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I gave Mike Love a vinyl record today (blog version)

This is not the album I gave Mike Love today.

I gave Mike Love a vinyl record album today.

This all came about just a few hours before Love and his Beach Boys were to take the stage at the Alabama Theatre.

I’m going to the show, by the way. My brother bought me tickets for Christmas. Thanks David.

OK, here’s how I came about giving Love an album, or at least I hope he got it.

Earlier today I decided to take a stroll out of my office in downtown Birmingham to get a bite. Instead, I stopped at Reed Books, a favorite haunt which sells just about everything vintage, old and collectible.

All records are $2 and since I was skipping lunch I figured I’d use my lunch money for a record. The record was ‘Almost Summer,’ the 1978 soundtrack of a movie with the same name, which I found just rummaging around. Never heard of it but I looked at the songs and who wrote them.

A good portion of the tracks were written by Mike Love and Brian Wilson, I noticed. So there seemed to be good vibrations following me or leading me.

A record with obscure Beach Boys songs. One of them was apparently a hit.

I bought the record and wandered back to my office. The Alabama Theatre is on the way to my office, however. I stopped where a small group of people were standing near at least three large buses. They eyed me warily as I approached and began talking: Are you with the Beach Boys I asked? They really didn’t say anything. A security guard, clearly labeled so on his shirt, started to make his way closer to me. I reached into my satchel — slowly — and pulled out the album.

I told him I just wanted to give this to Mike Love or Bryan WIlson (not knowing if he’d be here or not).

“Oh,” the security guard said. “You just want me to give this to him?”

I said, yes. And I did, give it to him. Hope he likes it. Hope the security guard gave it to him. Then I started thinking, Love probably has this or maybe he doesn’t like it. I was arguing with myself.

Well, you never know. God only knows I felt good doing it, even if I won’t have it for My Vinyl Countdown.

AL.com version here.

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Prefab Sprout — 270, 269

ALBUMS: Two Wheels Good (1985); From Langley Park to Memphis (1988)

MVC Ratings: Two 4.0/$$$$; Langley, 4.0/$$$

This group on these two albums play great, melodic folk English Pop-Rock with very smart lyrics. It’s the kind of band I guarantee someone reading this review and listens to it will fall in love. Not for everybody, but those who fall, fall hard. Listen to first side of Wheels five times. ‘When love breaks down’ was a hit. I love ‘Bonny.’

Listen to ‘The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and ‘Cars and Girls’ on Langley five times each.

Get back to me next week and tell me what you think.

If you like two or more of these following groups, you will certainly enjoy Prefab Sprout: Squeeze, Roxy Music, 10cc, the Housemartins, Thomas Dolby (who produced both of these albums.)The sound is very 80s but very good 80s.

One explanation for their name is that band members misheard the June Carter-Johnny Cash song ‘Jackson’ when Carter sings “We got married in a fever hotter than a pepper sprout’ — they had apparently been singing and hearing that as “prefab sprout.

Two Wheels Good was released with the name Steve McQueen (yes the American actor) in the UK. But the McQueen estate objected and that why mine says ‘Two Wheels Good’ at the top right corner of my album.

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Glenn Phillips — 273

ALBUM: Swim in the Wind, (1977)

MVC Rating: 4.0/$$$

Here is one of the best guitarists you’ve never heard of deals. I think I’ve already said that about him. Aaaargh there are so many best guitarists out there — THAT YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF.

But this guy is the real deal.

Glenn Phillips is an Atlanta-based musician and was in the Hampton Grease Band in Atlanta, which some swear was better than the Allman Brothers. I was about a generation behind Phillips. Although I never saw him live I do have his album — listen to the one I put on video to the end, and you’ll see some blazing and tasteful guitar.

I do understand from others that Phillips taught and mentored some of the good ones around Atlanta including Bob Elsey of the Swimming Pool Q’s. I’ve said before (mostly) instrumental guitar music is good for certain situations. In other words I have to be in the mood. Joining Phillips on an instrumental guitar record, I’ve got Steve Howe, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler, John Fahey the Ventures, the Raybeats, and Paco DeLucia

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The Plimsouls –274

ALBUM: (Everywhere at Once), 1983

MVC Rating: 4.0/$$$ (an extra bump here for the two very strong songs. The rest of the album is 3.0 and 3.5 quality).

