9:55 a..m. Typing OK this morning. Left hand a little shaky. I’m just slower. I hope my brain is cooperating with my request to resist at all times the sticky quicksand those rogue proteins create. Check-offs. Sleep. Did well, watched basketball until I couldn’t hold my eyes open. Had a mild calf musclle spasm that I caught and rubbed out before it could start its torture. That addresses the category Pain. I played basketball last night. It’s one of two days of good exercise I get every week. But I’m slow moving in the morning after these. Trying to get one or two days where Catherine and I can go do some gym stuff, weights, possibly Yoga. I have to stop here and describe a play last night in which I delivered a pass to Ramsey Archibald. We had a break going, I was down court running hard after the other team turned it over. Teammate Kevin Storr (who was red-hot shooting BTW) hit me in stride at about the foul line, defender coming on fast. I knew Ramsey, on my team, was coming on fast from behind. I made a little look up feint like I was going to go up for the lay-up setting the defender into leaping stage. Instead of putting it up, I bounced it with two hands — like a football snap — between my legs, Ramsey caught it off the bounce and put it up for a layup. Mental Health. Good.!
Day ahead will include some op-ed reading and Mike Madness planning.
I have obtained three very interesting albums from a nice couple who wanted to donate for the cause.
That cause being raising awareness and funds to fight Lewy body dementia. (Read my story here).
Wow! Here’s what they got me!
Three very interesting records including Birmingham area favorites from the 1970s: Buckingham Nicks. The couple, Stevie and Lindsay, appearing ‘nekkid’ on the cover (top right) seems to be shouting: We are lovers!
Of course,, the irony would come later after becoming famous in Fleetwood Mac, the couple split up and in their misery produced some of the best music of their lives, break-up songs such as, ‘You can go your own way’ and ‘Dreams.’. No more ‘nekkid’ album covers, though. Not exactly groundbreaking, the album is really good however. It sort of flopped initially. It strongly presages the latter Fleetwood Mac sound in style and melody. And of course the rest is history as Fleetwood Mac became one of the biggest selling bands of all time.
Interestingly it sold better in Alabama than just about anywhere.
AL.com rock writer Matt Wake wrote “…the group became an unlikely sensation in Alabama after Birmingham progressive rock station WJLN-FM gave the LP heavy spins, particularly spiraling seven-minute track “Frozen Love.”
So how did these records come to me?
Several weeks ago a man named Jim Stubbs of the Birmingham area, emailed me to ask if I had Buckingham Nicks and, if not, do I was want it?
Long story short we met at John’s Diner, I met his wonderful wife Debbie who used to know me when we both worked at the Birmingham News in 1983 –we overlapped a few months.
The Stubbs said they just wanted to donate for the cause, bringing awareness to Lewy body dementia, which I have and try to do just that — raise awareness — with my blog www..myvinylcountdown.com
The Stubbs are good people, and I want to figure out a way to make their pledge count. One idea is to auction off some collectible records to go to Lewy body dementia research and awareness.
I don’t know how much these albums are worth, maybe $50 altogether? $100? $300? I definitely have some records that would qualify as collectible. If we can get even 25 to 50 albums I’m pretty sure we can raise $1,000 to $3,000 like that with some good effective advertising.
Here’s the skinny on what I know about the other two albums which have bizarre backstories.
Billy Joel “Cold Spring Harbor”
Liner notes says he checked into to a mental hospital around this time. There’s also some who call it his debut because he recorded it in 1971 even though it wasn’t released until 1976 after Joel’s other work became big.
It opens with the original version of ‘She’s got a Way.’ that’s followed by the blistering honky tonk piano and guitar tune called ‘You Can Make Me Free.’
The weirdness of this album is they recorded it 8 percent too fast. I put this on the other night and my wife commented “That sounds like Billy Joel as a child.”
Joel apparently went ballistic over the unfixable error. He called it his chipmunk album.
Thanks Jim and Debbie for turning me on to these records. They may provide the base for a solid charitable drive either part of Mike Madness weekend or separate. That’s July 20 on the hoops and after party, keep alert for details.
