Copy of Scott's Favorite Record #8/#9

Scott’s favorite records #8. David Bowie “Aladdin Sane”.

I’m a huge David Bowie fan, but I can’t really say this is my favorite album. It does, however, represent a turning point in my exposure to real rock music beyond my parent’s extremely dated favorites. I vividly remembering visiting one of my dad’s work friends, Hart Stickel. He had a cool old farmhouse with a kind of rec room with a stereo, pool table, bar, etc. There were a bunch of records and I clearly recall seeing a David Bowie album and thinking “what the hell am I looking at?”. I couldn’t get my mind around it.

Not many years later, I started hearing more Bowie on the radio and it started to set in. I have a few Bowie albums and if I’m completely honest, I get a little bored from too much Bowie, but I love what he was about and how he continually reinvented himself. In fact, I called my start-up marketing agency “Diamond Dogs” in 2018 as a tribute. @noahhtowne recently got his first tattoo, which is a tribute to Bowie as well. Pretty cool. Definitely bought this used, probably at Flipside in Kalamazoo. This is a 1973 pressing as identified by the silver ink on the gatefold print.

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Scott’s favorite analog recordings part #nine: Shellac “At Action Park” So much to unpack here. Posting this on the occasion of the unfortunate passing of front man Steve Albini in 2024.

First, let’s talk about what a work of art this actual album is: The cover and record jacket are heavyweight cardboard with black and metallic silver printing (so much metallic printing in my collection). The technical detail laid out regarding the pressing of the record, the cover and the recording are deep dive nerd speak “Recorded electrically during March 1994”. The drawing of “Action Park” on the sleeve is amazing. I highly recommend the documentary “Class Action Park” about the rogue amusement park in New Jersey in the 80s. Last slide is a photo of Shellac playing live in Kalamazoo in 1994 📸 @doctornunez That’s me with the orange hair to Steve’s right. This show was incredible. My ears are still ringing.

And what looks like a water stain on the cover in the first pic? That’s from Vinnie, the first dog that Gail and I got in 1998. He peed all over this one in our apartment. He was a little terror, but man what a cool little dog. More on his antics in another post.

This is a first pressing record as identified by the 165 gram vinyl weight. The music on this record is fantastic.