Music Record Shop Weekly

Welcome to the new weekly feature (look for it every Friday) called MusicRecordShop Weekly.  Here we take a look at new releases and some hard to find vinyl records and boxed sets that will easily satisfy even the most serious record collectors.  Here's five that we think you will enjoy:

1. Megadeth - System Has Failed - Vinyl LP Import 2013 

When Dave Mustaine was diagnosed with radial neuropathy (strained nerves in his left arm and hand) in 2002, it almost meant the end of Megadeth after two decades of thrash metal. Megadeth's first years are deemed legendary with classic albums such as Rust In Peace and Countdown To Extinction. Then in 2004 Mustaine resurrected Megadeth and released The System Has Failed. A surprise return including Chris Poland on guitar whom Mustaine fired after the masterful Peace Sells album. This re-pairing makes the album even more ferocious than the good old fashioned Megadeth thrash is all about. Dave Mustaine is going for that vibe on "Back In The Day" and he infuses it with melodic songwriting which makes this an outstanding Megadeth album, if not, the best Metal Album of 2004!

• Label - Music On Vinyl
• 180 Gram Vinyl Record - LP - Sealed
• Limited Edition - 1000
• Colored Vinyl - Purple

Track Listing
1. Blackmail The Universe
2. Die Dead Enough
3. Kick The Chair
4. The Scorpion
5. Tears In A Vial
6. I Know Jack
7. Back In The Day
8. Something That I'm Not
9. Truth Be Told
10. Of Mice And Men
11. Shadow Of Deth
12. My Kingdom

Order HERE

2. John Carpenter - They Live Vinyl LP Import 2013 (Pre-Order)

For the score to one of his most iconic films Carpenter and Howarth created what can only be described as electronic blues, The score is recognisable as Carpenter but has a dusty slow pulsating western feel that really does give it a life of it's own. The 1988 film follows a nameless drifter referred to as "Nada", who discovers the ruling class within the moneyed elite are in fact aliens managing human social affairs through the use of a signal on top of the TV broadcast, concealing their appearance and subliminal messages in mass media.

• 180 Gram Vinyl Record - LP - Sealed
• Includes giant fold out poster
• Re-mastered by Alan Howarth
• Exclusive new artwork by Gary Pullin.
• Liner notes by Alan Howarth & Gary Pullin.

Track Listing
1. TV Broadcast
2. Coming to L.A.
3. A Message
4. The Siege of Justiceville
5. Return to Church
6. All Out of Bubble Gum
7. Back to The Street
8. Kidnapped
9. Transient Hotel
10. Underground
11. Wake Up

Order HERE



3. Jamiroquai - Traveling Without Moving Vinyl 2-LP Import 2013 (PRE-ORDER 3-18)

Travelling Without Moving [1996] intentionally offers more of what Jamiroquai does best: highly addictive funky grooves with a social consciousness that is matched by front man Jay Kay's charisma. The third effort of Jamiroquai was carried by an inventive video for "Virtual Insanity"; the album's flagship song. Pressed on two heavy weight champions packed in a gatefold sleeve, Travelling Without Moving is finally available on vinyl again, this time with remastered audio for maximum aural pleasure!

• Release date: 03/18/2013
• Merchant SKU: LAFMOV2353
• Label Music On Vinyl
• 180 Gram Vinyl Records - 2-LP - Sealed
• PRINTED INNER SLEEVES
• REMASTERED AUDIO

Track Listing
LP1
1. Virtual Insanity
2. Cosmic Girl
3. Use The Force
4. Everyday
5. Alright
6. High Times
7. Drifting Along
8. Didjerama

LP2
1. Didjital Vibrations
2. Travelling Without Moving
3. You Are My Love
4. Spend A Lifetime
5. Do You Know Where Youre Coming From?
6. Funktion (Ruff Mix)

Order HERE



4. ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (VINYL) IMPORT 2012 (ORANGE VINYL)

