HeWhoCannotBeAged

I had a birthday this month. Normally I don't give birthdays a second thought...they come and go, and often times I have to stop and calculate how old I really am. This one was a bit different though. There was no forgetting that I was turning 40. This was a big one, and there was no avoiding it. I have an idea of what 40 looks like, and I don't think that I fit the profile. Call it a mid-life crisis, or maybe a healthy bit of denial, but I was bound and determined that by the time my birthday rolled around I was going to be in the best shape of my adult life. I doubled my gym time, doing weights in the morning and then cardio in the afternoon, and adjusted my diet to cut out some of the sugar and carbs. The end result is that I dropped 20 pounds. Fuck you forty...I'm not going down like that.

In keeping with my theme of punching 40 in the face, Rob was awesome enough to pick me up a copy of Black Breath's Heavy Breathing LP for my birthday. I had never heard of this band until I read about them on Doug's blog. He made them sound interesting, so I checked them out. Holy fucking Metal! Thrashing guitars, growled vocals, and Satan...just the kind of thing to keep this 40 year old feeling like he is 18 again.

This was my first Southern Lord piece of vinyl, and I've got to say that the packaging is very well done.

Got 'Em

Back in 2005, True Colors recorded their demo. 5 years later and I'm hearing these songs for the first time, thanks to I Drink Milk Records. I can't believe that it took me this long to finally listen to these songs, but to be honest, I had no idea that they existed. I didn't really hear about True Colors until about a year after they had released their Focus On The Light LP on Six Feet Under Records. So yeah, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that I don't know much about the early recordings of this band. No surprises from this demo, just great straight ahead youth crew hardcore.

Just like the Control Records pre-order for Consider It Done, I found out about this one too late and missed the most limited pressing with the special cover. 104 were pressed on blue vinyl with plain white labels. The pressing info on this indicates that one of these has a fucked up I Drink Milk Records stamp on the B-side label. I'm not sure if it was intended for all the records to get the stamp, and then the label ditched the idea because it wasn't working. I hope that's the case, because these white labels really take away from the look of the vinyl.

394 were pressed on black vinyl with regular labels.

True Control

With all the problems that Powered Records had with the ON record, and shipping stuff in a timely manner, the label's reputation was seriously called into question. Well, it seems like Geert jumped the sinking ship and started his own label, Control Records. I had no idea, until I stumbled upon a post on the REACT! messageboard announcing pre-orders for the final True Colors 7 inch, Consider It Done. The problem was that I stumbled upon it too late, and by the time I saw it, the pre-order vinyl was sold out. I HATE it when I'm not in the loop and I miss out on a pre-order.

Thank you eBay. A couple of weeks later, I saw that Geert was selling a bunch of stuff on eBay to help fund his label. Tons of awesome True Colors pressings, but they were going at prices that I couldn't commit to at the time. The one record that I was able to win was the limited press that I had missed out on for the pre-orders.

Control Records didn't do the gatefold 7 inch sleeve like Six Feet Under did with the US pressing. Instead they went for the fold out lyric sheet. Still cool, but it doesn't touch the SFU packaging. Limited to 100 on white vinyl, with a hand numbered dust sleeve. Geert also threw in a ticket for True Colors final show that happened a couple of months prior. Very cool.

When I won the white vinyl press from Geert, I sent him an email and we worked it out so that I could get a copy of the black vinyl version as well. This one is limited to 300 copies.

True Colors Is Dead

True Colors are no more. For their last show, Six Feet Under records packaged up 75 copies of the Bonus 7 inch that came with the preorders for Consider It Done. Dave from SFU never made it over for the last show, so he put them up in the webstore instead.

Kind of a cool record, compiling True Colors songs from various compilations and demo recordings. Wish they had come up with a better name for the record other than "Bonus 7 inch" though. Number 58 out of 75.

While I was shopping in the Six Feet Under webstore, I figured that I'd check out Citizens Patrol. I downloaded the songs on both their Dead Children and Sick Routine records, but other than a casual listen once or twice over the past two years, I never really invested much time into them. Picking up the Dead Children EP, forced me to really sit down and give it a listen. Holy shit, this is so good. Fast and aggressive hardcore punk from Holland with a definite influence from the early 80's. I love this shit.

