Wall of Voodoo — Mexican Radio

Wall of Voodoo -- Mexican Radio

• Artist: Wall of Voodoo
• Title: Mexican Radio
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1985 ? – Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA?
• Keeper: Maybe

Stan Ridgway, the singer of Wall of Voodoo, sounds like he is talking more than singing. And I guess I didn’t listen carefully enough because I don’t know what he’s talking about. Maybe it’s interesting. “Mexican Radio” sounds interesting, whatever it’s about. The flipside “Call of The West” just sounds quirky, which is not interesting, to me, today.

Van Halen — Pretty Woman

Van Halen -- Pretty Woman

• Artist: Van Halen
• Title: Pretty Woman
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: We’re not sure.
• Acquired: We’re not sure.
• Keeper: Yes

Ah, Van Halen, one of the few mega rock bands with enough guts to record covers and actually put them on their proper albums. Most bands tend relegate covers to b-sides or other oddball releases. Van Halen on the other hand celebrated the covers, with complete respect for the songs and the original artists, and put them out front so folks could hear these tunes again. When their version of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” came out I remember my friend Bennie, hardcore VH fan, thinking it was goofy, but I thought they rocked it solid. OK, the flipside cover of “Happy Trails” is a little goofy.

U-Men — Solid Action

U-Men -- Solid Action

I’m not the only guy who likes the U-Men. I can see from my Google Analytics account that, on a pretty regular basis, people end up at this site by searching for the band. Hard to believe that ImHeavyDuty.com is the first link when you search for “U-Men Step On A Bug” on Google.

From the homemade look of the packaging you would think that the U-Men are some typical punk/hardcore band. (I swear that it looks like someone touched up the cover of my record with a Sharpie; it bled through. Were they making these one-at-a-time?) But this is an edgy, arty, and just plain noisy single. I’ll stick with the lazy Birthday Party comparison. Although Mary thinks it sounds more like Primus. What!? Anyhow, I doubt “Solid Action” or the flipside “Dig It A Hole” will get your foot tapping, but at least it’s interesting.

A little more info at Wikipedia.

Tad / Pussy Galore — Damaged I / Damaged II

• Artist: Tad / Pussy Galore
• Title: Damaged I / Damaged II
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

This is a combo 7 inch with Tad on one side and Pussy Galore on the other. I suppose I could’ve filed it under P, or Various, but I have it under T just because. In our actual record collection that is. Both songs are Black Flag covers, “Damaged I” and “Damaged II”, which were both on Black Flag’s break-out album uh… “Damaged.”

I guess that original record made a big impact on folks for trendy indie artists to be recording covers from it only eight years later, in 1989. Another 16 or so years later and that seems a little strange. I bought the original Black Flag “Damaged” album in 1981. I loved it then as an angsty teenager, but it’s not the kind of thing you want to play often. Same goes for this 45. It’s kind of fun to have two cultish bands doing covers of a cultish band on a 45, limited edition of 2500, but I doubt I’ll ever play it again. And in the late 1980s no record label was cooler than Sub Pop. So cool in fact that even though my brother and I owned a record store we had to get this one just like everyone else, by joining the Sub Pop Singles Club.

Sade – Hang On To Your Love

• Artist: Sade
• Title: Hang On To Your Love
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: I have no idea.
• Keeper: Yes

I have to admit that a lot of Sade’s music sounds the same to me, but I love “Hang On To Your Love.” The flipside, “Cherry Pie” is solid, but not as interesting. This woman sings like she looks. Perfect background music to play at your day spa, restaurant or other frou frou retail establishment.

R.E.M. — Wendell Gee

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Wendell Gee
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ? – She’s outta town. Who knows where and when.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a handsome twin 7 inch gatefold package that includes the songs “Wendell Gee”, “Ages Of You”, “Crazy” and “Burning Down.” I don’t know. Maybe I’m finally mellowing out in my old age. As I lap through these R.E.M. records I’m starting to like them more. I’ll admit, they are good, but I still don’t see myself getting the urge to play these often.

Pailhead — I Will Refuse

• Artist: Pailhead
• Title: I Will Refuse
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – Bought it for myself when I worked Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Yay! More industrial punk weirdness. This is the second Pailhead record logged here, but “I Will Refuse” came out first. With Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat fame on vocals with Al Jourgensen and Al Barker of Ministry it’s bound to turn out pretty good. I like this 7 inch more than the four song EP, “Trait”, that came next, but both are great. I have no idea what “I Will Refuse” and the flipside “No Bunny” are about but both still sound fresh, original and intense. Not many songs with “Bunny” in the title can be described as “intense.”

Sinead O’Connor with MC Lyte — I Want Your (Hands On Me)

• Artist: Sinead O’Connor with MC Lyte
• Title: I Want Your (Hands On Me)
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1988 – Probably from Mother’s Record in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Again, for me Sinead O’Connor falls into the category I call too-earnest-too-often, but “I Want Your (Hands On Me)” is a decent single. The flipside, “Just Call Me Joe”, on the other hand is fantastic. It doesn’t sound like any of her other music that I’m familiar with. That song/recording was from a BBC Radio One session. It sounds almost like The Jesus and Mary Chain, but with pretty vocals.

Naked Eyes — Promises Promises

• Artist: Naked Eyes
• Title: Promises Promises
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: Maybe

This sounds so ’80s, but it’s decent pop. I definitely like it more than the other single of this year, “Always Something There To Remind Me.” But if never heard either of them again that would be OK by me. Mary gives “Promises Promises” a 6.

M — Pop Musik

• Artist: M
• Title: Pop Musik
• Year: 1979
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ? – She fell asleep before I could ask.

I’m writing from yet another hotel in Asheville, NC. We close on our new-old house tomorrow morning. This time we brought the kids with us so they can check it out. So far, thumbs up. That said, I did get panhandled three times in as many minutes after leaving a restaurant tonight. I’m not sure if that’s more irritating or funny. This is my fourth near-1000-mile-roundtrip to Asheville in a little over a month.

I’ve always liked this silly song, “Pop Musik.” I played the flipside, “M Factor”, this morning and already I’ve forgotten what it sounds like. That means it’s either completely forgettable, or I’m really tired from driving all day.