2017 Purchases

The S.W.A.L.K. EP completed my “Jo Callis: The Wilderness Years” run of music that spanned the gap between The Rezillos and The Human League. Hopefully it will be a REVO CD soon. The Vels LP as well as The Headboys albums were still sealed!! More of that, please. I ended up paying what would have been 1983 full retail for The Vels, but it will be so worth it when digitizing it.

May 2017

1. Dire Straits: Communique – Warner Bros. Records ‎– W2 3330 – US – CD – Repo Record/$5.00
2. Dire Straits: Brothers In Arms – Warner Bros. Records ‎– 9 25264-2  – US – CD – Repo Record/$5.00
3. Southern Culture On The Skids: Countrypolitan Favorites – Yep Roc Records ‎– YEP 2124 – US – CD – Repo Record/$5.00
4. Prince: New Power Generation – Paisley Park ‎– 9 21783-2 – US – CD5 – Repo Record/$6.00
5. Prince + The New Power Generation: 7 – Paisley Park ‎– 9 40574-2 – US – CD5 – Repo Record/$4.00
6. Prince + The New Power Generation: My Name Is Prince – US CD5 – Repo Record/$4.00
7. Razormaid: Chapter A-2 [disc 1 only] – Razormaid Records ‎– RM-A2 – US – LP [yellow] – Repo Record/$6.00
8. Razormaid: Edit Dump – Razormaid Records ‎– RM-002 – USP – EP – Repo Record/$6.00
9. Joy Division: The Best Of Joy Division – Rhino Records ‎– R2 474236 – US – CD – Lunchbox Records/$6.00
10. Franz Ferdinand: Tonight – Epic ‎– 88697372552 – US – CD – Lunchbox Records/$4.00
11. Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits – Columbia ‎– CK 65975 – US – CD – Lunchbox Records/$1.00
12. The Magnetic Fields: Holiday – Merge Records ‎– MRG151CD – US – CD – Lunchbox Records/$5.00
13. Neneh Cherry + The Thing: The Cherry Thing – Smalltown Supersound ‎– STS229CD – NORWAY – CD – Lunchbox Records/$5
14. Lou Reed: The Blue Mask – RCA ‎– 07863 54221-2  – US – CD – Lunchbox Records/$5.00
15. Scott Walker: The Childhood Of A Leader OST – 4AD ‎– CAD3620CD – UK – CD – Lunchbox Records/$5.00
16. Malcolm McLaren: D’ya Like Scratchin’ – Island Records ‎– 90124-1-B – US – EP – Lunchbox records/$3.00
17. Kid Creole + The Coconuts: I’m A Wonderful Thing – Ze Records ‎– 12WIP 6756 – UK – 12″ – Lunchbox Records/$2.50
18. Kid Creole + The Coconuts: The Lifeboat Party – Island Records ‎– 12IS 142 – UK – 12″ – Lunchbox Records/$2.50
19. DEVO: Peek-A-Boo – Warner Bros. Records ‎– 0-29906 – US – 12″ – Lunchbox Records/$4.00
20. Cold Cave: Life Magazine – Matador ‎– OLE -941-1 – US – 12″ – Lunchbox Records/$3.00
21. Adam Ant: Viva Le Rock [Remix!] – CBS ‎– 49-05261 – US – 12″ – Lunchbox Records/$2.00
22. The Boomtown Rats: House On Fire – Mercury ‎– MERX 91 – UK – 12″ – Lunchbox Records/$3.00
23. Duran Duran: Out Of My Mind – Virgin ‎– VST 1639 – UK – 12″ – Lunchbox Records/$3.00
24. Duran Duran: Electric Barbarella – Capitol Records ‎– SPRO 7087 6 12097 1 6 – USP – 12″ – Lunchbox Records/$3.00
25. Nick Cave + The Bad Seeds: Skeleton Tree – Bad Seed Ltd. ‎– BS009CD – US – CD – Harvest records/$13.99

A day-trip to Charlotte brought a lovely selection of round spinning things with music in them. I went to Repo Record with more than just $20 in my pocket for once. My wife got to slake her Dire Straits thirst. Me? I got a hat trick of Prince CD singles! And some supafine Razormaid goods. Afterward, my wife suggested I visit Lunchbox Records, which I was not planning on doing, given my last visit. Good think I listened to her suggestion! The store had moved and transformed radically for the better. Packed with goodness, too! Lots of want list items but the fine selection of 12″ singles was just the sort of balm my fevered brow needed! In the Neovinyl Wars® singles of any stripe seem to be taking a back seat to even CDs; and those things are living on borrowed time! Many stores opened in the last five years have no CDs at all for sale. The first Duran Duran vinyl I’ve bought in over 20 years occurred here. Finally, with Nick Cave + The Bad Seeds coming soon, we thought we’d better hear the new album; wow! Good decision!

