Tag: Mill No. 5
Former textile mill in Lowell, MA that was home to Vinyl Destination, then later A Damn Shame records, as well as host of many record fairs. Now closed and being converted into apartments.
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Johnny Cash, I Walk the Line, 1971 on Hilltop / Pickwick.
Labelled as Pickwick/33 on the cover, by arrangement with Share records, but then with Hilltop yellow labels – discount reissue of material previously released on Sun Records. (Share acquired Sun’s catalog in 1969; Pickwick/33 was a subsidiary of Pickwick International which also owned Hilltop – Hilltop focused on country/western.). There are so many reissues of…
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John Mayall, Jazz Blues Fusion, 1972 on Polydor
Mayall is joined here by Larry Taylor, Freddy Robinson, Ron Selico, Clifford Solomon and Blue Mitchell – adding sax and trumpet to his traditional blues approach. Recoded in Boston (venue unstated) November 18th, 1971 and then at Hunter College in New York on December 3rd and 4th. My copy via a record fair at Mill…
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Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Hard Travelin’: songs by Woody Guthrie and others, 1977 on Fantasy
This is really a 2xLP reissue of two Prestige records: Jack Elliott Sings The Songs of Woody Guthrie (1960) and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (1961). Fantasy purchased the catalog of Prestige, Riverside, and Milestone in the early seventies. My copy is a pressing from some time in the 80s with the blue Fantasy labels, which I…
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Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On, 1971 on Tamla.
My copy is a late 90s reissue on 180g vinyl with replicated artwork, which I picked up at a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell. This is a must-have in every collection – find an older pressing if you can or a modern quality reissue. If you don’t know this album, go get…
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Michael Jackson, Thriller, 1982 on Epic
I remember listening to this right when it came out. I was young enough to not yet know I was supposed to reject Michael as too popular or unclear and instead just loved the grooves and the videos. My copy isn’t one I’ve had since then – I don’t think I even had a turntable…
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The Isley Brothers, 3+3 featuring: That Lady, 1973 on T-Neck
The Isley Brothers is one of those bands i didn’t know well but have started to appreciate more as I collect vinyl – whenever i find a record of theirs in decent shape I just pick it up. Picked up this copy via a vinyl fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell. In addition to…
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Muddy Waters, McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy Waters, 1971 on Chess Records.
2xLP collection of songs from 1948 to 1964 – hugely influential post-war era Chicago blues. Liner notes by Pete Welding. There are a ton of Muddy Waters compilations including a dozen plus just on Chess records, but I was really happy to find this one in good condition. My copy via a vinyl fair at…
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Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker, Groovin’ High, 1974 on EMUS
EMUS was a label that bought rights from bankrupt (or nearly so) labels and reissued them. These recordings were made in 1947 in NYC. Personnel here also includes Miles Davis, Max Roach, J.J. Johnson, Duke Jordan, and others. My copy via a vinyl fair (Thread & Groove) at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA.
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Eurythmics, In the Garden, 1981 on RCA
Many folks know Eurythmics only through a small set of hits – Sweet Dreams most notably, maybe a few others – but their output is really outstanding across the board both together and separately. Though Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox recorded together under earlier band names, In the Garden was their debut LP under the…
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The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Butt Rockin’, 1981 on Chrysalis
Kim Wilson, Jimmy Vaughan, Keith Ferguson, and Fran Christina, joined by the Roomful of Blues horn section. Produced by Denny Bruce, this was their third LP. I feel like somehow “Butt Rockin’” was an attempt to reclaim/reframe a dismissive moniker (that’s just butt rock), or just a straight ahead shake-your-caboose style call for rhythm &…
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Buckingham Nicks, Buckingham Nicks, 1973 on Polydor
Self-titled debut (and only full-length) by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, before they joined Fleetwood Mac. It was produced by Keith Olson and mostly features songs written by Buckingham and Nicks. These are hard to find – I think this is the only copy I’ve actually run across in the wild in a store. (It’s…
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Pink Floyd, Live at Knebworth 1990, 2021 on Pink Floyd Records / Sony Music Entertainment
Although the concert recorded here is from 1990 (“Recorded at Knebworth House, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, UK, on 30 June 1990 in aid of the Nordoff Robbins Music Centre and The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology”), the release is from 2021. Great pressing and packaging – two 45rpm records with an included booklet. This is…
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Bauhaus, The Sky’s Gone Out, 1982 on A&M / Beggars Banquet.
I’m a bit late for World Goth Day here, but I definitely went through a hardcore Bauhaus phase – listening to the 1979-1983 compilation (volume one with white cover and dark bauhaus face, volume two the inverse) more or less non-stop, and then branching out into all the post-Bauhaus spin-offs (Tones on Tail, Love and…
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Huey Lewis and the News, Sports, 1983 on Chrysalis
Pretty hard to ignore this LP if you were listening to the radio (or more accurately watching MTV which showed videos then) in the early 80s. I think at the time I rejected it as too pop, but I’ve come to appreciate it now. Heart of Rock & Roll, I Want a New Drug, even…
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Go Go’s, Vacation, 1982 on I.R.S. Records
This was the sophomore release, following Beauty and the Beat. Lead off single “Vacation” was an unavoidable hit that summer. Cowriting credit on “He’s So Strange” to Leonard Phillips from The Dickies and Catie Curtis – otherwise Carlisle, Caffey, Schock, Wiedlin, Valentine. Found my copy at Vinyl Destination in Lowell MA.
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John Mayall / Jerry McGee / Larry Taylor, Memories, 1971 on Polydor
More blues without drums from Mayall accompanied by Jerry McGee on dobro & guitar and Larry Taylor (from Canned Heat) on bass. Recorded in 1971 in LA. Via a Thread & Groove record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA.
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David Bowie, Space Oddity, (originally) 1969 on Mercury
An album so great they named it three times. 😉 Originally released with the album title “David Bowie” by Philips in the UK, but by Mercury in the US/Canada with the subtitle “Man of Words / Man of Music” added, in 1969; reissued in 1972 as “Space Oddity” to capitalize on the popularity of the…
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Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy, 1973 on Atlantic
As many record collectors know, it’s increasingly rare to find a reasonably priced Led Zeppelin LP in original pressing – I found this one at Thread & Groove record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell – in pretty decent shape. Monster album – the fifth full length, with Over the Hills and Far Away,…