Ep. 19 – Amazing Sale! – July 29th, 2008

I went to Blast in the Past today and it ended up being one of the best hunts yet!  I was going to go to record time but i decided to go to Blast in the Past to see if Joe, the owner, could use an Alabama album i had lying around.  He said no… but i figured as much.  So i browsed the CD’s and found one i had been looking for.  But then he told me about a huge blowout sidewalk sale he is having this weekend.  He said that any vinyl in the store under $10 was only $1 and any vinyl above that was 50%.  He even said he would give me the sale price today!

“Pop” – U2

I ruckus-ed this album two years ago when i read Mark Salomon’s book “Simplicity.”  He mentioned that he listened to this album a lot during a particular part of stavesacre’s early touring days…  it got me interested in this album by a band i already liked.  Pop is a different kind of U2 album.  Released in 1997 this album has quite a different sound from earlier U2 albums.  It’s dark and heavy with synthesizer and driving drum machine beats.  It is a hard album to interperet lyrically.  I believe it has some of the most blatantly christian messages to some of the songs (most sound like prayer to God in times of darkness) but it also the only album that i know of that U2 swears on… in the song “Wake Up, Dead Man” which is steeped in religious overtones the opening lines state:

Jesus, Jesus help me
I’m alone in this world
And a f*cked up world it is too

I thoroughly enjoy this album even though some hardcore U2 fans do not like it because it is so different from other U2…  I think it’s worth a try though.  Got it on CD.  Price Paid: $6

The rest of the albums i found today were all Vinyls because i couldn’t pass them up for $1 a piece.

“Monolith” – Kansas

This is a 1970’s Kansas release before major member changes.  I think it is before Kerry Livgreen’s conversion to Christ and John Elefante’s joining the band but i am not sure.  I haven’t listened to it yet but it has a pretty sweet cover!  Space Indians!  Price Paid: $1

“Point of Know Return” – Kansas

I have this on CD already and it is one of my favorite progressive rock albums.  Saw it and decided to snag it.  Price Paid: $1

“Desperate Measures” – Kansas

This is one of Kansas’ releases post Kerry Livgreen’s conversion and post John Elefante’s joining the band.  I haven’t listened to it yet but i am sure it is great lyrically, hopefully i like the music.  The cover is amusing.  Price Paid: $1

“Rattle and Hum” – U2

Double Live LP with Bob Dylan and The Beatles covers plus many amazing U2 songs!  How could i pass it up!  Price Paid: $1

“War” – U2

Have this on CD.  It is my favorite U2 album.  I was so happy to find it on Vinyl and for a buck!  Price Paid: $1

“2112″ – Rush

I also found another great album by one of my other favorite progressive rock bands.  Great listen!  Price Paid: $1

Such an amazing haul today and it isn’t even the sale yet.  I’m going back this weekend to see what else i can find!

Ep. 16 – Haggling is Fun – July 22nd, 2008

 

Since i had so much money left after hunting yesterday i went out again today.  I went to Rcord Time first, picked up a couple good things.

“Survive, Kaleidoscope” – Underoath

I picked this up because it is a live DVD and CD and they play a couple songs off of “They’re Only Chasing Safety” which is an album i love by Underoath.  I’m not crazy about their new one, Define the Great Line.  I’m hoping this DVD / CD combo will help a few of those new songs rub off on me…  either way i get to see Aaron Gillespie rock out by drumming and singing at the same time (he does both extremely well, even at the same time!!)  Price Paid: $8

“Masque” – Kansas

This is one of my other favorite Kansas albums.  A little less well known but on par with their two biggest hits which i already own.  They had this on Vinyl at Record Time and i didn’t know when I’d get the chance again so i picked it up.  Price Paid: $3

 

“In-a-gadda-da-vida” – Iron Butterfly

Haha.  This song/album pretty much sums up my last two years of high school.  It was the theme song for me and band of wacky friends.  I first heard this song through my friend George Lutz III.  He had this big ol’ conversion van that me and my friends would always pile into when we wanted to spend the night having fun.  He would always play crazy music from “Rock Me Amedeus” by Falco to “Atomic Dog” by George Clinton.  He played this 17 minute classic many times at full volume, cruising down gratiot or down harper yelling at old ladies, or just before entering Meijer to kill some time by pretending one of us was blind… those were the days.  Last years my band even covered this song as an omage to Mr. Lutz.  It was in the new arrivals at Record Time, on Vinyl… how could i say no?  Price Paid: $2

