R.E.M. — It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1987 – Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
• Keeper: Yes

Haven’t I already logged this song? Maybe it was 12 inch. Mary has a ton of singles and many of them are R.E.M. pieces. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” was, of course, a big hit. It’s hard to forget that one, but I can’t remember much about “Last Date” on the flipside. I played it a couple times before we left, and we’re still on the road. (One night to go!) I think it was an instrumental and I’m pretty sure I was digging it.

Sinead O’Connor — Mandinka

• Artist: Sinead O’Connor
• Title: Mandinka
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: Dunno

“Mandinka” is pretty solid pop song, but if I never hear it again that’s OK. I worked at a record store with a friend, Robby Lloyd, when this came out and he played it so much that I think I’m set for life. “Drink Before the War” on the flipside is Sinead’s version of a metal power ballad, but with keyboards. I’m not kidding; this song builds like it was written by The Scorpions or something. One thing for sure, Sinead O’Connor has one good looking head. I’m jealous.

Naked Raygun — Vanilla Blue

• Artist: Naked Raygun
• Title: Vanilla Blue
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987? — Maybe when I was working at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
• Keeper: Maybe

Christmas has made me so slack. We’re on the road now, but I played a buncha records and loaded up the pics right before we left. This one is Naked Raygun’s “Vanilla Blue.” For no particular reason I never really got into this band, but I like this song. I’m not sure how to describe it other than to say it’s interesting. The flipside is called “Slim” and it’s not so interesting. I think it’s just some samples of Slim Pickens from some old movies with some silly music backing it up. That’s three somes in one sentence y’all. Check out that sweet colored vinyl!

INXS — I Send a Message

• Artist: INXS
• Title: I Send a Message
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1987? – Used at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA
• Keeper: No

This INXS single, “I Send a Message”, is decent. I think I remember it from the radio or MTV. The back has “Mechanical” which does in fact have a lot of mechanical sounds mixed in with some strange too-arty ska groove. I doubt many people would recognize it as INXS. I think I bought one of their albums way back, but I really know much about the band. That said, I do have a story.

My friend John Hurlock and I went to see the Go Gos at the amusement park King’s Dominion. Please don’t tell anyone I told you this. Anyhow, we were in high school and it seemed like a good idea at the time–have fun at the park all day and see the Go Gos for cheap, $5 or something. This would have been in the very early 1980s. INXS was the opening band. At the time I had heard of them but that was about it. When they came on stage all the girls in the audience started losing it. They were screaming and rushing to the front. John and I were completely baffled since we had no idea Michael Hutchence was such a teen idol. It was like those films of the Beatles at Shea Stadium. Crazy.

Madness — Shut Up

• Artist: Madness
• Title: Shut Up
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: “No idea”

You know, I try to do these in a somewhat alphabetical order, but I have records laying all over the place along with Christmas stuff and I can’t keep it straight! I need to backtrack some tomorrow and try to pick an I and a K.

Madness. The great ones. A Sigler household favorite. And this is a great a single. “Shut Up” is of course familiar to me, but “A Town With No Name” on the flipside is one I don’t recognize. What is on an album? Anyhow, it’s an excellent instrumental with a mild spaghetti western vibe. Thumbs up, for both.

Etched in the run off margins:

Side A – PASS THAT BUCK – ARUN
Side B – GOOD LUCK TO THE FAITHFUL SHERPAS

Lime Spiders — Out of Control

• Artist: Lime Spiders
• Title: Out of Control
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 10 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1985 – Unicorn Records in Portsmouth, VA
• Keeper: Yes

If you don’t like this record then Aussie garage rock is just not your thing. This Lime Spiders single, “Out of Control”, is as good as it gets. Their playing is also out of control, but super-tight at the same time. They’re always locked in to each other, but it ain’t like they’re recording to a click track. When the songs get to the exciting parts they step on the gas and play as fast as they want. Which is my kind of perfection. The flipside “Save My Soul” is just as good and maybe even more frenetic.

Joe Jackson Band — Mad at You

• Artist: Joe Jackson Band
• Title: Mad at You
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1985 ? – Tower in the District of Columbia
• Keeper: Yes

Joe Jackson is the man. He even wrote a song about it. But that’s another record. On this one he’s mad, “Mad at You” to be specific. This single is from the album Beat Crazy and the flipside is an outtake from the album called “Enough is Enough.” I love ’em both. That’s all I’m saying for this one.

Debbie Harry — Liar Liar

• Artist: Debbie Harry
• Title: Liar Liar
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: Dunno
• Keeper: Maybe

“From the film ‘Married to the Mob.'” Never saw the movie and never heard this record until today. I have no idea where Mary got it. Debbie Harry does a decent cover of “Liar Liar”, the 1960s hit by The Castaways. The flipside is some weirdness called “Queen of Voudou” by The Voodooist Corporation. I’ve never of them at all. It doesn’t appear to have anything to do with Ms. Harry. The song is sorta synthy and it didn’t really hold my attention so I can’t describe it beyond that.

God Bullies — Fear and Pain

• Artist: God Bullies
• Title: Fear and Pain
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA
• Keeper: No

God Bullies music is not for everybody. I know I got “Fear and Pain” when my brother and I had a record store, and I think I may have bought from our guy at Sub-Pop, which I realize seems unlikely since this is on another label, Amphetamine Reptile Records, and the band is from Michigan. Maybe I got it somewhere else… Anyhow, the cover art reminds me of engravings or wood cuts that I saw in a book I read about Vlad the Impaler. Fun. The song “Fear and Pain” is another number I would describe as more metal than metal. Whereas the other side, “Kick it to Sleep”, has a more familiar indy dirge feel. Kinda interesting, but I don’t need to hear it again. This one is number 304 of 600.

There’s more about the band at Trouser Press.

The Fall — Slang King

• Artist: The Fall
• Title: Slang King
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: She’s outta town…
• Keeper: Yes

OK, this was the “FREE 7 inch single” that I couldn’t find when I wrote about about the “Call For Escape Route” EP it was packaged with. (Sorry grammarians.) This single, “Slang King” by The Fall, is decent but I don’t care if I ever hear it again. The flipside has another version of “No Bulbs.” I think a rating of “6” is generous. Maybe I’m being hard on it because I’m feeling kinda sick. I had way too much to eat at Jerusalem Garden tonight with Ixa, Kellie and Grayson. Oof.