Good One Dick Head!

New start with a new address...

2011-08-15T22:50:00.000-07:00

Vaccine - Crimes in Blood 5"

2011-03-09T03:32:00.000-08:00

Way too long between posts. I have been doing lots of work on my label, and not been home much to spin new shit all the time, but I have plenty of stuff that has come in though...

*sigh*

This though, kicked me square in the fucking dick!

Angry, Ugly SXE powerviolence Hardcore from members of Ampere and Orchid.

Seriously, no new ground broken, but fucking hectic, clocking in at 2 mins...

Just buy it...

You get high, in blood they drown, America's greed, Chemical fix, Mexico's dying, it makes me sick...

NOFX - Wolves in Wolves Clothing

2011-01-18T02:22:00.001-08:00

I decided today that if I have to sit on the train for 45 mins to get to work, given that I am already listening to music, that i'd write some blog entries seeing as I am so far behind!

A couple weeks ago, Resist Records had a sale on in their physical and their webstore. I snoozed a bit on it, until I saw my mate Rory post about his purchases on his Facebook page. So I hit that shit up, and picked up 4 LP's for $60 post paid (which in Australia is a fucking bargain! Most LP's cost you between $24.99 and $39.99), and it included this record.

Now, I have loved NOFX for years, but this is right up there with my favourite records of theirs. I'd say it's almost up there with white trash, ribbed and punk in drublic. Big call I know, but it is (for the most part) intelligent and inciteful.

The opening lines of US A-holes is one of my fave lyrics of recent years.

It's hard to play NOFX at home when my chick is there though. She got into a huge fight with Mike about 8 years ago when they toured here, and she was hanging out with some friends and he was being a cunt about her being SXE and trying to talk her around to some lines of coke...

Well, that's what headphones are for genius!

L7 - Bricks are Heavy

2010-12-13T03:02:00.000-08:00

I had been chasing down this LP for some time now, and I saw it every now and again, but it was always really expensive, not that I didn't think it was worth it, but factor in postage, and I wasn't really keen.

About 2 1/2 months ago, I saw this copy from a dude in Brazil (yeah, didn't sound like the best idea I know, but it was only $10 BIN), so I snapped it up. Dude said he would send it Regsitered Post from Brazil, so I figured it was safe right? 1 month passes, no record. 6 weeks, no record. 2 months, no record. I am getting a little worried, but I forget to hit up the dude about the LP. It hits 10 weeks, and it is now too late to do anything (it was too late at 2 months anyways), and I was preparing to write an angry email to the dude about how he'd ripped me off, and it turned up in my PO Box. I was stoked!

I love this album so much. It reminds me of when I was 15 or so, and this dude who lived on the same estate as me, had it in his car (he was 21, a deaset loser, but was keen on the 24 year old sister of my best mate at the time, and he defs wanted to get himself into her. I did make out with her once at the park while drunk, but it didn't go down to well with my mate, or Matt to be honest), and he used to play it heaps, along with heaps of Nirvana, but also stuff like Short Dick Man by 20 fingers/Gillette and Rump Shaker by Wreckx-N-Effect, and one of my all time favs, Jump Around by House of Pain! Pure gold!

Anyways, I pinched the tape one night, and I actually still have it somewhere. I also didn't know that Mr Brett of Bad Religion fame contributed to their songs.

This is in pretty good condition, the cover is nice, the vinyl needs a clean, but is pretty good with no real scratches, but this pressing has no insert. Shithouse.

Samhain - III: November Coming Fire

2010-12-11T22:10:00.000-08:00

I picked this up at a record store I hadn't been to before, when I went in to buy some larger LP covers (Ones to fit over my big gatefold LP's), and I had a quick scan through what the guy had. It was mostly Pop and 60's & 70's stuff, not a whole heap tp grab my attention, but he had an old Punk section, and I had a squiz and came across this little guy.

I'll be honest, I haven't checked out Samhain before, and after this LP, I am pissed that I haven't. I really don't know why I hadn't before, I guess I just stuck to Danzig era Misfits, and Danzig's first 3 records...

I paid $30 for this, not sure if this was a good price, but I was pissed to find that it didn't have the insert, which I should have checked, as so many records of this era are missing the inserts, and I did my checks on Misfits Central, and it is indeed a first press. It has a version of Halloween on it called "Halloween II", and this is the only song that doesn't do it for me on the LP, probably because I love the OG version that he did with the Misfits so much.

Anyways, I love the cover art on this, and it is in pretty good condition, and I am sure it will get a good workout on my record player in the coming months. Oh, and I loooooove the pic of Danzig on the back cover. So Dark, So Brooding...

Millencolin - Use your nose EP

2010-12-09T01:26:00.000-08:00

Another one of those records I grew up with that I didn't know existed on vinyl. Seriously, Discogs is a help and also the bane of my exsistence!

But anyways, I first got into Millencolin when I saw they play with No Fun At All at the Central Club for $8 in the mid 90's, and I got right into them from there! I bought this EP on CD at Missing Link, when it was a tiny store crammed to the walls with records and a few shirts at the front of the store. I fucking loved that old joint.

I bought this of a bloke in Japan. Only cost me $15 plus $6 for postage. Not bad for an old piece of my youth in 7 inches. The cover isn't in too bad condition, not great but not the worst I have seen. It's on shitty cardboard stock, and the colours are really washed out (that's not just a shitty pic) and the vinyl is shitty and thin, but I don't give a fuck. It sounds like it should to me. One thing though, each side has a different speed on it, so I got shitty, because I hate that, especially with my record player, where I have to take off the plate to chance the speed, but it was just a fuck up in the printing of the labels!

This record reminds me of skateboarding, hanging out in the summer sun, wagging school to skate and just having a much simpler life. Sometimes I miss those days, but not too often...

Stoked to have this, and now I want to get the Skauch EP, which will be pretty easy I reckon...

Refused - Songs to Fan the Flames of Dsicontent (Re-issue)

2010-12-03T16:39:00.000-08:00

Early on in the week I got my order from Epitaph of a bunch of re-issues. I'll start with this one, as it is one of my favourite records.

I actually posted about the OG pressing here , So I won't go on about it, but I will mention a couple of things.

It's on Red in this case, and I fucking love Red Vinyl!

The artwork is on better quality stock, and the vinyl is thicker. Epitaph actually rectified something that was my biggest criticism of the OG pressing, to do with the sequencing. They have moved "It's not OK..." to the start of Side B so that it goes with "Crusader of Hopelessness", and I am so stoked they did this, but they forgot to change the labels and the back cover to reflect the change, so the info on all the art is wrong, as it lists the original Track listing. This kinda bums me out, as I would expect an amateur like myself to fuck something like this up, but not Epitaph. Oh well.

Other than that, stoked it is back in print. Now I really want "This just might be the Truth" to be re-issued. I am tempted to try and get the licensing myself for it, as it is a fucking good SXE record.

Baroness - First & Second LP

2010-11-30T03:20:00.001-08:00

So many records have come in in the last couple of weeks, but as I said in my last post, I haven't much felt like writing too much.

Here is a record that had long been talked about, but there had been no sign of it for fucking ages. Then old mate from hyperealist starting posting about it on the vinylcollective message board and this motherfucker here started to get just a little bit excited!

Now, I have both the original pressings of these records, but I have to say that it is nice to have them both on one LP. I was also pumped for the updated artwork for the gatefold release. The new artwork has made good use of the original art, but made it look like a good single package. I love to foil printing on both sides of the sleeve, I'm always a sucker for that shit. I bought all 3 colours, but I have decided to just keep the black copy, as I have black copies of first and second. Kind of a nerd like that sometimes.

The songs have been remastered for this re-issue, and they sound rad. A good treatment of what I think are the best work from Baroness.

Stoked.

Nirvana - Blew EP

2010-11-23T02:20:00.000-08:00

It has been way too long since I have posted. It's not that I haven't had good stuff coming in, I've just been a bit down lately, and not really feeling like sitting down and writing. I am making an effort to try and get back into routine, but it isn't too easy to be honest.

I got this in the mail not too long ago, from a guy in Seattle (If you're gonna buy a Nirvana record, where else would you buy it from?), and I probably paid a little more that I had too, but I have been chasing this for a while (not a bootleg version either, I really wanted an OG pressing), so I was happy to shell out my $60 for it. I have seen bootlegs at second hand stores before, and they usually go for about the same here in Australia, so I wasn't too worried. As you can see, it still has the price sticker on it, I don't want to try to take it off, incase I ruin the sleeve. It looks awesome for a 21 year old record too!

This is up there with one of my favourite EP's. This was a great band at a great fucking time in their lives, making awesome music.

"Blew" has the "Bleach" album versions of Blew and Love Buzz, Stain was later on Incesticide, and Been A Son is a different version than the one that appears on Incesticide.

Simple artwork, I love the layout, and it just makes me happy to have a copy of this in my collection. Stoked.

N.U.F.A.N.

2010-10-31T04:04:00.000-07:00

The second of the 2 Triple posts are from one of my favourite bans growing up, No Use For a Name!

I picked these up from the Fat Wreck store, and they were fucking cheap as shit! I think all up they cost me $15 postage paid. If I were to buy these from a store here, even 10 years ago, it would have cost me at least $20 a piece, so I was super stoked when i hit the cart on the Fat Wreck site.

These are the only 3 records I have from NUFAN, but as far as I am concerned, these are the only 3 records that matter. Anything before doesn't really grab me, asnd anything after Making Friends is soft fucking bullshit, so this is where it's at for me!
I first heard Justified Black Eye on Survival of the Fattest after seeing Lagwagon play in a venue that is now a nightclub. This shit was fast, melodic and had an actual meaning behind what they were saying.

I didn't pick up Leche Con Carne straight away, but I did get The Daily Grind on CD cheap as shit, and I reckon I played that thing at least 2-3 times a day on my walkman. It got me through some fucking shitty bus rides to school.

These records are going to be the basis of my summer listening. I cannot fucking wait to chill in the sun on my back porch with a glass of ice cold Dr Pepper and listen to thems shits!

The Streets

2010-10-31T03:58:00.001-07:00

It's been way too long between posts, so i have a couple triple posts (3 records from the same artist) from records that I have bought together.

First up is 3 of 4 albums by the UK's The Streets,AKA Mike Skinner. I guess this is a little different to what I a used to posting, butI do love a good dose of Hip Hop at times, usually 80's and 90's Gansta Rap, but the UK has some really interesting stuff from time to time. I also really like Skinner's delivery.

The great thing about all the The Streets's records is, that they are all different. They are all un-mistakenly The Streets, and they all have pretty prominent Garage influences, but they are all very different. Each one feels more and more organic too, from a musical perspective.

I actually picked these up at a record store in Fitzroy, on Brunswick Street, called Polyester (which has a book store on the same road, that sells some great fucking books, but they get raided perioddically, as they sell a lot of un-censored books, which I love, but sucks for them), and I reckon I could have gotten them a touch cheaper,but I haven't seen these records around much too often for a decent price, and any chance I can support a local record store, I will.

The only record they didn't have in stock was my favourite of his 4 records, A Grand Don't come for Free. I was bummed, bu also super stoked as I picked up 3 records from an artist I really should have bought fucking ages ago in one fell swoop!
What I like about all of these LP's is the artwork, is the use of a photograph for the artwork. Only two (The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living, and A Grand don't come for Free ) have Mike in the shot.

The photo for the Original Pirate Material, really sets the mood and tone for the music in the album, bleak. The art for The Hardest Way... sets the vibe that Mike is at a decadent chapter of his life, and the lyrics really drive that home. The art for Everything is Borrowed sets the tone once again, it's bleak at times, but a really soothing record, and for the most part, quite positive.

So now, on the lookout for A Grand don't come for Free and I amsuper fucking siked for when Computers and Blues finally hits the streets (sorry for the fucking shitty pun), which is the last under The Streets moniker.

Nailbomb - Point Blank

2010-10-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

When I was in High school I dated a chick who's brother was in a band. I used to hang out a lot with his mates, and I got into the more extreme side of music.

Fear Factory was her favourite band (she had a mad crush on Burton C Bell), and I was chatting to another mate about FF and Sepultura, and he put me on to this, as he said it was a cross between Sep and the industrial type shit that FF were doing. My mate made me a dub on tape and I fucking loved it! I must have played that shit until it almost fell apart. I probably still have the tape somewhere.

Nailbomb was Max Cavalera and Alex Newport from Fudge Tunnel, and was basically an Industrial Thrash band. I don't really know what else to say about it. It is very early 90's in it;s sound. These dudes made 1 record, then played 1 show and ended it. I reckon that's pretty fucking cool actually. The 1 show was recorded and released as "Proud to commit commercial Suicide".

I got this on eBay for a BIN price, and I was happy to pay the $30ish that it was listed at. I've missed it a couple times before, and I really wanted to have it in my collection, so here it is.

The artwork is pretty full on, but I'm sure that was the intent. The insert on this copy isn't in the greatest condition, but I am just happy that it has the insert, and so many records of this era are missing their inserts. Probably because dudes had them on their walls, and when they moved out of home, mum threw it out. The record needs a good clean, but other than that, fucking stoked to have it in my collection now...

It feels good to be a Punk loser.

No Fun at All - Out of Bounds

2010-10-19T22:43:00.001-07:00

As with the first No Fun At All LP, I hadn't actually seen one of these for sale any where, and when it came out, Vinyl wasn't even on my radar for priorities, so this one slipped on by...

The funny thing about this copy is that it was sealed, and had been sitting in a dudes shop in the USA for 10 years. I'm guessing it's deadstock from Rev Records (as they have had it listed as OOP for a looooong ass time), who actually put out the LP release for this Burning Heart album. I don't know if Rev were looking after distro for Burning Heart prior to the Epitaph buyout, but I know after that Epitaph released all their shit in the US and a lot of the Vinyl.

Anyways, this has different artwork to the CD which bums me out hugely, as I love the Penguin on the cover of the original CD version of this CD. For a lot of people I know, this is the best work of NFAA, but I disagree, and I still prefer No Straight Angles. This LP brings me lots of the same memories that the first LP does, so it is still going to be a busy LP come summer time!

I haven't seen this on eBay or anywhere else, and when I scored this off Gemm, I emailed the guy to make sure it was the LP, and he ensured me it was, so I payed for it. All up, including postage I paid $23 for this. Total bullshit if you ask me, I could not be happier, as it would have cost me at least $30 to buy it from a store when it came out. I know I paid more than that for the CD when it came out!

Stoked. Bring back the Motherfucking 90's! Fast punk, Angry Grindcore, and the summer of Nevermind!

Blink 182 - Chesire Cat

2010-10-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

I actually didn't know that this actually existed on LP, I mean, I had my suspicions, but I have never actually seen one, in person or on eBay, etc, so I wasn't sure. In fact, I cannot find any pressing info on this LP what so ever.

But here it is, in all it's glory.

I bought this for way too much money from a dude in Japan (Where most of my best records have come from), but as I said, not having seen it before, I wasn't sure I would ever see it again, and I have seen copies of the Dude Ranch repress and the OG "Blink" version on this CD go for way more than I spent on this.

The cover is in great condition for a record that came out in 1994. No ring wear, a small tear in one of the bottom corners (shelf wear would be my guess), and it has the insert. My only gripe is there are a few surface marks, which were mentioned in the listing, so that's cool, but the first track on Side B has a massive squiggly mark, which looks like it may have been done on purpose at some stage, but the extent of this was not listed in the listing, so I will be raising that one with old mate in Japan.

I remember seeing Blink 182 play to about 150 kids in a small club in Prahran (smack bang in the gay district I will add, not that I had or have any qualms about this, but I find it funny that the kings of Dick, Fart and Gay jokes had their show in that end of town!), and they played for about an hour, and I had such a fucking good time. It was the second time the band had been here, the first being with Pennywise in 1995 I think, and they were in fine form. They were actually really tight, even though they were fucking smashed. I was 16 then. It was a different time...

This record is about 95% awesome in my opinion. The end of the record kinda let's it down for me. I dig that at the time, punk bands did dumb shit like this, and they were all super young dudes, but as a 30 year old man, the end of the record now bums me out a touch. Can't have everything can I?

Anyways, I am super stoked to have this sitting on my shelves, and I can honestly tell you that it will get one hell of a work out this summer! Fucking bring it on!

Breather Resist - Charmer

2010-10-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

I remember getting a copy of this on CD as part of a Promo thing through a mate, and I fell in love with the songs and the production on this record straight away.

I honestly have no idea why I didn't pick it up when it first came out on LP, as I have never owned a copy of this one. I remember seeing the artwork and being blown away by the cut of the cover and the overall aesthetic of the whole packaging side of it.

