For those readers new to this column, please read the introductory comments in Part one HERE.
One thing you probably will notice as this series progresses is the preponderance of used records listed. Of course some of those are used copies to replace records I've previously owned that were stolen, but quite honestly, the bulk of my record purchases since the early 1980s have been from the used record shops. Exceptions of course for new releases or records from favorite artists. Also, whenever we attend live performances, if the artist has a merch table with LPs for sale, I'll usually buy whatever they have.
But used record shopping, especially for classical, jazz, or some of the more obscure artists I like, and certainly for trying new things you don't know anything about, is an excellent way to expand your collection and hear new music. I might have hesitated paying full price to buy a new LP of some baroque composer I was unfamiliar with, but to spend one or two dollars on a near mint used copy makes it worth trying. The vast majority of used classical music records I've bought over the years have been in NM- or VG+ condition, with most looking and sounding like they were brand new. I figure I lot of people who bought these records originally, listened to them once or twice, then filed them and ignored them. I'd guess probably two-thirds to three-quarters of my classical music collection was bought used.
It's not just classical though. A substantial percentage of the rock, jazz and other styles I've bought since the late 1990s or early 2000s have been used. I might not be out buying twenty-five to fifty used records at a time anymore, like I did in the 1980s, but if I hit the used record shops, I expect to buy at least five to ten. My wife joins me most of the time and learned pretty quickly how to inspect a record to see if it is just dirty, and can be salvaged, or damaged and to be left behind.
And this brings us to the most important aspect of used record shopping. Actually, one of the most important aspects of owning records in the first place, that is the ability to clean the records you have. I am still shocked to see on some online discussion groups that cleaning records is controversial for some people, or that people will shell out thousands of dollars on a good turntable and cartridge, then buy hundreds or thousands of records, and not take cleaning into account.
First thing about cleaning is not to get fanatical about it, but just actually do it. Get a record cleaner that works and use it regularly. Don't fret about whether your cleaner is the best or not, or whether you read somewhere that only one type of cleaner is worth having. Just get something that works and use it!
When I say "something that works" I specifically mean a system that wet washes the record in some way, and can then also dry it.
I clean each record after purchase or before playing it the first time. This is critical for used records, but worthwhile for new ones, too. If they are in reasonably good shape they go straight to my Pro-Ject VC-S that I've had since 2017. A quick dusting with an Audioquest carbon fiber brush, then a proper wash and dry on the VC-S. It works great. If I have a batch of five or more used records, or several that are a little on the dirtier side of things, I'll run them through a pre-wash in a Spin Clean first.
One thing I like about the VC-S, the Nitty Gritty and the Record Doctor cleaners, is their platter only covers the label, not the entire record. This way I can take a wet record from the Spin Clean, and dry it on the VC-S. Also, after washing one side, I'm not concerned with putting the newly cleaned surface on a platter that just had the dirty side on it. Makes sense to me.
Are ultrasonic cleaners better? Maybe, probably, for sure, or I don't really care. A proper wet/dry vacuum cleaner like the Pro-Ject, Okki Nokki, Record Doctor or VPI work great, are fast and from inspecting with a good digital microscope, work fine. If you prefer an ultrasonic cleaner, that's great, and you should use one of those. They work really well too. Whichever you use, use something and keep your records clean. After one initial cleaning, thanks to the felt mat on my LP12, I know it's time to clean a record again when there is enough static to lift the mat up when I take the record off the table. I also don't argue about cleaning solutions. Use whichever one you like, and there are many good ones on the market. I mix my own and it works well enough. It also keeps the price down, so I don't mind cleaning records more often. I also really like the Mobile Fidelity cleaning brush. It spreads the solution uniformly and has enough surface area to ensure it gets down deep into the grooves.
