Welcome back to The Collection. Today, April 20, 2024 was yet another Record Store Day and another morning of getting up too early and waiting in line…but it is always fun. See what we got this time around.
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It is the after Thanksgiving in the States and it is known as Black Friday. Because of that, there are not many new releases unless you are being released on Record Store Day – Black Friday…that list is at the bottom of the regular album releases. And for the regular releases there is nothing for me, but for Black Friday Record Store Day I would like the Collective Soul and my daughter wants the Olivia Rodrigo one. I also wouldn’t mind getting the Limp Bizkit one on CD but don’t tell anyone. Let me know what you want to pick up this week or what we may have missed. Thanks and have a great weekend.
Take That – This Life – (EMI / Universal Music)
Busta Rhymes – BlockBusta – (Conglomerate Ent. / Epic Records)
Sadly, Eric Carr passed away on November 24, 1991 due to an aneurysm that probably stemmed from the numerous surgeries he had to remove tumors related to his heart cancer. Before his death, Eric was always writing songs as he was a very creative soul. He could write, he could sing and he could play more than just the drums. ‘Rockology’ is a collection of the songs he had been working on prior to his death. These are demos and not necessarily full fledge songs in some cases so keep that in mind. Think of this as his ‘Vault’ because it is very similar in the type of songs you get on Gene Simmons ‘The Vault’. You get some fully fleshed out songs, you get some where lyrics are being scatted because their aren’t any yet and you get some straight-up instrumentals.
The album was put together by one of Eric’s great friends and former Kiss bandmate, Bruce Kulick. With the help of Adam Mitchell (co-writer of numerous Kiss songs), they pieced together a collection of songs from old cassettes or where ever they could find them. They would clean them up the best they could, add some backing vocals where appropriate and even Bruce overdubbed some killer solos in a few songs to help complete them. Bruce produced the album and I think this was a wonderful tribute to his old friend and bandmate.
This release is a Record Store Day release that came out on April 22, 2023 and it was released as a 2 LP Vinyl and a limited run of CDs (only 500 available). Luckily I got them both. The cool thing about this release is that there are 5 bonus tracks that have been previously unreleased so this it the only place to currently get them. The other really cool thing is how they changed up the cover to look like the 4 Kiss Solo albums with Eric getting an orange color around him. They even included a poster done in the same style of posters from the original Kiss Solo albums. The LP version comes on 2 LPs with translucent splatter vinyl, one orange and one clear. Both beautiful. The CD was designed as a Vinyl replica with a cardboard sleeve and the CD looks like a vinyl. Both packages done with care.
Continue reading “Eric Carr – ‘Rockology’ (2023 Record Store Day Release) – Album Review”
The first album I ever bought was off a TV commercial way back in the 70’s. We were watching the TBS channel, but for us it was a local channel as we were from Atlanta. This was before it became a cable channel. TBS was showing re-runs of the TV show The Monkees. I saw that commercial and begged my mom to buy that album as I really, really wanted it. Well, being the fantastic mom she was, she picked up the phone, made a call and the next thing you know I had a copy of that album. It was The Monkees Greatest Hits and I still have that record today (see below).
Fast forward about 46 years later and I’m still a Monkees fan. But I didn’t have any of their other albums in my collection. I was on Amazon and I saw this box set called 50: Classic Album Collection by The Monkees. It had their first 9 albums included as well as a bonus disc of other tracks. I asked Santa for it and guess what was under the tree.
The Box Set came out in 2016 and is celebrating the band’s 50th Anniversary as they started in 1966. It was released on April 16, 2016 and was a Record Store Day special. I missed this because my first Record Store Day wasn’t until 2017 because if I was back in to collecting in 2016, I would’ve bought this then with no questions asked as it was limited to only 3,000 copies. Now, when I asked for this for Christmas, I actually assumed the box set was only the black vinyl, but when I opened it up and pulled out the debut album, it was a colored vinyl, in fact, they all were a different color. Man, what a surprise it was. There was nothing on the label to tell you if you got the standard black or the color…I got lucky I guess.
For his Modern Love Tour, Matt Nathanson had a number of in store performances and like he did for his Some Mad Hope Tour, he recorded them. The first we reviewed awhile back was Left & Right, Vol. 1, but this one was a little different. Left & Right, Vol. 2 was actually a Record Store Day release from 2012 and yes, it was on CD only and not vinyl. There were only 3,000 released and I think is the easier of the two to find (and cheaper one), but that doesn’t make it any less.
The E.P. consists of songs taken from his performance at Newbury Comics in Boston, Mass on October 8, 2011 and from his show at Music Millennium in Portland, Oregon on October 23, 2011. Like the last, it is filled with acoustic songs from his current album and a ton of great banter with the crowd. This time around, Matt brought his good buddy Aaron Tap along to assist on the acoustic guitar and the banter and the two together are quite a comic duo.
After the introduction, we get Matt’s hilarious commentary as he talks about having to pee and then a woman wanting his autograph after he peed, but he denied her as he was late to the in store. And his horse joke didn’t go over very well. He is all over the place. The opening track is the title track of his new album he is touring on. The song “Modern Love” is already a great pop song in full electric version, but acoustically it seems more intimate and like Matt is bearing his soul. The harmonies of him and Aaron really take it to another level. It might be more beautiful here than the actual studio version, yes, it is that good.