This one came out on Level Plane (under license from Jade Tree) in 2004 and it has taken me 6 years to actually put my hands on a copy. While it has been on my top wants list for some time, I'll be honest and say I never looked that hard for it.

I like this over all of the other stuff of theirs I have, as this record has a full on Botch/Math-Metal vibe, that I really fucking love! That and it was recorded by Kurt Ballou, so you know I am alllll over that shit Motherfuckers!

Picked this up off a Euro dude on eBay. Paid about $20. Stoked.

Millencolin - Life on a Plate

2010-10-13T04:55:00.000-07:00

You have to love that Epitaph have kept all of their old vinyl, and kept it so well. So many times Deadstock is destroyed and the records are lost forever, but I have bought a couple fucking winners in the last couple of months.

Millencolin were one of the first punk bands I went to see. I saw them at the No Fun at All show I mentioned a couple posts ago (so I won't go into it again), but I have been going about getting all of the punk records that remind me of summer, from when I was growing up.

This was right at the top, along with the first No Use for a Name records on Fat (the only ones I am interested in to be bloody honest!). I got this in the mail today, and I have to say that it looks like it was pressed last week, not in 1995.

For me, this record still stands up as one of my Favourite 90's pop punk records. Fast, melodic, with super fun lyrics.

Not much else to say on this one, except that I am super stoked to have it sit on my shelves. This will get a good and proper spin during this summer!

Hole - Live Through This

2010-10-12T20:25:00.001-07:00

A record I have been looking for for so fucking long that it hurts.

This record has so many memories for me growing up. I was a big Nirvana Fan, and when Kurt and Courtney got together, I felt the need to explore Hole. I am really lucky that I started with this record, as if I had of started with "Pretty on the inside", I probably wouldn't have been so into the band. Not that it isn't a good record, but being as I was 15 years ago, then I can pretty much say that I wouldn't have been into it, as I had much more descriminitive tastes.

At 15-ish, I was working in a Milkbar (local/corner store for you non-Australians) stacking the fridge and cleaning up the back yard area, and the shop owners eldest son was a huge Cobain/Nirvana fan, and as such got me into a lot of good music. This was a time before the internet was the behemoth it is now, and trying to track down rarities of Nirvana and the such were pretty fucking hard. He was one of the first people I knew who were on to Hole, and dubbed me this onto a tape (The other side was Soul Asylum's "Grave Dancers Union") and I used to listen to it on my walkman in the fridge and freezer of the shop while I was stocking the shelves in there.

I really had no knowledge of other shit like this, except for Nirvana and Soundgarden, and this record had great production, and there were rumours that Kurt Cobain had written most of the record for Courtney Love were circulating (which would explain why the songs are so fucking good, and still stand up against the test of time Today), so I was stoked on it, and I wore that tape to fucking nothing. I still have the copy of the CD version I bought years and years ago in a box somewhere, but now I don't need the fucking thing anymore, because I have this lovely piece of wax finally in my collection.

No insert on this one. It has all the details listed on the back of the jacket. No mention of Kurt though, only Dave Grohl.

I was pretty lucky with this one, as I have seen it go for upwards of $100 on eBay. I was about to go to bed, and I never actually wake up to bid on stuff when I set my alarm, so I just put my max bid on and hoped for the best. I woke up the next day, checked my eBay account and found that I had won it for $41. Seriously, to buy this LP in Australia in 1995 would have cost me $25-ish dollars anyway (and $39.99 if it were released today and I bought it in an Australian Store), so I think I made out like a bandit on this one!

This is super clean, plays like a dream and was another top want crossed off of my list. Stoked to say the least...

Ancient VVisdom / Charles Manson Split LP

2010-10-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

Nothing overly exciting with this post, but I found this LP interesting, so I thought I'd post about it.

I'll be honest and say I have no real idea how I got onto this one, only that I must have been turned onto it by Dwid writing about it somewhere. Ancient VVisdom is Nate from Integrity and one of the dudes from Iron Age doing Dark Acoustic Folk stuff. One the sticker on the front, it says that a main influence is Danzig, and I can feel that vibe. The recording isn't top notch, but it really adds to the feeling of the record, and it does make it sit in line with the Charles Manson songs, as he has limited access to recording gear I can only imagine.

I really like the AVV stuff, and I have read that they have a 7 inch coming out soon on Withdrawal Records, so I will be sure to pick that up.

Now, I have always been interested in Charlie Manson and The Family, as I went through a stage where I was interested in all Serial Killers, Cult Leaders, etc, and the story of Charles Manson is a super interesting one. I won't go into it here, but if you only know him as what you have seen on TV, read into it, it is a weird and interesting read.

As for his musical exploits, I am interested in the songs that he does, and I'm really keen to see how the Elements Series on Magic Bullet goes, but for the most part it is pretty standard Folk/Pop stuff. The first song of his on this LP is a ripper, The Irony of Life, but the second song sort of tumbles along. Not bad, but nothing on "Look at your game Girl", that's for sure.

A nice little 1 sided LP on Red. Pick it up from http://www.withdrawalrecords.com/ while the dollar is so strong (if you're in Australia I mean), and it won't cost you much at all.

I'm on leave this week, so hopefully some updates to come!

Cursed - Blackout at Sunrise

2010-10-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

This EP was the perfect pre-cursor to the III: Architects of troubled Sleep LP. From the start of the Blackout at Sunrise with the whispered vocals, to the super noisy Kittens Cover, Hawaii. I think that the production on this is better than the III LP though. I just like it more.

I have no story for this EP (although it is the 3rd time I've owned it), but I do find it really funny that the inners of the picture discs are the wrong way round. Kinda like putting the labels on the wrong side.

I do like that there is an explanation of the song printed on the insert though. It's been way too long since I have seen a good story explained behind a song.

I picked this up pretty cheap in a private sale, so I am even more siked on this. I still don't know if I love or hate Picture Discs though...

Extortion - Degenrate

2010-10-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

This was my number 1 want for the last year atleast. Very rarely does this show up for sale, and when it does it commands a premium for such a current LP.\

Probably the best work from Perth's Extortion. Angry PV influenced Hardcore. Rohans stark artwork works really well on this release, and I do like it a lot better than the CD versions artwork.

Raw. Fast. Angry.

Fucking stoked to get this into my collection. Picked it up in a private sale with a total ruler of a dude in Sydney.

Again, Stoked to have this one on my shelves. It ain't going no where this time motherfuckers!

Go and buy the CD version of this. It will rip your tits off.

Samiam - You are freaking me out.

2010-10-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

I have to say, that on a record front, I am kicking goals at the moment, because I honestly do not know how long I have looked for this LP!

I remember the time I actually bought my CD copy of this album (Which I actually still own, 10 years later!), which was on the second floor of Dixons recycled records in Dandenong. It was a time when I had been listening to pretty much only Swedish punk bands like Millencolin, No Fun At All and Satanic Surfers, and when I saw that this CD was on Burning Heart, I didn't hesitate and just paid the $8 sticker price. I remember getting it home, putting it into my CD player and being a little bummed out, as it wasn't superfast and poppy. I have to be honest and say that I put it away for a little while after the first listen.

Over the years, my taste changed a little, especially when I started to get into other sorts of punk bands, and I came across this CD in my collection, so I pulled it out, chucked it on, and I loved it. I got my hands on Clumsy and Ashtray, and that sums up my love for Samiam really. NB: I wasn't super stoked on the older stuff, although I really should give it a go now, as I reckon I would love it. I also didn't vibe on the last record either. It wasn't bad, and I quite liked the production, but it didn't grab me for some reason. Also, they ripped off a Blueline Medic song pretty hard after Donnie gave Sergi the demos for the last Blueline Medic LP. Kinda cool in a way, pretty shitty in another.

Every time I listen to this now, I remember seeing Samiam last year at the Arthouse Hotel in Melbourne (for those overseas, it's a 300 person pub/bar that has been the main stomping ground for Punks of all genres for the last 20 years, and will be closing it's door forever in May 2011), because they played so many songs off this album.

So, I saw this on eBay, and I had missed a copy the week before when it went past my $60 limit at the time. I had gotten to the point where I needed just "Man up and pay what I needed to get it", so that's what I did. $66 later, and it's finally in my collection. I have seen it on another site for sale in it's 4x7 inch box set, but to be honest, don't want to have to get up after each song and change it over, I'd rather this on the LP format I have. All that aside, I will probably buy it to have the 4x7 inch box set, just to look at...

This thing is so clean that it hurts. The cover art is amazing on a larger scale and this copy is in amazing condition. I was a little apprehensive as it was coming from Canada, and the Canadian Mail Service is pretty woeful (Not bagging Canada or Canadians, but your mail service sucks!), but this arrived in lightning fast speed and in the best possible condition.

If you haven't heard this album, buy the CD (or hell, download it even!) and sit back and enjoy.

Now all I need is a copy of Clumsy on LP... Anyone?

PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

2010-10-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

Another of my top wants. I have to say, I have been a very lucky monkey in the past few weeks.

I've seen this one around every now and again, and I usually get blasted put of the water for what I want to pay for it, but lately I have taken a new approach. "Just fucking man up and pay what you think it's worth", and it's been working pretty well. I have had some big ticket items going on, but that doesn't bother me, as I am stoked to add them to my collection.

This particular LP usually goes for $100+ (along with the Uh Huh Her LP), bit I reckon I got a pretty sweet deal at about $66 postage paid from the UK. I had a bit of a Patrick Bateman moment today while spinning this LP while my wife made dinner (yep, she fucking rules), and said to her that while To bring you my love and Dry are both amazing records, this is my favourite, and the quintessential Polly Jean album. Not a single bad song on this one. Infact, I really wish that PJ and Thom Yorke had written a whole album together. I would have fucking loved that shit. This copy is pretty clean too. A couple of creases on the jacket, but I am stoked with the condition of this one, especially given how thin the jacket itself is.

As with Uh Huh Her, the layout is of shots of Ms Harvey in the studio and in her apartment, and it gives a good vibe of the album and where it's come from.

I mean come on, who wouldn't want to record to that beautiful tape machine?

Lyrically it is also an absolute cracker. I love it from start to finish, and although I kinda dozed on the couch while giving it it's first spin on my record player tonight, I'll probably play it again when I get home tonight from taken my wife down the street.

I actually saw Polly Jean when she came out to Australia for the Big Day Out, in support of this release, and I can tell you know, I was in love at that point. She can sing like a motherfucker.

Oh, and PJ Harvey is from the same county as me in the UK. Gotta love Somerset...

More posts coming soon, when things in life get back to normal.

2 more top tens off the list!

2010-09-22T03:26:00.001-07:00

The Icarus Line - Mono

It has been a good week so far for me record-wise. 2 of my top 10 wants have arrived in the mail, and this is the first of the 2.

This is not the rarest of records out there, but it has taken me a fair few years to get a copy back into my collection. I actually didn't realise that it came on this colourway, as I had only ever seen it on Red or Black. I had it on Red when I owned it many many moons ago. I guess the people who actually liked the band hung on to what I would say is their best material.

I remember seeing this band about 8 years ago. They played to next to no one, and while I paid to go to the first show, it went so bad that pretty much anyone who wanted to got on the door list for the second show, just so the band didn't play to an empty room. Still didn't help much. I did meet Aaron North (of Buddyhead fame) at that show, and yeah, he was an asshole, but I was stoked, as it was exactly what I expected. I miss the wit of Buddyhead sometimes. They did that schtick well.

My wife has described the show as 40 mintes of outro music, and I reckon to an extent that that is the perfect description for this band. On a side note, my wife and I were both at the show, although we had not yet met.Another part to all of that, my long term girlfriend of the time met the drummer after the show, and turns out she was supposed to move to the US to be with him after we broke up, but he was a total weirdo and decided to drive trucks, so she hooked up with the gremlin looking bass player from The (International) Noise Conspiracy. I tell ya, my life has been filled with weird stuff like that...

Now, I f*cking loved The Icarus Line, and "Feed a Cat to your Cobra" is still one of my favourite songs, so getting this in the mail was an awesome day for me. I danced a jig. Yep, I danced in the post office.

Next up we have an LP that I have never actually seen a physical copy of: No Fun At All's - No Straight Angles.

This is the first international punk band I ever went and saw. They played an All Ages show at a place called The Central Club in Richmond, Victoria, and I remember it as I had never been to a proper punk show, and it was all so exciting. I had only heard some of the songs from NFAA on a mix tape a skater dude had given me at school (I used to be an avid rap/hip hop fan), and this was the fastest thing I had ever heard. Ever.

Piled on the train, keen to get there early to make sure I got in (I think the show was $8 or something crazy like that), and I was keen to check out some live bands, up nice and close, and not behind a barrier like when I went to see Smashing Pumpkins. Lining up, I met some cool kids, only 1 of which I still see regularly, and then got into this dirty, dingy club, that let kids smoke. Me and my newly cut off camo shorts were stoked. I also remember I had a Frenzal Rhomb shirt, the biggest wallet chain I could find and a huge safety pin to make sure I didn't liose my wallet while stage diving.

The first band up was No Comply (I think), then One Inch Punch, then a very young Millencolin (yep, when Nikola was still tubby), and then No Fun At All.

Seriously, I don't think I have ever stage dived more than that day. Ohhh, maybe when I first saw Blink 182 play in a tiny little venue in Prahran.

This record brings me so many good memories, and it's still as fast as sh!t.

I got this cop through my sneaky little ways again (I haven't ever seen this on eBay to be honest), and it is so clean that I almost fell over when a dude at work picked it up and slipped the record out of the sleeve. Plays like a dream, and there is only 1 thing that bums me out on this one, no secret track of "What you say".

Can't win them all can we?

A New Rega P2 & Alkaline Trio...

2010-09-13T05:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time between posts, and again I have no excuses. Living life the only way I can.

I spent the weekend away (Kinda on tour I guess you could say) playing some shows with my band in Queensland. It was a fucking awesome (albeit a very expensive weekend), and while the shows were ok, hanging with some awesome kids, and meeting some new ones, was the highlight. We ate great food, my guys drank a shitload and I drove them around trying to make sure we didn't get beaten up.

I was super glad to get home on Sunday to see my chick and the dogs. As I walked in the door, the Wife gave me a wrapped gift. It was an Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge. I was stoked as I was going to order my Rega P2 online as I have been working overtime for a few weekends so that I could afford to buy a nice new record player, and a rad cartridge was an amazing present to be given.

I was super stoked, and got ready to make a cuppa, when she said she had a card from the place that she got the cart from, because they said they would set it up for free when I got my turntable. Instead of the card, she grabbed a big box with REGA printed on the top, and my night went from awesome to awesomer!

Seriously, Wifer knows me so well, and sussed out what I was after with my best mate Shane, and they pulled it all together.

Could you really ask for more in a woman?

I spent the day with her today, setting up the media area we have. Here is a pic of my new set up.

So, what to listen to on my new record player (I know of at least people who will call me a hypocrite for it not being Converge's Jane Doe)?

This is what I rolled with, and it is a record I have kept sealed for just an occasion such as this one. I had this record years ago, and it was even signed by Matt and Dan (I still kick myself for letting it go). I got it back at a fucking good price, (BIN on ebay for $69.99, which is half of what I bought it for the first time) AND it was sealed. I actually don't know why I didn't bust it open and listen to it, but I had planned for it to be my 100th post, but this seemed like the perfect time for me to open it.

I love this EP. It reminds me of so many things, including my story about meeting Matt Skiba, so it always makes me feel good. I still sing along at the top of my lungs on this one.

It does sound like they paid $300 to record it, but I really don't give a flying fuck.

And straight after that, I put on the preceding EP, For Your Lungs Only, which came in the mail this week.

I defs paid less for this than I was prepared too. A good result all round.

It's good to be back...

Ten Foot Pole - REV

2010-09-06T04:25:00.000-07:00

There is something fantastic about crossing a major want/10 ten want off of your list.

To be honest, this was my Holy Grail. The one record I wanted so badly, but never seemed to be able to attain. I looked everywhere, but alas, it eluded me...

This has sat so high up on my list for so long, that I actually thought I'd never get it. It isn't a super rare record, but I have never seen it on eBay myself, and Epitaph had a bunch of old/dead stock up on the Store when the new store went live, I didn't know about it and never managed to get one.

And to be honest again (wow, twice in one post...) this is the first time I have ever listened to it on vinyl. It was almost all I hoped it to be. The reason I say almost is, It's a Monday night at 930 and I can't listen to it as loud as I want to, and I don't have my P2 yet...

