This time, I was in a store that a buddy of mine runs, the same location that Uncle Meat used to work in. My buddy wasn’t in (sick) but one of my old trainees was working I trained him towards the end of my run as a Record Store Dude. I was pleased to see that he was as nice as ever, and had grown an awesome big bushy beard.
I found two treasures, and took a gamble on one vinyl purchase. Here’s the details:
1. GENE SIMMONS – Gene Simmons Family Jewels Season 1, with bonus CD
For $9.99, this was a decent find. It’s missing the outer case, which I can live without. I bought this for the bonus CD. This is apparently an Amazon.com (not .ca) exclusive, currently selling for $13 plus shipping. So I paid an acceptable amount. The CD contains two songs: “Rain Keeps Falling” (sounds like a Crazy Nights outtake) and “You’re My Reason For Living” (sounds much more recent). These are from the “forthcoming” Gene Simmons box set called Monster. (I’m guessing he won’t be using that title now.) Considering that Amazon.com advertises the Gene Simmons Monster box set as coming in 2007, I thought it might be nice to have these two songs.
2. THE ROLLING STONES – “Doom and Gloom” 10″ single
This one was…I dunno…I like the song, “Doom and Gloom”, and I won’t be buying that Stones box set any time in the near future, so this seemed like a good way to get it. What troubles me is this is a remix by somebody named Jeff Bhasker. So I have no idea if this will be any good. We’ll see. Apparently it’s one track, with the second side etched with a Stones logo. I haven’t cracked the seal yet. At $18.99, this one was probably overpriced. But I’m a sucker for gimmicky vinyl, so, whatever.
3. ERIC MARTIN – Pure (Japanese Import)
Eric Martin is, of course, the lead throat from Mr. Big, a band that is basically big only in Japan. This solo EP collects new acoustic versions of his solo tracks and Mr . Big hits. It even includes stuff written in his pre Mr. Big days, from his Sucker For A Pretty Face album.
I paid $8.99, which was way underpriced for this. A European import version goes for about $7 on Discogs, but the much rarer Japanese you’ll be lucky to find for under $40. They didn’t have the disc cataloged in their system as Japanese so I’m thinking they didn’t notice. I did though! The Japanese writing on the back was the dead giveaway, even though the obi strip is missing.
Another funny thing: Somebody put a sticker over the cover statue’s nipple! A pasty, so to speak. (Sticker removed for this gallery; it’s only a statue after all.)
So; another enjoyable shopping experience. Some treasures found. Good tunes, good times. Look for reviews one day on LeBrain’s Blog.
For ethical reasons, I don’t identify the place I used to work, considering the nature of the Record Store Tales. However if I did a Store Report Card as I have done for other record stores, I would rank this particular location:
3.75/5 stars
mikeladano.com 
Doom And Gloom is a great Stones tune,man it’s a throwback to the Some Girls sound…I bought it off iTunes cuz I had no reason to buy Grrrrrr!….but it was good 2 see they still had some gas left in the tank to rock it up!
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You’re right! It’s a great tune and I’m glad the Stones still can put out quality tunes like this. I don’t think they really have a full album of great stuff like this in ’em, but who can fault them for that after 50 years?
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Yeah I agree with ya Mike….just love the back to basics of that sound…it can’t be beat!
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I also liked the new songs that the Stones did for their 40 Licks album…40 years ago! Well, two of those songs anyway. Stealin’ My Heart was great. The Keef song blew.
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“The Keef song blew.”
Does not compute.
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Haha I love it when A says that. I actually saw Keef practically empty an entire stadium once. It was impressive.
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Hope Gene hasn’t shelved his Box Set idea. I’d be up for hearing that.
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I still need to dig up my old Asylum Demos cassette. Maybe I’ll do that now…just finished updating my Whitesnake Slide It In deluxe edition photos!
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Cool, have you been updating more photos? I saw the Tony Martin album appear again in your “Posts of Rock”
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Tony Martin I didn’t update, but somebody googled that album and found my gallery. When it gets a lot of hits, it re-enters the “posts of rock”. It kind of works like a chart of top hits!
I dug up the Gene Asylum Demos tape…this is gonna be fun to post about.
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My problem with The Stones these days is that they’re not recording “songs,” they’re recording “Stones songs,” where they’re deliberately trying to sound like they did in their heyday (but that was the case over the last couple of albums as well, so it’s nothing new). It’s still great to hear them playing together and putting out new stuff, but I can’t seem to get passionate about them. Also, being an album guy, it takes a lot for me to connect with one or two songs when they appear on a compilation that I don’t own, but your vinyl find is a good one, and I suppose if I found it for a lot less money than you did, I might have to buy it.
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iTunes have the same song (same mix too) for sale for $1.29. Just sayin’. I do like physical product though.
Good point about them writing “Stones songs”. I wonder what would happen if they managed to get in a room, all four of them, and just let the creative juices flow? But, then again, at their age, I won’t hold it against them if they don’t. They’re entitled to milk it a bit, I think.
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I don’t use iTunes, and I can’t bring myself to pay even a single cent for a digital download. Ronnie Wood continues to do interesting work on his sporadic solo releases, so his creative juices haven’t dried up. And even though Keith hasn’t done a solo release in two decades, his first solo album is as good as anything The Stones have done since the ’80s, so I’m guessing he could deliver the goods if they just tried being creative and not being “The Stones.”
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You might be right. I wonder if they even like working together, sometimes.
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I could be wrong, but I get the sense that Jagger sees it purely as a business venture, while the other guys are just excited to be playing together after all these years. It doesn’t mean that Jagger’s not interested in the music, but it’s not the main thing for him.
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Considering his recent romantic exploits, it seems that other juices are still flowing as well!
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At this point, any commentary on what the Stones are up to is like the shark in Old Man In The Sea.
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Ooops, Old Man AND The Sea. Not IN. Although he sort of was there, for a while.
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Also meant to say, cool finds! I know you’re excited to find new Gene stuff for your collection. And I remember you emailing me about the Mr. Big guy. Hey, does that mean he is Big in Japan? Haha. I wonder how often Rule 34 applies to how his fans over there approach him.
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