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

Joy Division, Substance, 1988 on Factory

Posthumous collection of Joy Division singles put out in 1988 as a 1xLP and reissued in 2015 as a 2xLP by Rhino (a digital remaster). Substance was also used at the title for the New Order singles collection that came out in 1987 (with “1987” added).

Still looking for a good clean copy of Unknown Pleasures but I was glad to find this copy of Substance. The 2xLP version includes the “Pennine Version” of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” which was the b-side of the original single.

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5—is the 2015 Rhino US edition pressed at Optimal GmbH on 180g vinyl.

#1980s #1988 #2010s #2015 #compilation #FactoryRecords #JoyDivision #LowellMA #MillNo5 #Rhino #Singles #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Modern English, Mesh & Lace, 1981 on 4AD

Debut album from Modern English on the 4AD label. This wasn’t released in the US formally until the 2012 CD reissue and then 2016 on vinyl.

The debut is a bit darker and more derivative of Joy Division than some of the later work but still a really strong collection of songs.

I always loved the lyric from “I Melt With You”: “never realizing it was always mesh & lace” but didn’t recognize at the time it was something of a reference to their debut.

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5—is a UK pressing by WEA in West Drayton, with the original inner sleeve.

#1980s #1981 #4AD #LowellMA #MillNo5 #ModernEnglish #UK #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WEAWestDrayton

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

Bauhaus, 4AD, 1983 on 4AD

Yes, I did save this one for halloween. This was a compilation EP of the singles versions of “Dark Entries,” “Telegram Sam,” and “Terror Couple Kill Colonel.” Love that back cover photo.

I was today years old when I realized that John Cale wrote “Rosegarden Funeral of Sores,” the opening triplet of which is burned into my adolescent brain so much it still comes up whenever I am tired of dealing with people:

Virgin Mary was tired so tired / Tired of listening to gossip / Gossip and complaints

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA—is a UK pressing with a white b-side label, pressed by Damont. I don’t believe this was ever issued in the US.

#1980s #1983 #4AD #Bauhaus #DanielAsh #DavidJay #Goth #JohnCale #KevinHaskins #LowellMA #MillNo5 #PeterMurphy #UK #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Bob Dylan, Street-Legal, 1978 on Columbia

This was Dylan’s 18th studio LP, made with a band that included Jerry Scheff, Ian Wallace, Alan Pasqua, Billy Cross, Steven Soles, Steve Douglas, and David Mansfield – many of whom were in the Rolling Thunder Revue. (David Mansfield also went on to be part of The Range).

Not as many absolutely central Dylan songs here, but I do love “Is Your Love In Vain?” and “Señor (Tales of Yankee Power).”

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No 5 in Lowell MA—is a 1978 pressing from Columbia’s Santa Maria plant. It’s written as “Street Legal” (no hyphen) on the labels but “Street-Legal” on the cover and spine.

#1970s #1978 #AlanPasqua #BillyCross #BobDylan #Columbia #DavidMansfield #IanWallace #JerryScheff #LowellMA #MillNo5 #SantaMaria #SteveDouglas #StevenSoles #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds