the vinyl is final
Amazing find! I’ve long been a fan of their Undead album, but this was one is just as superb, but in a totally different style – bluesy jams that just “go off” when you least expect it. Excellent arrangements and musicianship, really great music, plagued by poor mix/mastering and an equally not-so-good singer. My favorite part, as random as that balloon landing on the picnickers, a theremin shows up for 15 seconds of fame and glory! Completely underrated band.
Love these Bob James vinyls I picked up in a $1 bin in Ashland. The covers unfold into these great images. But the real bonus: the football disc features “Angela (Theme From “Taxi”)”, a 5 minute version of the classic tv sitcom theme.
I’m digging Bob’s other eccentric album covers and will be on the lookout for them.
Glad to see this one every so often, such a great record. Suzi Quatro was one of the Tuscadero sisters on Happy Days, either Leather or Pinky, I forget right now. (Update: she portrayed Leather Tuscadero, bass playing younger sister to Pinky Tuscadero, the Fonz’s girlfriend.)
She’s more like David St Hubbins’ girlfriend in Spinal Tap. Suzi probably picked the purple/blue color scheme because she’s a Gemini.
Rock Hard is a good rockin’ record, with a couple familiar hits. She has other vinyls out there, some are pre-Happy Days, so I’m on the lookout for them.
Update 9/1/2018 – whoops, I guess I didn’t know about the long career of good ole Suzi Quatro! She had already had greatest hits albums by the time this one was released. I have most of her records now. I see them once in a while, not too often, and her value is climbing.
It’s been years, maybe decades, since I have blissed out in the highest of highs while listening to music. That zone when the music is all there is, dominating all senses, and is “really” good.
As a teen in my room, air drumming to an 80s club remix. In my 20s, dancing at a rave. 90s club remixes on a stony living room floor, or a 6 year old listening to In A Gadda Da Vida with my father. And now, from picking up treasures at thrift and other record stores.
These ultra-highs happen – maybe only happen – when listening to AAA 100% analog music. Either turntables or live performance, but rarely if ever with digitized music. Don’t get me wrong, I love the advantages of digital, but it took away something lovely that has now returned. I love analog music and the tremendous feelings it inspires.
And it only costs a few dollars, and has no unpleasant side effects. Dear government, please do not make vinyl records illegal.
Married to Andy Williams, backed by top LA producers and session musicians, the albums of Claudine Longet are a delight. They are easily found alongside her hubby’s albums in thrift stores everywhere.
It looks as though love and life in the fast lane took it’s toll on Claudine. The cover to We’ve Only Just Begun was taken soon after her separation (and eventual divorce) from Andy Williams, and near the end of her career. A fascinating but sad story: she was found guilty in 1976 of negligent homicide of her boyfriend, but sentenced to only 30 days in jail, and has spent the rest of her years in relative solitude.
Sandy was the first to play her music via itunes, and I was dismissive for many years. But that was mainly because she only played the “Happy Talk” mp3 that was too happy even for me. But a glorious $0.10 sale at Goodwill allowed me to pick up a couple of her early albums (Claudine, The Look of Love), and I was surprised to hear a few excellent tracks in the mix.
Claudine’s records fall into another collector category: they feature the Wrecking Crew. Being married to Andy Williams gave Claudine access to the best of everything in terms of music production. Tracks like “Sunrise Sunset”, “Man in a Raincoat”, “How Insensitive” and my favorite version of “Both Sides Now” are glorious works of music. But each album has it’s fair share of stinkers and hits.
She is no longer a household name, though I’m guessing she would have kept a bit more in the public eye if it were not for her legal problems. We’ve all seen her on tv in the Peter Sellers movie The Party, and her album cover for Colours is iconic. Yes, I have the hots for Claudine Longet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudine_Longet
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Claudine-Longet