Record Shopping at Amoeba in Hollywood, Part Six.

Here's yet another shot of yet another part of the 7" section at Amoeba. I didn't go through any of the 70's or 80's boxes down there, but only because I didn't have time. You can also see the 50 Cent Indie section there, where I spent some solid time. On the far left they even have a section for Hip Hop/Rap 7"s. Now there's something you don't often see.

OK: Think I can get through the rest of my 7" purchases in one more entry here.


Some Velvet Sidewalk - "Pumpkin Patch" (1991)

This is my first-ever Some Velvet Sidewalk purchase, which isn't too surprising, but I've always been curious about this band, so I'm glad I picked this up. Found it for 50 cents and figured I'd give it a go. The tracks are exactly as lo-fi as I figured they would be, but actually much more listenable than I thought they might end up. Three songs here, including the title track, "Apple," and "The Burning World." I have a feeling this will not be my last SVS record.


Vitapup - "Disbelief" (1995)

My brother is a big fan of this band, so this caught my eye. The half-dollar price tag and a song titled "Laxative Cat" sealed the deal. The other song (There are two cuts on Side B) is called "My Abortion," which, despite its disturbing title, is actually a really catchy and pleasant tune. Seriously. I've only listened to this record once through, but I'm enjoying it. "Laxative Cat' is a rowdy jam that I can get with.



Teen Angels - The Early Years (1995)

Well, it looks like my Teen Angels collection is almost complete. One more single and I think I've got their shit on lock. Not much info on where these two songs came from, but a re-recorded version of the A-side, "Go Away," would end up on their lone full-length. The B-side, "Nightmare," appears to be only available here. By the way, this is on Scooch Pooch records, whose logo is a dog dragging his ass on the ground.



Urge Overkill - Lineman (1987)

This is one of the earliest Urge Overkill releases (in fact, they're called The Urge Overkill on the front), and their first for Touch and Go, where they would stay for many years. I actually came across this record a few times when my brother and I went to Seattle, but I passed it up because I could have sworn I had already bought it. Upon coming home to find that I did not own it, I kicked myself. And then I found it for a buck at Amoeba. Contains "Wichita Lineman" and "Head On" - not the Jesus & Mary Chain one; a UO original.


Jonestown - You Can't Swim with Handcuffs On... (1991)

Well, would you look at that: I got another Jonestown single. This one seems to have some sort of political angle to it, which I don't care for. But I'm pretty much down for any piece of vinyl from the C/Z label circa 1991, so I was glad to pick this up. The tracks here are "Recall" and "Screw Crude" and the back of the cover has some long diatribe (possibly lyrics) about how crude oil is bad. Huh.


The Spinanes - "Rummy" (1992)

Early Spinanes single that looks to either be their first or (probably) their second release. A little more mellow than the Manos sound they're known for, but whatever: these are cool songs. "Hawaiian Baby" is the B-side, and it's a sparse tune that makes me wonder why this band wasn't crazy famous. Seems like they could have had a wider audience. Scott Plouf is wearing sunglasses in the picture on the back because he is a relentless cool guy.



Busdriver and Radioinactive as The Weather - "Touch Type" (2002)

This was mixed in with the indie records when it probably should have been in with the rap stuff, which surprised me given Amoeba's diligent organization. I solved the problem for them by removing it and then buying the shit out of it. I picked up the full-length that these guys did (also with Daedelus) a while back, but didn't even know about this single, and had not heard these songs before. The B-side is called "Winthorp & Winthorp" and it is sweet. Boom.


Velvet Monkeys - "Rock the Nation" (1991)

The dude over at Pette Discographies has a theory that "This one can be found at any record store in the world at any time." He may be onto something. I've definitely seen this record a bunch of times, and Amoeba had at least two copies of it that I saw. Still, it's a Sub Pop single from the 90's, it's on clear vinyl, and Thurston Moore is pictured on the back playing bass. And it was a dollar. So I got it. The songs are covers (the flip is "Why Don't We Do It In the Road?") and they are not very good.


