Musical Mixed Bag: New CCR Record & Crüe on TV

Today, it's a random item post. Normally I try to focus on a particular topic, but there are a couple of unrelated things I want to talk about here. First off, recently I visited a local record shop for the first time in many years. This used to be a pretty much strictly CD store, with maybe a small selection of vinyl for the few collectors in the city. And I mean this was back in the 90's or early 2000's, just so you understand the lack of vinyl at the time. 

But when I toured the small shop this week, I was impressed to see that about half the store - maybe more - was vinyl records. I didn't go through absolutely everything, but I did spend a couple of hours flipping through bins. The "Used" section was at first exciting... I saw some oldies by Saga, FM, Coney Hatch, and others, some with jackets in nice condition. But when I slid the record out for closer inspection, I was face every time with scratches, scuffs, and a thick layer of dust. Nope. These are signs of misuse and lack of care, so there was no way I was going to plunk down my hard earned dollar (more like ten bucks - Canadian - apiece!) for stuff that was fit for the scrap heap.

What I did like about the place were the new records. About two long rows of sealed LPs revealed to me a decent selection of all genres, some reasonably priced between twenty and thirty dollars each, some more. But it'll have to be something very special for me to pay over thirty bucks for a single album... and I wasn't in the market for that.

There were several bins of what I gathered were newer arrivals near the front of the store. These were all priced at twenty each, a fair price for something brand new from the factory floor. There were a lot of re-issues of jazz classics by Brubeck, Coltrane, Miles, Adderley and the like. I peeked through those in search of Dave Brubeck's Time Out, the one jazz album I know I'd listen to often. But I came up empty there.

I did, however, see a re-issue of Cosmo's Factory, the legendary album by Creedence Clearwater Revival. And that was my purchase for the day (or week, or month). I've been avoiding vinyl shopping for a while now, planning and saving for the big semi-annual record show coming up at the end of April. But I felt I could afford a little something like this to get me through. And Cosmo's Factory delivered the goods. My only beef about the album is the super-lean packaging: absolutely no liner notes about the production or the band or lyrics, nothing! Not even on the rear of the record jacket... just the track listing. A bit disappointing, but the record itself was the main reason for my purchase.

It seems to be a quality pressing, though there are unusual light scuff-looking things on this virgin vinyl, which do not affect the playback or sound (yet). I'm not sure how this re-issue compares with earlier pressings, but I'm fine with it. A cool, rockin' album that I know I'll give plenty of spins on the turntable. I've never owned Cosmo's Factory before, so I'll enjoy not only the famous hits (Run Through the Jungle and I Heard It Through the Grapevine, just to name a couple of the many) but also the kick-ass tracks that are new to me, like Ramble Tamble (a 7-minute-plus amazing rocker), Before You Accuse Me, and My Baby Left Me.

On another note, Friday marked the debut of the Netflix original movie, The Dirt, the story of 80's glam-rockers Mötley Crüe. I've never been a big fan of the band, but I have always enjoyed a bunch of their sleaze-metal tunes. The movie is funny, outrageous, and shocking - accurately (I believe from what I've seen and read) portraying the sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll lifestyle of that era. Not for everyone, for sure. But if you like the Crüe, or just 80's raunchy rock and metal, or just completely unhinged bio-pics, then The Dirt is for you. Based on the 2001 tell-all memoir, the movie covers the band's turbulent career of excess, its highs and lows, and everything in between. Critics are unkind to the bio-pic, but apparently the fans love it. I'm a more casual viewer, not a "fan", but definitely a guy who grew up during that crazy 80's metal scene, so I got a lot of entertainment value out of it. Plus The Dirt reminded me of just how good some of their music was... and now I find I'm reaching for my Crüe Greatest Hits CD. Too bad the LP records are so rare and pricey, or I'd pop for at least one of those. But for me, I give The Dirt two thumbs up... or more like \m/ (the devil horns). Definitely more fun and visceral than Bohemian Rhapsody.