Excellent Steve! I got to see Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks live in a converted movie theater right by San Jose City College, in '73 I believe it was. Fantastic! Dan had added a drummer by that point in time, a jazz player who was fantastic. Years later Hot Licks violinist Sid Page was in the small orchestra Van Dyke Parks assembled for his engagement in the small theater in the rear of McCabes Guitar Shop in Santa Monica which I attended, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see and hear an honest-to-God near-genius in the flesh (can you imagine having seen and heard Mozart perform live?!).
Do you have Dan's 1972 Striking It Rich! album? It was recorded by Bruce Botnick (the doors), and the sq is outstanding. The whole album is fantastic, a highlight being Maryann Price singing "I'm An Old Cowhand". She's one of my favorite female vocalists, still alive as far as I know---Eric.
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@tablejockey: "Down Down Down" is a classic, done by a lot of people (including Jeff Beck in a not-so-hot version. Not because of Jeff’s playing, but that of his band and singer.). I have Don Nixes 1971 album on Elektra Records (Living By The Days), found decades ago in a cut-out bin for chump change. Oddly the album doesn’t include "Down Down Down".
I saw Albert at The Fillmore (Bill Graham deserves a lot of credit for booking a bunch of the original artists and putting them on bills with their younger imitators), and he was playing his Gibson Flying V. I never saw anyone else who sweated so much!
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Wow @tablejockey: Great song selection, Carl Radle and Duck Dunn on bass, Al Jackson, Chuck Blackwell, and Jim Gordon on drums, Leon Russell on piano and organ. I gotta get myself a copy! I managed to see Albert King live (fantastic!), but not Freddie. My senior year high school band played his classic song "The Stumble" after hearing Peter Green do it on John Mayall's second album.
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@tablejockey: Nice! I’ve been looking for a copy of Jesse’s Keep Me Comin’ LP for quite some time. My mates and I were very into his playing back in the late-60’s (first heard on Taj Mahal’s debut) and early-70’s, but for some reason I never bought one of his own albums. I only recently learned he plays guitar on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass.
I’m much more a music lover than an audiophile, and consider good sound a welcome bonus, not a requirement. J. Gordon Holt’s Law: Often times the better the music the worse the recording, and visa versa. Sad but true.
Shelter Records had studios in both Tulsa and Hollywood, the latter right on Sunset Blvd. The Dwight Twilley Band’s first two albums sound fine, but the third (released as a Dwight Twilley album; though DTB guitarist Bill Pitcock IV remained, drummer/singer Phil Seymour had left for a solo career) is a real mess. It was recorded in the Hollywood studio, which obviously had some phase problems (quite apparent in the sound). The album was recorded by two terrible engineers named "Noah and Max" (no last names used ?!?), who as far as I know worked nowhere else. No surprise there! Tom Petty’s first coupla albums don’t sound so good, but nowhere near as bad as the Twilley. Great music though.
I just received an album bought off Discogs, from Acoustic Sounds. Yep, AS sells used LP’s on Discogs. It’s Taxi To The Terminal Zone by Ducks Deluxe (RCA Records), produced by Dave Edmunds at Rockfield Studios in South Wales, the same studio in which he recorded Shake Some Action with The Flamin’ Groovies (an album being re-released later this month by Portland Oregon label Jackpot Records. Mastered by Kevin Gray, renown for his work with Analogue Productions.). NM condition (both record and cover), $15 plus $5 shipping.
Ducks Deluxe were part of the early-70’s UK Pub Rock scene, along with Brinsley Schwartz (whose bassist/songwriter/singer was of course Nick Lowe). Ducks Deluxe guitarist Martin Belmont went on to become a member of Graham Parker’s original band, and later worked with Nick Lowe. And of course Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds joined forces and formed the fantastic band Rockpile (the title of Edmunds’ 1971 debut solo album). England is a small country, with a tight musical community!
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Used LP’s brought home a coupla day ago, all found at a favorite shop, the name and location of which I am for the time being keeping to myself :-) :
- The dB’s: Like This (Bearsville Records). The dB’s were a 1980’s New York group whose member included drummer Will Rigby---later an off-and-on member of Steve Earle’s band, and songwriter/singer/guitarist/keyboardist Peter Holsapple---later a member of L.A. supergroup The Continental Drifters, whose other members included Susan Cowsill, Vicki Petersen of The Bangles, a real fine singer/songwriter named Gary Eaton---I don’t know what became of him, and a fantastic drummer/singer by the name of Carlo Nuccio, who may be heard on an early album of Tori Amos, some recordings of Emmylou Harris, Dr. John, and a bunch of others.
The Continental Drifters played around L.A. in the early-90’s, and were hands down one of the greatest musical ensembles I’v ever seen and heard live (and I saw The Beatles, The Stones, The Who---with Keith Moon, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, The Band, The Dead, and hundreds of others ;-). Near Mint condition, $7.99.
- Little Feat: Down On The Farm (Warner Brothers Records). NM, $6.99.
- Lloyd Green: Steel Rides (Monument Records). You may be forgiven for not recognizing Lloyd’s name, as he is a Nashville pedal steel guitarist. But Paul McCartney sure knew of him (Paul has very good taste in musicians), and engaged his services for the recording of Macca’s song "Sally G", which Lloyd himself recorded for this album. Lloyd is pictured on the cover with his very cool steel guitar and a smokin’ hot blonde. Who she is and why she’s on the cover I don’t know, but I ain’t complainin’ ;-) . NM, $2.99.
- The Whites: Greatest Hits (Curb Records). The White’s are a father/two daughter Bluegrass group (seen on stage near the end of the Coen Brothers’ movie O Brother Where Art Thou), one of the daughters being married to Ricky Skaggs, who produced some of the songs on this collection. NM, $4.99.
- Jesse Winchester: A Touch On The Rainy Side (Bearsville Records). I already have this LP, but the cover is beat-to-hell, so I bought this copy for it’s still-in-the-shrink cover. $2.99. FYI: Winchester is a great U.S.A. songwriter/singer who fled to Canada to avoid going to Viet Nam. Robbie Robertson of The Band produced his s/t debut album, and this album contains Jesse’s great song "A Showman’s Life", more recently recorded by the fantastic Buddy Miller (Emmylou Harris’ guitarist/harmony singer/band leader)..