Wool - "Medication" (1992)

Wool is never quite as good as I remember them being, but I can still get down for this song. And for a buck, I felt it was worth having. It's on clear red vinyl and features the B-side "Marky St. James," which is just a prank call made by a guy claiming to be a metal vocalist trying to get an audition with a band. The track is also a hidden song at the very end of the vinyl version of Budspawn, the LP from which "Medication" comes. Wacky stuff.


Royal Trux - "I'm Ready" (1998)

People try to charge far too much for Royal Trux singles on eBay, so I was excited to find this one (and another one) at Amoeba. "I'm Ready" is a great tune from Accelerator, and this thing also has two B-sides: The super-weird instrumental, "P.T. 20," and their own very non-traditional take on the old blues number, "Mr. Crump Don't Like It." I had not heard either of these songs before, so I'm excited about 'em.



Royal Trux - "Waterpark" (1999)

These Royal Trux singles were two of the more expensive 7"s I picked up at Amoeba, but I regret nothing. "Waterpark" is an extremely awesome song, and the B-side here, "Waterpark (version)" is as fucked-up as I expect the Trux to be, crushing the title track down to a barely-recognizable shell of its former self. Is it unlistenable? My wife thinks so. But that's why Jesus invented headphones.

And, if you can believe it, that wraps it up. Let me reiterate: All of these records, combined, cost me around $150. And that's with sales tax. Amoeba has ruined me for all other record stores. Here's another picture I took, after I finally went upstairs and looked around their huge-ass movie section.

Jealous? You should be. Really hoping they send me back down there again next year.

Record Shopping at Amoeba in Hollywood, Part Five.

Here's a shot of another small part of the Amoeba 7" section. I didn't go through all of these boxes, but I did browse through some of them. As you can see, there's a whole box dedicated to The Damned. Not really my thing, but that's pretty cool. Also down there: Punx & Skins, Thrash, Metal, Black Metal & Grindcore, East Coast Hardcore, West Coast Hardcore, and Straight Edge. I love the organization.

On with my 7" purchases.


godheadSilo - "Elephantitus of the Night" (1994)

Another godheadSilo record that I'd been looking at on eBay and just never went for. Again: glad I didn't. Picked this one up for a few bucks, and after I just spent 10 minutes picking the sticker that was underneath the Amoeba sticker off it (which must have been the original), it's looking good as new. Still don't understand why Stephen Malkmus is at the end of the first song on this.



Smegma - "Thicket" (1992)

It's an exciting moment in any young man's life when he purchases his first Smegma record. Not sure why I waited so long. Maybe it's that the band has one of the most insanely expansive catalogs in all of music. Maybe it's that Smegma scares me a little bit. The A-side is much more coherent than I assumed it would be, but the flip, "Vox," is about what I expected: man-made sound effects with people saying things like "nail-driven dick" over it. I was right to be scared. Red vinyl. Sympathy.


Archers of Loaf - "Vocal Shrapnel" (1996)

You don't often see Archers of Loaf singles in the bins - or at least I don't - so I was more than willing to grab this for the whopping three-dollar price tag. The sleeve is a parody of the emergency instruction cards you find in the seat pockets of airplanes, and I have to say: this thing is quite faithful in its presentation. Even opens up and has more stuff on the inside of the cover. Nice thick paper, too. And, both songs (the B-side is "Density") are great.


The Von Bondies - "Tell Me What You See" (2004)

While (Single Version) usually means that a song is edited down for radio play, in this case, "Tell Me What You See" is actually about 20 seconds longer than the album version, which clocks in at less than two minutes. So, it's still a really short song, but I thought that was kind of interesting. The B-side is "Suzie," which I had never heard before. This is Pawn Shoppe Heart-era, which was a strong time for the band. Pink vinyl.


