Spring CD/Record Show 2025

That time of year yet again! LOL! I had a great time at it this time. Mostly because there was this one guy selling off I guess his collection and he had very rare tastes that I am into. He had a lot of decent $2 LP which I bought about 52 or so of them. Stuff I've wanted since the 90s just about! I'm sure there were loads in his pricy bins too, but I really don't spend a lot for stuff I probably won't listen to very much, if at all. A lot of what I collect I get or have on MP3s and I listen to that. Nearly everything now is on Youtube. I tend to now buy stuff I really love rather than sorta want.

Other than that, it was basically as usual for the show. Same dealers with prices I wouldn't pay. I really would like someone to come out of the woodwork with unusual CDs for a buck or two, but there was none of that. I did though go to some hipster store in Utica a few days ago as there is a kid there bringing in random CDs from a very huge DJ collection for them to sell. $2 each and I bought $140 worth of 90s electronica for the most part. I will probably sell off the "good" cds and break even, sell off my rejects for a little profit and have about half the collection to keep. Basically what I do whenever I buy music, so I don't go broke! A lot of it I would have loved like 25 to 30 years ago but lately I enjoy making my own music via AI and I'm not too interested in other peoples music currently. I'm sure that interest will pass in a few years and I'll be back into wanting to listen to other's music. It's very rare for me to hear something that wows me that I don't already know about.

Anyway, onto the LPs I got today! And a couple CDs. No particular order. A lot of it I just know by name and I have stuff by the artists for probably 30 years now, so luckily I didn't need to test much out on YouTube before buying.

The Belle Stars - S/T ~ I love the Iko Iko song and have been wanting their LPs. First time I've ever seen it. I'm not entirely sure if their sound is like Iko Iko or it's just a novelty song of theirs and they "suck."

Paul Hardcastle Albums. I've never seen Rain Forest before but I know of many songs on there. I may have S/T but I think mine was water damaged. I was super big into him in the mid-90s, played "19" countless times. My 20 year old self is so happy to finally get this.

Heaven 17, the first 5 LPs. I ADORE Heaven 17. Their remixes are wonderful and I've played mine countless times. I am pretty sure I have all of these on CD (maybe not Teddy Bear as it sucks hard). And I may have some on LP, but I know not Teddy Bear and Pleasure One. Basically I bought these as I love the group so much.

Lots of New Beat, Industrial and British Electronic late 80s stuff. I really love this sound. I know a;GRUMH... rather well as that's my first experience with this sort of music back I think in 1992 or 1993 or perhaps 1994. But I am pretty sure that I have both of these on CD and maybe on LP. It's been years since I've played them, but I used to play them loads back 25+ years ago. The rest were the ones I was especially happy to get as it's been probably 30 years since I've seen anything in this field of music for this cheap! I checked Discog, and they are not really that valuable but good luck finding it in the wild or even at your local record shop that has no clue what any of this is.

Hubert Kah ~ Sound of my Heart. I've been after his stuff for ages. So rare! I think it's the only US release out of several German ones, but I've seen loads of his singles in the discount bins.

Kayak ~ Royal Red Bouncer. It's my favorite Kayak LP, aside from a solo release by the singer Max Werner which is basically still a Kayak LP in all but name. I've never seen this cover though. I think I have the normal shitty looking cover of what I think is something running on a desert. Proggers detest Kayak but I love them! I really need to order their CDs, but the "good" are rather hard to get and pricy and I think some don't even exist. The LPs have been drying up lately in the wild too. It's strange as they are not that rare of a band.

Jellybean – Jellybean Rocks The House! Heh! House music! I like it sometimes. It can be iffy, as I get sick of hearing Paula Abula, but I like other artists which I've not listened to a million times already. And even then I have to be in a mood for it. Jellybean was one of the biggest producers of this style of music and done dozens if not hundreds of artist's mixes and productions. Right up there with Stock Aitken and Waterman who seemingly had their hands in most synthpop and dance projects around that same period in time.

One 2 Many ~ Mirror. One of my favorite albums. I have it on CD and loads of their remixes on CD and LP. I don't recall if I actually own a copy of this on LP though. They had a unique sound which I believe was popular for a brief summer and then disappeared just as quick. It was slightly popular in European countries, but failed hard in the USA. I've found countless of their promos in the discount bins. I think they charted in the USA at something like 37 on the dance charts but the band was already broken up and I guess was never around for promotions for their other songs. A shame!

Heaven ~ Knockin' on Heaven's Door I bought it because I liked the cover and I'll hang it on my bathroom wall with the other LPs of cute women. LOL! I guess it's AOR. Don't really care enough to actually play this one as I'm not huge into AOR. LOL

Jean-Michel Jarre ~ Les Chants Magnétiques. I know I have this on CD, but I don't remember ever seeing it on LP. This is an import one. Big fan of JM, but I don't like this one as much as others.

