Cheap Trick "Cheap Trick" (1997 on Red Ant label) REPOST

Real odd release things in so many ways. Band signed to Red Ant in hopes of reviving a sagging career by partnering with a younger/hipper/connected label. Unfortunately the timing couldn't be worse.....Red Ant went bankrupt just 3 weeks after this was released. Yet somehow I was sent a promo way up here in the frozen north (from our U.S. exporter Alliance). I remember being so down about the music business in general that time in my life....."nothing new" "everything sucks", etc etc. Not the best time to be testing out a new CT album.....

Surely enough, when I spun it I was not impressed. On first listen I remember digging "You Let A Lot Of People Down" and not much more. I might have played it once after that, then I promptly handed it off to my best pal Alex.

About a 1000 years later (well about 13 to be exact....)......Alex asks me if I can find this one on the Net for him. Somewhere along the way, he'd lost/given away/misplaced his CD. I download it for him, and send him tracks. A day or two later, Alex (w/impecable taste as always!) says he loves the album, etc etc. So I listen to trax again, and I'll be damn......THIS SUCKA ROX!!!!
Can't believe I passed on this one the first time around.

Anyhow, enough of my blabbin'......if you're here, ya came for this......

Rock Steady!
MP3's @ 192K
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Foster and Lloyd "Foster and Lloyd" (1987) REPOST

Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd's first release from back in 1987. Seems like a long time ago. Not sure what happened to Bill Lloyd, but Radney Foster was still kicking around in 2002. I got his "Another Way To Go" CD, and it's got some great stuff on there as well. As for his current activities, I'm not really in the loop on them.....

But this Foster Lloyd album is a real solid effort! I still pull this out on a regular basis and really enjoy it. As far as I'm concerned, there is not a bad cut on the album. I remember a 90's trip with my good friend Alex down to see our bro Mike in Windsor. We played it in the car for Alex, and even he was impressed (and that's not an easy thing to do!). So we ended up playing that one almost non stop when rolling around town. Great memories.........

Back in '87, I was really into the "new music" as well as my classic rawk but I was interested a bit in country. A co-worker told me to try this one on for size. I really dug it, and bought my own CD. It is "country" in vibe I suppose, but it's really about great (pop) songs, deep (sing along) grooves, as well as heartfelt perfomances. What more could you want??

As a rule, I don't post legit releases. But after some research it looks like this one is no longer available. Damn shame/no surprise really in this day and age. I was going to post that Radney Foster CD too, but it's still available to buy.

Check it out!
MP3's at 192K
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Various (1993) - New Stuff Two

Here's a little blast from 1993! Used to be a Canadian mag called IMPACT back in the day. Every month they would give out a "new music" sampler with the magazine. Didn't last for long, but you could always find a few new things of interest on there.

On this edition, I fell head over heels for Randy Bachman's "Prairie Town", featuring none other than guest Neil Young on vox/guitar. Story went that they knew each other for a short time back in their Winnipeg days, and Randy wrote this one with Neil in mind. They laid it down together, and a while later a video shoot was scheduled. Neil showed up for the shoot, despite the fact that he was battered and bruised from a hang gliding accident a few days before. But he didn't want to let Randy down......what a trouper! I never did buy that Bachman album, but still get off on "Prairie Town".....worth the price of admission here alone.

A few other interesting acts here: The Lawn, Snow, 13 Engines, Rhymes With Orange, The Phantoms, Colin Linden, as well as The Tea Party.

P.S. I have a few other volumes here too if anyone is interested......?

Enjoy.
MP3's at 192K
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Van Halen - Pacadena Civic Auditorium Dec. 20, 1977 (REPOST)

Interesting early set here from these Monsters of Metal! Their classic debut album was released in Feb. 1978 so this show predates that event by a month or so. Entire band is flying in fine form here - especially mouthpiece Diamond Dave and shredder Eddie (no surprises).

After some research, I found that in some places this set is listed as Dec. 20 and in others it's Dec. 15. Regardless, the year is 1977. My trax were ripped from a vinyl LP (remember those kids!?) that I borrowed from a friend at work. To top that off, it had an old school cover printed in glorious black & white, and it was just titled Van Halen "Live". Looks likes it's been issued since on CD under several titles - "Civic Pride", "The Atomic Punks" , etc.

It was a real kick to get such an early recording after some many years of yearning for one. I'd rate the sound on this at 8 to 8.5 - rough in a few spots but with a real nice crunch to it.
So here is it gang.......Rock on!

MP3's at 192K
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Bash & Pop - "Friday Night Is Killing Me" (REPOST)

Yet another one of those "used to have on vinyl" releases......got this back in 1992 and was pleasantly surprised by it. The vinyl got liquidated long time back, then about 3-4 I still heard some of these tracks rattling around in my big mellon (always a good sign!). I tried to sniff out the CD only to realize it was now out of print. I ended up buying through an Amazon seller, and overpaying for a cut-out. But hey I now have it on CD, and still really dig this one!!

Stylistically not that far off the Replacements. Escpecially faves like Never Aim To Please, Hang Ups, and Friday Night Is Killing Me. If you're a Mats fan and haven't heard this......get down to it my friend.

Damn shame both Westerberg and Stinson aren't still putting out cool music in this day & age. But with the way the "business" is.....why bother!? I see Stinson is still trudging around with Axle "Fruitcake" Rose......suppose he's got to eat too......

Rock Steady Gang!

MP3's at 192K:

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The Babys - Live 2/14/80 Denver, Colorado (REPOST)

Ah yes, the Babys.....sometimes cruchy, sometimes sweet, always a nice treat (!?). Well I enjoyed this one myself. Sound quality is excellent (9.5 in my books). I assume this was recorded for live release by band/label, or maybe even King Buscuit but I couldn't find much info on it.

Recorded on tour for their "Union Jacks" album (their 3rd). I much prefer their first two to that album, but some really tastey stuff here. Funny, they must of had some good tour support as they even have a backup female singer here. Sure wouldn't happen in this day and age.

Another one for those stuck in the 80's!! Got to admit I just love the sound of those real drums, along with that classic Les Paul/Marshall combo here. Singer John Waite's voice is shaky at times but no big deal.

Enjoy....these are MP3's at 192K

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Roger Daltrey - Live 12/04/85 Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. (REPOSTED 01/13/13)

Great energetic set from one of rock's premier vocalists. Found in fairly rare (for that period anyway) solo performance from 1985. He was promoting his excellent "Under A Raging Moon" album, so includes several songs from it as well as a few Who classics (surprise surprise).

Sound quality is pretty much a 10, as it was recorded for the King Biscuit series. Not sure if it was ever released on a major label (?) - can't see it listed on Amazon.

Band includes Clem Clemson on guitar (Humble Pie), as well as guest apperance from Russ Ballard who sings lead on "Your Time Is Gonna Come".

Tracks are as follows:

01) Martyrs and Madmen

02) Don't Talk To Stangers

03) Breaking Down Paradise

04) Move Better In The Night

05) Substitute

06) Your Time Is Gonna Come

07) The Pride You Hide

08) Behind Blues Eyes/5:15

09) Let Me Down Easy

10) Rebel

11) Voices

12) Giving It All Away

13) Won't Get Fooled Again

14) After The Fire

15) Under A Raging Moon

16) Free Me

17) Summertime Blues/C'mon Everybody

NOTE: full show here is about 1:42, so might be too much for many to take it. I just posted full show for completest in the crowd. Personally, I'm going to trim this down to under an hour to put on a CD.

These are MP's at 320K:
 MEDIAFIRE