against me! is reinventing axl rose

Against Me!'s first full length is a total classic - can you believe this is over 7 years old now? Crazy shit.

It's got heaps of really awesome tracks like Pints of Guinness Make Your Strong and Walking is Still Honest. If you don't have this record you are a failure, go and buy it now.

Seriously. I'll wait.



Ok, so there have been 27 pressings of this, amounting to over 20,000(!) individual discs. This copy is from the 10th press on a beautiful butter yellow (limited to 550) which I picked up off ebay a month or two ago. Really I should have taken some pics of it rather than using the ones from the ebay listing, but their pics are way better than what mine normally turn out like so maybe I won't bother.

EDIT: I did bother, but I shouldn't have. The ebay ones are definitely better.

be not content

I was still on a high from my Soul Control find when I stumbled across this 12" from Trapdoor Fucking Exit. I'd vaguely heard of them before but had no familiarity with their music and thought it was worth a spin. Like Involution, this was stupid fucking cheap too, weighing in at five bucks.

I've only listened to this a little but I'm impressed. They've got a really different sound, the syncopation and odd sounding time signatures are fun. They're worth a listen, so pick this up from No Idea now. They still have copies of this sexy grey marble even tho it was pressed 5 years ago and there were only ever 550 of them. Maybe No Idea just forgot to update their site?

involution

Of all my bargain-bin jackpots, this has to be my fav. A mint-condition 1st pressing of Soul Control's Involution on red wax (limited to 600) and it broke the bank at $NZ6. I've spent more on a cup of coffee than this record, and it's an absolute killer.

So stoked!

I'm keeping my eye out for the red/orange swirl wax on this one too, which was limited to just 200 and it's an absolutely stunning record.

Go and get this, it's a necessity.

coaster bonus 7"

Picked this 7" up off ebay a few weeks ago for a pretty penny. There were 1500 of these pressed with various ink colours on the labels, the purple on mine limited to 272.

The sleeve was made by a fan in the same style as the sleeve of Coaster which is a neat way to close it out. The back label on the disc is plain black however, which is kinda odd.

new wave singles

These 3 are single 7"s released from New Wave and they're fan-fucking-tastic. New Wave ranks pretty highly on my favourite album list so any tracks off that album are going to be pretty solid in my books. Stop! was pressed 4500 times on black, with another 500 on yellow. Thrash Unreal got 6500 black presses with another 500 on red. White People for Peace was pressed on 4500 blacks, 1000 whites and another 500 on red.

Even if you can only find the black presses of any of these, they are such great tracks (and all 3 have fantastic b-sides that aren't on New Wave) so you should grab them. I've got a spare black Thrash Unreal if you want to hit me up on Limited Pressing for a trade.

I've not managed to track down a yellow Stop! or a red White People for Peace so let me know if you've got either to trade. I have, however, scored a white press of White People for Peace which is signed by Tom Gabel - ace!

against me! remixes

Here are a couple of 12" Against Me! remixes from the Searching for a Former Clarity album. On the left is Don't Lose Touch  remixed by Mouse on Mars, and on the right is From Her Lips to God's Ears remixed by Adrock. Both were only pressed on black limited to 3050 and 3185 respectively, and truth be told I haven't heard either yet. They're essentials for my AM! collection, but I've not managed to track down digital versions so I haven't risked playing yet.

In both cases the record has the remix as the a-side track, and the album version on the b-side. Both tracks are really solid on the album so you can't go wrong with those. The remixes? Your mileage may vary.

dropped their brains

I got sent this 12" free with an Against Me! 7" I was after and have only really had a chance to listen to it in the last few days. The Inoculators have a really great sound and I'm glad I got introduced to them. There's a bunch of tracks up on their site for free download, and I definitely recommend you check them out.
They're also practically giving their vinyl away in the store too - a copy of the above Dropped Their Brains pressed on clear green wax (limited to 855) will cost you $US8, and their 7" split with Noise Attack on clear red with black splatter (limited to 500) is just $US5. Did I mention that both prices include worldwide shipping? I'm pretty sure it will cost them more to ship the 7" I just bought to New Zealand than I paid for the whole thing.

That's fucking cheap.

Get over there and support these guys. http://www.theinoculators.com/

sink, florida, sink

This is another really awesome pair of songs from Against Me!, and I love the hidden artwork on the sleeve too - can't believe I didn't take pics of it all unfolded.