- Like the above, I already have Linda Ronstadt’s Greatest Hits Volume Two in great condition, but the cover is a mess. Still-in-the-shrink cover and NM LP for $4.99. After seeing the recent documentary on Linda (fantastic!), I am buying every album of hers I see. What Elvis Costello said about her in the late-70’s is absolute bs. Maybe the greatest white female "Rock" (Pop, actually) singer of all time.
- J.J. Cale: Okie (Shelter Records). I am very late getting into J.J., completely missing him in the 1970’s. NM, $11.99.
- J.J. Cale: s/t debut (Shelter Records). I am already in possession on this album in a second pressing, but this is a first pressing (with the "Superman egg" Shelter logo) in NM condition, $29.99. Ooh, big money ;-) .
Yes, there are millions of LP’s out there, just waiting for you to bring home. But remember: a lot of great music from the 1990’s remains unavailable on LP, so when you are in record shops looking for records, don’t forget about CD’s. They are almost giving them away!
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Though I haven’t been posting my recent old LP acquisitions, I’ve been buying more than ever. Here are some from the past couple of weeks:
- The Bodeans: s/t debut, produced by T Bone Burnett (Slash Records). $4.00.
- Bonnie Bramlett: Memories (Capricorn Records). $4.00.
- Jackson Browne: Hold Out, and Lives In The Balance. Both on Asylum Records, and both less than five bucks (I already removed the price stickers. The rubber cement solvent named Bestine works great).
- The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out (Columbia Records, "2 eye" label). Still in the factory shrink wrap! $11.99.
- Joe Cocker: Mad Dogs & Englishmen (A & M Records, 2 LPs). $7.99.
- Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen: Live From Deep In The Heart Of Texas (Paramount Records). $7.99. I saw Cody and his boys at The Fillmore (or was it Winterland?) around the time of the recording of this show, and they were fan-ahem-tastic!
- Bob Dylan: Planet Waves (Asylum Records, white label promo). $19.99. One of my fave Dylan albums, the only studio album of his recorded with The Band (The Basement Tapes wasn’t recorded as a "proper" album). I already have my original commercial copy, plus the MoFi version (as well as MoFi and Sony Japan SACD’s), but this is the only white label promo copy I’ve ever seen. As white label promos are often "white hot stamper" LP’s, I guess I just saved myself a coupla hundred bucks, ay? ;-)
- Phil Everly: Star Spangled Springer (RCA Records). $10.00. Produced by Duane Eddy, with Duane, Richard Bennett, James Burton, and Dean Parks on guitar, Earl Palmer on drums, Victor Feldman on percussion, Buddy Emmonds on steel guitar, Lyle Ritz (like Earl Palmer, a member of The Wrecking Crew) on bass, James Horn on sax, and Warren Zevon on piano (and arrangements). Geez, couldn’t Phil afford a good band? ;-)
- Roberta Flack: First Take, and Chapter Two (both on Atlantic Records). $4.99 and $2.99, respectively. Why didn’t I already have these albums? My God what a singer!
- Art Garfunkel: Watermark (Columbia Records). $5.00. All but two songs written by Jimmie Webb, who plays keyboards on the album. Also playing are the fabulous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (aka The Swampers: Barry Beckett on keys, Jimmy Johnson on guitar, Roger Hawkins on drums, and David Hood on bass) and The Chieftains.
- Dan Hicks: Last Train To Hicksville---The Home Of Happy Feet, and It Happened One Bite (Blue Thumb Records and Warner Brothers Records respectively). Each $5.00.
- Chris Hillman: Clear Sailing (Asylum Records). $2.99.
- Leo Kottke: Dreams And All That Stuff (Capitol Records). $5.00. Produced by Denny Bruce.
- Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band (whose members included Geoff Muldaur and Maria D’Amato, soon to be married): See Reverse Side For Title (Vanguard Records). $5.00.
- Nicolette Larson: In The Nick Of Time, and Radioland (both on Warner Brothers Records). Each $4.00.
- Lonnie Mack: Strike Like Lightning (Alligator Records). $4.99. Produced by Stevie Ray Vaughan, who joins Lonnie on guitar.
- Mark O’Connor: On The Mark, and Stone From Which The Arch Was Made (both on Warner Brothers Records). $4.00 and $5.00 respectively. Master fiddler.
- The O’Kanes : s/t debut (Columbia Records). $4.00. I’ve been looking for a copy for years.
- Sam Phillips: Indescribable Wow (Virgin Records). $5.00. All songs written by Sam, production by T Bone Burnett (at that time Sam’s husband). The great Jerry Scheff on bass, Steve Jordan on drums. I already have a copy, but for five bucks I’ll have a second.
- Linda Ronstadt: Mad Love, and Prisoner In Disguise (both on Asylum Records). Each $3.99.
- Linda Ronstadt & The Nelson Riddle Orchestra: What’s New (Asylum Records). $7.00, still in shrink wrap.
- Neil Innes & Eric Idle: The Rutland Weekend Television Songbook (Passport Records). $4.99. The only copy I’ve ever seen.
- Tiny Tim: God Bless Tiny Tim (Reprise Records). $5.00, still in shrink.
- The Ventures: Walk Don’t Run (Dolton Records, mono). $3.99. Even the cover is in Mint condition!
- Jennifer Warnes: Best Of (Arista Records). $2.99.
I keep hearing people on YouTube talking about the price of even common LP’s---in years past easily found for five bucks---now being priced at twenty. Maybe in other parts of the U.S.A., but not around here.
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Some nice acquisitions from my two little local LP shops last week:
From shop no. 1:
- The s/t debut album by Manassas, the group formed by Stephen Stills and Chris Hillman (Atlantic Records). 2 LP’s, $8.
- Elvis Presley: Elvis’ Gold Records Volume 4 (RCA Records). $5.
- Reckless Sleepers: Big Boss Sounds (I.R.S. Records). $5. Group members are Jules Shear, Jimmy Vivino, Steve Holley, and Brian Stanley.
- Libby Titus: s/t album on Columbia Records. $5. Produced by Phil Ramone, with assistance from Paul Simon, Carly Simon, and Robbie Robertson. Libby was for a time married to Band drummer/singer Levon Helm, their marriage producing daughter Amy.
From shop no.2:
- Marc Benno: Minnows (A & M Records). $9.99. Kind of rare, hence the price despite the LP’s less-than-near mint condition. Marc was formerly in the duo Asylum Choir with Leon Russell. Highly recommended by Norman Maslov (The Vinyl Community’s Mazzy).