Gas Huffer/Fastbacks - "King of Hubcaps"/"Lose" (1990)

Random-ass split between two NW semi-legends that I almost forgot I bought. My Huffer collection grows. Sort of a strange mix between the two bands, but I guess that's to be expected. The Gas Huffer track is rowdy and loose (as is their M.O.), and the Fastbacks song is sturdy, calculated, poppy, and very catchy. Sounds about right. Black vinyl on the very obscure Steve Priest Fan Club label. Huh?


Local H - "24 Hour Break-Up Session" (2008)

Local H aren't big on 7" releases, so this is sort of a novelty record, but I still think it's pretty cool. Says it's a limited edition of 1,000, but the spot where somebody was supposed to write in the copy number ("__/1000") is blank, so I don't know what's up with that. What I do know is that the B-side on this is their cover of TV on the Radio's "Wolf Like Me," and it's fairly badass. Clear red vinyl.



Steel Pole Bath Tub - "Auf Wiedersehen" (1995)

SPBT covers two Cheap Trick songs on this single ("Surrender" is the B-side), and are strangely faithful in their own way. Which is great. I don't know what it is about Amoeba, but it seems like they've always got Steel Pole Bath Tub shit on hand. Last time I went down there I walked out with three Steel Pole 7"s and a full-length, and this time I passed up some stuff that I already had but came out with this, which I am very happy with. Clear yellow vinyl and a propaganda-filled sleeve.


Ovarian Trolley - "Serenity" (199?)

Ovarian Trolley info is sparse on the web. I picked up one of their full-length records semi-recently but apparently I didn't mention it on here because I can't find any evidence of it. Anyway, they did a split single with Hazel many years ago, and I find their music somewhat interesting, so for 50 cents, I wasn't going to pass this by. Can't find a date on it to save my life, but the label that put it out (Imp) has a Portland address. So that's something.


St. Johnny - "Go To Sleep" (1992)

I'm not even gonna front, y'all: I had this band confused with some other band, and that's why I bought this. Turns out I recognized their name from that old DGC Rarities comp, and I guess that's why I thought I knew them... I don't know. Whatever the case, I spent 50 cents on this and it's really not that bad, actually. Three tracks of 90's rock from Chicago. 33 on one side and 45 on the other, which is always fun.



Flop - "Act I, Scene I" (1995)

I own Flop & The Fall of the Mopsqueezer! on cassette, and while it's never quite clicked with me, I've always felt like they're a Seattle band that I should get to know better than I do. When I found this for 50 cents and saw that it was on Steve Turner's Super-Electro label, I figured I'd give 'em another go. The title track is strong, and Side 2 features two covers: "I Am A Potato" by Devo and "The Place I Love" by The Jam. Also includes original Super-Elector mail order insert, which is photocopied and hastily cut with dull scissors.

There's still more coming. Stay tuned.

Record Shopping at Amoeba in Hollywood, Part Four.

As you may have guessed from my last post, Amoeba has some of their 7"s divided up by label. As you can see in the picture up there (especially if you look at the big version), on the bottom row of boxes they've got five that aren't the Indie or $1 Indie ones.

They are: Indie Splits, K vs. Kill Rock Stars, Sub Pop, Mega 90's, and Sympathy for the Record Industry. Such a sweet idea, but only if you've got enough stock to justify it. And, they do. I spent some serious time in these sub-sections. Obviously.

On with my 7" haul.


Calamity Jane - "Miss Hell"/"My Spit" (1991)

I realize the songs are listed in the other order on the cover, but that's how they're situated on the actual record, so I'm assuming "Miss Hell" is the A-side here...? I guess it doesn't really matter. These are both cool songs, and the cover is pretty sweet, too. Mine is the pink vinyl version, so it matches the sleeve. Almost perfectly, actually, which is impressive. My first official Calamity Jane purchase. I should have had this 20 years ago and been using it to impress chicks. Damn.