I got my first copy from RG in welly on a pale blue & white marble, which I think is a 4th press limited to 150.  Grabbed a 1st press on a deep blue with a little hint of white too, which was limited to 2000.

cavalier eternal

This was yet another cheapie from RG, hiding in plain sight on the wall down there. I have no idea which pressing this is from - maybe from the 6th? It's a weird grey/pink kinda marble but it has a big dark smudge running right through the disk so it had to be from a pressing with darker colours. The 6th press was light pink, grey and black which is about the best match - maybe it's a transition between the pink+grey? Also managed to score a first press on ebay, and there's definitely no mistaking that one - a clear, dark blue wax that looks fantastic.

Anyway, Cavalier Eternal is just about my favourite AM! song, and definitely my fav off Reinventing Axl Rose. The acoustic cover of You Look Like I Need a Drink is just epic too.

There's about a billion pressings of this 7" out there, so pick one up if you haven't already.

anger management in four chords or less

This is another sweet score from the bargain bin at Real Groovy in Wellington. For the princely sum of $6 (that's 6 New Zealand dollars folks, not even a fiver by American standards) I walked out of there with a really tight album from a great little band.

I love the rough cardboard sleeve, but it wasn't until I got back to the hotel I saw the wax was pressed on a gorgeous orange/white marble! Real Groovy are out of their mind for letting such an awesome record go for so cheap, but to let it go that cheap when there's only 467 pressed is just criminal.

You should already own this record. If you don't, then go and get it right now. Side note: Real Groovy doesn't have any more copies. And I don't apologise.

senor and the queen

I saw this pinned to the 7"s wall in Real Groovy down in Welly and it was priced at something ridiculous like $10, just stupid cheap. There's a little sleeve wear in the corners where it's been knocked about, but hardly anything major. Get it home and find it's one of the limited 1000 on clear wax - what a score!

I've only listened to a little Gaslight Anthem (their 2007 Sink or Swim) but what I have heard is really solid and I'm into hearing more. Really, even if this EP sucks, it was a tenner! I can't walk away from a bargain like that.

the acoustic ep

I originally picked up the clear press of this Against Me! 7" from Real Groovy in Wellington and was really stoked. Was even more stoked when a clear gold press came up on ebay and it didn't get away.

From what I understand, both of these colours were part of the first press, limited to 267 for the clear and 256 for the clear gold. Sabot aren't exactly clear about those details so I could be wrong (clarification anyone?), but maybe I should just email them and ask.

I really love the simplicity of this EP, all the tracks are so raw and basic. There's still a fair few copies of this coming up on ebay, if only the black press. Do yourself a favour and get this. Sharpish.

anna was a stool pigeon

I ordered this 7" direct from Sabot after my whole Against Me! obsession had kicked off and I knew how good Tom's voice was. This is the 1st press on clear wax (limited to 800), and I also managed to pick up a copy signed by Tom as well!

I really recommend it if you're into that acoustic-folk-punk sound.

bridge9 2009 summer compilation

I bought this 12" sampler because the artwork reminded me of the artwork for Based on a True Story by Fat Freddy's Drop. There's a few good tracks on here but I'm not really feeling this either.

It was a one-time press of 1000 on an admittedly attractive blue-grey marble and included a CD, poster and download card. I've not used any so if you fancy getting your hands on it, jump on my Limited Pressing collection and put up a trade.

new wave

I fucking love this album. Picked up a still sealed copy from the Auckland Real Groovy and I'm so stoked. According to the Against Me! website the yellow colour is a limited pressing of 6000, but that's hardly limited. It is a lovely piece of 180g wax however, and it included a CD copy of the album too.

There are so many good tracks on this record you just have to grab a copy. There's probably a good 10,000 on black around but they're on 180g as well so you're sure for a great audio experience regardless.

prototypes and painkillers

Straight up, I don't love this 12" from Strung Out. I do love the bright pink wax but it's a crime that this isn't in the hands of a fan, especially considering the pink was limited to just 316.

Head over to my collection on Limited Pressing and make me a trade if you want it. It's never been played and the download card hasn't been used either.

