Feelin' The Burn

Yeah, those post numbers were nice while they lasted, hmm? Speaking of numbers, 22: that's how many of those soul 45s I just burned. Some may have to be cleaned and re-burned, but overall, I'm satisfied with the quality. You get what you can on 45s, and it ain't usually much. I have a feeling I got real real lucky with this batch. Moral: covers and proper storage are a great investment.

Here's a sampling of what I put on this disc, the first of a few. And no, these are not my Youtube posts:

Pat Lundi - Party Music
The elegant side of New York disco, from 1975. Worth it just for the strings.

The Peppers - Pepper Box
Not the Red Hot Chili Peppers soundalike from a couple years ago, but a French synth band that apparently was a little bigger in the UK than here.

The Fatback Band - Yum Yum (Give Me Some)
A delicious 1975 party track.


Tony Camillo's Bazuka - Dynomite
Not sure if JJ Evans had anything to do with it, but "good times" are guaranteed once you enjoy this one.

Next up: more morals, and secrets for the perfect burn revealed!

We Need A Little Golddiggers

Well, damn...only 2 days away from Christmas and only 2 songs posted. Including this one, which I'd never forgive myself for if I didn't share it.

Some of you may be old enough to remember the Dean Martin Show from the '60s and '70s. I'm not, but I'm just familiar enough with it to know that there was a group of young women on the show who were called The Golddiggers. More than just eye candy, The Golddiggers were a bona fide group of great singers. They were so great, in fact, that they released a few albums, including a Christmas one called We Need  A Little Christmas. Pretty sure it dates to 1969. I'd post it, since it's an excellent transfer from LP to CD, but it's still available...from The Golddiggers themselves! They're still around, perky as ever, and you can get the album (as well as others) from their store:

http://www.originalgolddiggers.com/store.shtml

Every track will be a favorite, but this one is my favorite of favorites - an original called I Just Want You For Christmas. Enjoy:

I have no gift to bring...

So I'll bring you someone else's. In the spirit of expanding this blog to being more than just sharity (and yes, I'll get to steppin' on that aspect soon), I just now came up with the idea of posting Christmas videos to make up for the paucity of holiday tunes I can share.

You may remember this song from the first A Very Special Christmas album in 1987. It's the beautiful, haunting Coventry Carol by Alison Moyet. Sorely overlooked as far as I know. But in the company of songs like U2's Baby Please Come Home, Whitney Houston's Do You Hear What I Hear, and Bruce Springsteen's Merry Christmas Baby, it's easy to see why it's been overshadowed all these years. A shame. But I hope that showing you this video rectifies that, even on a small level. Enjoy:

102: Souled Out

Well, I went on ahead and did it. Last week, I bought out most of what was left of that suitcase at the Savers. I saved some of the more common 45s for the common folk. I'm not gonna bore you like it seems I do and list every damn title, but I will tell you there were:

More Peppers (on a different label)
More Fatback Band (Do The Bus Stop!)
A Vicki Sue Robinson 45 I got because it was in the cover for the Fatback Band's 45
A few more UK records

So all in all, about 70 more added to the 50 I got the first time. I'll have to clean some of them up a little so the best can show up here, but first...

CHRISTMAS!!!

Yes, the box of holiday albums is about to be gone through, and a few lucky residents of that box may find their way to CD pretty soon, and that may mean you could hear them too - if they haven't already been shared, or are commercially on CD. Sadly (for me, at least) lots of what I have is already out there, so you won't get much. But for the mean time, if you need a Christmas fix, I heartily recommend seeing fellow vinylista Ernie (not Bert). He's the prime purveyor of all your holiday music needs, and not only can he hook you up with music, he's got links to other holiday music sharers that have even MORE good tidings. And you may even find a few things on falalalala.com, which is kind of on hiatus this year but the forum is still active with caring, sharing members who keep its tradition alive.

Off to a delightfully unwintery wonderland* as I get the holiday albums ready for popp - uh, burn - no, that doesn't sound right, either, D'ah, I'll just get the box out and see what's in there.




*If you live in the northeast, you know exactly why I say this, and you most likely hope it stays that way.

