Chet Baker, Sings Again, 1986 on Timeless

Recorded in October 1985 in Monster Holland, this was released on the Timeless label. Baker is joined by Michel Graillier (piano), Ricardo Del Fra (bass), and John Engels (drums). That means it was recorded after Baker’s “re-emergence” at the Free Jazz Festival in Rio in September 1985.

The dedication is “Thanks to Peter Huijts, without him this recording had not been possible” (though Huijts is not one of the credited producers, which are Makoto Kimata & Wim Wigt).

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a 2022 reissue by Music on Vinyl, a numbered limited edition on pink 180g vinyl.

#1980s #1986 #2020s #2022 #ChetBaker #JohnEngels #MakotoKimata #MichelGraillier #MusicOnVinyl #PeterHuijts #Reissue #RicardoDelFra #Timeless #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WimWigt #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

#BostonWeekend 18x Sat and Sun Punk Rock Flea Market in Worcester https://www.facebook.com/events/1241604161112084/ #WorcesterMA #Massachusetts #Punk

#BostonWeekend 8x Fri POST HARDCORE #Glassjaw & #SavesTheDay in #WorcesterMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vr_FgfF7u4 https://www.tixr.com/groups/thepalladium/events/glassjaw-saves-the-day-159594 #BostonMusic #massachusetts

The Smithereens, 11, 1989 on Enigma/Capitol

Third studio full-length from New Jersey’s own The Smithereens: Pat DiNizio, Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken, and Mike Mesaros. Belinda Carlisle guests on “Blue Period” and Maria Vidal adds background vocals on “A Girl Like You.”

Apparently the title is inspired by Spinal Tap and Ocean’s 11, but there are only 10 songs. These 10 go to 11? This is the same band that named a song “Especially For You” on their second album, after their first album was called Especially for You. I love all of them.

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a Speciality Pressing on Capital rainbow-edge labels from the 80s, with original inner liner.

#1980s #1989 #Capitol #Enigma #JimBabjak #MikeMesaros #PatDiNizio #TheSmithereens #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

The B-52’s, The B-52’s, 1979 on Warner Bros.

Debut album from Athens GA indie band the B-52’s. So amazing how fully-formed they were on this debut LP, with “Rock Lobster” and “Dance This Mess Around.” This is a must have for an 80s music fan.

The original line-up here: Katie Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson and Ricky Wilson. Sadly Ricky Wilson died of AIDS-related illness in the mid 80s.

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a Winchester pressing on the tiled WB logo labels and the printed inner.

#1979 #B52s #FredSchneidern #KatiePierson #KeithStrickland #RickyWilson #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WarnerBros #Winchester #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

David Bowie, David Live, 1974 on RCA Victor

First live album from Bowie, recorded at the Tower Theater outside Philadelphia, on the first leg of the Diamond Dogs tour.

Reissued in 2005 (on CD) with a new mix by Tony Visconti (with a 2017 3xLP version).

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is an RCA Indianapolis pressing on the orange labels.

#1970s #1974 #DavidBowie #Indianapolis #Philadelphia #RCAVictor #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

#OTD (Dec 08) in 1959, authorities note a large meeting of #Massachusetts, #RhodeIsland and #Connecticut gambling racketeers at a restaurant in #WorcesterMA and a smaller meeting at a nearby hotel.

#MafiaHistory #Histodons @mafiahistory

UB40, Rat in the Kitchen, 1986 on A&M

Seventh UB40 full length, on A&M in the US and DEP International / Virgin elsewhere. Love the title track as well as “Sing our Own Song,” with the rallying cry of the African National Congress (“Amandla Awethu”).

Got to see them around this time in Minneapolis – what a fantastic live show they put on, including many of the songs here.

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is an Indianapolis pressing on A&M labels with the original inner liner.

#1980s #1986 #AM #DEPInternational #Reggae #UB40 #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #Virgin #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

Peter Gabriel, So, 1986 on Geffen

One of the foundational albums of my youth – not just the “In Your Eyes” boombox scene from Say Anything, but really every track here. Sounds fantastic on vinyl. Definitely one of my desert island discs, provided I can bring a turntable.

