Record Store Tales

Part 145: Cassettes Part I – T-Rev’s Tapes

RECORD STORE TALESΒ Part 145: Β Cassettes Part I – T-Rev’s Tapes

I’m sure this comes as no surprise, but back in the day, us Record Store Dudes were expert mix tape makers. Β I’ve been making mix tapes since I got my first dual cassette deck, back in 1985. Β It was a Sanyo. Β Thanks mom & dad.

I made all sorts of mix tapes. Β I made mixes of whatever tunes I was into at the time. Β I made mix tapes for girls that I liked, sneaking in the odd commercial Judas Priest tune like “Parental Guidance” in order to sway them to the dark side. Β I made greatest hits tapes. Β I distinctly remember an Ace Frehley greatest hits tape I made, 90 minutes. Β The first 5 songs were classic Kiss hits that he sang. Β The next 5 were from his first solo album. Β Then on side two, 5 songs from Frehley’s Comet and 5 from Second Sighting. Β  I also made a Kiss hits tape from the post-Double Platinum period, basically all the singles from Dynasty through to Asylum.

When I first met T-Rev almost a decade later (1994), I had met a kindred spirit. Β He was doing the same thing! Β He made hits mixes for Guns N’ Roses. Β The Four Horsemen. Β Van Halen. Β And so on and so forth. Β But in a lot of ways, he had taken it to the next level.

Trevor had an artistic ability above and beyond me, he was really really good at art. Β That’s why we used to get him to make all our store signage. Β So it probably should have been no surprise to me that he put equal effort into his cover art. Β He did a beautiful job on the Guns and Van Halen mixes!

Somehow these ended up in my possession. Β I don’t even remember how anymore, but here they are. Β It looks to me like not only did T-Rev did awesome cover art, but he numbered all his mixes and must have had a numerical filing system. Β The Guns mix appears to be a Part II, and is #34 in his Β library. Β Van Halen must have followed shortly behind at #38. Β I also ended up with an early mix of his, number #14, called What De Hell!!

I’m really glad that I found these! Β It brings back a lot of memories of the early days at the record store. Β There was no such thing as blank CD’s yet, and even if there was, T-Rev didn’t have a computer to burn one on yet. Β Tapes were our canvas, and they even had a longer running time than a CD. Β 90 minutes was our standard, but you could even go as high as 100 without losing too much sound quality.

Not that there was much sound quality!

Thanks for loaning these to me T-Rev! Β If you still have something to play them on, I’ll send ’em back to ya if you want them!

VIDEO BLOG: Surprise Parcel From Aaron!

For the full story behind this, click here:

RECORD STORE TALES Part 135: Back In A Tracksuit

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Part 144: Mambo #5

RECORD STORE TALES Part 144: Β Mambo #5

Ahh, December. Β Christmas! Β Traditionally, it’s a time when people used to come in, by the masses, looking for whatever that season’s one hit wonder was. Β I was just thinking today about this goof that’s out right now, thisΒ Psy person. Β I was thinking about how people are probably buying his song like there’s no tomorrow this season. Β Then in the new year, when his 15 minutes are up, he’ll be in every bargain bin across the nation.

A similar thing happened in 1999. Β You might remember a one hit flash in the pan called Lou Bega. Β A little number called “Mambo #5”.

I had the unfortunate experience of having to hear his album over and over that season. Y’see, it’s not just the general public that was going for that one hit wonder crap, there were also a couple record store people too. Β (For shame!) Β I won’t say who subjected us to this album, numerous times, but she knows who she is.

It’s because of her that I know there’s also another song on Lou Bega’s album called “1+2=2”, which is basically the exact same song as “Mambo #5”, just with different words.

As is always the case, in the new year, we couldn’t give that sucker away. Β As it sat collecting dust on our shelves, one of our customers put it succinctly:

“Lou Bega? Β Huh huh huh…more like Lou Beggin’ for Change!”

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Happy holidays!

Part 142: VIDEO BLOG! Quest For Bill Ward

RECORD STORE TALES PART 142: Β Quest For Bill Ward

Full review of this CD coming soon…

Part 141: When We Rock, We Rock, and When We Roll, We Roll

RECORD STORE TALES Part 141: Β When We Rock, We Rock, and When We Roll, We Roll

I’d always liked Deep Purple, since I first heard the song “Knockin’ On Your Back Door”. Β But I wasn’t a Deep Purple collector until 1996. Β Until then I only owned three: Β Deepest Purple, Perfect Strangers, and Knockin’ On Your Back Door.

In 1996 two critical eventsΒ occurred: Β Deep Purple released the incredible comeback record, Purpendicular, with Steve Morse. Β I was also dumped by a girl who went and married the next guy, a few months later. Β That kind of took the wind out of my sails. Β And what’s better for putting the wind back in, than some new music?

