Mini-Haul at the Local Record Show

Last Sunday, I hit the second local bi-annual record show of the year, and after almost two and a half hours, walked away with a handful of gently used vinyl records at pretty reasonable prices. I eye-balled some other albums at the show, but prices and/or the condition of the vinyl often put me off.

At one point, I slowed down to browse a table of books about heavy metal bands. I noted the author's name on each book: Martin Popoff. I knew that name. I had seen Martin on Sam Dunn's Youtube channel, BangerTV, so when I looked up at the guy behind the table, I recognized him. I also sort of knew him from a little business transaction way back in the 1990's. We did a little mail-order barter... my artwork for a copy of his very first published book (Riff Kills Man). After introducing myself to Martin at the record show, I had to relate all the details of our 90's exchange in order to jog his memory. And he did remember me. We finally met face to face. Pretty cool meeting a "minor" celebrity, a published author (he must have thirty or forty books... or more), and a fellow metal fan.

The inner sleeve of the A Farewell to Kings album by Rush.

It's always nice to get the original inside goodies with old issues of records.

Near the end of my stay, I was impressed by a couple of Max Webster albums which were autographed by all the members of the band, and for just $40 and $50... but that was still a bit too much for me, especially after having spent nearly my whole budgeted wad of cash. Plus I already owned those records, so no real reason to re-buy them just for the signatures. Right? Man, am I regretting this already?

Now, on to my purchases:

Van Halen's 1982 album Diver Down, which now completes my David Lee Roth-era set of VH vinyl recordings. That's all the Van Halen I need. No Hagar-era Halen for me. A very short album at just a smidge over a half hour, it is loaded with cover tunes, some of which are good, but it's the originals that are best... like Hang 'Em High, Secrets, and The Full Bug.

Rush's 1977 album A Farewell to Kings, which seems to be my current favourite album by the band. I've been searching for a reasonably-priced vinyl record of this for many months, only to get shut down every time when I move past a pretty good condition record jacket to find a badly scratched and/or scuffed disc inside. This one is in pretty good shape, besides a passage with a repeating clicking noise. I hate that... so I might have to continue the search for a better copy, or just break down and buy a brand new modern re-issue. 

The Beatles' 1965 album Rubber Soul, a first pressing - and I'm not sure in which country... possibly Canada. And it's in mono, which I believe is my only non-stereo record. Sounds super clean, better than the noisy early 80's re-issue I already have. The track listing differs from my two different CD versions, but that's to be expected with these Beatles albums... record companies used to mess around, swapping songs in and out of albums depending on the country of pressing.

The Eagles' 1975 album One of These Nights... a very nice copy of what I feel is my favourite Eagles album. The title track is either my fave or one of my top faves by the band. Other great songs on here are Lyin' Eyes and Take it to the Limit... those are all the ones I know really well, though there are more tracks that will grow on me -  they're good, but I just haven't had time to absorb them fully yet. 

So, a nice little haul at the record show. I'll have to wait until next spring for the next one. In the meantime, there are the used shops, thrift stores, and of course, Discogs and other online sources. But I'm slowing down a bit in my record search. My wish list is getting smaller and the titles on there are the tougher ones to find both in good shape and for reasonable prices. Wish me luck?

Halloween Horror Movie Marathon

We are over halfway through the Halloween month, and I've logged a lot of horror movies in my viewing schedule. At first, I was concerned that I wouldn't find enough films of the genre to keep me busy throughout October, but I came upon a solution. I discovered that there are videos on Youtube that list the better scary flicks on both Netflix and Amazon Prime, my two streaming services of choice. And not just lists... the Youtuber gives a brief synopsis of each movie along with likes and dislikes, and even comparisons to other films.

As I viewed these videos, I made up my own "To Watch" list for each service, and I'm happy to report that I've had very good success with this method so far. I have found that Amazon has had the better selection than Netflix, with more "gems" to choose from, and a generally more satisfying scare factor.

One, two, tree... killer plants in Day of the Triffids

I've been able to watch a movie per day, not quite every day, but pretty close. Now I just need to be sure I've got enough to keep me going right up until October 31st - Halloween Eve. But even if the Netflix and Amazon movies run out, I have the option to rent something (but not very many) on Youtube, where there is a pretty decent selection of modern horrors, and there are even the free flicks on there, of which there are many, though the picture quality may not always be the best. Still...

