Joe Jackson — Body and Soul

• Artist: Joe Jackson
• Title: Body and Soul
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Uh… When I first played this yesterday I told Mary it sounded more like Billy Joe(l) Jackson than I expected. I got the stink eye put on me for that comment. Just sayin’…

That said, “Body and Soul” has one of my all-time favorite songs on it: “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want).” Once that gets stuck in my head it’s there for a long time. “Cha Cha Loco” is another winner; I had forgotten about that one. Some of the other songs are just a little too “grand” or something. too fancy, too Lawrence Welk. I rated it high with an “8” because the great songs are just so great. This is not rock and roll, it’s a collection of sophisticated songs and arrangements. Am I just too unsophisticated to get it?

Billy Idol — Don’t Stop

• Artist: Billy Idol
• Title: Don’t Stop
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy / Mary – We both had copies.
• Acquired: 1981 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Please, do stop. Actually, this is a reasonably listenable pop record. It’s hard to think that Billy Idol was in Generation X, not that they were really all that punk, but still… “Don’t Stop” is a four song EP that includes a cover of “Mony Mony” and the hit orginal “Dancing With Myself.” This guy definitely turned into a clown, but like any decent clown he’s always good for some laughs. More about that later…

Game Theory — The Big Shot Chronicles

• Artist: Game Theory
• Title: The Big Shot Chronicles
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1986 – Mary bought it when she was working at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

OK, I’m logging Game Theory’s first album second since the their second album was first due to ongoing alphabetizing challenges. Never let the movers move your records. It takes years to undo their mess.

I just can’t get into this band. Lately I’ve been stuck on this Buddy Guy record from the 1960s and I’ve been playing it every day for the last couple weeks. So, I guess I’m not being fair. No buncha white kids playing arty pop can follow that. Anyhow, Mary rates “The Big Shot Chronicles” a 6.

The Jim Carroll Band — Catholic Boy

• Artist: The Jim Carroll Band
• Title: Catholic Boy
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1982 ? – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Something about Jim Carroll just depresses me. He paints a pretty miserable picture of the 1970s. I remember hearing “People Who Died” on the radio as a teenager and really liking it. It seemed almost punk, but smarter or something. I also really like the track “It’s Too Late”, another of the more rocking cuts. I didn’t get the record right away, but eventually picked it up. I’ve also read his book “Basketball Diaries” and I don’t remember that being too uplifting either. Am I fan? Not so much I guess, but I’ll keep “Catholic Boy” in the collection.

The Yardbirds — Roger The Engineer

The Yardbirds -- Roger The Engineer

• Artist: The Yardbirds
• Title: Roger The Engineer
• Year: 1966/1982 This one is a reissue.
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1983 ? – Unicorn Records in Portsmouth, VA, I think.
• Keeper: Yes

Tonight I’m writing from Asheville, NC. Another house hunting mission, this time with my brother Grayson and his wife Kellie. We just left a pizza place called The Mellow Mushroom. Excellent pizza, but unfortunately we got in late and the poor staff had to eventually turn on the bright lights to drive us out.

The Yardbirds: Any band that has had Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page as members (in succession) demands that you own at least one of their records. Jeff Beck plays on “Roger The Engineer.” I think this album had a few songs that were hits at the time. I’m guessing the one song people may recognize now is “Over, Under, Sideways, Down.” Last year I even heard it in an automaker’s ad for some new car, can’t remember which. Subaru maybe?

This record is psychedelic, bluesy, and rocked-out. Everything you really need to get through life.

Tom Waits — Franks Wild Years

Tom Waits -- Franks Wild Years

• Artist: Tom Waits
• Title: Franks Wild Years
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – Bought when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

You would think there would be an apostrophe before the “s” in Franks, but no.

Mary’s favorite music artist is Nick Cave. As we listened to this I was teasing her that Tom Waits is what Nick will sound like when he’s 20 years older. Except this record was made almost 20 years ago, and Tom is only 8 years older than Nick, I checked. And I’m old, but both of these guys are ooooold.

I don’t know why I bought this record. I think at the time I thought he was someone I should know more about, but I still don’t know much about the man or his music. “Franks Wild Years” is the only Tom Waits album I own. Sometimes for fringe music you need a mentor to lead you into it and get you really engaged. I don’t think I’ve ever met that person for Tom Waits.

I do like soundtracks, and this record pretty much is one even if there isn’t a movie to go with it. Of course, he is an important artist, right? So, I guess I should keep the one record I have.

House of Freaks — Tantilla

• Artist: House of Freaks
• Title: Tantilla
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1989 – I got it for her from our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

This music is better than I remember. My faves are the more bluesy cuts. This is the only other HoF record we have and so it concludes my little tribute to Bryan Harvey and his family. I still can’t believe their lives were ended that way. I’d like to get it out of my head.

Rest in peace.

House of Freaks — Monkey On A Chain Gang

• Artist: House Of Freaks
• Title: Monkey On A Chain Gang
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1988 – Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Today is supposed to be a “P” day. Instead, I’m playing House of Freaks records for the next couple days as my small personal tribute to Bryan Harvey who was one half of the band. Bryan, his wife Kathryn, and their two small children were brutally murdered in their home in Richmond, VA on January 1, 2006. An article in the Washington Post made me aware of this tragedy. The two pathetic creatures responsible have been caught, but not before killing more people.

Mary and I have seen the band in person a number of times. Kathryn Harvey owned World of Mirth, a fun toy and gift store in Richmond that we enjoyed.

This is good music. Hard to explain, but let’s say Surf/Roots/Blues Rock. It’s high energy and fun, but not silly.

Joe Jackson — Beat Crazy

• Artist: Joe Jackson
• Title: Beat Crazy
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1981 – Kempmill Records in Annandale, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

This one’s more eclectic and experimental than the first two. I don’t know if there were any radio hits on Beat Crazy, but for some reason the title track is more familiar than the rest. Maybe one of my friends had it on a mix tape or something. Also, this record was released as “The Joe Jackson Band.” I think everything else was just Joe Jackson.

Game Theory — Lolita Nation

• Artist: Game Theory
• Title: Lolita Nation
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 4
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1987 – Mary bought it for herself when she was working at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: No

OK, I played this one out of order. I played the second one first. Mary says the first is pretty good, but agrees with me that this one needs to go. She rated it only a 2 or 3, but I’m giving it a 4. The whole time I was listening to it I was thinking “this sounds a lot like Let’s Active”, which is not really a bad thing. And surprise, surprise, surprise! It was produced by LA main man Mitch Easter.

It wasn’t really bad, but it’s a freakin’ double album! Double albums in general encourage too much self-indulgence and noodling around, being arty or whatever. Unless you’re the Beastie Boys, Isaac Hayes, Metallica, Outkast, or Led Zeppelin, (and you are not) a double album is just never a good idea. Seriously. Don’t try it. Seriously.