Exclusively re-mastered for this vinyl release including 6 tracks that never made it into the original film. John Carpenter not only directed Escape From New York but also composed and recorded all of its music too. This score sounds as fresh today as it did when it was first released. Laden with brooding electronic pulses, flashes of Krautrock and healthy dose of nu disco ensures that this soundtrack sounds as happy on the dance floor as it is in your headphones. Exclusive cover art by Jay Shaw (aka Iron Jaiden) one of the most in demand poster artists working today, his recent work has been selling out in minutes creating a huge demand on the aftermarket. Sleeve Notes from Alan Howarth and Jay Shaw.

• LABEL - DEATH WALTZ
• RE-MASTERED IN 140 GRAM VIRGIN VINYL
• Comes with a massive A2 poster
• Limited Edition 500

TRACK LIST
SIDE 1
Main Title
The Bank Robbery
Over The Wall / Airforce One
He's Still Alive / Romero
Orientation
Engulfed Cathedral (Debussy)
Across The Roof
Descent Into New York
Back To The Pod - Version #1

SIDE 2
Everyone's Coming To New York
Back To The Pod - Version #2 / The Crazies Come Out
Arrival At The Library
The Duke Arrives / Barricade
President At The Train
Police Action
Romero And The President
The President Is Gone
69th Street Bridge
Over The Wall
Snake Shake - End Credits

Order HERE



5. HALLOWEEN II (VINYL LP) IMPORT 2012 (ORANGE VINYL)

John Carpenter and Alan Howarth managed to do something not many people have been able to do with their score to Halloween II. They managed to take the blueprint of the first films score and make it bigger, darker and nerve shreddingly intense. Synths wail and stutter as the score progresses to the point where you feel your head might implode from the oncoming onslaught. This score really should be played late at night with all of the lights out.

• LABEL - DEATH WALTZ
• VINYL RECORD - LP + POSTER - SEALED
• All new artwork by Brandon Schaefer
• Sleeve notes by Alan Howarth and Brandon Schaefer
• Includes an A2 poster of the cover art in a variant colour

TRACK LISTING
SIDE A
Halloween II Theme
Laurie's Theme
He Know's Where She Is
Laurie And Jimmy
Still He Kills

SIDE B
The Shape Enters Laurie's Room
Mrs. Alves
Flats In The Parking Lot
Michael's Sister
The Shapes Stalks Again
Operation Room
Mr. Sandman

Order HERE


Musicology 101

We also want to have a little fun, so here are some rock and roll nuggets so you can win at music trivia games and become a top musicologist!

Frank Sinatra once called rock and roll "The most brutal, ugly, degenerate, vicious form of expression it has been my displeasure to hear."

In order to give fans a "gold record," the first 100,000 copies of Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band" by were stamped out of gold colored vinyl.

When Decca Records first released "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley And His Comets in the Spring of 1954, most people had never heard of rock and roll and the company had a hard time describing the song. The label on the single called it a "Novelty Foxtrot."  It is also widely considered to be the song that, more than any other, brought rock and roll into mainstream culture around the world. The song is ranked #158 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The Allman Brothers' only Billboard Top 10 hit, "Ramblin' Man" was the last song recorded (October 1972) by bassist Berry Oakley before his death in 1972.  It topped out at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it was held out of first place by Gregg's future wife Cher's "Half-Breed."

CCR's John Fogerty had a notebook in which he jotted down words and names that he thought would make good song titles. At the top of his list was "Proud Mary", a phrase that brought images of a domestic washerwoman to John's mind. When he got around to putting it to music, the first few chords he used reminded him of a paddle-wheel going around. Instead of Proud Mary being a clean-up lady, she became a boat and the song is a staple at any wedding reception.

When a poem called "Too Many Teardrops" was put to music, it was re-titled "69 Tears."  Knowing that a song with such a name would never get any radio air play, it was re-named "96 Tears" and by October, 1966 became a #1 hit for Question Mark and The Mysterians.