November 2022 Purchases – Vinyl & CD’s

Welcome to the November 2022 Purchases update. You will notice that my cover picture is a little different this month. Normally, I have all my purchases stacked on top of the turntable, but there was a problem this time around. My cat, Chandler, decided it was nap time and wouldn’t move. Actually, Chandler naps up there a lot when I am working from home so no big surprise. So, I didn’t want to disturb him as he needs his beauty sleep so I took a picture of him instead. Believe it or not, he is still a kitten as he is only 9 months old. Once full grown he will be 20-25 lbs and won’t be able to fit on the turntable so I am letting him enjoy it while he can.

Okay, enough of that. Let us get to the real reason we are here…the music. And what did I get this month. I will say it was a better month than last one as I went a little nuts on the vinyl this time around and very little on the CDs. First up, I have been holding off on buying Def Leppard stuff on vinyl because I want to see what is in the Collection, Volume 4, but I’m tired of waiting and I realize it is generally not any one specific live album that has already been released, so I bought these three things so I finally had them on vinyl.

Now, I did hit one real record store this month, but didn’t score a bunch. The only thing I picked up from Mad Jack’s are a couple of Asia albums that I didn’t have in my collection for some strange reason. And they were clean!

Continue reading “November 2022 Purchases – Vinyl & CD’s”

Friday New Releases – June 24, 2022

With over 60 albums released today, you would think I would find something I had to buy. However, you’d be wrong. There are things I will eventually give a listen, but nothing I am running out to buy. That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything good. There are a ton. And I am sure, as a result, you would find something in this batch of stellar releases. Let me know what you want to hear or what I may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

  • 81RjYMOky6L._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  Black Stone Cherry – Live From the Royal Albert Hall… Y’all – (Mascot Label Group)
  • 71hIuy3yYZL._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  Coheed & Cambria – Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind – (Roadrunner Records / Elektra Records)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – June 24, 2022”

Friday New Releases – April 15, 2022

April 15th in the U.S. use to be Tax Day. The day our taxes needed to be filed and paid (unless you file an extension). This year it is actually been pushed to Monday, April 18th like that will make any difference to the procrastinators. Mine are done!! But, being that Friday New Releases this year is on April 15, maybe they decided not to have many so these people that have to pay more in taxes don’t have to worry about missing out on too much. Or it could be the Super Deluxe Edition of Rush’s Moving Pictures is so expensive no one can afford anything else. Either way, we only have around 35 this week which is way down from previous weeks. I only have one and it is up first and highlighted in Blue. But I am sure there is something for you in there so take a look and let me know what you want to hear this week or what we missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a great weekend!!

  • 71vsyGEt+AL._SX522_  Rush – Moving Pictures (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) – (Mercury Records / UMG): Probably my favorite Rush album and my entry point in to the band, ‘Moving Pictures’ is getting the Super Deluxe Edition for its 40th Anniversary…WOW!! 40 Years. I am getting old. This box set includes a 3 CD set featuring the 2015 album remaster and the complete, unreleased Toronto concert from March 25, 1981. All audio is also showcased on 5 LPs cut at half-speed DMM on 180-gram vinyl. Blu-ray Audio disc presents a first-ever Dolby Atmos and new 5.1 surround album mix including the brand-new video for “YYZ” + 3 music videos. Extras include a book, model car, drumsticks, posters, and more! At only $299, it is a little steep. You could just get the deluxe edition CDs or vinyl for way, way less.

And then all the rest…

  • 51R6fD7UPoL._AC_UL640_FMwebp_QL65_  Jewel – Freewheelin’ Woman – (Words Matter Media)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – April 15, 2022”

My Top 10 Concerts of All Time

It has been over a year now since I have seen a live show and it could be another year before I get to see another one. I started thinking back on all the shows I have seen and the memories came flooding back. Now back some time last year, the LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or Less did a live stream on the Nigel Tufnel Top 10 Favorite Live Shows of all time. Each guests gave a list of their 11 favorite shows and I had a list for the show. I thought why not spell it out here for everyone to read in all its glory and add some pictures and extra information, if I have any. I hope you enjoy.

11. Motley Crue – Girls, Girls, Girls Tour (1987):

November 22, 1987 at the Omni in Atlanta, GA.  The opening act was Guns N Roses.  The lineup alone makes it a favorite but what happened at the show is why it is on the list. It was not a good show at all which is why it is down at 11.  It is only on the list for what happened at the show. During GNR’s set, Axl jumps off stage at about the 2nd song to grab a security guard who pushed his friend.  Axl is held backstage while the band plays a couple songs (“Communication Breakdown” and “Honky Tonk Women”) with one of their roadies and that was all got from them.  Motley delayed coming on and then put in a half-ass show and left early in protest of Axl’s arrest (at least this is the rumor we heard).  It pissed me off so much I stopped listening to both bands for awhile. Ticket prices at the time were only $17.50.