101: The Soulful Suitcase

Here's a hint for all you thrift shoppers out there: if you're spotted by someone who sees you going through a pile of stuff they say there's more of in the back...run. Like out the door, and fast-like. "There's more in back" can only mean trouble if you're a collector.

I learned this at my Savers on Saturday. I flipped through the usual crappy albums that have been there for months, but I also decided to hit the 45s they placed in front of them. Hmm, good stuff. Soul Train 1975 theme,  I Love Music...some funky-looking thing I never heard, and so on. Then a worker said, "We have a whole suitcase of 'em back there that we haven't put out yet. I mean, there's like, a shitload of 'em." Her actual word. So, sucker that I am, I agreed to riffle through them. I thought it'd be worth it. Wow. Understatement (and maybe mistake)  of the year.

The case was kind of small, thankfully, but it had to have at least 200 more records in it. And what records. All sleeved up and decent-looking. Soul, disco and R&B the likes of which even I with my well-traveled ears had never seen. And even some records from England! I stopped at 50, knowing full well that if I didn't, I'd be packing that suitcase and walking off with the whole thing. So what did I end up with, you ask me? I'm sorry you asked. Maybe you will be too. I'm separating US and UK discs for convenience, but other than that, no particular order. Side 2 listed if it's different. I hope for a few of these to be heard here soon.

The O'Jays: I Love Music (perhaps the most common of the bunch)
The Ventures: Superstar Revue (2 copies, for some reason)
The Soul Train Gang (actual credit): Soul Train '75
Manu Dibango: Soul Makossa/Weya
Rhythm Heritage: Theme From S.W.A.T./I Wouldn't Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me)
The Fantastic Puzzles: Come Back (again, 2 copies. I couldn't BELIEVE what this went for on eBay!)
Pat Lundi: Party Music ( I LOVE the strings on this one)
The Disco Sound Of Andre Gagnon: Wow
Black Satin feat. Fred Parris: Everybody Stand And Clap Your Hands (For The Entertainer)/Hey There Pretty Lady
Hot Blood: Soul Dracula/Sin Dracula
Eddie Drennon & B.B.S. Unlimited: Let's Do The Latin Hustle/Get Down To The Latin Hustle
Hank Ballard & The Midnighters: Hey There Sexy Lady (not to be confused with the pretty lady in Black Satin's song)
The Mystic Moods (not the Mystic Moods Orchestra): Honey Trippin'/Midnight Snack
The Vast Majority: Love For Sale/Ocean's Apart
Max B.: Bananaticoco
Notations: Think Before You Stop/I'm Losing
Fudge Lips: Satan's Triangle/Please Come Home For Christmas (on the same record?!)
The LTG Exchange: Waterbed
Tony Camillo's Bazuka: Dynomite
Spaghetti Head: Funky Axe/Big Noise From Winnetka
Rhythm Makers: Prime Cut/Zone
Boris Gardner: Melting Pot/Let's Stay Together
Cleveland Eaton: Chinatown theme
Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes: I Wanna Dance Wit' Choo
Ronnie Limar: Love Came
Calhoon: (Do You Wanna) Dance Dance Dance/Rain 2000
5000 Volts: I'm On Fire/Still On Fire
The Equals: Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys/Ain't Got Nothing To Give You
The Peppers: Pepper Box/A Pinch Of Salt
The Fatback Band: Yum Yum (Give Me Some)/Let The Drums Speak
The Eleventh Hour: Hollywood Hot
Titanic: Sing Fool Sing/Rain 2000
Jack Ashford & The Sound Of New Detroit: Do The Choo Choo
Lyn Collins: Rock Me (Again & Again...)/Wide Awake In A Dream (James Brown discovered Lyn...and he backs her up on Rock Me)
Clifton Ridgewood: Little Drummer Boy (one side has a disco version - yowza)
Moonlion: Little Drummer Boy (again with the disco version)