Godzik Pink - "Nursery Lime" (1998)

Super-sharp Stallion Alert readers may recall that my brother bought this single when we went to Singles Going Steady in Seattle. We played it when we got back and I was intrigued and impressed. Plus, he's been championing them for some time now. So, when I came across this record in the Sympathy for the Record Industry box (along with the Calamity Jane record), I snatched it up. Two bucks. And it is awesome. Black vinyl, and label says "new musical science series: volume 2." Hmmm.


godheadSilo - Thee Friendship Village EP (1993)

I was listening to a lot of godheadSilo a few months back, and I watched as a few of these popped up on eBay. Glad I didn't bite. Got this four-song 7" for two bucks, which is less than the shipping would have been had I eBayed it. And boy, is it noisy. Also, the labels are reversed. And, in between the two songs on each side the groove in the record locks so it loops and you have to manually move the needle. These nutty guys.



Jonestown - "Twenty Five Years" (1990)

I'm pretty sure I know this band solely from their contribution to the Teriyaki Asthma compilation, which is a nutso song called "Fuck Your High and Get You Up." The two songs here are nothing like that. "Twenty Five Years" is a slow-ish, steady rocker that seems to be about something serious. The B-side is "I Love You, You Big Dummy," which is a much more lunacy-filled Captain Beefheart cover, but still not too chaotic. Cool, though. Green marbled vinyl. Another Sympathy joint.


Mocket - "Un-Man" (1999)

I went from having no Mocket records to almost owning their entire discography in a matter of months. Which isn't interesting aside from the fact that I made very little effort in making it happen. I just keep coming across their records. At this rate, I should be the proud owner of the "Pearl Drop" 7" in the next few weeks. I'm sure I'll come across it. This single is from the Kill Rock Stars Mailorder Freak thing, and is a limited edition of 2000, which you wouldn't know from the three copies at Amoeba.


Satisfact - "Life Abroad" (1996)

Speaking of Matt Steinke-related bands who's discographies I've inadvertently acquired, according to Discogs, this record completes my Satisfact collection. I've somehow picked up all their LPs, and now there's this. I'm sure my brother will inform me of something I'm missing, but again: fairly impressive considering the amount of effort I've put in. This is possibly their first-ever release...?

OK. I'm tired. More soon.

Record Shopping at Amoeba in Hollywood, Part Three.

The 7" section at Amoeba is insane. Meticulously organized, reasonably priced and, as far as 7" sections go, huge.

I spent a lot of my time is this little nook of the store. As you can see in the picture, there's bins on top, but there's also boxes underneath. Opposite this spot, there's table space where you can set your selected box and comfortably flip to your heart's content. If you're lucky, you might not have to do it next to a stinky dude with face and hand tattoos. If you're lucky.

Here's the first part of my 7" haul, in no particular order. NSFW Dwarves cover below, if that matters to you.


Dwarves - "Anybody Out There" (1993)

Certainly one of the more tame covers for any Dwarves release. This is a Sugarfix-era single, and one of their last releases on Sub Pop before the label booted them for faking their guitarist's death. The title track was one of their longest songs up to this point, clocking in at a whopping three minutes. The b-side, "Who Cares," more than makes up for it, both by being super-short and by barely being a song. This is slightly rare and I was happy to find it.


Dwarves - "Drug Store" (1990)

Now there's the cover art you'd expect to see from this gang of hooligans. Not sure if this came out before their Sub Pop debut or not, but it features four tracks lifted directly from Blood, Guts, & Pussy: "Drug Store," "Detention Girl," "Astro Boy," and "Motherfucker." The whole thing probably clocks in at about five minutes. But the classiness that is displayed here - well, that can never be measured.



Hazel - "Jilted" (1993)

My wife saw me admiring this after I had unpacked my records and she said, "Don't you already have that?" And I said, "Well, yes and no. Technically, yes. But I don't have the ultra-rare black vinyl version. Mine is the more common grey marbled copy." She was not impressed. But what I said is strangely true. You don't often see this record on the usually-standard black wax. Me and the other four Hazel collectors out there know this.