Can't Hold Back

The final piece of vinyl from my eBay spending spree with transcending_reality. Fitting that the last post is for Rancor's 7 inch, Never Hold Back. It should come as no surprise to anyone that reads this blog, but I have very little self control when buying records. I see something I want and I buy it. Sure I've got a little restraint, or else I'd have a copy of DYS's Brotherhood. Big ticket items obviously take a little more time from me to commit. When I won this group of records, it was all by chance. The dude was selling a lot of records that I wanted, but they all ended late at night. I threw on max bids on a bunch of items, went to bed, and left it all up to other bidders. I woke up in the morning winning seven records for $105.

I've been wanting to build up my Rancor collection for a while now, so I was very happy to win this pressing on clear vinyl. First press. Limited to 220.

Easy Choice

I don't know too much about this band, other than the fact that they were from Texas, and that Jason Tarpay from Iron Age was the singer. First of all, the record is on Third Party Records, which as also been pretty much a mystery to me...but the eBay listing said that the white vinyl pressing was limited to 300. Second, this record was released in 2002, when I was kind of disconnected from the Straight Edge scene. Not that I wasn't still down with the Edge, but I had lost all connection to what was going on with new bands, and therefore was spending my time with bands like Propagandhi and Anti-Flag. Anyway, this is a cool record...Straight Edge hardcore with an influence from bands like In My Eyes. Another piece of my eBay shopping spree from back in May...back when I picked up the Fired Up, Worn Thin, and Get The Most records. This is the first copy that I've owned for this record, and an easy choice to pick it up for $1.25.

Jello Hype

I've enjoyed most, if not all, of Jello Biafra's stuff. I wouldn't say that I'm a huge fan of anything outside of the Dead Kennedy's, but I have liked all of Jello's bands. The name of his new project is a mouthful...Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine...and it is everything that you would expect it to be. It's political, it's punk rock, but it may be the best thing he has done since his collaboration with No Means No back in 1991.

Apparently I'm supposed to care about who is in this band, but I don't. Never heard of them.

The Black Keys To My Escape

Sometimes I need to get away, and music is my gateway to escape. I don't want anyone around. I just want to be alone with my music collection. I can be a loner in that way. Sure I love it when the kids pop into my Music Room every once in a while and share the moment with me, but there are times when I just want to be alone. Tonight's date night was me and The Black Keys. I can't express how much this band means to me. Some of their songs just grab a hold of me...they work their way into my soul (whatever that may be). A couple of weeks ago I picked up the band's Chulahoma album while I was killing time in Portland, and tonight I took it for a spin. Locked myself in the Music Room, turned out the lights and dropped the needle into the grooves and let the songs wash over me, letting my mind wander, remembering good times and thinking of plans for the future...just trying to clear my mind of a hectic day.

The album itself doesn't match up to the greatness of Rubber Factory or Magic Potion, but it was recorded in 2005, so the band still has that great, dirty blues guitar sound. The thing is, The Black Keys didn't write this album. A man named Junior Kimbrough was such an influence on guitarist and vocalist, Dan Auerbach, that he dropped out of college to spend more time playing guitar. The Black Keys recorded 6 of his songs for this album. Good enough, but again it doesn't match the power of Midnight, Your Touch, or The Flame...but then again, maybe I just have more wrapped up in those songs.

Got To Get The Most

I've been slowly posting from a group of records that I won on eBay back in May...pulling one out every few weeks. Since my last couple of posts have been from REACT!, I figured that it was a good time to pull out the Get The Most tour sleeve that I won. Seriously, I was pretty happy to win this. With the limited number of these that were made, I didn't know when I might have the opportunity to pick one of these up...and for under $20, I consider this a bargain.

In the Fall of 2009, Get The Most hit the road, packaging up their two Crucial Response 7 inches with a special tour cover.


You know that I love low numbers, so I was happy to get number 8 out of 75.

I'm missing test presses, the transition press for Together, and the Common Goals record release, but I figured that it was a good time to pull out all the vinyl for a picture of my Get The Most collection.

Showcase Showoff

I love a good hardcore fest. Hanging out, watching bands kick it live, and checking the merch tables. Seriously one of the best times I've had was catching the last Posi-Numbers fest with my good friend Rob. I had really just started collecting records when I went to that show, and I went nuts buying records...spent so much money. I really don't get to travel much for these type of shows, and while I didn't travel to California for the REACT! Showcase in April, I did get the opportunity to buy the limited REACT! merch from a pretty awesome dude.

