ALBUMS
- ELVIS COSTELLO: MY AIM IS TRUE: 1977: NEW WAVE: 5+ STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: VINYL: One day in the spring of 1978 a high school friend of mine named–Erwin- came into class and as soon as he walked through the door he was raving about this new album he got and how great it was- and how dorky the singer looked on the album cover–and he said the singers name was Elvis Costello and the album was called “My Aim Is True.” I trusted Erwin’s judgment on such matters so that evening my brother and I went to the record store at the mall- and we saw there were two albums by this Costello character- so I bought one “This Years Model” and my brother Klaus both this one “My Aim Is True.” When we got home we played the albums and we both were instant fans. A few weeks later I was eating one of those store bought pizza’s and Klaus offered me the first of many of our ‘deal of the centuries”- his “My Aim Is True” for a slice of pizza. 41 years later- I still have the album and it remains one of my favorites.
- SNIFF N THE TEARS: FICKLE HEART: 1978:ROCK: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: VINYL: I heard the single “Drivers Seat” on the radio and went out and bought the album- they were a one-hit wonder- “Driver’s Seat” went to #15 and it was worth getting the album for that great song. The rest of the album isn’t bad actually.
- PAUL MCCCARTNEY: CHAOS AND CREATION IN THE BACKYARD: 2005: POP. 4 1/2 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: IPOD: Paul at the suggestion of George Martin brought in Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich as producer. Godrich told him he really wasn’t much of a fan of the music he’s produced as a solo artist- I am sure that went over well with Paul. But whatever-it worked. A near 5 star album. I think part of Paul’s problem since The Beatles has been he’s surrounded himself with Yes men. He has at times needed a John Lennon to stand up and tell him “that’s rubbish.” McCartney said of Godrich “Nigel… refused to allow me to sing songs that he didn’t like, which was very cheeky of him.”
- PAUL MCCARTNEY: MEMORY ALMOST FULL: 2007: POP: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: IPOD: This was the album that was the debut album on Starbuck’s record label. Many prefer this to Chaos and Creation.” Favorite songs “Ever Present Past”, That Was Me”, “Vintage Clothes”- a solid collection of songs.
- PAUL MCCARTNEY: NEW: 2013: POP: 4 1/2 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: IPOD: Maybe the key to Paul producing some solid albums this century is taking time between albums and not rushing one out every year or two to ‘have an album out’- He’s had no hit singles on any of these albums but that is more a sign of the music times than a lack of hit material.
- THE BEATLES: BEATLES FOR SALE: 1964: ROCK. 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: VINYL:
Just listened to “Alison” yesterday. The only EC song on my IPhone.
May be his most famous song.
That was a heck of a deal for a slice of pizza.
We made a lot of “Deals of the Century” over the years- he came out fine in a number of them- the one I regret- trading all my baseball cards for all his albums/tapes. 30 plus years later it still hurts when I think of it.
Oh that does hurt with the cards. I was moving and stored mine in an old shed…the mice really loved them… I don’t like thinking about it.
Ouch! That does hurt… It wasn’t like mine were all in mint condition but- they had a lot of sentimental value.
That is me also. My dad would take me to flea markets and I had some Hank Aaron’s and Mantles… not the rookie… but all of 76-79.
Collecting ball cards a great thrill as a kid… for some reason I was never big into football- basketball or hockey cards. it was baseball!
Same with me. The only other cards I had was a few Beatles trading cards.
I remember having a bunch of Monkees cards that my parents got an an auction.
I thought about at different times to collect again including the music cards but now it’s just so expensive
I have had the exact same thought- do I want to put big money into another hobby? No.
That’s funny about Paul and Nigel Godrich.
Paul – like everyone needs a kick in the pants now and then!
So true! I depend on my kids to tell it like it is to me, and sometimes not what I want to hear!
I can imagine someone like Paul- just isn’t used to people telling them the way it is. Few people I bet in his orbit want to get on the wrong side of the star.