Van Der Graaf Generator, Godbluff
Label: Back On Black – PCV007LP
Series: Prog Classics
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 180g, Gatefold
Country: UK
Released: 2012
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
I bought an English import of this my freshman year of college, shortly after it came out. It's been one of my all-time favorites albums ever since. I'll be honest, I had no idea who Van Der Graaf Generator were or what their music would be like, but just seeing the back of the cover, showing little useful information other than just four photos of the band members and showing only two long songs per side, intrigued me. I still remember how listening to this the first time struck me with its power, musicianship, anger and a unique sound unlike any other band I'd ever heard.
The original is gone with the rest of the records that were stolen. I bought this 180 gram reissue from Back on Black Prog Classics, hoping for something good and a reasonable replacement. Though clearly sourced from a digital master, severely compressed and sounding far more like the CD I have than my memory of the original, this LP had to make do until I could find another mint original.
Tracklist
A1 - The Undercover Man 7:23
A2 - Scorched Earth 9:49
B1 - Arrow 9:45
B2 - The Sleepwalkers 10:30
C - Forsaken Gardens (Live) 7:58 (not on original LP)
D - A Louse Is Not A Home (Live) 12:48 (not on original LP)
https://open.qobuz.com/album/0094631139352
Laurie Anderson, O Superman
Label: Warner Bros. Records – DWBS 49888
Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, EP, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: Abstract, Experimental
It's records like this why I'm glad I swapped the aging Valhalla power supply in my Linn for a Mose/Hercules 2 power supply several years ago; easily switchable 33/45 speeds! Laurie Anderson's 45 RPM single of "O Superman!" I love her music and love this song. This was the first record by Anderson that I bought, and I got it as soon as I could find it after seeing a piece about her, along with the video for "O Superman" on Night Flight. I actually discovered a lot of good music watching that show.
Tracklist
A - O Superman (For Massenet) 8:21
B - Walk The Dog 5:55
(The single is not available on Qobuz, links to individual tracks)
https://open.qobuz.com/track/11362193
https://open.qobuz.com/track/11772970
Philip Glass / Robert Wilson. Einstein On The Beach
Label: Tomato – TOM-4-2901
Format: 4 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo Box Set
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: Classical
Style: Contemporary, Opera
The first time I heard anything by Philip Glass, is was this record, played by my roommate in college in 1979. I came home from class, and he had this playing on his system in the living room. I sat there for about fifteen minutes, asked if it was a joke and went downstairs to my room. Later that night I realized I was hearing that fifteen minute bit of music in my mind over and over again. I wasn't sure that I liked it, but I knew it was memorable. Six months later I'm living in California, I stop at Tower records, and I see the box there. I bought it and have absolutely loved it ever since. Now I have eleven albums of Glass's music in my collection, and the rest of his albums saved as favorites in Qobuz.
I went to see the Philip Glass Ensemble play at the Dorothy Chandler hall here in LA in the early 1980s, and brought this album cover with me. When the concert ended, I went around to the artist's entrance, hoping to send the cover back for an autograph. Several other people gathered there too. When someone finally opened the door and let some people in, one woman looked at me and said "are you coming in?" so I was actually in the after-party with the group! Glass himself was not very talkative except for with a few people that hung with him, including the woman that invited me in, but I was in long conversations with Michael Riesman, Richard Landry, Jon Gibson and a few others. Most of the ensemble signed the inside of the cover. It was a great time for me.
I understand that some people love Glass's music, and others do not like it much at all. That's fine of course, and true of most music of any genre. Sometimes you have to be willing to look beyond a "first listen" and take time to appreciate what an artist is trying to do.
Tracklist
A1 - Knee Play 1
A2 - Act I, Scene 1: Train
B - Act I, Scene 2: Trial
C1 - Knee Play 2
C2 - Act II, Scene 1: Dance 1 (Field With Spaceship)
D1 - Act II, Scene 2: Night Train
D2 - Knee Play 3
E - Act III, Scene 1: Trial/Prison
F1 - Act III, Scene 2: Dance 2 (Field With Spaceship)
F2 - Knee Play 4(Bass Vocals – Sean Barker, Tenor Vocals – Phillip Gavin Smith)
G1 - Act IV, Scene 1: Building/Train
G2 - Act IV, Scene 2: Bed
H1 - Act IV, Scene 3: Spaceship
H2 - Knee Play 5
(This Qobuz link is for the CBS reissue of the original Tomato Records release.)