- The David Grisman Quintet: s/t album on Kaleidoscope Records. $6.99. Joining Grisman on this album are Tony Rice (Art Dudley’s favorite flat-top guitarist), Darol Anger on fiddle, Bill Amatneek on upright bass, and Todd Phillips on mandolin.
A mere six years before the recording of this album (1971 and 1977, respectively), Todd was just leaving the San Jose group I was joining, to pursue the study of mandolin with Grisman up in Marin County. Todd has for years been one of the top upright bass players in Bluegrass. Last I heard he was on the road with Joan Baez. All it takes is talent, dedication and focus, and ambition ;-) .
- Jesse Winchester: A Touch On The Rainy Side (Bearsville Records). $2.99. Included on this album is "A Showman’s Life", a great song more recently recorded by Buddy Miller. Musicians on this album include drummers Larry Londin (now deceased 1st-call Nashville studio musician.) and Kenny Buttrey (Dylan, Neil Young).
- An Audio Obstacle Course: Shure Trackability Test Record (TTR 101) For Stereo Cartridges. $3.99. |
Just back from dinner out with the sisters, where I had my first Old Fashioned, a drink I saw ordered in that recent TV show Michael Douglas has been in (I forget the name). My first OF, and my last. Too sweet!
Alrighty, here’s what I brought home yesterday from record shop no.2:
- Bob Dylan: Planet Waves (UK Island Records), $9.99. One of my fave Dylan LP’s, which I already own on an original US pressing, a modern Mobile Fidelity LP, and both Japanese Sony and Mobile Fidelity SACD’s. As I said, I like the album. A lot. Backing Bob are The fantabulous Band.
- The Rowans: self-titled (Asylum Records), $2.99 (the original store price sticker is from Rasputin’s, a Bay Area favorite. Dated 2013, priced $1.95). You may already know of Peter Rowan (Seatrain, solo), but here he teams up with his brothers Chris and Lorin. All three have movie star-good looks ;-). Drumming by Russ Kunkel, production by Richie Polodor, engineering by Bill Cooper, mastering by Doug Sax.
- Linda Ronstadt: Lush Life (Elektra Records, original "hatbox" cover), $2.99. I wasn’t interested in this album when released, but am now. Music of course by Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra. Recorded and mixed by George Massenburg.
- Art Garfunkel: Lefty (CBS Records), $3.99. I’m not overly interested in Garfunkel, but the credits list Steve Gadd on drums, Joe Osborne on bass, Nicky Hopkins on keyboards, Hugh McCracken on guitar, Eddie Gomez on acoustic bass, and Michael Brecker on sax. The best musicians money can buy. Mastered by Doug Sax.
- Leo Kottke: Greenhouse (Capitol Records), $4.99. I already own a Capitol Records reissue, but this is an original pressing. Produced by Denny Bruce, a favorite of mine. I was invited up to Denny’s house in the Hollywood Hills when I lived in L.A., and found him to be a real down to Earth guy, no Rock Star airs at all.
- Procol Harum: Grand Hotel (Chrysalis Records), $6.99. I wrote-off PH when Matthew Fisher left the group, whereupon guitarist Robin Trower moved from a supportive role to a lead one, turning them from a Classically-informed Baroque ensemble to just another white-boy English Blues band. Blech. Instead of using his guitar to play the song, he uses the song to play his guitar.
But in the coupla years before his death, Art Dudley was singing the praises of this album, so I’ve been looking for a good copy (and finding only trashed ones). This copy is not only clean, but also complete with the oft-missing full-size booklet. I was relieved to learn that by the time of this album Trower had left the group. Good riddance.
- Loudon Wainwright III: Album III (Columbia Records), $6.99. I have long been a fan of Loudon’s middle-period work on Rounder records, only recently looking for his earlier and more recent albums. The last one I bought as a new release was 2001’s Last Man On Earth (Red House Records, CD only as far as I know), which I love. I then for some reason lost track of him. He’s made a lot of albums since the late-60’s, released on a lot of different labels. A great songwriter and a very interesting guy, no one quite like him. |
My semi-weekly trip to my two neighborhood (withing a 10 minute drive) used record shops proved fruitful yesterday.
Found at store no.1 (where I’ve seen nothing worse than VG+ LP’s):
- Dean Martin: Dream With Dean (Reprise Records, stereo), $6. I knew him as an actor and comedian, but Dean first made his name as a singer. Unlike most of his other albums, this is serious music making, with accompaniment by Barney Kessel on guitar, Ken Lane on piano, Red Mitchell on upright bass, and the great Irv Cottler (Sinatra’s long-time drummer) on drums (Irv kept his sets in the same storage facility as I in Burbank, and offered to sell me the Slingerland kit Buddy Rich gave him. He wanted too much for it, so I passed).
Chad Kassem thought so highly of the music and sound of the Dream With Dean album that he put it out on his Analogue Productions label, but in mono I think.
- The Charles Lloyd Quartet: Love-In (Atlantic Records, stereo), $7. Corny album title, an attempt to sell to the young white kids (such as myself) who were just starting to get into Jazz in 1967 and 8. The album was recorded live on a Sunday afternoon in late-1967 at The Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, and look at this line-up: Lloyd on tenor sax and flute, Keith Jarrett on piano, Ron McClure on upright bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. What a band!
Charles became involved with The Beach Boys in the 70’s, and DeJohnette was playing in Miles Davis’ band when The Band had Miles open for them at The Hollywood Bowl. Jack and Band drummer/singer Levon Helm became close friends. DeJohnette included The Band’s "Up On Cripple Creek" in his own band’s set. Ironically, playing drums on The Band’s recording of that great song is Band pianist/singer Richard Manuel.
- Steve Forbert: Little Stevie Orbit (Nemperor Records), $5. The LP was mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound in NYC, so should sound great darn good.
I only recently got into Forbert, picking this one up simply because I saw Bobby Lloyd Hicks is the drummer on the album. Bobby was a member of the great Springfield, Missouri band The Skeletons, and later a member of Dave Alvin’s band The Guilty Men. Alvin also worked with an all female band he named---of course---The Guilty Women ;-) . The GW’s drummer came out of the band of a great songwriter based in Austin, Cornell Hurd. I knew Cornell from growing up in San Jose, where he played drums in his first musical combo---a garage band, of course. He ended up gravitating towards Country & Western and Western Swing, making music that is like Asleep At The Wheel, Commander Cody, and Dan Hicks rolled into one. Junior Brown has recorded a couple of his songs, as did The Skeletons.