One of the hottest commodities at the Showcase had to have been the REACT! boxset. This was a collection of five 7 inches that the label has released. It is too bad that the Get The Most demo wasn't included...it feels a little incomplete without it. Either way, this is pretty fuckin' cool. Screened box with the now classic REACT! image on the front.

The boxset includes a little book that documents each 7 inch included. Lyrics, pictures, history, and even fun facts! Nicely done.

All the records were tied up nicely with a bow. I had to untie them for the picture and it was a total pain in the ass to tie them back together. I can't imagine how insane it was sitting around the REACT! HQ and tying up almost 100 of these things. It took me about 10 minutes to do just one. All of the inserts were included in the box along with a couple of posters. Especially nice is the poster that captures the moment when I almost caught the ass of Mike from Mindset with my face. Classic.

Cool silk screened back to the box. My number looks a little fucked up, but I think it is 84, and not 89, out of 94.

REACT! can hold their own next to my other boxsets.



The Showcase also had some cool special pressings that were limited to 100. Damages on orange vinyl, with the patch that reminds me of Struggle or Econochrist.

Praise was pressed on pink.

I haven't received my Common Cause pre-order yet, but the packaging, once again, is top notch. Showcase pressing is on the coolest color for colored vinyl...gold.

Get The Most decided to make the Showcase their record release show. Nice little fold over deal for the cover to indicate that it is the record release edition. Green colored vinyl.

While Doug was pretty happy with his number 88, as it was a great year for hardcore, I've got to say that 77 was a pretty good year for metal, with cool releases from Motorhead, AC/DC, and Judas Priest. Awww, fuck it, who am I kidding, 88 is still better than 77.

I had been under the impression that my Showcase order was going to be packaged and sent along with the GTM/Praise/Damages pre-order. That didn't happen, and I sent an email to ask what was up. Not sure what the miss was, but to make up for the extended delay in getting everything shipped out, the record release pressing of the new Betrayed record was included. Yeah, that more than makes up for the wait! Holy shit, the song Above The Influence is so fucking good.

Silk screened covers, and hand stamped labels. Limited to 100.

The final piece to my Showcase collection was the "TFS Crew" pressing of the Connection 7 inch from The First Step. Originally released on Rivalry Records, REACT! did a special pressing for the Showcase, and handed them out to the first 77 people at the show. I made an offer to get one, and once we agreed on a price, my collection of the Connection 7 inch went from 9 to 10.

Starting To React

I've got a few orders that I'm waiting for from REACT! Records. If you thought that they were running shit in 2009, then 2010 is going to blow you away. The label dropped three pre-orders at the end of January. Aram couldn't catch a break and there were countless delays, but unlike New Age records, REACT! keeps you informed of what is going on with the orders. I was happy to receive them about a month ago.

First up was the album that I was most anticipating, Get The Most's LP, Together. Their two 7 inches quickly made them one of my favorite bands going right now, and I could not wait to check out the LP.

The album does not disappoint...excellent straight edge hardcore. Of course the packaging is the same high standard that you would expect from REACT!.

200 on clear, 400 on blue, and 800 on black vinyl. I love the R! b-side labels, and wish that REACT! would use this label for all of their releases.

Along with the Get The Most pre-orders, REACT! also put out a 7 inch from a band called Praise. I wasn't too into the artwork for the 7 inch, but the music on this record will put aside all thoughts of doubt. Melodic hardcore in the vein of Dag Nasty or 7 Seconds. The singer, Andy, played in Champion, throw in a couple of guys from Mindset, then add Stephen from The First Step to help out out with one of the songs, and this band can not lose. Amazing.


I got lucky with this one, as Aram threw in a transition pressing. You've got to look really hard, but there are a few black streaks in the green vinyl. There were only 55 transition colors that have the Praise stamp on the dust sleeve.

Again, great packaging from REACT!. 200 pressed on orange and 300 on green. Since I got the transition color, I guess I still need to order the black vinyl for this one.

Damages play a style of hardcore that I thought had died back in the late 90's. The band would have fit right in on the Ebullition roster with the style of emo/hardcore. To be honest, I really had no interest in checking out this band, but they were on REACT!, so I bought it to keep the collection together. To my surprise, I found myself really liking this band. I really used to love bands like Shotmaker, Policy of 3, and Downcast back when this style dominated hardcore, but I kind of left it to collect dust about 10 years ago. Damages made me dig out those old Current and Moss Icon records, and reminded me that, when done right, this style of hardcore can still be pretty cool.

