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!

Mark’s Response

I recently wrote a letter of apology to Mark Salomon, lead singer of Stavesacre (my favorite band) apologizing for illegally downloading Stavesacre albums in the past. He wrote back, this is what he said:

Well paint me pink and call me Sally. That’s a first!

Apology accepted and appreciated – and I’ll have to check out the blog – sounds pretty interesting.
Great email and a well-spoken point of view always go a long way towards mending fences. Cheers to you for having the balls to say what you need to say.

Take care of yourself, and please: don’t go broke buying music! Take yer time…
m.

Letter of Apology to Mark Salomon

So in light of recent events i sent a letter to Mark Salomon, lead singer of Stavesacre, my favorite band to apologize for the fact that i downloaded stavesacres albums in the past. Here it is:

Hey Mark,

My name is XXXXXXXXXXX and I’ve messaged you a few times before. More recently about some pretty hilarious movies, but anyway… I feel the need for an apology but first hopefully a semi-short explanation.

Stavesacre is one of my favorite bands, has been seen high school… i could go on and on about how awesome you guys are, how passionate the lyrics are and how you guys just flat out rock but i’ll spare you what you must hear pretty dern often and hopefully tell you something people probably don’t too often.

I have been a “Christian” since i was 7 years old but i never took it seriously. I played the good Christian boy in front of others for so long yet i was just a sinner like everyone else. God gave me a wake up call in college. I finally found out what it means to be a Christian. I went through most of my life and i rarely ever read the Bible… amazing how i claimed to follow something i never read… now i try my best not only to read my Bible everyday but to study and understand it.

In high school i was heavy into downloading music. I was poor and i really liked music so free music sounded like a good idea to me. I stole most of the stavesacre albums you release. I’m sorry, truly i really am. I am beginning to understand just how much time and effort goes into writing a record and with the click of the mouse i just steal all that hard work. I am sorry. I am truly repentant. I have learned that repentance is not only feeling sorry for something but turning from it and not doing it anymore. I have ceased downloading music and have actually began a project. I am going to purchase every album i downloaded, it’s my way of making things right, so that will include stavesacres albums, and i’m excited to own them.

If you want to read more, i keep a blog of my search for all the albums i stole here: barnavkristus. wordpress. com

but anyway, all of that was just to say that i am sorry i stole from you, Sam, Dirk, Jeff, Ryan — even Neil and Jeremy…

I love the music you guys write and from now on i will do my best to support you and any other band i like buy legally purchasing the music!

God Bless you Mark!

Jake

EP. 1 – First trip – June 3rd, 2008

I walk in the store and am just immediately overwhelmed. It’s like a dream come true. Now those of you who’ve been there might just be like, “geez Jake, it’s only record store” but you must understand the enormity of my obsession with music. I glance over a few of the vinyls even though i don’t even own a record player. I wish i did, i like vinyl. I move on, look through some of the new racks before finding the used section. Jack-pot, used indie, used metal… the sections most likely to hold the albums I’d been stealing for years. I found a couple rare albums that blew me away right then and there:

“Neon Horse” – Neon Horse

ok so this album is a masterpiece. The band consists of a bunch of people from old Tooth and Nail (record label) bands that are either not doing anything anymore or are starting to do less with the bands they’ve been with for years. Most notably is Mark Salomon, the lead singer of Stavesacre, my all time favorite band. Mark is the only member of the band that has appear in public, he has chosen to be the face of neon horse using the alias “Norman Horse” and appearing always in come sort of disguise. The others members of the band remain a mystery officially but i have a pretty good idea about a few of them. I am 98% certain that Jason Martin is the guitarist… or at least on of them… he is the guitarist of Starflyer 59, another band i love to death, and on some songs you can hear that influence come through. Also, the copywrites on ASCAP list Jason Martins name alongside Mark’s as the writer of all the songs. Other members i suspect are Ronnie Martin (of Joy Electric) on synth and Steven Dail (of Project 86) on bass.
The sound of this record is very very original, 80’s influenced rock that you just need to listen to to appreciate. These guys are pretty underground so i was shocked to stumble upon their album in a record store Roseville Michigan. Price Paid: $6

“The Balancing Act” – Cool Hand Luke

This record i got really into this last semester of sophomore year of college, so about two months ago. This is a compilation of Cool Hand Luke’s career as a band but it includes other unreleased songs as well. I had all of cool hand luke’s cd’s downloaded and was listening to them a lot last semester so when i stumbled upon their cd,. i snatched it up right away. Great band, mellow stuff infused with passionate vocals, a really good record.
Price Paid: $6