David Lindley And El Rayo-X: Win This Record! (1982)

In addition to a lengthy discography of his own recordings, David Lindley has worked with a dizzying array of musicians. The list includes, Leonard Cohen, Graham Nash, Terry Reid, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, Warren Zevon, Dolly Parton, Ry Cooder, Joe Walsh, Marshall Crenshaw, Rickie Lee Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Ben Harper, etc.

Win This Record! landed in my collection by unknown means. The cover is severely water-damaged, and I cannot remember the last time I heard it. I was never enthusiastic about this record, though I know that many people love it.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Fiction Factory: Not The Only One (1985)

Here we have some Scottish new wave music. It's Scottish and it's new wave, so it's cannot be crap, but there are far better songs by Fiction Factory out there (Feels Like Heaven, for example) and there are far better Scottish new wave bands out there too (Simple Minds, Orange Juice).

This is a UK 12" with two versions of Not the Only One (Extended Mix and the so-called "Mix" Mix) plus a tune called Let Me Be a Part of It.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Marianne Faithfull: A Child's Adventure (1983)

A Child's Adventure is a lesser Marianne Faithfull record in her uneven recording career. Oddly, her output seems to have improved towards the end of the 80s. This record is totally unremarkable, though I am sure others will disagree.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

The Escape Club: Wild, Wild West (Dance Mix) (1988)

I'm guessing that Wild, Wild West is the best track from this mediocre 80s band. I think I've only ever heard two songs: this and the atrocious flip-side, We Can Run.

This 12" contains three mixes of Wild Wild West, just in case one or two aren't enough:

Wild, Wild West (Dance Mix)
Wild, Wild West (Edit)
Wild, Wild West (Wild, Wild Dub Club)

There is nothing remarkable here, but I challenge you to listen to all three mixes in a row.
   
I am sure everyone knows this song. When I hear it, I think it's OK, but I don't go out of my way to listen to the song. I should really expunge this record from my collection.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Roger Daltrey: After the Fire (1985)

I always felt that After The Fire was the best track from Under a Raging Moon, and now I just realized, for the first time, that the track was written by Pete Townshend. I think someone gave me this 12" single, though I am not sure.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Roger Daltrey: Parting Should be Painless (1984)

I agree with Allmusic's assessment of this record: "...for the most part, it consists of mediocre material indifferently sung." [source].

Bill Cosby: 200 M.P.H. (1968)

Suddenly, Bill Cosby is topical once again, but for all the wrong reasons. I should probably break this record into a thousand pieces and burn the jacket in my fireplace.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Ry Cooder: Jazz (1978)

I am not a major Ry Cooder fan by any means, but I do appreciate his guitar work. I prefer his later releases, particularly Mambo Sinuendo. But, this is a solid piece of work.

The Communards: You are My World b/w Breadline Britain & Sentimental Journey (1985)

You'll dance to anything by The Communards

After Jimmy Somerville left Bronski Beat, he formed The Communards. I find the band to be rather unremarkable, and so I am always reminded of the classic Dead Milkmen song, Instant Club Hit. I have no idea where I got this record.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Chysalis [Various]: For Promo Only (1987)

This is a strange promo record. I can tell from the scribbling on the label that it passed through the hands of the Vinyl Museum, but I don't think I bought it there. I suspect that it was something that fell into my hands at some point.

It has a couple of tracks--one a cover of the Star Spangled Banner--from Vinnie Vincent, who replaced Ace Frehley in KISS. Those two tracks are forgettable. In fact Ashes to Ashes is horrendous. On the other hand, there is a Housemartins song, which is a god thing. But, Dweezil Zappa covering his dad's My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama is stupid. I just have to ask why? The Divinyls should probably only be remembered for I Touch Myself. Instead, this record includes the boring Back to the Wall. This is a really schizophrenic record, with Sinead O'Connor and Paul Carrack providing some other songs, but then there is an Icehouse song. Oy vey. I should probably expunge this from the collection.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Malcolm Burn: Walk, Don't Run b/w Walk, Don't Run (1988)

For some reason, I have never opened this promotional 12" single. (It contains the same song on both sides). It's still sealed. I remember Malcolm from his early days with The Boy's Brigade. I think he is best known now for his work in New Orleans with Daniel Lanois and for his own production work. He has worked as a musician, producer, or co-producer for a whole host of artists, like Blue Rodeo, Bob Dylan, Midnight Oil, Emmylou Harris, Iggy Pop, Blue Peter, Patti Smith, etc.

Walk, Don't Run is a catchy tune, and I really love that he used a comma in the song title, rather than running the words together as so many others would have done.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Bread: The Best of Bread (1973)

I have no idea why I own this record.
Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

George Benson: Weekend in L.A. (1977)

This is a double album's worth of live Benson. I prefer it when he plays the guitar and doesn't sing. But, some people like the singing. I would rather have an all-instrumental album, but you have to give the people what they want, I guess. If you want your own vinyl copy, it's easy enough to find, for as little as couple of dollars.

Update: I have removed the record from my collection.

Long John Baldry: Long John Baldry (1980)

I struggled to figure out where to alphabetize this guy. Does he belong under L for Long and B for Baldry. I settled on B for Baldry. Maybe I should just get rid if it and solve the problem, since the album really bores me. There's really nothing to hold on to, in what I would call a weak collection of covers. The only memorable track is Morning Dew, but even that is not really so great. I have seen a few copies of this is $1 bins, so I guess I am not the only one who finds the music less than enlightening.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.

Bryan Adams: Diana (1985)

Perhaps repressed memories are a real phenomenon after all. I forgot I owned this record. I have no idea how I acquired it, and it really irks me to realize that I sold my copy of Pink Floyd's The Wall, and yet hung on to this. The only possible explanation is that The Wall had some resale value. This, perhaps not so much.

In searching for background information about this release, I discovered that the song was retired with the death of Lady Diana Spencer. That's fair enough, I suppose.

The most bizarre track on this EP is The Bryan Adamix. This track is what happens when you let children loose in the studio to mess around with the mixing boards. It's a medley of some of his tracks, glued together with a few beats to hide the transitions. I really don't understand why he allowed this to be released, and I wonder if he is now embarrassed by this Dr. Frankensteinish track. I would be.

Update: I have removed this record from my collection.