued on CD and under the Chrysalis banner to which most if not all 10 years after albums are now under.
Which leaves us to Live At The Fillmore East, which Capitol issued in 2002. Before that, we had Recorded Live, a bloated 1973 2 LP set that Columbia released and to these ears a better way to check out the Alvin Lee Guitar show, but that album is much more polished than the rough drafts of the 1970 set. Lee and company go through a 20 minute I Can't Keep From Cryin Sometimes and a 16 minute blistering Help Me, to which I'm Going Home in it's 11:57 glory seems to be a Ramones type run through. Make no mistake, Alvin Lee cooks on lead guitar but fifty years on, droning 10 plus minute guitar tend to lose favor and attention spans and on Ric Lee's 10 minute drum soloing on The Hobbit still remains boring as hell, a bathroom break for all of the other guys. Another complaint: Alvin can't remember the words to Sweet Little 16 to save his ass, it didn't help him on Watt (which might be the same version as the Fillmore). And if you make it past the other blotched Chuck Berry cover, you get a new run through on I Woke Up This Morning and the concluding Spoonful . In the long run, Recorded Live was the better and more tolerable effort. For excessive rock noodling Live At The Fillmore East is Lee's grand statement.
Grades:
A Space In Time: A-
Recorded Live B-
Going Home: Greatest Hits: C+
Live At The Fillmore East C+
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Black Friday Singles From Davenport and Elsewhere
I'm surprised I have 993 views on one day. So for that effort, I throw together yet another batch of singles found in various locations. Even the Marion store had some decent shape of 60 year old 45s.
Betcha they're pop singles.
1) Tiger Lilly-Rusty Draper (Mercury 70989) #88 1957
Mercury's answer to Guy Mitchell, tho' Mitchell was more convincing as a country star than pop. Tiger Lilly was arranged by Hugo Peretti (of the Hugo/Lugini production team). This song is aimed for the teen pop crowd, it did some airplay enough to hang on the billboard top 100. B side Confidential is a ballad of course. Draper would eventually go straight country and recorded some sides for Monument in the 60s. Fun fact: this 45 was sold from Ferris Records up in Austin Minnesota. It's like archaeological finds, seeing tags and price stickers from forgotten record stores.
2) Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes-Johnnie and Joe (RCA 47-5040) 1952
Country remake of the Perry Como super hit. Johnnie Wright would marry Kitty Wells and had a nice long life together. I tend to favor hillbilly music over poptopia stuff and Johnnie and Joe has a better version tho' not as memorable. For a 66 year old 45, this is better sounding than most 45s. Whoever had this one, took great care of it.
3) A Girl Like You-Larry Hall (Strand 25013) 1960
Hall was a one hit wonder with Sandy (#15 1959) but this followup didn't chart. Sounding somewhat like Frankie Avalon's Venus. B side Rosemary basically the same format and pop style. In fact, some radio stations went with Rosemary as the Plug side. Burt Bachurach co wrote A Girl Like You. I don't know, it's passable teen pop. For better or worse.
4) Sing Me Something Sentimental-Marty Robbins (Columbia 4-21145) 1953
It's hard to believe how far back Marty goes with his music. I remember him with El Paso, A White Sport Coat and Singing The Blues but in 53, he was honky tonk hillbilly. And I have found quite a few of his singles in thrift stores. To find them in excellent sounding shape is a different story. Hillbilly music in the early 50s didn't stand out all that much, mid tempo ballads moreorless. Tho' the record is slightly warped, it sounds like you're in the recording studio, it's that pristine. B side At The End Of A Long Lonely Day is hillbilly blues with a steel guitar. Both songs written by Marty
5) Mirage-Johnny Mathis (Mercury 72464) 1965
Johnny's Mercury years aren't documented all that much, Collector's Choice issued some of his albums on CD. Usually when I pick up his Mercury sides, it's curiosity. Quincy Jones co wrote this 2 minute ditty. Sounds a bit like Maria, with a bit of mysterious strings and melody. It might have been a bigger hit in 1959 rather than 1965 tho'. Mercury didn't promote this very well and one year later Mathis returned back to Columbia to where he still records to this day.
6) Teenage Sonata-Sam Cooke (RCA 47-7701) #50 1960
Sam Cooke could sing just about everything, sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes he had to sing what the label or Hugo & Luigi wanted him to play. Jeff Barry wrote this banal pop number and it isn't one of Sam's best songs. In fact it might one of the worst that he ever did. Glenn Osser, who also arranged Mirage from Johnny Mathis can be blamed for this sappy sound. B side If You Were The Only Girl is better suited for Frankie Avalon. Cooke would have much better songs later on.
7) Oh Carol-Neil Sedaka (RCA 47-7595) #8 1959
I'm not sure if my mom had this 45 in her collection or not, Neil had a bit more grit to his teen pop numbers more than Paul Anka. I think Anka had better songs at that time but Neil made better albums in the 70s, after all Neil had Elton John helping him out, Paul got lucky with You're Having My Baby and getting raked over the coals. Oh Carol was written about Carol King or so the story goes. B side One Way Ticket (to the blues) is a better song I think. A bit more catchy on the tunes.
8) Just As Long As You Love Me-Jim Edward & Maxine & Bonnie Brown (RCA 47-6631) 1956
Back to hillbilly country blues, Jim Ed and his sisters had some nice harmonies for their 50s recording for RCA. In my return to collecting forgotten 45s, I think I have found about 10 of their singles but never bought The Old Lamplighter or The Three Bells, I have those on the classic Town And Country album that came out on CD for a short time. Next to Don Gibson and Porter Wagoner The Browns are probably my favorite RCA recording acts of the 1950s. B side Don't Tell Me Your Troubles is not the same song as Don Gibson.
9) Ashes Of Love-Don Gibson (RCA 47-9460) 1968
Speaking of Don, he continued to record for RCA and still managed to get Chet Atkins to produce his music, and Don had free reign to find songs from Acuff-Rose to sing and Ashes Of Love is an old Johnnie And Jack song, b side Good Morning Dear did get some country airplay as well, it's a MOR ballad. Mickey Newbury wrote Good Morning Dear; he also wrote Funny, Familiar, Forgotten Feelings as well. Both are not my favorites.
10) Norwegian Wood-Waylon Jennings (RCA 47-8822) 1966
Time To Bum Again was the A side but Waylon wanted to record the Beatles number. Can't say that I blame Waylon.
11) Darlin'-Tom Jones (Mercury 76100) 1981
A sizable country hit, I remember the days when I was roller skating on Wednesday nights at Super Skate they would play this song. Memories.
12) Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)-Melanie (Buddah BDA-167) #6 1970
Hippie singer songwriter....I found a dollar copy of her greatest hits and found most of her songs silly (Brand New Key anybody?) but I always loved Lay Down, thanks to the Edwin Hawkins Singers in the background.wailing away. Mott The Hoople did their own version of Lay Down.
13) Well Did Ya Evea?-Bing Crosby/Frank Sinatra (Capitol F-3507) #92 1956
True Love-Bing Crosby with Grace Kelly #3
Grace had the bigger hit but Frank had the most fun on this double sided single written by Cole Porter. Never in my life I ever thought I would have this single in my collection. It brings out the hoarder in me.
14) My Maria-B W Stevenson (RCA APB0-0030) #6 1973
Later a number 1 country hit for Brooks and Dunn but this original gets my nod for better song.
15) You Need Love-Styx (Wooden Nickel PB-10272) #88 1975
Of course any followup to Lady, would be a bomb but You Need Love did score on the regional top 30 here. At times I prefer this to Lady since radio doesn't play it that much. Once Wooden Nickel closed their doors, Styx would find new life with A&M. For better or, namely worse.
So this ends the Black Friday finds. On Sunday, a big snowstorm would hit the Davenport area, getting one foot of snow for a record breaking snowfall in November. Surprisingly, my area didn't get snow but it's an early snow season and I'm sure there'll be many more chances of a white Christmas.
For now, the NO SNOW chant worked for me great this weekend.
Betcha they're pop singles.
1) Tiger Lilly-Rusty Draper (Mercury 70989) #88 1957
Mercury's answer to Guy Mitchell, tho' Mitchell was more convincing as a country star than pop. Tiger Lilly was arranged by Hugo Peretti (of the Hugo/Lugini production team). This song is aimed for the teen pop crowd, it did some airplay enough to hang on the billboard top 100. B side Confidential is a ballad of course. Draper would eventually go straight country and recorded some sides for Monument in the 60s. Fun fact: this 45 was sold from Ferris Records up in Austin Minnesota. It's like archaeological finds, seeing tags and price stickers from forgotten record stores.
2) Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes-Johnnie and Joe (RCA 47-5040) 1952
Country remake of the Perry Como super hit. Johnnie Wright would marry Kitty Wells and had a nice long life together. I tend to favor hillbilly music over poptopia stuff and Johnnie and Joe has a better version tho' not as memorable. For a 66 year old 45, this is better sounding than most 45s. Whoever had this one, took great care of it.
3) A Girl Like You-Larry Hall (Strand 25013) 1960
Hall was a one hit wonder with Sandy (#15 1959) but this followup didn't chart. Sounding somewhat like Frankie Avalon's Venus. B side Rosemary basically the same format and pop style. In fact, some radio stations went with Rosemary as the Plug side. Burt Bachurach co wrote A Girl Like You. I don't know, it's passable teen pop. For better or worse.
4) Sing Me Something Sentimental-Marty Robbins (Columbia 4-21145) 1953
It's hard to believe how far back Marty goes with his music. I remember him with El Paso, A White Sport Coat and Singing The Blues but in 53, he was honky tonk hillbilly. And I have found quite a few of his singles in thrift stores. To find them in excellent sounding shape is a different story. Hillbilly music in the early 50s didn't stand out all that much, mid tempo ballads moreorless. Tho' the record is slightly warped, it sounds like you're in the recording studio, it's that pristine. B side At The End Of A Long Lonely Day is hillbilly blues with a steel guitar. Both songs written by Marty
5) Mirage-Johnny Mathis (Mercury 72464) 1965
Johnny's Mercury years aren't documented all that much, Collector's Choice issued some of his albums on CD. Usually when I pick up his Mercury sides, it's curiosity. Quincy Jones co wrote this 2 minute ditty. Sounds a bit like Maria, with a bit of mysterious strings and melody. It might have been a bigger hit in 1959 rather than 1965 tho'. Mercury didn't promote this very well and one year later Mathis returned back to Columbia to where he still records to this day.
6) Teenage Sonata-Sam Cooke (RCA 47-7701) #50 1960
Sam Cooke could sing just about everything, sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes he had to sing what the label or Hugo & Luigi wanted him to play. Jeff Barry wrote this banal pop number and it isn't one of Sam's best songs. In fact it might one of the worst that he ever did. Glenn Osser, who also arranged Mirage from Johnny Mathis can be blamed for this sappy sound. B side If You Were The Only Girl is better suited for Frankie Avalon. Cooke would have much better songs later on.
7) Oh Carol-Neil Sedaka (RCA 47-7595) #8 1959
I'm not sure if my mom had this 45 in her collection or not, Neil had a bit more grit to his teen pop numbers more than Paul Anka. I think Anka had better songs at that time but Neil made better albums in the 70s, after all Neil had Elton John helping him out, Paul got lucky with You're Having My Baby and getting raked over the coals. Oh Carol was written about Carol King or so the story goes. B side One Way Ticket (to the blues) is a better song I think. A bit more catchy on the tunes.
8) Just As Long As You Love Me-Jim Edward & Maxine & Bonnie Brown (RCA 47-6631) 1956
Back to hillbilly country blues, Jim Ed and his sisters had some nice harmonies for their 50s recording for RCA. In my return to collecting forgotten 45s, I think I have found about 10 of their singles but never bought The Old Lamplighter or The Three Bells, I have those on the classic Town And Country album that came out on CD for a short time. Next to Don Gibson and Porter Wagoner The Browns are probably my favorite RCA recording acts of the 1950s. B side Don't Tell Me Your Troubles is not the same song as Don Gibson.
9) Ashes Of Love-Don Gibson (RCA 47-9460) 1968
Speaking of Don, he continued to record for RCA and still managed to get Chet Atkins to produce his music, and Don had free reign to find songs from Acuff-Rose to sing and Ashes Of Love is an old Johnnie And Jack song, b side Good Morning Dear did get some country airplay as well, it's a MOR ballad. Mickey Newbury wrote Good Morning Dear; he also wrote Funny, Familiar, Forgotten Feelings as well. Both are not my favorites.