- The Bernie Leadon/Michael Georgiades Band: Natural Progressions (Asylum Records), $5. Bernie left The Eagles when they moved too far away from Country for his liking ("Life In The Fast Lane"? Oy.), moving into pretty hard Bluegrass. I know nothing about Georgiades, but I guess I’m about to find out. Playing drums on the album is a very good one---David Kemper, who was also the drummer on T Bone Burnett’s great Truth Decay album.
- And lastly, three albums by a guy whom I know only from his 1968 hit single "Classical Gas": Mason Williams. But all three are on Warner Brothers Records (THE artist-orientated label in the late-60’s/early-70’s), have members of The Wrecking Crew playing instruments on them (including Jim Gordon---later of Derek & The Dominos, etc.)---as well as James Burton, and were priced right. They are:
- The Mason Williams Phonograph Record (which contains "CG"), $10.
- The Mason Williams Ear Show (participants include Jennifer Warren and John Hartford), $7.
- Handmade, $6.
That’s long enough for one post, I’ll do the other shop later.
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Good one Steve. That LP is on my list to acquire. I had it long ago, don't remember why I got rid of it. Early Bee Gees and ABBA, two guilty pleasures ;-) . |
Awesome Steve! I have "Green Onions" as my phone ringer. |
This afternoon I dropped off a few bag of clothes at my local Goodwill, and decided to see what was in the store's coupla record racks. I had looked a few times before, and saw only the usual Mantovani, Jerry Vale, Jim Nabors, and other assorted schlock you expect to find. This time I found the following, priced as were all the store's LP's at $2.99 each:
- Doug Kershaw: Alive & Pickin' (Warner Brothers Records). The Ragin' Cajun himself, live on stage in Atlanta Georgia in 1974 or 5 (the album was released in '75). The band member's names are listed, but none of them are familiar. I trust they aren't the guys I saw backing Doug when I saw him live in San Francisco earlier in the decade, a "Power Trio" Hard Rock band who were absolutely dreadful. I'm talking Blue Cheer or Big Brother And The Holding Company bad. He himself was great that night, of course.
- Two albums by Delbert McClinton (The Jealous Kind and Plain' From The Heart) on Capitol Records, both produced by Barry Beckett and employing my favorite studio band of all time, The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, featuring the killer drums/bass duo of Roger Hawkins and David Hood. Lots of other great musicians and background singers, including Bonnie Bramlett on The Jealous Kind.
- Henry Mancini: The Best Of (RCA Victor black label, stereo). A great writer, arranger, and orchestrator. The titles include "Moon River" (what a song!), "Baby Elephant Walk", "Days Of Wine And Roses", "Peter Gunn", and "Mr. Lucky".
- Wanda Landowska: Treasury Of Harpsichord Music (RCA Victor Red Label, mono. Still in it's factory shrink wrap!). I love harpsichord, and Landowska is one of the greats at playing it. Compositions played include those written by J.S. Bach, Scarlatti, Rameau, Couperin, Purcell, Handel, and Mozart. Wow.
Though the albums are all to varying degrees somewhat dirty, they don't appear to be scratched or scuffed at all. There were a few other LP's I left in the racks, as they WERE scratched, to an unacceptable level. |
Yeah @articdeth, I've dealt with a few of your type clerks over the years; L.A. is full of them, especially in Tower Records. Wannabe Rock Stars, resentful that they haven't made it "yet". Some of them picked on Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) when he worked at the Hollywood store on Sunset Blvd. Across the street in the video store, Axel Rose was stocking the shelves.
Fortunately the shops in my current locale are staffed with very cool people. One is a small shop whose female owner (Mickey) works the counter, and is always playing cool music when I enter. She sells only Near Mint and VG+ used LP's (along with a coupla racks of new releases), cleans them before putting them out for sale, and prices them fairly.
Also in town is one of the country's oldest indi record stores (Millennium Music), staffed for many years by a lot of guys like myself---old hippies ;-) . The place still reeks of patchouli oil, a virtual trip back to the late-60's. Michael Fremer was blown away when he visited the shop a few years back, impressed by the many thousands of new and used LP's in stock. I was buying LP's and import 45's at MM when I lived in Portland in '77-8, and it's still owned by the same guy. Everything is sold at list price, kind of a drag. |
New additions:
Robert Gordon: Are You Gonna Be The One (RCA Records). Though only a mediocre Rockabilly singer, Gordon always has great musicians on his albums---especially guitarists, this one being no exception. His band on this album is the incredible Danny Gatton on guitar, with Lance Quinn on 2nd guitar, Tony Garnier on bass, and Shannon Ford on drums.
Two by Mike Auldridge, both on Flying Fish Records: his s/t debut, and Old Dog. Primo Bluegrass.
And an original Capitol Records ("rainbow" label) pressing of on LP renown for it’s sonic and musical quality, so good Chad Kassem tracked down the original master tape and put it out on his Analogue Productions label: Country Hits...Feeling Blue by Tennessee Ernie Ford. Both cover and LP in Near Mint condition, priced at $2.99! |
Catch O’ The Day:
- Phil Everly: Phil’s Diner (Pye Records), $3.00.
- The Dave Clark Five: Glad All Over (Epic Records, mono), $5.00.
- The Dave Clark Five: Return! (Epic Records, mono), $5.00.
- The Dave Clark Five: American Tour (Epic Records, mono), $5.00.
- Ivan Neville: If My Ancestors Could See Me Now (Polydor Records), $5.00. Produced by Danny Kortchmar (Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Carole King).
- John Hartford: Aereo Plain (Warner Brothers Records), $5.00. Produced by David Bromberg. Accompanying musicians include Vassar Clements, Norman Blake, and Randy Scruggs, names very well known in Bluegrass, Country, and Folk circles.
To illustrate the role luck, timing, and perseverance play in finding out-of-print LP’s you are looking for: I was in Millennium Music the middle of last week, spending about two hours looking for the titles in my little black book (6 mini-ring, 6" x 3-1/2" lined filler paper). I was back at MM today---picking up some titles I had seen on that visit but had to check on, and again looked for some of the same titles as on my last visit. THIS time---only four or five days later---there was the John Hartford record! A very hard to find LP.
