News

Hey there Sorry Staters! What’s happening? We appreciate you stopping by and taking a read of the newsletter. Always.

So, last week I tempted fate by mentioning football and right away my Reds go and have a terrible day at the office. Typical. I’m sure that raised a laugh from some of you out there reading. That’s okay, trust me I see the funny side too.

Anyway, this week there were some interesting new arrivals awaiting me when I came to work after my weekend off. I’m not sure whether my colleagues will touch on any of them, but the one that I would like to talk about is a compilation of the singles released by the independent punk label Groucho Marxist Record Co:Operative from Paisley, Scotland in the late 70s/early 80s. The label only put out four singles, but packed a lot of quality and variety across those eight sides of vinyl. When I was back in Glasgow last year visiting my cousin, we drove past Paisley as it is so close and just the other day, I was looking at a photo of the Walrus Fountain in Paisley that my cousin took. Couple that with a recent listen to The Vaselines and I was perfectly primed for some good Scottish pop and punk sounds. This compilation did not disappoint.

GMRC was run by a printer named Tommy Kayes, who was a member of a Clyde side anarchist group. Local politics, police suspicion and ties to Rock Against Racism were the main influences and driving forces behind the label and the bands that they recorded. Across the four singles, eight different bands/artists are represented, the first two singles being various artists EPs.

Musically, the sound is D.I.Y. punk and typical of the try anything approach that similar labels and bands were adopting across the land. XS Discharge come across like a mix of The Clash and Buzzcocks with a dash of Public Image Limited for good measure. Defiant Pose sound like The Undertones and could easily have been on Good Vibrations. Mod Cons kick the collection off with a humorous but true song about the state of 70s council housing. It’s a catchy number and you could see it being a hit if the lyrics were about girls or something other than damp flats.

Other than the shorter run, GMRC share a similar aesthetic as labels like Good Vibrations and a host of other independent labels that were circumventing the mainstream and doing it for themselves. As I began writing this piece in the store, Jeff and I were listening to a couple of Crass comps which collected all the demo tape submissions that they received from around the country. They’re called Bullshit Detector and are worthy of adding to your collection if you don’t already have them. There are quite a few gems across the two volumes we played, but we thought the second set was the better. If we had to pick. I love all these regional compilations that document the scenes outside of London and the other major cities. So much creativity and talent on display and, when outside of the mainstream, often weird. Weird is good of course and so is being able to say whatever you want without fear of being censored. Songs about real-life issues, politics etc. is what you get, and that’s exactly what infuses every tune that GMRC released in their brief two-year lifespan. A quote from Tommy taken from a fanzine interview perfectly sums up the label’s philosophy: “No way do we cater for happy consumers, who clock in the following morning, content because they had a fun night. We are anti-specialists: you don’t need big promoters to organize gigs, IPC to publish fanzines, professionals to take photos, record companies to make records, lawyers to tell you what’s right from wrong.”

Every track is a winner here and based on prices for the original singles that’s just not the opinion of a few shut-in collectors. They are not completely out of reach though, especially if you live in the UK and can find a local dealer, but perhaps this comp will increase interest and more people will be on the hunt now. Or not, you never can tell. I admit ignorance to the label and the songs, but I am sure more seasoned punks out there are long aware of these great records. Clearly, the good folks at Sealed Records were and many thanks to them for the great job that they have done on this release. The record sounds good first and foremost, so good job there, but the packaging is the hero here. You get a whopping 40-page 11x11 booklet included which is full of press clippings, photos, essays, track information and zine interviews. Very cool and informative. Get this one in your cart pronto. We have a few copies in stock currently, but you don’t want to sleep on this one.

Okay, that’s it from me. Thanks for taking the time to read the newsletter. I’m sure my colleagues came through with their writings. I’m not blowing smoke when I say that I look forward to reading what they are into each week, as they always educate and entertain me.

Peace and love - Dom

What’s up everyone? How was your week? Hopefully good. Another rollercoaster one for me which saw me crying into my cornflakes in despair over my life one minute and then crying with joy the next as the Reds notched up another impressive victory. Wild mood swings for sure, which demand vastly different soundtracks.

Here in the store, I have been enjoying listening to some of the hip-hop albums and 12”s we recently bought. There are still lots more good titles to snag if that’s your bag and you are local. Besides the hip-hop 12”s, check out some of the disco singles we have too. I love a 12” single personally. They seem to be somewhat under appreciated by the wider record buying public, but I always found them great value for money and an indispensable DJ tool. You typically get at least two versions of the main tune, maybe a non-LP B-side and the best part, an instrumental version. Particularly for hip-hop, I often find myself loving the beat but not liking the rap. Language and use of certain words being the prime reason. Often with 12”s you’ll also get a clean or radio mix included, especially if it’s a promo. With prices on albums ever climbing, a closer look at whether there is a 12” single might be an option and a way to get some of the music you are looking for. I used to suggest to people on a budget to look for a cassette version of records that were getting expensive, but even that doesn’t seem to be much of a help these days. Prices on in demand albums are high for tapes too. We scored a small collection of cool things recently and there were some good tapes in amongst them, including a Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique which we played in the store yesterday. Sounded great too.

We had a bunch of cool things come in the last week or two. Some have already sold out, so I don’t want to talk about them here but if we restock this Cumbia compilation called Sonido Tumi Vol. II ever again, then join me on grabbing a copy. We got in just a few and Jeff and I were digging listening to it in the store. We had the first volume a while back and as of now, just like that first volume, the track listing on the second is a mystery. I believe someone at Mississippi Records is behind compiling these comps. I understand the mystery and under the counter nature of things, but it would be kind of cool knowing who the artists were and what the song titles are.

I’ve been digging the 45 from London’s Violin that is out on Iron Lung. Good sounding HC. We have an album from them on La Vida Es Un Mus and I believe the “group” is essentially a one-man band with a drummer. Good tunes and well recorded and still currently in stock if you fancy checking it out.

It’s no secret that I am a big Jimi Hendrix fan and never need an excuse to listen to his music. We recently bought a collection that had a lot of Jimi and have sold a good amount of them already. In amongst the sealed copies of Electric Ladyland girls cover albums were quite a few of those quasi-legit live records and studio outtakes. After his death, until his family finally got control of his estate, it was the wild west as far as Hendrix records were concerned. So many different versions of the same thing with different covers and varying quality. During his lifetime, Jimi recorded constantly. Whether it was in the studio or at home or live on stage, there was tape running. Before he became famous in his own right, he played as sideman for several top R&B and soul artists, including the Isley Brothers.

