The The

2-26-10 The The – Singles

12" UNCERTAIN SMILE EPIC UK EPCA 13-2787

1982 4 TRKS with pic sleeve

12" PERFECT EPIC UK A13-3119

1983 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" THIS IS THE DAY EPIC NL A 3710

1983 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

12" SOUL MINING EPIC UK XPR 1322

1986 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo-only?

12" HEARTLAND EPIC UK TRUTH T2

1986 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

12" INFECTED EPIC UK TRUTH Q3

1986 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" SLOW TRAIN TO DAWN / HARBOUR LIGHTS EPIC UK TENSE 1

1986 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

12" SLOW TRAIN TO DAWN EPIC UK TENSE T1

1986 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" SWEET BIRD OF TRUTH / SLEEPING JUICE EPIC UK TENSE 2

1986 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

12" SWEET BIRD OF TRUTH EPIC UK TENSE T2

1986 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD5 SWEET BIRD OF TRUTH EPIC UK CDTHE 2

1987 4 TRK CD Single CD5

12" GRAVITATE TO ME EPIC UK EMU E9

1989 2 TRKS with pic sleeve, etched disc

CD5 GRAVITATE TO ME EPIC UK CDEMU 9

1989 3 TRK CD Single CD5

7" ARMAGEDDON DAYS ARE HERE (AGAIN) EPIC UK EMU 10

1989 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD5 ARMAGEDDON DAYS ARE HERE (AGAIN) EPIC UK CDEMU 10

1989 4 TRK CD Single CD5

12" ARMAGEDDON DAYS ARE HERE (AGAIN) EPIC UK EMU T10

1989 4 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD3 BEAT(EN) GENERATION EPIC UK 654578.3

1989 4 TRK CD Single CD3

12" BEAT(EN) GENERATION EPIC NL 654578.6

1989 4 TRKS with pic sleeve

12" JEALOUS OF YOUTH EPIC US EAS 1958

1990 3 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo

CD5 SHADES OF BLUE EPIC UK 655796.2

1991 4 TRK CD Single CD5

7" DOGS OF LUST / VIOLENCE OF TRUTH, THE EPIC UK 658457.7

1992 2 TRKS with pic sleeve; pink vinyl

12" DOGS OF LUST EPIC US EAS 4836

1992 3 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo

CD5 SLOW EMOTION REPLAY #2 EPIC UK 659077.5

1993 2 TRK CD Single CD5

CD5 I SAW THE LIGHT EPIC UK 661091.2

1994 4 TRK CD Single CD5

I started with “Sweet Bird Of Truth” being sent to me by an exporter – on a cassette! Really enjoyed the “Infected” long-form video. Always rather regretted that I never had the chance to see them play live. Would love to find more 7” & 12” singles, but they’re thin on the ground, ‘round here. I thought it was interesting that they removed bonus tracks from the re-mastered CD’s. OK. I love The The’s instrumentals, like “Sleeping Juice” and “Harbour Lights”. Matt Johnson / The The really knew what they were doing there for a while! Respect!

Squeeze

2-25-10 Squeeze

I certainly never collected the group Squeeze in the 80’s; I guess I relegated them to being a group that I only needed a “best of” LP / CD. Lately, I have been having good luck with their UK 45’s, so I am a bit more interested in them now.

7" ANOTHER NAIL IN MY HEART / PRETTY THING A&M UK AMS 7507

1980 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo

7" BLACK COFFEE IN BED A&M UK AMS 8219

1982 2 TRKS with pic sleeve, promo – 6 minute A-side!

7" CHRISTMAS DAY / GOING CRAZY A&M UK AMS 7495

1979 2 TRKS with pic sleeve, white vinyl

7" GOODBYE GIRL / SAINTS ALIVE A&M UK AMS 7398

1978 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

10" HEARTBREAKING WORLD A&M UK AMY 291

1985 4 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" IF I DIDN'T LOVE YOU A&M US AM-1616-S

1980 2 TRKS with pic sleeve, 5" disc

7" LABELLED WITH LOVE A&M UK AMS 8166

1981 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

CD MILLENNIUM COLLECTION A&M US 213338.2

2006 12 TRK Collection; 'Singles 45 & Under'

7" PULLING MUSSELS (FROM THE SHELL) A&M UK AMS 7523

1980 2 TRKS with pic sleeve, red vinyl

7" PULLING MUSSELS (FROM THE SHELL) A&M US AM-2247

1980 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

LP SINGLES - 45 & UNDER A&M NZ L 37955

1982 12 TRK Collection

7" TEMPTED / TRUST A&M US AM-2345

1981 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD U.K. SQUEEZE A&M US 3185.2

1978 12 TRKS ('95 issue) debut

7" UP THE JUNCTION / IT'S SO DIRTY A&M UK AMS 7444

1979 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo

I would really like to find their “Cool For Cats” A&M UK 45! Never saw or heard their debut, “Packet of Three” on the Deptford Fun City label. Would love to find a copy!