Joel explains in this video:
Jimmy Buffet, “High Cumberland Jubilee.”
Buffett had a problem with his album that,like Joel, caused a long delay before it was released.
Here’s what Wikipedia says about this album: Due to its limited appeal, long periods out of general release, and stylistic differences with the rest of Buffett’s work, High Cumberland Jubilee (along with the similar Down to Earth) was often not considered part of the chronology of Buffett albums by fans or even Buffett himself. It was his final album with Barnaby just before his signing with Dunhill and the recording of his 1973 breakout album, A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean.
This was often called his ‘lost’album. ‘
I think it is great. Picking and grinning music that I would choose to listen to over his later overplayed music. I’m not saying his later music is bad, I’ve just heard enough — for now. Until I go to the beach.
So three good records. Value is difficult to place on these as I roam around the Internet. BN for example is selling from between $20 to $100. I see Buffet’s going from $7 to $55 but the median seems to about $10, according to Discogs.. And Joel’s cold harbor ranges on Discogs from about $9,99 to $75. But on FPS 2700 it’s median range is about $15.
It’s nearly 8 a.m. I’m not typing well right now. It is increasingly taking awhile to get my hands working. This is my new Daily Journal. Every day I’m going to write about myself, most specifically healh-wise.. But there are no rules. The rest of my blog will continue as before, counting down my 678 vinyol records to bring awareness to this horrible brain disease I have: Lewy body demenia and I will still be filing longer form essays and ruminations and even news.
I was going to try to do this at night but I fell asleep in my bed with my fingers on the keyboard. NP is Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Cry for the Bad Man.’ I’m in the L’s in my countdown alphabetically. I m also listening to Led Zeppelin. I am usually through three album sides before I get to work.
Wow. Zeppelin and Skynyrd. Two totally different groups but co-equals in virtuosity, popularity and influence. Free Bird vs. Stairway to Heaven. Love em both. (although I barely listen to them any more after hearing those songs 1 (yes) 1 million times each.
Oh and because the journal will be a lot about me and the disease and its erosion of me, I need some health touchstones.: Sleep. Has been good although I had two of those extremely painful rolling muscle spasms this last week in my calves. It happens at night and I usually wake up yelling. Eating: Officially on South Beach low carb diet although I had a chocolate bunny yesterday, solid melt-in-your mouth-chocolate. But constippation is a battle I fight with prunes.. Mental State:. If my mentality was a state it would have a bumper sticker saying ‘Thank God for Mississippi.’ In other words, it could be worse. Pain I’ve had two painful rolling muscle spasms this week. It’s the kind where I feel like the rodents that I sometimes hallucinate are somehow making their way under my skin, into my my calf, and running amuck. Most of the time I am not in pain,however, and feel fortunate about that. The brain itself does not have pain nerve endings — it is my understanding, and I am thankful for that.
Watch for these updates every day.and I’ll keep the music flowing. Thanks to Lori Oliver, my sister-in-law, for suggesting this journal feature, saying it would greatly enhance my regular but sporadic posts on my health. I just look up to the universe and say let me keep words and I’ll make sure that I try to string them together into something that makes sense. (His and Hurricanes is the exception).
This guitarist has a prolific resume. Founder of the band Grin, they put out some solid rock albums. He was in Neil Young’s Crazy Horse and later Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.
Meanwhile he put out a number of solo albums like this one in 1975.
When you have close to 700 albums, it’s hard to play all of them consistently. I don’t come home from work and say, gosh I really have to hear some Lofgren. But I should, you should too.. There’s a reason Neil and Bruce like him. He’s a rock and roll guitar player who has fun, plays loose and his music on this album and my two Grin albums sounds like the best bar band you just stumbled onto.
Highlights include Keith Don’t Go, fun homage to Keith Richards complete with Stones’ riffs. “Going Back,” a Goffin/King song shows off his piano skills which I didn’g even know he had.