For those not in the know, this is one of the greatest pop punk records released in the mid 90's in my opinion (and also one of the most under rated releases from the mid 90's Punk Scene). Released in 1994 on Epitaph, I first found this band on "Punk a Rama volume 1" with the song "My Wall", and from then on, I needed to track down this band. I got onto my local record store and picked it up on CD, and I was so stoked. From the artwork, to the sound (Over driven guitars, not heaps of distortion), to the awesomely fast songs. In 2000 the drummer in the band I was in then wanted to cover something off of this, and I am spewing it never came about. Even though I would have ruined it, it still would have been uber cool!

This is the second full length that the band release with Scott Radinsky, and, again in my opinion, they're best work. Scott was kicked out of the band in 1995/1996 due to his commitments playing Major League Baseball (Whitesox/Dodgers/Indians).

I never got to see Ten Foot Pole, although they did tour Australia with Satanic Surfers, but they had Dennis Jagard on vocals. I was more upset by missing Satanic Surfers to be honest. Although, when Scott came out with Pulley, my mate Melder took the Rev skate deck I have (My wife tee'd it all up, in one of the most lovely things anyone has ever done for me), and got Scott to sign it. It says " Craigos, Like The Sk8, Scott" I still need to get that one on the wall...

I was lucky enough to snag this little piece of my past, not by using eBay, but getting it off of another site. I kinda don't want to give away my secrets on this one, but it wasn't deadformat or vinyl collective, I can tell you that now. The guy who sold it to me was from the UK, and as you can see, this thing almost looks new. I mean shit, it even has the fucking sticker that came with it in there. This this is 16 years old!

I haven't been so stoked in a long time, and When I busted it out of the PO Box, I wanted to bail home and put it on straight away...

This album makes me remember High School. Some good times, a bunch of bad times, skipping school to go skating and heaps of good tunes.

Bring on summer so I can crank Ten Foot Pole, No Fun at All, Pennywise and Millencolin non stop!

Woo!

The Get Up Kids - 4 Minute Mile LP

2010-08-30T03:44:00.000-07:00

As usual it's been way too long between posts. Life gets busy sometimes.

I got this in the mail today. A bit of a weird one in regards to actually getting this to me. I bought it on eBay, at a BIN price of $10. It's a first pressing of this amazing album, and to be honest I should have been dubious of a first pressing of this for a tenner, but I do love a good bargain, and this is what I had gotten.

It was listed as EX vinyl and EX+ cover, so I was super stoked.

To start with, it took 2 weeks before it was shipped. The chick who sold it to me told me that she had posted it but it had been returned to sender saying the address wrong. The thing is, I work for the Australian Postal Service, so I advised her that that wasn't possible, as it would have been sent back via seamail, and it would take between 3-6 months to be returned. I also advised that I buy and receive records daily with no hassles. Then the story changed a couple times, but I left it as she said it was being "resent" that day.

So I wait.

Luckily a week later it has turned up. I got super pumped as I fucking love the shit out of this album, and I haven't owned a copy in years...

Side story: the first time I heard this record was on a record player in a vegan cafe that an old friend of mine used to run in Adelaide. I used to work there when I went to Adelaide to hang out, and I used to eat salad with Pinenuts and make coffee with my mate Gabe. I loved the LP so much I got my self a copy. I may have even convince her to give me the copy she had in the cafe. I played the living shit out of that LP...

Back to eBay story:

So I pull this bad boy out of the mailer and I look it over, as I was sure it was gonna make my month.

WRONG!

The sleeve is actually OK I guess. A bit creased along the spine, but I can live with that. I pulled out the inner sleeve and it is pretty rough, and it has food stains on both sides. It's at his stage I get fucking furious. And as some of you will know, I do get angry about this shit from time to time.

Then I slip the LP out of the sleeve and there are so many visible surface scratches on this piece of shit that it looks like it was stored out of the sleeve most of the time. This is taken from the listing: "This album is the original pressing on Doghouse Records from 1997 which is long out of print and difficult to find. Plays with a tolerable amount of noise between tracks. "

I put it on and it crackles all the way through. I do love the occasional record sound (pop or crackle) but not audibly through out the whole album. So much that it over powers the music at times. This thing also fucking skipped at least 6 times.

I now know why I got a bargain.

Fuck.

Refused - This Just Might Be...The Truth!

2010-08-19T03:02:00.000-07:00

So, I don't have much of a story on this one, I'm just stoked beyond words to have a copy of this.

I honestly never knew that this had an LP Release, as I had never seen it listed anywhere, and I can't seem to find any pressing info on it either.

I picke up this copy on eBay, and yes, I paid too much for it, but as I said I have never seen one before. I have in the past chased records that don't exist (Fiona Apples first 2 records for instance), but this is the first one I've had just show up on eBay and blow me away.

I put a bunch of stuff up for sale so I could afford to buy this treasure from the Japanese dude selling it. He listed this perfectly. It said that there was some wear on all edges and a mark on the back, but the vinyl was pretty clean, and he was spot on. It's nice that I get something for a change that doesn't upset me. Honesty really is the best policy when listing records on eBay people!

He even sent it registered international post, and it was wrapped in bubble wrap inside the mailer, and outside! Unlike another record I got today that was a 180gram 2xLP just wrapped in brown paper. No mailer, no cardboard. NOTHING! Hopefully I get a replacement on that...

As for the music on this one, nothing groundbreaking. Fairly standard metal influenced hardcore by a bunch of straightedge Swedish weirdos, who would continue to release some of the best music I've ever heard.

The sleeve says that this was distributed by "House of Kicks Records", but I don't know if that means it was self released but distro'd or if it was released by Startrec or what? This one didn't come with an insert or any notes at all, so Really, I have fuck all on this, just an awesome piece of Swedish Hardcore. Oh yeah, the labels are wrong on it too...

Anyone with any other info on this maybe drop me a line? Or if you have Dennis' email, let me know and I'll hit him up myself.

After all, he was my hero for years...

Converge - On My Shield (Euro)

2010-08-13T00:36:00.000-07:00

I got this little ripper in the mail today.

I had bought this on the Black/White colourway from the Converge store, but then I paid way too much for this copy on eBay, and the other copy will now be traded away.

I know I should have been happy with the Black/White copy, but this looked so much fucking nicer in the pics I had seen, so I drop $40 on this, and I am fucking glad I did. I sold another 7 inch for the same price to pay for it, so it was almost a trade, I guess.

The song is a ripper. It starts out slow and dirgy. Really heavy, and the. It goes into a fast part, really reminiscient of You Fail Me era, and then slows down and gets super heavy at the end with double kicks and repeated vocals, and ends with feedback.

I'm really into it, but even moreso because of the clear gold vinyl I have it on now.

If anyone needs a copy of the Black/White 7 inch, drop me a line...

Burning Love - Songs for Burning Lovers

2010-08-12T05:25:00.001-07:00

I think in my older age I am getting soft(er). It used to be I wanted to listen to Cursed and nothing else. Now, when I come to get my Colohan/Colofan fix, I head for Burning Love. I still love my Cursed records like no other, and I won't be parting with them, but this LP is fucking kick ass.

The demo really hinted at some good stuff, but this LP hits the nail on the head. With a 10 pound hammer!

Awesome crustyish rock and roll, channeling Iggy and The Stooges, mixing it with awesome hardcore punk and Chris Colohans trademark vocal. Rough as fuck, but a lot rockier than his Cursed/Ruination/Swarm days.

The artwork on this is kinda curious to me. The images look to be specific photos for the art, but they are half toned, so it kinda prints like a newspaper. But the art is still slick. I think I really like it...

I got mine on Red (I do love red vinyl) and for once in my life I bought only 1 copy!

Pressed by Deranged, whom I love as a label. Solid solid shit motherfucker!

Hopefully these dudes make it across the oceans and play for me in some weirdos lounge room, or they let me put on a jam room show and I get punched in the face by Colohan himself.

Now that would top off an already awesome year!

===================================

NB: Sorry for the shitty photos, I bought a new camera for taking pics of records, but it really sucks as a camera, and I am trying to get my old one working better. I might bust out my Wife's old Digital SLR for record photos once I charge the old battery pack...

Sleigh Bells - Treats

2010-08-12T05:23:00.001-07:00

Wow.

That was the first thing I thought of when I first heard the songs from this LP. And when I put it on now, I still think "WOW!".

I knew very little about what this was, and I downloaded it (Yep, I'm "THAT GUY"!) based on the cover art alone. Then I read into what it was and got even more stoked on it.

I actually picked this up last night at Polyester Records in Brunswick, as I was out for dinner with old mate Shane, and he mentioned that they were still open and I thought I'd duck my head in and have a gander for PJ Harvey Records, and while Shane was pointing out a record on the wall, the one next to it was this little bugger.

Now, I have a love/hate relationship with Picture Discs. I love the look, hate the sound. This has been done well as pic disc, still sounds heavy as fuck, but the pop side of things shines through in just the right amounts.

It seriously sounds like everything apart from the vocals was run at 11 and is as distorted as all shit, and it fucking rules!

The main songwriter is Derek Miller from Poison The Well, and the vocalist is some chick he met while he was waiting tables, but she was in some teen pop group and had a couple singles when she was younger. I can't really explain why I like this so much. It has a real UK garage feel to a lot of it, and it's on M.I.A's label, an there's even comparisons there.

Not sure bow available this thing is, and I paid $35 at my local store, but it would have cost me more to buy if from their webstore. That's. Weird one righ there matey.

The Get Up Kids - Something to Write Home About

2010-08-12T04:51:00.000-07:00

I have had such a huge amount of records come in in the last month, it is so hard to keep up, and I am gonna say that I haven't been as diligent as I should have been. I know I say that often, but I get busy, being in a band, hanging with my chick, shopping for vinyl and just being a lazy sh!t.

There's a ruler of a collector selling of some of his collection, (including one of, yes one of, his copies of Chung King Can Suck It), so I picked up this little gem. Something that has been missing from my collection for a few years now, it's nice to have it sitting on the shelves where it should be.

I first bought this record about a week after TGUK toured Australia for the first time with Jebidiah. I went and saw them at the Hallam Hotel in Melbournes Southeast, and they played first to me, my girlfriend at the time, and about 30-40 other people. While I felt bad for the band, I was soooo stoked that I got to watch them play and not have to worry about every other dickhead in the venue.

I had my copy on Black back then, so I am super stoked to have a copy on Black again. It almost feels like it never left.

What mine didn't have though, was this cool as fuck advert/mail order card that had their other shit on Doghouse for sale. Man, I need to work on getting a first press copy of Four Minute Mile now...

The songs on this record really remind me of a time and place, and to an extent some people I used to know. The songs are great, I'm glad I have a first pressing again, and I can listen to this bastard whenever I bloody well feel like it.

Even my wife doesn't mind this one...

Converge - Axe to Fall LP (Tour Version)

2010-08-03T03:35:00.001-07:00

I have had a few copies of this LP, but now I have only 2 copies, and this one I just got from a mate out of the kindness of his own heart. I'll have to find something to repay Oliver, as he is an awesome dude, supports local bands and labels, and has bought heaps of shit off of me in the past. Thanks amigo!

This record took some time to grow on me. Yep, I am one of those "I start to listen to a Converge record, then I just go straight back to Jane Doe" people. Once I actually sat back and listened to everything going on on this LP, it blew me the fuck away!

It has everything you want from a Converge record. Insane fast parts, Heavy as fuck mosh parts (I mean come on, the Breakdown in Axe to Fall makes me want to mosh the fuck outta something) and then the branched out Atmospheric songs with sung vocals and some gnarly as hell solos thrown into the mix. I still love Bannons vocals on Converge releases, They always feel super frantic and urgent, and just plain fucking angry.

The production on this one is spot on in my opinion too. The songs flow really well into one another, making them good songs alone, but as a cohesive piece of music, they are just plain crushing. The collabs on this one are mindblowing also. Seriously, if you haven't heard this record yet, don't be like me and palm it off for too long, stop reading now, get a copy and then come back to me, hahaha.

When I saw Converge play not so long ago, they played a bunch off of this record, and it translated live, just as well as on the record.

I like Clear records. Not as much as I like Red, but a good Clear LP is always a nice addition to my meagre, yet ever growing, collection.

The artwork on this one is fairly typical Bannon fare (and that's not to say it isn't awesome, but it is unmistakably his style of art), and until I sat down tonight to actually take some pics of it, I didn't really realise how much work must have gone into it. While it has a fairly common theme of a female form of some description, the layers of paint that have been photographed for use within the art, and the structuring of the images themselves is awesome. I have a print from this art that I want to get framed and hung pretty soon.

So, go and buy it (You can still get copies of this one, and the Yellow on the Converge store, or hit eBay, you can get Yellow copies for $11 plus postage from some places), listen to it and enjoy. Your ears will thank you.

Cursed - Hell Comes Home 7 inch

2010-08-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

A quickie today...

I picked up this little fucker pretty cheap actually. Just a touch over $10, plus postage. I actualy paid the same at Resist Records when the 7 inch first came out.

This is actually the 3rd time I've owned this record, the first time was on black, then a copy on clear (both at the same time) and now on black again. I did have the chance to buy a copy on clear, signed by the man himself, but snoozed and loozed.

I prefer this version of Hell Comes Home over the LP version, and the Stooges cover fucking rips!

I don't have a story with this one. I do really liked Cursed though, and I am well on my way to becoming a fully fledged Colofan.

At The Drive In - Relationship In Command

2010-08-01T01:26:00.000-07:00

A long while between posts again. I have this week pretty much free, working the late shift, so hopefully I can catch up on the 30 odd records I got this week. It has been retarded and I need to take some time off...

A really dear friend of mine was selling a bunch of his records last night at a show his band was playing, an I was lucky enough to be the second person to dig in the crates before they went "public". I go myself some fucking gold, but one of the most notable bargain scores was this little motherfucker!

A pristine copy of At The Drive In's break through LP "Relationship in command". When I told my mate Sham I picked this up, he was less than impressed, especially as I had only drop $10 on this bad boy!

I have ne'er owned one of these I don't think, but I did buy the CD the say I heard one armed scissor and lost my mind at the awesomeness of it!

I played in a band called Snubfighter, and this is thenkind of stuff we wer trying to do. Slow and heavy with frantic parts, lots of bass effects and some keyboards towards the end of the band. I no longer talk to any of the guys much, and I depise one of the dudes, but we made some ok music for the late 90's/early 2000's.

We did do a rip off of the end of "Invalid litter department" though, and I flailed around like a weirdo. Good times.

Sitting down and listening to this LP this morning though, I have realized that it hasn't really dated much at all. It is still punchy as fuck, sooo heavy and well written.

I saw these guys a couple times when they came to Australia to play The Big Day Out, including the infamous Sydney show where they stopped after 10-15 mins because the crowd was too violent. They didn't like moshing or crowd surfing at their shows. Cedric yelled at the crowd, called then sheep and then bailed. Later that day a chick died during Limp Bizkit.

Hopefully the oft rumoured reuinion happens one day.

Hot Water Music - 2

2010-07-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

Life has been really hectic. My wife and I are currently doing a renovation on our family room/kitchen area, so my records are put away until they move to their new home out for all to see! Add to that that I am now saving for a REGA P2 to play my records on, and build a new system from the ground up. Shit will be fucking awesome!

So, that's why it has been a while in between posts this time, but here is a 7 inch I picked up today (Sorry for the crappy photos...).

I have had a special place for HWM for a while. It brought me and some people I used to hiold special together, and although I don't associate with most of them any more, I still have SOME good memories of the times we all shared. Including one of my first road trips to watch a band play. HWM came to Australia, played at the Arthouse Hotel (300 capacity venue, Melbourne's answer to CBGB's I guess), and I lined up for hours to get into that show. Then they played at some club in Ferntree Gully (Out in the 'burbs maaaaan), and then down in Hastings which is about 90 minutes from the city centre. I went to all the shows they played, I worked in between, Did not sleep, then after the Hastings show, Drove to Adelaide to watch them play that night again. I remember that Kill Choir Project played that show too. I miss that band.

Anyways, I didn't sleep much that night either, and then drove home and went to work again. Good times on that one. I did that kind of shit for a few years, surviving on very very little sleep and just trying to cram as much as I could into every day. I still do that now, but I don't bounce back as well as I used to...

This 7 inch is the second in an undetermined series of live records from Hot Water Music, all recorded just after they got back together and started playing shows again. I love the simplicity of the layout and the details, and it all comes down to the music on the record. This has 2 of my favourite HWM songs on this one, Wayfarer and Rooftops, so this is a winner from the get go.

This has sold out already (it came out a week ago), and I was lucky enough to get it at a local record store, but if you see this 7 inch, buy the fucker, you won't be disapointed.

Alkaline TRio - Maybe I'll Catch Fire.