I'll edit this post when the record has gone, so if you're reading this, yes it's still on offer. Pics after the cut.

the disco before the breakdown

I picked this up for next to nothing along with a bunch of other Against Me! 7"s from Real Groovy earlier in the year. It turned out to be one of the harder ones to decypher the pressing info about, and I'm still not sure if this is from the 15 or 16th pressings.

Disco is one of AM!'s earlier recordings, and the rawness of the band is really apparent with this release. I'm pretty into the title track, and ended up dropping a sweet penny on a 1st press of this on red a couple months ago. I think the red was limited to 336 or some silly amount like that.

The seller was also nice enough to stick a free 12" into the package when sending, and I'll write about that a bit later on. Until then, enjoy the pretty pictures after the cut and tell me what press the purple record is from.

the alchemy index

The Alchemy Index was a pretty divisive record for fans of Thrice. So many bagged on the new sounds and styles the band were exploring, and more than a few fans left the fold.

I'm a huge fan of Thrice and for me The Alchemy Index is a real cornerstone of why I love them so much. I don't think it's sustainable for a band to continue making the same music for their entire career, and I have a lot of respect for anyone who ignores their critics and follows their own creativity to where it takes them. Far fewer bands have ventured into such relatively strange territory and produced something so cohesive as a result.

For me the record's strongest tracks are on Water, the 2nd disc. There's a really great mix of electronics and a denseness to the guitars. I've seen the word 'sleepy' thrown around a lot when describing this record and it definitely has a floaty and ethereal aspect to a lot of the songs. It's a very eclectic set, and definitely one of those love/hate arrangements.

Ranting aside, I was stoked to pick this up still sealed for something like $US40 on ebay. It's a numbered box (I got 16/3000) and the packing is just stunning. Each of the 4 10" EPs is coloured after the element it represents and it's all enclosed within a beautiful book, filled with lyrics and little drawings. There was a problem with the pressing of the Earth discs, so another copy was supplied extra with my copy (including a note from Vagrant explaining).

I can't understand why this thing is so cheap, but it is - you would be wise to grab a copy as soon as possible as it's surely only going to increase in value as it ages.

designated vol 1

This 7" from Bullet Treatment was a bit of an impulse purchase for me. I'd seen the record in Fat's catalogue and liked the idea - 6 songs all musically identical with a guest vocalist singing their own lyrics. Tim from Rise Against is in here, along with a bunch of other big names in the punk and hardcore scene.

It came up on TradeMe which is a kinda unusual place for things like this to surface, but I jumped on it anyway and I'm pretty stoked. The wax is a really cool buttery yellow colour, which was limited to 510, with the slightest smudges of black mixed in. Fat pressed another 1559 on black so I'd guess they went before the yellows.

I really like this record, it's great to hear such big names putting their own individual spin on a solid, uptempo track. Last I checked Fat still had copies of the black press and the yellow won't kill your budget if you want it.

7" of the month club

I guess you could call the 7" of the Month Club set released by NOFX as the first set of records I ever chased, my first white whale. The real hook for me on this was the cover art, specifically the back cover art. A 12 piece puzzle making one larger piece of artwork is a pretty cool idea, and I was totally onboard for the set.

Originally the club ran from 2005-2006, and the 3000 original pressings were all gone a few months before the club finished it's run of 12. So began the long and arduous task of tracking down each record individually on ebay.

I'd picked up 3 or 4 when a whole set in supposedly "perfect condition" came up, and I was foaming at the mouth. Ended up dropping a stupid sum on them, and it was all downhill from there.

The records eventually arrived - damaged - and I couldn't be sure the damage was caused by the poor packing job the seller did or because the seller had misrepresented the quality on the auction. A lot of back and forth happened and I eventually got both my money back and a valuable lesson not to deal with teenagers on important matters like collectable vinyl.

During the time I was fighting with this kid for a refund I'd managed to track down the remaining 7"s I was missing and had 2 complete sets for a short time. I guess the final joke is on that kid - I swapped out a couple of the best looking discs and sleeves with my slightly damaged copies and sent him the rest.

Merry christmas you little shit.