UK 45s (recourds?)
The Armada Orchestra: Tell Me What You Want/The Drifter
Jimmy Helms Don't Pull Your Love (imagine what Tom Jones would sound like doing a Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds song)
The Temptations: Law Of The Land/Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On (Yes, they're our American Temptations, but they're on Tamla Motown, which in the UK was one label)
Brian Bennett: Chase Side Shoot-up/Pegasus
The Chequers: Undecided Love (this is interesting: I have a US and a UK version. UK is on the Creole label, US is on Scepter)
Zenda Jacks: Earthquake
Binzi: Touch A Touch A Touch A Touch Me (from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, of course)
Ernie Bush: Breakaway
The Biddu Orchestra: Jump For Joy/I Could Have Danced All Night
Federation: Back To Back/Hoping

And as a bonus, what appears to be an acetate (or lacquer, if you prefer) of MFSB's Love Is The Message. Side 1 has a label with "45 RPM" and "LOVE IS THE MESSAGE" typed in green. Side 2 is part 2 and has no label. It feels different fom the others, and when it's held to light, the edge has a cobalt-colored glow.

I have all I can do to keep from picking up more and really packing up that soulful suitcase. Stay tuned and find out what happens.

100!

In TV, hitting 100 means your show has enough episodes to go into syndication and be seen on other channels than just the ones affiliated with the show's network. In blogdom...I'm not sure what it exactly means, but it must be some kind of milestone. So to celebrate that milestone, I say to thee earnestly (not Bertly) that yes, there will - that's will as in yes - be more posts here.

Really this time?

Yes, really. I've been dealing with the proverbial loose ends, making sure the blog is absolutely, positively ready for prime time. And they're just about all tied up. In the interest of full disclosure, here's what's been happening:

In equipment news, a new receiver, turntable, and even speakers are all in place. By new, of course, '70s-era. There's also a '90s CD burner to make transfers nice and speedy - no more pesky computer to get in the way of that great, out-in-front soundstage vinyl is so well known for. You'll forgive the few pops and scratches that may surface - I think they're a small price to pay for better overall sound.

On the subject of vinyl, yes. LOADS of new stuff has come in (after all, it's only been 5 years)...but now older stuff has to go out. I'm pruning the hedges, separating the wheat from the chaff, whatever you want to call it. The music I've been finding lately has been better and better - so better that I find some of my old stuff just not worth having around - at least on full albums. Keep your socks on, though - you'll still get to draw lines from the songs to the artists least likely to cover them (hey, maybe I should make that a real game), and the Celebritunes and general weirdo tunes aren't going anywhere. Except maybe to my CD and then here and my iPod.

And as far as the site, I hate to be a tease, but yes, I'll still post acquisition reports (in fact, one is coming up in a few minutes) and if you're new to vinyl, there really will be tips on how to get into it for real. Spoiler: that new USB turntable you want for Christmas is NOT "for real."

So stay tuned. There ARE new things coming up here. Perhaps even more than 100 more posts worth.

Dossier: Wayne & Marin Foster

Well...that ain't happen. Turns out Wayne And Marin Foster won't be making an appearance here after all. Seems they've already made the sharity rounds. Won't take much on Google to find them. I pride myself on my made-from-scratch-with-special-ingredients, can't-get-'em-anywhere-else music shares, and since you can get this album "anywhere else," you'll just have to do that. Such is the price of due diligence.

I've done some research...'fact, I'm doing some now as I listen to their album. It turns out Wayne has been blind since he was small. I've known some blind folks who've been incredibly talented musicians, and Wayne seems no exception. He and Marin sound great together, and their sound here on To-Get-It Together is up-to-the-minute mid-'70s. I fell instantly in love with the Bossa Nova treatment on the Show Medley, with Put On A Happy Face, A Lot Of Livin' To Do, and I've Got Love, which highlights Marin's vocal range. Wayne, in the mean time, gives a mellow, heartfelt showcase of his writing skills with the next-to-last last track of side 1, To My Friends. The Fosters' four daughters help round out side 1 with their help on Brotherhood Song.

Side 2 is where that version of satisfaction is that I talked about. It'll throw ya. It's done in half-time and has a little slinkiness to it. It speeds up to double time by the end and has about enough surprises for the whole album. Wayne and Marin team up for a couple more medley duets on side 2, including A Monent Of Nostialgia (a few sweet-band tunes), and the perky blend of Happy Together, More Today Than Yesterday and Sweet Caroline. Good vibes all around. And the best part is...

