Saturday, September 19, 2009

Hello Nasty Collector's Vinyl


  • 4 pieces of 180 gram Vinyl featuring the deluxe remastered album and 21 bonus tracks and rarities (43 tracks total)
  • 8 panel gatefold package, a special Hello Nasty Collectors Edition patch, and hardcover "coffee table book" case
  • Limited to only 1,500 sales
  • Immediate album & b-sides download: Premium DRM-free 320kbps MP3, FLAC, or Apple Lossless
  • Include a digital download of 4 Hello Nasty music videos for $10. Videos include Three MCs and One DJ, Body Movin, Intergalactic, the infamous Hello Nasty Infomercial, and a full album video commentary by the Beastie Boys.
  • Collector's Vinyl will ship after 10/30/09
Via: Beastie Boys

Friday, September 11, 2009

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Vinyl Record Shops - Top Spot Profile: Soundsations Records



Located just north of LAX off Seulveda Soundsations Records is a great spot, with good prices and great knowledgable staff. This is a record shop people, you gotta hit up these spot, they're all we have left.





Soundsations seem to keep a steady flow of great used 70s-90s vinyl. As well as some nice 180 gram audiophile re-issues. The crew at SS are music lovers at heart, which keeps the indie vinyl pumping through the door.



All of which puts Soundsations on my weekly must stop list. I recently sat down with the owner Lee, we had a great talk and I will be adding the interview to this post soon. For now go check 'em out.



Soundsations Records
8701 La Tijera Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 641-8877

Monday, September 7, 2009

The $1 Rock Star ain't cuttin' it: Apple & Majors battle for album sales.



You know that feeling of opening up a new vinyl record. The delicate splitting of the shrink wrap, carefully removing the liner notes. Then listening to album for the very first time while looking at all the artwork, reading the lyrics and notes. It gave you a certain feeling, it's an indescribable connection to the music and artist. Even though I still listen to vinyl, and find solace in vintage LP's and many Indie Label Releases. I miss that complete album connection.

Major Record Labels and Apple miss it too, but for completely different reasons. Plummeting CD sales and low complete album downloads have the men in suits sweating. So they've each concocted a scheme to try and lure former CD buyers and digital downloaders into buying complete albums again. The major labels are going with a CMX format which Apple refuses to endorse, so Apple decided to come up with thier own project and code-named it “Cocktail”. They claim that full downloaded album purchases will include a complete digital booklet with liner notes, artwork, ringtones and videos. All will be accessible and displayed through this digital tablet interface to try and replicate the full album connection. Hmm, sounds cool, but is this gonna make your 13 year old sister download the next Riannah album? I doubt it.

In my opinion, the majors are missing the point. The masses are spoon-fed these hyped up singles and eating it up, carrying around thousands of $1 Top Songs on their iPod's. After the record industy was apparently forced into the MP3 Era they created this new generation of $1 Rock Stars that put together a couple commercial hits. Then they surround these chart toppers with filler and then expect people to buy the complete album. Artists were once cultivated and allowed to grow naturally, which led to the blossoming of many iconic musicians and influential bands who have back catalogs that are filled with amazing complete albums.

Hopefully distance gains perspective and the majors will re-focus on cultivating quality artists. I'm afraid until then, the One Dollar Rock Star will live on.

Limited Vinyl: Ill Communication Collector's set

Ill Communication Collector's Vinyl


  • 3 pieces of 180 gram Vinyl featuring the deluxe remastered album and 12 bonus tracks and rarities (32 tracks total)
  • 6 panel gatefold package, lenticular cover, and hardcover "coffee table book" case
  • Limited to only 1,500 sales
  • Immediate album & b-sides download: Premium DRM-free 320kbps MP3, FLAC, or Apple Lossless
  • Include a digital download of 4 Ill Communication music videos for $10. Videos include Sure Shot, Root Down, Sabotage, Ricky's Theme, and a full album video commentary by the Beastie Boys.
  • Collector's Vinyl will ship by 8/31/09
Via: Beastie Boys

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Still impressive?

Yeah, even as the front man for this band Tomahawk...I'm still very impressed by Mike Pattons vocals and complete disregard for "normal music". After all these years he has touched countless musical genres, made a mockery of some and destroyed others... Some of his performances are beyond bizarre, but his vocal prowess is unmatched, even with a fucking respirator on.... much respect.


Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Rare Vinyl Spotlight: Nirvana Love Buzz 7" Sub Pop Records


Love Buzz b/w Big Cheese - Sub Pop SP23, released November 1988

Nirvana's legendary first 7" Vinyl single. Only 1000 hand-numbered copies, 200 additional copies with red marker across the number space on the sleeve were released. All 7" singles are on transparent black vinyl. The value fluctuates on this record. Even if you catch it in a downswing, however, it will cost you some serious cake ($1400-$2500). Checkout this comprehensive list of some lucky owners, I don't got it like that. So for now, I will just think maybe someday...

















That kind of money brings MANY bootlegs, which aren't too difficult to spot once you know what to look for. Remarkably, the bootlegs also sell for a considerable amount of money...at one point fakes were going for over $300.

Here are some keys to recognizing a genuine copy:
  • The names Alice Wheeler and Susan Sasic on the back of the sleeve are legible. 
  • The side A dead wax reads: Why don't you trade those guitars for shovels? L-31540 SP-23-A kdisc;
  • side B dead wax reads: L-31540X SP-23-B kdisc.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The Waxcast Episode 3 - Stax of Soul




I recently aquired 6 boxes of vinyl records from one of Rod Stewarts ex's, alot of the records were kind of run of the mill but there were a few gems. All the tracks mixed in this Waxcast were recorded off the LPs found in these boxes. The Stax sound has always intrigued me, and a few of these tracks are a perfect example of why that is. Even though not all of these artists and records were on the Stax label, some were backed by Staxs bands that helped to create that sound. The other songs were influenced by that same sound in some way, shape or form. From the early 50s Soul to the 70s Funk, that Stax Sound influence is definite. Give it a listen, and let me know what you think.

Right click here and save as to download

Waxcast - Episode 3 Tracklist
  1. Ain't Nobody Home - Howard Tate
  2. If You Need Me - Solomon Burke
  3. Ain't Nothing You Can Do - Bobby Bland
  4. Mercy, Mercy - Don Covay
  5. You Don't Love Me - Z.Z. Hill
  6. Stop - Howard Tate
  7. I Got To Love Somebody's Baby - Johnnie Taylor
  8. Sixteen Tons - Jonnie Taylor
  9. Billy Jack - Curtis Mayfield
  10. Express Yourself - Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
  11. Right Place Wrong Time - Dr. John
  12. Baby Let Me Steal You - Joe Tex
  13. Love Me Right Girl - Joe Tex
  14. Good Eye - Lamont Dozier
Music bed - The Meters, Cissy Strut