One artist that he played with was Curtis Knight, and it was with him that several studio recordings, known as the PPX sessions, were recorded by producer Ed Chalpin in late 1965 and early 1966. It was the legal repercussions of signing a deal with Chalpin before moving to England that resulted in The Band Of Gypsys album being recorded and given to Capital Records as settlement for that earlier contract. Jimi and the group with Curtis Knight, called The Lovelights and later to switched to The Squires, were also captured on tape playing live in Hackensack, New Jersey at a club called George’s Club 20 at the end of December 1965 and in January 1966. Just a few months before Chas Chandler saw him and whisked Jimi off to London, England and stardom. These live recordings have appeared in many forms over the years with different covers and track listings and more recently were given a redux by Hendrix’s main recording engineer Eddie Kramer for Experience Hendrix’s sub-label Dagger Records. It’s cool getting the performances properly packaged with correct liner note details etc. Kramer cleaned up the sound a little and removed audience noise, some of which were dubbed after the fact, and the studio postproduction that Chalpin did at the time.

In among the albums we bought in the collection was a German version of the George’s Club 20 tapes and to my ears it sounds great despite all its technical limitations and “crappy” sound. The show itself is killer and may or may not have been recorded on Boxing Day (December 26th) 1965, depending on which source of information you take. The set is Blues and R&B numbers. Great versions of Driving South by Albert Collins, I’m A Man by Bo Diddley, and Killin’ Floor by Howlin’ Wolf. Jimi is already the star of the show and throws in a lot of his party tricks, playing with his teeth, behind his head and delivering blistering solos. The second side finishes up with covers of Ray Charles’s What’d I Say and Bright Lights, Big City by Jimmy Reed. Like most bands playing club gigs like this at the time, their sets would be mostly covers of current hits and classics. Curtis Knight sings most of the tunes, but Jimi (or Jimmy as he was still known as then) can be heard joking and providing backup vocals. It’s easy to see why Chas Chandler and everyone else for that matter were so blown away by Jimi. His playing, looks and personality were unmistakable and so unique.

When the remastered version of the George’s Club 20 tapes was released a few years back, I wrongly assumed that I had all these recordings already and didn’t need them. Even some reviewers seemed less than enthusiastic and talked about the sound quality etc. Sure, the quality isn’t studio level and there are better sounding live recordings out there, but as a document of his pre-fame era, this stuff still kicks ass. If you are a fan, you should check them out. Here’s a link to hear Driving South. Then if you liked what you heard and you see one of these records titled Early Hendrix or Live In New Jersey in your record store, you’ll know what you are getting. I’ll be on the lookout for the Dagger Records version now as I want the songs left off my single disc version and to hear them without the overdubs. Plus, the superior packaging with photos and liner notes.

As we celebrate African American History month this February, there’s plenty of great music to get inspired by and to enjoy, but for a taste of a typical Friday or Saturday night, mid 1960s, in a club there’s probably not a better example than these recordings.

Thanks for reading. Cheers and see you next time.

-Dom

R.I.P. Wayne Kramer

Hi folks! What’s going on? It’s been another fun filled week here at Sorry State Industries. We’ve been buying some good used records, including a nice collection of hip-hop records that will hit the bins this week and next. There have been a bunch of new arrivals and restocks from some of our favorite labels. Then there has been the legendary North Carolina weather. From pipe freezing temperatures in the teens to short sleeves and 70s within a couple of days. Nice.

I’ve been dealing with the struggles of life recently and it’s been affecting my mood. Thankfully, I have work, music, and football to keep my mind occupied and distracted. That always does the trick. There’s never a dull moment here at SSR and my Reds are still top of the league and have already booked a trip to Wembley for a cup final in what will now be our manager Jurgen Klopp’s final season. However, this past week, the news of two music legends passing saddened me. In case you didn’t hear, we lost soul and jazz singer Marlena Shaw and lead singer from sixties girl group legends The Shangri-Las, Mary Weiss. Both ladies are cultural icons and their contribution to popular music cannot be overstated.

Marlena Shaw recorded for the Chicago based Cadet/Chess label in the late sixties, releasing the classic The Spice Of Life album in 1969, a Charles Stepney and Richard Evans production that has her great version of California Soul on it and the immortal Woman Of The Ghetto among others. Sounds that hip-hop producers would use years later. In the 70s, Shaw switched to Blue Note and released a series of credible and entertaining jazz-funk records before moving labels again to Columbia where she recorded some good disco influenced albums. Marlena continued to record and perform throughout the 80s and 90s and her live album from 1987 helped relaunch the new era of Verve Records. Like a lot of people of my generation, I discovered her music through samples in hip-hop. When DJ Blue Boy had a hit with Remember Me in the late 90s, everyone knew Marlena Shaw’s name. That record sampled her singing from the original Cadet record and a later live recording captured at Montreaux.

I’ve found most of her records in the wild over the years, including the Spice Of Life album and the key singles from it. There is still one of the 70s Blue Note albums I need though. Fingers crossed it will find its way to me soon. Fingers also crossed I can find the copies of the records that I do have. My storage has gotten a bit out of hand recently and finding records I know I have has become a problem. I couldn’t find all my Marlena records, but they’re there someplace.

Mary Weiss’s career in music began as a teenager in Queens, New York in the early 60s, where with her sister Betty and friends, twin sisters, Margie and Mary Ann Ganser, they formed the Shangri-Las. With the help of Brill Building songwriters and producers like Shadow Morton, they notched up a series of hits between 1964 and 1966 on Red Bird Records. Songs like Leader Of The Pack, Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand) and Give Him A Great Big Kiss literally helped define the Girl Group sound. They switched labels in 1966 to Mercury and continued with lesser success until 1968, when they broke up. The musical landscape was changing so fast in the 1960s and successful formulas dated very quickly. Not that the Girl Group sound and the legacy of the Shangri-Las ever diminished. The music is timeless, and it doesn’t matter what age you are, these teenage melodramas about love are still relevant.

After the breakup of the group, Mary Weiss, still barely out of her teens, switched gears and professions. Through her husband she got into interior design and industrial furnishing, something that she made a successful career at. There were a couple of one-off reunions over the years, but essentially from 1989, Mary did not sing at all. As she herself said, not even to the radio in the car. Then, a few years into the new millennium, she was coaxed out of retirement, resulting in 2007’s Dangerous Game album that was released on Norton Records, the perfect label for her comeback. On the album she is backed by The Reigning Sound and main man Greg Cartwright contributes on song writing duties also. Respectfully keeping an authentic “retro” feel to proceedings, the resulting album is a real treasure and a terrific comeback. Despite not having performed for years, Mary sounds fantastic, and the record not only has The Reigning Sound backing her but also features Miriam Linna and Billy Miller on some backing vocals. It was on Norton after all.