10) Norwegian Wood-Waylon Jennings (RCA 47-8822) 1966
Time To Bum Again was the A side but Waylon wanted to record the Beatles number. Can't say that I blame Waylon.
11) Darlin'-Tom Jones (Mercury 76100) 1981
A sizable country hit, I remember the days when I was roller skating on Wednesday nights at Super Skate they would play this song. Memories.
12) Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)-Melanie (Buddah BDA-167) #6 1970
Hippie singer songwriter....I found a dollar copy of her greatest hits and found most of her songs silly (Brand New Key anybody?) but I always loved Lay Down, thanks to the Edwin Hawkins Singers in the background.wailing away. Mott The Hoople did their own version of Lay Down.
13) Well Did Ya Evea?-Bing Crosby/Frank Sinatra (Capitol F-3507) #92 1956
True Love-Bing Crosby with Grace Kelly #3
Grace had the bigger hit but Frank had the most fun on this double sided single written by Cole Porter. Never in my life I ever thought I would have this single in my collection. It brings out the hoarder in me.
14) My Maria-B W Stevenson (RCA APB0-0030) #6 1973
Later a number 1 country hit for Brooks and Dunn but this original gets my nod for better song.
15) You Need Love-Styx (Wooden Nickel PB-10272) #88 1975
Of course any followup to Lady, would be a bomb but You Need Love did score on the regional top 30 here. At times I prefer this to Lady since radio doesn't play it that much. Once Wooden Nickel closed their doors, Styx would find new life with A&M. For better or, namely worse.
So this ends the Black Friday finds. On Sunday, a big snowstorm would hit the Davenport area, getting one foot of snow for a record breaking snowfall in November. Surprisingly, my area didn't get snow but it's an early snow season and I'm sure there'll be many more chances of a white Christmas.
For now, the NO SNOW chant worked for me great this weekend.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Gobble Gobble Gobble, Turkey Shoot 2018
Yay, that time again.
That time to really hand out the Turkey Turds of the year and there's no shortage of them. Take a look at the blubbering idiot in the White House. The King Turkey of them all.
With that out of the way, I'm amazed of the dwindling of music, and good music mind you. it's too EZ to tell you of the usual suspects, which is, artists continuing to fuck us over with shitty digipacks, major labels bankrupt for ideas and not producing future rock and rollers continuing to mine the archives for 50th anniversary issues of albums. And basically I'm sure Beatles fans will fork over the big bucks for the Complete White Album Sessions or More Blood More Tracks that captures everything Bob Dylan did for the 1974 Blood On The Track album but Sony Music opted not to reissued the first edition of Blood On The Track before Bob decided to redo five songs up in Minneapolis. The single edition of More Blood, More Tracks was worth the 15 dollars that Co Op Moline had it. But I am not interested in buying overpriced coffee table albums just to play once and file away forever. Come 2019, I might decide to get married and need to do a rummage sale to clear space. Hopefully somebody will talk sense into my special somebody and convince her that being single and free is the way to go. You really don't want to spend the rest of your life 24/7 with a bargain hunting record hoarder.
In terms of theory, new music has been crappy and unremarkable. The guy at Co Op was raving about The Struts and calling them the next big rock band, but from I heard, they're second rate Buckcherry. The Greta Van Fleet album debut got lambasted and raked over the coals by Pitchfork and they might have been right. The band was a lie, they weren't influenced by Aerosmith as Rolling Stone claimed but by Led Zeppelin. They do have the sound down but the inspiration is not there. Anthem Of The Peaceful Army (Lava/Universal) starts out all wrong with Age Of Man and never quite recovers. There are some promising moments but hey, the lead singer is 22, the drummer and bass player are 19 and they'll have better days and albums ahead once they develop their own sound and leave the Zep behind. But then again they could morph into Kingdom Come as well. With that Anthem Of The Peaceful Army gets a gobble gobble gobble
Mark Knopfler. The voice and sound of Dire Straits has continued to slowly devolve into middle of the road laid back muzak and his latest Down The Road Whenever (Virgin/Blue Note) he continues to make songs that are mini stories, alas, the music is boring. He was never King Kickass with the Straits but at least they did have a uptempo to counter the slow and bore. The problem is the length of these songs, 13 totaling 71 minutes, and if you're a bigger fan you're free to try the deluxe digipack edition with 2 more songs that balloon up to 78 minutes. At least he doesn't go full Celtic and left the penny whistle at home. This record is better suited for late night listening as you dose off into sleep. I damn near dozed off going home trying to listen to this in the car stereo.
It's easy to slam to so called country rappers and artists but let's face it folks, old country isn't coming back. It has mutated into watered down southern rock and half baked rap and Kane Brown Experiment (RCA) shows Brown taking over for Florida Georgia Line as the new Hick Hop artist. I really don't know what brings these autotuned doughnut holes to think they're country. The video Weekend is dumb autotuned red neck fun at the Wally World. The rest of the album is that bad. Yes it sucks.
And Five Finger Death Punch, And Justice For None. No wonder people don't listen to new rock anymore.
And The Pistol Annies are back with a new album as well, the most anticipated turned out to be a depressing album Gospel Interstate (RCA). Times have changed, Two divorces, two kids and one the way and sad songs about breakups and cheating boyfriends and husbands. It seems to be more in tuned with Miranda Lambert's last album, which also disappointed me and finding a second cheap copy confirmed my initial feelings that a sad Miranda is less fun than a sassy Miranda being a Crazy Ex Girlfriend. I may take another listen to Gospel Interstate, but I don't think it's the A album that Robert Christgau gave it. Overgraded to say the very least.
So far the Turkey's of the year fall go to sports as well. The 2018 Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles who were tied for most 1 run or less games. One team lost a record 115 games, the other blew the division title and wild card game and had the second best NL record. It didn't help the Cubs signing Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood, to which one had a bad shoulder and the other was too busy walking opposing batters. Darvish gets a pass for this season but next season fans will be screaming for his head if he doesn't earn that big contract that he got.
The College Football gobble gobble gobble goes to Iowa who, with a cupcake schedule couldn't beat a decent big ten team and watched Northwestern win the West title in Iowa City, to which fans had to see Pat Fitzgerald, so full of himself, rub the win in the Hawkeyes fans' faces. Iowa did come back to blow out Illinois 63-0 to which the Fighting Illini will show Lovie Smith out the door after this season. We'll see if Iowa can beat Nebraska to savage a season full of promises but once again thanks to Nathan Stanley's dumb fuck play calling and interceptions all Iowa can hope for is a pre Christmas bowl game, but Hawkeye fans have moved on to Basketball to which Iowa beat Oregon and U Conn and won the Big Apple tournament last week. (Iowa outlasted Nebraska 31-28 on a last second FG, but they did their damnest to give Nebraska the game, missing a FG and then opting to take a FG away by fucking up a fourth and goal on the 3 and Nebraska went 97 yards for a TD. Iowa has beaten the Mighty Corn 4 straight times, but I doubt there'll be a fifth).
This just in. Michigan gets Gobble Gobble Gobbled for the 13th time in 14 games as Ohio State lambasted them 62-39, the most points ever scored. And Michigan's defense was number 1. Not anymore. The love affair between Jim Harbaugh and the state of Michigan is now officially over. He has yet to beat them in four games. The hard core will screaming for his head now.
But the big Screw You Gobble Gobble Gobble goes to Best Buy for not selling CDs anymore and Wal Mart and Target continuing to shrink their inventory to plain Greatest Hits and Top five best sellers. In fact, Wally World has now one small aisle of the CD section. If you want the latest Bottlerockets or Rhett Miller, you're better off to go to a CD record store (Zia's Records, Mad City Music X, Moondog Music, Co Op Moline) and get it there instead of Best Buy. In fact, I haven't step foot in Best Buy since they quit selling CDs. I have better luck finding new releases at Books A Million than Target/Wally World. The Vinyl Revival is still going although people are beginning to tire of that and I've noticed more records coming into the used stores and Half Price Books. I think it's a crock of shit to buy a album for 25 or 30 dollars when 30 years ago you could get the same album as a nice price 5.99 special. Don't look for me to pony up big bucks for Record Store Day Specials this Black Friday. I wish I could have kept Devo Are We Not Men but paying 30 bucks for a RSD release, nah, I pass. Nor do I desire Sheryl Crow's Tuesday Night Music Club on LP for 25 dollars. You can find the CD for 2 dollars or less without ease.
So now that we are all thoroughly depressed of the Turkey Turds of the Year, here' hoping that your Thanksgiving will be peaceful and you'll be spared of family feuds. Just put on Alice Restaurant Massacre by Arlo Guthrie and you'll feel better.
Gobble Gobble Gobble.
That time to really hand out the Turkey Turds of the year and there's no shortage of them. Take a look at the blubbering idiot in the White House. The King Turkey of them all.
With that out of the way, I'm amazed of the dwindling of music, and good music mind you. it's too EZ to tell you of the usual suspects, which is, artists continuing to fuck us over with shitty digipacks, major labels bankrupt for ideas and not producing future rock and rollers continuing to mine the archives for 50th anniversary issues of albums. And basically I'm sure Beatles fans will fork over the big bucks for the Complete White Album Sessions or More Blood More Tracks that captures everything Bob Dylan did for the 1974 Blood On The Track album but Sony Music opted not to reissued the first edition of Blood On The Track before Bob decided to redo five songs up in Minneapolis. The single edition of More Blood, More Tracks was worth the 15 dollars that Co Op Moline had it. But I am not interested in buying overpriced coffee table albums just to play once and file away forever. Come 2019, I might decide to get married and need to do a rummage sale to clear space. Hopefully somebody will talk sense into my special somebody and convince her that being single and free is the way to go. You really don't want to spend the rest of your life 24/7 with a bargain hunting record hoarder.
In terms of theory, new music has been crappy and unremarkable. The guy at Co Op was raving about The Struts and calling them the next big rock band, but from I heard, they're second rate Buckcherry. The Greta Van Fleet album debut got lambasted and raked over the coals by Pitchfork and they might have been right. The band was a lie, they weren't influenced by Aerosmith as Rolling Stone claimed but by Led Zeppelin. They do have the sound down but the inspiration is not there. Anthem Of The Peaceful Army (Lava/Universal) starts out all wrong with Age Of Man and never quite recovers. There are some promising moments but hey, the lead singer is 22, the drummer and bass player are 19 and they'll have better days and albums ahead once they develop their own sound and leave the Zep behind. But then again they could morph into Kingdom Come as well. With that Anthem Of The Peaceful Army gets a gobble gobble gobble
Mark Knopfler. The voice and sound of Dire Straits has continued to slowly devolve into middle of the road laid back muzak and his latest Down The Road Whenever (Virgin/Blue Note) he continues to make songs that are mini stories, alas, the music is boring. He was never King Kickass with the Straits but at least they did have a uptempo to counter the slow and bore. The problem is the length of these songs, 13 totaling 71 minutes, and if you're a bigger fan you're free to try the deluxe digipack edition with 2 more songs that balloon up to 78 minutes. At least he doesn't go full Celtic and left the penny whistle at home. This record is better suited for late night listening as you dose off into sleep. I damn near dozed off going home trying to listen to this in the car stereo.
It's easy to slam to so called country rappers and artists but let's face it folks, old country isn't coming back. It has mutated into watered down southern rock and half baked rap and Kane Brown Experiment (RCA) shows Brown taking over for Florida Georgia Line as the new Hick Hop artist. I really don't know what brings these autotuned doughnut holes to think they're country. The video Weekend is dumb autotuned red neck fun at the Wally World. The rest of the album is that bad. Yes it sucks.
And Five Finger Death Punch, And Justice For None. No wonder people don't listen to new rock anymore.
And The Pistol Annies are back with a new album as well, the most anticipated turned out to be a depressing album Gospel Interstate (RCA). Times have changed, Two divorces, two kids and one the way and sad songs about breakups and cheating boyfriends and husbands. It seems to be more in tuned with Miranda Lambert's last album, which also disappointed me and finding a second cheap copy confirmed my initial feelings that a sad Miranda is less fun than a sassy Miranda being a Crazy Ex Girlfriend. I may take another listen to Gospel Interstate, but I don't think it's the A album that Robert Christgau gave it. Overgraded to say the very least.