I’m kind of new to this Record Store Day thing. Last year I went to Charlemagne and Renaissance on Birmingham’s Southside. Don’t even remember what I bought to be honest. I just wasn’t in to shopping for records, I guess.
This year I was feeling it a little more as I continue to countdown my record collection officially standing at 678 records (there’s more than that now because of outings like the one Saturday.
I went to Seasick this time and confirmed what kind of collector I am.
I spent $10. For 10 records.
While others were pulling multicolored vinyl reissues of popular new or rediscovered hip music at $20, $30, $40 a pop, I dove into the bargain bin. It’s easy to take a gamble with 1 buck rather than $50. Now what I got may not be impressive to a ‘real’ collector, it affirmed my growing awareness that I am a bargain record hunter. My collecting began in the 1960s, 1970s as a kid. I have 678 from then which i am counting down on this blog to raise awareness of this brain disease I have: Lewy body dementia.
More than half of my records are likely cutouts. If I have any expensive collectibles, I can tell you its by accident for the most part.I went about 25 years without buying a record when CDs came out in the 1980s.
So Saturday was confirmation of this aesthetic. No Record Store Day fancified records for me –though I don’t begrudge those who did walk away with shiny new vinyl. In fact I’m envious. But I’m also excited about my little 10-spot haul. Here’s my list in alphabetical order. I picked these in 30 minutes arriving about 3 -something.
The Carpenters — “Horizon.” A Rolling Stone critic called this album the Carpenters”most musically sophisticated.” For me they are a guilty pleasure featuring Karen’s beautiful voice. This somewhat underlooked album has Solitaire’ and ‘Only Yesterday.’ For my wife, Catherine, there’s no guilt. One buck still in shrink wrap.
Rick Derringer “All American Boy.” I was disturbed when I lost this record many years ago. I loved it at 14. I was ecstatic finding it in the $1 bin Saturday. “Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo.” A quarter if you can name two bands Derringer was in.
Dave Edmunds “D.E. &th” — I’m a big fan of Rockpile, Nick Lowe and Edmunds.
Four Tops “Soul Spinning” — Early soul from this Motown quartet. A little more raw than their immensely popular later work.
Mouth and MacNeal “How Do You Do.” The song is the best-worst song in the world as declared by MyVinylCountdown.com Had to buy it for a buck. Had never actually seen this before.
The Partridge Family -“Up to Date Nostalgia purchase. Enjoyed the TV show when I was 10. David Cassidy and Shirley Jones. were the only two allowed to sing. The others lip-synced professional singers.
The Raiders “Cherokee Nation.” Big hit was the title song. Wasn’t it controversial? Paul Revere was gone from the group at the time but ostensibly the most talented –Mark Lindsay — was keeping it real;
Rainmakers — When this came out in 1986 Newsweek called it “the most auspicious debut album of the year.” “Let My People Go-Go.” I used to have this on cassette and played it to death. Awesome find for me, these Kansas City, Mo., boys.
Swimming Pool Q’s “Blue Tomorrow” I have this album. It’s one of my favorite albums. Why would.n’t I buy a back-up copy for a buck.
The Young Rascals “Groovin’ — I have their greatest hits. But critics say this is their best album. Title song is classic. This group had about a dozen hits over several years.
Rhino Records knows how to make something from not much. This decidedly minor group gets a cover with lots of photos, a plastic cover sleeve with Rhino’s catalog: Best of Troggs, the Nazz, the Standells, the Box Tops, and so on.
Then there is a history on a sheet inside that is everything you would ever want to know about four anonymous guys in a band you’ve hardly ever heard of. That’s Rhino! I love them. Who knows? We document their history and some time in the future there is a Left Banke revival? Nah, but they did one thing that put them on the pop-rock map: ‘Walk Away Renee.’ It’s a pop classic, strings and all. (The version by the Cowsills on their live album is awesome and where I first heard it at about 11 years old.)
‘Pretty Ballerina’ was their other hit and it’s not so much. Two tracks are from the group Stories, which had a cool song about interracial dating/love affairs that was likely bold for its day called Brother Louie. Stories morphed out of the Left Banke in early 1970s.
