Jan 28, 2009 Helmet - Betty - Double 10" - Promo Copy

This is kind of an important record in my collection. It's not immensely rare or anything. It's on ebay right now for like $55+. Shipping from the UK though. It doesn't look like it has the hole punch either. That actually is pretty rare. Mine has the hole punch. They do this a lot on promos so no one can resell it. It's funny though. When you punch the hole in it, you're basically telling the world that it's a promo. Which marks it as rare, and worth selling. But beyond that, it's important to me because this is one of the first times I heard post-hardcore music. In 94 when this came out, I had already heard their single MilqueToast from the Crow soundtrack, so I was extremely interested in seeing what these guys were all about. Let's not forget that in 94 I was just breaking into hardcore music, and really still trying to understand what I thought was good music. So picture this, you're 16 and you finally find music you like in hardcore/punk and then you hear helmet which is post-hardcore and you're saying to yourself, "How the fuck could there already be post-hardcore, I just found about actual hardcore?!" I mean I don't think they were known as post-hardcore back then, it was probably just considered rock. But it was different than what I was getting into at that point. Either way, my tastes in music split. I started to love bands like Quicksand, and Orange 9mm, but I was heavily involved in the Long Island hardcore scene, so I also grew up with Silent Majority, and Indecision.
So when did I get this...It had to be 5 years ago I think. Got it on ebay of course. It was just a cool record. Double 10", rarely ever see those around. It was a promo, which can be fun sometimes. And it was an album that reminded me of when I wasn't really sure what kind of music was good. I think I paid $15+ for it. Not a bad buy.
So what to do next...Ok I see the connection. Chris Traynor of Long Island played with Helmet, and a slew of other bands too, but his first band was Orange 9mm which I already said I loved....so lets do Orange 9mm next. This will be easy. Incredible band.

http://www.helmetmusic.com/tour.php they're on tour again BTW.

Jan 24, 2009 Blacklisted - Peace on Earth, War on Stage

Blacklisted - Peace on Earth, War on Stage...It's incredible. Truthfully, there's nothing left to say about this record. I could just "create post" and move on. If you like hardcore music, and you don't have this record, you either don't have a record player, or you don't have a pair of ears. Top 7" of 2007, and It's in my top 25 of all time.
Think about this, right now I'm listening to Helmet - Betty. I love this album. Yet I'm telling you a record put out 13 years later, that's not even in the same genre, is in my Top 25 7" of all time. I'm not sitting here listening to some thug band raving about this thing. I have other tastes, other loves. But it still comes back to what makes you shake your head with your mouth open. This record does exactly that. When I heard Memory Layne on the DeathWish website intro, I thought to myself, where the hell can I get this record, and how many times can I listen to it before I want to take someones life?
Well if you're wondering why I featured a record that isn't actually rare, I'll tell you. The one in the picture above is the least rare of the first pressings. It stands there on it's own. It's not on my blog because I paid a load of money for it. Or I traded crazy for it. It's here because I haven't heard a sound like this since the 90s. It has that kind of feel to it. Fast and raw as hell. That throaty, coarse, love and believe every word you're saying vocals. Just the whole tone of it screams simple, straightforward, explosion....kinda like an atomic bomb.

That Helmet - Betty album I mentioned...lets do that next. It's a cool little album. Has some quirkiness to it that could be fun to write about. Later

P.S. Check George's Blog out at http://geethatsme.blogspot.com/

Jan 13, 2009 Most Precious Blood - Our Lady of Annihilation - TP Ltd 10

"This Is My..."favorite Most Precious Blood release, not just with Rob, but with Tom also. Here's my issue, Unorthodox was simply the greatest LP every created. Is/was Indecision/Most Precious Blood the greatest hardcore band ever? No I don't think so. In my opinion there's a few above them. But Unorthodox overshadowed everything after it, and I think I needed a real singer change(not counting Artie) to get a grip back on reality. Well let's not get all mushy about Unorthodox, I can do that in another post...wait did I just foreshadow a comeback? Possibly. Back to OLA. Powerful, that's the one word that really describes it. Rob definitely impressed me with his resurrection...ah damn there I go again. Well I'm listening to it right now on clear, and I really think they brought back the fire in this album. Nothing in Vain sounded flat, and Tom really didn't have the anger or the strength, or dare I say, the desire, to put a real true Tom effort in. He sounded like he was ready to move on, I could hear it in his voice. But this, Redemption baby! Awesome record, and a awesome pick up. I'm not to fond of the 10 pressings, but it's DeathWish, so they give you your money's worth with the custom spray paint cover.

