I was playing around on the internets Saturday night because that's what all the cool people do on weekend nights now, ya know. Because I've been on a Waxing Poetics jag since the recent digital release of their old albums -- the subject of another blog post that doesn't really exist just yet -- I was checking for used copies of their CDs on Amazon. Wow. Their first release, Hermitage, was going for $40 while the LP versions were pulling in $50. So I checked eBay and found similar prices, except a couple of folks -- sellers with long histories and 99% satisfaction ratings -- listed LPs in VG+ condition for around $10. Found similar price differences with some other OOP recordings by my favorite bands from my college days. So I started buying.
Never mind the fact that I don't own a stereo, listening to all of my music on my computer and an iPod. For the last few months I've been toying with the idea of piecing together a nice stereo system, to include a turntable. I guess I've now finally committing myself on getting that stereo, because by Sunday evening, I'd spent about $150 on used records: in addition to eBay, I had the pleasure of digging through the used LP bins at Schoolkids Records in Raleigh and CD Alley in Chapel Hill.
Pretty happy with the bounty. I love music and I love hunting for music. I have the folks from The Music Man store at Military Circle Mall in Norfolk to thank for that: those folks gave me an education in music that rivaled high school and college combined. Plus, they saved me from many of the worst sounds (and ungodly fashions and haircuts) that the music world of the 80s had to offer. The Music Man is long defunct, unfortunately, and I've spent years searching for someplace similar. I've found a few good places, but nothing to rival that store or any of the other folks from that store. If it was good music, David and Joe made sure to stock it or would walk through fire to order it for you, no matter how small the kitchen or basement was out of which the record label operated.
But back to the topic at hand...
This week, it'll be time to start researching stereo receivers and real CD players and good turntables and speaker systems in hopes of putting together something that will result in my immediate eviction should I be stupid enough to test its full potential in my apartment.
Anyway, here are the albums that I've picked up so far:
Alex Chilton .......... Feudalist Tarts
BoDeans .......... Home
The Connells .......... Boylan Heights
The Del Fuegos .......... Boston, Mass
The Dream Syndicate .......... Medicine Show
House of Freaks .......... Monkey on a Chain Gang
House of Freaks .......... Tantilla
John Hiatt .......... Join the Family
Little Feat .......... Waiting for Columbus
Los Lobos .......... How Will the Wolf Survive?
Marshall Crenshaw .......... Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw .......... Field Day
Marshall Crenshaw .......... Downtown
Marshall Crenshaw .......... Good Evening
The Neville Brothers .......... Yellow Moon
The Nighthawks .......... Ten Years Live
Oingo Boingo .......... Good for Your Soul
T Bone Burnett .......... The Talking Animals
The Who .......... Quadrophenia
The Who .......... Who's Next
Waxing Poetics .......... Hermitage
Waxing Poetics .......... Manakin Moon
Waxing Poetics .......... Bed Time Story
23 albums down, only 2277 to go before I can say that I have all the essential stuff on vinyl.
Oh Man,
ReplyDeleteNice collection of classics.
I would give tons to hear the Marshall Crenshaw, Field Day album on vinyl. My older brother bought it in high school and there is something magical about the crackling sounds before the song starts. CDs can never give that same feeling... Sure they are perfect and all, but I tend to like the imperfect better.
Someday I'll let you know how that Field Day album sounds... after I get a turntable.
ReplyDeleteI think it's been at least 15 years since I last listened to anything on vinyl... unless there are bars around that still use the old style jukeboxes stocked with 45s.