Category: 80s

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.

 

 

This score reminded me of the line by Darryl of Storage Wars, “You never know when you’re going to find something big…”, referring to a excellent treasure in the most unlikely of sources.  I found this treasure at the tail end of digging at two different stores. I was tired, and the second store had a really long aisle packed with records, too many for me to ever go through at one time.  I almost missed the shopping cart at the end of the aisle.  This was likely the new additions.

A bunch of 80s-90s movie soundtracks in really good condition, and I should have bought Backdraft, because it contains the Theme to Iron Chef.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda.  But screw Backdraft, one of the very last flips was this.  Passion by the Flirts!  And it was in mint condition!

Of great interest to the highly fanatical group known as Pet Shop Boys collectors, this single was produced by Bobby “O” Orlando, who not only influenced the boys with this track – one of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe’s favorites – but went on to produce their first singles before they replaced him with Stephen Hague (who really kicked it up a notch, sorry Bobby).  Few have heard the original version of West End Girls produced by Bobby “O”, and finding that in a thrift store would be a “shit your pants” moment.

discogs.com – Passion Flirts