In an attempt to help you, the reader, in finding some good scary movies (and maybe avoid the bad ones), I'll give a rundown of the stuff I've watched so far this month:

Day of the Triffids, the original 1962 production - superior to the 2009 BBC two-part TV adaptation. Darker and more atmospheric, this one delves more into the lives of its characters, and the pair of story threads add double the interest. Creature effects are just good enough for a creepy vibe and to be believable. Definitely see this classic. On Youtube.

I Spit on Your Grave, the 2010 version - this has been re-made and sequelled to death, and though I've never seen the 1978 original, I felt this take must have captured the essence of the harrowing experiences in the oldie. It's certainly disturbing and horrific, so mission accomplished. Not for everyone, this is a rape and revenge tale... graphic and unsettling. On Amazon Prime (Canada).

I Spit on Your Grave 2 - by the same director of the 2010 version, this is not nearly as engaging or successful in its depravity. It's just an unpleasant mess. Gore and violence aside, this lacks the more solid acting and story of the first, so it's a disappointment. Give it a pass. On Amazon.

Mara - a taut 2017 thriller on Netflix that took me by surprise. The subject matter, sleep paralysis, is creepy to begin with... but then there's this ancient demon thing, too. Yikes! The mystery slant, with an investigation by a forensic psychologist, was right up my alley, so I thought this one worked extremely well.

Seven - we've all seen this one, right? This 1995 neo-noir crime thriller has its share of horrific scenes, and the overall eerie, unsettling vibe makes this just fine for Halloween viewing. The police procedural again fell into my wheelhouse, so I was riveted, even though I'd seen this before. Gripping and dark serial killer stuff. A winner. On Netflix. 

War of the Worlds, 2005 re-make - starring Tom Cruise, this is surprisingly good. Not great, but its use of sophisticated visual effects really makes the doomsday scenes and alien attacks believable. Grim and bleak, the story examines a fractured family and their evolving relationships. You could do much worse than this (though the 1953 version is better, in my opinion). On Netflix Canada.

Panic Room - this 2002 thriller stars Jodie Foster as a mom who, with her daughter, is trapped in her home as vicious burglars take over the residence. It's a nail-biter, and though not quite horror, it's got some freaky scenes to give you the willies. A stylish and tense cinematic experience. On Netflix.

Veronica - a 2017 Spanish-language supernatural tale that works quite nicely on the nerves. A teenage girl accidentally summons a malevolent spirit during a ouija board seance. And all hell breaks loose. Creepy and cool, well worth a look. Netflix.

Deathgasm - this heavy metal-horror-comedy out of New Zealand is a treat. Fun and funny, Deathgasm is about a young metal band who unwittingly unleash demons with a song. Blood, monsters, extreme metal music, laughs - does it get any better than this? On Amazon Prime.

Stake Land - teenaged Martin meets a seasoned vampire killer in this strange post-apocalyptic survival road trip movie. Better than I expected, this boasts a solid cast and a "fun" story. Not fun in a happy way, though... just very watchable. On Amazon.

Us - there's a lot of buzz around this 2019 movie, but I failed to see what was so great about it. A family settles into the beachfront home where the mother had a traumatic childhood experience, and... well... it doesn't go well. I found Us watchable but a bit dull.  Everyone seems to like it besides me, so don't let my negative feedback turn you off. You just might love it. On Netflix.

Hostile - another sort of post-apocalyptic survival tale, this one stood out for me. Young woman Juliet drives around a wasteland looking for food, supplies, and mutant creatures to slay. What make this great are the present-day struggle story (the horror part) and the relationship drama told in flashbacks. Good acting and script make this a must. Amazon Prime.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer - my first time seeing this 1986 gritty kill fest. Not at all what I expected, this was a bit disappointing. Not bad, but not great either. I suppose Henry might have been shocking for its time, but it doesn't have much impact now... as jaded as I am. Amazon.

