Inhaler

A year and a bit ago I got back into Tad bigtime. I picked up a shitload of Tad records and then a little later I got around to downloading a couple of their major label LPs that I had completely ignored when they came out in the 90s. I guess they came out at a time when I had moved on to straight edge hardcore, so Tad was not cool with me anymore. But this was a time when vinyl sales were shrinking and major labels were starting to pull out of pressing it, and any that they did press was probably not in large quantities. So basically, when I decided that I wanted these records over 20 years after their release, I found it surprisingly difficult to find them either in good condition or for a good price.

'Inhaler' was the band's major label debut, and came out in 1994 on Giant Records (the label that released the Dag Nasty 'Field Day' LP). I added this to my discogs and ebay searches over a year ago, and finally one came up for sale at a low-ish price. It was also in the UK, meaning cheap shipping.

It also turned out to be a promo copy, with a press kit (aka a piece of paper).

It's funny, but I kinda expected that this would be pretty weak compared to their previous efforts on Sub Pop, but I was wrong. This thing is like a juggernaut. I'm glad to add it to the collection, albeit 24 years after its initial release.

So this got me to looking for a couple of other Tad records that I was missing. I managed to pick up a reasonably priced copy of the split 7" with a band called Pussy Galore.

This 7" was released as a part of the Sub Pop Singles Club back in 1989. There were 2500 copies, all on black vinyl. Each band covers the Black Flag songs 'Damaged I' and 'Damaged II'.

There are still more Tad records I don't have, so hopefully those will feature on here before the year is out.

S.T.E

So when I had the Turnstile LP shipped to my friend who was coming to visit, I also took the opportunity to have a fresh eBay win shipped there too. I mean, the only thing better than someone coming to visit and bringing you a record would be someone coming to visit and bringing you TWO records, right?

I won this on eBay about two weeks ago. A test press of the Set To Explode 7" that was released by Grave Mistake Records back in 2005. Sadly it was the only record that the band released, but what a corker it is. I had a couple of chances to pick up a test press over the past ten years, but they were always going for $100 or more, which I considered to be too much. So only twelve years later or so, I managed to pick one up for almost half price.

this one comes in a photocopied sleeve, which is kind of a tribute to the classic S.O.A. 7". As you can see, this is hand numbered out of 24 copies.

If I had more time I might have taken an updated collection photo, but I've been really struggling for light these days so it'll have to wait for another time.

Time And Space

A couple of weeks ago, Turnstile played a release show for their new LP 'Time And Space'. A week later and a friend hit me up and asked me if I wanted a copy of the release show LP. Given that I hadn't ordered a copy of the LP at all when it launched (due to the limited colours selling out within seconds), I jumped at the chance. Even better, but a friend from the States was due to come visit, so I had it shipped to him and he brought it over for me and handed it to me in person, so I received it just after a week after the show. How awesome is that?

So the packaging on this record is pretty damn cool. But requires several pictures to explain if you haven't seen it in real life...

So the slightly different thing about this is that the release show bit of this package is a single paper insert. It sits inside the 'cover' but on top of the gatefold sleeve.

This insert is numbered out of 200 copies in the bottom right corner. Apparently the red vinyl is also exclusive to the release show LP, which is kinda cool. Most release show versions these days seem to be the most common vinyl colour but in a limited sleeve. So it's cool to see a special colour as well as a different 'cover'.

So once the release show insert is removed, what's left is the standard packaging.

So the sleeve of this thing is a double affair. A gatefold sleeve slipped inside another sleeve which has a big hole in the front. I'm not sure how else to describe it.

Here's a few photos of the gatefold sleeve once taken out of the slipcase style cover:

What's quite interesting is that the back of the gatefold sleeve actually looks like a back cover. Bearing in mind it is supposed to be completely hidden inside the slipcase cover, it seems weird, as strictly speaking it isn't visible. Although, that said, the inside of the gatefold is also hidden too. I guess the gatefold sleeve is kinda like an elaborate insert.

The final pic shows the actual back cover (of the slipcase thing that the gatefold sleeve sits inside of).

So aside from the packaging, what is this like? In short, it's fuckin' rad. There have been a lot of buzz over this record, and I can see why. It suonds like the next step on from their previous LP, and a tad more 'mature'. But at only 25 minutes or so, it's just too short, which means I've been getting through it about 4 times a day for the past two weeks... which means I'm already starting to feel I've had enough of it. The exact same thing happened with their first LP. I payed the hell out of it for about a month then never listened to it again. Hopefully this one will have a bit more longevity.

Live At TIHC MMXVI

I've probably mentioned before that live records are largely pointless, but when they're from a band that you're obsessive about then there's no question that you need them in your life. Case in point, this Integrity 'Live At This Is Hardcore 2016' LP. This was released last year, but it's taken me several months to actually get my copy, and a couple more to experience a day with no clouds and enough life to be able to see it. So by now it's pretty old news.

Interestingly, this isn't actually released by any label. It was put out by Dom & Dwid jointly and sold as a fan thing for a tour. As you can see, it's hand numbered out of 250 copies.

As usual, I also managed to get my hands on a test press. I have no idea how many copies exist, but mine came in a hand drawn cover:

Records At Nite

A few weeks ago someone on my facebook feed this question popped up; 'Anyone else out there agree that the, “I just needed a day to feel lonely and blue” bridge, in Lifetime’s “All Night Long”, is the actual greatest 19 seconds ever put to wax?'. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm generally not very good at song titles. Most of the time I just listen to songs. I might learn a lot of the words through repeated listens, but I don't sit there reading the titles whilst the songs play. So my first thought was 'which song is it? I'll check... And then, after scanning through the songs on my ipod, I realised that I didn't appear to own the song in question at all. I was confused, so I googled it and then discovered that that it was on their last album, which I never actually got around to.

So of course, after downloading it and giving it a go, I soon found it on constant rotation. It's a pretty short record, so I was getting through it 3 or 4 times a day. It was then pretty obvious that I needed to own the record, so I went straight to Discogs and did my best purchasing manoeuvre.

This album was released by Fuelled By Ramen in 2006. I actually went to see the band play on the tour for this record, but didn't end up getting in to the show (I hadn't bought a ticket and didn't realise it was sold out, but even when I found this out I still optimistically thought that I would be able to sneak in once they came on. But alas, it didn't happen). Seems crazy that it was 12 years ago. Anyway, there were apparently 250 of the first press copies on red vinyl, so that's what I grabbed. Owning one of the many repress colours on No Idea just didn't seem good enough. You know how it is.