2010-07-16T00:35:00.000-07:00

For a really long time I thought this record defined me. Looking back, I think it really did capture a lot of what I was feeling at the time, but I don't think it really defined me...

For years, I was a sad sack of a skinny kid (Now I'm fat old and happy!), thinking I was Australias answer to Matt Skiba, but all I was doing was stealing his lyrics and screaming like a fucking banshee. I did love what I was doing, and I told him a couple times how much I loved what he did. He probably thought I was a crazy fucking kid, when I was really a 24 year old man with an obsession.

I do have a cool Alkaline Trio story that I haven't shared yet...

Nope, just checked, I haven't. An old mate of mine used to run a radio show called Mondo Bizarro (He now does Short.Fast.Loud on Triple J), and he drop me a line to let me know his co presenter was interviewing Matt Skiba, and would I like to sit in on it? I was stunned. He had to ask if I was still there... One short call to work to let them know I was "Sick" and that I wouldn't be in that day and I headed into Brunswick to the 3RRR studios to meet my idol. I got there, and like a true fanboy, I took a record to get signed for me, and a CD for my then Girlfriend (Now Wife). The Good Mourning record had just come out, so I took a copy of the CD for the signature for my chick, and my copy of "I Lied My Face" off for Matt to sign.

When I get there, the whole band has turned up. I was fucking stoked. I get Dan and Matt to LP and all of them to sign my Wifes CD, and there were a few kids who had won a competition to be there to meet the band, and they were all super nice and not rude at all. I was in heaven. The kids were led out and Dan and Derek were cold chillin' in the foyer, and I said my thanks and went to bail, when Adrian (The DJ) piped up and said, "Hey Craigos, you wanna sit in on this one?". Of course I bloody well did want to!

I was in the room while Matt was on air, and towards the end, Adrian says "I have Craigos here, he is your number 1 fan." I turn Red, Matt says "Hi Craig", and then Adrian asked if I have a question I want to ask. I ask a question and then it moves onwards from there.

I don't actually remember the question I asked. I really wish I did, because I am sure it sounded retarded, but Matt Skiba never missed a beat. After that I was leaving to head home, and I remembered that I'd bought Adrian a demo tape from my new band, and headed back in telling him I had a new tape for him, and Matt Skiba stops, turns around, and asks if I have on he can have too? Seriously, could this shit get any better? I give Matt the tape, tell Adrian I'll hook him up next time and then I apologised for ripping off his lyrics and bailed.

And that's my Alkaline Trio Story...

This record came out in 1996, this is the Re-issue, and I bought it from Epitaph. I did have the Original once, but sold it (along with the signed copy of "I Lied my Face Off", I know, I'm a fucking moron) along with every other record I had at the time. I will track down the Original pressing again, but this will do for me to listen to. I love this record, I love the songs so much, and I even really dig on the artwork.

Buy it. Spin it. Love it.

"I've got a big fat fucking bone to pick with you my darling..."

Rocket from the Crypt - Live from Camp X-Ray

2010-07-14T01:29:00.000-07:00

I did actually write this out last night on my phone while in bed (and I can tell you that was a pain in the ass), then I had problems sending it, and I reset my phone, and then the fucker was gone. Just gone.

But, I will recall as much as I can, and just write again...

So, I have had this record for some time, close to 3 months probably, but I have not posted it because I actually bought it for my Wife. My Wife doesn't actually collect records, but in an effort to involve her, I bought her this LP. Now, she supports my habit as much as she can, she doesn't go off her head when I spend a little more than I probably should, in fact she supports me in everything that I do ever. That's just how fucking awesome she is.

But then I thought "Fuck it!" She isn't ever going to chill in the study, sit in the easy chair, drop the needle on this and listen to it, and I listen to it at least once a week, and it still blows me away every time! So here it is, in all it's glory: Rocket From The Crypt's "Live from Camp X-Ray".

I don't have a story to go with this one like I normally do. To be honest, I really missed the boat on this band, and only got into them after they broke up, and even then I only own this LP of theirs. I just can't get behind the others as much as I want to.

I Don't know how I missed this for so long though. With lyrics like "So peel back those dirty sheets/let's see that wet spot now", and the horns. I must have been a deadset moron...

The artwork of this record & the plain Black vinyl just capture the mood.

I'm fucking into it.

Baroness - Second

2010-07-12T03:41:00.000-07:00

Another week and still too little posting. Seriously I am so furious with myself. I have also got so many records that I haven't listened to yet. eBay has been pretty good to me this last week, lots of rad records for pre order and just buying stuff I love. My wife has been super supportive too, so that makes buying a really fun experience, as in I don't need to find money and sell too much shit. I'm into it.

On to the record for today.

Another one of those records I have been trying to get back into my collection, and the gods of eBay shone down their countenence upon me, and I snagged this at the first bid. I was about to go to bed, saw that the auction ended in 3-4 hours so I put a bid of $40ish and went to sleep.

I woke up bright and early for work, checked my phone (I do most of bidding on my iPhone) and saw that i got it for the opening bid of $29.99. I put it down to the fact that it had a higher start bid that people just passed it by. Their loss/my win.

The music on this, the bands second EP is fucking flawless, and to be brutally honest, probably the last of the bands work that I really really enjoy. It ebbs and flows and is almost like a single song. I just love it.

The artwork is also top notch, similar to First, and does have he same look as all the stuff Baizley does now (not that I don't like his work, this is just a bit different and alot of fun).

The etching on the B side is epic. Just fucking epic!

The band is coming out to tour with Metallica here, and I am pumped to suss that shit out!

If you can, buy this, or wait for the reissue of First and Second on 1 LP on Hyperrealist (they keep assuring it will happen!). A good result for me. Hahaha.

Danzig - I

2010-07-05T05:30:00.000-07:00

I gotta be honest and say that I was a bit nervous to post about this one. And the only reason being, I didn't want to take it out of the sleeve and open it up fully to photograph it. I hadn't actually done so until I took the photos for this tonight. I just didn't want to ruin the cover, and being a gatefold, I was worried it would fuck it if I opened her up.

It didn't and I was so glad. Until tonight, I had only seen photos of the layout. I can honestly say, that in person, it shits all over any photos I have seen . It is fucking classic. Just like the record itself.

I had originally planned to buy this for my mate for his birthday (Sorry Shane, I know you're gonna hate me, but fuck dude, it's Danzig I, in mint condition...), but when it arrived I couldn't. I love my homeboy more than anything, but this record looked so good when I busted it out of the packaging, that I forgot all about his tiny hands, and just thought about how fucking awesome this was to finally own. Don't worry, I managed to get him something as equally fucking awesome for his Birthday.

I honestly don't think much needs to be written about this record. It's Danzig. If you don't know, you deserve to have your record collection stripped from you, and your hearing removed for life. This is the best of his solo work in my opinion. Lots of people debate, but I actually think that they just went downhill from here. II - Lucifuge is still awesome, and I love about 3/4 of III - How the Gods kill, but I kinda gave up after that. I just went back to listening to early Misfits.

There is only 1 problem with owning a record this awesome, in as good condition as this one is (Don't be fooled by the photos, this thing is as fucking clean as shit!), is that I now need to track down II and III, and then start trying to search down those Misfits records... Fuck That!

I got this from a Japanese dude on eBay. I tell ya what, I have bought a bunch of stuff from Japanese dudes on eBay, and they fucking know how to look after older records. This thing is 22 years old (I have checked the Matrix numbers on this against the info on Misfitscentral, and it all looks legit for the first pressing). I now try and buy all my older/rare stuff from Japan if I can.

Seriously though, look at the fucking center of this jacket. How could you not be stoked on that! The only thing that would have made the LP cover better, would have been to leave the Label info and barcode off of the back of the sleeve. We can't have everything can we.

Can we?

Carry On - A Life Less Plagued

2010-07-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

I have neglected my blog for the last week, and I have so many excuses, but I won't be busting them out. It just comes down to a case of not being diligent enough with my time.

This isn't the latest addition to my collection, but this is a record I have neglected and I underestimated/under appreciated it for way too long.

These days I don't listen to a great deal of hardcore, and I'd say that it's because I don't enjoy as much as I used to. Bands that border on the lines of powerviolence grab me more, but this LP still kicks me square in the fucking balls!

I got this off of my mate Billy for $40, which is really pretty good, even though this is most common version on black. He was selling most of his collection, and had this on Orange and Clear too, but they were a little rich for my blood, so I was happy to add a Black copy to my collection.

I first got I to this band when a band I was in covered one of the tracks off of this LP. It was The View, I only remember because it was short as shit.I don't remember if I actually ang it, or if Erle did and I played bass, but I had to learn the song, as short as it was, and then I actually started listening to the rest of the album, and was really suprised as it was just an awesome hardcore record, at a time when I was listening to a majority of metal and grind like Mastodon, 3 inches of blood and Pig Destroyer.

The artwork is pretty good. Fairly standard Jacob Bannon of the time.

There was a reissue of some early stuff released recently, but it just doesn't grab me like this record did. I guess it was a time and place for me.

2 records from 2 different Worlds...

2010-06-22T01:45:00.000-07:00

Today I got 2 albums that I have been waiting for for fucking ages, (Although 1 is a re-issue, I assumed it was coming when the first LP was given the repress treatment) although both gave me very different feelings.

I should have been overjoyed by both releases getting their way to me (1 via Mailbox, 1 waiting at home with my wife) on what turned out to be a hectic day for me.

Onto the records:

First up is the Third pressing (I guess this is almost a repress given the time frame elapsed since the last pressing) of Mastodon's Leviathan. Now I fucking love this record. Maybe not as much as I love Remission, but it has definitely held a spot in my heart for a long time, and it has been an elusive (re)addition to my record collection. Not because it hasn't come up, I just couldn't push myself to pay the price commanded for the First press, and I was not too worried about the picture disc, as the sound wasn't what it could be (even though I have it on coloured vinyl...). But here it is, in all it's glory.

Now, this is where I start my story. This is how a record should look, and I hope to get my own releases to this level eventually. Heavy/Thick card stock covers, awesome gatefold, great printing and just a stellar package all round. The insert is black with a gold spot colour. Just lovely.

Now, this was sent to me in a nice sturdy mailer, wrapped in 2 layers of bubble wrap and a cardboard packing square to protect my purchase. It also arrived in less than a week. I wasn't surprised when I saw the little Red and White card in my PO Box, but I was when I saw the "RELAPSE" stamp on the package, as I wasn't expecting it to come for another few weeks.

I even posted a pic on my Twitter when I opened it and saw the packaging. This made my last day at my current role at work, all the more sweet (and the pink iced cupcakes my work colleague made me!). It was one of those times when you actually want to go home and just sit in your comfy chair and listen to records all day long.

My wife had told me that an LP box had turned up for me today, so as I stepped in the door, I kissed her hello (she isn't well today either), got changed into my home clothes and then went on the hunt to find the package (She has a habit of putting my mail down somewhere, but can never remember where she put it).

So, this brings me to my down side.

My pre order for the Break Even - The Bright Side LP turned up from Italy (after multiple delays, but these happen, not to worry. At least they got to me right?), and I was siked to get this bad boy onto my turntables, as I had just missed the weekends shows that Break Even had played, as the first was sold out (So I went out for dinner and then to play blackjack with my best mate Shane and old mate xStux), and the second I wasn't feeling the greatest, so I missed it.

I saw the box was a little battered, but that happens, hence why we pack them nice and safely, so that the outside may be a lottle fucked up, but the LP's inside are nice and safe...

As i opened the box, I started to worry, flimsy Euro mailer.

Heart sank a little more, no plastic sleeves/shrinkwrap on the records.

Sinks a bit more as see that there is no bubble wrap or cardboard mailer packing square protecting the LP's.

Almost into my stomach now, records have been mailed in the sleeves.

All the way out of the packaging and I am fucking furious!!
NB: (now those that know me well, know I am furious about a lot of shit, but this is my top bugbear!)

The spines are split and the corners are bent and I am not stoked at all. I have waited for fucking ever to get these records (delayed by a month, and as I said, I understand that this happens, and isn't my worry here), and they are not in the minty fresh condition that they should be. I start ranting and raving to my wife (who really has no idea why I am so upset), and then decide that I'm gonna do what anyone would do these days. Whinge about it on the internet, and that brings me to now...

Positives about this release: It's Break Even, and I fucking love this record. The band lost a good friend/brother and band mate after a tour a couple years ago, and a good chunk of what this record is about is about Rowan. This makes me happy, as you need to talk about people after they have left this world, and make sure that no one forgets them.

I actually like the vinyl configuration on the LP pictured (the other is blue/black inside out vinyl, and doesn't really grab me), even though I have moved right away from Splatter vinyl.

You should pick this record up at some stage, and when it gets a release. Cloud Street, which is the unreleased solo record of Rowans. It'll be out sometime soon, and I hope it gets an LP release too.

I now have 2 copies of this LP, that I am selling, as I will buy a copy with no creases in the sleeve or split spines, so if you want a copy of this for $10 plus postage, hit me up on c.wainwright@bigpond.com. Or write to me anyway.

I like email...

Pig Destroyer - Prowler in the Yard Picture Disc

2010-06-17T05:59:00.000-07:00

Another piece of awesomeness that arrived yesterday (and a piece I have been meaning to add to my collection for a long time) is Pig Destroyers "Prowler in the yard".

I'm gonna be honest here and admit that this isn't the record that got me into this band, Terrifyer was, but fuck me this record is so good.

Like most dickheads who love vinyl, I have a love/hate relationship with picture discs. While they look awesome most of the time, you cant escape the fact that they sound like shit. No two ways about it. I really wish that this had gotten a 180gram release instead of a pic disc, but who am I to complain. And to be honest, it is a very metal thing to do, have a pic disc release.

The Paul Booth artwork really doesn't hurt this either.

Fucking Brutal.

I don't have much if a story for this one, but I did steal the idea of a story in the cover/sleeve to help with the aesthetic of the release with one of my old bands' records, Dead Water.

The intro to this album (and the outro for that fact) still blow me the fuck away. And some of the riffing on this thing is straight up retarded. I have seen a bunch of these on eBay of late, and I picked this up for approx $20 US ppd. If you like modern grindcore, then hit up eBay and grab one.

Maybe one day relapse will do a normal pressing of this and I can listen to it with a bit more depth and clarity. Well, as deep and as clear as a Pig Destroyer record can be.

I still want to do a band like this, and one day I will.

Baroness - First

2010-06-16T00:54:00.000-07:00

Hola fair readers, today was a fucking good day for me record wise. I got shitloads of stuff in, but this little gem came as a bit of a surprise...

The story is, I was on Dead Format as I often am, looking at the classifieds for what was for sale, and a bloke in the US was selling a bunch of records that included Cursed's III for $15 and Baroness' second for $35. He stated that he was only shipping to the US, but I dropped a lone asking if he'd consider sending to Australia as the Baroness record had been eluding me for far too long now.

After agreeing to buy some other records (I missed out on the Cursed record, which I was gonna buy for me old mate Shane) but a final price was agreed on, and my paypal was a fair chunk lighter for it.

To be honest, it didn't really bother me because I was getting some good records for a price I wasn't about to moan about and I got to cross a top ten want off my list...

Then, today when the records turned up, I actually thought it was something else, sat down at my desk at work with my cup of coffee and opened that mailer, and I was fucking stoked! I started digging through the LP's, looking for my Baroness LP so I could bask in it's glory.

But...

It wasn't a copy of second. It was a copy of first.

This actually made my day EVEN BETTER! I fucking love this record.

I have now owned this 3 times. Once on smoke which I gave to one of my best mates Nigel, then again on Black and now on Black again. And this time it's fucking staying!

This is their best work, along with second, in my humble opinion. I rank it up there as one of my favourite modern metal records, alongside the first 2 Mastodon LP's.

Again, stoked!

Metallica - The $5.98 EP

2010-06-11T02:45:00.000-07:00

Sick in bed. Again. Not into it to be honest. I really need a record playing in the bed room, or to get off my ass and put on in the lounge so I can chill on the couch when I'm sick and listen to records.

Anyways.

I dragged my ass out of bed long enough to go to the Doctors, and while I was at it I thought I would sift through my emails, work on some artwork for the The Omen 7 inch and listen to some comfort music. So I pulled this bad boy out.

This is another one of the records I hung on to. Mainly because I knew what I would have to pay to get the fucker back (and it is one that I would want to buy back at some stage), and because of how well I did when I bought it.

I have been a Metallica fan for a long time, and I have some older pressings of the first 3 albums, a couple re-issued singles from the same era (My favourite era of Metallica to be honest and I plan on buying the 45RPM represses at some stage too) and then this bad boy. I was shopping with my girlfriend of the time (Now my lovely and loving Wifer) at the Camberwell Markets (for those not of Melbourne, the Camberwell Markets are in a well to do area of the Eastern Suburbs, about 15 minutes from the City, and it used to be a fucking awesome place to shop for anything your heart could desire. For those in the US, it is like a swapmeet/flea market type vibe) and there was a dude with a couple crates of records. And not like the usual shit you find, where they have crates and crates of shit and maybe 1 or 2 good records in the whole lot, but 2 crates of fucking sick records.

This was sitting in the middle of the crate, and had a $25 price tag on it. Now I had seen this in Au Go Go for years with a price tag of $65-80 dependant on the seller at the time, and I knew that I didn't want to pay that for it, so I picked this up quick smart. The dude said to me that the record had a surface scratch on it, and pulled it out to show me. It did indeed have a surface mark throughout the whole of one side. He did say that he didn't have any issues with it playing and that he didn't get any noise from it either. For $25 I wasn't really worried too much, and picked it up, took it home, dropped a needle on it and it played fine. I really appreciated him being upfront though. I am pretty sure I bought my mate Gordy a Death Metal record from the same dude too for $10. I defs should have just bought a bunch of his shit. Oh well.

The cover on this is sick. I always loved the record sleeve for this. The back has some great photos, including James wearing a Faith No More shirt.

I like the blurb on the back heaps too. So much so I took a closer shot for all of you to enjoy.

A good fucking record, with some awesome songs.

Alkaline Trio - Crimson

2010-06-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

I have been flat fucking out this week, as I mentioned in my last post, and the weekend was supposed to be a chilled out affair. Shit never happens that way now does it?

Yesterday (Saturday) I went record shopping with my homeboy Shane. Something we try to do once a month (as in hit 3-4 shops in town, rather than the pop in we do whenever we're in town normally), and this was a doozey for me. Spent a couple hundred bucks on some good records. Not a great deal of Metal or Hardcore, but a punk record or 4 and some other shit I have been meaning to pick up for a long time.

It's funny, I always thinks that buying online is cheaper, and it can be when I buy multiple records and save on postage, but a lot of the stuff I buy is BIN stuff on eBay and the record end up costing about the same when you add postage. I will admit that I do love get records in the mail though. Hahaha. But I am going to do my best to support my local record shops more, as I really want to make sure that they stay open.

I had planned to post about a record I got during the week that I had been chasing for a while, but then I was listening to this tonight, and I do really love this record. I listen to it almost daily in my car, and I really should have bought it on LP when it first came out, but I was broke as a joke then, so I didn't.

But here it is on my turntable now.

I love the colour of the vinyl on this pressing. It's listed as Lime. It is partially transparent when held up to the light, and you can see all the other colours in it then. This type of vinyl is making a big impression with me at the moment.

To be brutally honest, I am pretty over the DMM pressed stuff, and all of the crazy splatter vinyl. I have pressed stuff like that myself in the past, and I was alllll about it, but now I really like a good solid colour with deep grooves I can see, and the Direct Metal Mastering stuff doesn't have that same visual aesthetic. That's why I am loving the Epitaph releases at the moment. Great colours, good heavy vinyl and it always sounds fucking sick.

The artwork on this is nice and simple. Nothing too over the top.

This record is one of the best from the Alk3 in my opinion. From the "Total Eclipse of the Heart" rip off piano intro right down to the last song, it just kicks on through and does what Alkaline Trio do best.

This one is numbered out of 1000, and I don't know if that is per colour, or just the whole pressing. I need to look into that one a bit more.

I think it's still in print, but if not, you can get them pretty cheap on eBay.

Nice.

Darkest Hour - Undoing Ruin

2010-06-02T00:34:00.001-07:00

I really feel as though I have been neglecting my little outlet for stories and those lovely slabs-o-wax that hit my Porch/PO Box every day or so, but I am in the midst of my "week from hell". This week is taken up with playing shows (Monday, Thursday and Friday), rehearsing with 2 bands Tuesday and Wednesday) and trying to cram in watching Masterchef with my wife. Normally I get between half an hour and an hour in between the time I get home and she gets home, so I can sit down in my extremely uncomfortable computer chair, put on the records I got that day, or enjoy something from the racks, and type away here. I love it, and with weeks like this, I really miss it.

I have had a bunch of records arrive in the last week (In fact, today I had one I have been chasing for fucking ages, but I will post about that one on the weekend), but I thought I would drag out this little gem from my ever growing collection and share/show off.
I love Darkest Hour, and they are one of my favourite bands (I don't like everything they have ever done, and I didn't like the Deliver Us record at all really) but they are a good band, a bunch of great guys and this record is in my top 3 records of all time.

Back when the band toured for Undoing Ruin, my old band, In Name and Blood, was lucky enough to play half of the shows (My wife and I also travelled to Adelaide to see them play with The Rivalry). This is where I came to realise that not only was it a sick record, but because they were super nice guys, I enjoyed it even more. It just felt like it was all for the right reasons. The production is spot on too. I really love what Devin Townsend has done with this record. So much so that I am considering asking him to mix my new bands album.

The artwork is also something that really grabbed me. It was downright fucking brutal, but not gory. It kinda challenged you, but you didn't really know why. This cover made me realise how much I was really into Chris "Crude" Taylors artwork.

I have owned a couple copies of this record, the first have a defect in the vinyl which caused it to skip, the second I took with me when I got my DH Tattoo and it got left behind as I had planned to get more work done at that studio, but never ended up going back (I will be honest and say that my wife was less than stoked when I turned up at home after getting tattoo'd with a dead child permanently applied to my forearm. Not stoked at all, but that's what happens when you're a dumbass and don't consult with your life partner about these kinds of things...).

And then I got a copy on White and was stoked (Although the gold copy I first had was my fav of the colours).

That was until I got my hands on this bad boy.

Someone on Dead Format was selling a bunch of records, lots of stuff I would have loved to have bought, but didn't have the cashola I needed, but this was listed, and had been for a few days. I was so sure that I wasn't going to get this record, as it should have been snapped up straight away. I mean come on, who WOULDN'T want to own a Test Pressing of one of the greatest Thrash/Hardcore records released in the last 10 years? It was also listed at the low price of $US50 postage paid. I checked my Paypal, check the bank account to make sure I could actually afford it, dropped a PM, and a week later it was sitting at my doorstep.

I am often dubious, as I have been ripped off a couple times, but old mate that sold me this was spot on (my dubiousness wasn't helped by the crudely drawn DH on the label), although he did neglect to tell me it had been signed by the whole band. I was over the f*cking moon. I could have gotten it signed myself I'm sure, but seriously, given I wasn't expecting it, and being the Uber fanboy that I am at times, this just made my day.

Even my wife was stoked on it, and usually she doesn't care much unless it's a record she really loves, but I think seeing me so happy with this little score got here stoked on it, and offered to have it framed. To be honest, I only played it once to make sure it was what it said it was (I also checked the matrix, etc against my copy on White, and of course it matched up), and it has been stored snugly next to my other copy in my record storage unit.

I just hope that they come back out on the new record, as I really liked that one.

That'd make me a happy little camper.

Burning Love - Demo 7 inch on Gold.

2010-05-27T02:51:00.000-07:00

Another quickie tonight. I'm still feeling pretty average, so I'll get back into story mode real soon.

I've been a Colofan for some time now, and when I heard that he had a new band that he was signing for, I got uber stoked. As with all Colohan bands, I was thinking maybe he was going to get into the same shit he was doing with Cursed.

Now I wasn't completely wrong, but I wasn't right either.

Some of the Burning Love stuff reminds me of Cursed, but the vocals are not as heavy and have a rockier vibe, as does the music.

This is the Demo, which was available for free download just after it was recorded, but it was also pressed as a tape, in 2 different pressings. I missed out on both of those, and then Thirty Days of Night records released it as a 7 inch for the Burning Love Euro Tour.

That was a fucking debarcle for me. I ordered 2 lots of the pre order package (All 3 colours) and only 1 turned up, I emailed the dude about it and he said he sent the second lot. They never came. Then I ordered a bunch of them (along with other records they had released) for my distro, and they didn't turn up either. I also ordered the Integrity split Book/7 Inch from the label, I wonder if I'll get that one?

I digress.

Gordon over at Deranged Records released this on 4 colours with 4 covers, and I have all 4 sitting in my box of 7 inches.

But this is my favourite of the 4. Traditional Gold vinyl with a yellow cover.

A good little demo 7 inch. Hit up Deranged and pick this up. Ot if you want a copy on Black, Red or Gold, drop me a line, I have 1 of each at $13 ppd.

Extortion - Terminal Cancer EP

2010-05-26T01:36:00.000-07:00

A quick one today.

I finally have this back in my grubby little mitts.

I like a lot of things about this release. First up, it's Extortion. You really can't go wrong there.

The artwork is great. Rohan does some awesome stuff, but I often find the best work is stuff he does for his own band. The art on this is simple, straight up but still pretty brutal.

The label that pressed this is one that I have loved for fucking years and years. Shortfuse has done so many good releases.

And finally, the recording was done on a Yamaha MT3X 4 track. It sounds rough as fuck (and as the insert says "RAW AS PISS"), but for this band, it really fucking works.

Picked this up from a mate on eBay for $6 plus $2 postage. Really can't complain. It's the first pressing too, with the proper enclosed cover, not the wrap around one with the red backing.

This one will get a bit of airtime with me.

Nirvana - Hormoaning EP

2010-05-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

Another one to tick off my top ten wants list.

And before anyone pipes up, I know it's a bootleg, but I don't have the US$600+ to buy an OG copy lying around.

I have no idea on numbers on this one, and given that it is a bootleg, you can be pretty certain that the official numbers don't exist anywhere. To be honest, I really don't give a fuck. I am siked to have this record in my collection for me to play, enjoy and not worry about some fucker dropping a needle on it too hard, or walking away with it.

This EP holds a rich history for me, and when it hit my PO Box this morning and I opened the Mailer (I didn't know it was actually this record) there was a huge rush of nostalgia. Not because I ever owned this on LP, or on CD for that matter, but because of where I was when I first heard the song D7.

I was walking to work (it would have been maybe 95 or 96) and I worked in a milk bar (local store for those US/Euro people reading) where I stacked the fridges and cleaned up after the days trade. I was allowed to listen to my walkman, and I loved to do so which cutting up/crushing boxes and cardboard, and putting new drinks and shit in the fridge. I was mates with the owners eldest son, and he was a HUGE Nirvana fan, and he made me a mixed tape of random Nirvana Rarities he had gotten from another mate of his (we traded tapes of shit we taped off the radio, got from kids at school etc...).

I had heard a lot of the stuff on the tape from live shows and bootlegged tapes from the market, but when D7 came on my walkman, I was mesmerised. I had heard most of the Hormoaning EP from Incesticide but I had not heard this song.

I was about to walking into the front door of the shop, and I just stopped dead. I sat down on the metal benches outside and listened to the song from start to finish. Then I rewound it and listened to it again while I walked into work. I reckon I listened to it at least 5 more times during that shift. It was rare to hear such good quality songs that you hadn't heard from Nirvana before.

Fast forward a couple years and Cameron (the aforementioned eldest son) actually got hold of a copy of the Hormoaning CD. I had gotten to a point where I was moving on to much heavier music (Punk, Metal, Hardcore, etc) so I wasn't so overly stoked any more.

But here I am, and totally in love with this EP all over again.

So, it shows all the usual signs of the bootlegs: The shower head is missing from the top right of the frame, the taps aren't underneath the banner on the bottom right, etc.

The vinyl is a sick Maroon/Red that is slightly transparent. The cover is in awesome condition and I could not be happier (Well, maybe if I had an OG copy, but that might happen one day...).

Norma Jean - Redeemer Test Pressing.

2010-05-24T03:38:00.001-07:00

A bit of a weird one today...

I was lurking away on eBay, as I do, and I saw this pic disc test pressing with a really low start price.

Now, I was dubious on this one, but this is my fav Norma Jean record, sonic I could snag it for a good price, it'd tide me over until I could get my shit together and buy the box set again.

When I toured with NJ the first time they came to Australia, I was super bummed that none of their records were reased on Vinyl, so when the box set came out, I was so stoked and pre ordered it straight off the bat, but I thought the inner sleeves were thin and flimsy, and the pressing of Redeemer on Pic Disc really bummed me out, because while it looks fancy, the bottom end of this record is really lost on a Pic Disc. Hopefully one day it'll see a repress on 180 gram Black, because this record is fucking heavy! I kinda doubt it though.

Back to the story...

I was sat around with my homeboy Shane, listening to some records on a Saturday night, and this one was about to end and I was only at the first bid. So I chucked $20 Australian on it thinking I wasn't gonna get it that cheap.

Low and behold, $16 + $10 postage, a 2 week wait and this little fucker hit my PO Box.

As I said, I was dubious on the test pressness of this record, as normally a pic disc test pressing will be all white. So I chucked up a question about it on the Vinyl Collective message board, and a message from Virgil (the guy who put the box set out) confirms that it is indeed a test press of the Norma Jean - Redeemer Picture Disc.

Virgil did mention that it was super weird that the dude seperated these from the rest of the box set, but like I said, this is my favourite NJ record, so a happy little record sitting on the shelves in my study. Not as cool as my Darkest Hour - Undoing Ruin LP Test Press, but a sick record nonetheless.

Narrows / Heiress - Split 7 inch

2010-05-21T03:17:00.000-07:00

A quick one for tonight.

I've been super busy with work and band stuff, and working on some releases, but I always use that excuse.

Here is a split 7 inch, put out by the lovely folk at Deathwishinc. I was really siked to hear the new Narrows stuff after the Deathwish sampler came out, and one of these songs are on it.

I gotta say, I reckon that this is their heaviest stuff, and I am super pumped on the first song, Recurring. The riff at the end is soooooo fucking good.

Jun Jun, Jun jun jun, Jun jun jun...

The Heiress stuff is good too. Reminds me a lot of Narrows, and to more of an extent, Botch. This split gets better with each spin for me.

The art is sick, the coloured vinyl I got is sick, and the Heiress sides label is awesomely sick! Seriously, can't really whinge about this one.

This is a short post, because it doesn't have the usual story that goes with a lot of the record I own.

But tomorrows will. And my wife is buying me a camera for blogging.

She's a fucking good sort.

Refused - Songs to fan the flames of discontent

2010-05-18T02:04:00.000-07:00

I tell ya, dropping the needle on this bad boy made me fe fucking Alive. I have always love this record, and when I sold off everything, this was one of the last pieces to go. (and as soon as this was over I put on the everlasting EP and then The Shape of Punk to come. It was awesome!)

It's kinda funny, everyone raves so hard about The Shape of Punk to come (which is a piece of pure genius, please don't think for a second that I don't think so), but for a hard core record, this is where my money lays.

I put this on last night and as soon as Rather Be Dead started, I had to stop myself from chucking a study mosh. So fucking simple yet so fucking awesome!

I got this copy on eBay, at around the $30 mark. I have seen it go for a lot more, but the description on this one made it sound pretty beat up. It was listed as having rind wear, which is does, and listed as having damage to one of the corners, which it does not. To be honest I just wanted a copy to listen to as it had been that long since I had it on LP that I didn't really care that much.

The covers are pretty flimsy anyway. Mid 90's Victory records, what do you expect really?

I always liked how simple the layout of this record was. The band photo on the back is classic. Dennis with blonde hair still trips me out, and then the silver shirt he wore in the Rather be Dead video. Mondo bizarro.

The only thing that is a bit weird about the format of the songs is that "it's not ok" is on one side and "Crusader of hopelessness" is on thestary of side b. I always thought one was an intro to the other. Having said that, it might have been in Victorys infinite wisdom that this occured...

All round, one of my fav records, back on my collection. This'll do until I find a better copy, or it gets a well deserved and long overdue re-issue. I'm sure there's money to be made...

Maybe.

Bodyjar - 17 Years

2010-05-15T23:03:00.000-07:00

I've been slack the last couple of days, there's no excuse other than that really.

I was out with my homeboy Shane buying bread in the city (Yes, I put up with an hour + trip time to buy my bread at one bakery, but they make fucking kickass coffee too) and decided I'd pop into Missing Link and suss out what was going down.

I walked in, and I reckon it looks like they are on the verge of closing down. They must be changing up the format a little atleast, as they don't have any shirts in there anymore, and their CD selection looked to be a bit slimmer. This might have been down to the re-arranged layout, but it did really look emptier, and it really really bummed me the fuck out.

I have bought records from missing link for close to 12 years I reckon. I used to go into the store when it was on Flinders Lane, and cram into the tiny space that was the shop, get stared down by the staff there (I always felt uncomfortable about asking about anything in there, because it all seemed so imposing) and occasionally buy the odd piece of gold, either something they had had in for ages and no one had noticed or one of the amazing records from the second hand boxes (I really wish I had of bought that copy of Through Being Cool that sat in the second hand box for close to 3 fucking years!) . In the end I made friends with some of the staff, Pete, Corey, Kat and others, and I came to love the store like it was somewhere I felt like I fit in.

And even though a lot of the friendships have changed (or gone), I really hope they can keep it all above water and that people keep buying records from them as I still have 1 mate who works there now. I struggle to get in there as much as I should, and sometimes I know I can get records cheaper online, I still try to buy at least 1 thing everytime I go in.

This is one of those records.

Granted, it was only a $5 purchase (although once I play these In Name and Blood shows, I will have a couple extra pennies to spend, as my wife has allowed me to keep the cash to do with as I wish, and they have a couple Alkaline Trio LP's I need to get back into my collection, and they will be the same if I get them on eBay or though the store, so I'll get them to support my local record dealer),but it was a good little purchase at that.

So, I took the copy from the racks up, and Dan pulled a fresh copy for me, and I was pretty stoked that I didn't get the one that was all bent out of shape from handling and being passed over for fuck knows how long.

It wasn't until I got home that I realised that the copy I got was not on Red vinyl as the one I had seen in the racks (and I have said before I am a fucking sucker for Red vinyl), it was a marbled Purple.

Also, this one wasn't hand numbered like to the one in the racks either. It isn't all bad, as I'll probably head back into the Link and buy the Red numbered one, but I was still a little bummed, being the nerdholio that I am.

The last time I really enjoyed Bodyjar was when they put out No Touch Red. As far as I am concerned, the band ended there for me. And it only got worse. No Ben, then Ross bailed, and it became the Cam and Grant show. The rest of the dudes they got in could play, but the band slowed down so much compared to the earlier records, that it kinda lost it for me.

I think that this record is pretty close to the No Touch Red stuff, and I really dig the Single, 17 Years. The B side is OK. It doesn't really grab me like the Single, but it isn't bad either.

The artwork on the other hand is fucking KICK ASS! It's printed on lovely thick stock and it is assembled well.

All over a nice little trip down memory lane, and not a bad score for a fiver.

Black Breath - Heavy Breathing

2010-05-13T03:22:00.001-07:00

I've just had a wonderful dinner with the wife, (I took her out for a nice meal because she's helped my with my job applications over the last couple of days, and I'd be lost without her) and I thought I'd post about the other record I got from Southern Lord.

I have always like a couple of the Southern Lord bands, but their crossover into some more hardcore related releases has definately sparked my interested a little more.

In a move that is a little bit weird for me (I have been referred to as rainman in the past), I know very little about this band, except that I really really want a copy of their EP and that the front cover of that EP is a syphilis advert from the 50's (or maybe earlier).

Other than that I have really let the music do the talking for this band, and if this record is any indication of the future of Black Breath, then I am stoked as fuck.

Heavy and fast Motorhead worship, with a definate black metal vibe too. Especially in some of the riffing. Add all that with Kurt Ballou production, and I'm fucking sold!

Again, Southern Lord has pressed a nice heavy record. This one is transparent blue 180 gram vinyl, and it sounds as heavy as it feels.

The covers are again that lovely thick cardboard, nicely printed and housing double sided printed innersleeves.

These ones are a bit sturdier than the Trap Them ones as they are a glossy stock, although they are a tight fit as the records are thicker too.

The back photo is a fucking pisser too!

Another stellar release from the dark folks at Southern Lord. When you go to buy the Trap Them record, drop this little fucker in your basket too!

Trap Them - Filth Rations 12" EP.

2010-05-12T00:18:00.000-07:00

Most of my posts cover the packaging of a release, the actual vinyl, the music, or what the particular record means to me (a story), but this one is a fucking inspiration.

I like Trap Them. I liked them a lot until this arrived in the mail. Now I fucking love them.

This release has also pointed out how much effort Southern Lord put into their releases.

The music itself is crushing. Fast or slow, it;s just crushingly heavy. I am banging my head as I try to type this up. It's angry, seething and just plain fucking awesome. This should be enough to make everyone want to buy this slab of wax, But...

The packaging on this thing is A+. Heavy vinyl is the first thing I want to point out. This thing sounds fucking good. It's been cut well (at 33 1/3rpm), pressed well and handled with love and care. I couldn't stop shaking my head at how happy I was with just the Vinyl on it's own.

1 Sided 12" with laser etching on the B side. This is done really well. It captures the vibe of the artwork, and ties in really well.

The artwork is awesome. Again, ties in with the vibe of the record, and it is on nice thick Cardboard stock. Not just a heavy paper stock, or thing card, but thick fucking cardboard. Granted it still came damaged on the corner, like most of the records that pass through the US and Australian postal services. I won't bitch and moan too much, I promise.

I guess the only thing that bums me out a little is the printed inner sleeves.

While they look sick and add to the professionalism of the release, like all printed inner sleeves, they have split already (when opened, not even because they have been taken in and out of the sleeves). But shit, I can't have everything can I?

Seriously, this is the kind of records I hope to be releasing eventually. I just need to press records that have gigh enough numbers to warrant spending all that extra cash on.

For now, I'll keep trying my best to do what I do and then go from there...

So go to Southern Lord and buy this record.

NOW!

Ride the Propane...

2010-05-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

The PO Box drought continues, so I will post again from my meager collection. As I mentioned Botch in my last post, I thought I would bust out my Anthology of Dead Ends 10 inch on black.

Not the rarest of records, but I really slept on this when it first came out, so it did take a little while to actually find it's way to me.

Like all the Hydrahead releases, this is done so fucking well. It was pressed on a whole bunch of colours, in varying quantities, and again, like all Hydrahead releases it was anlimited pressing. This made it pretty difficult to get my hands on for a time, because every one that hit eBay went for a ridiculous price. But I kept at it, and a couple years later this one ended up costing me close to $50 all paid up, and I was happy with that.

I see it pop up every now and again, and I get tempted to bid, but I am happy with this on black.

This record takes up where We Are the Romans left off, but changes it up a bit too. I'll go out there and say that this is my favourite Botch stuff. It is as heavy as fuck, it is varied and just so full of awesome ideas. It would be pretty safe to sylay though that this EP and We Are The Romans spawned a whole new generation of copy cat bands, one of the more obvious notables being Norma Jeans change in style after Josh Scogin left the fold (You could also "blame" Matt Bayles for that though).

The transition between Afghamistam and Micaragua still fucking blows my mind. I do miss Botch and I am super bummed that I will never get to see them play, but hopefully Narrows might make it over this was one day...?

Yeah right.

Narrows - New Distances

2010-05-07T20:43:00.001-07:00

Not many records hit my Mailbox or front door this week, so I thought I would post this one as I am here on a Saturday lunch time listening to it, and it is a fucking great record.

Now, I was always a big Botch fan (and I will post some Botch records at some stage I am sure, maybe even tomorrow...) and I didn't dislike Unbroken, so when I first heard that Dave Verellen was at the helm of this new band, I was fucking all over that shit!

The 7 inch came out and I was blown away. It felt that it had filled the void that Botch left (and that Norma Jean were unable to fill, and don't get me wrong, I love Norma Jean, but they ain't Botch) and my ears were happy again.

Then this came out, and at first I wasn't as stoked on it as I was the EP, but after a couple of listens, I think it is actually a better record. The vocals are really similar to the last 2 Botch records: distorted, doubled up with a slight delay on them to make them thick as molasses. Nice.

The artwork on this is fucking stellar! The concept is interesting, but the actual physical art is just beautiful. You can't see it so well in my Pics (iPhone pics at that), but it is a lovely silky stock with a spot varnish over the whole thing. I just love it, and I really hope to have the kind of dollars to put out something like this for a band in the future, as it is everything I love about LP artwork.

You can still get this record from Deathwish, and I suggest if you are a Botch or Unbroken fan, that you pick this up as well as the first 7 inch and then get onto the split that they have coming out soon too.

Word.

I'm counting on you...

2010-05-06T00:36:00.000-07:00

Not too much to look at with this record, but fuck me I've been hanging for this to hit my door step.

Any one who knows me well knows how much I love Matt Skiba, and when he announced he was doing a side project called Heavens, I lost my shit. To hear that it was a more stripped back sound that the Alk3 stuff, mixed with some electro stuff, I was definitely interested to hear how it was going to turn out.

When I got the CD, it really reminded me of Joy Division, and to an extent, Placebo. I was into it. I kept my eye on the Epitaph site for an LP release, and one never showed, so I had no fucking that this LP even came out until it was loooong sold out and I saw one on eBay.

I can find nothing about the LP release anywhere really, and there is no info on the label, and as far as I can see, this is the only release that Number Nine Sounds released.

I managed to snag this on eBay for just over $20, probably what I would have paid for it at the time of the release, so I am super stoked on that.

There is no art for this record, only a Disco Sleeve with a sticker on the front, and numbered out of 1000.

To be honest, I really don't give a fuck. This record is now in my collection, and there I plan for it to stay!

It's sad that the band didn't get to do a second record, as I am sure it would have ruled. The Matt Skiba solo record has been put on the back burner, so who knows if that'll ever see the light of day. There is a Joy Division cover around somewhere, only available digitally and a 7 inch pic disc that Epitaph put out, that has the Patent Pending single and a remix, which is actually awesome.

Maybe I should man up and listen to some decent music instead...?

Nah, fuck that.

Burning Love - "Don't ever change" Single

2010-05-05T05:27:00.000-07:00

While my lovely wife cooks me a lovely pasta dinner, thought I'd chuck up a quickie.

I've been sick in bed for the last few days, so there have been no posts, and I'm still not quite right now, but I went back to work so it can't be that bad...

So back to work meant back to my PO Box and my pre order for the Burning Love "don't ever change" single.

Being the Colofan that I am, I was fucking stoked to get this one (and to be honest I forgot about it until I opened the fucker) and when i opened the package, part of me wanted to head home and drop the needle on this one.

I really love the artwork on this, and remember when I read on Colohans blog that this was going to be the artwork. Really simple but still really different and clever.

The single is tops! A step up from the demo, and reminds me a bit of the rockier Cursed stuff. Vocals are nice and rough, but cleaner that a lot of Cursed stuff.

On the B side is a Nick Cave cover, which is pretty good. I will say the end of the track is fucking killer. Noisy and heavy.

All up, a great little single and I can't wait for their LP now.

Sick.

Fix me, Fix my heaaaaad!

2010-05-01T06:29:00.000-07:00

Been sick in bed all day today, so I'm gonna drop an easy one today.

This arrived in my PO Box on Friday. Picked this up as part of a trade/sale with a mate. Stoked to have this back in my collection. When this first came out, I bought 3 copies and made myself over $150 on those 3. Yep, eBay helped me on this one. People in Europe didn't know it existed, so I chucked one up, got more than I paid for it, then second chance offered another for more than I paid for it, which meant I could put a bunch of cash (along with a bunch of other records I offloaded) towards the releasing the I Exist 7 inch.

Extortion records can be big business. Hahaha.

This one will be staying in my collection no though. My days of selling shit from my collection are over. It's all about building a testament to the music I love.

So, the Extortion side of this is short and fucking fast, with a Black Flag cover and some of Extortions best work.

The Jed Whitey side is fucking sick. Awesome rock n roll inspired punk rock. It really makes me wanna get some more shit of theirs.

A good little 7 inch.

Hole - Retard Girl

2010-04-30T03:06:00.000-07:00

I ended up with 3 records in the mail today, and it's a slab of that lovely era that I love that I will put up tonight.

I am, of course, talking about the 90's. I turned 10 the year this record was recorded, and I wish I was into it then, but I can't even fake that I was. Shit, at 10 I didn't really listen to much music at all. Maybe The Doors and The Who tapes I pinched from my dads collection. It was at least 2 years before I got into Gangsta Rap, and 5 or 6 years before I actually started to listen to this band.

Hole's Retard Girl Single was released in 1990 on Sympathy for the Record Industry, and was the first release for the band. It's noisy, punk and just straight up fucking awesomely messy. A far stretch from the band that ended in 2002. I've always had a super soft spot for Courtney, and the start of the band is no exception. Even if Kurt and Billy Corgan wrote some of Holes best work... But we won't get into that argument in this post.

Retard girl chugs along, Phone bill song crashes though and Johnnies in the bathroom is a spoken word/noise piece.

I was really lucky and picked this up for $6 instead of the $20+ dollars I normally see it go for on eBay, so I am stoked to be able to add this little bugger to the collection, and sit down and enjoy it any time I want to.

Oh, and this is the start of my Hole collection. A couple pieces are gonna be fucking hard to get my hands on, but I'll get there.

One day.

Yummy Gummy Candy Land

2010-04-29T04:59:00.001-07:00

No records in the PO Box this week means digging out a record for ye olde blog.

So I picked this one. Bit of an obscure one to a lot of people, but I fucking loved this band when I first started going to shows, and they were one if the first bands that I actually started talking to. Matt Ridgeway was always a super friendly dude, always put up with my chewing his ear off and talking shit.

I have a feeling that there were 330 of this pressed, with 300 with covers and 30 without.

I used to own this record without the cover (and then printed it out from an early website the band had) but sold it off for cash and it was a tough one trying to track down again, mainly because I don't actually know anyone who owns the record that is still around these days...

I'll be honest, this is one of the poorest pressed records I have seen in years. I have records that hav DIY artwork, but this just feels poorly made. This is no reflection on the band, as the music is fucking sick. Quirky pop punk with a techno vibe (2 members were techno DJ's), and it's spot on.

I think the label let this one down, but then I have had a grudge with the owner of the label from almost 10 years ago, so I'm not gonna talk this one up am I?

The vinyl colour is spot on for this record, but it is a badly pressed record, it isn't scratched but it skips and it shits me to no end.

The covers are just 80gsm printed covers, flimsy and there is no way that this would last if this hadn't been sitting in the collection that this copy came from.

I know I'm whinging, but this is a fucking good ep.

I have missed the 2 crettins puddle re-union shows and I am still fucking kicking myself, as they were a staple of the shows I went to as a kid.

This record is worth tracking down, even if it's just for the Kermit the Frog cover.

Fucking gold.

Another piece of the PMFS puzzle: PMFS - S/T 10"

2010-04-27T00:32:00.000-07:00

Another gem arrived today.

Another one of those records that sat at the top of my Wants list for so long, finally in my grubby little paws!

The songs on this record make me think of the music I was immersed in nearly 10 years ago, finishing up one band, trying to put another together with a bunch of people I didn't know, and who didn't know each other. It didn't work out, and I haven't seen or heard from any of those people in a long time, but I still think of the couple of jam sessions we had, and the fact that I first heard Copper and Stars on a mix CD Blake gave me in reference to what he wanted the band to sound like.

The artwork on this record is fucking perfect for the vibe the music gives.

The songs on this record are all amazing, and obviously the band changed pretty dramatically over the course of their 11 years, but this is still one of my favourite eras of this band.

You can get all the songs on the 2xLP No Idea release WE RIDE TO FIGHT (The first 4 years), so you should get onto that, then buy all their other records. You won't be disapointed. And if you are, then... well, tough shit really.

So in closing, I am stoked to be able to cross this one off the list (I am not interested in colours and variations and shit...), and now I am about to close a deal on a Knife in the Marathon LP.

Awesome. Awesome to the MAX!

I'll be dead by Christmas anyway...

2010-04-26T01:32:00.000-07:00

A public Holiday means no post, which means no new records, so I am gonna post a 7 inch that I has been in collection for almost a year, but until 5 minutes ago, it had yet to be opened and played...

Now, this goes against what I buy records for. I buy them to listen to, and to enjoy them, not just look at them on my shelf.

So last night I was hanging with my homeboy Shane, talking about and playing some of my favourite pieces of vinyl, and I pulled this Single out, and was about to bust it open and he talked me out of it for some reason, and when I went to bed last night, I was tempted many times to actually get up, bust the fucker open and play it. But I didn't.

So this evening, while the wife is watching Neighbours, I thought I would sit down, pry the tape open, try not to rip the paper bag too much and listen to what is probably my favourite Murder City Devils song ever. Dead by Christmas.

The A Side is actually on the Thelema 10", so I wasn't so worried about that, but Dead by Christmas I don't think is actually on anything else.

I was really lucky to pick this up for the price that I did, as I have seen it go for upwards of $US50 on eBay, but I got it as part of a Private Sale off of Dead Format last year with almost all the MCD Singles, and PG99 7 inches. It was a good day.

I remember when I first saw the artwork for this EP on the Sub Pop Discography, I loved it so much, when my old band, In Name and Blood (yeah, I know, we named the band after the last MCD Album, but come on, the intro to Press Gang is still one of my favourite aural experiences, and if you don't know it, stop reading and go and download the fucker and listen to it, then buy the LP!), did a split 7 inch with The Collapse, I wanted to run with the same idea. And thats what I did.

I picked up 500 brown paper bags from the supermarket for fuck all, ordered a stamp for $20 and away I went.

The artwork on this is something special though. I don't know why I love it so much, I just do.

The insert is awesome, and a rough transcript of 364 days on the back, as you can see here.

I never realised that there was actually a second sleeve on the inside, so I was stoked when I pulled it out, and the outside is replicated on the inside sleeve.

I am a massive fan of natural stock, especially when it is screen printed or stamped. Has a real homely vibe about it, and that the band or the label has actually handled all the covers and they have been made with love.

Having said that, getting chipboard covers to stick together can be a prick of a thing. But in the end, it is well worth it to see the end product.

So, that's the Murder City Devils' Bonus Xmas Single.

The label that released this says it is #1 in the Jeff & Amy's paper bag series. As far as I have been able to see, it is the only one that was ever done. In fact it was actually put out by Sub Pop, but I have no idea who Jeff & Amy are.

NB: After getting this out, I sat down and wrote this while listening to all their other singles/Splits and EP's. Seriously stoked.

"The Murder City Devils are dead. Long live The Devils."

Jawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy

2010-04-24T23:43:00.001-07:00

Another record I am stoked to have back in ye olde record collection.

This is hands down one of the best fucking records I own. Although I did not listen to this record when I was 13, when I first got given a copy of this little gem, I was fucking blown away.

I have seen this shit go on eBay for stupid amounts of coin, but I managed to wrangle this fucker for a measley $20US plus postage. Talk about a fucking awesome deal.

Listening to this on LP (I still listen to music on my iPod, and very occasionally on my computer, I try to avoid the latter if possible these days. Yep, I'm a snob. Bite me...) really takes me back to a time when relationships with some of my friends (one in particular) were a lot tighter and just more fun, and it kind of bums me out a bit, but then the awesomeness of Blakes songwriting make it all better.

I'd say that this is my favourite Jawbreaker record, and the only LP that hasn't been given the re-issue treatment. I have got the other 3 coming in the mail, but all the re-issues as I don't love them like I do 24HRT.

So, simple black vinyl, a very 90's layout and artwork make this a real winner.

I'd suggest that you should get your hands on a copy of this album, even if you just download the fucker, get your ears around it.

Hopefully this gets the remastering and re-issue treatment soon, just so that more people can get there hands on this LP. I am a big fan of the re-issue revival. So much so I am doing 2 myself this year.

Peace out.

AC4/Suprise Sex Attack Split 7 inch

2010-04-22T02:55:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for this 7 inch for aaaaages.

It's a split between Sweden's AC4 (which is Dennis from Refused, so you know I am alllll over this fucking shit!) and Perth's Surprise Sex Attack.

This 7 inch fucking rips! Both bands play fast hardcore punk, and it is a very refreshing change from some of the shit I buy these days. I feel good that good hardcore is back and fast and fucking angry!

This is put out by Melbourne label Aniseed Records.

The artwork is awesome on this release, hand assembled with stitching on the paper, glued band photos on some gnarly stock.

And an insert printed on some nice paper stock.

The label have really put the hard yards into this release, and I think it really shows and I am siked to have this release on my collection.

It has also inspired me to do something a little different with release I have planned coming up...

The record is pressed on black, cut at 45, so it sounds great.

The AC4 side kinda bums me out as it's only 1 song and it's done in just over a minute, leaving me to want more (so I put the LP on straight afterwards)!

The SSA side is fucking ripping too. Fast hardcore punk with a rocky-ish side via the vocals. I am actually going to search out more of this bands stuff.

Over all a nice little post office box pick up today.

Buy the record here: http://www.myspace.com/aniseedrecords

Noice.

I hate this place, but I love these chords...

2010-04-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Picked up this little gem today.

This is the record store day How Water Music live 7 inch. This was supposed to be here for Record Store Day but the mail service meant that it didn't quite make it.

Always the way huh?!

I picked this up at an awesome little record store here in Melbourne called Poison City Records who also carry some classic skateboards and equipment, and Andy runs the record label of the same name. A busy busy boy.

On to the record.

A nice little 7 inch, limited to 1000 copies of transparent blue vinyl.

Awesome die cut cover too (this is the back).

The track list on this is fantastic. 4 great songs by a truly great band, back in the game, and defs on their A game.

Good on you if you picked this up, sucks if you didn't get a copy, but Poison City have a couple copies left, so head down to he shop on Brunswick street in Brunswick, Melbourne and give Andy some of your hard earned cash, because not only is he a great dude, it's a great fucking store!

Fucking Fight!

2010-04-20T04:17:00.001-07:00

This was an elusive little fucker for me for probably close to a year. Not the rarest of records, I just missed it that many times I was starting to think I should just fucking give up.

But, the eBay gods shone good fortune on me, and I got this 7 inch for a few bucks, plus a few bucks postage. Not bad at all to be honest.

This is the first pressing with the burnt map cover on clear red. I still stand by my earlier statement that I love red vinyl. Simple, effective and just plain lovely.

Released on Dim Mak in 99, it comes with an insert stating that if you send $20 they will send you a 7 inch, the 10 inch and stickers and posters... Wish I had bought that shit back then.

Only 2 songs on this, both available on the We ride to fight 2 x LP, but I have been chasing this for a while.

Now I just need to get a copy of Knife in the marathon and I'm set.

For now....

The Get Up Kids - Simple Science EP

2010-04-20T02:38:00.000-07:00

I wrote the Decendents post as work, and I am doing this one on my phone while my wife gets ready for dinner.

This turned up yesterday amoungst a few other records, and it's an interesting one for me.

I have loved The Get Up Kids since I saw them tour here the first time with Jebediah and play to about 30 non enthused bogans at The Hallam Hotel in the south east suburbs of Melbourne.

I picke up a copy of Something to write home abou that night and have fucking loved the shit out of that record ever since.

To be honest I was never the biggest fan of On a Wire or The Guilt Show, although they were good records.

But back to the record at hand...

I actually think that this would have easily worked as a 7 inch, but I got the 12" 180 gram version of this record.

I am stoked the band has done this record themselves, and I'm sure they will have no problems selling out all 2000 (500 on black, blue, green and pink) copies of this.

The art is really cool. Simple and understated, and works really well with the songs.

Speaking of the songs, nice quirky songs, with a touch of melancholy. I dunno what else to say really. If you like the get up kids, you'll be into this record. I'm really looking forward to a new album now!

Descendents - Everything Sucks.

2010-04-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

So I reckon I am just going to post 1 record a day. It is gonna be a whole heap easier than trying to play catch up when I often get a couple things in a day, and I am just falling further and further behind.

So here it is, day 1 of 1 record a day…

I got this in the mail today. I had this record as a first pressing from when it was released 10+ years ago, and I have missed it since I sold the fucker.

Seriously, more bands need to embrace understated art. Milo is always a sight for sore eyes.

I am super stoked that Epitaph have repressed this again. This is what I think is the third pressing, out of 500 on Black. I am a bit bummed I slept on the white pressing, but all I really care about is actually having this amazing record in my collection again.

There are a lot of people who rave on about their earlier work, but for me, this record embodies everything that I truly love about the Descendents. Fast poppy songs, with slow poppy songs, and the classic drum combo of "The verses are played on the hi hats, Chorus' are played on the ride", which I have always loved about this era of Punk Rock.

It also takes me back to a time where I really had little to worry about (not that I worry too much these days either), apart from partying, getting laid and how much beer I could scam out of my Parents. Music was fun, skateboarding in between classes (and skipping classes to go skateboarding) was what I was all about. Even when I got my first serious girlfriend in 1996, I was still pretty much only worried about the above stuff.

I am pretty sure Epitaph still have copies of this on Black, so you should do yourself a favour and go an buy one, grab your skateboard and have a f*cking good time.

Check ya tomorrow.

Thanks Sam!

2010-04-13T00:43:00.001-07:00

So, before the wife gets home from work, I thought I would sneak in a little post.

So, I received a package in the mail Yesterday (Monday) after being away for a few days with my band, playing some shows interstate.

I had been talking with a kid on a forum I frequent, and I had been talking about a trade for a copy of Extortions Control EP.

Nothing out of the ordinary there.

Getting back to the package, I got back from my daily trip to the PO Box on my morning tea break (1030 every weekday) and I sit down with a package I knew contained 6 copies of the Extortion S/T Reissue 7 inch and another package that I thought might be the trade I had discussed.

I bust open the package from and there are 2 copies of the Extortion Control EP (Both colours), an Integrity Sticker, a home made Mindsnare / Slayer double sided patch and a Municipal Waste badge.

With it was a note:

I have to be honest, this is one of the single nicest things that anyone has randomly done for me (excluding my ever-loving Wifer) in a fucking long time.

Seriously, who does that kind of thing these days!?

I am so chuffed beyond belief, and now the records will hold a special place for me, a special place in my expanding collection, and a fucking awesome story to go along with all of that!

Don't worry Gator, I'll sort you out somewhere down the line mate.

So, onto the records...

I have always loved Rohans art, and I think this is a really good fit for the record. Angry, pissed off and brutal.

The hand on the back is fucking rippin'!

The Salmon Vinyl.

And the Gold.

Yes, I actually listened to both in a row.

A fucking nice little package.

Too long...

2010-04-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

No excuses, just been fucking slack...

So many records, and this isn't all of them, but It's what I have taken pics for, so it'll be a good start.

It's not like I have heaps of people who read this shit, 6 follows is a good start though, and I gotta keep it up if I want readership to increase...

These are in reverse Alphabetical order, as that's how the bastards were uploaded.

Within Blood 7 inch. I bought this away with my band this week just gone. Picked it up at resist records, who put the record out fucking eons ago. An awesome way to spend $10. You should go and buy this 7 inch if you have ever been into bands like Mindsnare, Hitlist, Samsara etc as they have all shared members.

You can still buy it here: Within Blood - Captain Blood 7 inch

United Nations - S/T LP.

I have been trying to get hold of this fucker for some time now, and I keep meaning to pick it up on eBay, but just never did for some reason, so Graz had one in Resist when I was in there, so I grabbed it, and I am so fucking glad to have this in my collection now.

The front cover is awesome. Matte black with high gloss embossed logo on the front. Stunning. Hopefully I can do this on one of my releases one day...

Clear red wax. Sup Bugs?

Awesome Insert with the Original art for the record, before it got pulled. You should check this band out, with members of Converge and many others, shit is awesome.

Sometimes rocky, some times balls to the wall hardcore and sometimes Powerviolence. Such a fucking great record.

REVIVAL ROAD LP.

I have been trying to get this fucker for ages too, and Graham had copies in stock

The cover says it all. You shouldn't need any other reason to buy this LP...

Lovely white vinyl. The labels are wrong though. They state 33rpm and it is actually a 45. Maybe it was supposed to be a 10" and then ended up as an LP?

Regardless, a great record and I am really looking forward to the Tour.

MEATLOCKER - S/T

Another record it took me too long to get my grubby little mitts on. Awesome thrashy hardcore from 3 Aussies and 1 Pom. Featuring members of Hitlist, Within Blood, Extortion/Jaws, and Voorhees.

I was lucking enough to get this on red as part of a trade for the Suffer LP I just put out. Limited to 100 on this colour. Seriously, you can't go wrong with red vinyl, it always looks awesome.

EYE GOUGE - S/T 7 inch

Got this in another trade with a fellow blogger for an I Exist 7 inch. Good thrashy Hardcore from Canberra, on the Pre order version with limited cover and Maroon vinyl with Blue Splatter.

You can buy this record still from Good Times Records. Suss that shit out. Black Flag cover blows me away...

EXTORTION DEMO Re-issue 7 inch

Normal version here and the test press below.

A couple people have mentioned that they don't see the point in the re-issue of this demo, as it is raw as fuck recording wise, but I think the songs are really good, and it all adds to the aesthetic of the band. The vinyl is nice and thick, with stamped A side and the covers are offset printed on decent stock.

2 unreleased songs too.

Test press with red cover.

Numbered 28/29.

EXTORTION - Bootleg 7 inch.

This is limited to 100 copies and has the Extortion side of the Jed Whitey split on one side, and side A of Terminal Cancer on the other. I was stoked to get this as part of a trade!

AGENTS OF ABHORRENCE / ROSKOPP - Split.

This split was given to me by Kristoph from Roskopp, and this record fucking rules. Grind as fuck from both bands, the artwork is sick as shit with a spiked Giraffe and super high gloss print.

I am getting copies of these for my distro real soon. People need to hear this record.

And last up today...

ALKALINE TRIO / BLUE MEANIES - Split Pic Disc.

Sounds like a typical picture disc, like shit, but it looks good and this is the ONLY place this song can be heard. A Cars cover. Not the best work, but not too bad.

Blue Meanies are a ska punk band. Listened to it once, probably won't play that side ever again...

The Suffer - Lone LP is out now, and I have a bunch of Extortion records in my distro. Hit that shit up here (www.midnightfuneral.bigcartel.com) and help me fund my next release..

Thanks for reading.

Manic Monday.

2010-03-22T03:19:00.001-07:00

So after the drought that was last week, I have had the pouring of the Vinyl rains! I like to call it Manic Monday.

Only 1 record here I haven't listened to a hundred times before, So I guess I will start with that.

The first Pygmy Lush LP, Bitter River.

This is a band I didn't get onto straight away, and I have no idea why, as I love most things that Chris Taylor does, but sometimes that's just the way it goes.

I was a bit taken aback when I first dropped the needle onto this one, as the first song reminds me a lot of some of the PG99 stuff, and I actually thought the whole record might be a screamo record. Then it mellowed the fuck out and was what I thought it was going to be.

Having said that, the first song kinda got me wanting to go back and listen to the PG99 stuff I have (lots of 7 inches, but only 2 of the LP's). The artwork and vinyl colourway all go together very nicely, so this is actually an awesome package to look at.

The insert is actually a lot of fun, one side being all the info and the other being a collection of goodies.

I picked this up on eBay for a buy it now price of $8 plus $10 for postage. Can't argue with that.

Next up was a record I really should have bought about 7 years ago, as they are one of my favourite bands, but I did have the limited Digipak CD, so I guess that counts for something.

The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site.

The art alone is reason alone to own this on LP. It actually makes a lot more sense in the larger format.

The back of the sleeve is a lot of fun.

More illustrations on the Insert, and the backside of the insert has the lyrics and some quotes from books, authors, newspapers etc.

And good old Black Vinyl. I haven't got a great deal to actually say about this record. I am listening to it as I type this, and I can't help but grin like an idiot as I remember the show they played here but a few weeks ago, and the immense amount of joy I got from this band. Seriously, just go and buy a Weakerthans LP today. Pure poetry and fun folky/country rock tunes.
C'mon, John K Sampson did the best Propagandhi song ever. Letter of resignation on the Split 7 inch with FYP.

And the last of my PO Box scores for today was this little bastard.

Another record I used to own, and one I am fucking happy to finally have in my collection again.
I am not all about different colours of each recording and each pressing, I just want one to listen to, and this was on the list of wants from many moons ago (I still need to get Degenerate again, but I am still hoping for a repress at some stage).

I really love the art on this one. Typical Rohan Harrison art (for this kind of stuff he does, he actually does some amazing stuff in other styles too, you should check out his stuff by going here: Weiffenbach, he also just did a shirt design for my band, The Omen), but it has lovely colour work, using water colours, which really gives it a softer side to the actual art, but still upholding what it needs to get across.

I am extremely jealous of how well they pulled off this concept record. It's very well written, fast and fucking angry, with just the right amount of mosh parts. Totally Radical.

The back side of the insert has all the lyrics laid out. Very simple insert, but so fitting.

With the Suffer LP about to drop next week, listening to this this evening was great. It's getting me even more amped on the Suffer release. They're like a young Extortion. So fucking angry.

When I got home, I came inside and sat down before heading off to have dinner at my Mums joint, and my Wifer came in holding 2 more packages. I don't often get records sent to home, unless I forget to change the details in my eBay account, which I must have done in this case.

The 10 inch version of Lagwagon - Let's talk about feelings on Black vinyl.

Not my favourite Lagwagon record, but a very welcome addition to my collection.

Pretty standard stuff really. Nothing jumps out at me about this release...
Just being honest.

Then, something my wife bought for me.

A painted LP from an artist in the UK.

It combines 2 of my favourite things, Art for our lovely house and records.