All in all, however, I'm really happy with finally polishing off this set. Some of the songs are a bit shitty but the package is well put together and it's cohesive. The little running joke scribed into the matrix of each disc is a clever idea too. The picture disc for number 12 is a bit tacky but I guess NOFX are a bit tacky too. Speaking of, I forgot to take pictures of it somehow, so the 12th is just the ebay pic. Sue me.

the original cowboy

I fucken love Against Me!. I found them originally through a co-worker and was immediately turned onto their folk sound. Searching for a Former Clarity is one of my all-time favourite albums (but I'll write about that later), and I've basically made it my mission to track down a first-press of all of their vinyl. I'm not too far away from that goal, but there are still some white whales that elude me. Their records are the centerpiece of my collection and I'll be writing about them all over the coming days.

The Original Cowboy is a series of tracks that AM put down before they went into the studio to record As the Eternal Cowboy. It's basically a collection of demos recorded and mixed in a couple hours which went on to have the full studio treatment for Eternal, so the tracks have a really raw and gritty sound.

I really love the mixes on this record, and it's really such a huge departure of the studio mix you should really consider the record to be entirely seperate, despite the obvious connection.

I picked this up the day it dropped on Fat Wreck and was extremely lucky in scoring the baby blue wax, limited to just 524. I can't recommend this record highly enough, but you'll probably have a fairly difficult time of tracking down a blue copy. Fat is still selling black presses but the blue is just so stunning you should make the effort to find one.

A good start is Limited Pressing.

rise against

I was on a huge Rise Against bent for about 2 years which peaked when this self-titled 7" was released by Fat Wreck. I went trawling to find the most obscure tracks from radio broadcasts and Tim's old Baxter days. I picked up this record from Fat as soon as it was released and was lucky enough to score one of the 1010 red/white swirl copies. I later picked up one of the 4008 black copies from my favourite record store, Real Groovy in Wellington.

Rise Against is largely my gateway, as it was them and Story of the Year which got me kicked off into the melodic hardcore scene. Finally I'd found something light and fast, an obvious pop influence but still with a heavy socially responsible message. I managed to score Joe's pick after their last concert in Auckland too - stoked!

The two tracks on this 7" are the last remaining ones from the Appeal to Reason sessions and they're pretty solid. I don't think they come close to anything off The Sufferer and the Witness, but seeing as that's my favourite RA album, they'd be doing well to get close to that.

If you're into a relatively polished melodic hardcore sound I recommend you pick this up. I think Fat still has some black presses in stock, but the red/white swirl presses are floating around ebay every so often and won't break the bank.

3

The 3 box set by Ben Harper are the first records I ever owned so they'll always be special. I was given them as a gift and at the time it seemed like a pretty strange gift for someone who didn't collect records or even own a record player.

In hindsight, it's a pretty neat thing to have, and I'm really stoked I was given it. I've always enjoyed Ben's music and really this box personifies the search for something special. Whenever I hear a track off any of the enclosed albums, I'm immediately brought back to opening this box - the texture, the smell of the burlap covering, the way the light catches the simple black wax...ahh heaven.

There's not a great deal of information about this box out there on the web. I've seen various sites listing total pressings between 1500 and 2500, but the bog-standard appears to be 2000. I'd really love to know what the real count is if anyone out there could shed some light on the subject.

Prices for this box set have varied wildly over the years. Recently one went for $US80 on ebay, but just last year you were lucky to find one for less than $US300. Pick one up if you can, they really are amazing sets and will only increase in value as time goes on.

a beginning with no end

I like buying records.

That's the guts of it, but it's a little more complicated than that. I like buying records because I'm trying to recapture something. There's a certain disposability with music these days, and it's getting harder and harder to really connect with music and the people who create it. The magic is slipping away slowly.

I remember the record player my parents owned. Being so young I didn't understand anything about records, so the played was this thing of beauty and reverence - a magic box that created music by some ethereal process.

Today, music is just another digital commodity and it's such a shame. CDs have become the next digital watch - you can't give them away on a street corner. Digital music is just so utterly impersonal too - download, listen, delete, repeat. I love being able to carry a thousand songs in my back pocket, but it doesn't make me appreciate the subtly and mystery of music, nor the man hours that so many people have put into creating it.

Listening to the music of a fantastic band should be an experience, something to be cherished and appreciated. I guess buying records is how I choose to reconnect with that magic. I've only been collecting vinyl for the last year so my collection is far from expansive or amazing, but it is very special to me. Sounds a little self-indulgent but most hobbies are.

So welcome to my waxlog, a place where I can document some of the records that have passed into (and sometimes through) my hands, and a place where I can strive to recapture some of the romance of an old record player.