Record Store Day 2013.

I missed out on Record Store Day last year because I was traveling for work, but this year my work decided to not send me back down to that annual conference, which was a good thing because I could participate in RSD, but a bad thing because it means I can't make my annual sojourn to Amoeba. Yes, I've got real problems.

The RSD list this year didn't contain anything I'd die if I didn't get, but there were definitely some items I really wanted, so I decided to get to Music Millennium early. The store was opening at 8, and I was planning to meet up with some friends to wait in line together, but they are lunatics and decided to get there at 3:30AM and that seemed a little nuts. so I nixed that plan, rolled solo, and got there at 6AM. The picture above shows how many people were in front of me. Apparently the girl who was first in line set up shop at 11PM the morning before. So, she got there seven hours before I did and I was only about 30 people behind her.

And, really, the line didn't grow too fast behind me until after 7, when things got nuts:

By the time the store opened, there were people lined up waaaayyy down the block. I got in, grabbed my RSD stuff, shopped around a little bit, and when I left there were still people lined up down the block. It was pretty sweet.

I didn't go too nuts, and I didn't go anywhere after Music Millennium because I didn't want to spend any more money. Well, I wanted to, but I shouldn't have, so I didn't. It's called being an adult, people. Look into it.

Here's what I picked up after waiting in line listening to Sklarbro Country for two hours:

Frank Zappa - "I'm the Slime"/"Montana" 7"

I'm guessing this is an homage to an old, existing single, but I can't find any info about it and I'm not really looking that hard. This has single edits of "I'm the Slime" and "Montana" and is on vinyl that I think is supposed to look like green slime. It also says "second in the series" on the front, and I can't figure out what the first was.




Atmosphere - Demosexual 7"

Purple vinyl, clear plastic envelope sleeve - very Prince. That image makes it look like it's opaque wax but it's actually clear purple, which is just as good. These two songs are about how he is a huge wuss or something. I got #72/2000.






Elliott Smith - Alternate Versions from Either/Or 7"

I probably have all four of these songs on bootlegs, but the versions here are from the source, so they're much nicer. And, they're not all just alternate takes - they're actually very different versions of some of his more well-known tracks. Except for "Angeles." That one's mostly the same. Yellow vinyl.



Stephen Malkmus - Can's Ege Bamyasi Played by Stephen Malkmus and Friends

This was the only record I was going to get pissy about if I didn't get, and they had plenty of copies so it wasn't an issue. I'm not going to sit here and act like I've ever spent any real time listening to Can, because I haven't. Always felt like I should, but I haven't. But I listened to this record (which is a live recording of SM and friends playing the entire album, not in order) last night and really liked it. So maybe that will lead to me listening to Can more. But probably not. Clear green vinyl.

Built to Spill - Live

This 2xLP has been out of print for a decade, and OG copies routinely sell for $100 on eBay. I've got a decent collection of original-press BTS vinyl, so my plan with this one was to let this new reissue soften the price of original copies on eBay, so I could get one of those. Then I found out that this one is limited to 2,500 copies, which might not make that much of a difference, and it was only 20 bucks... I don't know. I just bought it. Still feel good about it. But there's still a chance that at some point I'll want the Up version.


And that was all I bought that was RSD exclusive. Here's some other stuff I bought, though:

Mudhoney - Vanishing Point (2013)

New Mudhoney! Of course I just realized that there was a "Loser Edition" on smoke-colored vinyl that you could get by pre-ordering this, and I didn't do that, so mine is the standard black-vinyl edition. And I'm going to have to live with that. Haven't listened to this yet. But I'm excited to.





John Densmore - The Doors Unhinged

Music Millennium had a deal where if you buy a hardcover copy of Densmore's new book, you get guaranteed admission to the signing he's doing there next month. I'd be buying this book anyway - surprisingly, Densmore's previous book about the band is probably my favorite one, and there are many - and I'm not gonna lie: I'm kind of excited to meet the guy. So I'm going to do that. And I'm already 20 pages into this thing.







I had planned on getting the reissue of Porno for Pyros' first record, but they were somehow out of it by the time I got to where it would have been. They must not have received very many. I wasn't too upset about that. I also got the complimentary gift bag (which was cool, aside from being 4/20 themed), which had a new Sub Pop comp CD in it that I might actually listen to. Also there was a 10" in it from a band called Crystal Shipsss which I may or may not listen to.

And that was RSD 2013. After that I went home, took a nap, and went to local wrestling. Big day.

Event Attendance: Portland's Night Owl Record Show - April 13, 2013

Record-buying money has been a little tight around the ol' Alert household as of late, but it had been way too long since I'd been to a Night Owl show, so I planned in advance and allowed myself to splurge a little. I didn't go nuts, as you'll see, but it was just nice to be packed in like sardines next to my bearded, sweaty brethren again. Still stinky after all these years.

And we really were packed in there. I showed up about 25 minutes after it started, and the place was FULL. I had to box out dudes and jockey for position just to get my grubby mitts on a box of psych records I didn't even give a shit about. Things calmed down pretty quick though, and I feel like I got a good look at everything.

Here's what I picked up:

Urge Overkill - "Now That's the Barclords" 7" (1991)

Both of the songs on this 7" would end up on 1992's Stull EP (the B-side is "What's This Generation Coming To?"), though there the title track is given the parenthetical "(Now That's) The Barclords" treatment. So, a stylization change, but the same version of the song. Still, this is on the Sub Pop label, it's on clear neon yellow vinyl, and it was in the four-dollar range. You know I'm in.