Crackerbash - "Nov. 1" (1992)

I was hoping I'd find this while I was down there. Not that it's some crazy rare single, but I haven't come across a copy up in these parts, and this was one of the few Crackerbash singles that I hadn't tracked down yet. I think there's still one or two more out there that I don't have, but I'm getting closer. This one's from the Sub Pop Singles Club (August of '92), and it's pressed on sweet purple marbled vinyl. Cost: one dollar.



Teen Angels - "Teen Dream" (1995)

I originally bought the Teen Angels LP, Daddy, because Eddie Spaghetti from the Supersuckers does vocals on it and has a co-writing credit or something. I still know nothing about these ladies, except that I think one of the girls from Dickless is in the group. Also, I am actually starting to like their music. It's pretty rough, and I can get with that. This single contains an alternate (different than the LP) version of the title track, as well as the non-album cut, "Julie's Jazz Odyssey," which ends with a phone message from Jonathan Poneman. Good stuff.


Love Battery - "Foot" (1991)

More 90's Sub Pop - are you seeing a trend here? It shouldn't be a surprise. This is a very un-rare single by a band that I really wish I would have gotten into 20 years ago. But, it's never too late, right? Sure. The title track would end up on their Dayglo LP, but I'm fairly certain the flipside, "Mr. Soul" (a Buffalo Springfield cover) was exclusive to this release. Sub Pop Singles Club November of '91. Green marbled vinyl. Cover art by Ed Fotheringham. Those are all awesome things.


Velocity Girl - "Crazy Town" (1992)

Is this my first Velocity Girl 7"? I think it is. That's sad. But this is a great one to start with. The title track would go on to be one of the standout cuts on their Sub Pop debut, Copacetic, and I believe the b-side, "Creepy," is exclusive to this single. But I don't know that for sure. My copy is on blue vinyl, which, according to the greatest Sub Pop collectors site ever, is one of the rarer colors to score of this thing. And I didn't have to pay anywhere near the price that he's got listed there.


Skin Yard - "Start At the Top" (1989)

Now this is Seattle rock. Jack Endino's former band never really hit it big, but I always thought they had a sweet name and I've passed this single by a few times. No more. I finally decided to snatch it up because the price couldn't be beat, and these old Sub Pop singles with the classic covers are just too good. This one's on white vinyl and is extremely grungy. And if it wasn't I'd be pissed.



Gas Huffer - "Hot Cakes" (1992)

The lone Gas Huffer release on Sub Pop, if you can believe that. My Gas Huffer collection is sad, and though I don't plan on getting nuts about remedying that, I thought this cool-ass single would at least give me a little more cred in the Huffer dept. The title track is about pancakes, and the b-side is called "Beer Drinkin' Cavemen from Mars." Of course it is. Clear green vinyl with a foldout insert on the inside that has a picture of the guys eating huge stacks of hotcakes. Nice.

That's enough for now. More soon.

Record Shopping at Amoeba in Hollywood, Part Two.

Think I've still got one more entry devoted to 12"s before I get into the fat stack of 7"s I picked up.

Amoeba has a huge hip hop section, and they've got an entire side of an aisle dedicated to nicely priced 12" singles and full-lengths that are, for whatever reason, also very affordable. Coming from Portland, where hip hop sections in record stores are notoriously weak, this is always exciting for me. There are tons of sweet deals, which gives you the opportunity to pick up stuff that you wouldn't normally buy, simply because it's two or three bucks.

Like this stuff.


Paris - "Break the Grip of Shame" 12" (1989)

I can't be sure of this, but I think this might be the first Paris release ever. On the back it says, "taken from the forthcoming Tommy Boy/Scarface LP The Devil Made Me Do It," which means that this single was out before his debut. So that's pretty cool. Features the "Radio Mix," as well as the "The Final Call" remix, which is over eight minutes long and is super sweet. The label on one side features the regular Tommy Boy logo and the other side is just a drawing of a black panther. Classic P-Dog.


