Foghat's First LP

This is Foghat’s first album LP, from 1972. It was produced by Dave Edmunds. My good pal Nick in the UK knows Dave. They both live near Wales. This record, has a well-played cover version of Willie Dixon's "I Just Want to Make Love to You." This album has their first and only once-used band logo in bubble letters. Their band logo used from then on is way cooler. From the band’s website, "Dave [Edmonds] was very much into early Elvis and the Sun Records thing," Lonesome Dave Peverett recalled. "I loved the phasing effects he got on the vocals. He wasn't scared to try off-the-wall sound ideas."

Greg Kihn Band - Rockihnroll

Did you have this record back in 1981? The big hit, The Break Up Song, was all over FM radio then. They don't write 'em like that anymore. No they don't. The name of this record album is called "Rockihnroll" – with those words placed within the name of the band. Look close at the prices still on the celophane wrapper. Originally priced at $8.99, then marked down to $7.99 - cool. Then, last month, I got it for .50 cents. Oh well. And, it has a classis eighties-style album cover too.

REO's Live: You Get What You Play For

Don't you love the circular wear marks on this album? CD's don't do that. The music holds up great from 30-plus years ago. Along with Seger's Live Bullet, REO's Live: You Get What You Play For is the other bookend live album and co-soundtrack of my highschool years at good old R-B. Released in the classic "double live" format in 1977, some of the songs were recorded at Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom in Atlanta. On Skynyrd's classic double live album, before one of their encores, Ronnie Van Zant gives a shout out and thanks concert promoter "Mr. Alex Cooley," - aka the Mayor of Atlanta Music. REO lost some major luster (and harder rock edge) when Gary Richrath (from East Peoria, IL) left (or was asked to leave) the band. I looked up those circumastances on Wiki, and read Gary “was asked to leave REO Speedwagon in 1989.” Gary explains it at his own site: http://www.richrath.com/

Innervisions - Stevie Wonder

Innervisions (on Tamla) was recorded at The Record Plant, a famous and iconic recording studio in New York. My next survey question will be something about famous recording studios. The first album recorded at the Record Plant was Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland. Tons of awesome albums were recroded there, like Hotel California, Rumors, and Songs in the Key of Life. On this record, like most of his others from this period - the mid-seventies, Stevie played most of the instruments. Innervisions won a Grammy as 1974 Album of the Year, and the single "Living for the City," a Grammy for Best R&B Song. VH1 places it as number 31 on their list of greatest albums of all time. And Rolling Stone rated the album #23 on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Herman’s Hermits

I do not know much about Herman’s Hermits, but my pal Radio Dave sure does (he gave me one of these records). "On Tour" is “their Second Album!” It says so right on the album cover. Is that a "live" album? One would think so, with that title. The other one, "Both Sides," is their fourth album, but I had to look that up on Wiki. This is the best photo so far that I have taken of my records for use in these postings. I think the lighting is good and I make sure the flash is off. And I love that old plastic Dean Martin record store category/artist separator. Hey, I have tons of Dean Martin records.

Disco Still Sucks: July 12, 1979

30 years ago today. It was the middle of the summer of 1979. And it was another middle for me and my best pals. We had just graduated from high school the month before and we were all going off to college the following month. So this was a milestone summer and as it turned out – it was a historic Chicago milestone event of epic proportions. Not sure whose idea it was to go to Steve Dahl’s White Sox promotion called Disco Demolition night - probably Greg’s or Carolyn’s – but Ron and I happily went along. I drove, of course. The deal was, get into a White Sox twi-night double-header game (vs. Detroit) for just .98 cents (WLUP fm 98 – get it?) and a disco album. The gate staff took all (most) the records at the turn styles at the entrances. The records were all collected and piled into a huge crate in center field and then Steve blew them all up in between the two games. Things got very out of hand and let’s just say the second game was not played. For more see Rick Kogan’s excellent article in the Chicago Tribune at http://tinyurl.com/lapd2q and also www.dahl.com or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jEQaaGIjew