Billy Idol — Hot in The City / White Wedding Promo

• Artist: Billy Idol
• Title: Hot in The City / White Wedding Promo
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1986 ? – She probably got it when she was working at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

This is just between us. I went to see Billy Idol in a concert during what was probably his first big US tour. That’s embarrassing enough, but since we’ve known each other for so long, I’ll keep going. I’m pretty sure what follows, or something similar, is what I was wearing:

• Camouflage BDU pants (probably from the local surplus store).
• Black tee shirt with the name of a local new-wave band, “The Nerve”, printed on it in neon pink, with the sleeves cut out, because I’m cool and all.
• Not sure about the footwear, probably army surplus boots or maybe Vans.
• Hair? I wish I could remember because I know it would be funny.
• And the best part… a wide black leather wristband with chrome spikes, not sissy studs, spikes!

While we were waiting in line outside, forever, a police officer apparently inspecting the line for trouble-makers saw my wristband and said it had to go. They knew. I was dangerous!

This 12 inch single has a remix of “Hot in The City” on one side and a remix “White Wedding” on the other. It was a promo, but it looks like it’s been sold a few times. Everybody knows these songs; they were huge hits. I even think they’re decent pop songs. But there is one hilarious detail to this version of “White Wedding” that isn’t on the original.

After one of the verses Billy yells “Rock… Music” and then later “Dynamite… (plus something else I couldn’t make out). ” What?!?… What?!? Did he just yell “Rock Music”? And there is a mega “delay” or echo so it’s really more like “ROCK ROCk ROck Rock rock rock… MUSIC MUSIc MUSic MUsic Music music…” What?!? Was this record intended for a non-english-speaking country? In the studio did someone say “Billy just scream the silliest thing you can think of and we’ll make it sound cool with effects”?

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins — Feast of The Mau Mau

• Artist: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
• Title: Feast of The Mau Mau
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Let me start by saying that “Feast of The Mau Mau” by Screamin Jay Hawkins gets a straight-up-stone-cold-solid 10! I’ve played this every day we were home for the last two months. Just ask my wife and kids. That’s the good news. The even better news is that it’s a double album. “Feast” is actually a re-release of two earlier albums, “What This Is” and “Because Is In Your Mind / Armpitrubber.”

I can’t tell you how exciting this music is. For me, it’s the perfect mix of blues, R&B, rock and roll, and weirdness. Occassionally he gets down right raunchy, so mind your audience. Most people know him for “I Put a Spell on You”, but there are many even better songs. Also, he’s so cool his music was featured in one Jarmusch film and he acted in another. Finally, Hawkins is a lyrical genius. Who else could rhyme with “righteous”?

Our Love Is Not For 3

You gave me a heartache
AAahh! a heartache
You gave me a heartburn!
My mind’s in neutral
Whaaa! I’m walking sideways
I can’t get righteous
I’m looking upside down
And outta-sighteous
Whaaa! You gave me a heartache
Have Mercy…

More about Screamin’ Jay Hawkins at Wikipedia.
Great NPR story about Hawkins’ alledged 70 plus children.

Gang of Four — Yellow EP

• Artist: Gang of Four
• Title: Yellow EP
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy / Mary – We both had copies.
• Acquired: Not sure when or where. Early 1980s…
• Keeper: Yes

“Yellow EP” is the first Gang of Four record I’m logging, but it was their second release. I should’ve pulled “Entertainment” instead, but since we’ve packed all but a couple dozen records until we get to Asheville, “Yellow” it is.

Gang of Four is one of my all-time favorite bands. I was only 13 or 14 when this came out. Hanging out with my friend John Hurlock is probably how I first got into the band. His older brother Mike had a killer record collection and was into just about everything worth being into. This music is so edgy, political, minimalistic, and just plain arty it’s a wonder they were as popular and influential as they were. Sometimes music is just too good to be ignored, no matter how weird it is.

Tracks included here are: “Outside The Trains Don’t Run on Time”, “He’d Send in The Army”, “It’s Her Factory”, and my favorite “Armalite Rifle.”