- Rodney Crowell: Ain’t Living Long Like This (Warner Brothers Records), $6.00. An album from very early in Rodney’s career, produced by Emmylou’s Brian Ahern (Rodney served as Emmylou’s bandleader/rhythm guitarist/harmony singer for a while, a role now played by the great Buddy Miller). And listen to the list of Rodney’s accompanying musicians: Albert Lee (The Everly Brothers’ long-time guitarist, a solo artist, and much-revered Telecaster master), James Burton (Elvis, Ricky Nelson), Amos Garrett (he played the great guitar solo on Maria Muldaur’s "Midnight At The Oasis"), Ry Cooder (my favorite living guitarist. Mazzy’s too.), Ricky Skaggs, Hal Blaine (The Wrecking Crew, of course), John Ware (excellent drummer), Emmylou Harris (acoustic guitar, harmony vocals), Glen D. Hardin (a pianist’s pianist), Mac Rebennack (Dr. John!), Hank DeVito (a steel guitar player’s steel guitarist), Byron Berline (1st-call fiddle player), Mickey Raphael (long-time harp player in Willie Nelson’s band), Richard Greene (Seatrain fiddle player), Nicolette Larsen (vocals), Willie Nelson (vocals), and Emory Gordy, Jr. (Dylan’s mid-period bassist). WOW!
And finally, an out-of-print but still-sealed LP from Light In The Attic Records: Pot Luck by Spooner Oldham, $21.99. Spooner is the legendary Muscle Shoals songwriter/pianist, and a member of The Swampers (Fame Studios house band). He was also on Neil Young’s Harvest album, Dylan albums, hell a lot of albums (Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, hundreds of others) . A fantastic, fantastic musician.
Pot Luck---Spooner’s lone solo album---was originally released in 1972, and died a quick death. I don’t even remember hearing about it at that time. Finding an original copy is about as close to impossible as an LP can be, so Light In The Attic---a very hip Seattle, Washington record company---reissued it in 2015. LITA is currently semi-dormant, and in a phone call told me the LP is out-of-stock, and they have no plans to do another press. So when I found it today---hidden in Music Millennium’s "Soul" section, I couldn’t believe it. The shop’s price sticker was dated 9-06-17, so the LP had been sitting in the rack for 3-3/4 years, just waiting for me to find it. Yeah, baby! |
Yeah, @tablejockey, mono is the way to go on their albums up through and including Wild Honey, though the Surfer Girl album is a lone exception---the original stereo mix was real good.
The same is true of The Beatles up until the white album (though Sgt. Pepper received a good stereo mix), the Kinks and Stones throughout most of the 60's, and lots of other Rock albums of the time. |
Added today:
- Ry Cooder: Paradise And Lunch (Reprise original). $7.00.
- Seatrain: The Marblehead Messenger (German pressing). The followup to their classic s/t album, with George Martin again producing. $7.00.
- Mary Chapin Carpenter: Hometown Girl (Columbia Records). John Jennings produced. $4.00.
- Tracy Nelson: s/t (Atlantic Records). Produced by early-Dylan producer Bob Johnson. $6.00.
- Tracy Nelson: Mother Earth Presents Tracy Nelson Country (Mercury Records). Produced by Pete Drake, engineered by Scotty Moore. If you don't know who those two guys are, do some readin' ;-). $4.00.
I am really amazed at the condition of the LP's I'm finding these days. Absolutely Mint/unplayed. |
Added to the shelves today:
- Leo Kottke: 1971-1976. $3.
- Rosanne Cash: KIng's Record Shop. $5.
- Carlene Carter: s/t debut. $2.90.
- Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen: Lost In The Ozone Again. $5.
- The Dave Clark Five: Glad All Over Again/All-Time Greatest Hits (2-LP, mono). $5.00.
- Gene Pitney: Greatest Hits Of All Time (Musicor, mono). $2.90.
- Randy Sharp: The First In Line (Nautilus direct-to-disc). $6. |
Jamming with words is about it these days. I’ve been hobbling around on my left leg for three weeks, my right foot in extreme pain. The x-ray revealed a small bone spur on the back of my right heel, the cause of the pain. Luckily I play bass drum with my left foot, my right needed only for light duty on the hi-hat pedal. But drumming is out for the near future, perhaps forever. |
@earlflynn: Okay, I'll keep it brief ;-)
Yeah, Classical CD's can be had for almost nothing, Classical LP's for not much more. The Classical-buying consumer is rapidly disappearing, a dying breed. |
Oooh, good one Steve! I used to have that Little Richard boxset, but for some reason got rid of it before I left L.A. The 50’s Rock ’n’ Rollers were singles artists, not album ones, and I have his Specialty Records hits on a great Ace Records (U.K. label) LP.
I also have a few Ace label LP’s of Everly Brothers recordings, and the sound quality of those recordings is simply amazing. I have the same albums on Rhino Records LP’s, and the Ace LP’s are better. To hear where John & Paul got their vocal harmonies, listen to the Brothers (and Buddy Holly).
I picked up only one new disc on Record Store Day: a 10" LP containing the eight songs The Flamin’ Groovies recorded in 1972 at Rockfield Studios with Dave Edmunds producing, demos made for United Artists. The title is: I’ll Have A...Bucket Of Brains. (?!)
Speaking of The Everly Brothers and Dave Edmunds: Dave is a huge fan of the Brothers, and he and Nick Lowe included a 7" disc of them performing Everly Brothers songs in the original pressing of their Rockpile album. |
Once a year Music Millennium in Portland (featured in one of Michael Fremer’s Analog Planet YouTube videos) has a sidewalk sale: boxes and boxes of used LP’s, priced to sell. I guess it’s done partly to make some room in their LP racks (which fill half the ground floor of the store, and almost the entire mezzanine), which are really full. It’s a 4-day event, but of course I was there at 10:00 on the first day (this past Friday). Here’s what I nabbed:
- Stephane Grappelli/David Grisman: Live (Warner Brothers Records). With Mike Marshall, Mark O’Connor, Rob Wasserman, Tiny Moore. $3.00.
- Jerry Lee Lewis: s/t (Elektra Records). Produced by Bones Howe, with Hal Blaine and James Burton. $2.99.
- Jerry Lee Lewis: Southern Roots (Mercury Records). Produced by Huey Meaux, with Al Jackson, Duck Dunn, Steve Cropper, Augie Meyer, Carl Perkins, Tony Joe White. $3.99
- The Whites: Old familiar Feeling (Curb Records). Produced by Ricky Skaggs, husband of one of the White sisters. $2.00.
- Asylum Choir (Leon Russell and Marc Benno): II (Shelter Records). $2.00.