Ok the history of the record purchase. I was living back in hampton bays, and I stubbled across a DeathwishInc attic sale on ebay. It was like rolling into a gold mine with a pickup truck. I grabbed this one for a complete joke, like 80 bucks or something. I also picked up a Nothing in Vain Bad Religon cover #002 of 200 for like 40 I think...once again, joke. I mean I couldn't pass that up. I already had #076 of 200 that Joey Anterrabae bought for me at a CBGB's show. But #002? Had to have it. Also gobbled up a Blacklisted ...The Beat Goes On on purple. That's actually the purchase that really got me into Blacklisted. So maybe I'll do a 7" from Blacklisted next record blog post. A newer record, maybe not so rare. Well at least the record isn't rare..

While writing this post I was listening to OLA, and then when I realized I started to love Blacklisted when buying that purple And the Beat Goes On, I decided to whip out a blue copy and throw it on...totally dropped it on the OLA and played it not realizing they were stacked...damn.

Jan 8, 2009 One King Down - Bloodlust Revenge - Orange Ltd 200

One of my favorite records. One King Down - Bloodlust Revenge on Equal Vision Records. Equal Vision is based out of Albany, and they went home town on us with this release. It's weird...I always considered OKD a Long Island band, but they aren't obviously. The reason is I first heard them doing what I loved, skating on Long Island. I was in my friend Garrett's tahoe, and when he drop this thing in, I felt like I was in the future. It was way ahead of it's time. Well I picked this up on ebay a little ways back. Maybe 50 bucks. It's the first pressing and way OOP. Totally worth it considering the history I have with the band. Rob Fusco, the vocalist on this record, now sings for Most Precious Blood. And oddly enough, when he replaced Tom as the singer, he quit a job as a chess instructor. So in honor of chess instructor Rob Fusco, I will feature a MPB album on my next record entry. Two words....Test Press.
Oh yeah this cover still has the original plastic on it....always nice to see.

NOTE: This was the first post of my new blog. Every post before this point was written in early 07 when I decided to write a blog about my records, then freaked out like 5 records in, cause I didn't like people seeing what I had. I put all 09 years on there now just for the ease of keeping them all together.

Jan 6, 2009 Indecision - Unorthodox - Pink - SXE Label

My last post was about the greed in my collecting. This post shows my love. Indecision - Unorthodox on Pink. This record, I believe, is the greatest example of Metal/Hardcore ever produced. It was so incredibly before its time. It also has probably the most tattooed and misunderstood line in hardcore history, “For those I love I will sacrifice.” It’s so misunderstood because no one really interests themselves in the line directly after…”Not For Those I’ve Never Seen.” It’s an anti-god quote. Just like a zillion other lines on this album. But people have almost changed it into a Youth Crew type quote.
Being a Long Islander I have of course seen this band tons of times. If I had to put a number on it, I would say 15. I was at this record release show where I picked up a very cool Unorthodox patch, cut right from the shroud. But the most amazing thing about this record is the label. It’s a straight edge label. Through out the years Indecision always seemed like a straight edge band, but they never promoted it. It’s a rare thing to see straight edge and Indecision being linked in such an undeniable way.

Jan 5, 2009 Bane/Adamantium Split Test Press

Last post I talked about the second record I won on ebay from the crazy guy selling off his collection. Bane/Adamantium Test Press on Indecision Records. There is something weird about this 7 and the bands it has on it. I had never heard either of these bands. Meaning I had never really listened to this 7 or any other record, cd, tape, or live show of either of these bands. Of course I’ve heard OF them. Bane is huge and very culty. But I never truly gave their songs a chance for some reason. I heard parts and decided I did not like the band. Funny though, I decided this before I bought the Test Press. Basically I got this 7 because I could. And it was a time in my life where I wanted any desirable record, no matter if I liked the band or not. I’m still sorta that way, but not like I was back then. I wouldn’t even “watch this item” if it came on ebay now. I might look and say, “wow cool.” But that's where it would end. This item has become a tool. A tool to acquire other records that are extremely rare, but are also from bands I like. It’s for trade…no doubt about it.

UPDATE! - THIS RECORD IS GONE - SORRY TO ALL THE HOPEFULS.

