RECORD STORE TALES Part 208: Flashback 1995
November/December 1995 was freakin’ busy. We sold a lot of discs that Christmas. What we didn’t do was listen to a lot of discs! No; our boss really, really liked Don Henley and TLC. He played them ad-nauseum. Like on repeat three times in a row. I’m not kidding about that. I distinctly remember the repeat. Here are the Top Three Discs I Had to Listen to Until My Ears Bled, December 1995.
3. Boney M – Christmas Album
2. Don Henley – Actual Miles
1. TLC – CrazySexyCool
Trevor on the other hand was introducing me to Oasis and managed to get a few cool discs into rotation:
3. The Beatles – Anthology Vol. 1 (usually just disc 2)
2. Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters
1. Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
We were also working with this new guy, Donnie, and we let him pick Dance Mix ’95 a few times. Unfortunately, the Big Shiny Tunes series hadn’t begun yet.
I didn’t get to pick as many discs as the others — the boss didn’t like my picks. When I did, I chose the new Def Leppard – Vault (Greatest Hits 1980-1995).
Looking back, there were also a few albums that I found utterly disappointing that season. They included:
3. AC/DC – Ballbreaker
2. Lenny Kravitz – Circus
1. Savatage – Dead Winter Dead
All three were albums that I was solidly looking forward to, but largely disappointed me. I never did buy Circus. I own the other two, but only because I’m a completest (and I got AC/DC for $3).
Finally there were three albums that really got me through that season. I had just been dumped by my first serious girlfriend and I was really angry about it. Away from work (my boss didn’t want these ones played in the store) these three albums totally spoke to me that Christmas:
3. Alice in Chains – Alice in Chains
2. Ozzy Osbourne – Ozzmosis
1. Iron Maiden – The X Factor
Let me tell you something people: I still fuckin’ hate TLC. I’ll never go chasin’ waterfalls, ever again.
Next time on Record Store Tales…
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
mikeladano.com 
TLC- Waterfalls is something that I don’t skip over when it comes up on the iPod-I may even turn it up- “My name is Wayne and it has been 2 days since I listened to something that I am not proud to admit I enjoyed” [polite clapping] (Do they have a twelve step program for guilty pleasure music addiction?)
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CrazySexyCool is on the 1001 list – and Wayne I have to admit enjoyment as well! But I can relate to the retail store repeat – I worked in England in 2004 (during the Euro Cup) and the store had a football cd on the ad nauseum repeat. Much as I like The Pogues, that experience has ruined Fiesta for me. Mike, have you seen The Other Guys? Curious as to if you approve of the TLC references there!
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I have not seen The Other Guys, should I?
I couldn’t understand how my boss could play music he legitimately liked, all afternoon. I can’t do that. As much as I love Kiss, I don’t want to hear Destroyer on repeat for 4 hours! You know what I mean.
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I guess it is good that I don’t have any retail horror stories to water down my musical obsessions :)
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I’m glad there’s somebody here who can appreciate the video I posted then!
Did you hear that they re-recorded this tune without Left-Eye recently?
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Mike,
I am good with the original and I won’t write anymore on it…I am feeling a little queasy discussing TLC with fellow rock n rollers…I feel like we are heading towards a “who is your favorite spice girl?” thread.
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Thankfully I have already come out publicly to say that I had a crush on Sporty. Actually in about 2 weeks or soI have another Record Store Tale coming– my top 3 rock star crushes at the time.
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The first hour of The Other Guys is quite good, sort of loses steam in the second hour. Michael Keaton’s character keeps quoting TLC songs when giving advice, ‘don’t go chasing waterfalls’ being his guidance about following instructions!
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I do like Michael Keaton. Who else is in that one?
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Will Farrell & Mark Wahlberg, a buddy cop movie. No Anchorman, but not too shabby. Looking forward to the top 3 rock crushes!
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What was it about Ballbreaker that disappointed you? I love that album.
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I’m not sure entirely. I do like the title track, a lot. Every once in a while I try it again, but I definitely prefer Stiff Upper Lip.