- Tracy Nelson: Homemade Songs (Flying Fish Records). $2.00.
- Nicolette Larson: s/t (Warner Brothers Records). $2.00.
- Art Garfunkel: Angel Clare (Columbia Records). With J.J. Cale, Fred Carter Jr., Tommy Tedesco, Jerry Garcia, Carl Radle. $1.00.
- Jesse Winchester: Let The Rough Ride Drag (Bearsville Records). $1.00.
- Henry Mancini: Mr. Lucky Goes Latin (RCA Living Stereo, black label). $1.00.
- Wanda Landowska: J.S. Bach The Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 (RCA Victor Red Seal Records, mono). $1.00.
- Nikolaus Harnoncourt w/Concentus Musicus Wien: Handel’s Water Music (Telefunken Records). $1.00.
MM also had cartons of over-stock new LP’s on the sidewalk, so I picked up Joachim Cooder (Ry’s son): Over That Road I’m Bound (Nonesuch Records). Marked down from $20.99 to $10.99; and Sturgill Simpson: Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 2 (Hightop Mountain Records/Thirty Tigers, Indie Retail exclusive on opaque blue and white swirl vinyl, glow-in-the-dark jacket). Marked down from $21.99 to $13.99.
I put all the LP’s in the car, and headed inside the store. There I found and bought:
- John Stewart: Willard (Capitol Records). With Carole King, Russ Kunkel, James Taylor, Doug Kershaw, Peter Asher, Fred Carter Jr., Norman Putman. $6.00.
- V/A: The Roots Of Rock ’n’ Roll (Savoy Records). With The Ravens, Little Esther, Johnny Otis, Big Maybelle, many others. $7.00.
- The Byrds: s/t reunion (Asylum Records). $6.00.
- Emmylou Harris: 13 (Warner Brothers Records). Only copy I’ve ever seen. $5.00.
- Pearl Harbour: Don’t Follow Me, I’m Lost Too (Warner Brothers Records). This album is from long before I joined her band, only copy I’ve ever seen. $5.00.
- The Dillards: Roots And Branches (Anthem Records). $4.00.
- Peter Rowan: The First Whippoorwill (Sugar Hill Records). With Sam Bush, Bill Keith, Richard Greene (like Rowan, a member of Seatrain), Buddy Spicher, Roy Huskey Jr. $3.00.
- Delaney & Bonnie: D & B Together (Columbia Records). With Bobby Womack, Jim Gordon, Billy Preston, Duane Allman. $5.00
- Delaney & Bonnie: Accept No Substitute (Elektra Records). With Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, Jim Keltner, Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge. $5.00.
- Steve Earle And The Del McCoury Band: The Mountain (New West Records, 2-LP’s). $18.99.
Then I finally broke down and bought the 4-LP set that has been sitting in Music Millennium for quite a while now, calling my name every time I’m there: The Byrds: Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, RSD/50th Anniversary Legacy Edition (Columbia Records). $69.99 (ouch ;-) .
Heading back home to Vancouver, I stopped in my little LRS to have a look see. There I found an LP I have been looking for:
- J.J. Cale: Naturally (Shelter Records). The album which provided Eric Clapton his musical blueprint. Often copied (Mark Knopfler, anyone? ;-), never equaled! $25.00.
I also found a couple LP’s by a guy I am currently collecting:
- Tony Rice: Still Inside (Rounder Records). $20.00.
- " " : s/t (Rounder Records). $15.00
Both feature the bass playing of a guy who was in the same San Jose cover band as I in ’71, he leaving as I was entering: Todd Phillips. Todd was heading up to Mill Valley to study mandolin with David Grisman, but David advised him to learn to play upright bass, as there were plenty of great mandolin players but a shortage of bassists. Todd wisely took Grisman’s advice, and carved-out a nice little career for himself. |
Today’s catch, all from my two neighborhood shops:
- Ian & Sylvia: Greatest Hits (Vanguard, 2-LP set). $9. Includes the Ian Tyson song Neil Young talks about in Johnathan Demme’s documentary film about Neil, Heart Of Gold, entitled "Four Strong Winds".
Another is the Bob Dylan/Rick Danko song "This Wheels On Fire", first heard on the Basement Tapes, then on Music From Big Pink. On Ian & Sylvia’s version we hear Fred Carter Jr.---in the group of musicians The Hawks knew in Toronto, Canada, while they were backing Ronnie Hawkins---on guitar, and Kenny Buttrey---the superb drummer on Neil’s Harvest album.
- Mark O’Connor: National Junior Fiddle Champion (Rounder Records). $4.99. In the field of Bluegrass (no pun intended ;-), musicians earn their props by entering competitions. Just like a Battle Of The Bands, but on an individual basis. They are also referred to as "cutting sessions", each player attempting to outplay the other, the loser finally admitting defeat. Very humiliating.
Mark O’Conner has been a 1st-call Nashville session player for many years, but at the time this album was recorded (August 4th, 1974) he was 12 years old! On the front of the cover in hand-written ink this is written: "John F. Rone. May 8-76". John took real good care of this LP, the only copy I’ve ever seen.
- John Sebastian: John B. Sebastian (Reprise, 1st pressing, with textured cover). $3.99. I was a big fan of The Lovin’ Spoonful, so of course bought this album when it was originally released. Then I saw John in the Woodstock movie, and OMG, his hippie raps are SO corny! He’s wearing a tie-dye jean jacket on the back cover of the album, and the lyric sheet is on tie-dye paper. Oy!
So I got rid of my original copy in the early-70’s, wanting nothing to do with that kind of silliness. But today I saw this in the rack, and thought "What the heck, let’s give it a listen." I mean, it’s too bad he (and Eric Burton) got swept up in the "Woodstock Generation" movement (it was a "movement" all right ;-), but he WAS a good songwriter and singer. We shall see. Years later John was involved with a great band, NRBQ.
- Tom & Jerry: Guitar’s Greatest Hits (Mercury, mono). $2.99. I couldn’t believe it when I saw this LP in the bin! This album was one of my first LP purchases, a couple of years before The British Invasion reached America. In 1962-3 I was really into instrumental Surf Bands, but that doesn’t explain why I would buy this album, it’s cover adorned as it is with pics of three beautiful Gibson acoustic guitars.
I loved this album, but I ditched it and many others when I got mt first quality table (a Garrard) in ’68. My old albums had been chewed up by my "kiddie" record player, so I started my LP collection anew. I never again saw a copy of this LP until today.