I remember reading about how Difford & Tilbrook were being compared to Lennon & McCartney. Um, not quite. Always rather amused about how Jools Holland has hosted many TV shows in England for ages.

A&M seems to have hosted a number of bands over the years that inevitably get ‘past their prime’, Squeeze being an example. All those late 80’s albums are never more than $1 or $2. I don’t remember the label change – to Warners / Reprise? Wherever they went, it didn’t happen.

Still, very very good band. British pop music of a fairly high order. Good singing, playing. Nicely produced. Lots of picture sleeves, some colored vinyl. A few gimmick releases (the 5” single, for instance).

A + M UK 45's

2-24-10 A&M UK 45’s

At the Claremont swap meet last weekend, I had a particularly good find with some A&M UK promo 7” singles. I think these must’ve come from a publisher or something – all over the map! Roughly ’79 – ’83:

ARMATRADING, JOAN – DROP THE PILOT, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

BADOWSKI, HENRY – BABY SIGN HERE WITH ME, A&M UK 7" promo

BADOWSKI, HENRY – HENRY'S IN LOVE, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

BADOWSKI, HENRY – MY FACE, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

EUROPEANS – ANIMAL SONG, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

HENRY, BOBBY – SOHO SAD SHOW, OVAL UK 7" promo, prod. by “The Oval Secret”

HINE, RUPERT – MISPLACED LOVE, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo, w/ Marianne Faithfull

HINE, RUPERT – SET UP, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

JACKSON, JOE – BREAKING US IN TWO, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

JACKSON, JOE – I'M THE MAN, A&M UK 7" promo, b/w “Come On” (Live vers.)

JANKEL, CHAS – AI NO CORRIDA, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

JANKEL, CHAS – ONE OH NINE, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

JANKEL, CHAS – QUESTIONNAIRE, A&M UK 7" promo

JUPP, MICKEY – JOGGIN', A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

JUPP, MICKEY – MODERN MUSIC, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

LEMARR, PEPI – MAGIC, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo, who is this?

NINE BELOW ZERO – E.P., M&L UK 7" W/PS Modern Leopard

RICH AND FAMOUS (AKA R.A.F.) – TALKING PICTURES, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

RICHARDS, REGINA / RED HOT – TYGER, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

SECRET, THE – ANOTHER HEARTLINE, A&M UK 7" promo

SECRET, THE – HOTEL CARABINEROS, OVAL UK 7" W/PS blue vinyl, promo, Modern Leopard

SHRINK – I AM A DOLL, A&M UK 7" promo, Modern Leopard

SIAM – CATRIX, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

SPLIT ENZ – POOR BOY, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

SQUEEZE – ANOTHER NAIL IN MY HEART, A&M UK 7" promo

SQUEEZE – BLACK COFFEE IN BED, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

SQUEEZE – UP THE JUNCTION, A&M UK 7" promo

WAKEMAN, RICK – ANIMAL SHOWDOWN, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

WYMAN, BILL – VISIONS, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

Y.M.O. – FIRECRACKER, A&M UK 7" W/PS promo

Also found a bunch of A&M UK 45’s by The Keys, who are produced by Joe Jackson. Also 4 x A&M UK 45’s by UK Players – Britfunk? Never heard of either of these artists!

Always amusing to run into this kind of ‘find’. I love Europeans, and am always happy to find stuff for my Rupert Hine collection. I guess there are 5 x UK Chas Jankel 45’s! A 2^nd 45 by Shrink! A promo Split Enz 45, where I only had a stock copy! Working on my Squeeze collection, too! Certainly never saw this Rick Wakeman 45, either.

And who was “Modern Leopard”? How many records did they produce? Was it somebody at A&M UK or their publisher? What’s “The Oval Secret”?