Okay, now that I've fed this bunch of demented films into my brain, I'm sure to go wacko any time now. I enjoyed just about all of these picks, with just a few lesser ones. But hey, we all have different tastes, and maybe you would like the ones I didn't. Plenty of dark, creepy, and disturbing movie viewing for the horror fan. Have fun!

Farewell to Ginger Baker, Drummer Extraordinaire

A bit belated, but certainly still important, I'd like to give a somber nod to ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker, who passed away last weekend. I heard about it on Monday and have been thinking about Baker all week long. His unique percussive style on the Cream albums makes it an absolute pleasure to listen closely to his playing. The technical and creative fuse seamlessly in Baker's drumming with the legendary supergroup. I am most familiar with his recordings with Cream out of his huge body of work both before and after that historical stint.

Ginger tapping out a beat, with his Cream bandmates noodling around in the background

Ginger Baker came from a jazz background, having studied under a top British drummer in the early 60's. He took that grounding to pop and rock music, developing a sound all his own. Though not quite the same, I feel his style is sort of in the same ballpark as that of Keith Moon... not as conventional as most rock drummers, and definitely with a flair and colourful personality to suit their celebrity.

Baker influenced rock drumming in a variety of ways. He and his Cream mates formed what would later be dubbed a "supergroup", the first of its kind, really. In the 70's, he explored uncharted territory and pioneered jazz fusion and world music. His use of double bass drums was almost unheard of, too, though Keith Moon of The Who was also an early adopter of the set-up. Baker also developed what would "become the archetypal rock drum solo" (quote from Baker's Wikipedia webpage) with the five-minute instrumental song Toad. The guy really had it going on, and his influence will be forever felt within the drum and music community.

I've only ever heard a tiny smattering of Baker's work with Blind Faith and Baker Gurvitz Army in all my years, but I have been able to absorb a lot of Cream songs through various compilation albums in my collection. Someday, maybe not too long from now, I'll try to pick up the Cream discography... since it's a small one at just four studio albums released over four years in the late 60's.

Tonight I put on the headphones and played my vinyl LP copy of Best of Cream, released in 1969, which showcased Ginger's talent at the kit. Not to mention the formidable guitar and bass of Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, respectively. A true supergroup.

Rest in peace, Ginger.

October "New" Used Additions to the Record Shelf

With the second biannual local record show just a week away, you'd think I'd lay low and hang onto my pennies for that event. But no, the monthly flea market landed on this Saturday, and I gave myself a small budget for anything special that might pop up.

And pop up those special somethings did. First up, I was floored to see a really nice, clean copy of Frantic City, by Teenage Head. I didn't even debate the price, which was considerably more than I am normally willing to pay for a used record, but this is a bit of a rarity, so I was happy to make an exception.

White dopes on punk... Teenage Head back in their glory days

Frantic City, first released way back in 1980, is a terrific album, a successful and fun blend of punk, pop, and sort of old-style rock'n'roll. A few of the tunes, like Wild One, feature a rippin' piano that feels like Little Richard joined the band in the studio. That delicious thick guitar tone plastered every song with a touch of heavy rock... I'd dare say it's more metal than punk at times, with all the searing guitar solos (not prominent in punk, normally). Anyway, Teenage Head deliver a great set on this sophomore recording, every song super cool, my faves being Let's Shake, Infected, and Disgusteen. I've got a load of nostalgia for these songs and for Head in general, since I saw them play my high school when I was a tender teen. You can read about that experience here. 

Then on to another vendor... where I at first amassed a pile of records, since there were bins marked "2 for $5". If I were less prudent, I would have taken a lot more than I did, but in the end, I carefully selected the best of the bunch. I wanted albums I knew I'd listen to a lot, not stuff that would simply take up space on my shelves. 

I found for a friend a copy of the A Fistful of Dollars movie soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. I knew he was a fan of those spaghetti westerns and their music, so when I spotted this LP in the 2 For $5 bins, it was a no-brainer. Kind soul that I am, I even stopped by his workplace on my way home to present him with the record. He was suitably surprised and impressed. My good deed for the day.

At that same table, I took the Foreigner album from 1979, Head Games. Some good tracks on there, like radio hits Dirty White Boy and the title track. The rest... well, not as strong but with a few more listens, I might take a shine to some more. Still, can't beat the price.