Wayne's still at it! His company does entertainment for weddings and other special events. Here's his company's website:  http://waynefoster.com/

Acquisitions: 9/24/11

Well-traveled ears deserve music worth traveling for, and I believe this expedition, while it had some disappointments, was ultimately worth it.

First stop was a Salvation Army. I've been going to this one for the past couple of years on the hopes that they'd eventually be able to follow up on the massive pile of awesome new-wave I found there once. They have yet to, but occasionally some gems do show up.

Enoch Light & The Light Brigade: Big Bold & Brassy/Tony Mottola: Roman Guitar
There's just something - maybe a few somethings - that compel people to buy Command records like these. Is it the bold cover art? Is it the fascinating text inside the gatefold that lists every nuance of every song, and the technical details on the back that list evey mic for every instrument? Or is it really for the music, and the top-notch talent used to perform it? I mean, you don't get much better than Tony Mottola, Doc Severinsen, Bobby Byrne, Phil Bodner and Bucky Pizzarelli. And between these two albums, they're all there. And so is everything else that makes for a top-notch evening of listening.

Wayne & Marin Foster: To-Get-It Together
OK, you want mash-up? Here you go. This one album by two people (a wifey-hubby team) contains 28 songs (some in medleys) in almost as many styles. There's Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White, Put On A Happy Face, You Made Me Love You, Little Green Apples, Happy Together, some originals, and the one I'm most looking forward to, Satisfaction. I hope to post a couple tracks from this one soon.

Paul Jabara: The Third Album
The album is two medleys, one a side. The first artfully - wittily? - arranged into segments called Disco Wedding, Honeymoon (In Puerto Rico), and Disco Divorce. And I bet an unbelievable number of the latter happened in the late '70s. On side two, the other medley: A Foggy Day, Never Lose Your Sense Of Humor (with guest Donna Summer), and Just You And Me - not to be confused with Chicago's Just You 'N' Me.

Pseudo Echo: Love An Adventure/Animotion
I do love me some First Wave on the Sirius XM satellite. But for all I listen, there's still so much to learn about it. I think that's what inspired me to try out these minty-nice nuggets of '80s synthiness.

Next stop was another Salvation Army upshore. Like any other thrift store, the selection is hitsy-missy, but when you hit, you can hit it big. Last visit I scored THREE Cruisin' America With Cousin Brucie radio shows - cue sheets and all. This time? Not so much, but I'm still proud.

The Carpenters: Christmas Portrait
"Merry Christmas darlin', happy new year too." I can't believe I've gone so long without this one in my collection! I may not have many Carpenters albums, but if you're like me, you have to have this one if none other.

George Thorogood & The Destroyers: Maverick
This is the one with I Drink Alone. Looking forward to Willie & The Hand Jive and Memphis, Tennessee.

Kenny Burrell: Guitar Forms
If I had to judge a book (or record, in this case) by its cover, this one would get high marks just for its personnel. Gil Evans arranges and conducts "modern interpretations of the classic guitar styles played by Kenny Burrell against a tight and glowing orchestral backdrop." Ron Carter (bass), Roger Kellaway (piano), and Grady Tate (drums) make appearances here on this 1965 album produced by legendary Creed Taylor.

Johnny Jenkins: Ton-Ton Macoute!
He played with Otis Redding. He inspired Jimi Hendrix. And he never let his talents get in the way of working a solid day job. This is his 1971 debut on Capricorn Records. Duane Allman on guitar. Derek Trucks's uncle Butch plays drums. See where this is going?

Television's Greatest Hits
The album that started it all for TVT Records: a must for any TV fan, and probably still available, just not on double-record vinyl. Cover has some ringwear, but the records are decent.

I also hit a Goodwill today, This Goodwill never ceases to fail me. A piddling electronics section, and three - count 'em, THREE - boxes of records. Two of those boxes consisted entirely of Reader's Digest box sets...and those box sets consisted of boredom. I think I'll stick with the few that I already have, thanks.

Next album feature as yet undecided, so hang tight and wonder along with me!