Read all about them at Wikipedia.

Faith No More — We Care A Lot

• Artist: Faith No More
• Title: We Care A Lot
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary ?
• Acquired: 1985 – Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Come on. You know you like the title track, “We Care a Lot.” But I could believe it if you said that was it. This is the first Faith No More record and one of only two with Chuck Mosley on vocals. I could never get over the keyboard droning through just about every song. Applause for trying something different, but to me the keyboards just took the teeth off the otherwise hard rock sound. One last tidbit I just noticed, in more than one spot on this album they spell the band’s name “Faith. No More.” That’s: excessive, punctuation!!!

I’ll keep this one short. We’re off to see the Caps take on the Atlanta Thrashers. Time to take out the Thrash!

Rebar, Stainless Steel, Fan Chair

This one’s for you, Gary Taylor. Thanks again, for lunch.

I believe this is the first piece of metal furniture or sculpture I ever made. I made it when my brother and I had a record store in the late 1980s. We had a large space and a small inventory. So, occasionally we would have events like art shows or even spoken word gigs. That got me thinking I should make some stuff, in whatever medium. I ended up leaving some of my pieces in the store; this chair was one of them.

One of our regular customers, Peter Pittman, saw it and eventually displayed it in a hair salon, of all places, that his wife owned and operated. I think they would also have “exhibits” there. Anyhow, someone(?) saw it there and it ended up in a place called Breit Functional Crafts in Norfolk, VA, where someone else(?) saw it and it ended up in an exhibit at the Reynolds Minor Gallery in Richmond, VA. Funny enough, a woman from Virginia Beach saw it there and decided to buy it. I can’t remember the exact number, but I do remember I priced it high enough that no one, I thought, would buy it. Then the gallery doubled that number, and someone actually did! Oh well, I think it’s kinda corny now, but back then I hated to see it go.

The frame is made of rebar with most of the slag buffed off with a wire wheel. The seat and arms are 11 gauge stainless steel. The most interesting part, the back, is an ancient Dayton floor fan that we had laying around the store. It had a small frame that held it in position, and it took a few minutes to get up to speed. For some reason I thought it would obviously make a comfortable chair back. I meticulously cleaned it and even had the bullet-shaped motor housing re-chromed. The only pictures I have are from a contact sheet of shots a friend (Pam Taylor) took. She probably gave me the negatives but who knows where they are.

Thanks Peter! Wherever you are now…

Echo and The Bunnymen — Heaven Up Here

• Artist: Echo and The Bunnymen
• Title: Heaven Up Here
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1981 ? – No idea.
• Keeper: Yes

Echo and The Bunnymen was always one of my favorite bands. Why I didn’t keep up with them past the first four records is unclear to me, but maybe they just got lame. Or was it me? In reading about them I just realized that they have put out four more albums in recent years that I didn’t even know about. How can this happen? I thought I was hip!

Anyhow, “Heaven Up Here” is a great follow-up to “Crocodiles.” My favorite song is “Over The Wall.” There is slightly, just slightly, too much lyrical whinging for my taste, but when I was a teenager I’m sure I thought the lyrics were awesome.

D.C.3 — You’re Only as Blind as Your Mind Can Be

• Artist: D.C.3
• Title: You’re Only as Blind as Your Mind Can Be
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Probably when I was working at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

D.C.3 put out “You’re Only as Blind as Your Mind Can Be” in the same year as “The Good Hex.” I think they should have taken a longer break. To me, this one just isn’t as exciting. I mentioned when I logged “Hex” that it didn’t sound too jammy despite a lot of guitar soloing. Well, this record crosses the line. I was playing it while Mary and I were packing for our big move to Asheville, and she walked in the room and said “What the?!? When does this song end?” I’ll have to admit that I too was feeling pretty jammed out by the time that song ended. That said, there are a few dittys here that totally rock out and make me want to keep it. And though much of it sounds retro, even for 1986, especially in 1986 I was happy to get my hands on anything that felt like rock and roll.