I was still living in New York then and remember the excitement surrounding this record coming out. For fans of the Shangri-Las and the girl group sound, it was a big deal having Mary back. I recall going to one of the early shows, which may or may not have been at the awesome venue Magnetic Field. My memory is a little foggy. I left the city shortly after, but will always associate this record with my living there and my experiences, especially with it being on Norton, a label dear to the hearts of all record collectors of a certain disposition. The album serves as a love letter from a previous time.

I’ll admit it had been a while since I last played the album, but I’ve listened to it a few times this week, including twice here in the store where it received a thumbs up from both Jeff and John Scott. So, if you don’t trust my cloth ears you might take their word for it. LoL.

As always, thank you for reading and thank you for your support.

Cheers, Dom

Greetings guys, how’s it going? Thanks for taking time to read the ol’ newsletter. We had a lot of fun looking back at our favorite releases from 2023 in our last one. Hopefully you enjoyed reading and it served some purpose. If just one of you found something new to you that you are digging, then we can be satisfied, but hopefully there are a few more of you than just one. I know I cast a wide net in my tastes and some things might not be for all, but variety is the spice of life and all that. I know I left a bunch of things out and that certainly wasn’t because I didn’t like them, but I figured my colleagues might pick some of them and we set our limits to just ten. I chose not to include our own label releases, but damn we are proud of everything that sported an SSR catalog number last year. 2024 is already beginning with a bang, with our two newest releases hot off the presses and in store. Click for more details on Deletar and Fugitive Bubble and get ‘em in your lives.

Alright, back to this newsletter and what the heck to write about? We are not (always) trying to hype stuff to sell you, but rather take pleasure in just talking about music and steering you in the direction of interesting stuff and this week will be one of those from me. I tend to write about things that are resonating with me at the time rather than just pull random “cool” records off the shelf and try to come up with something just for the sake of it. I’ve never been able to plan DJ sets in advance because of the way my brain works like that. I make decisions in the moment based on the current vibe and circumstances, which for me makes it fresher and more interesting. It also means having to bring a lot more records to gigs to select from, and with my aching back that’s not as easy anymore. I can see why a lot of folks went digital. Vinyl gets heavy.

So, I enjoy watching old movies. A lot. I pay for cable TV primarily to keep getting the Turner Classic Movies channel as that’s almost all I watch. I particularly like Westerns and WWII films and Film Noir. Robert Mitchum is one of my favorite actors. Another favorite, due to watching him with my Dad, is John Wayne. I know both guys wouldn’t pass the PC police these days, and there’s no doubt Wayne said some dodgy shit and people certainly have their opinions on whether he should have served during the war, but as an actor portraying a character, there’s no denying his charisma. Over the past few weeks, I’ve watched films about Pearl Harbor, one of my favorite Christmas films, Three Godfathers and last night another western with him and Mitchum. A film called El Dorado from 1966 which was produced and directed by the great Howard Hawks. It’s a decent movie with Mitch and Duke being the reason to watch rather than a great plot, but interestingly some scenes of Wayne from this film were reused in his final film The Shootist as flashback scenes.

Anyway, this morning I woke up and fancied listening to some reggae and flipped through a few things I had to hand and stopped at one by John Wayne called Boogie Down. Naturally after just watching Wayne the gunfighter, I had to hear Wayne the DJ, backed by Sly & Robbie with The Aggrovators and produced by Bunny Lee. LoL. Obviously not the same Wayne a.k.a. Marion Morrison but rather the Wayne known to his mother as Norval Headley from Jamaica.

This album Boogie Down is a top-notch rub-a-dub reggae record. Released in 1983 on the Vista Sounds label out of the UK, it’s the only full length credited to Wayne, but he had a career lasting through the 90s and is on a ton of singles either solo or with other performers.

With the pedigree present on this album, it had to be good. Sly & Robbie with The Aggrovators in their prime and Bunny “Striker” Lee at the controls. It’s a fun album in the rub-a-dub style and cut right before the digital era, so retains the feel of a classic 70s reggae record. If you see it, I highly recommend picking it up. There is a recent reissue out there, but otherwise just that original pressing.

As I was listening to the record, sipping my coffee, I attempted to continue reading a book that Daniel lent me ages ago and which I had left unfinished. It’s a book on The Clash which delves into the political climate of Britain and America during their time, and it’s fascinating reading. The historical aspect really interests me, and the author gets into the true nature of Thatcher and Reagan’s relationship and talks about how particularly Reagan’s whole presidency was pure theatre and a massive PR exercise with the White house fully concentrating on keeping whatever narrative that served them going and spending almost all their time doing that instead of doing actual helpful shit. Sound familiar? Pretty much the Republican playbook ever since.

The irony of the US Republicans who drape themselves in the flag and talk about the constitution and conservatism is that they are now the opposite of that. It’s all show and a distraction and deflection from what they are up to. Which is of course a huge problem and threat on democracy and the very foundations on which America was founded upon.

After the reggae record finished, I stuck on an album that I have by the actor John Wayne where he gets all patriotic. I think he was being sincere on it, but in the post MAGA world now, all these overtly patriotic, flag waving type of things come off badly. Which is a shame because the American dream should be a good thing. Normal patriotic citizens who are proud to be American shouldn’t have to feel ashamed or feel that by displaying Old Glory on their porch makes them a Trump supporting racist. I’m an immigrant to America who came to chase the dream too. I’m finally going to try and get my citizenship this year. A few hurdles in my path over the years stopped me. As I listened to the Duke reading the poems that looked mostly to be written by his son, I couldn’t help but get a little emotional myself. I believe in the true America and want to be a part of the rebuilding and uniting part of the population. Becoming a citizen will give me a vote and I can use that to be a part of the solution and not the problem.

Wasn’t intending on getting into a political conversation with my staff pick, but there you go. We live in charged times. What can I say? Fuck Trump. Listen to good reggae records and watch western movies. Thanks for your support and see you next time.

Cheers - Dom

Happy New Year Sorry Staters!

Here we are in 2024 and beginning another turn around the sun in what will undoubtably be a year for the history books in many ways. Let’s hope that by this time next year we’ll be talking about great music and art and not the end of democracy.

Anyway, back to January and what is the obligatory look back to the year before, where folks like us and anyone with a social media account and internet access wax lyrically about all the great things that came out and what their favorites were. We’re not spoilsports here at Sorry State and although I might be a bit of a grumpy old man about stuff sometimes, we are going to play along. So here we go with our reminders to you, dear music lovers, of some things that we thought were cool in 2023.

On a personal note, the last year was the proverbial rollercoaster for me. Some highs and some lows. Unfortunately, I lost furry buddies and ended the year living the lyrics of a country or blues song when my relationship took an unexpected turn. However, earlier in the autumn, I was finally able to return to the U.K. and visit my family and that was without doubt the best part of my year. I can honestly say that the most enjoyable moments I had were walking my sister’s and cousin’s dogs out in the woods or along the beach. It was exactly what I needed.