Continue reading “Matt Nathanson – Left & Right, Vol. 2 E.P. (Live at Newbury Comics, Live at Music Millennium) – Album Review”
Welcome to Black Friday and as a result, there aren’t a ton of new releases this week. In fact, it is Black Friday Record Store Day for 2022 so that is taking the steam away from the new releases. If you want the RSD releases…go to the bottom of the list and they are all there. I have nothing I really want from either the new releases or the RSD list so my wallet is getting a break which is great after last week’s Kiss box set for Creatures of the Night. It needs a break!! Let me know what you want or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a great weekend!!
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Live at the Fillmore, 1997 – (Petty Legacy LLC / Warner)
David Bowie – Divine Symmetry – (Parlophone Records / Jones & Tintoretto Entertainment)
Ringo Starr – Live at the Greek Theater 2019 – (BFD)
Sword – III – (Massacre Records / Soulfood Music)
Our Mirage – Eclipse – (Arising Empire)
Stormzy – This is What I Mean – (Def Jam / Hashtag Merky Music / Universal)
Felix Riebl – Everyday Amen – (My Shore Productions / AWAL Recordings)
High Command – Eclipse of the Dual Moons – (Southern Lord)
Leather – We Are the Chosen – (Steamhammer)
I will admit, sometimes I just need an easy post to write and that is what I’m doing here today. I’m a little burnt so this is a little break, change of pace kind of thing here. A couple weeks back, I received an email from Panera Bread Co., of which I am a rewards member. They were having a rewards week and they were giving away a free tote bag on the website Shutterfly. Now it wasn’t a Panera bag they were giving out, I could get any bag I wanted. All I had to do was pay shipping. Basically, it is a $20 tote bag for free and then I pay shipping. Shipping wasn’t cheap either as it was $10. But I thought, $10 for a tote bag of my creation…I’ll take that.
So, I went on to Shutterfly and found the tote bag section. I went on my computer and pulled up a 2 Loud 2 Old Music logo and BAM!!! I have a tote bag. Within about a week, it was shipped and received. Why do I need a Tote Bag. Well, I don’t really except for when I go to the Record Shows. Most booths don’t have bags and you need to carry the records. What better way to do that then a Tote Bag…and even better…one that has the logo for the website. Duh!! Below is the Tote Bag!!
And that isn’t the only Tote Bag I actually own. I have one from one of my favorite bands Needtobreathe. It was a part of joining their Insiders Club where you get a collection of live songs on CD exclusive to the club.
And there is still one more. One of the local record stores gave them away during 2018 Record Store Day. The local shop was Lunchbox Records and the Tote was 2-sided. Nice!!
And that is it! Now, I am not collecting Tote Bags by any means, but I have 3 and that is probably enough. Now, if someone wants to give me another one, sure, I’ll take it!! Here they all are…
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day!!
While out digging in those crates, I came across another 7″ Single, but this one was from a newer artist not one from the 80’s that I normally collect. I really dig Halestorm and not sure how I missed this one. It is a Record Store Day Release back from 2019. The song was “Buzz” off their album 2018 album ‘Vicious’. The song was never officially released as a radio single, but they did do an exclusive release for Record Store Day.
And why do you want to get this when you can just buy the album…well…the B-Side is exclusive to this release. A song called ‘Chemicals’. The song isn’t anywhere else. And to top that off, you get a beautiful Green vinyl to go with it. A really nice little package and one I was glad to pick up.
For the Record Store Day drop on June 18, 2002, Halestorm released an RSD Exclusive Cut-Shaped Picture Disc for their song “Back from the Dead”. The shape was pretty cool as it is a tombstone which definitely fits the title of the song. Only 2,800 were made and distributed and I was able to get one. The shaped disc is one of the attracting things about this release, but it is also the cover of The Who’s “Long Live Rock” which isn’t on any Halestorm album and at this point in time the only physical release of the song.
The vinyl is not a 45 RPM but is played at the standard 33 so don’t hit 45 like I did and listen to it super fast as if the Chipmunks were singing. Yes, I know it says 33 at the bottom of the vinyl, I didn’t read it and assumed it was a typical 45. But it was a fun way to hear the song.
For Record Store Day, April 23, 2022, Night Ranger and Frontiers Records released an RSD “First Release” of two previously unreleased songs recorded during the recording sessions for their latest album ATBPO (And the Band Played On). That is right, two never before released tracks. Now that my friends, is a single worth picking up.
According to the back cover and the stickers on the vinyl, the A-Side is “Wasted Time” and the B-Side is called “Free”. However, that is not what you get. The A-Side of “Wasted Time” is actually the song “Free”. Which naturally means, the B-Side of “Free” is actually “Wasted Time”. Talk about a screw up. The Stickers are on the wrong sides. Oops. I find that pretty cool though, as I love little mistakes like that. The one thing that is not a mistake is the pretty Green Vinyl!! I like colored vinyl!
Continue reading “Night Ranger – “Wasted Time” / “Free” – 7″ Single (Record Store Day – April 23, 2022)”
2 Loud 2 Old Music 