So far the Turkey's of the year fall go to sports as well. The 2018 Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles who were tied for most 1 run or less games. One team lost a record 115 games, the other blew the division title and wild card game and had the second best NL record. It didn't help the Cubs signing Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood, to which one had a bad shoulder and the other was too busy walking opposing batters. Darvish gets a pass for this season but next season fans will be screaming for his head if he doesn't earn that big contract that he got.
The College Football gobble gobble gobble goes to Iowa who, with a cupcake schedule couldn't beat a decent big ten team and watched Northwestern win the West title in Iowa City, to which fans had to see Pat Fitzgerald, so full of himself, rub the win in the Hawkeyes fans' faces. Iowa did come back to blow out Illinois 63-0 to which the Fighting Illini will show Lovie Smith out the door after this season. We'll see if Iowa can beat Nebraska to savage a season full of promises but once again thanks to Nathan Stanley's dumb fuck play calling and interceptions all Iowa can hope for is a pre Christmas bowl game, but Hawkeye fans have moved on to Basketball to which Iowa beat Oregon and U Conn and won the Big Apple tournament last week. (Iowa outlasted Nebraska 31-28 on a last second FG, but they did their damnest to give Nebraska the game, missing a FG and then opting to take a FG away by fucking up a fourth and goal on the 3 and Nebraska went 97 yards for a TD. Iowa has beaten the Mighty Corn 4 straight times, but I doubt there'll be a fifth).
This just in. Michigan gets Gobble Gobble Gobbled for the 13th time in 14 games as Ohio State lambasted them 62-39, the most points ever scored. And Michigan's defense was number 1. Not anymore. The love affair between Jim Harbaugh and the state of Michigan is now officially over. He has yet to beat them in four games. The hard core will screaming for his head now.
But the big Screw You Gobble Gobble Gobble goes to Best Buy for not selling CDs anymore and Wal Mart and Target continuing to shrink their inventory to plain Greatest Hits and Top five best sellers. In fact, Wally World has now one small aisle of the CD section. If you want the latest Bottlerockets or Rhett Miller, you're better off to go to a CD record store (Zia's Records, Mad City Music X, Moondog Music, Co Op Moline) and get it there instead of Best Buy. In fact, I haven't step foot in Best Buy since they quit selling CDs. I have better luck finding new releases at Books A Million than Target/Wally World. The Vinyl Revival is still going although people are beginning to tire of that and I've noticed more records coming into the used stores and Half Price Books. I think it's a crock of shit to buy a album for 25 or 30 dollars when 30 years ago you could get the same album as a nice price 5.99 special. Don't look for me to pony up big bucks for Record Store Day Specials this Black Friday. I wish I could have kept Devo Are We Not Men but paying 30 bucks for a RSD release, nah, I pass. Nor do I desire Sheryl Crow's Tuesday Night Music Club on LP for 25 dollars. You can find the CD for 2 dollars or less without ease.
So now that we are all thoroughly depressed of the Turkey Turds of the Year, here' hoping that your Thanksgiving will be peaceful and you'll be spared of family feuds. Just put on Alice Restaurant Massacre by Arlo Guthrie and you'll feel better.
Gobble Gobble Gobble.
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Singles Going Steady-Dubuque St. Vincent De Paul Pop Singles Of The 50s
For a quarter I didn't expect much but they were such in good shape.
Nobody played them.
1) Wimoweh-Wilder Brothers (Wing 90046) 1955
The basics of this song would become The Lion Sleeps Tonight and it's basically a big band stomp. Corny as it gets, but puts a smile on my face when I hear it. B Side Love That Melody is more cornball based on Here Comes The Bride. Smarter teens went for the R and B and Elvis, and to a lesser extent, The Crew Cuts.
2) Baby Girl Of Mine-Bobby Sharp (Wing 90056) 1956
Best known as a songwriter (he wrote Unchain My Heart, a big hit for Ray Charles and later Joe Cocker) Sharp did a one off single for Mercury's second tier label Wing, Somewhat of a country number with harmonica too. Other side Flowers, Mr. Florist Please might have been pitched to a Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra,it has that Pop sound among the doo wop backing vocalist.
3) The Jogger-Bobby Bare (Columbia 38-03809) 1983
Bare continued to record Shel Silverstein's songs late into the 1980s and scored a minor country hit with this song, which sounds like The Winner Part 25 of something like that. B side The Gravy Train is passable Silverstein fun.
4) Smiles-Crazy Otto (Decca 9-92403) 1955
Fritz Schulz-Reichel was his real name and he was a German jazz pianist, who had a knack of playing the melody with his left hand and the rhythm with his right. Johnny Maddox had a hit of doing Reichel's Crazy Otto songs with the Crazy Otto Melody. Fritz's songs were recorded via Deusche Grammophon in Germany and on the fledgling Polydor later on, but Decca picked up his recordings in the 1950s. Smiles is ragtime jazz as well as Glad Doll Rag, which does owe a bit to Kansas City Jazz, via Germany. Reichel passed away in 1990.
5) Tropical-Stanley Black (London 45-1720) 1956
Another jazz pianist, this time from the UK, Black recorded many recordings for Decca/Phase 4 in his career and is probably the most heard of piano player on the muzak side of things. Tropical is a Mort Gould composition. B side is the piano work Begin the Beguine, the Cole Porter standard. Not rock and roll but it's fun if you take it in its muzak context.
6) You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do) Buddy Greco (Coral 9-60979) 1953
Cheesy lounge pop complete with female backing vocals (The Heathertones) Greco enjoyed a Vegas' style career of cheesy lounge pop songs. B side I Predict is more boring cheese pop crapola. Big Joe Turner had a much more swinging version of You're Driving Me Crazy from his classic album The Boss Of The Blues. Start there to hear this song.
7) I'm Dancing With Tears In My Eyes-Ralph Flanagan (RCA Victor 47-4078) 1951
X did a cover version of this song, which in no way is similar to this big band version. Dancing On The Ceiling is the stuff of Guy Lombardo legends made of.
8) Rap Your Troubles In Drums-George Shearing Quintet (MGM-K-11600) 1953
Bossa Nova with Bongos as drum solo by Cal Tjeder. More jazz slanted than the big band stuff of this blog. Probably was the inspiration for Bongo Rock by Preston Epps a few years later. B side Easy To Love is muzak jazz. George Shearing always seemed to be more in line with easy listening jazz anyway.
9) Drive In-Nelson Riddle (Capitol F2648) 1954
A missing entry in 45 Cat, the guess is this song was heard at drive in's at intermission time. Somehow the melody was incorporated in the American Bandstand theme. B side You Won't Forget Me is background noise for a movie soundtrack.
10) Dragnet-Ray Anthony (Capitol F2562) 1954
A big band remake of the theme of a certain detective show that I used to watch growing up and have most of those shows. Anthony would score a hit with Peter Gunn. It's debatable who had the better version,him or Henry Mancini but I tend to have lots of fun when I play Dragnet or Peter Gunn. Worthless trivia: I had one of those EP 45's, where they cram 3 songs on one side. The Waldorf 45 was red vinyl and that version of Dragnet done by Enoch Light, who would be one of more better known muzak arrangers, with plenty of his albums that still can be found in the dollar bins at your local junk store or St Vincent De Paul.
With that, these record finds were the best of the batch, but not rock n roll, not by a long shot. I doubt that we won't get much of a following from those who want to seek these records out. Except for a couple of these, most of these records will be returned to the St Vincent De Paul as soon as I make another donation.
Nobody played them.
1) Wimoweh-Wilder Brothers (Wing 90046) 1955
The basics of this song would become The Lion Sleeps Tonight and it's basically a big band stomp. Corny as it gets, but puts a smile on my face when I hear it. B Side Love That Melody is more cornball based on Here Comes The Bride. Smarter teens went for the R and B and Elvis, and to a lesser extent, The Crew Cuts.
2) Baby Girl Of Mine-Bobby Sharp (Wing 90056) 1956
Best known as a songwriter (he wrote Unchain My Heart, a big hit for Ray Charles and later Joe Cocker) Sharp did a one off single for Mercury's second tier label Wing, Somewhat of a country number with harmonica too. Other side Flowers, Mr. Florist Please might have been pitched to a Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra,it has that Pop sound among the doo wop backing vocalist.
3) The Jogger-Bobby Bare (Columbia 38-03809) 1983
Bare continued to record Shel Silverstein's songs late into the 1980s and scored a minor country hit with this song, which sounds like The Winner Part 25 of something like that. B side The Gravy Train is passable Silverstein fun.
4) Smiles-Crazy Otto (Decca 9-92403) 1955
Fritz Schulz-Reichel was his real name and he was a German jazz pianist, who had a knack of playing the melody with his left hand and the rhythm with his right. Johnny Maddox had a hit of doing Reichel's Crazy Otto songs with the Crazy Otto Melody. Fritz's songs were recorded via Deusche Grammophon in Germany and on the fledgling Polydor later on, but Decca picked up his recordings in the 1950s. Smiles is ragtime jazz as well as Glad Doll Rag, which does owe a bit to Kansas City Jazz, via Germany. Reichel passed away in 1990.
5) Tropical-Stanley Black (London 45-1720) 1956
Another jazz pianist, this time from the UK, Black recorded many recordings for Decca/Phase 4 in his career and is probably the most heard of piano player on the muzak side of things. Tropical is a Mort Gould composition. B side is the piano work Begin the Beguine, the Cole Porter standard. Not rock and roll but it's fun if you take it in its muzak context.
6) You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do) Buddy Greco (Coral 9-60979) 1953
Cheesy lounge pop complete with female backing vocals (The Heathertones) Greco enjoyed a Vegas' style career of cheesy lounge pop songs. B side I Predict is more boring cheese pop crapola. Big Joe Turner had a much more swinging version of You're Driving Me Crazy from his classic album The Boss Of The Blues. Start there to hear this song.
7) I'm Dancing With Tears In My Eyes-Ralph Flanagan (RCA Victor 47-4078) 1951
X did a cover version of this song, which in no way is similar to this big band version. Dancing On The Ceiling is the stuff of Guy Lombardo legends made of.
8) Rap Your Troubles In Drums-George Shearing Quintet (MGM-K-11600) 1953
Bossa Nova with Bongos as drum solo by Cal Tjeder. More jazz slanted than the big band stuff of this blog. Probably was the inspiration for Bongo Rock by Preston Epps a few years later. B side Easy To Love is muzak jazz. George Shearing always seemed to be more in line with easy listening jazz anyway.
9) Drive In-Nelson Riddle (Capitol F2648) 1954
A missing entry in 45 Cat, the guess is this song was heard at drive in's at intermission time. Somehow the melody was incorporated in the American Bandstand theme. B side You Won't Forget Me is background noise for a movie soundtrack.
10) Dragnet-Ray Anthony (Capitol F2562) 1954
A big band remake of the theme of a certain detective show that I used to watch growing up and have most of those shows. Anthony would score a hit with Peter Gunn. It's debatable who had the better version,him or Henry Mancini but I tend to have lots of fun when I play Dragnet or Peter Gunn. Worthless trivia: I had one of those EP 45's, where they cram 3 songs on one side. The Waldorf 45 was red vinyl and that version of Dragnet done by Enoch Light, who would be one of more better known muzak arrangers, with plenty of his albums that still can be found in the dollar bins at your local junk store or St Vincent De Paul.
With that, these record finds were the best of the batch, but not rock n roll, not by a long shot. I doubt that we won't get much of a following from those who want to seek these records out. Except for a couple of these, most of these records will be returned to the St Vincent De Paul as soon as I make another donation.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
October Singles Going Steady Finds; Outside of Asbury: Private Sale
I admit I don't go to many record sales from people. But something grabbed my attention with a yard sign showing that somebody had a big record sale. This looked serious, the guy had a throwaway recording of Buzz Buzz Buzz by The Hollywood Flames on Ebb. I was about a half a block away from Uncle Ike's Music but decided maybe I should scope this place out. Well, to make a long story short it took me five miles away from Asbury, more closer to Centrialia, but it was inside an barn garage, and with the wind blowing in, it was a chilly day to spend shivering in a hour and half of going through about 10 boxes of 45s. But I did managed to get a few eye openers.
The first thing I noticed that this guy had a bunch of Apple 45s, a lot of Beatles stuff for sale reasonably priced. Nothing more than 3 dollars. I know the Old Hippie (now retired from Moondog Music) took an Apple 45 that I wanted but exchanged me California Sun by The Riverias for Junior's Farm. To which I did find at least three copies of said song available.