Another great restorative for my mood and well-being has been the form of LFC, who ended the year top of the league. Halfway through the season and it’s been a great one, with any one of four teams looking a good bet still to win the title. As I write this, it’s ours to lose and theirs to win. Up the Reds.

Collectively, we lost many loved celebrities, musicians, artists, actors, poets and countless others who gave of themselves and made the world a better place. Rest in peace all of you.

There were some great moments though, and Sorry State’s ten-year anniversary festival was an absolute blast. So cool getting all these great bands in town for the weekend to party and play. It was one for the books. The cities of Raleigh and Durham get blessed with great bands and artists coming through to play, and the Hopscotch festival this year, for example, was one of the best yet. That and the Dreamville festival curated by J Cole, showcasing the best in hip-hop, have helped keep this part of the country on the musical map. Add all the gigs going on in the clubs, bars and alternative venues and you have quite a healthy scene. After the plague years, we were all so happy to get back out there and see live music.

In any given year, there are literally hundreds of new records released, and keeping up with everything is an impossible task. Not that anyone would, really. I don’t know too many people who like every single genre and style of music going. We all have our preferences and personal favorites in our listening habits and at the end of the day, who has the time to listen to it all? I read lots of other people’s best of lists and often there are similarities to my own, but mostly they are completely different. Either things I don’t care that much for or mostly things that I have never even heard. I work in a record store and have a bit of an advantage over most, but I realize even that leaves me uneducated to all the new music created. So, end-of-year reviews serve their purpose and hopefully us mentioning some of our favorites will steer you towards good things you may have missed or need reminding of.

Mine are in no order of importance or ranking, but are all records that I spent my lunch money on or were gifts. I will divide them into two sections though, new music and reissues of older stuff. Being the old dude here, I naturally listen to a lot of 20th century music and buy a good number of used records throughout the year. Unfortunately for me, I guess, I like a lot of different styles of music that span decades, and so find lots of reasons to take home more vinyl. My sweet spot would be the years spanning the mid 1960s to the mid 1980s, but I listen to old music made at the beginning of the recording era through to the jazz and swing of the 30s and 40s and love the 90s. I’ve always bought records and will never stop digging, and although a lot of modern music isn’t for me, will always keep an open mind and ear to anything new I hear. Thank you so much to all the musicians and artists who have enriched my existence through your music.

Quickly before I begin. As much as I would like to include all Sorry State ‘s own label releases on my list and the Screaming Death compilation on Bunker Punks, I will resist the temptation and will leave that to others less biased to include in their lists. Tell you what though, we put out some killers last year. Cheers to all the bands and to you guys for supporting us and them.

First the new: -

Gruff Rhys – The Almond And The Seahorse Original Soundtrack – Rough Trade Records
I’m going to begin with this little gem that my DJ partner Matt gave me as a gift. We both have a mutual love for Welsh band Super Furry Animals and have followed the solo career of main man Gruff Rhys. I’ve picked one of his previous albums here before and will have a lifelong love for the music he makes and for his voice that always sounds like a long-lost close friend talking to you. He’s done soundtrack work before, the excellent jazzy score to Set Fire To The Stars from 2016 being his first. I have not seen The Almond & The Seahorse yet, but really love the soundtrack. It’s a nice mix of pop songs and mood music. Obviously scored for scenes in the movie, the music is appropriately created, but can be enjoyed just as much without having seen it. There’s plenty of nice moments throughout, and at times I was kinda reminded of stuff that The Orb did back in the day.

Theee Retail Simps – Live On Cool Street – Total Punk Records
I’ve been digging these guys and their records a fair bit. Spazzy garage from Canada that sounds like it could have come out of Memphis and would be equally at home on Goner Records as they are on Total Punk. In truth, the band is more the brainchild of main Simp Joe Chamandy, ably assisted by those around him. Not sure how “live” this record is, but adding a chorus of female vocals, guest musicians and throwing in some choice covers makes it seem like a good time at a cool spot.

El Michels Affair & Black Thought – Glorious Game – Big Crown Records
From my days in New York, I have been a big fan of the music El Michels Affair make. The label Big Crown, along with Daptone and Colemine, have consistently brought the best in new soul and r & b. The Affair typically deals in funky Latin tinged instrumentals. Check out their Wu-Tang cover album. It was no surprise that they would collaborate with the hip-hop world again and Glorious Game features Black Thought of The Roots. Also has my favorite Big Crown artist Lady Wray on back-up vocals. Great album.

Institute – Ragdoll Dance – Roach Leg Records
I joined the party late for these post-punk guys from Austin, Texas, but they are firm favorites here at Sorry State. We all loved member Moses Brown’s solo record as Peace De Resistance and it got me into the Institute back catalogue. Still need a copy of Subordination on vinyl. Ragdoll dance is the group’s fourth record and combines a healthy dose of art-pop and punk rock in equal measure. Some nice nods to the glory days of Siouxsie and Magazine and DIY punk for sure, but enough fresh ideas and interesting songs to make them a part of your contemporary music listening.

The Serfs – Half Eaten By Dogs – Trouble In Mind Records
These guys are a good synth-punk band from Cincinnati, Ohio and have been around for a few years with a previous LP and a cassette release to their credit. This is a good album that delivers songs that aren’t all cut from the same cloth by using different textures and elements of the post-punk and synth-wave sound spectrum. Familiar yet very original stuff.

Morwan - Svitaye, Palaye – Feel It Records
Morwan is the project of Alex Ashtaui from Kiev, Ukraine, who now resides in Berlin and has two albums and an E.P. under his belt. The music style is post-punk with ethnic elements and an Industrial, Coldwave, Goth sound that only recording in Berlin can inspire. The Russian invasion of Ukraine influenced the album greatly. Initially, it was intended as a slightly dance/club sounding follow up to the previous record, but took on the pain, anger, fear, loss, and suffering of the war into the songs. A unique record and worthy of your investigation.

Personal Damage – Atrophy & Entropy – Test Subject Records
L.A. three-piece punk band that has won the hearts of all here at Sorry State. Regular readers will have read all of us here rave about these guys and their take on California Hardcore punk. There’s nothing about these guys not to like. Good energy, good songs, a good look, good humor mixed with a darker take on politics and modern living. Their set at our anniversary festival was a highlight (amongst so many) and it was a pleasure meeting them. Record comes with a sick poster too. Nice one guys.