Subtotal: $111.99

June 2016

1. Nick Cave + The Bad Seeds: Push The Sky Away –  Bad Seed Ltd. ‎– BS001CD – EU – CD – Harvest Records/$11.99
2. Ghost Wolves: Texa$ Platinum – Hound Gawd! Records ‎– HGR-018CD – GER – CD – Merch table/$15

My wife fell so deep into that Nick Cave hole that “The Skeleton Tree” opened up that she immediately went out and bought his last opus. I can dig it.

Subtotal: $26.99

Half Year Subtotals: 79 releases | $480.88 | average cost – $6.09/title

July 2017

1. David Werner: What’s Right – [from “Heard It On The Radio v. 3” comp] – US – DL – iTunes/0.69¢
2. Pet Shop Boys: Discography – EMI America – CDP-7-97097-2 – US – CD – Brother Wolf Thrift/$1.00
3. Hudson K: Hudson K – self-released – US – CD-R | Pledge Music/$15
4. Dalek I Love You: Dalek I Love You DLX RM – Man In The Moon ‎– MITMCD24 – UK – CD – gift
5. Escort: Animal Nature – Escort Records – US – DL – iTunes/$9.99

Subtotal: $26.68

One morning I woke up with David Werner’s “What’s Right” in my head and I looked in iTunes and lo, and behold… 69¢ and a minute later I was listening to it… non-stop! Kind of modern of me. I picked up the PSB comp just because I sold off all of my non-LP CD singles and here their imperial period was in 7″ edit form for a dollar. Hudson K are a fantastic Knoxville band who had a Pledge Music campaign that caught my eye. Good thing too, as they have really made great strides from their previous album. I was happy to receive the Dalek I Love You re-issue as a gift from Echorich. Any readers of this blog may certainly send me lovely things if you want to. I was finally seeing Escort again after their scorching Moogfest ’14 performance, so I even bit the bullet and bought their new album as a DL.

August 2017

1. China Crisis: Autumn In the Neighbourhood – Pledge Music – UK – CD – private sale/$25
2. Sparks: No. 1 In Heaven DLX RM – Repertoire Records ‎– REP 5309 – GER – CD – Discogs/$8.95
3. Sparks: Angst In My Pants DLX RM – Repertoire Records ‎– REP 5311 – GER – CD – Discogs/$8.95
4. Sparks: In Outer Space DLX RM – Repertoire Records ‎– REP 5312 – GER – CD – Discogs/$8.95
5. OMD: Isotype – 100% Records ‎– 100T65 – UK – 12″ – Pledge Music/$10.78

Subtotal: $62.63

Holy frijoles! A gent on the New Wave Outpost Forum noticed my complaint about not having a scarce copy of China Crisis’ amazing “Autumn In The Neighbourhood” CD and one PM later, it was mine for a great price! And it has become my favorite by them. I saw a dealer in the States who had three of the Sparks DLX RMs packed with bonus trax and I pounced on them and having three new Sparks CDs at once was like eating far too many rich desserts… but I managed to live through it. Finally, the first of three pre-ordered OMD 12″ singles sold as a package deal on Pledge Music arrived.

