The Bee Gees – Extended

…otherwise known as Record Store Day 2015 indulgence part 2.

I can’t say I have ever been a particularly big Bee Gees fan but I can’t deny them their place in popular music history, they really did have an astonishing career. Forming in 1958 (yes 1958!) and selling a shade over 200m records, Robin, Barry and Maurice Gibb never really got the praise they deserved and were easy targets for mickey-taking, some less affectionate than others. In the UK their popularity came in waves, principally in the late 1960’s (Massachussets, Gotta Get a Message to You), the mid to late 1970’s (Saturday Night Fever) and the mid to late 1980’s (writing for Diana Ross, You Win Again, etc). Lots of people I know say they don’t like the Bee Gees. I don’t believe any of them.

Advertisement

Johnny Cash – The Man Comes Around / Personal Jesus (2015)

…or otherwise known as 2015 Record Store Day indulgences part 1.

Both of these tunes emerged from American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002), an album largely of cover versions in Cash’ American Recording series, recorded in a very sparse, stripped down style by Rick Rubin, also known for producing among others Run DMC, The Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers. All of Cash’s American Recording albums are soon to be rereleased on vinyl in a splendid box set. Don’t expect multicoloured sleeves.

So why, for the princely Record Store Day-friendly price of £10.99 did I feel the need to buy this diminutive 7″ chunk of white vinyl…?

Happy Record Store Day

I’ll probably give record store day a miss this year. My dislike of queuing and sheer lack of independent record shops where I am this weekend makes it very hard for me to take part. Plus there’s not much I really want from the list (a Kate Bush 12″ and Wedding Present ep sung in German were the only things that interested me) and I go to record stores all the time anyway. I don’t need to be told by BBC 6Music to go. So I shouldn’t feel guilty.