Blur – The Ballad Of Darren – Warner Records
The 90s and the Brit-Pop years were heady times, but a long time ago now. Blur soundtracked that era for many. Singer Damon Albarn’s voice is another that sounds like a longtime friend or family member. More recently heard with Gorillaz than Blur, it’s a welcome return hearing him with his original band, their first in close to a decade. I was a fan back in the 90s and saw them a bunch of times, beginning with their first album Leisure through to the early 00s and the Think Tank album. They were always good live. When I first heard this new record, I was a little underwhelmed if I am honest, but I have given it repeated listens and really like it now. Certainly, a more mature sounding record and one that finds the band reflecting on where they find themselves now. Still the trademark Damon vocal and although mostly downtempo, still some louder rockers with plenty of sonic texture from guitarist Graham Coxon on display.

Irreversible Entanglements – Protect Your Light – Impulse Records
Those of you into spiritual free jazz that combines hip-hop, funk and spoken word poetry need look no further. This is their debut on Impulse, the label that they were almost destined to be on. They’ve been around for half a decade or so now and have three previous releases. I was lucky enough to catch them play here in Raleigh alongside Daniel and it was an experience we won’t forget. Very powerful stuff.

Fairytale – Shooting Star – Quality Control HQ / Toxic State Records
I’ll let others here at Sorry State tell you about hardcore punk, but I will say that of the many ripping punk records that came through the store last year, (other than our own releases) this was one of my favorites. They do so much with their sound, albeit within the contexts of a d-beat punk framework. The vocals and how they blend into the sound really impressed me. This is a record that initially blows your wig off with its intensity, but like an onion has many layers that reveal themselves each time you listen. We sold out our copies so snag one if you see it, but if ever a repress was needed, this would be it.

Now for a quick mention of some of the reissue highlights I would recommend you investigate.

De La Soul – Buhloone Mind State – Chrysalis Records
It took years, but finally the group took control of their back catalogue and 2023 saw the reissue of their long out of print albums back onto vinyl again. One of the best hip-hop groups ever, this album was their third release from 1993 and might well be my favorite. I’ve kept the CD I bought when it came out and had always hoped to get a vinyl pressing, but as the years went by that became an expensive task. Overall, the reissues of the records have been well done, although why the interstitial skits were dropped on this one is a question some are asking.

Inu – Don’t Eat Food – Mesh Key Records
Late 70s/early 80s post-punk from Japan that has remained Japanese punk’s best kept secret. This was the first licensed and remastered from original tapes reissue of this seminal album. Comes with a nice booklet of photos, lyrics and liner notes. I was new to this record and was impressed.

Dolly Mixture – BBC Radio Sessions – Sealed Records
Primo girl group post-punk from the UK circa late 70s/early 80s. Didn’t really get their due during their lifetime and I always thought that their unreleased material was way better than the actual records. Check out the album of demos and this collection of Radio One recordings for evidence of that. More famous during their time for being complete amateurs and one of them dating Captain Sensible. The group backed him on his solo album and classic single Wot. Thank goodness for the likes of John Peel and the Beeb for having bands cut live sessions like this. Joyous indie pop that never goes out of style.

Jimi Hendrix Experience – Hollywood Bowl, August 18, 1967 – Experience Hendrix / Legacy
When it comes to guitar heroes, there is Jimi and then everyone else. During his Experience era, he was literally recording music every day, whether in the studio, at home or on a stage somewhere. There are countless live recordings out there, and since the Hendrix family has gained control of his music there have been a whole slew of terrific live recordings officially released. This show from 1967 was recently discovered and is a great sounding soundboard recording. Hearing Jimi play never gets old, and this set kicks ass. He also covers Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band here, a song still freshly released in that summer of love. Like all Experience Hendrix releases, this comes with a great full-size booklet of liner notes and photos.

Shabazz 3 – Late Night With Shabazz 3 – Skylark Soul Co.
Legendary underground hip-hop album from 2000 that finally got a proper release as part of Record Store Day. Original copies of the scarce vinyl release were going for big bucks, so this repress was needed. I had a tape copy given to me years ago and was happy to get this cool set on wax. Fans of conscious jazzy hip-hop should look this one up.

Pharoah Sanders – Pharoah – Luaka Bop
Seminal 70s jazz from the master. One of his most beautiful and accessible albums that for years was only known by fans and collectors. We’ve had two original copies come through the store since I have been here. This release gets my vote for reissue of the year. An amazing package that comes in a box that includes an additional album of live recordings made around the same time along with great liner notes and photos. The live version of money track Harvest Time is worth buying this set alone but getting all the other goodies makes plonking down sixty bills a great deal considering original copies are getting close to four figures now. Invest and enjoy.

Blondie – Against The Odds 1974- 1982– Numero Group
Runner up for best reissue of the year for me was this four LP version of a massive Blondie boxset superbly put together by the good folks at Numero Group. Brilliant stuff throughout. (Mostly) all the demos and out-takes you could hope to hear and own. I love Blondie so much and hearing many of these familiar songs stripped down and differently has been a real treat. The book that comes with the set is worth the price of admission alone and makes for a great coffee table book to flick through and is chock-full of great insights and photos.

Alright then, I think that is going to do it for me this time around. Still loads more stuff to potentially talk about but hopefully there are one or two here that you might find just as enjoyable as I did if you missed them. We’re all fans of music first and foremost here at Sorry State and it is an absolute honor and a pleasure to talk about cool records with you all and help get them into your hands. 2023 was a great year. Let’s see what 2024 brings us.

Cheers to you all and as always thank you for your support.

Dom

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all. I hope however you celebrate this time of year (or not) that you have a great festive period. It can be a great time of year for sure, but having had a few bummers for Yules, I am definitely sensitive to those for whom the holidays are not a fun time and actually very stressful. That being said, let’s fill our cups with our brand of poison and raise a toast to friends, family, colleagues and all those in the world that make up our lives.

As our newsletter is getting delivered down your chimney on Christmas day, I thought it appropriate to pick a couple of holiday records for you. One with an added tinge of sadness to it and one that delivers a surprising and satisfying take on Christmas favorites.

We’ll start with the latter record. It’s a compilation called Jingle Bell Jazz that was released on Columbia Records in 1962. Twelve holiday classics interpreted by twelve different Jazz greats. There’s Duke Ellington doing Jingle Bells, Dave Brubeck Quartet doing Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Chico Hamilton with Winter Wonderland, Paul Horn with a terrific We Three Kings Of Orient Are and The Manhattan Jazz All Stars with an interesting one titled If I Were A Bell. All winners. The type of jazz playing that makes you forget you are listening to a Christmas record. My favorite cut is the last one on the album. Miles Davis with Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern). This one is a little different and has a vocal by Bob Dorough, the dude most famous for the Schoolhouse Rock albums. Everyone knows Three Is The Perfect Number that De La Soul sampled. Anyway, he’s providing hip jazz patter over Miles and reminding the listener that not everyone has a merry Christmas. A cool and slightly melancholy way to end the record. I love a good compilation and have enjoyed this one over the years during the Christmas period. The quality of the performances from so many big names in the jazz field at the time raises it above the typical Christmas themed cash-in records that you see. Not that Columbia Records was opposed to making money, but with a wealth of talent at their disposal it seems that a bit more effort was made in the compiling of this collection. It was kept in print through a couple of reissues from Japan and then again in the 70s and 80s, albeit with a slight track change. Looking at Discogs, folks regard this one as desirable, as copies aren’t that cheap. Certainly not the typical dollar Christmas record. Seek it out if you are a Jazz fan and need a good soundtrack for the holiday dinner this year.