In the UK this was issued on Charisma (PG5) and Virgin but in the US it was out on Geffen. It was reissued as a multi-CD / box set in 2012. On the basis of how great this album is I went back and learned the whole Peter Gabriel solo catalogue and even the early Genesis – on top of all the Womad / world music stuff he was also part of.

My copy, via the Worcester Record Riot, is an RCA Music Service club pressing from the RCA plant in Indianapolis.

#1980s #1986 #Charisma #geffen #Indianapolis #PeterGabriel #RCAMusicService #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #Virgin #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

Cyndi Lauper, True Colors, 1986 on Portrait

Second studio LP from Lauper, following the massively successful She’s So Unusual which had already gone four times platinum.

Covering “What’s Going On” was, well, a choice. But I love the “Iko Iko” and the originals: the title track still makes me have all the feels, and “Boy Blue” – which was released as a single, raised money for AIDS research. (The whole album is dedicated “with love to my beautiful boy blue” – Gregory Natal.

Lots of guests here, perhaps as a result of her stratospheric success on the first LP: Billy Joel, Aimee Mann, The Bangles, Pee Wee Herman, Anton Fig, Adrian Belew, Nile Rodgers, and Robert Holmes.

If you haven’t seen it I recommend Let the Canary Sing, a documentary on Lauper (currently on Paramount Plus).

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is an early Pitman pressing on the Portrait labels with the original printed inner.

#1980s #1986 #CyndiLauper #GregoryNatal #Pitman #Portrait #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Conscious Party, 1988 on Virgin

Third LP from Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, which included Stephen, Sharon and Cedella plus Ziggy, all children of Bob and Rita Marley (who also adds backing vocals). Guests include Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth. Chris Franz and Weymouth also produced.

Loved this album when it came out – fairly certain I had a copy on vinyl in 1988, but jah knows where it ended up. This copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a Specialty pressing (see the E A S T around the spindle hole) with the original printed inner liner.

#1980s #1988 #ChrisFranz #JerryHarrison #MelodyMakers #Reggae #RitaMarley #TinaWeymouth #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #Virgin #WorcesterMA #ZiggyMarley #ZiggyMarleyAndTheMelodyMakers

David Bowie, Lodger, 1979 on RCA Victor

Third album in the so-called Berlin trilogy (after Low and “Heroes”) in collaboration with Brian Eno and Tony Visconti. Recorded in Switzerland and New York city, and the first Bowie album to feature Adrian Belew alongside Carlos Alomar.

A remastered Lodger came out in 2017 as part of the box set A New Career In a New Town (1977-1982).

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is an early 80s reissue for the European Market, on RCA International, pressed by Sonopress in Germany.

#1970s #1979 #1984 #adrianBelew #berlinTrilogy #brianEno #carlosAlomar #davidBowie #germany #rcaInternational #rcaVictor #reissue #sonopress #tonyVisconti #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa

Jeff Beck Group, Rough and Ready, 1971 on Epic

Third studio album by the Jeff Beck Group, in this case with Clive Chapman (bass), Bob Tench (vocals), Cozy Powell (drums) and Max Middleton (piano).

Bob Tench recorded with Peter Green, Beck, Van Morrison, Freddie King, Ginger Baker and others – and was in Humble Pie, The Gass, and others. Sadly he passed in 2024.

My copy, via the Worcester Record Riot, is an early Terre Haute pressing with the yellow Epic labels. It has track A4 as “Raynes Park Blues” attributed to Beck – later versions credit it as “Max’s Tune” to Max Middleton.

#1970s #1971 #bobTench #cliveChapman #cozyPowell #epic #jeffBeck #jeffBeckGroup #maxMiddleton #terreHaute #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

David Bowie, A Divine Symmetry, 2022 on Parlophone

Divine Symmetry was first available as a box set in 2022, with 4 CDs and a Blu-Ray disc (or a 72 track digital download). This single LP vinyl edition, with the subtitle An Alternative Journey Through Hunky Dory was released in February 2023.