While Tom & Jerry was also the name Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were going by a few years later, THIS Tom & Jerry was the team of Jerry Kennedy and Tommy Tomlinson. Jerry signed his first record deal at the age of 10 (!), and when on to become one of Nashville’s most in-demand session players. Tommy’s first pro gig was as lead guitarist in Johnny Horton’s band (my first LP was Johnny Horton’s Greatest Hits), playing on the well-known songs "North To Alaska", "Sink The Bismark", and "Battle Of New Orleans". This must sound like ancient history to you youngins! |
Ha! I quite agree @tgilb. But I DID kinda misuse the term "old" in the original post. People took that as meaning old as in LP's originally released years ago, so the request for clarification as to what qualifies as old is justified. I actually meant any LP that is not a factory-new/sealed, full-priced, currently in print title.
Anything and everything else qualifies: a used copy of an LP currently in print, sealed or opened out-of-print LP's, hard-to-find collectibles, especially if they were found at a non-collectible price! And the back story on how and where the LP was found I find interesting. |
@slaw, you question has made me realize that I did not make my qualifier of "old" LP’s for the thread clear in not just definition, but also intent.
We all buy basically three "kinds" of LP’s:
1- New releases in still-sealed shrink wrap (or the thick plastic bags MoFi and other audiophile companies put their LP’s in), and LP’s though not new are still in print and available at close to list price in both brick & mortar stores and from online sellers.
2- Pre-owned LP’s (and therefore usually opened) that are still in print.
3- Out of print LP’s.
Finding out-of-print LP’s that for whatever reason are not yet in our personal libraries is one of the challenges of record collecting. There are some titles that aren’t that hard to obtain IF you are willing to pay what they are selling for.
Paying a hundred dollars for a rare record is not what I wanted this thread to focus on, but sharing a rare record find is fine with me. The fun for me is finding a desired LP for, say, ten bucks or less. Okay, maybe fifteen. Use your own scale for what you are willing to pay for a used LP---those not yet considered "collectible"---that you want.
Since we all come from various eras, locales, and backgrounds, reading about other peoples "old" LP finds is a great way to hear about music that we perhaps haven’t heard (or have forgotten about), and that we just may want to investigate. I’m thinking in terms of titles we somehow missed when they were released, or are of music we are just now becoming interested in, or were released before we were even born.
My thinking is that new releases and normal in print LP’s are already covered in the "What’s On Your Turntable Tonight" thread. Of course, an out of print LP can be included in the day’s play list, but the story about finding the LP will probably not be mentioned there. That’s what THIS thread is for. No reason it can't also be for findings of in print records that were acquired for far less than list price---a new LP for the price of an old (used) one! |
@slaw: I use the term in reference to used records, not the music itself.
But your question is an interesting one. In a recent Daily Audiophilic Show, Steve Guttenberg asked his guest---a dealer in vintage hi-fi equipment---his definition of vintage. Is a piece from the 1980’s "vintage"?
When I was dealing vintage drums, I had an old friend (my exact age, within a week)---a drummer---ask me what was considered vintage in the world of drums. I told him I had always thought drums made when we had started playing and later were not vintage, ’cause they were new then. So drums made before we were playing was what "felt" like vintage to me. But that’s on a personal level, not a universal one.
Is there even a line that can be drawn, separating vintage from contemporary? If so, I don’t know where that line is. I would prefer to use the term vintage in the same way it is applied in the world of wine: not as a black & white differentiation, but in reference to the specific vintage of a bottle of wine: the date of it’s bottling. In music that would be the year of an album's original release.
In record collecting, it’s easy. If you are the second owner of an LP, that record is "old", even if it was released last year. |
Today's booty, from my two LRS and one vintage mall:
- Mose Allison: The Best Of (Atlantic Records). $4.99
- Jerry Douglas: Under The Wire (MCA Master Series). $10.00
- Sonny James: The Best Of (Capitol, mono). $2.99
- Nils Lofgren: s/t. (A & M). $7.00
- The Lovin' Spoonful: Everything Playing (Kama Sutra, sealed). $10.00
- Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique; Munch/BSO (RCA shaded dog, mono). $2.99
- Liszt: Piano Concerto No.1 & 2; Brendel (Vox). $2.99
- Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony; Boult/LSO (Angel, 3 LP). $4.99
- Moussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures At An Exhibition; Reiner/CSO (RCA shaded dog, stereo). $15.99
|
And then there's Jerry Lee Lewis, the last man standing! Drinks like a fish, smokes like a chimney, and he has outlived all his contemporaries. |
@tgilb: Vertigo was a great label. Interesting artists, good sound. If you ever see a copy of Manfred Mann Chapter Three, buy it. Drummer MIke Hugg had by the time of this album moved to the front of the stage, playing piano and singing (as well as writing). Whereas early Manfred Mann had a slight Jazz influence, by the time of the Chapter Three album they were a full blown Jazz/Rock Fusion band, and a really good one.
I know exactly how you feel now having heard the Smiley Smile album. I didn’t know about the Smile album fiasco when I first heard SS in early-68, but it still blew my little 17-year old mind. "Fall Breaks And Back To Winter (W. Woodpecker Symphony)"? WTH?! I had never heard ANYTHING like it. More psychedelic than anything Pink Floyd or The Grateful Dead ever did. Too bad Brian didn’t know when to quit taking Acid and all the rest; it permanently eft him up. |
@tablejockey: Yep, I played the Blue Cafe a coupla times, one time as a member of The Hillbilly Soul Surfers, an instrumental trio. We shared the stage with The Naughty Ones, the Austin band whose members included singer/songwriter/Ted Roddy and drummer Mike Buck, original drummer of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and current part-owner of Wateroo Records in Austin.
When Mike saw we were playing identical drumsets that night (60’s Ludwigs in bdp finish), he suggested we just share the same set. Unfortunately, I’m a lefty, and it’s easier to reset a stage than to reconfigure a drumset.
Small world: After leaving the Fab T’s, Mike drummed in The Leroi Brothers, a great 4-piece combo. Evan Johns joined the band for one album, and as fate would have it, I did an album with Evan in the late-90’s. So there we were on the same stage, one former-Evan drummer, one future. What are the chances?!
I also did a gig on The Queen Mary, the famous cruise liner permanently moored in Long Beach. I love that row of bars than populate the outdoor "strip" (sidewalks, no streets) by the beach. Geez, this is making me homesick!
