Brian's Music Musings

Well the Holidays are over.... Almost. Christmas has come and gone, but not before Santa dumped off volumes 2 and 3 of the R+B Indies to add to my first volume that I already had. How did he know that I needed/wanted those, anyway? The books originally came out as a two volume set, and now they have been re-written and expanded to four volumes. Each book is almost as big as the original two, making for a huge expansion in the numbers of labels showcased. They are pricey, but if you are into labels, you can't be without them. I have 3 volumes, and the fourth and final installment should be out in 2007.

Speaking of Santa, I got a couple of DVD movies. Jamboree, I have seen before, but will be a good thing to see again, and it has some bonus features I have not viewed before. Carnival Rock is the other one on my possession, and I have not seen it before.

As I mentioned in my last blog posting, I expanded the Johnnie and Joe page. I think I must have doubled it, but I realize how many records I am still missing. I have a few audio files to add, but as all pages, it is a work in progress.

If you are into creating CD's of old records like I am, there are some really cool blank CD's you can buy. They are the same size, but they look like a record. The outside of the CD actually is black and looks like record grooves. The middle is set up to look like a record label, but the thing to do is buy some special labels so you can print out an actual label picture. Check out this new product on the verbatim site. It is available in printable CD's (Middle for the label) or you can get the labels at picturegear.com As soon as I do one of these, I will post a picture.

WPLJ on the Music City label, has always been a favorite of mine. I have always wondered how many original vintage releases/combinations were issued. I know of the maroon label and the black label with Mr. Undertaker on the flip. It was also issued on the multi color label with Kary Maeson on the flip. I just found it on multi black with the Gaylarks and Doodle Doo on the flip. I bet there are others.

Maybe it's just me, but I am seeing a trend on Ebay of quoting book prices incorrectly. Sure, we can all discuss the true value of a record 'till the cows come home, but, at least we need to understand the very basics of book value. The issue I see are sellers quoting high book value for their VG or less record. If you are insistent on quoting the high book, your record needs to be worthy of that high book. Folks, it's not apples and oranges. To reverse the idea, if you have a VG record, don't quote what it WOULD be worth if life was sweet and it was mint. That gives a false impression of what you really have. It just seems to annoy me, and is another way to mislead potential buyers.

Reissues have always been very interesting to me in theory, but not so much in collecting vinyl. i certainly have my share, but normally I don't go looking for them. Many are difficult to trace, as they were low production and often very shady on origin. Frankly, some were just this side of being boots. But what fun they are to trace. Anyway, Wham records of New Jersey was one of those mid 60's reissue labels. I finally got a copy of the Hollywood Arglyes Alley Oop on that label, with the picture sleeve. It sold for 98 cents back then, and had Phil Flowers on the flip. To me, records like this are what continues to make record collecting fun and at a decent price. Just like the VG records discussed in the last post.

Now that the Johnnie And Joe CD has been released by ACE, I think I will work on adding some additional label shots to my page. I still have a ways to go, as they had quite an output of recordings into the 70's and on Ambient sound in the 80's.