Black Dice - "Peace in the Valley" 7" (2001)

Black Dice is not a band I claim to be a huge fan of, because I'm pretty sure I haven't heard 95% of their output. But they really interest me, and everything I have heard hasn't done anything to diminish that. This 7" made me even more of a fan. The two tracks are improvised (I think?) noise-fests, and sure: some might argue that they don't warrant a full-color 40-page accompanying booklet. But boy is it here, and boy is it filled with wacky art. My copy is on yellow vinyl, but I guess they made a ton of different ones. This record was also cheap.

Archers of Loaf - "What Did You Expect?" 7" (1994)

I was getting ready to leave the show when I stumbled upon this box of 7"s that I had somehow not picked through. This dude had a fat little stack of Archers of Loaf singles, all priced at $4. It's not that these records are crazy rare or that they're worth much more than that (they're not), but to me, they're the kind of record that I will absolutely buy if I see it in person, but I'm probably not going to go through the trouble of buying on eBay. If that makes sense. The B-side on this one is "Ethel Merman."

Archers of Loaf - Classic Rock is for Pussies 7" (1995)

Almost all of this Archers of Loaf stuff I got ended up on their The Speed of Cattle compilation. This record has a sweet cover and features the songs "Mutes in the Steeple" and "Smokin Pot in the Hot City."






Archers of Loaf - The Loaf's Revenge 7" (1993)

The tracks on this one are "Web in Front," "Bathroom," and "Tatyana." The version of "Web in Front" is, from what I can tell, the same one from Icky Mettle. Some cool early Photoshop work on the inside of this one.





Archers of Loaf - "Harnessed in Slums" 7" (1995)

The B-side on this one is "Telepathic Traffic." Also - it comes with this sweet official Archers of Loaf 45 adapter!







Archers of Loaf/Monsterland - Inside Dave's Garage, Volume Three 7" (1994)

This one features a track that did not make it onto The Speed of Cattle: an in-studio, acoustic version of "Telepathic Traffic." Not the greatest recording, but its likable in its ramshackleness.





Sonic Youth/Mudhoney - Sonic Honey/Mud Youth 12"

What I need to do is pony up the dough for the rare-ish 7" version of this, but finding this Glitterhouse 12" caught me off guard at the show and I had to make the move. This has got Sonic Youth doing "Touch Me I'm Sick" and Mudhoney doing "Halloween," which, if I'm not mistaken, is exclusive to this release...? This copy's a tad bit beat-up on the cover, but the vinyl's smooth.



Run-DMC - Back from Hell (1990)

I was pretty sure I'd never heard this record - which is ridiculous - and when I put it on I knew I hadn't, aside from "Pause." I still haven't really heard this enough to say anything worthwhile, but I always enjoy this line from the Wikipedia page about it: "This album features Jam Master Jay singing." Also: Run and D were 26 when this came out.



Young Black Teenagers - "Roll w/ the Flavor" 12" (1993)

This is a fairly standard 12" - when the only thing of note is a "short version" you know you're not in for anything too exciting - but shit, you know I'm not going to pass up a two-dollar YBT record. Looking hard, guys.





Onry Ozzborn - Alone (2001)

I've never heard this record, but I'm big into Onry's newest project, Dark Time Sunshine, so I didn't see any reason not to go back and visit the man's early work. Only nine tracks on here, but it looks like it features some solid guest spots. This will be rocked.





The Phenobarbidols - Beyond the Valley of the Phenobarbidols 10" (1994)

The Phenobarbidols are one of many bands I was introduced to through Sympathy for the Record Industry's Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus compilations. I'm not sure I've ever come across any of their actual records before, though. This one is a 10" on Sympathy and features such hits as "Blow Job" and "Fuck Trunk." And the band is all girls, if that wasn't clear. It was, wasn't it?



The Doors - Alive, She Cried (1983)

I used to listen to this quite a bit in my early teens, but it was never really one of my favorites. Still isn't, though it does include a surprisingly coherent version of "Gloria." Anyway, it was six bucks and I didn't have it on vinyl. Didn't find any other Doors records of note. Very odd for a record show.





Duh - The Unholy Handjob (1995)

I pulled this record out of a box and before I could even flip it over the couple who were selling it said, "Do you want that? Please take it. We don't want it. We've had it forever. Can't get rid of it." It had a one dollar price tag on it. They said they didn't even know what it was, so I asked them if they wanted to know what it was. They said yes, and I went into nerd mode and told them how Duh's guitar player ended up in Faith No More and how this record has a song called "Our Guitarist is in Faith No More" and how they made a big deal of it on the back and how it sounds like this. They still wanted to give it to me but I couldn't find anything else so I gave them a dollar for it. They were happy to see it go.

Funkdoobiest - Which Doobie U B? (1993)

The girl who owns/works at Boom Wow records brought her secret stash (aka from her personal collection) to this show, and this was one of the gems in that bunch. It's a cutout, but whatever. It was priced right and this LP has been very much missing from my collection. She also had a copy of Brothas Doobie, but it was a little beat up. I've since checked prices on that one and realized I should have picked it up. Wouldn't be a record show without regret.


Schooly D - "Livin' in the Jungle"/"Gucci Again" 12" (1989)

Another 12" that's just single edits and instrumentals, but it's Schooly D in 1989. And that cover alone is worth the few bucks I paid for this.






Sonic Youth - Goo (Deluxe Edition, 4xLP) (1990/2005)

This was my big purchase for the day, and it wasn't even that big. I somehow don't have an original copy of Goo, but I do have the CD version of this deluxe edition, so this is replacing that and I'll still probably have to get an original at some point. I've been waiting to find this used, and I finally did. The price wasn't crazy great, but it was better than what I'd have to pay new. And, it's great: four records in full-color sleeves and a huge book with essays and shit. SY are the best at vinyl.

Now I've got to get ready for bed because Record Store Day is tomorrow. This was just a warm-up.