So anyway, I have to admit this private has some great 45s, that took me back to my early years of life and managed to find a couple that were part of my mom's collection. I'll never get all of them back but rest assured that I have gotten about 90 percent of the collection back.
1) Stranger From Durango-Richie Allen (podolor) (Imperial X5683) 1960 #90
Richard Podolor is best known for producing Three Dog Night and Steppenwolf but back around the late 50s and early 60s, he was helping Sandy Nelson (Let There Be Drums, Teen Beat) but his heart was into the twanging guitars such as Duane Eddy. He recorded for Radio, Era and made a revisit of his only top 100 single for Tower Records but most of his recordings were singles for Imperial Records. Fun stuff but you'll never hear it played on the radio.
2) Rock Island Line-The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group (London 45-1650) 1956 #8
Skiffle music was the punk rock of the 1950s and basically homemade instruments and cardboard boxes served as wonderful noisemakers. Donegan was quite popular in the UK, not so much in the US tho' he did score a number 8 record on London Records, home of Stanley Black and Montovani. Lonnie did incorporate folk songs and put them under his name, but this song is better known as a Ledbelly song. As with B side John Henry.
3) She Knows-Bobby Darin (Atlantic 45-2433) 1967
Bobby Darin at Atlantic phase 2 was Bobby getting into the folk rock music scene tho' b side Talk To The Animals he returns back to swinging jazz. She Knows didn't chart, it was written by the Bonner/Gordon songwriters that gave us Happy Together, She's My Girl from The Turtles and a few others. In some ways, this does seem to be stale attempt to rewrite Happy Together. Darin does give his all, but the results simply weren't of a memorable song.
4) Okefenokee/Kookie Kat-Freddy Cannon (Swan 4038OK) 1959 #43
Life as a child was full of Freddy Cannon songs. Okefenokee was a top ten best seller on the regional markets but not so much on the Billboard, peaking at number 43. Kookie Hat has The Chipmunks adding backing vocals and goofy fun. Well, not the David Seville Chipmunks but Bob Crewe having fun with slowed down voices. I still love this forgotten piece of history that should have made it on a Freddy Cannon best of.
5) Black Slacks-Joe Bennett And The Sparkletones (ABC Paramount 45-9837) 1957 #17
Funny thing about rockabilly music is that they kept it simple and fun. Yeah the B B B B B B Black Slacks lead off track doesn't take much thought to sing, but I can't do the B B B B B myself and mindless fun is a hell of a lot better than Radiohead anyday. And I suppose it shows my age to enjoy such rockabilly nonsense of Black Slacks. I think my mom had this in her record collection years ago. And I did find a decent copy for a dollar too.
6) Guitar Boogie Shuffle-The Virtues (Hunt H-324) 1959 #5
Another interesting record my mom had was this instrumental by The Virtues, a garage rock guitar band, who's other hit was (guess) Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist. They sure love Arthur "Guitar" Smith for sure. B side was Guitars In Orbit. They also loved The Ventures, tho' Walk Don't Run didn't come out till a year later.
7) Stick Shift-Duals (Sue 745) 1961 #25
Could black people make cool surf and turf songs? Yeah, they did. Henry Ballinger was the main writer of this song. Originally on Star Revue, Sue Records picked this up for distribution, that label was specialized in R and B and jazz and home to Ike And Tina Turner and Jimmy McGriff. Collectibles later reissued the Duals' sole album and it remains a guilty pleasure. The followup, Cha Cha Guitars failed to dent the charts. One final single, The Big Race (Infinity INX-032) is a rare single that collectors are on the lookout for. The Big Race can be on You Tube, which has more in common with The Trashmen, vocals by Ronnie Bennett. B side Oozy Groove can be found on You Tube as well. The Ventures did record their own version of Stick Shift, but the Duals win flat out with their more rougher and rowdier version. The Star Revue version of Stick Shift is different than the Sue version.
8) Long Green-The Fireballs (Atco 45-6681) 1968 #73 1969
The last charting single, The Fireball's Atco career was more folk rock driven than the surf rockers they did for Top Rank, or the Dot pop single of Sugar Shack, but they had grit in their music with Bottle Of Wine and the original take on Say I Am (What I Am) which Tommy James had the bigger hit. Think Long Green as Louie Louie with different words.
9) I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me-James Brown (King 45-6144) 1967 #28
James Brown could find a groove with any band he picked up, and on this steamy soul cooker, Soul Brother number 1 got a decent white band laying it down, (Tim Drummond is playing bass and Bill Bowman is playing drums) Some copies of this song as a two part 45. And others had the B side There Was A Time that charted at number 36 in 1968. I rarely see any James Brown 45s while out looking for 45s, but this estate sale had a few others. Funky tough, I defy anybody to keep that beat for 7:22.
10) Ain't Too Proud To Beg-The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones RS-19302) 1974 #17
The Stones could do good Motown and I still enjoy this version, classic rock radio doesn't play this as much, which is fine by me. Somehow the B side Dance Little Sister would find a spot on the Made In The Shade best of, but Ain't Too Proud To Beg is rarely seen on a best of.
11) Junior's Farm-Wings (Apple 1875) #5 1974
Paul McCartney is better known for Silly Love Songs but once in a while he can come up with a rocking number such as this single release and of course Helen Wheels and Rock Show. B side Sally G (#17) is a country hoot. But Junior's Farm is one of the toughest rockers Macca ever came up with.
12) I Call My Baby STP-The Del-Vetts (Dunwich D-142) 1966
The find of the trip. The Del Vetts were like Paul Revere and The Raiders, they could do corny car songs and they can rock out (Last Time Around). The double entre of STP is there, but at that time, it was a promotion for a gunky oil formula that was supposed to get more miles out of your car but in the process gum up at the same time. For the ones whose minds are stuck in the gutter, you could call it Super Tight Pussy (STP get it?!) and for all intent purposes, it's about the guy's car. Or is it?
13) Clancy (Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing)-fever tree (Uni 55172) 1969
One of these bands that I never gotten into. They had a minor hit with San Francisco Girls (#91 1968) but this Buffalo Springfield remake got little airplay. Not a great song by any means but at least Buffalo Springfield's version is more memorable.
14) Rockin' My Life Away-Jerry Lee Lewis (Elektra E-46050) 1979
Jerry Lee Lewis would have loved to been known as the King Of Rock N Roll and had he not married his 13 year old cousin he might have had that come true, tho' Little Richard and Elvis would concur. He did make a nice living on the country charts but somehow rock radio ignored him after 1973. Which is a shame of course. This song George Thorogood would get FM airplay but this would have fitted in nicely on rock radio, if rock radio had a open mind. In his 80s, Jerry Lee doesn't tour very often but he's in the company of great musicians when he does. Kenny Aoronoff has been drumming for the Killer this year. If you're going rock, get yourself a rock drummer. Jerry Lee still means business, even though his classic music is years behind him. But at least he's still alive.
The first thing I noticed that this guy had a bunch of Apple 45s, a lot of Beatles stuff for sale reasonably priced. Nothing more than 3 dollars. I know the Old Hippie (now retired from Moondog Music) took an Apple 45 that I wanted but exchanged me California Sun by The Riverias for Junior's Farm. To which I did find at least three copies of said song available.
So anyway, I have to admit this private has some great 45s, that took me back to my early years of life and managed to find a couple that were part of my mom's collection. I'll never get all of them back but rest assured that I have gotten about 90 percent of the collection back.
1) Stranger From Durango-Richie Allen (podolor) (Imperial X5683) 1960 #90
Richard Podolor is best known for producing Three Dog Night and Steppenwolf but back around the late 50s and early 60s, he was helping Sandy Nelson (Let There Be Drums, Teen Beat) but his heart was into the twanging guitars such as Duane Eddy. He recorded for Radio, Era and made a revisit of his only top 100 single for Tower Records but most of his recordings were singles for Imperial Records. Fun stuff but you'll never hear it played on the radio.
2) Rock Island Line-The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group (London 45-1650) 1956 #8
Skiffle music was the punk rock of the 1950s and basically homemade instruments and cardboard boxes served as wonderful noisemakers. Donegan was quite popular in the UK, not so much in the US tho' he did score a number 8 record on London Records, home of Stanley Black and Montovani. Lonnie did incorporate folk songs and put them under his name, but this song is better known as a Ledbelly song. As with B side John Henry.
3) She Knows-Bobby Darin (Atlantic 45-2433) 1967
Bobby Darin at Atlantic phase 2 was Bobby getting into the folk rock music scene tho' b side Talk To The Animals he returns back to swinging jazz. She Knows didn't chart, it was written by the Bonner/Gordon songwriters that gave us Happy Together, She's My Girl from The Turtles and a few others. In some ways, this does seem to be stale attempt to rewrite Happy Together. Darin does give his all, but the results simply weren't of a memorable song.
4) Okefenokee/Kookie Kat-Freddy Cannon (Swan 4038OK) 1959 #43
Life as a child was full of Freddy Cannon songs. Okefenokee was a top ten best seller on the regional markets but not so much on the Billboard, peaking at number 43. Kookie Hat has The Chipmunks adding backing vocals and goofy fun. Well, not the David Seville Chipmunks but Bob Crewe having fun with slowed down voices. I still love this forgotten piece of history that should have made it on a Freddy Cannon best of.
5) Black Slacks-Joe Bennett And The Sparkletones (ABC Paramount 45-9837) 1957 #17
Funny thing about rockabilly music is that they kept it simple and fun. Yeah the B B B B B B Black Slacks lead off track doesn't take much thought to sing, but I can't do the B B B B B myself and mindless fun is a hell of a lot better than Radiohead anyday. And I suppose it shows my age to enjoy such rockabilly nonsense of Black Slacks. I think my mom had this in her record collection years ago. And I did find a decent copy for a dollar too.
6) Guitar Boogie Shuffle-The Virtues (Hunt H-324) 1959 #5
Another interesting record my mom had was this instrumental by The Virtues, a garage rock guitar band, who's other hit was (guess) Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist. They sure love Arthur "Guitar" Smith for sure. B side was Guitars In Orbit. They also loved The Ventures, tho' Walk Don't Run didn't come out till a year later.
7) Stick Shift-Duals (Sue 745) 1961 #25
Could black people make cool surf and turf songs? Yeah, they did. Henry Ballinger was the main writer of this song. Originally on Star Revue, Sue Records picked this up for distribution, that label was specialized in R and B and jazz and home to Ike And Tina Turner and Jimmy McGriff. Collectibles later reissued the Duals' sole album and it remains a guilty pleasure. The followup, Cha Cha Guitars failed to dent the charts. One final single, The Big Race (Infinity INX-032) is a rare single that collectors are on the lookout for. The Big Race can be on You Tube, which has more in common with The Trashmen, vocals by Ronnie Bennett. B side Oozy Groove can be found on You Tube as well. The Ventures did record their own version of Stick Shift, but the Duals win flat out with their more rougher and rowdier version. The Star Revue version of Stick Shift is different than the Sue version.
8) Long Green-The Fireballs (Atco 45-6681) 1968 #73 1969
The last charting single, The Fireball's Atco career was more folk rock driven than the surf rockers they did for Top Rank, or the Dot pop single of Sugar Shack, but they had grit in their music with Bottle Of Wine and the original take on Say I Am (What I Am) which Tommy James had the bigger hit. Think Long Green as Louie Louie with different words.
9) I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me-James Brown (King 45-6144) 1967 #28
James Brown could find a groove with any band he picked up, and on this steamy soul cooker, Soul Brother number 1 got a decent white band laying it down, (Tim Drummond is playing bass and Bill Bowman is playing drums) Some copies of this song as a two part 45. And others had the B side There Was A Time that charted at number 36 in 1968. I rarely see any James Brown 45s while out looking for 45s, but this estate sale had a few others. Funky tough, I defy anybody to keep that beat for 7:22.
10) Ain't Too Proud To Beg-The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones RS-19302) 1974 #17
The Stones could do good Motown and I still enjoy this version, classic rock radio doesn't play this as much, which is fine by me. Somehow the B side Dance Little Sister would find a spot on the Made In The Shade best of, but Ain't Too Proud To Beg is rarely seen on a best of.
11) Junior's Farm-Wings (Apple 1875) #5 1974
Paul McCartney is better known for Silly Love Songs but once in a while he can come up with a rocking number such as this single release and of course Helen Wheels and Rock Show. B side Sally G (#17) is a country hoot. But Junior's Farm is one of the toughest rockers Macca ever came up with.
