Bad Brains — I And I Survive / Destroy Babylon

• Artist: Bad Brains
• Title: I And I Survive / Destroy Babylon
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: Not sure, mail order I think.
• Keeper: Yes

Punk rock, heavy metal, and separately reggae, with heaping helpings of spirituality and weirdness from four black guys from D.C.? Sign me up for some of that! Bad Brains, despite not being that prolific, or maybe because of it, is probably my favorite band, ever, for all-time, into the future even. I can’t imagine a new band creating music this special to me. Their music has a sophistication, and their playing a musicianship pretty much unheard of in the world of “punk” or “hardcore.” From the moment I heard their music I thought it was as exciting as it was unlikely.

This four song EP must be pretty rare. All of the songs, “I And I Survive”, “Destroy Babylon”, “Coptic Times”, and “Joshua’s Song”, were also released on “Rock For Light” a year later. I’m not sure if they are the same versions. I was unable to quickly find another picture of this awesome cover art on the web. So, enjoy it while you’re here. I liked the art on the label on one side of this record so much that it was basis for the tattoo on my massive right bicep. See the pic.

Another interesting tidbit is that this record was produced by Ric Ocasek, of The Cars. Didn’t know Ric was that cool, did ya? To learn more read this article about Bad Brains at Wikipedia.

ABC — Vanity Kills

• Artist: ABC
• Title: Vanity Kills
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1986 – Bought it when she was working at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

I like to say that ABC was the greatest pop band ever. But this isn’t the greatest 12 inch remix ever. Side 1 has “Vanity Kills (U.S.A. Remix)” and side 2 “ABC Megamix.” The song “Vanity Kills” is solid, if not my favorite ABC track, and the mix is decent. The flipside is less interesting, and not very “mega.”

Various — No Age – A Compilation of SST Instrumental Music

Various -- No Age - A Compilation of SST Instrumental Music

• Artist: Various
• Title: No Age – A Compilation of SST Instrumental Music
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – Bought it when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

This SST compilation of challenging instrumental music is full of big names, cult names, and just names. Check out the list below and decide for yourself which artists belong in which categories. I have records by many of these folks and I’ve also seen a number of them live. I don’t know if I’ll ever play this double album again. Some tracks were fantastic, but some were just annoying post-prog-rock-for-nerds. Again, decide for yourself who belongs where.

• Black Flag
• Blind Idiot God
• Henry Kaiser
• Elliott Sharp
• Lee Ranaldo
• Lawndale
• Glenn Phillips
• Pell Mell
• Paper Bag
• Scott Colby
• Lawndale
• Paper Bag
• Universal Congress Of
• Steve Fisk
• Gone
• Alter-Natives
• Elliott Sharp
• Fred Frith & Henry Kaiser

Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction — Back-Seat Education

Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction -- Back-Seat Education

• Artist: Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction
• Title: Back-Seat Education
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – I probably got it when I was working at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

With titles like “Back-Seat Education”, “Whore of Babylon”, “Lager Woman from Hell”, and “Messin’ With My Best Friend’s Girl” if you can’t guess that this is another Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction record then you’ve probably never heard of the band. On this 12 inch single these kings of sleaze rock stay true to form, lyrically and otherwise. The main track, “Back-Seat Education”, is by far the slickest with big time production and even a horn section. It’s full of the usual Zodiac hard rock hooks. The other three, for the most part, sound like the silly dashed off ditties destined for B-sides that they are.

What’s probably most interesting is the packaging. If you look closely at the picture you’ll see that the cover is a heavy vinyl material with ridges, like you might find in the back seat of an older car

X — Ain’t Love Grand

X -- Ain't Love Grand

• Artist: X
• Title: Ain’t Love Grand
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1985 – Maybe Tracks Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

When this record came out I remember that I really loved the first (only?) single and video, “Burning House of Love.” This wasn’t quite the end for X, but in hindsight it seems that they had peaked earlier. There’s something flat about the production, or maybe it’s an overuse of keyboards that kinda takes the teeth out of some of the songs. There are also a couple songs I think they could’ve cut. Nowadays, my favorite song on “Ain’t Love Grand” is probably “My Goodness.” It’s a slow and slinky number sung by Exene that’s sounds more like classic lounge than classic punk, or roots rock.