It seems to be a mix of ink, marker and paint. I love it, and my wife buying me a record of any sort, is a big step.

Ah love, ain't it so fucking grand!

Converge, Breather Resist & Millions of Them.

2010-03-21T00:17:00.000-07:00

So I had planned to post earlier on in the week, but it has been a fucking hectic one.

On Thursday I went and saw Converge play at the Corner Hotel, and I have been waiting for this show for a Bloody long time, and I can only say that it was everything that I had hoped it was going to be.

To top it off, they played Jane Doe as the encore. Seriously, so fucking awesome.

So, to celebrate the awesomeness that was, I am gonna post about one of my favourite records of all time...

Converge - Jane Doe.

I have to be honest and say that I slept on this record when it first came out, and it took me a few years to actually "get" it.

Once it sank in, I realised that it is truly a work of genius. From the songs, to the production, to the artwork, it is probably at the top of my favourite heavy music records.

I picked this up from a kid in Canberra after years of trying to get it, while not spending too much on it, and picked it up on Black for about $80 all up. Gotta love the BUY IT NOW button on eBay sometimes... I also got another of my fav records from this guy, but I'll post about that one another time.

The artwork in the centre of the gatefold is actually really good too, but I think it is a little bit under noticed given the now iconic image on the front of the record.

The next thing I want is an actual Jane Doe print, and not one of the water damaged ones, but a lovely low number print to hang in my lovely house.

There has been talk of the re-issue of this for over a year now, with it appearing on the Deathwish site as an upcoming release, and there is always a lo of talk around this, I just hope I am quick enough to get onto it when it does drop, as I have read it will have expanded artwork, which would be a great addition to my collection.

Onto the records from this week...

I got a few bits and pieces in the mail this week, one package from Merge Records with a She & Him single, and their first LP, Volume One, and this score from eBay.

The Breather Resist - Only in the morning 10 inch Picture Disc. Limited to 1000 pieces, I picked this up for $4.99 on eBay, which I think is a good buy. Postage wasn't too hectic either, which is always a nice change.

To be honest, I do love a good Picture Disc. And a good 10 inch, so there is a lot for me to like, even before you start to talk about the tunes on this one.

The tracks were recorded live (from what I can tell) over 2 nights, and they sound fucking awesome. The art on the record is understated, which is nice.

I like this record, and will be buying the Cruciform Coffin shaped picture disc next up, but I am really after a copy of Charmer on LP, if anyone wants to sell me one, or hook up a trade, then get at me!

Next up is a tape I got in a trade with a new friend from Belgium, Rik from Millions of Them.

I first heard about this band on Dead Format, where I saw a post about a limited demo tape, and when I had a look, the image was Ned Kelly on the front. I found this a little strange, and decided to hit the bands myspace up and have a listen. I really dug what I had heard, and dropped them a line to see what they were about, and Rik got back to me, we talked about a possible record release at some stage and then I sent him a couple 7 inches and he sent me this tape.

I really liked the artwork on this. It is a printed overhead transparency that is painted gold on the back. Really simple, but still awesome.

The demo is out of pirnt, but the band has an LP out real soon, Mixed by Kurt Ballou.

Check out the band here: http://www.myspace.com/millionsofthem

And that's me for today.

Steadfast - Whine 7 inch EP

2010-03-15T03:15:00.000-07:00

So, my wife is watching a recorded episode of Neighbours, and I am in the study listening to some old music, getting siked on releasing some Melbourne classics and decided I'd take a couple pics with my iPhone, hope they look ok and post about a great EP by a band that (I believe) were short lived and only put out this and a demo tape.

The band is called Steadfast and all I really know is that it had Steve from One Inch Punch/Mid Youth Crisis singing and playing guitar on it.

It is quite similar to early One Inch Punch stuff. Awesome fast punk stuff, with Steves trademark vocals.

I picked up this record at a record fair, probably close to 10 years ago, for a measly $4 (you can still see the sticker on it), and I was there with my old mate Gabe Delaine (Jungle Fever/SXWZRD), and I went to look through the LP's, but he bumped me out of the way so he could have first look, so I moved over to the 7 inches, and pulled out this EP. You should have seen his fucking face drop. I had seen him animated, but he was deadset gutted at me picking this up, and for $4 too.

I only really knew about it because another old mate of mine, Alex, worded me up on it;s existence, and how much he wanted one. I wasn't going to let this one go (but I did find a copy second hand for $10 in Sydney about 3 years ago, and picked it up for him then), and I was so stoked with my purchase, I really lost interest in any other records that day.

The artwork is awesome. It really fits the who vibe of the record.

The insert itself is also a lovely piece. Not too many bands do this kind of shit with Inserts anymore. A good package all over.

I had heard so talk of other stuff that had been recorded, but had no vocals being out there, and that Steve did Vocals for it when MYC did the first re-union shows, but then I never heard anything about it again. It's a pity really, but then again, having this awesome collection of 4 songs is also a nice little reminder of the early 90's Melbourne Hardcore/Punk scene.

I might try and get this ripped onto my computer and upload it at some stage too.

This is also the first release by the amazing DIY label, Spiral Objective, that was (and still is I think) based in South Australia. There is an insert about the label in the EP too.

Spiral Objective was an amazing Label/Zine/Distro. Looks like the site is no longer there, but I just found out that the back catalogue of zines was acquired by the State Library of Victoria Zine Collection in 2009.I might have to drag my ass down and do some investimagationing!

Well, that's all for today, hopefully I get some records in the mail this week...

Nirvana "Live at Reading" & Slayer "Reign in Blood".

2010-03-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

So, I picked up a couple things over the weekend, and couldn't wait to post about them, as they involve 1 of my all time fav bands and of of my top ten of all time records...

First up, Nirvava's LIVE AT READING 2 x LP.

This recording has been bootlegged many many times over the years, and it is really nice to see it get the treatment it deserves with this release.

It has a great set list, from the bands output up to 1992, and it is one of those shows where Kurt was fucking on!

The artwork on this is awesome, on reverse board stock and on super thick card (the same as the Bleach Re-issue) so there is little chance of fucking this packaging up easily.

The layout is really nice, but it would have been awesome to have had some more info on the show, maybe Dave and Krist's memories of the show (as I heard Kurt refused to go on stage unless someone scored dope for him, and no one wanted to given his fragile state), or a bit of the story of how they played really early in the day on the first the year before, and then in 1992 they headlined the last night.

The photos are really nice, but I would have loved to have them in a booklet like the re-issue of Bleach (more so because I wanna bootleg one of the images and make myself a t shirt of Kurt in the hospital gown)

Once again, the vinyl is lovely 180 Gram, this time on black. The sound quality is amazing, such a good live recording, as is the case with the Bleach re-issue, and it is really nice to have such quality live recording s getting the proper release, as the bootlegged versions were always a bit lacking.

My only complaint on the actually live recording is the omission of the line Kurt sings before he "collapses" at the start of the set (The first line of "THE ROSE" by Bette Midler). Would have been a nice touch I think.

As a whole though, this is a fucking kickass package, and I am really happy to have it in my collection.

Next up...

Slayer's Reign in Blood LP.

I'm not sure on the pressing info on this one, what year it was issued etc, as there is nothing to indicate what pressing it is. I picked it up at Missing Link and I am sure I paid too much for it, but I have wanted this for ages, and I can now cross it off my list of wants.

The sleeve on this one is really flimsy, and has already shown signs on wear at the top of the sleeve, but as long as I keep it nice and tightly stored, I shouldn't have any issues with it.

The insert is a one sided black and white, and I imagine when this first came out it would have had a printed inner sleeve, so that's a bit of a pity, but it is what it is.

The vinyl is black, and the sounds is awesome, but I have one criticism (surprise, surprise).
There is actually a gap between Postmortem and Raining Blood, so you get the start of the thunder and rain, then a 2 second gap, then it comes back in. Not a fade in and out, but an actual gap. Super weird, and makes me want to email Geffen/Def Jam to find out what the fuck happened with this pressing. I guess I will have to do some snooping on this one...

So, there you have 2 Geffen releases, both awesome records, but one done really really well, and the other falling a little short of the mark.

Still, who can say they don't love to sit down and listen to Reign in Blood from start ti finish and then wanna go out and either break something, break someones face or thrash the fuck outta ya skateboard!

Cheers.

No records this week = Pig Destroyer "Terrifyer" post!

2010-03-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

So this week, I had no records turn up in the mail.

For someone like me, and I would assume some of you out there, this is terrible thing.

Sometimes the ostal system just works against you man, they're trying to bring you down man, it fucking sucks maaaaan.

So in lieu of new records, I am posting about one of my all time favourite records.

Pig Destroyer "Terrifyer".

From the artwork, to the mysoganistic lyrics about girls, violence and death to the heavy vinyl and the crushing songs.

I just fucking love this record.

The art on this one was handled by Chris "Crude" Taylor, who is one of my favourite artists (I have a piece of his tattoo'd on my forearm. The Darkest Hour "Undoing Ruin" LP artwork), and this is no exception to his true awesomeness.

The back piece is something I had wanted to get tattoo'd on me also, but I couldn't figure out the best way to get it sorted out, and I was worried it would lose it's appeal on my ever shifting skin.

The gatefold art is a photo that has been retouched by Taylor, and I was going to rip this idea for the last Seduction 7 inch, but we never did a photo for it, so maybe when we do the The Omen 7 inch, I'll do it then...?

I used to own 3 copies of this LP, 1 on white, 1 on Grey and this one, the 180 Gram Black Vinyl.

I sold one copy to some dude, gave one copy to one of my best mates, and kept this one for myself.

When I had to sell all my shit, this is one of the very few LP's that stayed with me, because I was worried I wouldn't be able to get it again. I don't see this album pop up much on eBay, maybe because it is actually such a kick ass record, no one sells the bloody thing.

The 2nd LP is the awesome doom/noise track "Natasha" spread out across both sides of the LP. I really like it in this format, as it is less hassle to listen to that the 5.1 surround sound DVD audio version, although it is a pretty fucking awesome thing in surround sound.

This record was my first real Grindcore love, and I still listen to it almost weekly. It gets me really amped up and makes me want to fight. Totally awesome.

I also have a solo project/band called Terrifyer that I have been working on for years.

After listening to this again on LP, I reckon I have to get off my ass and actually do something soon...

Until next time.

Milemarker & Cursed

2010-03-05T01:50:00.000-08:00

I got a shitload of records over the last few days, but I'll start with these...

Both of the main records in this post are part of me re-buying records I used to own.

First off was a record I haven't seen in ages, probably because most people don't really give a fuck about this band, but I loved them at the time. In fact I am listening to this LP right now.

Milemarker were one of those bands that changed over the course of most of their records, and I have to say that this is my favourite of their full length records.

When I saw a kid on Dead Format selling this as part of a set priced sale, I was stoked. Took me a few days to pay him, then he went away and it took a couple weeks to get posted, and then good old Canadian mail took 3 months to get it to me (it is post marked 16th December 2009)...

When it turned up, I saw the Canadian postage on the front, knew what it was and was so pumped to bust it open and get it home for a listen. I was a little worried as the packaging was pretty beat up, but I hoped it was packed nice and tight inside to make sure it didn't shift around...

I busted this sucker open at my desk at work, and my heart sank...

Not that you can really see it in the photo, but there is some serious ring wear on the top and bottom of the front of the sleeve, and it;s stained black too, which means it is even more noticeable. There is also a split at the top of the sleeve, which was probably caused by the record being shipped inside the sleeve, instead of separate as they really should be (unless an LP is brand new and sealed).

Then I pulled out the LP, and the there are tears on all three closed sides of the printed inner sleeve.

Seriously such a let down. But it will do until I find a better quality copy.

A really nice poppy mellow record.

That was the cheese, now time for the chalk!

I got this in a Private trade/sale with an old good friend of mine, Dan Futile. He now runs a label in Newcastle called Ritual Failure.

Cursed II on black vinyl.

I used to have so many copies of this LP when I did my distro, and I had it on Clear and Black in my collection too.

I kinda sniped a kid on a forum for this one, and I paid a few bucks and traded a couple test presses to get it, but it sits proudly in between One and Three and it makes me happy.

Thanks heaps Dan, it gets a good spin and you have kept it in lovely condition, especially when so many copies of this LP had their covers ruined in transit. I constantly read about people looking for a clean copy of this record as so many are in shit condition.

I was gonna end it there, but I have pix for these too, so why not.

Cursed - The Last Session 2nd.

5 songs spanning the 3 albums, played faster and heavier and recorded live in the UK on the bands final (nail in the coffin) tour.

The artwork is the same, but has been printed on silver stock. Makes it look a bit slicker, and to be honest, I like it better than the off white paper stock of the 1st press.

The vinyl colours are much nicer too. A lot cleaner colours.

The red is a lovely rich red, and the pink reminds me of the first INAB LP, which was a nice hott pink!

I have copies of this 2nd press for sale in my distro too, which you can suss out here if you like?

http://midnightfuneral.bigcartel.com/

Thanks heaps for reading.

Night then.
Craigos.

Hope Con - Hang Your Cross

2010-03-01T00:05:00.000-08:00

A record I really should have picked up when it was released, but slept on it, and it has taken me until now to actually pick it up.

Had I bought it when it was released, I probably would have been all over the record that followed, Death Knows your Name, as it is the perfect teaser for the release of an album.

I just wish it was this easy to do for Australian bands, and then maybe more Aussie bands would be into putting out their albums as LP's.

Anyways...

The artwork on this release is fucking awesome. Another fantastic image by Aaron Horkey, and on a nice heavy maroon stock. The only thing that lets this art down, is when they were folded, the printing cracks because it was such a heavy print.

This came on 4 different colour ways, with different colour art.

But this'll do me for now.

Alkaline Trio - This Addiction

2010-02-27T01:46:00.000-08:00

I thought I would start with one of my Favourite bands' new records as my first entry, and it was one of the last records to hit my Post Office Box.

There was a lot of talk from the band that this record would be a return to the stylings of Goddamnit, as they were putting the record out themselves, on their new label and wanted it to be more of a punk record.

I am not sure that I agree with the sentiment, but some of the songs do have riffs very similar to Goddamnit, but no where near as raw. I mean, come on, Goddamnit cost $900 to record, where as I am sure This Addiction cost a shitload more than a measly $900.

All that aside, I do really like the record. It's poppy, catchy and some of the riffs are classic Alk3.

The vocals in the Chorus of Lead Poisoning are pure fucking genius, but then the horns come in and it sounds like NOFX song. I guess that's the epitome of hit and miss...

Still, as a whole, I like it better than their last effort.

The other thing that bummed me out on this record was the Packaging. The artwork is good, albeit similar to Give Up The Ghosts "We're down..." LP, but the actual physical packaging is really pretty average.

The Gatefold sleeve is so thick, that creasing is almost guaranteed on this one. Mine is split at the top of the outer sleeve already.

Then, the Gatefold is really pointless, It's just a group shot, that they used as single shots on the insert anyways.

And to top it all off, the insert is a printed inner sleeve, which is really thin and flimsy, and mine came split at 2 sides already.

So for a record I was super siked for, it was a bit of a let down.

Mine also has a skip on Track 3, Side A, but to send it back to the US to prove it, will cost me just as much as it will to buy a new copy...

As I said, it;s a good record, just a bit of a let down over all, but moreso due to the actually packaging, than the music.

As far as I know this one was only pressed on black, but I don't know the numbers, and haven't been able to find anything out there about numbers.

Bonjour Y'all!

2010-02-27T01:12:00.001-08:00

Hi there.

Welcome to "Good One Dick Head!", my new record blog.

Before we start on the records, just a little bit about myself...

My name is Craig, but most people call me Craigos. I'm 30, live in Melbourne, Victoria in Australia with my Wife and our 3 Chihuahuas.

I also run a Record Label called "Midnight Funeral Music". You can check it out here: Midnight Funeral Music.

I used to collect records years ago, but I had a car accident while driving an uninsured Van for a touring band and had to sell my records save for a few ones that meant too much to part with.

So in the last few years I have started trying to rebuild my collection again, buying back records I used to own, as well as new shit that hits the interwebs, but not as insane as I used to, as I now have a mortgage.

I'll be posting what arrives on my door step or in my Post Office Box, and every now and again something I have kept that I love.

I have a trade list at Dead Format here: Trade List.

My wants list is over there ----->

Feel free to hit me up, pull me up if I get shot wrong, or just wanna hurl abuse.

Thanks for checking out my Blog.

Oh, there is also a zine issue of Good One Dick Head! in the works, focussing on Lyrics & Record artwork. I'm gonna hit up my favourite bands and see if they'll talkk to me about their fav lyrics and the artwork for their records.

Stay rulin'.

Craigos.