A few things I didn’t notice about Art Garfunkel’s 1975 Columbia records release, Breakaway. 1) Richard Perry produced it (Mr. Perry is famous for his work with Harry Nilsson), and 2) the track My Little Town has Paul Simon on it, making it a legitimate Simon & Garfunkel song. Their last? Of that I’m not sure, but it’s a good day to find out. Thank you, 42 year old hype sticker!
Author Archives: The Prudent Groove
(The Boo-Ga-Loo)
I’m finding it more and more common when ordering albums online that certain, well-to-do sellers package the purchased item between empty, dilapidated record sleeves. Such is the case with this hollow cover of James Brown’s 1966 offering, Plays New Breed (The Boo-Ga-Loo). Not a huge James Brown fan, by any stretch, but I’m now finding myself interested in The Boo-Ga-Loo.
Inserting
I didn’t realize until recently (he humbly admitted) that the original pressing of BS 2000’s vinyl-only debut was pressed on black wax. I’d heard rumors and praises about a Beastie Boys side project with the numbers “2000” in the title, and when Grand Royal released pink vinyl versions of the debut, I (stupidly) thought it to be the original. As it turns out, the black vinyl (and original) pressing was released in 1997, and the pink reissue followed two years later. It took until last week for me to 1) understand that I did not have the original of this album and 2) acquire the original of this album. This is now the third time I’ve purchased this album. BS 2000, you’re welcome.
Hold It
Hold It, Now Hit It is our newest addition and quietly puts us one step closer to completing the Beastie Boys discography. Next up will, I think, need to be the No Sleep Till Brooklyn / Posse in Effect 12″, but really, who can really say for certain?
Les is More
I was going to write (briefly) on Les Paul’s 1968 album, Now! That was until I found this glorious advertisement from within. Ladies & gentlemen, the 1968 Gibson Les Paul custom guitar.
A Bit Behind
Looking forward to spinning this month’s Vinyl Me, Please selection, City Music by former The Babies frontman Kevin Morby. I should probably spin April’s selection first, however. Demon Days by Gorillaz. I can’t keep up! A good problem to have.
Post No. 1600: Back to Camp
For (what seemed like) an eternity, Rocket from the Crypt’s 2002 album, Live from Camp X-Ray (their 7th studio offering) was the last, resonating voice any of us heard from the world’s best live band (2003’s 2-track On the Prowl was nowhere to be found, at least as far as rural Wisconsin was concerned). As a ranking place in their catalog, it sits near the bottom (1998’s RFTC bringing up the rear), but it stood out, if only for the obvious reason, that it was the last-new Rocket thing heard. Since their hiatus, the band has released a handful of (mainly single-sided) 7″ records, in addition to a live recording of their “last” show from Halloween, 2005 and another All Systems Go compilation (their third), but Live from Camp X-Ray (not a live album) still stands as the band’s last studio album. Anyway, Vagrant Records still has copies of their 20 Years series up on their site. Nab these color variants while you can. This album, with all its faults, is still a classic.
(Silence)
In honor to my first Batman. Rest in peace, Mr. West.
Horton Hears a Hayride!
Tickets are on sale for the 4th Annual Horton’s Hayride, kids! Good ol’ Port of Los Angeles… that’s Pedro, baby! Mike Ness, Face to Face, Cutty Flam, and of course, the Reverend. See you squares there!
Slipping Away
It’s a slipmat kind of day. Though the news is full of ass clowns twisting balloons into disturbing and unflattering shapes, we can focus on such subtle details as printed felt to help guide us down Sanity Lane. Today is going to be a rough one. Hold on tight.
90 Degrees
Yesterday I organized my Enoch Light collection while listening to various 20s and 30s pop tunes. Enoch Light and the Light Brigade, Enoch Light and His Orchestra, Enoch Light and the Command All Stars, the awfully awkward band title morphing Provocative Percussion and Persuasive Percussion, and then just Enoch Light. (Phew!) It appears that I was taking in too much Enoch Light in a relatively short amount of time, which, really is no excuse, but today is the first day all 26 records are in their proper, alphabetical (then chronological) order. This means nothing to you, but I can enjoy my coffee now.
