This Time It's Personal: The November 2023 Record Challenge Thread

November 14
(pulls record from behind coats in closet)
(to self) : “What? Why and when did I buy the Bay City Rollers?!”
Play a record that you have neglected or don’t recall buying. Now think: why do you have this? Why haven’t you played it? Do you even want it anymore? If not, why don’t you PIF it, if it offends you so much? Maybe because offering it up would offend everyone else? In that case, yeah, don’t PIF it, just drop it off at Goodwill.

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts "I Love Rock N Roll" (1981 Boardwalk Entertainment Co)
I'm not sure why I have this. I believe somebody gave it to me. I think I may have played it once or twice, probably the last time for a vinyl spin challenge more than a year ago. But it doesn't really offend me and as I play it now, it actually sounds pretty decent. But also the album is not that great. But it can stick around a bit longer for now.

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Day 14: (pulls record from behind coats in closet)
(to self) : “What? Why and when did I buy the Bay City Rollers?!”

There’s a number of records I bought from VMP that I haven’t played since I was a member or that I just pull out occasionally for vinyl challenges. This album is one of the former…

Betty Padgett - Betty Padgett

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I haven’t played this album since… I think 2018? Listening to it now, it’s pretty good!
 
November 14

Play a record that you have neglected or don’t recall buying. Now think: why do you have this? Why haven’t you played it? Do you even want it anymore? If not, why don’t you PIF it, if it offends you so much? Maybe because offering it up would offend everyone else? In that case, yeah, don’t PIF it, just drop it off at Goodwill.

Medicine Men - A Different Port

Doesn’t really fit the prompt I don’t think but oh well. This was a gift from @Thackeraye . He sent me a Fugazi record and tossed this into the box may be because he knew of my interest in bands from Scotland and the label Last Night In Glasgow in particular. I think at the time I described it as “a National tribute band from Scotland trying their hand at yacth rock”. I still can’t say I like it, but it is also very oddly intriguing and I keep coming back to it.
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November 9
“Oh yeah, I used to know those guys before they became huge. I served them coffee every day. They were cool then but their fame went to their heads.”

Play an artist from your hometown (or any of your previous homes of residence). Did you ever run into them?


Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden

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A Portland native, and occasional touring favorite of N&G. Can't say I've run into Haley in Portland in unexpected circumstances. I have seen her live earlier this year though!

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November 12
Play an artist that represents a certain style you adhered to during a certain time in your life.

Soundgarden - Superunknown

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I was in junior high in the early 90s and “alternative culture” certainly trickled down into the South Puget Sound. We all let our hair grow longer and stopped styling it with bright blue gels. We turned our radio dials from KUBE 93 to KNDD and even if we didn’t skate, we were still wearing Airwalks because it helped our hackeysack game.
 
November 13
(singing along, music playing loud in headphones) “Late night, come home/WORK SUCKS, I KNOW!!”
(boss pokes head over your cubicle wall): “Sorry, what was that?”
What albums got you through tough shifts at work, either in the past or in your current job?

Uncle Tupelo – No Depression

Years ago, freshly home from a long trip through Patagonian Chile and Argentina, I started working in a brewpub that a friend had just opened here in Portland. It was actually a great job. The clientele was super interesting. In fact, our mayor back in those days (Bud Clark) used to ride his briefcase bike across the river from City Hall, fold it up and belly it up to the bar for a chin-wag. In any case, the crew of pubsters were all fairly like-minded, and Uncle Tupelo was one band that no one seemed to tire of. I usually managed the music, so this one got a lot of spins (full disclosure: it was a CD back in those days).

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November 10
:::loud Friday night:::

You and your crew are about to head downtown for a real crazzzzy night. Play something that would get you in a dancing mood or excited about staying up way too late. Let’s face it though, you’re really just going to fall asleep while watching NCIS reruns in your recliner around nine o’clock tonight.


Caribou - Our Love

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Yes, I would totally get down with Dan Snaith and Co. in Portland. Already done so with a friend early last year.

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November 14
Play a record that you have neglected or don’t recall buying. Now think: why do you have this? Why haven’t you played it? Do you even want it anymore? If not, why don’t you PIF it, if it offends you so much? Maybe because offering it up would offend everyone else? In that case, yeah, don’t PIF it, just drop it off at Goodwill.

Loverboy – Keep It Up

Sorry, this turned into a long one...

Picked this one up as a bit of an inside family joke. Growing up, my dad was a huge Loverboy fan. I know, it doesn't really compute...still, to this day...but it was a real thing! He was a lawyer, corporate general counsel for an international firm – but on the weekends, he would sport his favorite concert tee: white with pink 3/4 sleeves, an image of the band on the front, "Get It Up. Keep It up in America '83" on the back (I found some photos, scroll down). My brother and I still laugh about it today, which is why I had to pick this up. It's the first spin!

In any case, he took us to see them at the New York State Fair that same year. Believe it or not, Loverboy was a pretty big deal in 1983. In fact, they drew a record New York State Fair crowd, nearly twice the size that turned out for Neil Young and James Taylor, and even larger than the crowd for Willie Nelson the year prior! I just found this excerpt from an article on syracuse.com:
The Canadian rock band Loverboy broke a record on Aug. 29, 1983.

The “delirious” crowd of 16,172 people was the largest to see a concert at the Grandstand up to that time, eclipsing the record set by Willie Nelson the year before.

Despite poor audio from the Grandstand’s sound system, the crowd was loud throughout, from the time the band’s limousine was spottled backstage while opening act Zebra was playing right through their hits like “Working for the Weekend” and “The Kid is Hot Tonight.”

“The crowd was as enthusiastic as any rock audience you’ll ever see,” wrote Herald-Journal reviewer Dale Kasler. “From the opening power chord to the last encore, they stood cheered, stomped, sang along, and literally rocked the Grandstand.”

More than once lead singer was hugged, tackled, and kissed by female fans who ran on stage only to be hustled away by the band’s road crew.
Click to expand...
Hilarious, right?

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November 11
:::quiet Saturday morning:::

Shoot, you woke up way too early today even though you had plans to sleep in. No one else is up, it’s just you, your morning cup of coffee, and your turntable. What do you feel like playing to ease you into today?


John Coltrane - Blue Train

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In a sea of Blue Note recordings, I like this one more than most. Seems to be a good fresh-out-of-bed soundtrack.
 
November 15
“Hat me, please”

Did the previous day’s prompt confuse you? Were you like, “What the heck is a PIF?” You should head over there, it’s pretty awesome. If you’re familiar and have participated, play the best record you’ve received. What was the best record you’ve offered to others?

I've never officially participated in the PIF thread - I ain't got time for all that Google docs and stuff.

But I have sent numerous records to people - usually to frequent users of the "What's Spinning'" thread - if they are looking for something specific and if I happen to have a copy that is worth sending. I'm not gonna unload my crap onto someone else, free or not.

I also send out an extra record or 2 to my Santee - usually something that isn't on their wishlist, but something that I think they will like more than I did.

I really don't know what the "Best" record I've sent out - so I'm just going with the first I did from here in this forum.

Looking back at old private messages - it looks like I mailed something to @Eriatarka back in May 2019, but I have no idea what it was - I think this was set up prior to the VMP forum closing and then finished up here after this forum started up. I'm sure there were some I sent out during the VMP forum era, but my memory isn't good enough to remember what I sent out. I bet with more time I could have just finished it up on the VMP forum.

The next one that I do know what it was is from June 2019 - I sent a backup copy I had of this to @D Jilla

Brian Eno - David Byrne – My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
Sire – SRK 6093, 1981

Cut by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound
Pressed at Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Winchester

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November 15
“Hat me, please”

Did the previous day’s prompt confuse you? Were you like, “What the heck is a PIF?” You should head over there, it’s pretty awesome. If you’re familiar and have participated, play the best record you’ve received. What was the best record you’ve offered to others?

If you haven’t participated before, play a record that you received for free or for a crazy-low price

I've not PIF'd, so going with a fantastic Secret Santa spin that I received from @TenderLovingKiller® a couple of years ago.

Dinosaur Jr. ~ Where You Been?

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November 15
“Hat me, please”
Did the previous day’s prompt confuse you? Were you like, “What the heck is a PIF?” You should head over there, it’s pretty awesome. If you’re familiar and have participated, play the best record you’ve received. What was the best record you’ve offered to others?
If you haven’t participated before, play a record that you received for free or for a crazy-low price.

Moodymann "DJ-Kicks" (2020 !K7 Records)
I think this is my favorite PIF I've received, from @uvwxVinyl. Gets regular spins when I'm in the mood for beats. Close behind are a sealed copy of Kool & The Gang's self-titled VMP pressing received from @avecigrec, a VMP boxset breakout of the Grateful Dead "Reckoning" album from @Mather and the 10" pressing of Kid A, also from @Mather. I've sent out way more PIFs than I've received - I'm way in the positive on the international PIF count. The best I've offered is probably a toss-up between a sealed copy of The Runaways s/t pressed at RTI/cut by KPG (to @Rowan) and a japanese pressing of Stevie's Songs in The Key of Life with a hairline in track 1 (to @avecigrec).

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November 12
Them: “Hey, Vertical Horizon is playing at the fair this year! We’re gonna’ get tickets, you wanna’ come?”
You: (gesturing towards your new haircut) “Can’t you see? I’m Emo now; I only listen to Emo.”

Play an artist that represents a certain style you adhered to during a certain time in your life. If your physical/clothing style never changed, then play something that maybe connected to your emotional style. I’m not sure what that means exactly, so why don’t you interpret it?

Nirvana - Nevermind

Laid back clothing, most of the time shorts, I’m in.

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November 15
“Hat me, please”

Did the previous day’s prompt confuse you? Were you like, “What the heck is a PIF?” You should head over there, it’s pretty awesome. If you’re familiar and have participated, play the best record you’ve received. What was the best record you’ve offered to others?

If you haven’t participated before, play a record that you received for free or for a crazy-low price.

Ted Lucas – Ted Lucas

I've definitely received (and given) some amazing albums via the PIF thread. Hard to pick a favorite, but this Ted Lucas album would probably take the cake. It's hyperbole, perhaps, but I've seen it described as the greatest private press folk/psych album ever recorded. In any case, it's got a unique and chill vibe and I always enjoy spinning it. Thanks to @wmeugene for the PIF.

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November 13
(singing along, music playing loud in headphones) “Late night, come home/WORK SUCKS, I KNOW!!”
(boss pokes head over your cubicle wall): “Sorry, what was that?”

Bad Religion – Stranger Than Fiction
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For around 25 years now this album has been a go to to get through tough shifts and rough commutes. Bad Religion in general works, but this album probably accounts for at least 50% - especially in the earlier years when it was my first Bad Religion album.
 
November 14
(pulls record from behind coats in closet)
(to self) : “What? Why and when did I buy the Bay City Rollers?!”

Le Commandant Couche-Tôt – Une Histoire D'Amour Brésilienne
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Being in the midst of my collection playthrough means even the most neglected records in my collection have been played somewhat recently (within the last 22 months or so, anyhow) but, at 15 months, this is probably the still-sealed record I've had on the shelf, so that should work. Part of a handful of random pickups during an extreme blowout sale at local-ish shop last year. Enjoyed what I previewed well enough, and enjoying the vibes well enough now, but just happened to get lost in the shuffle (which maybe should be a sign of a problem, but I think just leads to happy re-discovories!)
 
November 13
What albums got you through tough shifts at work, either in the past or in your current job?

The Joggers - Solid Guild
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I worked at a record store while I was in college (and for a bit afterwards), where one was likely to become quite jaded after a while when it came to new music. But we were all enamored with this little band from Portland and we played the hell out of this CD over the speakers. One of my favorite in-store performances there, for sure. I always wonder what happened to these guys.

 
November 14
(pulls record from behind coats in closet)
(to self) : “What? Why and when did I buy the Bay City Rollers?!”

Play a record that you have neglected or don’t recall buying. Now think: why do you have this? Why haven’t you played it? Do you even want it anymore? If not, why don’t you PIF it, if it offends you so much? Maybe because offering it up would offend everyone else? In that case, yeah, don’t PIF it, just drop it off at Goodwill.

La Ren - Leftovers

This one is pleasant enough, but nothing that draws me in. That said, up for PIF if anyone wants to give it a shot. This is the Secretly club version

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