The Plimsouls first came to my attention through the movie ‘Valley Girls.’ I know that sounds like a bit of a sex romp but it wasn’t — really. I paid close attention.

Actually it was an early Nicolas Cage vehicle, who even at his young age was developing that amazing ability to act to be the same character in every movie.

That character, of course is Cage playing, of course, Cage.

Anyway the Plimsouls’ song Million Miles Away was featured in the movie, even a ‘live’ version of the song with the Plimsouls playing it in the club. It would fade in volume and camera attention to the band if the characters walked closer to the band. You know that effect: star talks to friend and band’s sound fades to background, then the friends turn their heads toward the band and and the volume increases dramatically.

Million Miles Away and That’s the Oldest Story are the two stellar songs — in fact two of my favorite rock songs of that era, especially the latter. The rest of the album couldn’t keep up though.

After the Plimsouls disbanded, Peter Case has put out quite a few albums as a solo act. See my post on him. And also, post Plimsouls, Paul Collins led a power pop band The Beat. Before all that, both played in an edgy new wave band called the Nerves. The third Nerve, Jack Lee, wrote Hanging on the Telephone, a hit for Blondie. The Nerves released it prior to Blondie.

This is I think a snippet of the movie only quick glance I didn’t see Cage.

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The Payolas –276

ALBUM: Hammer on a Drum (1983)

MVC Rating: 3.0/$$

WIkipedia says this Canadian group named themselves the Payolas after the big radio payola scandal in the 1960s. Alan Freed and all that. OK.

But then Wikipedia reports the band blamed their lack of success on the international level was due to US deejays not playing their records because of the name. Um, really. I find that a stretch. The scandal was two decades or more in the past before the Payolas were even a band. Their target audience wasn’t even born when that scandal popped.

They did sell quite a bit in Canada. Very 80s everpresent synth sound that doesn’t age well in my opinion. Lyrics are not happening. “Where is this love; that comes from above.”

Pretty good chops on their instruments. The great Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson joins them, although it was like a game tryin to find him in wash of synth-etic riffing. Hey maybe that was Ronson joining in a little guitar-synth. Some decent songs here but I can’t heartily recommend this one.

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I almost bought a record store (blog edition)

If you didn’t see my AL.com post of this on Friday, I’m am posting the blog version below.

Summary: Charlemagne Record Exchange a beloved record store in a walk-up at 5-Points South announced it was going out of business after 42 years. I knew Charlemagne a little bit, starting 1982 to 1987. Five Points was a different then. It did not have a Chick-fil-A centerpiece. It was the after-work party and dining destination. There was no Lakeview district; downtown Birmingham turned off the lights about 5 p.m. and Avondale was yet to begin flourishing.

Here’s blog version of my story published on AL.com on Friday:

My Vinyl Countdown: I almost bought a record store.

Oh, did I forget to tell you? I almost bought a record store a few weeks ago. The venerable Charlemagne Record Exchange on BIrmingham’s Southside announced it was shutting down after 42 years of operation.

I probably would have kept the name — lot of history there. Although, I’ve always dreamed of having a record shop called Wax, Shellac and 8-Tracks. In reality, ‘almost’ buying it may be a stretch.

But I was serious when I called Marian, the co-founder and co-owner. I was still serious when I took a tour: Is this my long-time dream, baby? Or is it more of a welcome to my nightmare situation.

Mike record collection

Ultimately I had to be restrained from pursuing this by a family intervention. I’m still locked in the basement as I write this.

Seriously, I have spent a lot of my life in record stores and I have a lot of records. I know popular music — classic rock, soul, some country and jazz — pretty well.

But I’m not a business person. I don’t think I’d enjoy keeping up with the bottom line, health insurance, taxes, and such. I have family members to think about and, as some of you may know I have a progressive illness to take care of.

Ultimately, it came down to this: I can’t figure out if Charlamagne’s example is one of strictly local explanations –more competition with Renaissance Records down the street and Seasick in Avondale – or is it tied to a larger trend of vinyl sales leveling off. In other words is it that a canary portending misfortune or another yellow bird about finding joy?Will vinyl stay hot?