Continue reading “My Top 10 Concerts of All Time”

Rush – ‘Test for Echo’ Tour 1996-1996 – Tour Program

If you read this blog regularly, you would notice that I started collecting Kiss Tour Books and this collecting is a very recent thing. As a result, I have suddenly had numerous Tour Books fall in to my lap almost literally. First were a couple of Bon Jovi Tour Books and now I stumbled across not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 4 Rush Tour Books. It is like the Tour Book Gods are speaking to me. I grabbed all 4 as the prices were really great and made it worth owning. This here is the final of the 4 Rush Tour Book posts that have been done. The place I found these was Hardy Boy Records in Mint Hill, NC. I always seem to find some cool stuff from him as I have found numerous Kiss Bootlegs at his shop. His shop is quickly becoming my favorite place to go.

We’ve already covered three tour programs for ‘Power Windows’, ‘Roll the Bones’ and ‘Counterparts’. We are now the final one in this set of tour books I picked up and it is for the Test for Echo Tour which was the band’s first tour without an opening act, and was billed as “An Evening With Rush.” The tour kicked off October 19, 1996 and ran until July 4, 1997. This was the only concert tour in which Rush played the song “2112” in its entirety. The set list was broken in to 3 parts and it is the best yet…

SETLIST

SET ONE

“Dreamline”
“The Big Money”/”Wipe Out” (Replaced with “Limelight” for the second leg)
“Stick It Out” (Second leg only)
“Driven”
“Half the World”
“Red Barchetta”
“Animate”
“Limbo”
“The Trees”
“Freewill” (Second leg only)
“Red Sector A”
“Virtuality”
“Nobody’s Hero”
“Closer to the Heart”
“2112”

SET TWO

“Test for Echo”
“Subdivisions” (Dropped from the second leg)
“Freewill”
“Roll the Bones”
“Resist”
“Leave That Thing Alone”
“The Rhythm Method” (drum solo)
“Natural Science”
“Force Ten”
“Time and Motion” (Moved around the setlist before being dropped on 9 Nov 1996)
“The Spirit of Radio”
“Tom Sawyer”

ENCORE

“YYZ”
“Cygnus X-1” (teaser)

Continue reading “Rush – ‘Test for Echo’ Tour 1996-1996 – Tour Program”

Rush – Counterparts Tour 1994 – Tour Program

If you read this blog regularly, you would notice that I started collecting Kiss Tour Books and this is a very recent thing. As a result, I have suddenly had numerous Tour Books fall in to my lap almost literally. First were a couple of Bon Jovi Tour Books and now I stumbled across not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 4 Rush Tour Books. It is like the Tour Book Gods are speaking to me. I grabbed all 4 as the prices were really great and made it worth owning. This here is the first of the 4 Rush Tour Book posts that coming. The place I found these was Hardy Boy Records in Mint Hill, NC. I always seem to find some cool stuff from him as I have found numerous Kiss Bootlegs at his shop. His shop is quickly becoming my favorite place to go.

We’ve already covered the tour programs for ‘Power Windows’ and now ‘Roll the Bones’. This time we are going through the tour book for the Counterparts Tour which ran from January to May of 1994 and covered only 55 dates all across the U.S. And although a short tour, the setlist was pretty impressive…

SETLIST

“Dreamline”
“The Spirit of Radio”
“The Analog Kid”
“Cold Fire”
“Time Stand Still”
“Nobody’s Hero”
“Roll the Bones”
“Animate”
“Stick It Out”
“Double Agent”
“Limelight”
“Bravado” (added 4/20/94)
“Mystic Rhythms”
“Closer to the Heart”
“Show Don’t Tell”
“Leave That Thing Alone!”
“The Rhythm Method”
“The Trees”
“Xanadu” (abbreviated)
“Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres” (Prelude)
“Tom Sawyer”
“Force Ten”
“YYZ”
“Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage” (teaser)

Continue reading “Rush – Counterparts Tour 1994 – Tour Program”

‘Masters of Metal’ – Various Artists – Album Review

I was digging for records while on vacation down in St. Augustine, Florida and at one of the stores, I came across a vinyl that brought back so many memories.  I had this on cassette and I remember loving it and listening to it constantly.  I had to get it and at only $5, it was a no brainer.

The album is not something I normally buy and that is because it is a compilation album mixed with numerous artists.  The album was K-Tel’s “Master of Metal”!  Now, don’t let the name confuse you because it isn’t really that heavy or metal, but it was full of songs that I loved from bands that sometimes do much heavier stuff.  The album is from 1984 and had hit songs from some of the biggest bands at that time.

There were so many bands on here that had connections with each other.  Such as Black Sabbath is on it with Ian Gillan on vocals, Dio is on here and Ronnie James Dio used to sing with Black Sabbath, Rainbow is on here with Joe Lynn Turner and Dio sang with them as well.  Kiss is on here and so is Rush who opened for Kiss.  All pretty cool, but back in 1984, I had no idea about these connections.

IMG_2413 2 Continue reading “‘Masters of Metal’ – Various Artists – Album Review”

Rush – ‘Power Windows Tour 1985-1986’ – Tour Book

If you read this blog regularly, you would notice that I started collecting Kiss Tour Books and this is a very recent thing. As a result, I have suddenly had numerous Tour Books fall in to my lap almost literally. First were a couple of Bon Jovi Tour Books and now I stumbled across not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 4 Rush Tour Books. It is like the Tour Book Gods are speaking to me. I grabbed all 4 as the prices were really great and made it worth owning. This here is the first of the 4 Rush Tour Book posts that coming. The place I found these was Hardy Boy Records in Mint Hill, NC. I always seem to find some cool stuff from him as I have found numerous Kiss Bootlegs at his shop. His shop is quickly becoming my favorite place to go.

This Tour Book for Rush is covering the tour for the album ‘Power Windows’. The tour ran from March 10, 1985 to May 26, 1986 and covered 75 dates all across the U.S. and there home country of Canada. And the setlist was pretty impressive…

SETLIST

Intro (“Three Stooges Theme”)
The Spirit Of Radio
Limelight
The Big Money
New World Man
Subdivisions
Manhattan Project
Middletown Dreams
Witch Hunt
Red Sector A
Closer To The Heart
Marathon
The Trees
Mystic Rhythms
Distant Early Warning
Territories
YYZ
Drum Solo
Red Lenses

Encore:

Tom Sawyer
2112
Overture
The Temples Of Syrinx
Grand Designs
In The Mood

Continue reading “Rush – ‘Power Windows Tour 1985-1986’ – Tour Book”

October 2020 Purchases – Vinyls & CDs

Is October already over!! Wow! The time is flying by now. Luckily for me, it was another stellar month for picking up so new stuff (most is old stuff new to me though). And I didn’t waste any time as right at the end of September after I wrote the September Purchases post, a few things came in the mail from Amazon within minutes and days of each other. First up was Ace Frehley’s Origins. Vol 2…and yes I have Vol 1…duh!!

Then Queen & Adam Lambert’s Live Around the World. I chose CD on this only because when I ordered it the vinyl wasn’t listed. It did come with a DVD of the shows as well. Since my daughter saw this tour a couple years ago, no brainer…

Continue reading “October 2020 Purchases – Vinyls & CDs”

1980 – The Greatest Year in Music?

If you are new to the site, I started this series with the year 1987 and then noticed that 1991 and 1983 were also a couple of the greatest years in music.  I got to thinking, was there a pattern that every 4 years we have another great year in music.  Well theory didn’t last long as I don’t think the next two years I researched were “great” years in music.  Those years were 1979 and 1995. If you want to explore all the years I have examined so far, click on the link below…

1971 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1979 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1983 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1987 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1991 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1995 – The Greatest Year in Music?

Now that my theory is busted, I am now on the hunt for the “Greatest” year in music. I reviewed 1971 first and it was pretty fantastic and I am now on 1980.  I know, I know.  I am not going in any kind of order.  I am going with what I am in the mood to explore and this time 1980 has me jazzed as so many great albums are now 40 years old!!

Will 1980 be another great year or will it be the greatest year.  Let us explore and see and then decide at the end.  But first we have to ask What were the top albums of the year?, What were the debut albums from some of the great rock bands? and What was going on in the world of music that year?

NEWS:

400px-Original_Sony_Walkman_TPS-L2The Sony Walkman: I wrote about the advent of the Sony Walkman in the 1979 post as that was when it went on sale in Japan.  In the U.S., it went on sale on June 25, 1980 almost a year later.  The way you listen to music was changed forever!! (at least until the CD and then the MP3 and now streaming).  Who didn’t have one of these if you were a kid in the 80’s.  I definitely did.  It helped spur my love for music as it now was more portable and more personal.  It was better than just the radio, I could listen to what I wanted to wherever and whenever I wanted.  I used mine while I mowed the lawn (and every now and again I would snag the cord on the mower and pull my headphones off). I had a boombox, but that wasn’t the same as the Walkman.  There was nothing better (until my iPod). Continue reading “1980 – The Greatest Year in Music?”