September 2017

1. Figures On A Beach: Breathless –  Metro-America ‎– MA1004 – US – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$2.00
2. Alan Rankine: The World Begins To Look Her Age – Virgin ‎– VS 971-12 – UK – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$3.00
3. Yello: You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess – Stiff America ‎– TEES 12-12 – US – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$3.00
4. Yello: Tied Up [remix] – Mercury ‎– YELLR 212 – UK – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$2.00
5. Jill Jones: Mia Bocca – Paisley Park ‎– 0-20679 – US – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$2.00
6. Dyan Diamond: In The Dark –  MCA Records ‎– MCA 3053 – US – LP – philadelphiamusic/$2.00
7. Thereza Bazar: The Big Kiss – MCA Records ‎– MCF 3293 – UK – LP – philadelphiamusic/$3.00
8. Duffy: Starfit –  Summershine ‎– Shine-US11 – OZ – 7″ – philadelphiamusic/$2.50
9. Real Life: Face To Face –  Curb Records ‎– L33-17058 – USP – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$1.50
10. Robert Palmer: More Than Ever – EMI-Manhattan Records ‎– SPRO-04192  – USP – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$1.50
11. Three O’Clock: Neon Telephone – Paisley Park ‎– PRO-A-3286 – USP – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$9.00
12. Strange Cruise: The Beat Goes On – EMI ‎– EMI 5564 – UK – 7″ – philadelphiamusic/$5.06
13. Hot Gossip: Soul Warfare – Dindisc ‎– DIN 38-12  – UK – 12″ – philadelphiamusic/$1.50
14. Led Zeppelin: Untitled –  Atlantic ‎– 19129-2 – US – CD – Harvest Records/$7.99
15. Led Zeppelin: Presence – Swan Song ‎– 92439-2 – US – CD – Harvest Records/$7.99
16. Southern Culture On The Skids: Zombiefied + – Kudzu Records ‎– KUD-CD-003  – US – CD – Harvest Records/$7.99
17. John Lennon: Lennon Legend – The Very Best Of John Lennon – Parlophone ‎– 7243 8 21954 2 9 – US – CD – Harvest Records/$6.99
18. Muddy Waters: His Best 1947-1955 – Chess ‎– CHD-9370 – US – CD – Harvest Records/$5.99
19. Nick Cave + The Bad Seeds: The Boatman’s Call –  Reprise Records ‎– 9 46530-2 – US – CD – Harvest Records/$15.99
20. PiL: Plastic Box – Virgin ‎– PILBOX 1 – UK – 4xCD – Harvest Records/$14.99
21. Sparks: Hippopotamus –  BMG ‎– 538279612 – EURO – CD – Harvest Records/$10.99
22. OMD: Punishment Of Luxury DLX Ltd Book – 100% Records ‎– 100BX66 – UK – 2xCD, DVD, LP [red] – Pledge Music/$75
23. Предсмертная Кадриль: Прости – Self-Released – UKR – DL – Bandcamp/€8.00
24. Psychedelic Furs: Psychedelic Furs DLX RM – Columbia ‎– CK 85918 – US – CD – Mr. K’s/$5.75
25. Snog: Third Mall From The Sun – Metropolis ‎– MET 144 – US – CD – Mr. K’s/$4.95
26. Joni Mitchell: Mingus – Asylum Records ‎– 505-2  – US – CD – Mr. K’s/$5.75
27. St. Etienne: Soft Like Me CD1 – Mantra Recordings ‎– MNT78CD1 – UK – CD5 – Mr. K’s/$2.00
28. Dr. John Cooper Clarke + Hugh Cornwell: This Time It’s Personal – Sony Music ‎– 88985345552  – UK – CD – Mr. K’s/$7.95
29. Bowie: Cracked Actor [Live Los Angeles ’74] – Parlophone ‎– CDDB 7476 – US – 2xCD – gift
30. John Foxx + The Maths: The Machine –  Metamatic ‎– META62LP – UK – LP – gift
31. Dreamcar: Dreamcar – Columbia ‎– 88985424732 – US – CD – gift
32. Various: Death Disco (Mojo Presents A Compendium Of Post-Punk Grooves) – Mojo Magazine ‎– May 2014 – UK – CD – Library/$1.00
33. Various: Marr + Friends – Mojo Magazine ‎– February 2013 – UK – CD – Library/$1.00
34. Lou Reed: A Life In Music – Mojo Magazine ‎– November 2016 – UK – CD – Library/$2.00
35. Basia: On Broadway – 550 Music ‎– BK 67386 – US – CD – Library/$1.00
36. Genesis: Foxtrot – Atlantic ‎– 82674-2 – US – CD – Library/$1.00
37. Adam Ant: Viva Le Rock DLX RM – Sony Music ‎– 88697423672 – EURO – CD – gift
38. Zola Jesus: Okovi – Sacred Bones Records ‎– SBR184CD – US – CD – Merch Table/$10.00
39. Snips: La Rocca! – EMI ‎– EMC 3359 – UK – LP – Record Show/$5.00
40. Orchestral Manœuvres In The Dark: The Punishment Of Luxury – 100% Records ‎– 100T67 – UK – 12″ – Pledge Music/$10.78

