So, as I’m sure a lot of you know, the TRON: Legacy soundtrack got a Target exclusive release late last year. This is the hype sticker for it. Sexxy. This double LP, one on clear vinyl and the other transparent blue, is a great addition to any collection, and can be had over at Discogs for around $20 (not including shipping). Sure, you have the black vinyl version, but k’mon! You can’t have too many Daft Punk color variants, am I right?
Questioning the legitimacy of this The Young and the Useless release on powder blue vinyl (think Otho’s suit in Beetlejuice), but a boot is better than $150 out of the wallet, amiright? I’d had my eye on the original for quite a few years, desperately waiting for the price to drop… to no avail, but just couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger for obvious, financial reasons. As of the time of this typing, this blue vinyl version hasn’t appeared on Discogs, so, I guess, time will tell on this early Ad-Rock jem (deliberate misspelling, as a child of the 80s). RIP Dave Scilken.
The hype is over, though the profound light from ska-punk (personal) favorites Mad Caddies will never burn out. Presented here is a throwaway hype sticker to their album from last year, Punk Rocksteady. No hype needed here, because I fell in love with them back in the late 90s, and, well, I purchased this album online as a pre-order, but here it lives, and here it shall stay.
Hot hits at cool prices… seems too good to be true! Man, do I miss the hype stickers of yesteryear. This one dates back, to at least ’75 with the Barry Manilow release, Tryin’ to Get the Feeling, the album in our library where this sticker can be found. Turns out, our copy of Tryin’ is sealed… not sure exactly how that happened, but there it is. Virgin vinyl, kids! Mainly, I just dig this hype design.
Man, I miss this band. Raunchy, heavy, sweaty dance music at its finest. This gone-but-not-forgotten Canadian duo released a handful of singles prior to and after their only studio full-length, 2009’s Thunderheist. Bubblegum, showcased here, was released on Canada’s Bigfoot Records label back in September of 2007 (which seems like an eternity ago), and features, of course, the original version, a Wicket Lester Remix, a Wax Romeo Remix, and a Ghislain Poirier Remix. Thunderheist’s discography is relatively small, and every track is solid MF gold. Man, I miss this band.
Get hyped for this circa: 2000 collection of Rage-infused covers of Cypress Hill, Devo, Bob Dylan and Minor Threat songs (among others, included Renegades of Funk by Afrika Bambaataa). The album for which this sticker does its dance was the last by this prolific band, and was released a full two months after their breakup. Hyped yet? Renegades… an almost two decades-old conclusion to a short-lived and necessary implement of 1990’s subculture. Keep your stickers, kids!
HYPE STICKERS! Come one, come all, ‘n get ‘yer hype stickers! This one is for the 2015 Rhino Records colored vinyl reissue to Fire on the Bayou, the classic album by New Orleans legends, The Meters. Now, more and more collectors these days may be, in-fact, keeping all their record hype (stickers, fliers, download cards, etc.), but the sentimental part of me wonders what hype stickers to classic albums from the 60s and 70s looked like. Some I’ve seen and we’ve explored, but others, I fear, are lost for good. Anyway, this one is only a few years old, but it hyped me enough to purchase the album!
Man… two hype stickers in a row? What the hell is goin’ on?! Getting hyped for the weekend, yo! Fine enough… sounds legit. Up for unbridled enthusiasm is this nifty hype sticker to Tim Hardin’s last studio record (more on that here), 1981’s Unforgiven. This rare little glimpse into the marketing minds of yesteryear should get even the casual Hardin fan something to look forward to. Here’s a little secret… it’s worth the hype.
Hype stickers rarely lie, at least, that’s my humble opinion on the matter. So what surprises me about this Dust Brothers promo of Fight Club Re-Mixes is the blinding, and ridiculously cheap asking price for near mint copies. Keep in mind that this 6-track 12″ is pressed on red vinyl (for those of you into such things.) But $6 for six Dust Brothers remixes of Dust Brothers songs, that seems asinine to me. Anyway, it’s (clearly) a must have, and can be nabbed for cheaper than a Taco Tuesday lunch.
One part feeling kind of lazy, mixed with a healthy dash of missing hype stickers, we’ll (briefly) stop to focus on this vibrant stamp on the left. This one is for Roy Orbison’s debut album from 1961, which received the RSD Black Friday treatment back in 2014. Numbered, limited, all that jazz, but most importantly, she’s an affordable way to enjoy this legendary artist’s first studio record. Thanks, hype sticker! You’ve done your job.
A few months ago, The Bouncing Souls rereleased their 2006 album, The Gold Record, on a very limited pressing of 250 “random blended” colored vinyl. This was preordered some months back, forgotten about when the package was received, and has been sitting in the jenga closet until its rediscovery last week. Currently sitting in the “next to spin” pile, one can never go wrong with New Jersey’s The Bouncing Souls, regardless of the record color.
Oh, The Plan. Once a single album obsession, followed by near decade of (stupidly) swearing them off, to another decade plus of pure, adolescent giddiness. That pretty much sums up my relationship with this iconic DC band. Easily one of my top five all-timers (possibly top three). Meh, you should check ’em out.
Rock N’ Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This).
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!
(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!
What was, a short week ago, just entering my conscious via casual coffee conversation, is now a welcomed member of our record library. The 20th anniversary of the From Dusk Till Dawn soundtrack is featured on double blood-red splattered vinyl, comes with a foil-stamped number of 5500, and was officially approved for release by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Not sure what that says, but it says something.
Hype sticker day #3. Weezer’s Hurley from Epitaph Records back in 2010. It’s a rainy, Weezer-type day in Southern California. Enjoy.
Another day, another sticker. This time, Underworld’s Dubnobasswithmyheadman re-issue from 2014… 20th anni. + download, so, there you go. 30,000 ft above the Earth…
I can’t wait for the sun to go down, and then re-emerge tomorrow morning. For when that celestial journey yet again occurs, I’ll have the allotted time to dive into The Claypool Lennon Delirium. This double LP, featuring Primus’ Les Claypool and John’s Sean Lennon, seems like just the whimsical duo for an overcast (forecasted) Sunday morning. Drink responsibly tonight, kids, and check out Monolith of Phobos.
Officially now caught up with our outstanding “need to listen to” records. Digitized the 14 sides to this bad boy last night, and can’t wait to enjoy these acapella classics to and from work. Hit me up if you want a copy. 14 tracks total.
The Prudent Groove 