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I thought Ozzmosis and X Factor were disappointing too. Never actually heard Ballbreaker. Wasn’t that the one they did with Rubin?
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Yes it was. But it definitely has its fans. Some people think its one of the better of the later albums.
Ozzmosis and X Factor disappointed a lot of people. I wouldn’t say Ozzmosis tanked for us, but it wasn’t the hit album that I was expecting. And it does have a bit of filler on it, My Jeckyl Doesn’t Hide and that kind of thing.
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For me, the 1st two songs and the last song were great but the rest was just average.
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First two and final song was awesome! I let some of the other songs grow on me too. See You On the Other Side in particular.
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I gave it so many listens but I could just never get into it. See You on the Other Side was one of the better songs too. My Jekyll had some good riffing in it but… pretty boring album for the most part. I don’t seem to remember him playing much of that stuff on the subsequent tour… if anything!
Ballbreaker seems to divide opinion. Why do you think that is?
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He played Perry Mason and I Just Want You. Geezer did a mini club tour with Ozzy and the dude that’s in Journey on drums.
Why does Ballbreaker divide opinions? I don’t know but I’ll speculate. Maybe it’s one of those albums that needs to “click” with people. Those who it clicks with find it to be a rewarding listening experience. Beyond that…I dunno! The production was different from Razors Edge for sure but that didn’t bother me at all.
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It’s an interesting one… I saw him on the “Retirement Sucks” tour and on the Uk dates they didn’t play any Ozzmosis songs. It had only just came out and I remember them playing some songs from it over the PA before the band came on but none were played during the set.
Looking at the setlists online, they seemed to gradually introduce those songs into the set once they hit mainland Europe. I saw him later at Donington and I’m sure he played those 2 tracks then.
Wonder why they were missed off those early shows?
I was wondering if Ballbreaker had something different about it that was dividing opinion. Is it just a grower then do you think?
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Ballbreaker was the reunion with Phil Rudd on drums, and the first one with Rubin. Maybe people were expecting too much? I don’t know. And maybe it’s all in the mindset but it didn’t hit me where it counted.
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Have you ever reviewed that one? Sounds like a good one to do.
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I haven’t. I think I worked out that at the rate of 1 a day, it would take me 10 years to finish reviewing my collection at its current size…
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What are you wasting time chatting to me for then?! Get cracking! Hahaha
But (massive work rate aside) maybe that would be a good to do soon? Sounds like it might some good debate going?
P.S. Happy Canada Day!
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Happy Canada Day to you too, for you are definitely an honorary citizen!
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Ahem ,and what about Van Halen Balance?
I caught that tour for two nights in T.O in 95…they were calling it the Ambulance Tour as Alex’s neck and Eddies hip made them somewhat crippled up..still a good show though not as good as the FUCK tour in Winnipeg….
Overall Balance was a good album….
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A fair question Deke! Balance came out early in ’95, January or perhaps February. By the time we rolled around to Christmas ’95 it already felt old to me, I had played it so much.
I loved Balance. I still think it’s a great album, it”s adventurous. I prefer it to FUCK actually.
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I have absolutely no qualms in admitting to significant crush on TLC’s Chilli back in the day… man, those buff arms did me in. Waterfalls was my then pregnant wife’s favorite song that year, which meant I listened without option to complain. Setting that aside, 1995 for me musically meant the discovery of Primus via Tales from the Punchbowl…. Wynona’s Big Brown revelation, indeed.
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Oh that brings back memories! Yeah we weren’t really allowed to play Primus in-store, but T-Rev was a huuuuge fan. He was seriously collecting them at that time.
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Oh yes, the pregnant lady gets to listen to WHATEVER she wants! I’m with you on that one, man.
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Man, I don’t even remember Christmas 1995, let alone what I was listening to. Cool post. And good on you for being able to recall things with such clarity.
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Its both a talent and a curse!
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I remember working at Tower in the 90’s. We had the same problem with co workers playing the same CDs over and over….
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Even worse people who play the same song over and over again!
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No doubt!
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