That was all I picked up at Record Time today.  I decided to go by Hot Hits for a second time to pick up a couple albums i remembered seeing there but didn’t feel like getting at the time.  I picked them off the shelf and took a look at the disks and they were actually scratched up… they were probably still playable but Hot Hits is a little pricey and i didn’t want to overpay for scratched up CDs.  I decided to try and haggle with the guy a little.  I showed him the scratches and said i’d give him $5 a peice for them.  He look and the disks and saw that they ideed were scratched and he apologized.  He then took them and said he would clean them for me.  He put some wondex on them and buffed them with what looked like a table grinder with cloth on the rotars.  He gently held the disk up to the spinning cloth covered wheel and slowly rotated the cd with his fingers.  It worked like a charm.  He got rid of almost all of the scratches on both CDs!  But that’s not even the best part… he gave them to me for the price i named!  I got them both for $10 plus tax.

“The Adventures of the O.C. Supertones” – The O.C. Supertones

First release by one of the two great christian ska bands.  Solid album, no hiding the christianity which is great.  The lyrics are straight forward and glorify God.  A little rough sounding considering it is their first release but the listener is willing to forgive the roughness because it is expected with this kind of genre.  Price Paid: $5.30

“Chase the Sun” – The O.C. Supertones

This is the album the Supertones released 3 years after their debut album.  It sounds a bit more polished, a bit more professional and it flat out rocks.  So many good songs.  I love the song “in between” i which the chorus claims:

 ”What I am is in between what i want to be and who I am”

I love this!  He talking about the struggle of following Jesus and how we strive to be perfect but never reach perfection.  Even the Apostale Paul spoke of this struggle in the book of Romans.  I really identify with it, i’m a work in progress.  Highly recommended album, check it out!  Price Paid: $5.30

 

I was quite amazed that my attempt to haggle actually worked but i’m sure glad it did.  It made today a very productive day of hunting!

Ep. 14 – Salvation Army – July 14, 2008

I went to Salvation Army to look at Vinyls this time.  I actually found some!

“Leftoverture” – Kansas

I have to say, this is one that was at the top of my “Vinyls I would buy” list.  It’s funny it ended up being the first one i bought.  The cover is a little beat up but the record looks to be in decent condition.  Can’t complain.  Price Paid: $0.33

“Tommy” – The Who

I bought this for my friend.  He is a big The Who fan and this is their best album.  For the price i thought i might as well pick it up for him.  Price Paid: $0.33

Then i went over to Record Time to browse a little and i found one more good one.

“A Farewell To Kings” – Rush

I got really into Rush about senior year of high school.  By the time i graduated high school i had downloaded every Rush album to date.  I sorted through them and have come to find a certain 5 or 6 that are my favorites.  This one ranked among them and when thinking of what to buy on vinyl Rush was a no-brainer.   This a very good album and it contains one of Rush’s most famous singles “Closer to the Heart.”  I can’t wait until after work so i can listen to this album!  Price Paid: $6

Good hunting today, but i think that’s all for a little while…

Ep. 13 – St. Vincent DePaul’s – July 13, 2008

Went to a St. Vincent DePaul’s today to look at Vinyls.  My friend told me she gets hers there for 10 cents.  She said that you don’t find anything very often though.  Well i didn’t find any good Vinyls but i actually did find some good cd’s!

“Lift” – Audio Adrenaline

Great release by a great christian band.  I think the title track “Lift” is great as a praise song.  Who would of thought i’d find it here.  I found it unopened!  Price Paid: $2

“Point of Know Return” – Kansas

I got really into Kansas last year.  I illegally downloaded a few of their albums, and this was one of them.  Only recently did i find out that a lot of Kansas’ later releases are heavily christian inlfuenced because Kerry Livgreen gave his life to the Lord.  Kansas’ albums are very good and i’m excited i found this one.  Price Paid: $2

“Under a Blood Red sky (Live)” – U2

U2’s legendary live album featuring live tracks recorded at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.  My interest in U2 has been reaffirmed since purchasing Achtung baby and War and the album released after the War Tour in 1983 caught my eye.  For the price it was well worth it!  Price Paid: $2

Well that’s all for today.  A couple of unexpected finds from an unexpected place.  It just goes to show that however unlikely, it still pays to take a look!