https://open.qobuz.com/album/0886443216198
Dewa Budjana, Joged Kahyangan
Label: Moonjune Records – MJR059
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 2013
Genre: Jazz, Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Fusion
A limited edition of only 500 copies on LP and personally signed by Dewa Budjana! Moonjune Records hasn't released many LPs, as most of their sales are CDs or downloads from Bandcamp, but when they do they are definitely worth getting.
You may not have heard of Indonesian guitarist Dewa Budjana before, but you probably have heard of the guys backing him up on this; Peter Erskine on drums, Jimmy Johnson on bass, Larry Goldings on organ and piano, and Bob Mintzer on sax and clarinet. A wonderful album and worth tracking down a copy.
Tracklist
A1 - Foggy Cloud 6:57
A2 - Joged Kahyangan 5:24
A3 - Dang Hyang Story 5:40
A4 - As You Leave My Nest 5:01
B1 - Majik Blue 5:33
B2 - Erskoman 7:44
B3 - Guru Mandala 6:16
B4 - Borra's Ballad 6:19
https://open.qobuz.com/album/f1gj0j06ewevb
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Tarkus
Label: Cotillion – SD 9900
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, SP - Specialty Pressing; Gatefold
Country: US
Released: n/a
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock
This came out in 1971, my freshman year of high school, but I bought this copy later, probably in 1973 or 74. Bombastic? Pompous? Overblown? Of course! That's what ELP was all about. Remarkable playing and superb sound, though some day I might try to hunt down a UK original pressing. The side-long title track is one of the very best of the long epic songs prog rock is noted for.
Tracklist
A1 - Eruption 2:43
A2 - Stones Of Years 3:43
A3 - Iconoclast 1:16
A4 - Mass 3:09
A5 - Manticore 1:49
A6 - Battlefield 3:57
A7 - Aquatarkus 3:54
B1 - Jeremy Bender 1:41
B2 - Bitches Crystal 3:54
B3 - The Only Way (Hymn) 3:50
B4 - Infinite Space (Conclusion) 3:18
B5 - A Time And A Place 3:00
B6 - Are You Ready Eddy? 2:09
https://open.qobuz.com/album/4050538185010
King Crimson, In The Court Of The Crimson King (An Observation By King Crimson)
Label: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – MFSL 1-075
Series: Original Master Recording
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered
Country: US
Released: Sep 1982
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
I remember seeing the original of this record in various stores since when I was a child, as it came out in 1969. Obviously, I had no idea who or what it was since it didn't say anything on the cover. So I didn't buy a copy of it until after I had heard and bought a few of the later KC albums in the early 1970s.
I don't remember exactly when I bought this MFSL reissue, but it was sometime in the mid-1980s. I bought it mostly because my original LP had a serious surface noise issue. This reissue had silent surfaces and better clarity and detail. Even if, like most early MFSL reissues, they played with the EQ to brighten it up and maybe make it sound "better" on mid-fi systems, it still for me has been the best overall issue I've heard of this landmark album. There is still nothing like it, and how they could create this as their first release is astonishing. It wasn't the first King Crimson album I bought, but it still would be the one I consider their best. If you've never heard the whole album, try it now. You're in for a real treat.
Tracklist
A1 - 21st Century Schizoid Man (Including ''Mirrors'') 6:52
A2 - I Talk To The Wind 5:40
A3 - Epitaph 8:30
(Including ''March For No Reason'' And ''Tomorrow And Tomorrow'')
B1 - Moonchild 12:09
(Including ''The Dream And ''The Illusion'')
B2 - The Court Of The Crimson King 8:48
(Including ''The Return Of The Fire Witch'' And ''The Dance Of The Puppets''')
https://open.qobuz.com/album/jdd9xlfslpa7b
King Crimson, Red
Label: Editions EG – EGKC 8
Series: Editions EG Collectors' Edition
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Half Speed Mastered, Hub-Servall Pressing
Country: US
Released: Jan 1987
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
Red came out while I was still in high school, but for whatever reason I never bought a copy of it until the late 1980s when this Half-Speed Mastered reissue came out. Of course, now I wish I had an original 1974 edition. Even more than Starless and Bible Black, this one took a while to warm up to, but again, I now see it as one of their essential albums.