3rd Bass - "Product of the Environment" 12" (1990)

This is a strange one. It features two songs: one from their debut, and one from their sophomore album. Not sure how that works. I guess "3 Strikes 5000" was a b-side until it showed up on Derelicts of Dialect? However that went down, this is a cool single, because it's got three versions of each song, and ends up being a solid amount of music. The two remixes of the title track are dope, and the "Bonus Beatz" version of "3 Strikes 5000" even makes for a cool instrumental.


Bobby Jimmy & The Critters - "Fresh Guys" 12" (1985)

Before he hooked up with N.W.A., Arabian Prince was in a West Coast comedy rap group called Bobby Jimmy & The Critters. I did not know this until I found this record while flipping through the aforementioned budget hip hop bin at Amoeba. This record was only a few bucks, and I couldn't resist it. I just had to hear it. It is awkward. Check out more of the cover art here. Arabian Prince does not look stoked.


The Genius - "Come Do Me" 12" (1991)

If you've ever heard this pre-GZA masterpiece, then you know that you're definitely going to need an extended remix, as well as a dub version to really get the full picture of what The Genius is trying to tell you. This 12" also contains an additional remix (no album version?), as well as the LP cut, "Phony As Ya Wanna Be." The cover alone was enough to sell me, so I did not hesitate to snatch this up.


Big Daddy Kane - "Uncut, Pure"/"2 Da Good Tymz" 12" (1998)

Collecting Big Daddy Kane 12"s is going to be a long process, but also a fun one. I don't have too many, so I'm always happy when I find one at a good price. This is from his strangely not-popular Veteranz Day LP, and both of these songs are great. Features a random assortment of remixes, instrumentals, and even an a cappella version thrown in for good measure. Pretty common single, but I did not have it.


Obie Trice - Second Round's On Me (2006)

I almost bought this for ten bucks when my brother and I went up to Seattle for our record-shopping mission, and now I'm glad I didn't. Found a solid used copy for three dollars at Amoeba. It's got a black marker line through the barcode, but I couldn't care less. Double LP, gatefold cover, and the vinyl is not jacked up at all. It was on clearance in Seattle, too: apparently this is not the most popular album. But I like it.


The Streets - Original Pirate Material (2002)

This was easily my biggest splurge of the whole excursion, and I feel good about that. This is my favorite Streets record, and I've been looking for a used LP copy to replace my CD for a long time. They never seem to pop up. This one was definitely more than any of the other 12"s/LPs I bought, but I told myself that if I ever found a decent used copy, I would buy the shit out of it. So I did. Double LP, original inserts, and super-sturdy cardboard cover. Looking forward to revisiting why I dug this record so hard almost ten years ago.

And, I believe that does it for the 12" portion of my haul. Coming up: a bunch of 7"s. Get ready.

Record Shopping at Amoeba in Hollywood, Part One.

Almost a year to the day after I first set foot in what now is officially my favorite record store in the world, I had the chance to go back. For two nights. Of course, I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked, but considering everything else I had going on, I think I did OK. And, not surprisingly, I had no trouble spending my predetermined record budget, while also being careful to get just enough stuff to fill the empty space I left in my suitcase on the way there.

I was in Los Angeles for work, and staying at a hotel that was a little less than a mile from Amoeba. I had to work from 9-5 (ish) for the three days I was there, and on the third day I had to leave right after the work day was done. So, I only had two days to do what I was going to do Amoeba-wise.

My flight from Portland to LAX was delayed an hour, so instead of getting in at 11:30 on Wednesday night, I got in well after midnight, and by the time my packed shuttle dropped me off at my hotel, It was after 2 in the morning. I had to get up before 8, and I was mad tired Thursday morning. I caffeined my way through the day, but I was hurting by the time 5 rolled around. I decided to nap for a few hours, and then hit Amoeba. It was a nice walk, and a nice night. I was pretty out of it when I was there the first night, but I picked up some cool shit.

The second night was shaping up to be more of full-fledged evening, but that day I found out that the Sklar brothers were doing comedy at this comic book store... It's a long story. The point is, I took a break to go do that and my night was split into two hour-and-a-half speed-flipping sessions.