Its resurgence took many by surprise. But it is still a smaller slice of the music industry than it once was. While vinyl is set to overtake CD’s in sales, it is still just a niche’ market up against live streaming service — iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, etc.There are those like me who love to buy used, older records for $5 bucks each.

But new vinyl records for $26.99. Eh. Not so much.I told Marian, I don’t think the timing is right.But I’ll likely be selling the 678 (reality: 800) records of My Vinyl Countdown, bricks and mortar store or not.My wife, Catherine, has made me promise I’d take care of the albums before I go to my Graceland.

And my daughter’s getting married. And that costs money. Let’s just say after looking at potential wedding costs, I was heard quoting James Brown: Owww! Good God, Y’all.

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Inside Mike’s brain. Take a tour. (Blog edition).

Note: This published Monday Jan. 6 on AL.com. Here’s the top of the story and a link to the full length version:

This is an opinion column by Mike Oliver who writes about living with Lewy body dementia.

Come on in.

Welcome.

Welcome to my brain.

The brain is the big boss. This is where it begins — and possibly ends.

I have a brain. (Thank God I was in the right line for that).

But I am not my brain.

Sure, my brain is the Bill Gates of my operation on Earth. But Gates has many thousands who make up Microsoft. Of course it’s all directed and put in play by Gates. When my stomach hurts my brain tells me. But my stomach almost simultaneously mobilizes the forces to find whatever distresses it and help with a fix. The brain keeps the light on while the body parts do their job.

The brain is me but not me only. It’s the conductor of a million symphonies as my body comes together in symbiotic synchronicity. Harmony.

But not always, and certainly not forever. My brain is broken now.

It’s leaking Lewy bodies.

And depending on the source, one lives an average of 4 to 9 years after diagnosis. I was diagnosed, first with Parkinson’s and later Lewy body dementia in 2016. In an internal battle, proteins are killing my brain cells by the 10′s of millions. Near the end, autonomic will not be automatic.

So, welcome to my brain. Let’s have a little fun. (That’s my new motto).

Full story here.

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Marie Osmond –282

ALBUM: I Only Wanted You (1986)

MVC Rating: 2.5

This one is interesting. But I pulled another Nostalgia buy and bought this for a few bucks after reading how there’s resurgent interest in old rock and roll teeny bop music.

Marie’s path has been country.

Music from groups such as the Partridge Family, the Cowsills, and the Osmonds and the Jackson 5 (a group I see in a whole other realm.)

On their television show, Donnie and Marie did a bit where she sang: I’m a little bit country.”

Donnie: ‘ I’m a little bit rock and roll.’

The qualifiers came off funny to me and I mean ha-ha funny. ‘Little bit is about right’.

On this here record, Marie sings pleasantly, better than I remember. But she’s no Lynne Anderson. I I just found out she just had her 60th birthday. As a recent 62-year-old, I say Happy Birthday, and, yes, there is some age defiance here as she looks much younger.

I have to admit I listened to Donny and bros and watched the show. Enjoyed One Bad Apple .

I used to know the song Paper Laces by heart — (not on this album).

I[

I watched brother Donny rock it up on Down By The Lazy River where Donny actually shows a little funkability. But in my childhood record collectiion, the Donny Osmond stack of 45s was way less than the Michael Jackson stack.

PS That’s a pretty catchy open on Lazy River. Just pointing it out.

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Tom Petty — 282, 283

ALBUMS: Damn the Torpedoes (1979); Let me Up I’ve Had Enough (1987);

MVC Ratings: Torpedoes, 4.5/$$$$; Let me up 4.0/$$$.

Of course like nearly every Florida southern boy (at least partly) I was a big fan of the Gainesville, FL, native. He became big when I was in late high school, early college age. ‘Let Me Up’ came out about the time CD’s were taking over and I’m kind of surprised i don’t have this in CD format.

The Let Me Up album was a surprise — I don’t think I listened to it much and it has some great playing and singing on it. Jammin’ Me is a good one although it exposed what may be the reason this album was on the verge of busting out but never had the song to push that on through. Jammin’ Me has a lot of cultural references that I think are cool and most people got. But when you are raising up issues in song about the news, sometimes the stories get old in a 24-hour news cycle.