Jan 3, 2009 Saves The Day - I'm Sorry I'm Leaving Ltd-400 White

Last week I was comparing the popularity of The Movie Life’s Self-Destruct 7″ in white LTD-100 to Saves the Day’s, I’m Sorry I’m leaving 7″ in white LTD-400. I felt that in the coming years The Movie Life 7″ will crush the Saves the Day 7. Well here is that Saves the Day 7 I was talking about. I picked this up a long time ago on ebay from a guy who was selling off his whole collection. 1 record in his collection was a Chung King can Suck it Test Press. It went for a bundle. I got this one for about 60 bucks. If I knew then, what I know now about records, I would have gotten more than this record and the record I will feature in my next post. I would have bought the lot. Sometimes people move on from collecting. If I remember correctly he said he was buying a house, cause a baby was on the way. Recently I thought about that guy and his ridiculous collection sold away. I said, a kid is a good reason to sell. Then I really thought about it….I would want my kids to listen to the music, and maybe fall in love with it and the records, just like I did. Maybe it could be something we could do together. Having something in common with your son and/or daughter is so incredibly tough. I don’t think I could sell off one of my only chances to bond with my kids.

The Movie Life - Self-Destruct Ltd to 100 White

I have had a copy of this 7″ for a long time. I don’t really know when I bought the black version of this, but I believe it was early this century. Then about 3 or 4 years ago I bought a white version, #90 of 100. I think I paid like 7 bucks for it. This one pictured I acquired very recently in a lot of vinyl off of ebay. The contents of this lot shall remain nameless for a while. But it contained 13 records one of which is this 7″ #13 of 100. Right now I’ve seen it selling for about $45+ on ebay. The number was not as low as this one, but now a days the cost does not leave much room for adjustment by number. Meaning since this record is only worth 45 bucks, you can’t really say that a #23 is worth any less than a #13. 10 years from now the price difference will of course be staggering.
The 7″ I normally compare to this, collecting wise, is Saves the Day - I’m Sorry I’m Leaving. Since Saves the Day is still around and I’m Sorry I’m Leaving came out in the middle of 1999, I can see the cost difference. In white it goes for about $150 on ebay. But what I think is interesting is that Saves the Day only pressed about 500 of these. 400 in white and 100 in pink. The Movie Life pressed a 1000 with a 100 being white. The black fetches about 20$ on ebay. So why so much for the white??? Sure it has unrelased songs, but so does the black. It’s because collecting is retarded right now. It’s becoming more about collecting than it is about the music. But this record has both. It has collecting value, numbered to 100 in white. And it has music value. Unreleased songs only available on vinyl. This is why I believe this album will eclipse the Saves the Day 7″ fairly soon.

H2O - Seveninch Blue Marble 1st Pressing Ltd to 300

Last week I picked up this H2O 7 called Seveninch. I have this 7 already but in black. It’s not the first pressing, so I thought I’d give this limited pressing 7, a new home next to it’s very common brother. Little did i know the price I was going to pay for this thing…$25+. What’s crazy about that is that I bought the black for about 3 or 4 bucks about 5 years ago and it’s still on sale at Equal Vision for like 5 or 6. Well it says you can buy it online. You never really know until you click it. So for a record, that you can still possibly buy, I had to plunk down 25+ for this one. This 7 has 2 older recordings of Temperature and I Know Why. It really brings back memories of the wetlands. Vinyl collecting is at it’s peak right now. This is proof of that. In my next post I will show a record that I believe is going to be one the most highly sought after records in the coming years. It’s already a ridiculous amount of money for a 7″ pressed during this century. Till then, See Ya!

Jan 2, 2009 Quicksand : Manic Compression 1st Pressing Ltd to 300

I picked this baby up about a week ago on ebay for 70+. It’s Revelation Records #43. It’s a 1st Pressing limited to 300 in white. This is one of my most favorite albums. I will probably need to pick up a later pressing soon, because I’m really itching to listen to it, and it has only been out of it’s sleeve 3 times. 2 for photos and 1 to check color. So it’s never seen a needle. And I’d like to keep it that way.
This album was there last LP and it’s very tough to call which album is better, this or Slip. I like this one, and people might crucify me for saying it. But you gotta respect the purchase. 70+ for a record still available on CD. This album is in that weird early to mid 90s post hardcore genre that included bands like Orange 9mm, Day in the Life, and Shelter. They all have that sound that’s so easily recognized.
I think it’s amazing that when you type “Quicksand” into google. The second listing is the band’s terrible, but informative, website. I mean the word “Quicksand” is such a common word, and to be listed second is really something.
Lastly, you know you have a sick collection when you’re using a Kid Dynamite demo to prop up your Manic Compression 1st pressing for a picture….look closely and you’ll see what I mean.

See Ya!
Nick