The Lover Speaks ~ S/T This one has it's moments and I love their well known song from it. I've never seen it on vinyl though. Only the countless remix 12"ers and it being on 80s hits CDs which I don't ever remember hearing on the radio or on MTV at the time. I just checked and it's a $25 LP, which is probably why I've never seen one.

The Bollock Brothers – The Prophecies Of Nostradamus I'll be honest, I got this for the cool artwork. I tested before I bought and it seemed acceptable. Synth-pop/rock. A little proggy at the end? I need to give it a good listening to.

FM ~ Surveillance - Decent Prog music, probably on the same level as Kayak where proggies don't really care for them much for reasons unknown to me. I didn't recognize this at all though. I do like the one that comes before and comes after this one. I need their first. They have two others in the 80s which I've never seen before which I assume are super rare in the USA as they look like really budget releases.

Luxuria – Unanswerable Lust & Beast Box ~ I cannot remember why I remember these being on my mental wish list. Trying UL now and it sounds good. OH, I see now. "Founder Buzzcocks and Magazine front-man, Howard Devoto" BB sounds more like REM though. I may flip them as they seem in the $20 range each and I really want to equal out what I had spent on the bunch.

Ledernacken ~ Sex Metal - I took a chance on this one. Sounds a lot like Shriekback. Other bands too. Seems very unknown. Very good!

Jona Lewie – On The Other Hand There's A Fist ~ I was VERY surprised to see this. He's an Ian Dury type of British musician that does really strange artistic music. I see it's an import. Probably no chance of ever finding his other stuff. This one doesn't have the songs on it that I know well from him.

A Split Second ~ I totally forgot about this band. I grabbed it on a second pass though the box as all the similar stuff to this was in the same spot and I felt it would be a good idea to just buy it all without considering it as I as so loved this genre of music like 30 years ago. Reading up about them, they are credited with starting the New Beat sound, which is what many of that group of records were. I think I had probably seen them lumped with a;GRUMH... back in the 90s at record stores at stupidly high prices and being quite curious about them but never enough to pay like $17.99 a disc. I may sell these as well as I'm not entirely as fond of them as others it seems.

John Foxx ~ He's also hit or miss. As is his band, Japan. I honestly cannot remember which LPs I have of his, as well as Japan. I need to locate his stuff in my collection, but I'm pretty sure that The Golden Section was the one I REALLY REALLY wanted as it sounds like good Ultravox while all the others were a little meh other than a few hits. I think I already have Metamatic, but in trashed shape by water damage.

It's Immaterial ~ I've wanted this for a VERY VERY long time. They had "Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)" on some completion CD that was one of the first CDs I've ever own. I want to say it's an IRS greatest HATs collection or something with really strange selections. The late 80s had some really artistic bands which got some promotion but I don't think ever charted. Or maybe I have the clown album on CD and forgot? I don't recognize the other songs on there though. I know I don't have the second LP though as I've never seen it before.

Dale – Riot In English - LOL Honestly I bought it because of the cute girl. I did test it before buying and it sounded like typical late 80s dance pop/electronic. It's very pleasant to hear something new in this now very dated dance music field. It reminds me of some of the tracks I make on YouTube.

Fabulous Poodles – Think Pink ~ I just couldn't remember the name and why I wanted this. I heard the main song and I think it's a Doctor Demento type song. It's actually a pretty good cheese LP and I'm glad I bought it, but it bothers me why I cannot remember why I have something remembered as I wanted it without the reason why. It's probably just a name I saw attached as recommended to something else that I was enjoying.

Giorgio Moroder ~ Cat People - I love Moroder and I love Cat People. I have Cat People on DVD, LD, LP, CD. Maybe VHS as well. I need the newer Blu Ray of it as well. It's a really strange film where people transform into werecats yearning for sex and then into panthers after having sex and then needing to kill humans to change back only for the cycle to start over again. People REALLY downed the film for incest implications, not to mention it's real strangeness and it being most a flesh flick. I just like transformation stories.

Falco ~ Einzelhaft ~ I may have this on vinyl already. I am pretty sure I have it on CD. OR maybe it's the other around. LOL I remember going hard with trying to get all of Falco's stuff. I love Falco big time and bought nearly everything of his up until his death. Even fanclub bootlegs of his rare UK mixes. That came to a stop when they released a god awful covers Falco that was even worse than the Heaven 17s official remix covers album "Retox/Detox." I actually sent it back for a refund as it was so unlistenable. I think it was based on his Data De Groove style which I tend to play once every 10 years to remember how horrible it truly was. It's like how awful Ultravox's Ingenuity was compared to all of their other prior releases, even their Revelation album which no one remembers but was actually decent for a post-Ure Ultravox release.