A few years ago, a friend and coworker was in town, and after we had dinner he hinted he'd like to hear my system. I had no idea if I'd have anything on LP that he'd like, and expected he'd make selections from Qobuz. While in his car I noticed he had been listening to Tool. I remembered reading an interview with them once where they mentioned King Crimson in general and Red in particular as an inspiration to the band. So, after a few LPs by The Doors and The Who, I played this. He had never heard it before and was floored by it. He seemed to understand Tool better afterwards, too.
Tracklist
A1 - Red 6:20
A2 - Fallen Angel 6:00
A3 - One More Red Nightmare 7:07
B1 - Providence 8:08
B2 - Starless 12:18
https://open.qobuz.com/album/tis6rfa4zjehb
Sandy Bull, Fantasias For Guitar And Banjo
Label: Vanguard – VSD-79119
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
Country: US
Released: n/a
Genre: Jazz, Rock, Blues
Style: Folk Rock, Acoustic
It seems most fans of John Fahey and early Leo Kottke also like Sandy Bull if they've had the chance to hear his first two albums. This was his debut (on Vanguard) from 1963. Just Bull on guitar or banjo, and Billy Higgins on drums. Creative, inventive, and ever so musical. "Carmina Burana" on banjo has to be heard to be believed!
Tracklist
A - Blend 21:51
B1 - Carmina Burana Fantasy (Written-By – Carl Orff 4:33
B2 - Non Nobis Domine Written-By – William Byrd 1:35
B3 - Little Maggie 4:09
B4 - Gospel Tune 9:55
(Not currently available on Qobuz)
Johann Christian Bach, Simon Preston, Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner, The Six Symphonies, Op. 3
Label: Musical Heritage Society – MHS 912037X
Format: Vinyl, LP, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Classical
Style: Baroque, Symphony, Orchestra, Harpsichord
This is a Musical Heritage Society release from 1987, one of the last I received when I still subscribed to MHS. I stopped when they started making poor quality digital, original recordings.
This record was licensed from Philips from a 1969 recording and was a Teldec DMM release. Doesn't seem to have the steely high frequencies so many Teldec DMMs had back then. Overall a very nice record.
Tracklist
A1 - Symphony No. 1 In D Major 9:13
A2 - Symphony No. 2 In C Major 8:57
A3 - Symphony No. 3 In E-flat Major 9:18
B1 - Symphony No. 4 In B-flat Major 8:19
B2 - Symphony No. 5 In G Major 8:04
B3 - Symphony No. 6 In G Major 9:08
(Qobuz has the original issue, not the MHS licensed reissue)
https://open.qobuz.com/album/0002894224982
The Police,Synchronicity
Label: A&M Records – SP-3735
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, BRY, Europadisk Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
This is a $1.99 thrift store purchase to replace the original I lost years ago. Cleaned up like new! The Police were another band from the early 80s that I just didn't appreciate at the time, though I did like Ghost In The Machine. There is a good reason to look back and revisit bands from the past. I find The Police much more enjoyable now than I did when they first came out. This album would have been much better if the songs "Mother" and "Miss Gradenko" had been left off.
Tracklist
A1 - Synchronicity I 3:23
A2 - Walking In Your Footsteps 3:35
A3 - O My God 4:00
A4 - Mother 3:03
A5 - Miss Gradenko 2:00
A6 - Synchronicity II 5:04
B1 - Every Breath You Take 4:13
B2 - King Of Pain 4:59
B3 - Wrapped Around Your Finger 5:12
B4 - Tea In The Sahara 4:11
