Some Rolling Stones Picture Sleeves

The hipster vinyl revival seems to have passed by vintage 45 picture sleeves.   In sharp contrast to finding titles once found in the used dollar bins for $25, 45 picture sleeves can be had for a song.  I love 45's and the Rolling Stones.  I've been on a quest for early London Records picture sleeves.   Previously, I've found a few.   Check these out:  Jumpin Jack Flash and HonkyTonk Women PS 

I'll snap them up when I see them.    The holy grail - which I have no hope of obtaining - is Street Fighting Man b/w No Expectations.   Goldmine values it at $15,000.

Here are a few I've picked up recently.

Get Off Of My Cloud b/w I'm Free

A little damaged, but worth having

19th Nervous Breakdown b/w Sad Day.

A shot from the fruitful photo session at Franklin Canyon in Beverly Hills.

Paint It, Black b/w Stupid Girl

Another shot from Franklin Canyon.  This time in color.

Mother's Little Helper b/w Lady Jane

Features a shot which would become the cover to the US version of Aftermath.

Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing in the Shadow b/w Who's Driving Your Plane 

The A side is a goofy over produced Phil Spector-ish overkill.  The B-Side remains one of my favorite Rolling Stones tracks.

I got the cover on the cheap because some asshole wrote their name on it.  The front is a very 1966 is fisheye photo.

The back has The Stones in drag.  They don't look very feminine (save for Brian)

Let's Spend the Night Together b/w Ruby Tuesday.

Double A sided single from 1967.   Kind of a boring sleeve as it's just the Between the Buttons album cover, but cool nonetheless.

Still hope to find She's a Rainbow. In Another Land and We Love You.    Stay tuned.   Trying to do this without eBay.

Bob Dylan's Christmas Album

In 2009, Bob Dylan threw yet another monkey wrench at those who tried to pigeonhole him.  This is nothing new in his evolution as an artist.  Many shocking changes color his career from early on.  Going electric to piss off the folkies.  Going into hiding to piss of those who wanted more and more from him.  Going country to piss off those who thought he had the answer.  Going Christian to piss off just about everybody.  Going to the standards catalog to piss off those who wanted more songwriting, etc etc.

In 2009 he released a ....gasp..... Christmas Album.   This here promotional single was available if you bought the CD from Bobdylan.com

Bob Dylan - Must Be Santa b/w The Night Before Christmas  (Columbia 2009)

A rollicking song that should be place alongside 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' by Brenda Lee as a holiday favorite.

Packaging was pure vintage Columbia.

And it came in Christmas-y red vinyl.

As an added bonus, we get Dylan reciting 'The Night Before Christmas' on the B-Side

Have a listen.

Merry X-Mas from RoXy Music

In 1980, around the time Roxy Music released Flesh + Blood, this peculiar one-off single appeared.

The Dumbells - Giddy-Up b/w A Christmas Dream

It's Roxy Music in disguise playing two instrumental tracks.  Vocalist Bryan Ferry can be heard at one point yelling 'giddy up!' amongst some whip cracks.

The B-Side is an ambient style synth track.

A true oddity in the Roxy Music cannon.   

Merry X-Mas and don't whip the reindeer too hard!

Have a listen.   

K-Tel

They were advertised in fast talking TV commercials.  They were inexpensive.  They sounded like crap.   They could be purchased by mail or at the car wash.  

All things considered, they were very successful and can be found at any thrift store.

This was a way for hits to have a second life after falling from the charts. Usually released a year or more after the original hits.

And they were limited collectors editions.  For collectors of what?  I don't know.  There ARE people who collect K-Tel records.  Perhaps it's for them.

Music to Dream By

As stated many times before, there is a record for everything.  Here we have

Music to Dream By

Music to fall asleep to presented by The General Electric Company - makers of Sleep-Guard Blankets.

My first comment would be to make sure you have a turntable with automatic shut off.   You could find yourself waking to the sound of the runoff  groove burned into your psyche

What we get are easy listening tunes to lull you off to Dreamland.  Just as you're falling asleep, up pop four disembodied heads.

Pleasant dreams my lovely,

How To....

As I've said many times before, There is a record for everything.  Here we have:

Hear How to Converse in Spanish

The computer and the internet was pretty much the death sentence on this type of record.  It makes perfect sense why it existed,

It's the other titles that intrigue me.  I'd like to collect them all...

Note to self.  Be on the lookout for

Hear How To Tell Your Children the Facts of Life.
Hear How To Achieve Sexual Harmony in Marriage.
Hear How To Be a Better Bowler.
Hear How To Touch Type

Square Dance

Before there was rap, if you wanted to hear someone talking over music your only choice was square dance music.

Pretty sure I picked this up in Nashville.

I have yet to host a square dance party.

Some great titles:
Take a Little Beer
Boil Them Cabbages Down
Back Up and Push

NRBQ at Yankee Stadium

NRBQ.   The worlds greatest bar band.  Brief stints on major labels, but mostly indie records.

NRBQ at Yankee Stadium  (Mercury 1978)

One of their greatest covers.  The title implies a huge show in front of 50,000 screaming fans.   The photo reveals the true meaning of the title.  Yes, NRBQ was at Yankee Stadium.  If you look closely you can spot them just to the left of the dugout.

The album contains one of their 'hits,' Ridin' in My Car.