U2, Live “Under a Blood Red Sky, ” 1983 on Island

I always thought of this as recorded at Red Rocks in Colorado, but with additional tracks from the Orpheum in Boston (“11 O’Clock Tick Tock”) and Rockpalast in Germany (all of Side B, “I Will Follow”).

There was a live video – Live at Red Rocks: Under A Blood Red Sky, which was the full Red Rocks gig – may be why I’ve always confused the two.

This is one of the records I keep multiple copies of. Early pressings included a 5:18 version of “The Electric Co.” that includes Bono interpolating some lyrics from “Send in the Clowns” – these were removed from later pressings due to rights issues, resulting in a 4:51 version of the song. (CDs and reissues also use this shorter version).

This copy, via the Record Exchange in Salem MA, is a Specialty Records Pressing with the longer “The Electric Co.”. (My other copy with the shorter “The Electric Co.” is also a Specialty Records Pressing but with metal work from Allied).

The Pretenders, Get Close, 1986 on Sire

Fourth Pretenders LP, with “Don’t Get Me Wrong” and “My Baby,” both of which were hits in the US. This is after the deaths of Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott, and would be the last LP with Martin Chambers for nearly a decade. Lots of session players here across multiple sessions, but overall a great album.

My copy (via a private sale) is a 1986 Specialty pressing via Direct Metal Mastering, with the original inner liner.

Bob Dylan, Planet Waves, 1974 on Asylum

Dylan’s first album after leaving Columbia for Asylum Records, with The Band as the backing group, and his fourteenth overall. (The only other was Before the Flood – both were later reissued by Columbia).

Includes not one but two version of “Forever Young” – fast and slow – along with “Going, Going, Gone” and “On a Night Like This.” Recorded in LA at Village Recorder and produced by Rob Fraboni.

My copy—via Electric Fetus in Minneapolis MN—is a Speciality Records pressing with the textured sleeve on Asylum labels.

Michelle Shocked, Captain Swing, 1989 on Mercury

This was Shocked’s third LP and the follow up to the massively successful Short Sharp Shocked which came out in 1988. It’s (deliberately) all over the place in genre but wonderful.

The “hidden” track is also present on the vinyl – “Russian Roulette” is not listed on the labels but plays after “Must Be Luff.”

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a Specialty Records pressing on Mercury labels.

#1980s #1989 #mercury #michelleShocked #specialtyRecordPressing #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

David Byrne, Rei Momo, 1989 on Luaka Bop / Sire / WB

David Byrne’s first “solo” album which “transforms and pays tribute to the music of Latin America.” (Solo in the sense of not with Talking heads, but with a ton of talented musicians).

The vinyl releases omit three songs that were on the CD – would be a great candidate for a deluxe vinyl reissue 2xLP as I don’t think a new LP edition has been made since 1989.

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a 1989 direct-metal-mastering pressing via Specialty Records

#1980s #1989 #davidByrne #luakaBop #specialtyRecordPressing #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #warnerBros #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

X, See How We Are, 1987 on Elektra

This was the sixth studio album from Exene Cervenka, John Doe, and D.J. Bonebrake, and the first after the departure of Billy Zoom. He was replaced by Dave Alvin and then Tony Gilkyson, both of whom are credited on the LP. Benmont Tench also contributes on the Hammond organ.

The standout for me is “4th of July” which Alvin wrote. The whole album is decent, but doesn’t live up to Los Angeles or other earlier albums

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA—is a 1987 US Specialty pressing with the original inner liner.

#1980s #1987 #DaveAlvin #DJBonebrake #Elektra #ExeneCervenka #JohnDoe #LowellMA #MillNo5 #SpecialtyRecordPressing #TonyGilkyson #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #X

a-ha, Hunting High and Low, 1985 on Warner Bros.

Debut album from Norway’s a-ha, fronted by Morten Harket, with Magne Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar-Savoy.

“Take On Me” with its animated video is the song everyone knows, but there’s a lot of great songs in the record (and their other records!). Definitely more than a one-hit wonder.

My copy—via A1 Records in NYC—is a 1985 pressing by Speciality for the RCA Music Service, as per the additional “R 114779” catalogue number on the labels and the additional “Mfd. By RCA Music Service under License” on the back.

#1980s #1985 #aHa #A1Records #Norway #NYC #RCAMusicService #SpecialtyRecordPressing #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WarnerBrothers