Click here for a link to listen to the album.

Next up, a record that has become synonymous with Christmas each year since its release back in the 80s. The Pogues with Fairytale Of New York. Made especially poignant of course this year due to the passing of Shane MacGowan. On this song, Shane and the boys are famously joined by Kirsty MacColl, who really makes the song so special. Fans of her amazing talent have been mourning her tragic loss since 2000, when she was killed by a speedboat whilst swimming in Mexico on holiday. Such a loss to her family and friends and the fans around the world who loved her. Myself included there. I think every rock dude and young man I knew had a crush on her. Fairtytale of New York might not have the most PC lyrics nowadays, but blow that. If you know what I am talking about, I think you’ll agree that there is no need to get excited and overreact. That lyric was not meant as a slight or insult to a community, I’m certain. I’ll leave it at that.

I have the 12” version of the single, which adds three other live cuts recorded at Glasgow’s Barrowlands Ballroom in 1987, including a decent take on Rod Stewart’s Maggie May. This version came out in 1991, whereas the original 1987 single has different B-sides. Obviously, the fan needs both formats. The single sold well and has always been in demand, but now with Shane leaving us I’m sure prices may increase. Still, this is one record you almost don’t need to own as you’ll hear it at least once on the radio each year and no Christmas knees-up is complete without at least one airing. So, this year raise your glass of eggnog or pint of Guinness Shane and Kirsty. Two stars reunited in the heavens.

Have a good one friends. Hopefully you’ll get some records from Santa and there’s nothing better to spend your Christmas money from Grandma on than records. We’ll be making sure the store is full to the brim with new and used records for you, so come and visit.

Cheers and catch up with you all next year- Dom

Hey there everyone. Happy holidays to you. I hope you are doing well and thanks for reading our newsletter. There’s been a lot going on at Sorry State Industries of late, not least being a major change in the software we use to handle our inventory. Perhaps Daniel may have mentioned it, but either way it’s a big deal and as with any transition like this, it’s not without issue and headaches. However, we look confidently to the future, and by this time next year our operation will be very different and a lot more efficient. At least that’s the idea. So, we might be feeling stressed out here and there, but the result should mean more records for more people and that’s what it’s all about.

As we enter the holidays and gift-giving season, we are doing our best to have plenty of great records new and used available for you all. Not just at the store but on our on-line store and Discogs pages also. One advantage of our new system software is that we will be able to list and offer more used items a lot faster and easier. So, start looking out for those if you are an out-of-town Sorry Stater. Jeff made a good start last week by adding a bunch of cool Sunday leftovers to our webstore. These are the records that locals slept on for whatever reason. We’ll continue adding new used arrivals exclusive to the store each week, so there will always be a reason to visit in person. As always, we appreciate your support.

Talking of support, in addition to donating part of my salary to the Sorry State coffers each week, I do try to buy records from other shops in the area or from around the country. I consider all fellow record stores and their staff as brothers and sisters in the community, and if I can throw something their way and help keep the lights on then that’s a good thing. Last week I decided to pull the trigger on a newly released box set that I have had my eye on. It retailed for a little more than I could afford, but a copy popped up on Discogs that was almost half the price. Marked down due to corner dings on the box. I’m not fussy about that so much and jumped on it. What pray tell am I talking about? It’s the Blondie box set called Against The Odds 1974-1982 released by the fine folks at Numero Group.

I think it’s safe to say that everyone reading is familiar with the group Blondie and a deep dive into their career isn’t necessary, as fascinating as it is. Like any group or artist with an extensive career and large discography, however, there are always demos, rare B-sides, and unreleased recordings that accumulate. In Blondie’s case, most of these sat in Chris Stein’s garage at his Woodstock home for years. Work began on this box set several years ago and the release date was pushed back a couple of times, but finally earlier this year the set hit the market. To paraphrase several other reviewers, Numero Group have produced a fabulous set that is an example of how to do a box set right. It really is well put together and feels and looks like quality. There are several versions to choose from, however, and your wallet may dictate which one you go for. The super deluxe versions add the studio albums along with the rarities and unreleased recordings and give you a few little extras like a 7” and 10” record plus a discography booklet. As I felt no need to buy the studio albums, wanting just the bonus material, I went for the 4LP set that had (almost) all the songs and still had the fabulous hardcover coffee table sized book. The book really is beautiful with awesome photos, plenty of track information and what looks like an interesting set of liner notes. I haven’t read them yet.

A few folks have been griping that some tracks are missing that should have been included, the full-length disco mix of Atomic being one of them. Perhaps as some things had come out as CD bonus cuts on previously released reissues it was felt they could be left off? Not sure really. However, there are over fifty tracks to enjoy, including three dozen or so that have never seen the light of day on any official release. I was excited to get some of the Giorgio Moroder produced tracks. There are some cool instrumental versions that sound great. The early demos are fascinating. The early, reggae-pop take on Heart Of Glass is a highlight. As too is the Yuletide Throwdown, a bit of fun for Christmas that came out on a flexi 7”.

It almost can’t be expressed how much of an influence Blondie had on me as a kid in the 70s. My dad was a social worker and specialized in helping troubled kids. One day he came back with a box of records that had belonged to a lad he had to take to Borstal. Among them was the debut Blondie album. This seven-year-old kid was hooked from the get-go. The band looked cool, sounded cool, was pop but rock ‘n roll too. I was still a bit too young to understand some of the sexual references, but already had New York City on my radar as the epicenter of cool. After London, obviously. It wasn’t much longer after getting that first album that their second, Plastic Letters came into my life. Specially ordered from my small local record shop. That one with the cover of the band posing against the NYC cop car primed me for my visit with my parents later in the year to America, where I made my first visit to New York. Again, still too young to be checking out the music scene, I never-the-less thought it was very cool to be in the city where Blondie lived.

The next few years saw the band explode and take over the world. The album Parallel Lines was huge and the soundtrack of 1978 through 1979, with the smash hit Heart Of Glass being the centerpiece of the album. The albums Eat To The Beat and Autoamerican continued the success and were both chock full of hits. Some accused the band of selling out and being too pop. Rubbish. So what if the song Call Me was featured in a Richard Gere movie? It’s a great tune with fabulous Giorgio Moroder production. I always enjoy hearing the instrumental version of that one.