So, I guess that's the overview. I got a ton of shit, and it's going to take a few entries to get through this. I don't remember what I bought on which night, and it doesn't matter. These will be in no order. But do know this: all of this stuff cost me a grand total of about $150. I don't usually talk about prices in this blog, but I think you'll be amazed at what I got for that amount of money.

Here we go.

Sugga and Spice - "Boyz Just Wanna Get Skeezed" 12" (1988)

Not sure how well you can make out the cover there, but the dog sitting in front of the Caddy the ladies are posing on is wearing Oakley Blades and a huge gold rope with a "Dream Team" medallion dangling off it. That sealed the deal right there, but the "No JJ Fad" emblem in the top right was the icing on the cake. This sounds exactly like I thought it would - like a low-rent Salt-n-Pepa. And the JJ Fad diss track is awesome.


Freddie Foxxx (Bumpy Knuckles) - "Bumpy Knuckles Baby"/"Stock in the Game" 12" (2000)

I feel like I own as ass-ton of Freddie Foxxx 12"s, but there still remain a bunch that I don't have. I honestly couldn't remember if I had this one or not, but it was only a few bucks, so I figured I'd get it, and if it turned out that it was already on my shelf, I could give it away. (I've made the mistake of not getting stuff like that too many times.) Turns out I didn't have it. Nothing really notable on here - the songs are both the album versions - but the cover is awesome, so I'm down.


Freddie Foxxx (Bumpy Knuckles) - "Tha Konexion" 12"(2003)

I'm not usually one for cover-less promo 12" singles, but for Bumpy I make an exception. This one is actually kind of cool. First off, there's no mention of Bumpy Knuckles on the label. Also, the track "Konexion" is here known as "Tha Konexion," which is a bit odd. But the best part is that it contains "Scram," a track from DJ Jazzy Jeff's 2002 album The Magnificent that features Bumpy on vocals. I did not have a copy of this song. And it is a good one.


Konfident - "Chosen Few" 12" (2002)

Had never even heard of this dude, but I was flipping through the hip-hop 12"s and saw Busdriver's mug on the front of this thing and I had to grab it. The title track is a posse cut featuring Busdriver, 2Mex, and Zig ESP, and it's a solid tune. Haven't had a chance to listen to the other two songs yet. LP has a blank white label, and Side 2 is instrumentals of the three Side 1 tracks.


Rottin Razkals - Rottin Ta Da Core (1995)

Treach tried hard to break this crew in the mid-90's, and it just wasn't in the cards. Naughty By Nature did the beats on this record, and they are dope as shit. I've had this on CD for a while, but had never come across the LP. Of course, Amoeba had two copies of it. Features sweet guest spots from Treach, as well as his other pet projects, Road Dawgs and Cruddy Click. Cool LP to have, even if it does have the gold promo stamp on the back.


B.M.O.C. - "Play That Funk" 12" (1988)

Two dudes in Harvard gear who call themselves Big Man on Campus? I'm in. This blatant attempt to cash in on the fame of the Beastie Boys is not nearly as terrible as I assumed it would be, but that's mostly because whoever did the music had their shit together. The drums are really solid, and apparently Nile Rogers produced it. It was executive produced by Brett Ratner, who now makes shitty movies. And it's on Sire records. Man, I miss the 80's. Such a weird one. And yes, it samples the shit out of "Play That Funky Music White Boy" or whatever that song is called. Hear it here.


Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo - "Poison" 12" (1988)

A sweet cut off the Road to the Riches LP, and yes, the one that Bell Biv Devoe sampled to make their hit of the same name. My Kool G. Rap collection is a sad one, and this makes things a little better. I love this song, and this single contains the album version, a really weird dub version, and a severely shortened radio edit. And the cover is awesome. Plus, I will literally purchase anything from 1988 or 1989 with the words "Produced by Marley Marl" on it.


All right - that's a good start. More to come soon.