200 pressed on grey vinyl, 300 on blue, and 400 on black. The grey pressing comes with a Damages patch, so you can stitch it to your backpack and pretend that you are still in 1995.

Infinite Collection

I'm trying to break the CD habit. The main reason that I still buy CDs is out of convenience. Each day I pick a stack of 15 CDs and head out the door to work. I listen to CD's in the car, and on my stereo in my cube at work. This means that if I own it on vinyl, I've got to burn it to CD if I want to listen to it on the go.

I hate burned CDs. I'm a visual kind of guy, and when I'm surveying my walls of vinyl and CDs...when I'm admiring my shelves, the homemade burned CD's with their generic spines stand out as an eyesore. I hate the way they look...so plain and uninspiring. Which is why I will sometimes buy both the vinyl and the CD. Those days are coming to an end, and I'm counting on my new ipod to be my savior. I'm sure that this won't mean the complete death of CD's for me, but it will allow me to focus more on vinyl.

So with that said, I picked up the new Voivod LP, Infini, the other day. Where I typically bought most of my Metal purchases on CD, this time I didn't hesitate to pick up the vinyl copy. Of course, Infini is not nearly as good as Voivod's first four albums...hell, there is no way that Metal from 2009 is going to measure up to 1987, so there is no point in really comparing them, but still, Infini contains some great songs...God Phones and Volcano are both amazing. Solid album.

Another Promise

A while back, Bridge Nine cleaned out their warehouse. They found some loose vinyl with no sleeves, so they packaged them up with a special Warehouse Edition sleeve and put them up in their webstore. Outbreak, the Black Friday '29/Death Before Dishonor split, and No Warning all got the Warehouse treatment, but the one that I REALLY wanted was Champion's Promises Kept. No Warning and Champion sold out before I could get one, and I was PISSED...so pissed, in fact, that I said "fuck it", and didn't even bother buying the ones that were available. I moaned and groaned, whining about it on various different messageboards. Eventually I got an email from Aram saying that Bridge Nine was going to send him a few, and that he would set one aside for me. I was thrilled, but over time, the record never arrived. Seems as though Aram didn't get very many copies and didn't have enough to go around. That's cool, I was glad that he had made the effort, but now the mission was mine. I finally came across one on eBay a couple months back, and was happy to finally add this to the collection.

It wasn't the most limited of the Champion Warehouse Edition. 205 were made with the left over vinyl from the last show. Not as cool as the one that Doug got, but I'm still happy to have a copy to once again complete my Champion collection.

Sick of Ceremony

When Bridge Nine posted pre-orders for the new Ceremony LP, Rohnert Park, I spent the extra money and ordered the package deal. The pre-order package included a book written by Ceremony's singer, Ross Farrar, which featured all of his lyrics for the band, along with explanations for what the songs mean. At the time, I thought that the book was limited to the package deal, but now it appears that you can buy the book on it's own...which somehow makes it feel less special to me.

The record itself, well, I'm not completely sold on it. There are some songs that absolutely kill, and there are others that are more experimental than Ceremony's other stuff, and are outside my "Ceremony comfort zone". I don't know, maybe the whole thing will grow on me, as all Ceremony stuff tends to do.

Along with my Ceremony package deal order, I also ordered the last two pieces of colored vinyl for the Underdog double LP. Ummm...yeah, Bridge Nine sent me two copies of clear vinyl for the Ceremony LP. Okay, so I didn't get the most limited color for the Ceremony LP, the book wasn't limited to the package deal, and I didn't get the two Underdog records that I was looking forward to. "Pack my fist full of hate and take a swing at the world...".

700 pressed on clear vinyl, and 1,000 pressed on blue.

Worn Out

If it isn't money that is short, it is time. Records are coming in and stacking up, and I don't have the time to sit and enjoy them. Seems like everything else has been demanding my attention, and I have been letting the music take a back seat. I've been meaning to get those priorities straightened out this month, but that has yet to happen.

A couple of months ago I won a bunch of records from some dude on eBay. I don't own many pieces of Worn Thin vinyl, and since the auction for the self titled 7 inch was set to close at 99 cents with one bid, I figure that I might be able to pick it up for cheap. It ended at $3.25 and it was all mine. The seller listed it as limited to only 187. Can anyone confirm that?