onsdag 30 maj 2012

Vinyl finds, Hendrix and drugged Elephants

How's it going? I'm listening to The Moody Blues - "In Search of the Lost Chord" and having a calm day at home. Looking at some record collections videos on Youtube and getting a bit obbsessed of that too. Why? It's so damn fun to not feel lonely in this, I am getting a happy feeling of looking at what other people is discovering and knowing exactly how they feel. I do get a bit jealous sometimes of their finds but hey mostly I am just really glad for them, and as I am so pleased with my music taste and collection it is easier. ;)
Yesterday I took the time to go through my record collection and organize a bit, it took almost 5 hours total, phew! Glad I took a long walk as a pause in between. Sadly I discovered I soon need to get a new shelf for the vinyls if I don't want crates all over the bedroom which I really don't.

Anyway, I've been quite busy trying to be healty and more and more visiting nature and turning on my computer isn't one of my first priorities then (specially since I can do some crate digging on my phone, hehe).
And I had my birthday this weekend. How old, you say? Old enough! I turned 31 and got celebrated with nice homemade food and cake. And I even got a record, or will since it's been delayed, a fine doomish death metal release I'm missing in my shelf. :D Thanks, love! <3 You know me. More of that when it has arrived! I had a great day. And my best friend came over, as I am not one to throw huge parties or even small haha, and gave me a book about Pink Floyd. I've been eyening those since they came out but for some reason didn't buy one but she (by the help of my beloved) found out I didn't have it (she thinks I have everything music related hehe, oh the happiness if I did!) and got it for me. Big thanks, I'll read it right after I've done with the Tony Iommi-book.

Let me show you some more stuff from when I found some really cheap records a while ago. Sorry about the photos not being so stylish, there where many to shoot and I just don't wanna sit and design every one of them - there would be no time to write this post if so. ;)

Aphrodite's Child a collection released on a Italian label called Super Star. Now this is their more poppier early material but I found it for 10 kronor in mint condition with the book inside as well. It's a bargain! And as I for some fucked up reason still have not got "666" in my collection I just couldn't skip this. 
I found it in a second hand shop between lots of christian music and other crap music and that fact is amazing. And OH DAMN again, Demis Roussos has such a powerful and first of all soulful voice. I think I need his first solo album as well. 




Elephants Memory - "The Elephants Memory" from 1969, a nice looking Buddha release. I had no idea what this was when I dug through some 1000's of LPs some month ago but the cover caught my eye and looking at the back and the gatefold I just had to check it out. It's a mixture of psychedelic, folk rock and a lot of funk. It's quite weird and a bit partyish at the same time, and consisted of a 7 creative people.
Later on John Lennon and Yoko Ono got to know Elephants Memory, and EM began to do some back-up singing for them and John Lennon later produced some EM.
Just listen at the varied sounds of the LP, which is their debut:

Jimi Hendrix - "Crash Landing" I found for 1 krona at the record flea market in Gothenburg.
Now this album sounds amazing! It's such a great record. Too bad it seems that the producer made additions to the recordings, so one does not really know who plays on which parts which sucks because I waaaant to know such things. It was released in 1975 so long after Jimi had died and I wonder what he would think about this... Sadly everything after Jimi has been so poorly taken care of and I think it's a shame to do this to his legacy. For me Jimi is the Best, no one can beat him, and he deserved the best of treatment. 
I wouldn't have bought these releases when they were new since people just made a lot of dirty money, but gladly it's second hand now so I buy a bit of Hendrix when I come across something interesting and not very expensive. 1 krona is too cheap though, I think. ;)


Another LP "The Genius of Jimi Hendrix" with the Man. Also for 1 krona. This is a french release from 1979 but it was recorded in New York 1966 and has a pretty good sound to it. Lots of blues here and really nice guitarwork from Jimi. Whatever he did, he did it as a master - whether it was blues or psychedelic or hard rock! And can anyone beat that voice? So much emotion to it. I'm listening to it right now and I am amazed. I feel so lucky that I got into Hendrix so long ago, one of my first posters were a huge one of Jimi with lots of gold everywhere. Can't get enough of Jimi.



onsdag 16 maj 2012

Storm Corrosion arrives

The first to arrive home is the jewel case CD of Storm Corrosion, and I'm absolutely stoked.
Now when the sun has gone down, I climb into bed with my giant headphones and have a close listen, finally! And straight away I get goosebumps, everywhere in fact. I freeze, fascinated of what the CD with headphones actually delivers - it's so much better than just the video of "Drag Ropes". I finally hear every sound and can isolate them and then put them together. Happiness. And something else, a sadness. Cause the whole album is filled with sorrow. Darkness. Isolation. And it sure is something I cannot wave away or hide from. And I do not want to either.
Mikael and Steven creates the feeling of being in a cold damp cave. Alone. Looking for a fireplace, blanket or companionship and not finding any.
You are stuck here by yourself, deal with it. Lovely.
I like it, the album that is, and something tells me that I will grow to love it.

OH MY DAMN!

I found a copy of this the other day, for 5 swedish kronor:
Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles - "Live". I hadn't heard it at all and just fell in love with the cover. My version does not have any text on it though so first I didn't see that it was Santana on the front. On the back of the gatefold cover it's a similar image of Buddy Miles, with his little cool afro.
5 kronor? The cover is a bit of the funkier side and the record was really dirty (had someone snorted coke on it and smeared it out, or what?!) but after a good cleaning it played well.
Remember, I bought the first album from Buddy Miles Express just a few weeks ago? And then the debut from Santana? Well, this is live from 1972 and it is like having a huge bucket of happiness and filling it with psychedelic rock, funk and blues and there are even some hard rock parts. I mean, DAMN! I heard this and wanted to turn orange as well and be on a cover on one of the best live records I've ever heard! Together with Deep Purple "Made In Japan" and Hawkwind "Space Ritual" and a few others this is now indeed one of my absolute favorite live cuts. Buddy Miles is a brilliant drummer, he's really varied and keeps a strong funky beat, Santana's playing the guitar like a God and builds up psychedelic landscapes. I just wished I had seen this live. What a fucking wonderful trip it must have been!
The whole side B is just jamming and jamming and it just, for me, doesn't get boring at all. Become one with the music.


fredag 11 maj 2012

Raindrops and isolation

Nick Drake, I wonder what he was thinking of?

