One of my long time best friends and fellow record collector Charlie Whited suggested that I devote some space on this blog to nice additions to my record collection. As I'm always looking for good vinyls and constantly growing my swelling collection, I thought this would be a fun contribution to this blog. I'll probably start showing off parts of my collection, rarities, imports, and so on. Even if you're not into record collecting, I hope you'll still enjoy hearing what particular records mean to me, or the process in which some music you hopefully like as well was originally printed.
A good one to start off this aspect of the blog with would be the record I received just today in the mail. It's no secret that my all time favorite band is Converge. The technicality, passion, and devotion this band possesses is often copied, but never matched. Around the time of Converge's second album, "Petitioning The Empty Sky", they put out an EP on 7" record called "Unloved and Weeded Out" which featured three songs, "Home Song", "For You", and "Jacob's Ladder". These songs are featured in live versions at the end of the original release of the "Petitioning The Empty Sky" album. In 2003, Converge decided to take that 7" and add some B-sides, unreleased tracks, demo versions, and live material, creating an album of the same name, "Unloved and Weeded Out". It was released on both CD and vinyl, but the vinyl was released in two formats. In Europe it was released as one 12" record. in the states, it was released in an unusual format. The album was spread out on 4 7" records. I'm not sure what made them print the album this way, perhaps because the original "Unloved and Weeded Out" was on 7". The first print of this unique album had each of the four records in a different color (red, clear, yellow, and green) while the second printing had all discs in white. I managed to land a first press in mint condition, with the clear red, clear, clear yellow and clear green discs, not too simple a feat as it's out of print and not always easy to find a copy of. It features a 7" size gatefold cover including lyrics on the inside and the 4 discs. Here now are images of this incredible collection:
look at how fucking cool that is! I'm way excited, it's definitely a nice addition to the collection. I'll have more soon, thanks for reading for now!
4 comments:
1) When did they start making non-black records?
2) DEAD TECHNOLOGY. WHY SUPPORT IT?
Go to the north pole and throw these in the snow. Free house!
Carter, since the seventies actually. its actually been a big thing in the punk rock and hardcore communities to print your records in different editions with different colors. you wouldn't believe the colors and pictures i have on some of these albums.
David, that's right, i will build my fortress of solitude out of records. It will be awesome.
Carter, i also only just noticed your second question. I supprt it for multiple reasons. i have no longer use for CDs with the rise of the ultimate portable music medium, digital files. CDs often remain in print as well. records are sedimentary, you have to play them in the one spot, they're not very portable. they're collectible with bands doing low prints of different versions and colors, plus and i know this sounds goofy or pretentious, but there is a certain sound that vinyl albums have that is lost in digital information like on an mp3 or cd. The beats of 36 Chambers sound so much more raw, black flag riffs sound so much more raw, even david bowie's vocals sound more untamed. vinyl has both this odd audio clarity, yet distinct raw sound that is irresistible to my on all of my favorite albums. Plus, it;s not quite as dead as you think, bands, even exceedingly popular major label bands, still press vinyl versions of their albums
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