Jimmy D.
Mom and pop Dorsey must have been proud parents. Jimmy, older brother to Tommy, enjoyed an immensely successful career as band-leader and musician (clarinet and saxophone). He teamed up with his brother in the late 20s and early 30s to form The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. The commercially successful brothers would go separate ways on separate labels, and would each find several years of critical acclaim. The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra would reunite in 1945, and again in 1954 to perform on Jackie Gleason’s Stage Show, a successful weekly hit television show centered on The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra (at this time, a new incarnation from the original). Both brothers would be dead by the end of 1957, but with the power of music, their legacy lives on.
Stick Around
(Very) likely acquired from Atomic Records (Milwaukee, WI) around the summer of 2001, this perfectly preserved Rocket from the Crypt logo sticks prominently on the office “coffee table.” A few other random bits and bobs linger around and throughout (needed to keep that organic Dole sticker), but this off-center design is one of my favs. RIP Atomic Records, and thanks for the free schwag!
Swagger
Los Angeles-based Celtic punks Flogging Molly entered the entertainment bubble with their debut studio album Swagger back in 2000. The album would be critically acclaimed for their folk / punk / oi mix, and would represent a prolific start to a 17+ year career, up to and including 2017’s Life is Good. Late nights are prime hours to spin Flogging Molly, be it Swagger or otherwise. Just make sure you have enough whiskey on hand.
Further Charges
It’s a Punk and Disorderly kind of morning (he writes while listening to Gershwin). Variety is the spice of life, or something like that. Actually, this version is Punk and Disorderly volume 2, Further Charges. Already own vol. 3, and just put vol. 1 up on the ol’ Discogs Wantlist (does Wantlist get caps? It does here). Enjoy your spinning Saturday, kids. Take note of the sax-shirt-wearing Virgin Records shopper. Classic.
Endless Summer
Endless Summer is a compilation album of Beach Boys classics from 62-65, released in 1974. It sold over 3 million copies. I own two. One, a double LP and two, this 8-track cartridge. I don’t use the word cartridge enough. Moving on… the LP version comes with a poster. The 8-track however does not. Endless Summer would spend a crazy 155 weeks on the Billboard album chart, and would become the band’s 2nd chart-topping album. It has an anniversary coming up. June 24th, for whatever that’s worth. But since we here in Los Angeles are suffocating under a blanket of fog (ol’ June Gloom), let’s look to another source of light for our summer entertainment. Even if The Beach Boys aren’t your bag, Endless Summer is certainly a must-have, in any format.
An Aging Pepper
Happy 50th birthday to (what many consider) the first album every released (a few days late, but belated is better than nothing at all… no, really…). Happy half century, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band!
Dog Star Man (ifesto)
Play it Again Sam Records, now [PIAS] Recordings, the Belgian-based experimental / alt-rock label released Dog Star Man, a 12″ single from England’s Meat Beat Manifesto. It was the distribution by Wax Trax! Records that caught my eye (along with the industrial-friendly cover art), and although she’s a quick 4-track 12″, she does wet the electro-industrial-experimental whistle and leave the adventurous listener wanting much, much more. 1990 was a great year for industrial music… arguably the genre’s most prolific.
Dialing Back
I have, unfortunately, been dialing back the record spinning lately (camping trip excluded). But, this hasn’t prevented me from acquiring more and more “essential” records. I’m getting to a point to where they’re all “essential” records. A good problem to have, all things considered. If your job isn’t too demanding, and the kids can stomach ANOTHER Me First and the Gimme Gimmes record, take some time and enjoy a spin this evening. Your future self will thank you.
Denny in the Woods
Day 3: Martin Denny’s Afro-Desia… nothing but the essentials, kids.
The Prudent Groove 