Haven't written in here for more than a week I see, well I haven't been listening to much music either unfortunately which takes away most of the inspiration of writing about music of course. I've been busy doing other things, and feelin' a bit under the weather. But I'm right now going through more of the vinyls from the fairs and I've gotten word that my copies of Storm Corrosion is on their way - hurray! I'll be so damn glad when I can put that record on and have a first listen, as I have refused to listen to the whole album before I have a physical copy. I've got the mp3-download that followed the order but... This is a true test of my stubbornness! And of patience. Maybe my stubborn mind will fall, and I cave in for the digital...?!
Today I've been planting flowers on our balcony and hopefully made so that a few more pops up. The sunflowers are a tradition for me now, and this year they're gonna be living in old buckets made of zink. I think they are maybe 50 years old or so, and they're really worn as nature has been taking care of them. So, hope the sunflowers will like them as much as we do!
Yesterday I, as I suprise for my heartling who worked all day, cleaned the apartment spotlessly for like 5 hours. I put on a bit of Nick Drake as the rain kept falling outside, but I think the cats listened more than I did since I was making a lot of noise cleaning.
Anyway I am getting more and more out of that troubled man's music and I feel a bit like - "Hey, I'm not alone" which is a feeling not many artists has given me, just some music, books and movies can make me feel that way. I'm especially fond of the first album "Five Leaves Left" which is both sad and comforting.
Nick left the world 3 albums before he 1974 took an overdose of antidepressant medicine.
I wished he had stayed and left the world with more music but as he was feeling tortured everyday I can understand him.
After the third and final album "Pink Moon" he isolated himself almost completely, and even though he later worked on a forth album, I think he had given up the fight.

From "Five Leaves Left":
From "Bryter Layter"

onsdag 2 maj 2012

Record fairs and tons of music!


Oh my, I'm tired. But the nice sunny weather is giving me some energy. Yesterday I helped out Mats at Jack Daw Records at the Record fair in Björneborg, Värmland. And on Saturday we were at the Record fair or more like a flea market for vinyl at Fräntorp outside of Gothenburg. Phew!
The Saturday fair was very small and Mats had many records with him which were soooo nicely priced, but we weren't the only ones gladly. The weather was bright and warm then as well so there weren't a big crowd of people unfortunately. We bought more than we sold, haha. But we were happy anyway since what we bought almost didn't cost anything! There was one seller there which had a bunch of great records in good shape for 20 kronors, and in the end of the day he was quite fed up with dragging them around from place to place so he sold the rest for 1 krona. Say what?! You can imagine me and a little crowd of men digging through the crates of vinyl. I had already bought for example - Tucky Buzzard - "Tucky Buzzard", The Who - "Who's Next",  Grand Funk - "We're An American Band" (on yellow wax!), Alice Cooper - "Muscle Of Love" (in the pizzabox!), Iron Butterfly - "Live"... and so on, for 20 kronors and grabbed some Jimi Hendrix, Ian Gillan, Journey, Rush and reggae for 1 krona each. I got home with more than 20 LPs and had not spent even 200 kronors on brilliant music. I was so happy I couldn't believe it! We were both a bit shocked.
Needless to say my dear Veronica was pleased with me when I got a hold of some Bowie and misc for her too. ;)
And yesterday I got up at 5 am, was like a zombie of course as I hate to get up early. It's not actually just hate, my body and brain just don't want to since I don't sleep much. I'm not the type of person who sleep heavily a whole night through much so, my body tends to wanna get the best sleep by that time. ;)
Motörhead saved my morning as I screamed "If you squeeze my lizaaaard..." along when driving to meet up Mats to go to dear old Värmland. Weather again not to good for a fair of any kind, but we arrived and carried in the completely packed crates and started digging in others. Here the prices where either over the top big time or a few a bit of bargains and of course I went for the latter, not wanting to ruin my new trend. ;)
I found more Hendrix for 20:- and the first Santana in almost mint condition. Also some Genesis and Judas Priest. The very best was "Head Hunters" by the great Herbie Hancock! I've been looking for this since Åkerfeldt played a song on the radio from that album. 20 kronors? Yes please!
I'm listening to it now and it's such a smooth and brilliant piece of work, great jazz/fusion/funk and progressive - I love it! And what an awesome cover, damn.
At the end of the day I was so tired, Motörhead helped me back home on the road again and back home it felt so good to pet the cats and kiss the darling, show all the records and just relax.
Now I've got so much music to go through, I've yet not listened to 10 of them and nature is calling on me to go out as well as my little furry ones (the cats, that is) are in need of some attention. I'm satisfied.
A few pictures, and for some reason Blogger is pissed today so they can't get turned in the right direction, ugh.

I've never even seen this LP before, so I was damn happy to find it so cheap! 
And it's amazing! Early hard rock from 1971. I've got the "Allright On The Night" LP before but this knocked me off of my feet anyway. 


A great live album which shows a heavier side than the albums.
Great psych, so get groovin'!


The debut album from Santana, kickass!


Just look at that, it screams "good music!"