Your mention of The Foothill Club suggests you may remember my recounting having backed Don & Dewey (label-mates with Little Richard on Specialty Records) on a gig there. What a great place, dripping with 1950’s Rock ’n’ Roll style! I felt out-of-place, what with my long hair ;-) . Dewey didn’t mind, going out of his way to compliment my playing. The drummer on his Specialty recordings was Earl Palmer---one of my three favorites, so I was quite pleased with myself ;-) . |
This is going well!
@slaw: Yep, I remember A.B. Skhy, though I’ve never heard them. From the very-early 70’s, right? Wonder what the name means? I remember seeing their name around the Bay Area back then.
I also remember seeing the debut Dust album, which I also never heard. Did you know their drummer was later in The Ramones? Marky!
@jrw1871: I was a customer of Tom Port way back in the early/mid-90’s. He lived above a small pizza joint near the corner of Ventura and Van Nuys Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, two blocks from my house. He did business out of his apartment, which I visited to buy a copy of the German pressing of Magical Mystery Tour (it is in true stereo, unlike the US and UK LP’s of the time). His apartment was pretty stuffed with LP’s, and his system at the time surprised me: decidedly mid-fi. I had a Townshend Rock table and Decca Cartridge, and Quad ESL’s powered by Atma-Sphere OTL’s.
I too end up with LP’s bought at one record store, later used as trading material at another, sometimes making money in the process ;-) .
@fuzztone: The saddest thing I ever experienced (well, aside from the death of my Mother when I was 15) was seeing Brian Wilson live on the tour for his first solo album. His singing was not only awful (as was his piano playing; they had the sound of it going only to his monitor, not the house sound system), but as he spoke between songs, the depth of his brain damage became apparent. Very, very sad. I have deliberately avoided ever again seeing him live.
I went to the album release event for his debut album at Tower on Sunset Blvd. I brought not just my copy of the album for him to sign, but also my copy of the "Caroline, No" 7" 45 RPM single. Though on The Beach Boys Pet Sounds album, the song was released as a Brian Wilson single, the BB name appearing nowhere. Odd! Anyway, I handed him the 45, and the deepest look of wistfulness enveloped his eyes as they perused the label. It was heartbreaking, I having to hold back my tears.
Years later I saw him in Tower Records, and this time his eyes were filled with paranoia. He was obviously scared to death. I’m surprise they let him walk around alone.
My first live Rock ’n’ Roll show was The Beach Boys at The San Jose Civic Auditorium in the Summer of ’64. I passed on using my ticket to see The Beatles at The Cow Palace that Summer, still not completely sold on them. My Mother used my ticket, and went herself. She was pretty hip, having Johnny Cashes Ring Of Fire LP, which I listened to a lot on our Magnavox console.
In the Summer of ’75, having spent a year recording demos with a great songwriter, he and I made a pilgrimage from San Jose to Brian’s house in Bel-Air. We brought a reel-to-reel copy of the recordings, intending to interest him into producing an album (we at the time did not know about his mental/emotional condition). I pressed the buzzer located on the wall next to the wrought iron gate, and Marilyn answered, asking "Who is it?" That I had not anticipated, and replied "Is Brian home?" She said "Yes he is. Who is it?" I explained who we were, and the reason for our visit, and she instructed me to lay the tape against the gate.
Having reluctantly done that, Kent and I walked up the driveway of the house next door, until we were positioned so as to be able to see into the dining room of Brian’s "house" (an old Spanish-style mansion, really). The thin drapes were drawn, but we could see a large, hulking figure sitting in a high-backed chair at the table. It was obviously Brian. I don’t know what we were expecting to see, but Brian sat in chair, not moving an inch in the half-hour we stood there. Thank God the neighbor didn’t see and call the Bel-Air security team! |
@tablejockey, SoCal, ay? I lived there from June 1979 through Feb 2016. Burbank, Glendale, finally up in the foothills above Glendale (in Tujunga, home to many musicians).
L.A. has a lot of record stores, always has. I miss Amoeba like crazy, nothing like that up here in the NW.
Speaking of Amoeba, one of the LP’s in the above list has an Amoeba "Clearance Sale" price sticker on it’s label: $1! How the heck did that LP get up here?! The titles of course suggest an elderly person (I got called that recently. Well!), so perhaps his wife sold the collection after he was buried or burned.
The Beach Boys were marketed by Capitol in a very haphazard and short-sighted way, figuring their shelf-life was going to be only as long as the early-60’s Surf craze lasted. They didn’t at first realize what they had in Brian Wilson.
I scoured all the stores selling cut-outs in 1967 and 68, looking for the mono Rock ’n’ Roll LP’s that were being dumped by all the record labels. After Sgt. Pepper, ALL LP’s had to be stereo. I already knew that most "Stereo" LP’s of the time were in actual fact "Electronically Simulated Stereo", one the worst ideas record company’s ever came up with. Surfer Girl was the only true stereo BB album up until the Friends album, and I found all the previous albums in mono pressings. Same with The Kinks and other Rock groups. The 1967 debut Procol Harum album was issued in mono in the UK, fake stereo in the US. So we had to go up to San Francisco to get the import at Tower (the only record store I knew of that carried import albums).
Now about the Pet Sounds album: I have bought every pressing of that album ever made (well, not the South American ;-), five or six I believe (including the one Steve Hoffman did for DCC, and a UK pressing). They’re all different, and all pretty bad in varying ways. You have GOT to get the one now available from Analogue Productions. AP offers in in both mono and stereo, and in both 33-1/3 RPM (1 LP) and 45 RPM (2 LP’s) pressings. There is disagreement amongst hardcore BB fans about the sacrilege of doing a stereo mix: Brian mixed it to mono, his preferred format. But the stereo mix lets you hear further into the dense tapestry of sound than ever before.
Seriously, you have not heard Pet Sounds til you hear the AP version! Michael Fremer graded it 11 (music) / 11 (sound), the only time he has done that as far as I remember. $35 for the 33-1/3 version (what I have), $55 I believe for the 45 (to chop the LP side into two halves, now THAT is to me sacrilege). I have both the mono and stereo versions, but I’m a Brian Wilson nut.
The early Beach Boys LP that everyone is talking about is the stereo pressing of Surfer Girl, again by Analogue Productions. Unbelievably great sound! Michael in Germany (45 RPM Audiophile in The Vinyl Community on YouTube) includes the LP in his "10 Best Sounding LP’s Of All Time" list. |