Against The Odds rounds out with the album The Hunter from 1982. Perhaps not their best compared to the previous ones, but after a solid five plus years it was almost natural that things would come to an end. The pop music landscape had changed dramatically as the late 1970s gave way to the 1980s. Nothing lasts forever and the original group came to a halt after that 1982 album. Debbie Harry continued releasing music as a solo artist throughout the rest of the 1980s and 1990s, leading up to a Blondie reformation at the end of the decade.

I never need an excuse to listen to any of those first five albums and the accompanying singles, so it has been great that John Scott here at the store likes to play them, too. He was the one that was playing some of the outtakes and alternate versions of their music from the internet that first made me aware of the existence of this box. So, cheers to him for that. When we first looked it up, it seemed that it was a bit pricey initially for my blood, but like I said I was able to score a copy for a good price and I would highly recommend any of you who are fans to keep an eye out for one yourselves. It’s so worth it and a perfect Christmas present. I’m so glad I treated myself. Treat yourself.

Okay, that’s all from me for now. Cheers to you all and have a great holiday period. Enjoy listening to music and we’ll see you here next time.

-Dom

What’s going on? Cheers to you for reading our newsletter. We appreciate it and always hope that you find something new and/or cool to you.

As I write this week, it is with a sore arm after getting my Covid booster and flu shot. Hopefully I don’t get knocked down like I did with the previous booster. So far so good, although the symptoms probably won’t kick in until tomorrow. I’m sure I’ll be okay.

With the newsletter coming out on Monday now and our submission deadline on Thursday, we are somewhat writing for the future for our staff picks, particularly if we have anything topical to talk about. Often the holiday or occasion has passed by the time you guys get to read and that is going to be the case this week with my pick. This coming Sunday marks the high point of the Diwali or Divali (each is correct) festival that is celebrated throughout India and the world. The Festival Of Lights is primarily a Hindu religious festival, but variations are celebrated by other faiths. If you are from India or live in a community with folks from that part of the world, you will be more than familiar with Diwali and have seen the lights and decorations that go up and most likely attended a typical feast of food that is served in people’s homes. I was raised with different faith and traditions, but have always tried to appreciate and respect those of other cultures. Certainly not as a cultural tourist, yuk, but as someone who wants to be a world citizen. On our radio show Worldy, Matt and I have dedicated past shows to the festival by playing some of our favorite Bollywood soundtracks and sitar-based music. We plan to do something similar this week.

Rather timely, one of our customers recently sold us some records and amongst them were a few Bollywood soundtrack LPs. Not all were great, and the condition was less than stellar, but I did find a couple that had some cool sounds on them. The pick of the bunch, though, was the soundtrack to the 1981 film Armaan with music composed by the legendary Bappi Lahiri. To even the casual fan of Bollywood and Indian music, he is almost a household name. Entering the industry in the early 1970s, he soon became one of the most prodigious producers and artists in Bollywood, earning himself the nickname The Disco King due to his extensive use of synthesizers and incorporating the current en vogue western disco sounds into his music scores.

Bappi Lahiri was so popular that in the 1980s even the Guinness Book Of World Records acknowledged him for, up to then, having scored over 180 songs for 33 different films. He was quite the character, and was famous not only for his music but also his appearance, always looking flash and wearing lots of gold.

Almost all the music he scored for films was for nightclub scenes and dance numbers. Not too many slow ballads in his repertoire, although there are a couple on the Armaan soundtrack. He was also a singer himself and is often the featured vocalist on many of the songs he wrote for the movies. I haven’t seen this film, but the cover art definitely caught my eye and told me that there might be something cool on here. Two girls dressed sexily, dancing together superimposed over an image of what looks like a desolate snow-covered mountain. That probably makes sense if you have seen the film.

On listening to the record, the first track, Ramba Ho-Ho-Ho, Samba Ho-Ho-Ho is the money cut. A cool mash up of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love and Euro disco hitmakers The Gibson Brothers’ If You Should Go. The latter tune I had to look up and listen to, as someone on Discogs had mentioned it. They were right. Anyway, it’s a fun tune and should go down well mixed in with other similar sounds. On side two, the record begins with another fun cut called Mere Jaesi Haseena, which features some interesting synth sounds and percussion. Unfortunately, this copy has a couple of skips at the beginning of the song, although it does play through. Oddly, for a producer who preferred mostly upbeat productions, the rest of the record is more in the slower ballad territory.

So, not an amazing record and probably not the best example of Bollywood soundtracks or the work of the producer, but a fun find and worth it for the cover and the first songs on each side. Chosen with the topicality in mind. Thanks for reading and happy Diwali to you.

See you next time. Cheers - Dom

What’s up Sorry Staters? Shit, it’s been so long since I wrote anything for the newsletter. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, I’ll leave for you to decide. I do try to pass on my enthusiasm for good music and hopefully that comes across regardless of how eloquent.

So, since the last time we met here so much has happened. I was finally able to make the great trip back home to England and Scotland to see my mum, my sister and her family and my aunt and my long-lost cousins. It was a magical month, and I had a great time. It had been way too long since I had seen my loved ones and some of the places that I grew up around. It was a bit of a head fuck to be honest, being away for so long and back in a land and culture I hadn’t experienced for almost a decade. A lot has changed in that time, but a lot has remained the same. It felt good to be back and my batteries were recharged. A lot of the time was spent walking dogs along beaches and country paths and honestly, I couldn’t have been happier. My mum lives a mile from the sea and on the edge of the New Forest, a beautiful part of Southern England, so there’s plenty of great places for nice walks and I surely don’t have to tell you how gorgeous the Scottish Highlands and coastlines are. Growing up, I used to spend every summer holiday up there and the experience shaped me in so many ways. I was very emotional when it came time to leave to say the least. I must make sure it’s not so long before I return next time.

Believe it or not I didn’t do much record shopping and only visited a few spots. The best of which was one in my very own hometown of New Milton in Hampshire. An ex Royal Navy man and punk called Simon has a fabulous shop in the back of an antique and collectors’ emporium. His place was small, but not an inch was wasted. All killer and no filler titles and in top shape. He wasn’t giving stuff away and his prices were appropriate for top shelf items, but there were plenty of great affordable records in there. I couldn’t fit LPs into my luggage, so resisted the temptation on a few things, but did end up going through some of his singles and ended up buying a few picture sleeve 45s and bringing them back here to Sorry State. Some of you who came to shop during the anniversary festival snatched up most of them and I was happy to see them go to good homes. Just cheap and cheerful stuff, but you don’t often see UK singles over here.