Peter Case — Peter Case (Promo Cover)

• Artist: Peter Case
• Title: Peter Case (Promo Cover)
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Got it when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: No

This Peter Case record isn’t bad, but it isn’t my kind of music, which is a roundabout way of saying it’s boring. I would describe this as a singer-songwriter mash-up of most major forms of American music. The cover is interesting is some ways though. Certainly there’s nothing exciting about the graphic design, but a promo copy that displays Mr. Case’s ratings, reviews, rankings and scores from music critics should be of interest to a fan. Too bad I’m not, although I did like his previous band The Plimsouls.

So this one is a goner. Part of the reason of going through and playing every record is to trim some fat, but also to renew our relationships with some old favorites. I just finished packing most of the records today in preparation for our move in a couple weeks. Over 800 pounds of vinyl!

Baby Ford — Children of The Revolution

• Artist: Baby Ford
• Title: Children of The Revolution
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 — Promo received at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a 12 inch single by Baby Ford with two mixes of Marc Bolan’s (T-Rex) “Children of The Revolution.” The flipside contains “Oochy Koochy (Konrad Cadet Version)” and “Ford Trax.” I was sure this belonged to Mary, but based on the year it came out and the promo stamp on the cover it must be something I got at our store. I’m not that into it and wouldn’t keep it, but Mary digs it and rates it a generous, in my opinion, 7. Last thing, does this belong under “B” or “F”? When artists have stage names I’m never sure where to put them. His real name is Peter Ford.

Thumbtack Mosaic Portrait

This is something I’ve wanted to try for a long time. The idea of using mundane objects to create something more interesting was calling me. I didn’t want to use “found” objects and put them into a new context, such as using a piece of machinery as a component in a piece of furniture. I’ve done that enough. This time, I wanted to use objects in their proper context, but in a way that was unexpected.

Below is a picture of my friends’ son Max. Step away from the monitor about ten feet to see the image really come together. Thumbtacks were used on a cork bulletin board, where they feel right at home, to create a low resolution portrait. This is the source image I used.

One way to do it:

• Open the source image in your favorite graphic editing software and reduce it to the needed resolution. For this example it was 35×49, pretty rough.
• Decide on color palette/Source the tacks. This was tough because most stores don’t have thousands of tacks just sitting in the aisles. I want to try push pins too, but thumbtacks just had a pleasing tactile quality (once they’re installed that is) so I had to do that. I was going to use the standard primary color, vinyl covered tacks. Then, Mary found these at the variety store down the street. I really liked the colors and I walked down there and bought every pack they had. Still wasn’t enough.
• Get the colors into the computer. I decided to scan them because photos can be a pain with highlights, shadows. Once I had the scan I picked the most representative color I could find from each tack.
• Create a custom palette using those colors. This may not be easy, depends on the software you’re using.
• Apply the palette and season to taste. In Photoshop you can manipulate the Diffusion, Pattern, and Noise options to get something that looks more interesting. For this pic of Max I wanted it diffused enough that when you are standing close by it’s a little hard to see.
• Layout the tacking pattern on the bulletin board. Most tacks, including push pins will do well spaced on 7/16 inch centers. I won’t recommend the way I did it. If you come up with something efficient please let me know by commenting here.
• Scale up the image, say 15X, and maybe overlay a grid to make it easier to follow. Print out the image if you won’t be working next to the screen.

That’s pretty much it. I’ll just say that it took a lot longer than it looks. I had it probably 75% done and had to start over because it looked blah. Lesson learned: crank up the contrast. I was also running out of tacks in a few colors. Adjusting the contrast helped but I still had to fake a lot of it at the end. And you know that gratifying sensation when you push a tack, the cork yields, and you feel it stick? Well, that goes away entirely after the first few hundred. This portrait has 1,715.

I’m going to do a small number more and then move on to something different. Grandmas unite! Put down your cross stitch, your needlepoint, and buy some tacks!

Detail of the eye area… looks like nothing, right?