I should’ve kept up with the band and its members over the last decade plus. I’m probably missing out on something special. So much music. So many artists. It can be hard to maintain hundreds of “relationships.” Which is the main reason I’m going through the entire record collection, one disk at a time.

Read all about X at “the official website.”

War — Platinum Jazz

War -- Platinum Jazz

• Artist: War
• Title: Platinum Jazz
• Year: 1977
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: Bought it used somewhere a long time ago.
• Keeper: Yes

I should probably rate War’s “Platinum Jazz” a 10 just for the opening track alone. “War is Coming! War is Coming!” is stupid good and despite being over seven minutes long I wish it would just keep going. This record is a compilation of some of their longer jams and instrumental pieces. Some people might find much of it a bit too spacey, but I like the whole trippy funking thing.

Check out the all too short clip of “War is Coming” and read more about “Platinum Jazz.”

Van Halen — Van Halen II

Van Halen -- Van Halen II

• Artist: Van Halen
• Title: Van Halen II
• Year: 1979
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: ? Bought it used…
• Keeper: Yes

Oh man, the unpacking continues. But tonight I got my priorities straight and finally set up the stereo. And what was the first record to rock the house? That’s right, “Van Halen II.” Considering that we bought this house from a woman in her 80s who lived here since the 1960s I think it’s safe to say tonight is the first time Van Halen shook these walls. My daughter Paris came downstairs and said: “Mom, stop dancing. And can you guys turn it down some?” We couldn’t help rockin’ out.

As I mentioned before, Van Halen is one of a very few popular rock groups to have the guts to perform covers on their proper albums. This time they open the record with one, “(Baby) You’re No Good” by Clint Ballard, Jr. This song was popularized by Linda Ronstadt a few years earlier. My mother likes to tell a story about how my brother as a child heard Linda’s version in the car one day and started crying because that lady was saying mean things to a “baby.” Sorry G, had to tell that.

Other hits include “Dance the Night Away” and the most awesome “Beautiful Girls.” My favorites include “Somebody Get Me a Doctor” and acoustic solo “Spanish Fly.” Tonight when “D.O.A.” started with Eddie’s chunk-chunk-chunk guitar riff Mary said “that’s sooo rock ‘n’ roll.” Yes it is.

This site about Van Halen has the scoop about every song on this record.

U2 — War

U2 -- War

• Artist: U2
• Title: War
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy / Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

This was the most excited I ever was about getting a U2 album. I remember buying “War” and The Ramones’ “Subterranen Jungle” on the same day. The guy at the store made a point to tell me how good the U2 record was, but he didn’t seem interested in The Ramones at all. He had a serious mullet; that’s all I’m saying.

I got to see U2 on the War tour. It was at the smallish (2500 seats?) Chrysler Hall. After the success of this record they would only play big joints. Pylon was the opening act and I really enjoyed their show despite some morons who had to keep heckling the somewhat overweight singer.

Tad — God’s Balls

Tad -- God

• Artist: Tad
• Title: God’s Balls
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

The eagle has landed! And he brought our stuff with him. The movers unloaded all our boxes yesterday and we spent our first night in our haunted house. The cable guys even hooked us up and I’m logging this on my own rig. That said, it’s still like a camping trip around here. We’re borrowing a mini fridge and using a cooler, no washer and dryer hook up, etc. On the bright side, this morning I received a killer poster from my good friend Keith that uses a zillion figural images to depict one of my heroes, Mies van Der Rohe. We can use that to cover up some of this crumbling plaster. This house is gonna need its own category.

Anyhow… I was pretty excited to get this Tad record, “God’s Balls”, when it first came out. I still really like a few songs, especially “Behemoth”, but overall I found myself getting a little bored. Maybe I just need to listen to it a few more times.

The Saints – Monkey Puzzle

• Artist: The Saints
• Title: Monkey Puzzle
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ? Mary’s already asleep so who knows…
• Keeper: Yes

This is one record by The Saints that I’m just not that familiar with. I never bought “Monkey Puzzle”, but lucky for us Mary did. I remember liking it last week when I played it, but it’s been a long week people. Please mister mover man deliver my turntable and records tomorrow!