Hunky Dory is one of my all time favorite albums, so getting an alternative version was a no-brainer. Four of the tracks are from the BOWPROMO mixes, six are 2021 alternate mixes, one (“Andy Warhol”) is the original mix, one (“Life on Mars”) has the original ending restored, and “Bombers” (an outtake) is added.

My copy via the Worcester Record Riot. I love the replacement of the labels with BOWIE where RCA would have been in the type style of RCA.

#1971 #2020s #2022 #2023 #alternative #bowpromo #davidBowie #hunkyDory #parlophone #reissue #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks, Everybody’s Rockin’, 1983 on Geffen

Credited (as you can see on the cover and the labels) to Neil Young but also to Neil and the Shocking Pinks, this was Neil’s rockabilly album, with a band assembled just for this purpose.

I realize I’m something of a Neil Young completist, but I really enjoy this album, short as it is.

My copy—via Worcester Record Riot—is a 1983 Carrollton pressing from the Columbia House Record Club (noted on the rear jacket).

#1980s #1983 #carrolltonGa #columbiaHouseRecordClub #geffen #neilYoung #neilYoungAndTheShockingPinks #rockabilly #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Talking Heads, Remain in Light, 1980 on Sire

Fourth studio LP from Talking Heads, and the third produced by Brian Eno.

I’d say the whole Talking Heads discography is “must have,” and this is no exception. Sire has been reissuing all the Talking Heads discography recently on vinyl – the reissues sound great, but I also love an original pressing.

My copy—via Worcester Record Riot—is a 1980 Winchester pressing with printed inner sleeve and lyrics sheet.

#1980 #1980s #brianEno #sire #talkingHeads #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

U2, Camouflage Heart, 1985 on Skeleton Songs

Another bootleg, this time a 2xLP version of the gig in Mannheim West Germany, February 1st, 1985.

Bootlegged a number of times under different cover, this was part of the Unforgettable Fire tour. Includes a cover of “Southern Man” by Neil Young.

My copy—via Worcester Record Riot—has plain white record labels with nothing on them, and no indication of where it was pressed.

#bootleg #live #mannheim #skeletonSongs #u2 #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #westGermany #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

R.E.M., We Are Having a Heavenly Time!, 1985 on P.F.M.

Bootleg recording from R.E.M.’s September 26th, 1984 gig at Durham North Carolina’s Page Auditorium (on Duke’s campus).

Also available in the Internet Archive – R.E.M. Live – 1984-09-26 Page Auditorium.

It was recorded by the mobile unit of Reflection Sound Studios and then bootlegged, with this notation on the rear cover: “This Fan Club album is not intended for sale, commercial distribution or air play. All rights reserved. Entire packaging and contents copyright 1985 P.F.M. Records a Division of S.B.W. (Special Products). Cover printed in the U.S.A.”

Reportedly R.E.M. issued a cease-and-desist primarily because this implied it was produced by the official fan club.

My copy via Worcester Record Riot.

#1980s #1985 #bootleg #dukeUniversity #pageAuditorium #rEM #reflectionSound #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

UB40, Labour of Love, 1983 on A&M

Fourth studio LP from UB40 – a collection of covers including their giant hit “Red Red Wine” – but don’t hold that against them. It’s really a fantastic album start to finish.

“All of these songs were recorded by reggae artists between 1969 and 1972” – they came to “Red, Red, Wine” not via Neil Diamond (who wrote it) but Tony Tribe’s version.

They’d go on to make sequels: Labour of Love II, Labour of Love III, and Labour of Love IV – but none were quite as magical as the first.

My copy—via Worcester Record Riot—is an Electrosound Group Midwest pressing on gold letter A&M labels.

#1980s #1983 #am #electrosoundGroupMidwest #reggae #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #virgin #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Checking out the BonChon place today and will update on the food. It's a chicken place right across from the street and I stan trolling the Chik-Fil-A #worcester #worcesterma #food