Alright #MAPoli I'm new to this, so bear with me. Energy bills 💡 are a top concern for everyday people in Massachusetts when it comes to building performance. Supposedly the Lowell Sun is reporting on bill actvity on Beacon Hill, but they only list votes for a fraction of the representatives?

https://www.lowellsun.com/2026/03/09/beacon-hill-roll-call-house-cuts-mass-save-marketing-budget/

What is going on? A quick search tells me the Lowell Sun probably focused on Middlesex County representatives for this piece - so that answers that q.

Where is the Senate on H 5151? Last week I was disturbed to hear legislation proposed to make taxpayers cover lobbying costs for the energy companies. And a $1 BILLION cut to Mass Save. Are rep's working to increase costs for people? In any case, check out the article above for some pretty current updates ⚡

#buildingPerformance #construction #energy #law #LowellMA #Lowell #Massachusetts

MASSACHUSETTS! WE'RE NEXT!

Heads up! Boston City Hall is preparing for a ICE/DHS/CBP surge and observers report an uptick in activity around the Burlington ICE facility suggestive of an imminent surge, including the delivery of new vehicles. Observers report sightings at Alewife and MGH.

https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1qc5bam/boston_quietly_prepares_for_an_ice_surge/

https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/01/13/boston-prepares-ice-surge-wu-plans

#Boston #Massachusetts #EastBoston #ChelseaMA #LowellMA #RevereMA #SomervilleMA #WalthamMA #CambervilleMA #Cambridge #CambridgeMA #WorcesterMA #Worcester #BostonMA #eyesOnICE #BrocktonMA #B0st0n #BurlingtonMassachusetts #Burlington #BurlingtonMA #LawrenceMA #LynnMA #BillericaMA #MaldenMA

#NoKings 2.0
(10/18/2025)

#NoKingsMassachusetts
#LowellMA
#MiddlesexCountyMA

https://bsky.app/profile/poundpuppy-29.bsky.social/post/3m3lierhylk2o

Dire Straits, Communiqué, 1979 on Warner Bros

Sophomore album by Dire Straits, released in 1979 by Warner Bros. (in the US). This was the last album before David Knopfler left, and went to number 11 on the US charts.

I just love Mark Knopfler’s guitar playing and compositions – these albums are all fantastic. Look how young they all are!

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5—is an RCA record club edition (note the R-143749 on the label and the black text added on the rear cover) pressed at Specialty. The price sticker damage on the cover is from a previous owner. Use a heat gun people!

#1970s #1979 #davidKnopfler #direStraits #johnIllsley #lowellMa #markKnopfler #millNo5 #pickWithers #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #warnerBros

John Cougar, John Cougar, 1979 on Riva

Third album album from the guy we now know as John Mellencamp, after two (Chestnut Street Incident and A Biography) as “Johnny Cougar.” It was his second on Riva Records but the first Riva put out in the US.

Includes “I Need A Lover” which had been a hit in Australia and was covered by Pat Benatar on her debut album. Love those Riva labels.

My fellow record collector obsessives: what do you do with this LP in your filing system? Does it go under “Cougar, John” or under “Mellencamp, John [Cougar]”? I file mine under Mellencamp to keep them all together, the rationale being it feels like Cougar was forced on him not really an alias in the usual sense.

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA—is a 1979 pressing from Terre Haute with the original cover (yellow/orange lettering later changed to red).

#1970s #1979 #JohnCougar #JohnCougarMellencamp #LowellMA #MillNo5 #Riva #TerreHaute #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Oscar Peterson featuring Stephane Grappelli, Peterson/Grappelli, 1974 on Prestige

2xLP from Prestige bringing together Canadian jazz pianist Peterson with French jazz violinist Grappelli. The two also appeared together on a live Pablo album (Skol) in 1982 (recorded in 1979).

This double LP was recorded in Paris February 22nd and 23rd, 1973. Peterson and Grappelli are joined by Niels Henning Oersted Pederson on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. It was also released (credited to Oscar Peterson – Stephane Grappelli Quartet) as 2 separate LPs (vol 1 and vol 2) on America records in France and later by Verve in the US.

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5—is a first US pressing with yellow Prestige labels with the blue logo mark.

#1974 #KennyClarke #LowellMA #MillNo5 #NielsPederson #OscarPeterson #Paris #Prestige #StephaneGrappelli #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan At Budokan, 1979 on Columbia

Third of three live Dylan albums from the 70s (Before the Flood and Hard Rain are the other two), and the second to be 2xLP in format, At Budokan was recorded at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo in February and March of 1978. (The US release was in 1979).

Many folks don’t care for the arrangements here – very different than the originals in most cases, using the musicians from Street Legal and supplemental pedal steel, horns, flute, and recorder (!). It’s actually grown on me over time, though I get it can feel a bit droney. But I’m something of a Dylan completist- your mileage may vary.

My copy—another one via a record fair at Mill No. 5—is a 1979 Pitman pressing, gatefold, on red/yellow Columbia labels.

#1970s #1979 #BobDylan #Columbia #Japan #Live #LowellMA #MillNo5 #Pitman #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Echo And The Bunnymen, Heaven Up Here, 1981 on Sire/Korova

Second album from Echo & the Bunnymen, produced by Hugh Jones (and the band) and recorded in Wales. It was put out by Korova in the UK and Sire in the US.

While Crocodiles didn’t chart in the US this one did. The photo on the cover – taken on the shore in Wales – is such an iconic image for the era.

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5—is a US Jacksonville pressing from Allied metalwork.

#1980s #1981 #Allied #EchoAndTheBunnymen #Jacksonville #Korova #LowellMA #MillNo5 #Sire #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds