As I mentioned last week, and a few dozen times before, Kevin Gray has created magic in the studio with his Hall Of Fame ears. I am sure a number of vinyl lovers will attest, when Kevin Gray gets hold of a master tape, his finished product will become definitive. That said, his 2012 cut of Lou Reed's classic "Transformer" is arguably the best you will ever hear this record.
I know people who swear by Hank Williams' "40 Greatest Hits" as the definitive collection. I am not one of those people. First of all, it's missing "Honky Tonkin'." No Hank collection is definitive without "Honky Tonkin'." Second of all, 40 is too many songs. I mean, why not make it 60? That said, I think "20 Greatest Hits" is the way to go. It has all the right tracks, including "Honky Tonkin'," it's all original mono recordings, and it's a quality pressing on the Lost Highway label.
Irma Thomas is an all time favorite of mine. I can't get enough Irma in my collection. But if you needed just one collection, I'd have to say the 1983 set from the U.K.'s Kent label is the way to go. It's got 16 tracks with excellent sound, and killer cover art.
Attentive readers will already know how much I love The Hollies' "Butterfly." I once wrote an ill-advised piece for The Huffington Post saying I thought "Butterfly" was a better record than "Sgt. Pepper." I really believed it then, and some days, I believe it still. That HuffPo piece was crap, but "Butterfly" is not. In 2016, Parlophone released an absolutely stunning pressing of this 1967 gem. It's a 2 LP set, featuring both the stereo and mono editions of the album, remastered from the original analog tapes. This is definitive.
Why am I highlighting these four records? Because these four records, along with about 50 others, have been sitting untouched in my Discogs shop for weeks and weeks.
Are my prices too high? God no! As a matter of fact, I am the only dealer in the U.S. with this copy of "Butterfly," and I am $110 less than the next available. As a matter of fact, every one of my records for sale are priced less than the next available copies, and yet, it seems easier to sell ice to a penguin.
I don't know exactly what is going on, but it feels like the whole world woke up at once and decided that vinyl is no longer hot shit. I guess it was bound to happen. Cassettes are hot now. Go figure. I guess I should probably prepare for the wax cylinder craze of 2028.
If you feel like browsing what I have for sale, click on this link, and maybe even take advantage of my stupid pricing. I could use a few sales.
7 comments:
Well, three out of the four sold! Thanks for that. Maybe I'll do this once a week. Still more good stuff, so take a look.
Cassettes? Seriously? Just kill me now.😎
CDs are starting to sell again to collectors.
Captain Al
Went to grab Butterfly... too slow!
Hey, I actually own some Edison wax cylinders and quite a few 78s for my Victrola. No joke! But cassettes are crap.
Oh and which one is left?
Glad you sold 'em. I just can't bring myself to keep buying different versions of stuff I already have. I'm happy with my "Transformer," UK 1st press. Hell, even US OG Dynaflex ain't too shabby. I even like 1st issue US CD (I think) which was pressed in Japan. So many variables in how one hears a recording - ears, equipment, pressing, preference, mood, surroundings.
Irma Thomas - I had the early 80's Kent LP and later the CD with more tracks. Then picked up the 1992 Furmanek comp. Hard to believe "Time Is On My Side" was merely a B-Side. San Bernardino jocks flipped it over and it got quite a bit of airplay mid-1964. It was a minor hit on KMEN when the Stones played the Swing in Berdoo for their 1st US concert. It may have been the Stones' first exposure to Thomas' rendering of the Ragavoy tune.
"Butterfly?" I'm just not hearing it. I haven't heard it for a while, but I seem to remenber liking "Evolution" more. Either way, they're somewhat interesting "also-rans" of the psychedelic sweepstakes. IMHO the Hollies are better heard on comps. But "For Certain Because" is my fave 1960's studio album.
Hank Williams has been comped lots of times. Sal's right, 20 Greatest Hits is the most to the point. The meat of the matter. Only downside on the vinyl is that it has too much music per side.
VR
Post a Comment