Generations - A Hardcore Compilation - 1st Press Blue - Revelation Records

The clock is ticking on my 26th birthday which is less than a month away. I've got some special records coming for my birthday paid for by relatives and rightly stowed away until the big day.

The question weighing on my mind is whether to go 'cold turkey' and not open any other records until the big day in order not to dilute any excitement or as I like to think 'Christmas effect' which is reminiscent of being a child and tearing open the wrapping paper on the must have toy that Santa bought.

Anyway, back to the current day, 3 records hit my metaphorical doormat this morning. And I'm afraid to say I had to bust one of them open and stash the other 2 away, so I'm in a weaning regime as it were!

It's a corker too. I came across this last weekend on the bay and definitely wanted it from first viewing. I'm finding I'm more into LPs these days as I prefer to stick a record on and go about doing jobs and shit that you need to when your middle-aged, rather than doing 'homework' and surfing the internet. 7's are just annoying that you need to flip them after about 5 minutes, bearing enough time to get the kettle on, before sitting down to some internet finances.

This is the 1st press on blue, limited to 550.

It's on at the moment and Rev definitely chose a good time to re-issue the original premise of the New York City Hardcore compilation, which incidentally is one of the first records I ever bought (bonus pic) as its a great way to hear some new bands as I've never been one for trawling myspace / facebook / other social networking site hosting mp3s.

Dead Stop - S/T - Six Feet Under - Pre-order Sleeve

I say that I have been too busy to blog recently which may be true but is also I admit is a excuse. But when this dropped on my doormat this morning I had to get it on here. Plus I can tag it to a bit of a theme that this weekend is also the belgium grand prix.

This version is a seriously good example of good execution. Sometimes you see those rare test presses in just dust sleeves and think why spend a load of your hard earned green on a record which only if you know what it is will you be able to appreciate it. Instead this record tickles my collectors funny bone as it were, it looks beautiful. Its got a sweet as glossy acetate cover with cardboard behind it imitating the colours of the belgium flag. The net effect is amazing to look at, and of course the record ain't too bad either.

Also to brag a bit I got it for virtually nothing, guess there was no one to bid against me on ebay so it went for less than a third of what I was willing to pay.

Trapped Under Ice - Demo / Stay Cold

Bit quiet this week, picked these up this morning. Been very busy recently which hasn't allowed much time for blogging. I'll avoid any weather related quips with the band name.

First up Stay Cold 3rd pressing /1000 (with head printed on reverse label) (full pressing info). Again not really interested in the variants here, just one of the better releases of recent years that I didn't have a copy of, got this for $1 off ebay and its in pretty good nick.

While I was searching on ebay for the above record I also copped the demo (2nd press / 500), which isn't quite as good, depending on your stance on demo's being pressed onto vinyl, again didn't cost me much.

I'm going to be putting together a couple of posts on records that I actually manage to get a mention on so stay posted... (its not that exciting actually)

Minor Threat - Out of Step - Black - 5th Press

I think this blog may have to be renamed to 'crimes against hardcore' or so it feels every time another record hits the doormat. Up next is another first, the first Minor Threat record I've owned and I'm very happy about it too as I got it for a very reasonable price. Not that should matter as let's face it this is one of the staples of hardcore 101, first semester, first term, first class, this is it. At least its been on fairly contestant rotation since it arrive a couple weeks ago.

Full run down of pressing info here.

Floorpunch - New Jersey (Discography) - Gold - Six Feet Under Records

Ok, so I've made the obligatory trip to the Royal Mail sorting depot this morning to pick up my weekly stash. First up is a good example I think of literally the sheer amount of vinyl to acquire over the coming weeks, months and years. To think I didn't own any FP records at all until today, but thankfully SFU have made this all but a breeze for myself having compiled all the necessary FP tracks onto one excellent gatefold double LP collection. Kind of wish that I'd gone for the clear though rather than the strange gold press. Excellent breakdown of the various covers and colour at xohashix.

Incidentally with my order came a slip that the Mental Demo II will be pressed again as they oversold it through their webstore with a limited cover for those who missed out. Actually now I think I bought these on the day Osama Bin Laden was killed and all SFU records were half price for one day only. Even better.

On Thin Ice / Down To Nothing - Split EP - Dead and Gone Records

Ok so here's my first attempt to try and catalogue some of my collection. This record was actually part of the reason I have resurrected my passion for collecting vinyl. I happened to be browsing through ebay and managed to pick a few of these tour covers up for virtually nowt. Coupled with the fact there will never be a discography I thought it'd be nice to try and pick up the various records to complete the set.

Its been quite a challenge to track down most of these records as now the Dead and Gone website is no longer and lack of general information about what actually exists. However I think this is complete.

Test Press

Clearly eight of these.

Record Release

I remember this is one record I bought from a show but not the record release. I imagine there were a few copies left over that were sold at a whichever show I went to.

Out of fifty on black.

First Press 

If I recall correctly there is only one press of this record. A limited blue colour vinyl out of 300.

Black out of 700.

European tour 2005 cover out of 100.

 European tour cover 2006 out of 75.

Wardogs - S/T EP Carry The Weight Records Yellow

This records deserves a mention purely for the fact it is still in one piece. Somehow, despite the fact my letter box for my flat is sunk into a wall, about 2 inches by 7 inches hole, about 3 inches to the back before the letters drop into the container, the postman managed to thread this record through. The package actually didn't specify do not bend, so I imagine the record must have flexed but still survived!

The actually music on the record ain't half bad, its not great, but its a standard hardcore sound mainly like Justice. The B side is pretty rockin although I've only listened to it a couple of times so far. The asthetics are ill however, nice colour vinyl, not a rediculous colour and decent artwork to go with it. Overall a nice package which hopefully CTW records will continue to produce.

Justice Live and Learn Powered Records Clear

So a little while ago I looked at my record stash and thought, "that's some weak collection". So I the past few weeks I've set about trying to obtain records not necessarily in random rare colours and cover art but just solid records that I don't even own one copy of! So here is born my record collecting blog.

I started to move away from hardcore in about 2006 when for whatever reason I just wasn't so much interested anymore, several bands split etc. etc. and as such I am missing a few of the later Justice releases post the Justice Elephant Skin LP back in 2005.

I'm liking the progression which I think is inevitable as hardcore just doesn't allow for much creativity so if your band survives longer than a year to keep a fresh sound and not mainly trying to take it to the 'next level' (which obviously doesn't exist in hardcore for good reason) its understandable that the sound will change a bit.

Strangely on the Powered Records discography it doesn't mention a clear press.