The Plastics

2-23-10 The Plastics

I wasn’t a big Plastics fan when they existed originally. I was really so all over the map back then…I liked P-Model better, back when. And was more interested in Y.M.O., too. But I eventually came around to The Plastics.

CD ALL ACROSS THE U.S.A. 80 LIVE SPEEDSTAR JP VICL-60157

1997 17 TRKS Live

LP ALL ACROSS THE U.S.A. 80 LIVE SPEEDSTAR JP VIJL-60012

1997 12 TRKS Live, insert

7" COPY / ROBOT ROUGH TR UK RT 030

1979 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" DIAMOND HEAD / PEACE ISLAND UK NIP 1

1981 2 TRKS flexidisc, autographed

CD DR. VoBG (Live 2007.10.29) BRIDGE JPN EGDS-46

2009 12 TRKS Live 10/27/07 Plastic cover

7" GOOD / PATE INVITATION JPN VIHX-1507

1980 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD HARD COPY: LIVE AT YANEURA POLYSTAR JPN MTCA-1022

2005 18 TRKS Live, '79 + DVD + BOOK

CDx2 ORIGATO 25 (Collection) SPEEDSTAR JP VICL-61710/1

2005 25 TRK Collection

CD ORIGATO PLASTICO INVITATION JPN VICL-2014

1980 11 TRKS 2nd

LP ORIGATO PLASTICO INVITATION JPN VIH-28013

1980 11 TRKS insert

7" PATE / LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE ISLAND UK NIP 2

1981 2 TRKS flexidisc

7" PEACE / DESOLATE INVITATION JPN VIHX-1518

1980 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" TOP SECRET MAN / DELICIOUS INVITATION JPN VIH-1070

1980 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD WELCOME BACK INVITATION JPN VICL-2050

1981 10 TRKS 3rd

LP WELCOME BACK INVITATION JPN VIH-28030

1981 10 TRKS insert

LP WELCOME BACK ISLAND UK ILPS 9627

1981 10 TRKS

CD WELCOME PLASTICS INVITATION JPN VICL-2013

1980 14 TRKS 1st

LP WELCOME PLASTICS INVITATION JPN VIH-6065

1980 14 TRKS insert

Toshio Nakanishi! I bet I was so naïve that when “H” by Hajime Tachibana first rolled down the pike, I didn’t even know he was the guitarist of The Plastics!

There is also a Plastics ‘tribute’ CD, “Welcome To The Plastic World” (Epic/Sony Japan, 1999 with Pizzicato Five and Fantastic Plastic Machine).

I have met Tachibana; I’ve interviewed Nakanishi. I followed Nakanishi’s work in real time, through Melon and Watermelon…to Tycoon Tosh & Terminator Troops, to Skylab, to Major Force West, Mo’ Wax…Pussyfoot…back to Japan…still following him, actually. I just got (and listened to) the “DR. VoBG (Live 2007.10.29)” CD. Plastic Sex CD, too! I wrote the liner notes for the 2^nd Watermelon album…

Playlist #126

Playlist #126 2/22/10 45 vinyl

PRESTON, BILLY – Space Race

FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION – Grazing In The Grass

CANNED HEAT – Let’s Work Together

JAGGERZ – The Rapper

HERMAN’S HERMITS – No Milk Today

CHIFFONS – Sweet Talkin’ Guy

BURDON, ERIC / ANIMALS – Help Me Girl

LITTLE SISTER – You’re The One – Part 1 (Sly Stone)

SAM THE SHAM – Banned In Boston

FRIEND AND LOVER – Reach Out Of The Darkness

YOUNGBLOODS – Get Together

GUESS WHO?, THE – These Eyes

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY – Anytime

MITCHELL, JONI – Big Yellow Taxi

KINKS – Lola (“Cherry Cola” vers.)

GLITTER, GARY – Happy Birthday

10cc – Hot To Trot

JACKSON, JOE – Come On (Live)

SAD CAFÉ – My Oh My

AXTON, HOYT – San Fernando

KERSHAW, DOUG – Play, Fiddle, Play

RIGHEIRA – Hey Mama (Italian version)

Postage Stamps

2-22-10 Postage Stamps

Two of my hobbies collide!

The curious items pictured are, in fact, postage stamps from England. That’s right – if one lived in England, you could purchase a “Ziggy Stardust” stamp!

I am very OK with most of these (Pink Floyd, Blur, Rolling Stones, The Clash, Mike Oldfield, David Bowie). I don’t think you can actually buy them separately.

