Tom Waits, The Heart of Saturday Night, 1974 on Asylum

Second studio album from Tom Waits, following Closing Time, and the first produced by Bones Howe. An absolute must have.

Much of Waits’ catalog is now being reissued but I love a chance to find early pressings of these in good shape. It’s amazing to me how timeless he is – this could come out today and still feel fresh, or could be from the 60s.

My copy—via Worcester Record Riot—is a 1976 Specialty Records Pressing with the original inner liner.

#1970s #1974 #asylum #bonesHowe #tomWaits #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Public Enemy, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, 1987 on Def Jam

Debut studio album from Public Enemy, recorded at Spectrum City Studios and produced by Bill Stephney (of The Bomb Squad, with co-producers Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee) with Rick Rubin credited as Executive Producer.

Still looking for a good vinyl copy of It Takes a Nation of Millions. Def Jam was distributed by CBS/Columbia (thus the Columbia on the labels).

My copy, via the Worcester Record Riot, is a 1987 Carrollton GA pressing with the BFC catalog number on the spine.

#1980s #billStephney #carlRyder #carrolltonGa #columbia #defJam #hankShocklee #hipHop #hipHop2 #publicEnemy #theBombSquad #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

John Prine, Diamonds in the Rough, 1972 on Atlantic

This was Prine’s sophomore album, following the self-titled John Prine. Prine is joined by Steve Goodman, David Bromberg, Steve Burgh, and Dave Prine.

I just love Prine’s songwriting: “Souvenirs,” “Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You” and “Late John Garfield Blues” on this LP. He also does “Diamonds in the Rough” by AP Carter. Naming the LP after the one cover as a singer-songwriter is a bold move.

My copy, via the Worcester Record Riot, is a Monarch pressing with the Broadway address in the rim text.

#1970s #1972 #atlantic #davePrine #davidBromberg #johnPrine #monarch #singerSongwriter #steveGoodman #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

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

The League Unlimited Orchestra, Love and Dancing, 1982 on A&M

Remix album by The Human League, released in 1982 on Virgin in the UK, Europe and Canada and on A&M in the US. (Name inspired by Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra).

I love the version of “Hard Times” here – mostly instrumental versions, remixed by Martin Rushent.

This is another filing oddity – I put it under H in sequence with the Human League records rather than under L.

My copy—via a record fair at Mill No. 5—is an Electrosound Group Midwest pressing.

#1980s #1982 #am #daveAllen #electrosoundGroupMidwest #humanLeague #ianBurden #joanneCatherall #kenAnsell #leagueUnlimitedOrchestra #martinRushent #philipAdrianWright #philipOakey #susanneSulley #synthPop #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #virgin

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

The Cure, Faith, 1981 on Fiction

The Cure’s third full length, between Seventeen Seconds and Pornography, released in 1981 on Fiction records in the UK, and later in the US on Elektra in 1988.

I had this on some form of import – likely a friend made an illegal cassette copy for me – in the mid 80s, but was happy to pick up this 2016 Rhino reissue on 180g vinyl, pressed at GZ Media, which sounds great.

#1980s #1981 #fiction #GZMedia #Reissue #Rhino #TheCure #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