12) I Call My Baby STP-The Del-Vetts (Dunwich D-142) 1966
The find of the trip. The Del Vetts were like Paul Revere and The Raiders, they could do corny car songs and they can rock out (Last Time Around). The double entre of STP is there, but at that time, it was a promotion for a gunky oil formula that was supposed to get more miles out of your car but in the process gum up at the same time. For the ones whose minds are stuck in the gutter, you could call it Super Tight Pussy (STP get it?!) and for all intent purposes, it's about the guy's car. Or is it?
13) Clancy (Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing)-fever tree (Uni 55172) 1969
One of these bands that I never gotten into. They had a minor hit with San Francisco Girls (#91 1968) but this Buffalo Springfield remake got little airplay. Not a great song by any means but at least Buffalo Springfield's version is more memorable.
14) Rockin' My Life Away-Jerry Lee Lewis (Elektra E-46050) 1979
Jerry Lee Lewis would have loved to been known as the King Of Rock N Roll and had he not married his 13 year old cousin he might have had that come true, tho' Little Richard and Elvis would concur. He did make a nice living on the country charts but somehow rock radio ignored him after 1973. Which is a shame of course. This song George Thorogood would get FM airplay but this would have fitted in nicely on rock radio, if rock radio had a open mind. In his 80s, Jerry Lee doesn't tour very often but he's in the company of great musicians when he does. Kenny Aoronoff has been drumming for the Killer this year. If you're going rock, get yourself a rock drummer. Jerry Lee still means business, even though his classic music is years behind him. But at least he's still alive.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
October Thoughts
I'm surprised I'm still getting 2,000 plus views in a month that nothing was posted and I only deleted two pieces of spam from Blogger inc.
Life goes on. Marty Balin passed away. Peggy Sue passed away, my uncle Chuck Turley passed away and a classmate Ken Dede went on a honeymoon and suffered a heart attack and died. In the meantime, I'm still looking for bargains and the records and CDs continue to come in over here at well.
For baseball, it was a wasted year. Both Cedar Rapids and Quad Cities made the post season, both got thrown to the side by the Peoria Chiefs who met Bowling Green and Bowling Green won the series and are Midwest league champions. For the major league, The Baltimore Orioles was the crap team, losing 115 games and sixty games out of first place. In the above graphic, you see them leading the league in scoring 1 or less runs in a game. However, they were tied for first by by the Chicago Cubs, who somehow to win 95 games, the most in the National League while having 39 games of 1 or less runs scored per game. The Cubs were in first place from July 12th till October 1 when Milwaukee tied and then beat them the next game 2-1. In the wild card game the Cubs had their 40th and final game of 1 run as Colorado scored 3 runs and moved on.
Strange how The Cubs had home field advantage for both October games and yet couldn't do more than 1 fucking run. I have never seen a team that could score runs in bunches one game and then go for the next 3 or 4 and not score anything, despite having Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Daniel Murphy and Javy Baez, the latter the most schizophrenic hitter the Cubs ever had. One minute he's hitting the game winner, next day, he's swinging at gnats upside his head. True, most of the Cubs players were hurt, but I cannot tell you how many times I watch them swing at stupid pitchers ten feet outside. The Cubs pitchers really did a better job than originally thought as starters, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks were the standouts, Jose Quintana was uneven and Cole Hamels gave the starters a shot in the arm when Tyler Chatwood couldn't. In fact Chatwood turned out to be a bigger bust than Yu Darvish, who was hurt all season and couldn't pitch, Even when hurt I don't think Darvish would have walked as many batters as Chatwood would. Chatwood's problem with walking guys got to the point that he was sent down to triple AAA and then back up to play in the bullpen to where he continued to walk people and after two disasters in relief pitching, Chatwood disappeared. I really expected more from him. While Yu Darvish can be forgiven for being hurt all season, the pressure is on him to do better next year. In hindsight Jake Arrevida should have been retained but even with the Phillies and his fade job, it's probably better that they cut ties.
The Cubs scored a lot of runs but they fired the hitting coach and got Chili Davis, a step in the wrong direction. like taking the first step into the mine shaft. This was known in the first three games to which The Cubs scored 8 run against Miami and then next game scored only 1. They score 10 runs on the third and the next two were shut out. And that was the way it went. The nadir, scoring 4 runs in 4 games against Pittsburgh.. And that was the turning of the tide, as Milwaukee hung around and then won at the right time, Chili Davis will not be back next season. Jim Hickey, the pitching coach had better luck as pitching coach but once again, the bullpen let him down. Justin Wilson couldn't be trusted, neither was Carl Edwards Jr, who was pitching hurt and the farm team Cubs were no help. Jamie Garcia was a fine acquisition, De La Rosa as well. Brandon Morrow looked good but once he developed back spasms he was done for the year. Pedro Strop filled in nicely as a stopper but he pulled a hamstring and he was done too. The wrong Cubs getting hurt did cost them a title but the inept hitting that the Cubs showed all year is the reason why they stayed home, scoring 1 run three of the last four games are why they're back home. You think with 95 wins the Cubs would be better thought of, but they have turned out to be the biggest disappointing Cubs team in recent memory. You can't blame Chili Davis for the holes in the bat but whatever he was teaching them wasn't working. And then the Addison Russell mess. He's suspended 40 games for abuse but chances are he might be with another team in 2019.
In Football, Iowa continues to keep Floyd home away from the cold of Minnesota, beating the Gophers. 48-31 despite two Nathan Stanley bonehead plays that kept Minnesota in the game. Stanley also threw 4 TD passes to the right team. Hawkeye defense sacked the Minnesota QB five times and got four interceptions. It was the fourth straight win over the Gophers.
Life goes on. Marty Balin passed away. Peggy Sue passed away, my uncle Chuck Turley passed away and a classmate Ken Dede went on a honeymoon and suffered a heart attack and died. In the meantime, I'm still looking for bargains and the records and CDs continue to come in over here at well.
For baseball, it was a wasted year. Both Cedar Rapids and Quad Cities made the post season, both got thrown to the side by the Peoria Chiefs who met Bowling Green and Bowling Green won the series and are Midwest league champions. For the major league, The Baltimore Orioles was the crap team, losing 115 games and sixty games out of first place. In the above graphic, you see them leading the league in scoring 1 or less runs in a game. However, they were tied for first by by the Chicago Cubs, who somehow to win 95 games, the most in the National League while having 39 games of 1 or less runs scored per game. The Cubs were in first place from July 12th till October 1 when Milwaukee tied and then beat them the next game 2-1. In the wild card game the Cubs had their 40th and final game of 1 run as Colorado scored 3 runs and moved on.
Strange how The Cubs had home field advantage for both October games and yet couldn't do more than 1 fucking run. I have never seen a team that could score runs in bunches one game and then go for the next 3 or 4 and not score anything, despite having Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Daniel Murphy and Javy Baez, the latter the most schizophrenic hitter the Cubs ever had. One minute he's hitting the game winner, next day, he's swinging at gnats upside his head. True, most of the Cubs players were hurt, but I cannot tell you how many times I watch them swing at stupid pitchers ten feet outside. The Cubs pitchers really did a better job than originally thought as starters, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks were the standouts, Jose Quintana was uneven and Cole Hamels gave the starters a shot in the arm when Tyler Chatwood couldn't. In fact Chatwood turned out to be a bigger bust than Yu Darvish, who was hurt all season and couldn't pitch, Even when hurt I don't think Darvish would have walked as many batters as Chatwood would. Chatwood's problem with walking guys got to the point that he was sent down to triple AAA and then back up to play in the bullpen to where he continued to walk people and after two disasters in relief pitching, Chatwood disappeared. I really expected more from him. While Yu Darvish can be forgiven for being hurt all season, the pressure is on him to do better next year. In hindsight Jake Arrevida should have been retained but even with the Phillies and his fade job, it's probably better that they cut ties.
The Cubs scored a lot of runs but they fired the hitting coach and got Chili Davis, a step in the wrong direction. like taking the first step into the mine shaft. This was known in the first three games to which The Cubs scored 8 run against Miami and then next game scored only 1. They score 10 runs on the third and the next two were shut out. And that was the way it went. The nadir, scoring 4 runs in 4 games against Pittsburgh.. And that was the turning of the tide, as Milwaukee hung around and then won at the right time, Chili Davis will not be back next season. Jim Hickey, the pitching coach had better luck as pitching coach but once again, the bullpen let him down. Justin Wilson couldn't be trusted, neither was Carl Edwards Jr, who was pitching hurt and the farm team Cubs were no help. Jamie Garcia was a fine acquisition, De La Rosa as well. Brandon Morrow looked good but once he developed back spasms he was done for the year. Pedro Strop filled in nicely as a stopper but he pulled a hamstring and he was done too. The wrong Cubs getting hurt did cost them a title but the inept hitting that the Cubs showed all year is the reason why they stayed home, scoring 1 run three of the last four games are why they're back home. You think with 95 wins the Cubs would be better thought of, but they have turned out to be the biggest disappointing Cubs team in recent memory. You can't blame Chili Davis for the holes in the bat but whatever he was teaching them wasn't working. And then the Addison Russell mess. He's suspended 40 games for abuse but chances are he might be with another team in 2019.
In Football, Iowa continues to keep Floyd home away from the cold of Minnesota, beating the Gophers. 48-31 despite two Nathan Stanley bonehead plays that kept Minnesota in the game. Stanley also threw 4 TD passes to the right team. Hawkeye defense sacked the Minnesota QB five times and got four interceptions. It was the fourth straight win over the Gophers.
Monday, August 6, 2018
August Review
Good morning or afternoon.
I haven't been online here all that much at Record World but when I started getting junk comments from Blogger I could tell something was going on and much to my surprise, I had over 2000 views last month and not posting anything. I'm guessing the Russians are looking for something to read and they came to the far corner of the social media world to this site. The most views went to the original My City Was Gone Marion blog, which continues to bring them in. And Blogger continues to send me junk spam replies and it's a good thing I have to draw the line to that. Which is another reason why I pop in from time to time. To rid of spam junk and proclaim to the world I'm still alive.
So a bit of updates going on. John Shulz passed away, he was a musician in town that people spoke highly of. I might have met him at one time but I know those who played in his bands or had him teach them guitar speak very highly of. John Heim or Big Mo as we called him broke his neck in a fall and has been recovering in a Omaha hospital. We miss his bass playing at the jams.
Me and Julie are still together for 9 months now, she says we been together since Memorial Day of last year, either way we are together. The usual growing pains of what love brings of course, but she still remains the keeper of my heart. I still play and sing at various jams, I did score a paying gig last month but most of the time it's for the love of music. When I did play at my pay gig I did give half my winnings to Julie since she sang the best songs and people complimented her on that. I love her to pieces even though she can try my patience on some things. Which is common among most loving couples.
While things are going well for me, there are other things going on in this world that makes me think life isn't so great for some of my friends. I haven't posted anything about the joke of the white house. Or our worthless congresspeople. It's tough not to get caught up in the furor from both sides. Yeah, I have seen the pictures of the Trump Rallies and the grotesque pictures of them. I have heard complaints from the should have been voted out fucks like Orrin Hatch and our own Distinguished Charles M Grassley and the worthless pig hag Joni Ernst that the left are obstructing Brett Kavenaugh from being the new justice of the supreme court and I have to remind each and every one of these worthless cocksuckers about what they did to Merrick Garland a couple years ago. They wouldn't sign off on anything our last president did. When you dementia like Grassley or Hatch and can't remember that they obstruct Garland's conformation and then have the stay at home voters bring in Dictator Trumpus and then they sneak in Neil (ain't worth a shit) Gorsuch, do they think getting Kavenaugh in is going to be easy? It better not be. But since nobody bother to vote (46 percent by the way) we are now in a Republican mess that I don't know can ever be cleaned up. In the meanwhile, the Failed Reality Star continues to tweet away in the early morning hours with his bullshit and sits back and laughs. In the process Hatch and Grassley bitch about the Democrats obstructing the new Supreme Court Nominee but at the same time avoids talking to the people that call out their bullshit on social media. But then again, it's been a two party system, flawed in both parties but the lesser of the evils while still owned by big Pharma and Big Oil at least does turn to hear the cries of the public once in a rare while.
(Joe and Rizzo meet the Major League's WORST Umpire)
In the meanwhile The Chicago Cubs still are on top of the NL Central, when they look good, they look great but when they look like shit, look out. With the wind blowing out The Padres scored 4 times in the 9th and had shit umpire Angel Hernandez give them the game on a wide outside ball that was called for strike three and a 10-6 victory. Not that it mattered much, Jon Lester didn't pitch well and Randy Rosario, who's been running back and forth from Chicago to Des Moines suffered jet lag and gave up a home run and three more in the 9th. Still it's awful to watch the worst umpire this side of Joe West continue to fuck up the strike zone and get into many arguments. And yet Hernandez continues to be employed since he's blind and one eye and got cataracts in the other. Still he wonders why MLB won't let him umpire the post season games, well, that is simple when the other managers and teams think he does a shit job in their games. A shame that Trump can't deport him back to whereever he came from. Joe West sucks, C B Bucknor blows but none of them can't fuck up a game better than Angel Hernandez. He would make a good Republican Supreme Court Nominee though.
The former Vinyl King, Greg has married his Filipino FB friend Gina this weekend. Greg has given up record collecting in favor of being a preacher and follower of God. Once upon a time we used to have plenty of chats about music collection but we really don't do that any more. We're still Facebook buddies and I wish him and Gina well in their life together.
Yes, there's still bargain hunts going on. Davenport trips, a couple of them, one had some okay finds, next trip nothing. I did pick up a used record case at Ragged Records, who will be opening up a new location in Rock Island next month. Thankfully the singles that I picked, a chewed up copy of Larry Finnegan's Dear One and an Atlantic reissue of So Fine were two dollars a piece. Originally Ragged Records had some nice museum pieces and I spent a few hundred dollars in the process, but they been picked fairly clean in the five years of existence. We'll see if the Rock Island location will have some new stuff when they open.
In the meantime, somebody dumped off a bunch of unopened LPs and promos at two Goodwill locations in town and I had a field day, picking up 24 new albums of varying degree. Best finds was Lee Hazelwood's Poet, Fool Or Bum on Capitol, Mary Hopkin-Those Were The Days best of on Apple, Georgio's Son Of My Father, Fanny Hill by Fanny, This Price Is Right by Alan Price, Washboard Sam with Bill Big Bloonzy and Memphis Slim, Focus Live At The Rainbow, Electric Prunes Mass In F Minor and a bunch of compilations. Alas, the Ellie Greenwich promo of Let It Be Written, Let It Be Sung had a scratch at the end of side 2 that made it unplayable and it's a shame. It's a great record. Alas, California Nights by Leslie Gore wasn't so great, nor The Graeme Edge Band Paradise Ballroom either. Which will be donated back again soon.
This Month's 45 finds.
Dear One-Larry Finnegan (Old Town 1113) #11 1962
I have no idea why I love this song so much. It's kinda like an answer to Runaway by Del Shannon although Del didn't have that sarcastic female voice saying I'm Sorry on the second verse. It also rocks pretty hard too.
So Fine-The Fiestas (Old Town 1962) #11 1959
Atlantic Oldies Reissue. Probably the greatest doo wop uptempo song ever made. Written by Johnny Otis.
Four 45s found at an Estate Sale
Hard Headed Woman-Elvis Presley (RCA 47-7280) #1 1958
Elvis in the 1950s could do no wrong. With his famed backup of Bill Black, Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana, he made the best rock and roll songs at that time. A shame that we can't back to those days of 60 years ago.
Love Me All The Way-Kim Weston (Tamla T-54076) #88 1963
Motown stuff, especially the old time Tamla label are like to me, like a flower to a bee, it attracts me. But this is not one of the better Motown numbers, it's a bit more slowed down to my liking. Weston wasn't one of bigger Motown sellers, Her Take Me In Your Arms struggled to number 50 and that was her biggest hit. B side It Should Have Been Me is slightly better and produced by Norman Whitfield.
Blowin' In the Wind-Stevie Wonder (Tamla T-54136) #9 1966
It's funny how we grew up hearing Stevie and how his voice changed over the early years. He was still 16 years old when he covered this Dylan number. Clarence Paul was the other singer on this song. B side Ain't That Asking For Trouble is more like it, uptempo Motown soul. Could have been a minor hit.
Hello I'm Johnny Credit-Johnny Credit (Johnny McCollum) Plantation PL-78 1971
A curio find. A Johnny Cash parody by Johnny McCollum. Is it memorable? Not Hardly.
Finally over the weekend, Cedar Rapids had their first Evolve Festival to which Kelly Clarkson and Maroon 5 played to a crowd that could afford the 385 dollar weekend pass or 88 dollar main event only. Plenty of my friends bands played, Four Day Creep, Pork Tornadoes, Kevin Burt, Cocked N Loaded. A good time was had by all. They also had the new bo art fest as well. But since I didn't want to deal with traffic and parking issues, I stayed close to home and did the Stone City Jam instead.
And that's the latest updates and bitchings. If ratings warrant another blog I'll be back.
I haven't been online here all that much at Record World but when I started getting junk comments from Blogger I could tell something was going on and much to my surprise, I had over 2000 views last month and not posting anything. I'm guessing the Russians are looking for something to read and they came to the far corner of the social media world to this site. The most views went to the original My City Was Gone Marion blog, which continues to bring them in. And Blogger continues to send me junk spam replies and it's a good thing I have to draw the line to that. Which is another reason why I pop in from time to time. To rid of spam junk and proclaim to the world I'm still alive.
So a bit of updates going on. John Shulz passed away, he was a musician in town that people spoke highly of. I might have met him at one time but I know those who played in his bands or had him teach them guitar speak very highly of. John Heim or Big Mo as we called him broke his neck in a fall and has been recovering in a Omaha hospital. We miss his bass playing at the jams.
Me and Julie are still together for 9 months now, she says we been together since Memorial Day of last year, either way we are together. The usual growing pains of what love brings of course, but she still remains the keeper of my heart. I still play and sing at various jams, I did score a paying gig last month but most of the time it's for the love of music. When I did play at my pay gig I did give half my winnings to Julie since she sang the best songs and people complimented her on that. I love her to pieces even though she can try my patience on some things. Which is common among most loving couples.
While things are going well for me, there are other things going on in this world that makes me think life isn't so great for some of my friends. I haven't posted anything about the joke of the white house. Or our worthless congresspeople. It's tough not to get caught up in the furor from both sides. Yeah, I have seen the pictures of the Trump Rallies and the grotesque pictures of them. I have heard complaints from the should have been voted out fucks like Orrin Hatch and our own Distinguished Charles M Grassley and the worthless pig hag Joni Ernst that the left are obstructing Brett Kavenaugh from being the new justice of the supreme court and I have to remind each and every one of these worthless cocksuckers about what they did to Merrick Garland a couple years ago. They wouldn't sign off on anything our last president did. When you dementia like Grassley or Hatch and can't remember that they obstruct Garland's conformation and then have the stay at home voters bring in Dictator Trumpus and then they sneak in Neil (ain't worth a shit) Gorsuch, do they think getting Kavenaugh in is going to be easy? It better not be. But since nobody bother to vote (46 percent by the way) we are now in a Republican mess that I don't know can ever be cleaned up. In the meanwhile, the Failed Reality Star continues to tweet away in the early morning hours with his bullshit and sits back and laughs. In the process Hatch and Grassley bitch about the Democrats obstructing the new Supreme Court Nominee but at the same time avoids talking to the people that call out their bullshit on social media. But then again, it's been a two party system, flawed in both parties but the lesser of the evils while still owned by big Pharma and Big Oil at least does turn to hear the cries of the public once in a rare while.
(Joe and Rizzo meet the Major League's WORST Umpire)
In the meanwhile The Chicago Cubs still are on top of the NL Central, when they look good, they look great but when they look like shit, look out. With the wind blowing out The Padres scored 4 times in the 9th and had shit umpire Angel Hernandez give them the game on a wide outside ball that was called for strike three and a 10-6 victory. Not that it mattered much, Jon Lester didn't pitch well and Randy Rosario, who's been running back and forth from Chicago to Des Moines suffered jet lag and gave up a home run and three more in the 9th. Still it's awful to watch the worst umpire this side of Joe West continue to fuck up the strike zone and get into many arguments. And yet Hernandez continues to be employed since he's blind and one eye and got cataracts in the other. Still he wonders why MLB won't let him umpire the post season games, well, that is simple when the other managers and teams think he does a shit job in their games. A shame that Trump can't deport him back to whereever he came from. Joe West sucks, C B Bucknor blows but none of them can't fuck up a game better than Angel Hernandez. He would make a good Republican Supreme Court Nominee though.
The former Vinyl King, Greg has married his Filipino FB friend Gina this weekend. Greg has given up record collecting in favor of being a preacher and follower of God. Once upon a time we used to have plenty of chats about music collection but we really don't do that any more. We're still Facebook buddies and I wish him and Gina well in their life together.
Yes, there's still bargain hunts going on. Davenport trips, a couple of them, one had some okay finds, next trip nothing. I did pick up a used record case at Ragged Records, who will be opening up a new location in Rock Island next month. Thankfully the singles that I picked, a chewed up copy of Larry Finnegan's Dear One and an Atlantic reissue of So Fine were two dollars a piece. Originally Ragged Records had some nice museum pieces and I spent a few hundred dollars in the process, but they been picked fairly clean in the five years of existence. We'll see if the Rock Island location will have some new stuff when they open.
In the meantime, somebody dumped off a bunch of unopened LPs and promos at two Goodwill locations in town and I had a field day, picking up 24 new albums of varying degree. Best finds was Lee Hazelwood's Poet, Fool Or Bum on Capitol, Mary Hopkin-Those Were The Days best of on Apple, Georgio's Son Of My Father, Fanny Hill by Fanny, This Price Is Right by Alan Price, Washboard Sam with Bill Big Bloonzy and Memphis Slim, Focus Live At The Rainbow, Electric Prunes Mass In F Minor and a bunch of compilations. Alas, the Ellie Greenwich promo of Let It Be Written, Let It Be Sung had a scratch at the end of side 2 that made it unplayable and it's a shame. It's a great record. Alas, California Nights by Leslie Gore wasn't so great, nor The Graeme Edge Band Paradise Ballroom either. Which will be donated back again soon.
This Month's 45 finds.
Dear One-Larry Finnegan (Old Town 1113) #11 1962
I have no idea why I love this song so much. It's kinda like an answer to Runaway by Del Shannon although Del didn't have that sarcastic female voice saying I'm Sorry on the second verse. It also rocks pretty hard too.
So Fine-The Fiestas (Old Town 1962) #11 1959
Atlantic Oldies Reissue. Probably the greatest doo wop uptempo song ever made. Written by Johnny Otis.
Four 45s found at an Estate Sale
Hard Headed Woman-Elvis Presley (RCA 47-7280) #1 1958
Elvis in the 1950s could do no wrong. With his famed backup of Bill Black, Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana, he made the best rock and roll songs at that time. A shame that we can't back to those days of 60 years ago.
Love Me All The Way-Kim Weston (Tamla T-54076) #88 1963
Motown stuff, especially the old time Tamla label are like to me, like a flower to a bee, it attracts me. But this is not one of the better Motown numbers, it's a bit more slowed down to my liking. Weston wasn't one of bigger Motown sellers, Her Take Me In Your Arms struggled to number 50 and that was her biggest hit. B side It Should Have Been Me is slightly better and produced by Norman Whitfield.
Blowin' In the Wind-Stevie Wonder (Tamla T-54136) #9 1966
It's funny how we grew up hearing Stevie and how his voice changed over the early years. He was still 16 years old when he covered this Dylan number. Clarence Paul was the other singer on this song. B side Ain't That Asking For Trouble is more like it, uptempo Motown soul. Could have been a minor hit.
Hello I'm Johnny Credit-Johnny Credit (Johnny McCollum) Plantation PL-78 1971
A curio find. A Johnny Cash parody by Johnny McCollum. Is it memorable? Not Hardly.
Finally over the weekend, Cedar Rapids had their first Evolve Festival to which Kelly Clarkson and Maroon 5 played to a crowd that could afford the 385 dollar weekend pass or 88 dollar main event only. Plenty of my friends bands played, Four Day Creep, Pork Tornadoes, Kevin Burt, Cocked N Loaded. A good time was had by all. They also had the new bo art fest as well. But since I didn't want to deal with traffic and parking issues, I stayed close to home and did the Stone City Jam instead.
And that's the latest updates and bitchings. If ratings warrant another blog I'll be back.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Madison Bargain Hunt: Oh And The WNBR 2018
For the third straight and final year I took part in the World Naked Bike Ride held in Madison this weekend. This time they changed the meeting place and the place to strip. We had about the same amount of riders that we had last year, about 120 but I think we had more women participating.
The bike route was different this time out. It was more around Park Avenue and we didn't have that many hills to compete with. The 89 degree temps and 70 degree dew point was bad enough that we lost 10 bikers due to heat exhaustion. I didn't plan well but did take about three bottles of Gator Aid provided by the hosts and they were luke warm by the time we got done. However they did come in handy. I didn't cramp up till later when I went up to State Street after the bike ride.
For the most part I started out early but ended up staying holding up the rear as they say. More or less riding around 10 to 15 miles an hour and taking it easy. If you need to know, I did strip down for the whole bike ride but the hot weather and humidity made me sweat to the point I was sliding off the seat of the bike. That's why people have a towel on the seat. Even with SPF 50 suntan on, I still got burnt to a crisp.
This was my third bike ride and there were the usual suspects there. The bike ride was over two hours long, longer than the one last year. Outside of the heat exhaustion from a few folks, no incidents happened. The downtown whooped and hollered, I high fived a few folks taking pictures and made some casual talk with some bike riders but I didn't chat with many others. Once we finished there was the group photo, to which by then I dressed myself up, I did take my t shirt off so I didn't stand out like a sore thumb. Once the bike ride is over, there's not much left to do but wish everybody the best and ride out into the daylight, off to the next record store. I'm sure there's pictures of this trip is up somewhere, perhaps I'll go investigate them when I get time.
If last November was the one of the best finds of forty fives, this year was a different story. I found 8 at the St Vincent De Paul, but the pickings were slim. A lot of good forty fives were too scratched up and Half Price Books and Mad City Music X didn't have much to make me invest in any. The grim realization is becoming clear that I'm reaching to the end of what I can find. I did find some cool CDs that made the trip somewhat better.
Anyway-the 45's of note
1) I Can See For Miles-The Who
2) Mister Can't You See-Buffy Saint-Marie
3) Hot Rod Hearts-Robbie Dupree
4) Old Kentucky Moon-Jim Weatherly
5) Floy Joy-The Supremes
6) Burning Bridges-Mike Curb Congregation
7) Do It Again (Just A Little Bit Slower)-Jon And Robin
8) Jimmy Olsen Blues-Spin Doctors
This probably due cause for me to finally call it a day on the search for 45s. There were some I thought about, I Found Someone Of My Own-Free Movement, Butterfly-Charlie Grace come to mind, even Solo Flight from Cat, with the b side We're All In This Together but I don't look at those songs are essential. Charlie Gracie's 99 Ways does step in Marty Robbins' rockabilly territory but in in the final analysis, I could live without that song. Nobody needs any Mike Curb Congregation in their collection but I do have a fondness of Burning Bridges. And it's hard to find anything by the Supremes that isn't chewed up but Floy Joy was their final decent single, which Smokey Robinson produced. Jimmy Olsen Blues is the most interesting song from this batch, since singles from the 1990s were regulated to jukeboxes and it is my favorite Spin Doctors song. But the overall find was I Can See For Miles, everything else doesn't come close.
The weather was hot, and we had a major monsoon Saturday Morning which gave Madison about 2 inches of rain in two hours and caused some flash flooding, by the time the bike ride started the creek was high and there was standing water in low lying areas but it was a normal ride.
It was road construction hell in Wisconsin, and the trip didn't start out very well. 151 became a two lane road around Ridgeway and some farmer pulled out in front of me in his tractor and caused a big traffic jam for five miles. That put me in a real good mood. It didn't get much better when my Cracker Barrel order was 30 minutes late while they were cooking up chicken and dumplings but they did give me a free dessert. And then I had to deal with some bimbo hogging the computer at my hotel, which gives a great argument about finally getting a smart phone and avoid the tie ups. Then the hotel didn't serve Sunday Breakfast. Between that and the old lady at Hardees trying to pass off an expired coupon made me decide that perhaps I should have stayed home or support my girlfriend's band efforts.
Gas prices were around 2.74 a gallon. Surprisingly I didn't have much issues with the Madison drivers. The thrift store finds at Goodwill didn't impress me much. Strictly Discs had better used stuff, even the new Essential Eric Andersen was in the used section already. Pre Played has focused their act on vinyl to the point that I wondered if I wondered into a museum. I just don't see the need to pay 20 dollars for used LPs, or 24.95 for the Moby Grape Omaha LP that Harmony sold for 3.98 years ago, or 39.95 for 20 Granite Creek. The problem with the vinyl revival: the stores have jacked the price up big time. Still I find it annoying to pay high prices for what used to sell for 5 or 10 dollars new. I didn't check the PrePlayed east store but I did pick up the Steven Wilson remastered Thick As A Brick and Iron Butterfly Heavy and was disappointed that Thick As A Brick remains a two part CD and not the whole 43 continuous song. Oh well, the way it goes.
Anyway, my life is changing more since the last time we touched base. I found myself missing Julie and wishing she could have join me on the bike ride. It seems when you find somebody who changes you and turns your world upside down that you find you can live without the bargain hunts. The record stores are different now, most are dying, Best Buy don't sell CDs anymore. And what is found at Shopko or Wally World are meh. While Strictly Discs and Mad City Music X and B Sides still put out new releases, I tend to find if I need the latest, Moondog Music in Dubuque has most of them. Last time Barnes And Noble had plenty of Wounded Bird 3.99 cutouts to check out, this time out they only had Show Of Hands (formerly Anthrax, no relation to the thrash metal pioneers) , Jay Boy Adams, Thirty Days Out and Rose Royce and I had the Jay Boy Adams and Thirty Days Out. I toyed with getting The Who At 50 and Show Of Hands but decided against it and hearing the You Tube stuff, I made a wise decision. I also thought it wasn't cost effective to buy the 2 cd Who Live At The Fillmore at thirty one dollars, which is why nobody buys CDs anymore. 31 dollars for 2 CDs??? Universal's greed is boundless. From here on out, this life will revolve around Julie and where we'll go from here.
The World Naked Bike Ride 2018 Madison Style is over. I had fun, I got sunburned and I got heat cramps and roasted nuts and I got to ride along with other naked strangers for another year. At this point, I have run my course of biking in the nude to promote body positive and promote more bike riding and less dependence on fossil fuels. I don't think I made any difference but for two and half hours in the biking sun, I burned myself for the cause of the good.
Whatever that means.
Madison Bike Ride Photo from Douglas Otto.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/papa_razzi/albums/72157696445981831/with/29012628708/
2018 write up.
The bike route was different this time out. It was more around Park Avenue and we didn't have that many hills to compete with. The 89 degree temps and 70 degree dew point was bad enough that we lost 10 bikers due to heat exhaustion. I didn't plan well but did take about three bottles of Gator Aid provided by the hosts and they were luke warm by the time we got done. However they did come in handy. I didn't cramp up till later when I went up to State Street after the bike ride.
For the most part I started out early but ended up staying holding up the rear as they say. More or less riding around 10 to 15 miles an hour and taking it easy. If you need to know, I did strip down for the whole bike ride but the hot weather and humidity made me sweat to the point I was sliding off the seat of the bike. That's why people have a towel on the seat. Even with SPF 50 suntan on, I still got burnt to a crisp.
This was my third bike ride and there were the usual suspects there. The bike ride was over two hours long, longer than the one last year. Outside of the heat exhaustion from a few folks, no incidents happened. The downtown whooped and hollered, I high fived a few folks taking pictures and made some casual talk with some bike riders but I didn't chat with many others. Once we finished there was the group photo, to which by then I dressed myself up, I did take my t shirt off so I didn't stand out like a sore thumb. Once the bike ride is over, there's not much left to do but wish everybody the best and ride out into the daylight, off to the next record store. I'm sure there's pictures of this trip is up somewhere, perhaps I'll go investigate them when I get time.
If last November was the one of the best finds of forty fives, this year was a different story. I found 8 at the St Vincent De Paul, but the pickings were slim. A lot of good forty fives were too scratched up and Half Price Books and Mad City Music X didn't have much to make me invest in any. The grim realization is becoming clear that I'm reaching to the end of what I can find. I did find some cool CDs that made the trip somewhat better.
Anyway-the 45's of note
1) I Can See For Miles-The Who
2) Mister Can't You See-Buffy Saint-Marie
3) Hot Rod Hearts-Robbie Dupree
4) Old Kentucky Moon-Jim Weatherly
5) Floy Joy-The Supremes
6) Burning Bridges-Mike Curb Congregation
7) Do It Again (Just A Little Bit Slower)-Jon And Robin
8) Jimmy Olsen Blues-Spin Doctors
This probably due cause for me to finally call it a day on the search for 45s. There were some I thought about, I Found Someone Of My Own-Free Movement, Butterfly-Charlie Grace come to mind, even Solo Flight from Cat, with the b side We're All In This Together but I don't look at those songs are essential. Charlie Gracie's 99 Ways does step in Marty Robbins' rockabilly territory but in in the final analysis, I could live without that song. Nobody needs any Mike Curb Congregation in their collection but I do have a fondness of Burning Bridges. And it's hard to find anything by the Supremes that isn't chewed up but Floy Joy was their final decent single, which Smokey Robinson produced. Jimmy Olsen Blues is the most interesting song from this batch, since singles from the 1990s were regulated to jukeboxes and it is my favorite Spin Doctors song. But the overall find was I Can See For Miles, everything else doesn't come close.
The weather was hot, and we had a major monsoon Saturday Morning which gave Madison about 2 inches of rain in two hours and caused some flash flooding, by the time the bike ride started the creek was high and there was standing water in low lying areas but it was a normal ride.
It was road construction hell in Wisconsin, and the trip didn't start out very well. 151 became a two lane road around Ridgeway and some farmer pulled out in front of me in his tractor and caused a big traffic jam for five miles. That put me in a real good mood. It didn't get much better when my Cracker Barrel order was 30 minutes late while they were cooking up chicken and dumplings but they did give me a free dessert. And then I had to deal with some bimbo hogging the computer at my hotel, which gives a great argument about finally getting a smart phone and avoid the tie ups. Then the hotel didn't serve Sunday Breakfast. Between that and the old lady at Hardees trying to pass off an expired coupon made me decide that perhaps I should have stayed home or support my girlfriend's band efforts.
Gas prices were around 2.74 a gallon. Surprisingly I didn't have much issues with the Madison drivers. The thrift store finds at Goodwill didn't impress me much. Strictly Discs had better used stuff, even the new Essential Eric Andersen was in the used section already. Pre Played has focused their act on vinyl to the point that I wondered if I wondered into a museum. I just don't see the need to pay 20 dollars for used LPs, or 24.95 for the Moby Grape Omaha LP that Harmony sold for 3.98 years ago, or 39.95 for 20 Granite Creek. The problem with the vinyl revival: the stores have jacked the price up big time. Still I find it annoying to pay high prices for what used to sell for 5 or 10 dollars new. I didn't check the PrePlayed east store but I did pick up the Steven Wilson remastered Thick As A Brick and Iron Butterfly Heavy and was disappointed that Thick As A Brick remains a two part CD and not the whole 43 continuous song. Oh well, the way it goes.
Anyway, my life is changing more since the last time we touched base. I found myself missing Julie and wishing she could have join me on the bike ride. It seems when you find somebody who changes you and turns your world upside down that you find you can live without the bargain hunts. The record stores are different now, most are dying, Best Buy don't sell CDs anymore. And what is found at Shopko or Wally World are meh. While Strictly Discs and Mad City Music X and B Sides still put out new releases, I tend to find if I need the latest, Moondog Music in Dubuque has most of them. Last time Barnes And Noble had plenty of Wounded Bird 3.99 cutouts to check out, this time out they only had Show Of Hands (formerly Anthrax, no relation to the thrash metal pioneers) , Jay Boy Adams, Thirty Days Out and Rose Royce and I had the Jay Boy Adams and Thirty Days Out. I toyed with getting The Who At 50 and Show Of Hands but decided against it and hearing the You Tube stuff, I made a wise decision. I also thought it wasn't cost effective to buy the 2 cd Who Live At The Fillmore at thirty one dollars, which is why nobody buys CDs anymore. 31 dollars for 2 CDs??? Universal's greed is boundless. From here on out, this life will revolve around Julie and where we'll go from here.
The World Naked Bike Ride 2018 Madison Style is over. I had fun, I got sunburned and I got heat cramps and roasted nuts and I got to ride along with other naked strangers for another year. At this point, I have run my course of biking in the nude to promote body positive and promote more bike riding and less dependence on fossil fuels. I don't think I made any difference but for two and half hours in the biking sun, I burned myself for the cause of the good.
Whatever that means.
Madison Bike Ride Photo from Douglas Otto.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/papa_razzi/albums/72157696445981831/with/29012628708/
2018 write up.
We started promptly at 11:00 AM and rode for 2.25 hours. Our official count was a maximum participation of 144 riders with about 87 percent fully nude and a male/female ratio of 80/20. This once again edges out our attendance record for a new high.
We hadn't fully checked the route in advance, so there were a few unanticipated minor problems. The section of Blair that we traversed was local traffic only, all gravel and torn up. Those on bicycles had little difficulty, but our skateboarders presumably had to get over onto the sidewalks. Later, as we crossed Regent on West Washington, road construction made it necessary to go through the crosswalk instead of the street.
Our regulars and newbies once again came from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa. The farthest we know of that anyone traveled this year was from Cleveland.
The big news was the heat. It was a hot and humid day, with a high into the nineties, the least comfortable weather we have ever had. In addition to the twelve-packs of seltzer that I usually bring, I brought along seventy bottles of water, and all had been drunk by the time we started. As it turned out, there were a few who were unable to complete the route, dropping out somewhere within the last mile (our thanks to those who stopped to help them). There was also at least one who had to spend some time resting after finishing. It is our hope and belief that all were able to recover from any heat-induced malady by the end of the day.
The route was once again similar to those of previous years, with a concentration on areas where people were likely to be out and about. We got lots of positive reactions from bystanders. I was, however, a bit amused by the woman on State Street who I noticed covering her toddler's eyes.
Hoping for more comfortable weather next year, we look forward to another glorious ride in 2019.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Singles Going Steady-Moondog Music In May
The old hippie from Moondog Music has retired but he still had a cache of 45s yet to be discovered.
The focus is the music from the late 60s and early 70s.
1) Bicycle Morning-Billy Sans (Atco 45-6945) 1973
Somewhere along the way, this song managed to fall past the eyes of the compilers that put together the Have A Nice Day Series for Rhino in the 1990s but even K Tel in the 70s overlooked this power pop gem that owes a lot to Daniel Boone's Beautiful Sunday. Sans recorded a couple of 45s for Invictus and Abnak but neither charted. Sans is somewhat active in the Nashville area with his band but this is the first time I actually came around. B Side is For Ever, which sounds like something Billy Vera would cover.
2) What Have They Done To The Rain-The Searchers (Kapp K-644) 1965 #29
One of the underrated British bands of all time, The Searchers have always put together some great singles and What Have They Done To The Rain is one of their all time best songs. B side This Feeling's Inside is a group original akin to a uptempo Gerry And The Pacemakers song, but the Searchers were somewhat a better band. I think I hid this 45 up there on a previous bargain hunt and forgot all about it till I came across it in a out of the way box of 45s. Record is pretty good shape.
3) Sally Can't Dance-Lou Reed (RCA Victor PB-10081) 1974
In Lou's record history he only had one single that made it to the top 20 (Guess which one) and anything else was bubbling over. I always liked the single version better than the album cut. Another single found in the far corner where The Searchers single was at.
4) Thank You Anyway (Mr. D.J.)-Lou Johnson (Big Top 45-3115) 1962
Another obscure R and B 45 that didn't chart on the top 100 (although it was a regional hits at mom and pop AM stations). Basically in a style like Ray Charles when Ray was doing modern sounds in country music at that time. But with better chart action. B Side If I Never Get To Love You is one of an early song from Burt Bacahrah and Hal David team. A bit more uptempo. BTW, Burt just turned 90 this weekend. And still going strong.
5) Casino-Jack Eubanks (Monument 45-809) 1963
I have more fun with instruments of the 60s than anybody else around. Bob Moore recorded Mexico for Monument around this time so the label thought why not another instrumental for another person right? Didn't work, but it's makes nice background music. B Side Te Juana features the unmistakable sound of Boots Randolph on sax. Professionally done right but it's still background music.
6) Bend Me, Shape Me-The American Breed (Acta 45-811) 1967 #5
Fifty years on, singles that made the top ten and what I found at thrift stores have been played to death and I try not to torture my stereo needle by playing scratchy records, but even sometimes finding 45s that look new sound like shit since the previous owner didn't change his needle. Thankfully who donated these 45s to Moondog managed to take good care of these record and I managed to find finally a decent copy of Bend Me Shape Me, a great top 5 single. B side Mindrocker bridges Paul Revere And The Raiders and Ohio Express together. The origins of bubblegum?
7) Freedom Blues-Little Richard (Reprise 0907) 1970 #47
Richard Penniman could play the blues just as well as rock and roll as this song suggest. When he puts his mind to it, Little Richard could be considered the king of rock and roll (although that Reprise album of King Of Rock And Roll was a total borefest). B side Dew Drop Inn, rocks! Sounds like Earl Palmer on drums, and Lee Allen on sax. Told you it rocks! Freedom Blues is also a classic song too. Co written with Eskew Reeder aka Esquerita, who could rival Little Richard for outrageous antics. Probably the find of the day.
8) I Ain't Got To Love Nobody Else-The Masqueraders (Bell 733) 1968 #57
One of the longest lasting but yet unknown groups of the 1960s, This band recorded for Chips Moman and American Group Productions for a series of singles, this one originally on Wand but issued later on Bell Record that charted at number 57. Charlie Moore is the lead singer on this single. While they owed their sound to the Temptations, I think they're more gritter than the Temps, more in line with the Four Tops. B Side I Got It, is another soul shouter, complete with cowbell.
9) I'm Afraid To Go Home-Brian Hyland (ABC Paramount 45-10452) 1963 #63
Brian's last charted hit for ABC Paramount. Out of all teen idols, Brian's output have actually still stood the test of time especially on this single produced by P.Udell, G. Geld team. B side Save Your Heart For Me would become a hit for Gary Lewis And The Playboys. It could have been a hit for Brian as well had ABC promoted it.
10) I Get The Blues When It Rains-The Saloonatics (Bethlehem 45-3096) 1969
The Banjo Barons meet Homer And Jethro and Johnny Bond. Nothing is much known about this band, they made an album for Bethlehem Records, originally a jazz blues label before King/Gusto bought them out and put this country band on it. If you use a search engine you will find six other bands that use the Saloonatics name, one even in Eastern Iowa. None are associated with this forgotten band. B side Sweet Georgia Brown, is even more weirder. Go figure.
11) Backtrack-Faron Young (Capitol 4616) 1961 #89
Faron's last top 100 pop single. Co written with Alex Zanetis who would write hits for Charley Pride and Jim Reeves later on. B Side I Can't Find The Time is written by Willie Nelson, to which Faron was very instrumental in helping Willie's music career in the early years. A honky honk ballad. Note how Faron phases the word like Willie used to do back then.
12) Ballad Of The Green Barets-Sgt. Barry Sadler (RCA 47-8739) 1966 #1
So we end this with a number 1 single. I had the picture sleeve but not the single itself. The ones that I did find were scratched up but this single was in fairly decent shape. Sadler would have a number 28 single with The A Team.
The focus is the music from the late 60s and early 70s.
1) Bicycle Morning-Billy Sans (Atco 45-6945) 1973
Somewhere along the way, this song managed to fall past the eyes of the compilers that put together the Have A Nice Day Series for Rhino in the 1990s but even K Tel in the 70s overlooked this power pop gem that owes a lot to Daniel Boone's Beautiful Sunday. Sans recorded a couple of 45s for Invictus and Abnak but neither charted. Sans is somewhat active in the Nashville area with his band but this is the first time I actually came around. B Side is For Ever, which sounds like something Billy Vera would cover.
2) What Have They Done To The Rain-The Searchers (Kapp K-644) 1965 #29
One of the underrated British bands of all time, The Searchers have always put together some great singles and What Have They Done To The Rain is one of their all time best songs. B side This Feeling's Inside is a group original akin to a uptempo Gerry And The Pacemakers song, but the Searchers were somewhat a better band. I think I hid this 45 up there on a previous bargain hunt and forgot all about it till I came across it in a out of the way box of 45s. Record is pretty good shape.
3) Sally Can't Dance-Lou Reed (RCA Victor PB-10081) 1974
In Lou's record history he only had one single that made it to the top 20 (Guess which one) and anything else was bubbling over. I always liked the single version better than the album cut. Another single found in the far corner where The Searchers single was at.
4) Thank You Anyway (Mr. D.J.)-Lou Johnson (Big Top 45-3115) 1962
Another obscure R and B 45 that didn't chart on the top 100 (although it was a regional hits at mom and pop AM stations). Basically in a style like Ray Charles when Ray was doing modern sounds in country music at that time. But with better chart action. B Side If I Never Get To Love You is one of an early song from Burt Bacahrah and Hal David team. A bit more uptempo. BTW, Burt just turned 90 this weekend. And still going strong.
5) Casino-Jack Eubanks (Monument 45-809) 1963
I have more fun with instruments of the 60s than anybody else around. Bob Moore recorded Mexico for Monument around this time so the label thought why not another instrumental for another person right? Didn't work, but it's makes nice background music. B Side Te Juana features the unmistakable sound of Boots Randolph on sax. Professionally done right but it's still background music.
6) Bend Me, Shape Me-The American Breed (Acta 45-811) 1967 #5
Fifty years on, singles that made the top ten and what I found at thrift stores have been played to death and I try not to torture my stereo needle by playing scratchy records, but even sometimes finding 45s that look new sound like shit since the previous owner didn't change his needle. Thankfully who donated these 45s to Moondog managed to take good care of these record and I managed to find finally a decent copy of Bend Me Shape Me, a great top 5 single. B side Mindrocker bridges Paul Revere And The Raiders and Ohio Express together. The origins of bubblegum?
7) Freedom Blues-Little Richard (Reprise 0907) 1970 #47
Richard Penniman could play the blues just as well as rock and roll as this song suggest. When he puts his mind to it, Little Richard could be considered the king of rock and roll (although that Reprise album of King Of Rock And Roll was a total borefest). B side Dew Drop Inn, rocks! Sounds like Earl Palmer on drums, and Lee Allen on sax. Told you it rocks! Freedom Blues is also a classic song too. Co written with Eskew Reeder aka Esquerita, who could rival Little Richard for outrageous antics. Probably the find of the day.
8) I Ain't Got To Love Nobody Else-The Masqueraders (Bell 733) 1968 #57
One of the longest lasting but yet unknown groups of the 1960s, This band recorded for Chips Moman and American Group Productions for a series of singles, this one originally on Wand but issued later on Bell Record that charted at number 57. Charlie Moore is the lead singer on this single. While they owed their sound to the Temptations, I think they're more gritter than the Temps, more in line with the Four Tops. B Side I Got It, is another soul shouter, complete with cowbell.
9) I'm Afraid To Go Home-Brian Hyland (ABC Paramount 45-10452) 1963 #63
Brian's last charted hit for ABC Paramount. Out of all teen idols, Brian's output have actually still stood the test of time especially on this single produced by P.Udell, G. Geld team. B side Save Your Heart For Me would become a hit for Gary Lewis And The Playboys. It could have been a hit for Brian as well had ABC promoted it.
10) I Get The Blues When It Rains-The Saloonatics (Bethlehem 45-3096) 1969
The Banjo Barons meet Homer And Jethro and Johnny Bond. Nothing is much known about this band, they made an album for Bethlehem Records, originally a jazz blues label before King/Gusto bought them out and put this country band on it. If you use a search engine you will find six other bands that use the Saloonatics name, one even in Eastern Iowa. None are associated with this forgotten band. B side Sweet Georgia Brown, is even more weirder. Go figure.
11) Backtrack-Faron Young (Capitol 4616) 1961 #89
Faron's last top 100 pop single. Co written with Alex Zanetis who would write hits for Charley Pride and Jim Reeves later on. B Side I Can't Find The Time is written by Willie Nelson, to which Faron was very instrumental in helping Willie's music career in the early years. A honky honk ballad. Note how Faron phases the word like Willie used to do back then.
12) Ballad Of The Green Barets-Sgt. Barry Sadler (RCA 47-8739) 1966 #1
So we end this with a number 1 single. I had the picture sleeve but not the single itself. The ones that I did find were scratched up but this single was in fairly decent shape. Sadler would have a number 28 single with The A Team.
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