They come in a nice “presentation pack”, and on the reverse is information about the year of issue etc. The blurb on the back is about ‘Hipgnosis’ showing Brand X “Moroccan Roll”! And this is printed by / for the British government! Also pictured on the back are Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon”, Led Zeppelin “Presence” and 10cc “How Dare You”. I wonder if there are other designers on other ‘folders’?

I collected British Commonwealth postage stamps for several years, when I was a youth. After that, I did US Commemoratives. Up until about 1970 or so. I had a flirtation with coins, followed by back-issue magazines (Mad, National Lampoon etc.) I think my stamp collection is around here, someplace. Haven’t seen it lately, however.

Just imagine if every country did this – putting famous LP’s onto postage stamps? Would New Zealand have a Split Enz postage stamp? Would Holland have a stamp for The Nits? Or Golden Earring?

These stamps were sent to me by a pre-internet friend in England. I read about them on-line, and I actually asked for them. They are a lot cooler than they looked on-line. I think when I first asked him, I said I wanted a sheet of “Ziggy Stardust” stamps, or something like that.

Interesting that the British government (who made the stamps) appear to be unconcerned with the personal lives of some of the artists here – I mean, they had recently arrested members of The Rolling Stones when “Let It Bleed” came along. And aren’t New Order faux neo-nazis? Weren’t Pink Floyd famous for being an ‘acid’ band? And I believe there are some outspoken aspects to Primal Scream.

I want the U.S. to make stamps of Ernest Tubb, Porter Wagoner, Floyd Cramer, Boots Randolph, Waylon Jennings, Stringbean, Minnie Pearl, Buck Owens, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves etc. (They’re never going to make “Psychedelic Heroes” postage stamps, with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison etc.)

Which brings me to: I guess the British must be able to make stamps with living people on ‘em? The guy smashing the bass on The Clash album, David Bowie…still walking around…

Trying To Listen...

2-19-10 Trying to Listen…

I am always trying to come up with a way to listen to more music. Sometimes, I find myself sitting in silence, reading. I also try to listen to one whole album as I get ready to go to sleep for the night. I always figure that if it’s interesting enough, it will keep me awake.

I had an idea recently to take an entire year – from any starting point – and listen to only one album each day – but each and every day. I thought of that last year, and we’re more than half way through February and – as yet – I have not started this project.

And I’ve already bought several hundred new titles to my collection this year so far. When am I going to get around to listening to everything?

“You have all those records. Do you listen to them all?” – Well, I try to! I’ve made 125 numbered playlists over the last 2 or 3 years. This is where I make an MD and list the songs I pick. Then I put all the playlists into a spread sheet. How many did I duplicate? Not as many as you might think. I do try to listen to everything – at least once!

And all those John Cale shows Dept.: My hearing isn’t what it used to be! My left ear hears better than my right ear. And neither ear is terribly clear at the moment. I know, I know – the guy who buys re-mastered CD’s ostensibly to get clearer, better sound – can’t hear as good as he used to. Does that mean I should buy more DVD’s of movies that have subtitles?

But…but…I’m still interested, damn it! My interest is still there to sift the used bins at all three Amoeba stores in California – as well as countless other record stores! Looking at used records – one of the few time-displacement diet methods that actually work!

I see other people at work with their iPods…looking up playlists on the internet. I do not want to stick anything in my ears anymore! And to wear big DJ headphones at work would just be plain old rude. Yes, I could use my Sony Minidisc MDLP portable, so at least it wouldn’t be an iPoop.

I burn tons of CD’s to play in my car. After I play ‘em maybe once – I give the ‘burns’ to friends. But I do get to listen in the car.

Just the other night, I played Emerson Lake & Palmer “Tarkus” right before I went to bed. I always did like that album, and apparently – so do the Japanese! Side One sounded great. Side Two was never as good, but it all played quickly enough. I stayed awake for the entire album! It would’ve been pushing it to play another album after that. What ran though my mind: “Should I order a new version of Tarkus? Would an ’08 SHM-CD from Japan in a little paper album cover sound better or clearer?” I do already own a Japanese little paper album cover CD of Tarkus. And several original Island UK / Euro vinyl variants of it. And it’s definitely not a question of upgrading to get more / better / different bonus tracks. Tarkus doesn’t have any. Until the 40^th anniversary edition, I bet!