Anyway, this LP is strange because it's all in German but it's a USA release. I know I've heard at least half of this album in English elsewhere. It's his first LP, but there is no way in hell that was his first US album, it has to be a reprint after the popularity of Rock Me Amadeus. I'm pretty certain his first US album was Falco ‎- 3 with a photo of him on the cover and most songs in English, while the rest of the world got the lame red cover with his name and a 3 scribbled on it. I have both of course. My collection is rather outdated now, as I see most of his stuff got reprints with new tracks ages ago. LOL! But honestly, I've played his stuff so much that I don't really need new versions, even with bonus stuff I have on 12"ers.

Fàshiön Music – Pröduct Perfect ~ I remember liking the album that comes after this and having it in my collection. I don't think I've ever seen this one before. It seems they are entirely different animals though. Like early Ultravox is not like Ure's Ultravox. Seems this Fashion is sorta like Madness but without the ska. The Fashion I know is more like Ure's Ultravox.

Nina Hagen! I literally just sold the first two on ebay last year. Kinda glad for that as these are upgrades in shrinkwrap and in minty shape. I've never seen the one with her smoking on the cover though.

Freiheit ~ Fantasy - I have this on CD. I remember getting this way out in the middle of no where Adams Center and having to pay a stupidly insulting price of $3 from a very nasty bitch when most CDs everywhere are a buck and that ticked me off as there were several there I would have easily bought for $1. She was a very arrogant rude prick of a bitch. I was very iffy about it but it seemed the most interesting of the group of CDs plus I was very ticked off about going like an hour and a half to neighborhood sales and literally not finding anything even close to worth buying and all the sales shutting down at like 2 PM when I got there at a little after noon, so I got it anyway, mostly because I wanted something new to listen to. It was one of the few good things that happened that day. LOL Bitter much, some probably 10-15 years after the fact, but I get that way sometimes. LOL

Anyway, the music on it is similar to One 2 Many (I think both are 1988, that one summer where music like this were popular in Europe), but this no where as fast and not as dancy. It's more of sway music and at times Orchestral Beatles meets Orchestral Queen at times. It's so hard to describe as I hear so many different influences in each song. Lush synths to the point of almost being progressive is the main theme though.

ANYWAY, I really do like the album enough to get it on LP. It's actually another German LP redone entirely in English but the English one flopped. They redone CD with the first German album and this one also in German, but last I knew it was like a $45 CD. Ain't paying that when I can hear it for free on YouTube.

And that's it for vinyl. I bought from the Albany $1 guy, but sadly his selection was horrible this time around, unlike the last time where he had many gems. I got some DVD, mostly to resell to break even on what I bought. The three CDs are:

Super Furry Animals – Phantom Power I cannot remember where I heard the name, but I recall it was one that I should try. It was probably recommended to me by someone or something. And they made a lot of albums too. This one is very mixed. I got to song 4, and that one turned out to be quite good. Lounge Beatles-ish, psychedelic country-ish. It's really interesting. The song prior to that was odd about a Golden Retrevier. I think it's a comedy or a concept album, so I need to listen VERY carefully to it in the van while going out some place far away. The 5th song sounds like one of those 60s spooky folk psychedelia songs that the Mama's and the Papa's or whoever does but more proggy and certainly more modern. I'm not really good with naming who's done what with that era of music. I'll probably end up really liking this one. OH WAIT, it's on Progarchives. LOL! Probably saw the name on that site or by a prog friend.

Split Enz ~ The Living Enz - They are EXTREMELY hit or miss. Unsure what this will be. Could be comedy, progressive, new wave, art rock. LOL Seem's it's 1985 based on 1982-1984 material, so probably new wave then. I've a few Split Enz from all over their career, but I've yet to really sit down to listen to them. But I do like the couple songs I do know from them.

Jamie LaRitz – Jamie LaRitz ~ and finally this one! Actually it's the first pick up of the day, but it seems that I worked backwards here and done what I got last first, and what I got first last. LOL! Anyway, this guy has seemingly no fans at all and is basically unknown. Released two CDs. This one looked like a wanna Yngwie Malmsteen and he doesn't disappoint. I really liked it, even though it's really cheesy AOR now days. It's missing the back sleeve which is probably why it was a dollar and rejected. I'll certainly buy it again if I somehow manage to find another with the back sleeve.

And that's it! My 20 year old self would have adored this pick up. I probably will too once I get back into the mood for it. LOL Looking back though the list, it was mostly stuff I wanted back in the 90s but I have never seen any of it locally, certainly not for cheap that is. It was from a guy getting rid of his collection obviously and he was very good at getting really obscure things. I envy him! I'd wager he really paid a bit for most of them too as his stuff wasn't $1 bin stuff. At least not around where I live.

The show would have been a massive flop if it were not for him. The other dealers seemed rather picked over or didn't restock. A few of "new" dealers with too high prices or beat to shit LPs, so I didn't even bother to look. No real CD bargains, which honestly is what I'm after the most, but then again, I bought something like 72 of those on Thursday as I knew I wouldn't find any at the CD show. So it was a good long weekend. Rummage sales just started up and I already got 3 boxes of junk to resell for cheap, but the CDs I also snagged there wasn't anything special. Looking forward to a good summer though!