I also lucked out with The Doors' self-titled debut album from 1967. I mean, how could I not get it at just ten bucks? It's an early 80's re-issue, but no matter - it sounds very nice. I have all the Doors albums on CD, but want a small representation of this classic 60's band in my vinyl collection... along with the "13" compilation (the only "best of" released during the Doors' career).

Oh, and the vendor told me to select a free Christmas album to go along with my purchase. What a nice bonus. So I grabbed a Liona Boyd classical guitar recording of festive songs. I had this on cassette tape years ago, but haven't heard it in ages, so this is a perfect addition to my little bunch of Christmas-themed albums - this being the only one on vinyl. Unless you count the Bob & Doug McKenzie "Great White North" comedy and music record I've got. More on that here.

So, a very fun and productive outing. Now I'll have to eat spaghetti-only for a while so I can afford to hit the upcoming record show. Well, maybe not quite that drastic, but you get the idea.

Happy spinning!

Oh, the Month of October is Frightful...

But Halloween horror is so delightful.


Yes, it's that time of year again, the month of supernatural goings-on and frightful film fests. Strangely, I found myself in a scary movie mood during September and ended up watching a bunch of horrific flicks. There were the three It's Alive movies from the 70's and 80's, which started out good (in a bad sort of way) and got progressively worse (unwatchable). I had never seen these mutant-killer-baby movies before, and since the DVD set I found had a rock-bottom price tag, I leaped on it. I'll re-watch the original someday, and possibly its first sequel, but the follow-up... never again. Total dreck. But these cult B-movies have their place in horror history; there are fans of this sort of low-grade cinema.

After that little movie marathon, I tackled a more meaty monster franchise, the Hellraiser series. Again, this was a super-low-priced collection of films that I just couldn't pass up, especially since I had never seen most of them. Strangely, and actually very conveniently, this set included only Hellraiser III through VIII. I already owned the first two of the eerie Pinhead gore-fests, so this 6-pack of sequels made it complete. As is usually the case, the quality went down as the series continued, but there were interesting things going on even in later outings. I'm just glad it cost me next to nothing.

I also got into a neat 2009 two-part TV remake of The Day of the Triffids. It wasn't without its flaws but it was entertaining enough. The chilling impending end-of-humanity scenario was played out decently, and though things got off to a good start, the story descended into a bit of an Aliens action flick. Still, I've seen a lot worse. Effective CGI brought to life the alien murderous plants in a very convincing way. The acting was touch and go, and as I said, the script slipped here and there. Worth a look, if you've got the time.

I found a fun diversion in the 1974 British horror called Madhouse. Starring an elderly Vincent Price and Peter Cushing, the story is creepy if not scary, and walks a fine line between Price's 60's horror-comedies and his later, more grim fare.

For many years, come October, I assembled a horror viewing guide for the month. Some years, I'd actually have a particular movie assigned to each day of the month... and I did manage to watch a movie per day for nearly the entire month of October one time around. But that's tough to pull off nowadays. I'm happy if I can get in a few flicks a week.

So I'm not sure what my plan will be this October. I have a collection of hundreds of horror movies, yet I am hankering for something I haven't seen before. Lord knows I've still got lots of ground to cover, even with all of the movies already under my belt. I'd like to avoid buying stuff just to watch this month... gotta keep costs down these days... but perhaps I'll find something worthwhile between Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Youtube. Though the pickings are slim on Netflix and Amazon, I do have loads of oldies (and some not-so-oldies) bookmarked to watch on Youtube.

If I'm so inclined, I might dip into my personal collection to re-view something like The Fall of the House of Usher, the Poe-inspired 60's classic starring Vincent Price. Maybe some other stuff - more sci-fi than horror - like The Man Who Fell to Earth, starring real-life alien David Bowie. A friend dumped a pile of unwanted DVDs on me recently, so I could give those a whirl, too... things like 28 Days Later (seen it before, and liked it) and the Tom Cruise remake of War of the Worlds (not great but decent, and worth a re-watch).

I guess I'll have to get cracking on a viewing list for the month. I'll keep it flexible, since in past years I have often passed on my pre-planned film for an old favourite, which usually means The Wolf Man (with Lon Chaney, Jr.) on Halloween night. Arooooooo....