I would also like to point out here that one of Petty’s best records, unbeknownst to much of the public, was the soundtrack to the movie “She’s the One.” His masterpiece, I believe was ‘Full Moon Fever,’ but that movie soundtrack had some of Petty’s best work such as Walls Pt. 1 and 2; Change the Lock; Asshole and California.

If memory serves me correctly.

I remember we had a road trip to see Petty the main act with the DelFuegos and the Georgia Satellites. Fun time had by all. If memory again serves me correctly. There was me, Bob Carlton, Rick Bragg and Dennis Love. But that may be wrong. I know I was there.

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Best covers of ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’ (blog version)

My longtime position has been don’t do a cover song unless you can bring something to it. Another arrangement, strikingly different vocals, speeded or slowed down.

[See AL.com version of this story by clicking here. ]

An example of a bad cover is Michael Bolton’s cover of Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay.’

Redding’s was already one of rock and soul’s top songs ever. Bolton, he of big American Idol-like voice, did nothing but drain the soul out of the song. He sold millions naturally.

Brian Ferry’s cover of John Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’ is a way of correctly doing a cover. His lilting beautiful voice was a artful cocktail whereas Lennon’s was a shot of whiskey. Ferry’s version was the second stage of a relationship hurting as defined by Lennon’s version.

Perhaps my bar for a good cover is too high but there are some songs that do covers well. Or, make for more cover possibilities. Bob Dylan’s ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’ is one of those songs. Beautiful simple melody, simple sparse words about the universal experience of aging and dying. Dylan songs make good covers because they are good songs in search of a good singer. My Back Pages covered by the Byrds and Blowing in the Wind by Peter Paul and Mary are examples.

I made two Top 10 lists because I found myself listening to these in different ways.

My first list is my sentimental list – probably the list I would choose first. These covers can move me to tears or sadness or joy.

My second list is my cerebral list. These are how I would rank them if I were a rational human listening to the musicianship and songwriting craft and trying grade it with my head not my heart. Obviously there are overlaps.

Cerebral Top 10

Pete Carr – Carr is a session musician who has ties to the Muscle Shoals studios. I had never heard of the guy or his cover until someone at the record convention I attended earlier this year said I had to hear it. I had just finished talking about Danny and Dusty’s version. Carr is a sentimental choice (At No. 4) due to his Alabama connection but is my top cerebral pick (I’m sure surprising lot of folks). Just listen to that guitar! It made me shout Freebird by the end – but that was a psychotic break from reality. No, the extended guitar jam is as good as it gets. Carr has recorded extensively at FAME Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, according to Wikipedia.

Guns and Roses. For sure power, this is the rock hardest or hardest rock cover. You have to be open to lead singer’s Axl Rose’s oddly unsettling multi-octave voice. I am a fan. When he sings: Hey hey hey hey uh hey, I’m there. (Or is it Aye Aye Aye Aye Ayeeeeei-i-i-i-i.)

Eric Clapton – Puts a little impeccable reggae into his version. This is what I mean about mixing it up to make your own.

Bob Dylan — Well the source is Dylan and he does a good job. You have to be open to his voice which is not ordinary sounding to say the least. However this is one of his best vocal performances.

Tracy Chapman Underrated artist does an understated version that touches the soul.

Roger Waters Pink Floyd singer surprises us with a very un-derstated version.

Bryan Ferry The Roxy Music frontman has a knack for great cover songs, the aforementioned ‘Jealous Guy,’ “Like a Hurricane,’ and ‘You Won’t  See Me’ to name just a few.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo – She belts it out, giving it a punch rivaling GN’R.

Warren Zevon – This is poignant in that it was recorded right before he died.

Danny and Dusty – Just loose, good fun, barroom singalong.

Sentimental Top 10

  1. Bob Dylan
  2. Warren Zevon — Open up! Open up!
  3. Tracy Chapman
  4. Pete Carr
  5. Guns and Roses
  6. Bryan Ferry
  7. Danny and Dusty
  8. Roger Waters
  9. Eric Clapton –
  10. Freddie Fender,

Other covers worth noting:Television, the Alarm, Avril Lavigne, John Cale.

See AL.com version of this story by clicking.