Last year for Record Store Tales Part 145, I dug up some of T-Rev’s old mix tapes, complete with custom artwork. T-Rev always put such work into his tapes (sequencing and art included, he even numbered them as a series!), so it is a pleasure to give you this gallery of three more of T-Rev’s Tapes!
Rockers love to discuss “mix tapes”, so I invite you to comment on your own personal picks. Led Zeppelin? Metal Tunage? What would you do?
Aaron finds the weirdest stuff! In a recent Box of Goodness that he sent me (including an awesome Thin Lizzy Thunder and Lightning reissue on vinyl) I found this. It’s Def Leppard’s Pyromania (review here) on cassette, but not just any cassette.
The weird extra-thick and bendy clamshell case was the dead giveaway that this was something unusual. A quick look at the sleeve reveals it’s an actual Vertigo release, but also an import from India! Does anyone know if cassettes in India always came in these odd cases? The cassette actually snaps into the case, and is held by two tabs. I’ve never seen anything like it. This version even has an oddly coloured Def Leppard logo, that I’ve never seen on anything else.
Pyromania had a max. retail price of 60 rupees. That’s approximately one US dollar today.
Even though the yellow price tag on the side says $2.99, Aaron got this for the princely sum of one Canadian dollar! And now here’s the gallery of this strange oddity.
A short while ago, Jon and I were discussing the Motley Crue “reunion” album, Generation Swine (review here). I told him that I was still looking for the original Japanese edition, which had a bonus track called “Song To Slit Your Wrist By”. Even though I already knew the song from Nikki’s side project, 58, and didn’t like it, I still wanted Motley Crue’s version for my collection. I found one on eBay for just over $30 which is the best price I’d ever seen. I bought it, it shipped.
Then Jon told me: “The bonus track ‘A Song To Slit Your Wrist By’ wasn’t a Crüe song at all, it was taken from Nikki Sixx’ very underrated sideproject 58.”
Rats!
See, for me as a collector, that sucks for two reasons. If the song is by 58 and not Motley (and he’s exactly right, that’s indeed what it is), then it gets pushed way out into a far orbit of my collecting priorities. Second, I already had the damn thing a long time ago on the 58 album Diet For A New America!
I knew it wasn’t a pristine copy and the packaging had yellowed, so no big deal. The plastic outer case has also got a bit brittle and a piece cracked off in shipping. Again, no big deal, last time I saw this CD it was a lot more expensive, and didn’t have the obi strip. It comes with a really cool generous booklet (in Japanese unfortunately), exclusive to this release, so that helps to make up for the lack of an exclusive bonus track.
Gallery below. Enjoy!
Rock & Roll & Recycle! Two weeks ago, Marko showed you how to use an old cassette case to hold a smartphone such as a Blackberry Z10. Unfortunately, as Aaron pointed out, the iPhone charges from the bottom.
So, for iPhone users, I present to you my own original idea of an alternate use for an old cassette case! We all have a ton of these things sitting around!
Rush and The Tragically Hip 2013 postage stamps – Canadian Recording Artists series
Package of 10, $6.30.
I went down to the post office to pick up my latest CD treasure from Discogs, when I noticed these beauties: the new 2013 Rush, and Tragically Hip postage stamps! Had to have ’em. The budget didn’t allow for the Guess Who set (apparently their best seller). I’ve never heard of Beau Dommage, but apparently they are “considered the Beatles of Quebec and French music” (Canada Newswire).
I love the little details. The “Stereo 1” on the Hip package. The “Side A” and Anthem Records serial number on the Rush. It’s the little things like these touches that make these stamps fun to keep in package, safe in my collection!
For your viewing pleasure, please enjoy these cool postage stamps. I’ll try to pick up The Guess Who next week.
5/5 stars!
This time last year, I dug up my old 1933 Ford ZZ Top deco “Eliminator” Monogram model kit. I would have assembled this when I was 13 or 14 years old. It’s been collecting dust for a long time, but I posted some pics with a crappy Nokia cell phone anyway, just because it was a cool find.
This year, I took some new pics, with my new BlackBerry Z10! I also took the liberty of cleaning it (as much as I dared to). In the process I snapped off one headlight (an easy fix) and detached part of the body from the chassis, a trickier fix. Unfortunately some of the chrome pieces did not age too well and show a lot of chrome wear, (on the headlights).
Regardless, the pictures are pretty. Enjoy.
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
RECORD STORE TALES Part 168: The Constipated Ritchie Blackmore
The date: Before Christmas 2005 (my final Christmas at the store)
The place: My store
The characters: Myself, and “Box Set Man”
I had this one great customer, and dammit, I cannot remember his name. We called him “Box Set Man” because he bought and sold a lot of box sets. In fact, I have a Japanese Deep Purple Purple Chronicle 25th anniversary box set from his collection, complete with obi strip.
Box Set Man also collected rock photographs, original photographs from private collections, unpublished anywhere. He bought them at record shows, by networking (he was once a concert promoter) and from eBay. He would trade photos in his collection for more desirable ones as well.
Just before Christmas 2005, Box Set Man came in with a gift for me. He handed me a plain yellow envelope. Inscribed on the envelope was this:
Merry Xmas Mike
This photo is from a private collection from Germany “Blackmore”.
Inside the envelope was an original Ritchie Blackmore photo.
Ritchie is obviously digging deep into a guitar solo in this photo. Stratocaster raised, eyes closed, Ritchie is givin’ it all he’s got. But the overall effect is one of Ritchie looking like he has to go to the bathroom.
Christmas 2005 was my final Christmas at the store, but Box Set Man didn’t know that. I don’t remember why, but head office had asked me to keep my departure under wraps. The announcement wasn’t made until my final day at the store (Jan 4, 2006) and as it turns out, that was the day I told Box Set Man as well.
So, without further delay, I present to you this original photograph that I have dubbed “The Constipated Ritchie Blackmore”!
NOTE: After posting this, my former co-worker Pat reminded me that Box Set Man’s name was Dan!
Aaron sent me these photos too late to include in my video report. These were taken at Sonic Boom Music, and Pauper’s Pub.
Mmm, beer.
I’ve also compiled some of the photos of discs that I scored that day, from some of my review blogs.
And lastly, the video is below, in case you missed it!
mikeladano.com 