Singing In The Bathtub...

The +44 signing actually went a lot better than I anticipated. And it seems like it went really quickly, but then again their management kind of did want them in and out within an hour and a half so that they could play with Fall Out Boy that evening in Hampton (Fall Out Boy I hear was signing somewhere down at Oceana but for only 30 minutes and it wasn't advertised so I can't image how well that went) so the lines passed through pretty quickly. Thankfully I got out of line duty and just did my usual work around he floor, although Miranda and Kevin and I started trying to stir up a little mischief, knowing that Travis Barker (seated, far left) used to date Paris Hilton we were trying to scrounge up these really skanky looking Paris Hilton stand-ups that we used to sell back in our warehouse and either lay one out on top of the conference room table (our makeshift "green room") with a note that said "Look Familiar?" or open up all the Hilton stand-ups and line them up like clones and make Travis run the gauntlet between them to get back to their tour van (I'm sure he's had nightmares similar to that in real life). But alas, I think the last of our Paris Hilton stand-ups have been recalled, so no going. But anyway, that's the guys up there (with one of our fake street signs that we sell in the store) with some of the staff, and they were all very nice guys although the only one I ever got a moment to say anything to was the one that I think was former Transplants Craig Fairbaugh (seated, far right) because I dug his Buzzcocks shirt, although I think all that came out of my yap was something along the lines of "Duh-hut... ah likes yur shert." but he seemed very pleased that I acknowledged it and thanked me.

So as per usual, right when I have the least amount of money on my person to work with is when they sprang inventory on us last weekend so naturally I had to empty out my hold bin and take some used goodness home with me. Among said items were:


The German import of John Cale's Slow Dazzle, which I think was his first album with Island Records and he was still going through a bit of that avant gardy rock thing. Spooky version of "Heartbreak Hotel" and a tribute to Beach Boy Brian in "Mr. Wilson". Still need more time to explore this disk further.

The Go-Betweens Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express. Australian band that I've always liked but never owned enough of. Only have a few songs previously, including my lovely bouncy "Lee Remick", and now I have, well, more than that. Haven't had a chance to hear it yet, so I may report back with more on it later if it makes an impression.

Oh, man. One of my strongest memories as a kid was going into the record store every weekend and passing over D.O.A.'s Bloodied But Unbowed, The Damage To Date: 1978-83 in the skimpy punk bin and having my curiosity grow exponentially each time. I really wasn't very familiar with punk or hardcore back then, and I remember how the shockingly bloody album cover felt almost too gross in my hands to touch, but at the same time I was possessed with an irrational desire to hear what kind of music came out of this. Punk seemed so frightening to me at the time, and yet the thrill I had to learn and understand it was almost sexual in it's intensity (I may have mentioned before that when I was 16 years old I used to masturbate in the empty bathtub with all the bathroom lights out and Bad Brains and JFA blasting on my Walkman). Later in college I got into D.O.A. but never found this album again, until recently where it was just released onto CD in the last few weeks. I bought it new. Like I should have then. And yes, it makes me want to masturbate in the bathtub for old times' sake.

Lastly! Wheeee! I will officially have Kevin's baby now for finding me this spiffy Stiff Records Box Set which I think is actually out of print these days. Gobs of Stiff hits, most of which I don't own save for the Nick Lowe and The Damned and, well, maybe one or two others. But still! Stiff, people! Outta print! $38 used! HOLY CATS!! I'm so excited!! I think... I think I AM gonna go masturbate in the bathtub now!!!

Zzzzzzip!*