Field Trip to Wax Trax Records in Denver

IMG_0695 copy

There’s something special about Wax Trax Records in Denver.  It’s a music geek mecca.  Always something cool to find if you look hard enough.  Choose from the more expensive limited edition 45s or go and search through the $0.50 bins and just see what you can find.

  1. Elliott Smith Needle in the hay
  2. Elliott Smith; alternate versions from either/or, Angeles, Alameda, Ballad of Big Nothing, Punch and Judy
  3. Beastie Boys; Futterman’s Rule (clean version), Get it Together (clear version) on white vinyl
  4. The Beat Farmers; Make it Last on blue vinyl
  5. Steve Earle; Someday on red vinyl
  6. The White Stripes: Hotel Yorba, rated X
  7. Jack White; Fly Farm Blues, b side laser etching of 3rd Man Records logo
  8. Ben Kweller; Sawdust Man limited edition

I can’t help but purchase anything that has the name Elliott Smith on it especially when it’s a 45.  The alternate versions are always cool because you can’t get them on the albums.  Take a listen.

When I saw the Beastie Boys 7″ white vinyl I didn’t care what songs where on it I just wanted it.   Futterman’s Rule and Get it Together.  You have to listen to these songs, they’re gonna be on heavy rotation in my house.

The Beat Farmers, not a lot of people really listen to these guys.  Country Dick Montana is a legend.  Their live shows were unmatched.  I put them in the same hallowed musical space as Uncle Tupelo and that’s saying a lot!

You see a Steve Earle recording on 7″ you buy it.  You see Someday on red vinyl you get giddy 🙂

Hotel Yorba Well it’s 1, 2, 3, 4,Take the elevator, At the hotel yorba, I’ll be glad to see you later, All they got inside is vacancy.   Rated X by Loretta Lynn performed by the White Stripes, drop the microphone!

Jack White, Fly Farm Blues with the 3rd Man Records logo laser etched on the B side.  If you don’t think that’s cool there’s something wrong with you.

Ben Kweller is an amazing song writer that just doesn’t get enough (or any credit).  Sawdust Man on7″ limited edition with only 2500 copies pressed.

 

Another Stop at Bart’s to See Johnny

Well and get some more music…

new-45.jpg

Couldn’t pass up the picture 45’s.

  1. I love Joe Jackson Joe Jackson and these two songs are some of Joe’s best work; Stepin’ Out and Chinatown.
  2. More Jam, how could I pass it up?
  3. Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds singing the Everly Brothers.  It doesn’t get much better that that!
  4. Now the classics….  Patsy Cline on Decca, Fall to Pieces and Crazy.
  5. Bobbie Gentry, Ode to Billy Joe I fucking love this song.

Great Neighbor

Had a great night on Tuesday hanging with my neighbor, Morgan Young.  We played some music on his new Gretsch Brian Setzer Nashville and listened to even more.  Morgan has one the most complete collections of 45s around.  Listened to old Honky Tonk 45s from the early 1950’s, some Baby Washington, some Elvis Costello and some of the band “The Long Ryder’s”.  The Long Ryder’s were Alt Country before Alt Country, reminded me a little of “Jason and the Scorchers” or even some “Gear Daddies“.

My 45 Play List for Tonight

45's

From Top Left:  Nirvana (3 songs, Drain You, Dumb, The End of Music) on orange vinyl, X (From the movie Breathless, Breathless & Riding with Mary), Stewart Copeland & Stanard Ridgway (From the movie Rumble Fish) Don’t Box Me In, Drama At Home), Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (King Kong Kitchee Kitchee Ki Mi O, The Ballad of Robert Moore and Betty Coltrane on translucent blue vinyl), Prince and the Revolution (Purple Rain, GOD on purple vinyl), Dead Kennedys (Nazi punks fuck off, Moral Majority), The Feelies (Fa Ce La, Raised Eyebrows), The Jam (Absolute Beginners, Tales From The Riverbank), The Jam (Move on Up, Get Yourself Together, The Great Depression, But I’m Different Now)

  1. Nirvana on orange vinyl, that’s cool, enough said.
  2. X from the movie Breathless with two great songs and a picture 45…  I know you want it but you can’t have it.
  3. Copeland and Ridway from Rumble Fish with a spectacular song, “Don’t Box Me In”.  Really if you haven’t heard the song well … Don’t Box Me In.
  4. Nick Cave on translucent blue vinyl, as if Nick Cave is cool enough, REALLY?
  5. Prince, Purple Rain on purple vinyl, this should be on everyone’s seduction mix tape but I have it on purple vinyl.
  6. The DK’s, Nazi Punk Fuck Off… Wish I had the original clear cover.  USA Punk 45’s, making America Great Again.
  7. The Feelies.  Who remembers the Feelies?  Damn I loved this band.  The band was featured in the 1986 Jonathan Demme movie, Something Wild playing a band at a high school reunion.
  8. The last two from The Jam.  Classic English Punk on 45.

All the cool kids still collect 45’s.  More to come in future blogs.

 

First blog post

I love music and I have a soundtrack to my life.  I just bought 4 records today.

  1. Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Sessions
    • This is the limited edition, numbered colored vinyl on 180 gram audiophile vinyl
    • Got this one at Bart’s Record Shop in my home town Boulder, CO http://bartsrecordshop.com/
  2. Elliott Smith, either/or – expanded edition
  3. The Mountain Goats, All Eternals Deck (got this one used at Albums on the Hill,  Boulder, CO)
  4. Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam, I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
    • Purchased at Albums on the Hill

All of these choices are fairly melancholy, for a reason, my big sister Beth Beaver died on Sunday, March 12 at 8:35 PM.  She was surrounded by people who loved her, she did not die alone.

The Trinity Sessions is an album that everyone should own (on vinyl).  If it’s not in your record collection you need to go to your local indie record store and make the purchase.  This one truly encompasses my mood; melancholy.  I miss you Beth.

Either/or is a masterpiece.  Don’t take my word for it just google.com the album and read it’s accolades.  On either/or’s 20th anniversary I just couldn’t pass up owning the limited edition colored vinyl.  http://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/03/10/519441265 remembering-elliott-smiths-masterpiece-either-or-20-years-later

I love the Mountain Goats.  I love the way John Darnielle writes.  It’s simple.  It’s expressive.  It moves me.  One of my favorite songs of all time is on the release, “Damn These Vampires”.  Once I figure this blogging thing out I’ll start posting selected songs from my selections.

I Had A Dream That You Were Mine by Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam (Walkmen and Vampire Weekend respectively) is truly solid release without a week song.  My favorite is the title song “I Had A Dream You Were Mine”.  Leithauser’s pushed his vocals to the extreme and I love it.  I will be listening to this one over and over and over.