Country leavened belter Maria McKee delivers a hybrid punk country voice that is big and just a shade too sharp for my ears. No question she’s talented. But the LA band came with lots of hype.
One critic declared the self-titled debut the greatest album ever made, according to the band’s Wikipedia page.
Huh?
Just in the sub-genre of cowpunk, two out of three of my Jason and the Scorchers records match or exceed this.
They had a few singles but none did super well. The Tom Petty-penned ‘Ways to be Wicked’ is possibly the best.
ALBUM: Love Tractor , ‘Themes from Venus’ (1988); Let’s Active, “Big Plans for Everybody.’ (1986).
MVC Rating: Tractor 4.0/$$$; Active, 3.5/$$$
I was disappointed to pull out my Love Tractor album and find that it was warped. I’m talking about a big warp at the inception of the record which makes it skip. Sadly I am probably going to have to throw it away. And that’s a shame because I remember it fondly. Another Warped Hometown Band.
I combined Let’s Active with this as well because it was part of a group of records that were my college soundtrack. Both had Mitch Easter connections and Athens, Ga., connections, my more or less hometown. Let’s Active was from, I believe Chapel Hill, a university town that followed Athens’ as an incubator for good music. Of these Love Tractor is more varied and a little bit more alternative or should I say Avant Garde.
They started out as a mostly instrumental band. When they found their words they were mostly super silly but cool super silly like “I Like My Power Tools.”
Let’s Active was often compared to REM but except for some trebly jangly-ness of the guitars I didn’t see them that like that. I thought they sounded more like Ryan Adams.
Love tractor had the wonderful ‘I broke my saw’ in the spirit of Big Fat Tractor by the Swimming Pool Q’s.
ALBUMS: El Rayo X (1981); Win this Record (1982); Mr. Dave (1985} Very Greasy (1988).
MVC Rating: El Rayo X, 4,5/$$$; Win This Record, 4.5 $$$; Mr. Dave, 4.0/$$$; Very Greasy, 4.0/$$$$.
It’s been said that David Lindley can play any stringed instrument put before him. Just give him some string.
The eccentric looking musician — long unkempt locks, plaid shirts, psychedelic pants, bushy mutton chop sideburns — was the antithesis of smooth, suave So-Cal performer Jackson Browne, whom Lindley backed on much of Browne’s discography and live shows.
That’s probably why Lindley’s side projects were so much fun. His eccentricities — kept in check while playing a note perfect lead on ‘Running on Empty’ for example were finally his to accentuate.
And he did, mixing covers of obscure reggae rasta tunes, blues, country with scorching slide guitar and other instruments you may not know.
For example, on Very Greasy , Lindley is listed as playing slide guitar, Bouzouki, Saz, and mandolin. I know mandolin and slide but not the other two. Apparently they are lute-like instruments from Turkey and surrounding areas. (At least he used existing instruments with a track record unlike 10cc ‘s Godley & Creme who went noodling around with middling success on their self-made Gizmo.)
It should be noted that Lindley in his younger days won the Topanga Banjo/fiddle contest in California five times. From 1966 to 1970 he played in Kaleidoscope, a band he co-founded.
On any given day, this album may be my favorite and this underrated British musician may be my favorite rock ‘n roll character.
Check out a documentary on this lovable guy on YouTube and learn about how he bought a rundown farm and began traveling to gigs in a dilapidated travel camper only to miss said gigs because it broke down. Took him days to travel to venues.
Lane died too early of multiple sclerosis on 1997 at age 51.
I have Ronnie Lane all over the place, my Small Faces and Faces records, a collaboration with Pete Townshend (see Annie) that’s excellent and collaboration on a movie soundtrack with Ron Wood. Love all the above. Except for Faces, the other albums have not yet been reviewed in my alphabetical countdown. (I’ve just started the L’s).
Lane first gained attention in Small Faces and Faces where they came up with ”Ooh La La’ and ‘Itchykoo Park.’
Lot of videos in this post but they work better than my words in explaining this whimsical Leprechaun. RIP Ronnie.