I had T-Trev order Purpendicular for me. Β I hadn’t even heard a note, or seen a review. Β It was an import. Β Wasn’t even released in this country yet. Yet, new music was what the doctor ordered.

The CD arrived open, as did almost all discs imported from England. Β (Do you not seal your discs in England?) Β T-Rev gave it a test spin before I arrived. Β The track was called “Vavoom: Ted the Mechanic”.

“There’s some crazy stuff on here. Β Hope you like it”.

In three listens, I loved it.

The quest was on to get more. Β I taped some rare stuff off my buddy Vuckovich: Β Anthology (the vinyl, not the CD version) , and Power House. Β Both contained rare tracks that were not available on CD at the time. Β We had copies of Shades Of and Book of Taliesyn, and I bought those as well. Β  Book Of was a cheap reproduction, unfortunately I paid $16 for it without realizing. Β You could hear that it was taken from a vinyl copy. Β We also had a used copy of When We Rock, We Rock, so I grabbed that too. Β It had some live stuff from Made In Japan on it.

The local library had a copy of Deep Purple, the final Rod Evans album, which I recorded. Β It quickly became a favourite.

At Sam the Record Man downtown, I found both Concerto For Group and Orchestra and King Biscuit Flower Hour. Β I fell in love with the Concerto big time. Β Unfortunately, it didn’t work well for store play. Β The quiet parts were inaudible.

Later that summer, Tom directed me to a copy of The House of Blue Light, used with some water damage on the cover, at a Christian record store in Waterloo. Β I took it because it was impossible to find on CD. Β  And finally, T-Rev and I hit HMV in Toronto, where I acquired a beautiful 25th Anniversary edition of In Rock, and the accompanying “Black Night” limited edition single.

Don’t break the case, the autographs are etched into the plastic!

That was just 1996, and I hadn’t even scratched the surface yet. Β I didn’t even have Fireball, Machine Head, Made in Japan, or Who Do We Think We Are yet! Β It would take time. Β Back then you didn’t necessarily buy in order of preference, you bought in order of opportunity.

It was a lot of Deep Purple to absorb in a short period of time, but that’s how Purple became one of my top five favourite bands today. Β Sometimes you just need to dive in…and sometimes you just need a little push to do so. Β Thanks for dumping me, chickie!

Part 140: For I Have Dined On Honeydew

RECORD STORE TALES Part 140: Β For I Have Dined On Honeydew

Back in 19xx, I decided to do a road trip to get some proverbial “good lobster”. Β I took T-Rev with me, not because he likes seafood (“nothing that swims” was his slogan) but because you need a road trip companion for a 2 hour drive to get lunch!

We both had Sundays off. Β We ditched the record store, and hit the road one Sunday morning for Kincardine, Ontario, home of Pelican’s Roost. Β It was the best lobster place in the province. Β It’s not there anymore, but it sure was awesome. Β T-Rev brought some road tapes. Β He was always the master of making road tapes. Β I remember he did one that was basically the best of Use Your Illusion I and II. Β Another one collected the best tunes by Four Horsemen.

Problem: Β The Roost was closed! Β It didn’t open again until 5. Β I sheepishly apologized to Trevor and asked if it was cool if we stayed until they opened. Β He agreed, in the meantime we had lunch at Hawg’s Breath.

Then, we killed time looking for discs.

Kincardine didn’t have a record store then (it did in the late 80’s/early 90’s), but it did have a discount shop with a few thousand used discs to go through. Β The great thing about out of the way places like this was finding weird stuff that was valuable, that nobody realized was valuable.

What T-Rev bought that day was not valuable. Β It was, however, just too weird not to buy. Β So he did. Β What the hell were with those track titles? Β “Muffle That Fart” was sure to be a top smash hit.

That certainly worked up an appetite for some lobster!

The Pelican’s Roost opened, and I put that unsightly album cover behind me! Β I ordered the lobster tail with butter while T-Rev had the chicken. Β We returned home with full bellies, and a disc that was just too weird to leave behind!

Part 139: VIDEO BLOG! Billion Dollar Baby (by Bob Greene)

RECORD STORE TALES PART 139: Β Billion Dollar Baby

Watch the vid for details on the book and where I got ‘er!

Part 138: Remembrance Day

RECORD STORE TALES Part 138: Remembrance Day

Every November 11 at the store, I always killed the sound at 11:00 am for one minute. Β I remembered going to the cenotaph every year when I was a kid, and watch my Grampa with the other old soldiers laying the wreaths. Β I plugged my ears when the canons fired! Β The least I could do as an adult is kill the music for one minute.

This one is for my Grampa and veterans everywhere.

Β 

Part 137: M.E.A.T Magazine (VIDEO BLOG)

Anybody else remember Drew Masters and M.E.A.T Magazine?

RECORD STORE TALES Part 137: M.E.A.T