Subtotal: $259.62

Ouch! Wasn’t I trying to curtail my purchasing? I seem to be hugely failing. Heck, it’s taken me almost a month just to finally get some traction in updating my purchase list; it’s been so active lately. And I have so little free time to do this. After seeing record after record that I wanted pile up in the philadelphiamusic Discogs store, I finally managed to place an order to get some of them for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only seven months. There have been so many live gigs this year that I have not been able to save up my discretionary budget for music purchasing. The fat box of goodness from them, as usual, will take me a year or two to actually work through. A few more Yello imperial period goodies joined their brethren. I was investigating Venus + The Razorblades; the notorious Kim Fowley “punk” project when I saw the Dyan Diamond of that band did a solo album with Fowley “directing.” It looked like prime 1978 US New Wave, so naturally I bit. I liked Dollar’s singles with Trevor Horn producing, but Thereza Bazar had a mid-80s solo album with Arif Mardin producing? Worth investigating at the price asked, so we’ll see. I’m mildly curious to see what another hot producer could do with Bazar.

A hyper rare solo Stephen Duffy 7″ was purchased just because. More Real Life and Robert Palmer 12″ material was sourced for the inevitable. I got the one pricey Three O’Clock single… one more to go and the DLX RM of “Live @ The Waldorf” + rarities can finally happen. The other B.E.F. Hot Gossip single was secured, as was the scarce Strange Cruise 7″ for “The Beat Goes On!” I never expected to have that one!

A trip to Harvest Records to pick up the Nice Cave + The Bad Seeds CD that my wife ordered yielded the typical bounty of riches that happens about once a year. I was ecstatic to see the new Sparks album on the weekend of release [making four Sparks CDs within a month for me] as well as the amazing PiL “Plastic Box”

October 2017

1. Steven Jones + Logan Sky: Corrupt State – Etrangers Musique ‎– EM010-CD1 – UK – CD – Bandcamp/$10.55
2. Reeves Gabrels: Reeves Gabrels + His Imaginary Friends – US – CD – Merch Table/$10.00
3. Bill Nelson • Reeves Gabrels: Fantastic Guitars – UK – CD – Merch Table/$10.00
4. The Blow Monkeys: The Wild River – Monks Road Records ‎– MONKSROAD101  – UK – CD – Pledge Music/$19.78 [£15]
5. King Crimson: Radical Action [To Unseat The Hold Of Monkey Mind] Tour Edition – Discipline Global Mobile ‎– KCXPBX5001 – UK – 3xCD, 2xDVD, Blu-ray – Merch Table/$50
6. King Crimson: Elements 2017 Tour Box –  Discipline Global Mobile ‎– KCTB17 – UK – 2xCD – Merch Table/$25
7. King Crimson: Live In Chicago – Discipline Global Mobile ‎– KCXP5003 – UK – 2xCD – Merch Table/$20
8. King Crimson: “Heroes” EP – Discipline Global Mobile ‎– KCEP1001 – UK – CD5 – Merch Table/gift
9. The Stick Men: Kollected – iapetus Media – No cat. no. – CD – USP – Merch Table/gift
10. Visage: Frequency 7 – August Day Recordings ‎– ADAY024 – UK – CD5 – August Day webstore/$8.99

Subtotal: $154.32

This month, it was largely about the merch. I saw a phenomenal Reeves Gabrels show and had to drop come coin on some of his solo work. Then the new Blow Monkeys opus dropped from Pledge Music and it’s a stunner. Thankfully, I paid for that earlier when money was less tight since I saved up to buy some things I knew I would want from the King Crimson merch table. These have been monopolizing my listening since it was the best concert I’ve ever attended. Finally, Steve Strange of Visage had the last word as October purchases began with with the release of the fantastic “Corrupt State” EP by Steven Jones and Logan Sky that featured a song they had begun working on with Strange prior to his unexpected death. Then, over two years after August Day secretly released a Visage “Frequency 7” CD single without telling me, the label found another box of units sitting around and was still selling them for cost. This in a world where the title sold out immediately in the wake of Steve’s death and was priced out of my reach in three figure land for a couple of years. It pays to visit even defunct artists’ home page every now and then.