Now that I have mentioned it, I must talk about the Sorry State Shop 10th Anniversary Festival. Wow! Simply fantastic. What an amazing experience. Such fun. So cool having so many incredible bands and punks in town. Thank you, thank you to everyone who played, worked and partied with us. Thank you to all that came by the store during the weekend and especially on Saturday when Jeff filled the bins with punk banger after punk banger. So many great records. Big shout out to him for making that happen. What a guy. He really worked so hard on making the festival a success and of course played in several of the bands throughout the weekend. And worked the store the day after. A true punk warrior.

The same can be said about Usman. I can’t tell you how much I love and respect these guys. Usman has the energy of a thousand Energizer bunnies and is still out on the road with our friends from Italy, Golpe. God bless him.

I love my brothers and sisters here at Sorry State so much and they all worked so hard preparing for the festival whilst I was away. I felt bad about being gone for so long, but contributed some ideas and did my best to pitch in and get up to speed once I returned. For my part, I of course worked the store and did get to play some records between bands as the DJ for the shows at Kings. Big shout out to Kelcy for her usual stellar job running sound and the bar tenders who looked after everyone.

Naturally, the biggest thank you must go to our illustrious leader, the Lord Daniel, the Doctor, the Professor, the coolest and kindest guy on the planet who created all of this in the first place. I’m honored to be a small part of the Sorry State world and so massive thanks to him for everything he does, big and small, every single day. I’m so glad the festival went off so well and it really warmed the cockles of my heart to see Daniel having so much fun and enjoying being around his people. It certainly was a terrific gathering of the tribes and hopefully something that might happen again. Cheers again to everyone involved.

Now that we are back to normal? Are we ever? There’s always something happening. We are still celebrating Halloween, All Saints and Day of The Dead as I write and before we know what we’ll be talking about Thanksgiving and Black Friday Record Store Day releases. However, there are loads of new releases and reissues of older gems that are already here in the store that we can talk about. Where to start? The mini newsletters of the past couple of weeks have highlighted a few standouts. We are all fans of Institute here at SSR, some longer than others. I’m still catching up on the back catalogue, but their latest titled Ragdoll Dance is a winner. If you loved member Mose(s) Brown’s side project Peace De Resistance as much as we did, then you’ll find lots to enjoy on Ragdoll Dance.

Another band whose previous releases I am catching up on is The Serfs. They have just released their third LP on Trouble in Mind and it is excellent. From Cincinnati, Ohio, they play a cool blend of synth-punk and industrial leaning electro sounds. The first one or two tracks are more guitar based punk songs, not a million miles away from the type of thing Institute are doing, but by third track Beat Me Down the electro side of the band takes over. There’s some really nice synth sounds on that song and next one Spectral Analysis. That vibe continues on side two, and for DJ’s playing to a more progressive dance floor they should find some new faves here. Songs Club Deuce and Electric Like An Eel caught my ear. Good stuff from these guys. Check them out.

Whilst we’re in the synth mindset and if that’s your bag then you should check out a nifty new compilation called Yu Wave. It features long lost tracks recorded in the former Yugoslavia during the early 1980s. Lovingly put together with informative liner notes (why such a small font though?) by the Castra label, there are gems a-plenty on here. Nice minimal synth-pop and new wave goodies that I am still familiarizing myself with, but will be dipping into for our Worldy radio show. It’s so cool that records and recordings (often only on tapes) like these are getting wider recognition. There really is still so much great music from around the world that is only recently getting heard and appreciated by us the modern audience. Pretty cool for us.

I’ve been loving how much new music we have been getting in, but really dig being turned on to older stuff that I was unfamiliar with. Perhaps I should have known better, but you can’t keep up with everything. Case in point, I wasn’t aware of Japanese band Slicks from the 90s, but was enjoying a used copy we had of a compilation of their records. Very Sex Pistols influenced, and the production is clearly 1990s, but as someone who lived through that era, not a bad thing at all. I liked what these guys were doing in the same way that I enjoyed another 90s era band that Jeff and I were playing recently, The Briefs. Their Hit After Hit LP is a lot of fun and worth checking out if you are not familiar. But don’t take my word; read Jeff’s pick.

What I would like to recommend to you in the spirit of lost treasures and mentioning Japanese punk bands is the reissue of INU: Don’t Eat Food! LP. Again, lovingly reissued with liner notes and photos by label Mesh Key Records, this is a must listen to anyone interested in the Japanese scene and great post-punk sounds. Originally released in 1981 by the final incarnation of the short-lived band, the album is touted as being one of the greatest Japanese punk albums of all time, and yet has remained almost unknown by the rest of the world. Unless you have an encyclopedic knowledge of Japanese punk like some of the Sorry State staff, that is. I obviously had never heard or seen the record, so have been loving getting to know it these past couple of weeks. I don’t want to regurgitate copy taken from other reviews, but suffice to say it lives up to its reputation. The band came from Osaka and the same scene that Aunt Sally came out of, so if you have been intrigued by Daniel’s love of Aunt Sally and Phew and his great writing on those records you should probably add Don’t Eat Food to your playlist.

The reissue sounds great and again comes with terrific liner notes, lyrics and photos. Very informative. This is the sound of a young band, out of step with the mainstream and forging their own path. Leader and songwriter Kou Machida was still a teenager, as were the band, but he was writing clever and witty lyrics and singing them in the distinctive local dialect, deliberately going against the grain. You’ve got to love characters like this.

I’m the worst person to articulate properly what a record sounds like and perhaps Doctor D can break down the musical aspects of the songs in a way that you can hear the music through his words, but the record is a punk record, post-punk/new wave, being strictly more accurate and will no doubt please many of you out there if you aren’t hip already. I liked the tracks Dumdum Bullet and Old Man, Old Woman to name two. It’s a grower though, and repeated listening is revealing the nuances and new favorites. Worth investigating for sure.

Okay, that’s enough blather from me, although I feel there’s so much more to talk about. Thanks for taking time to read, thanks for supporting us and thanks for loving good music.

We love you. Cheers – Dom

Hey there everyone! Thanks for clicking on our newsletter and taking a read. We hope you are doing well and are getting excited about all the cool stuff going on in the world of music and particularly here at SSR. We have so many brilliant things to share with you. New releases, re-releases and, of course, the Sorry State Festival coming up next month. That will be upon us before we know it and will be a weekend to remember. Check all the details elsewhere here in the newsletter and get your tickets and travel plans sorted.

Talking about travel plans, I am on the verge of leaving for my trip back to the UK and I am a mix of anxious nerves and excitement. It’s been ten years since I was home, and in the meantime I have barely left Raleigh or NC, let alone the country. My head is spinning. I’ll be back for SSR Fest, though. While away, I’ll miss the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival and the Bluegrass Festival here in town but was fortunate to be here for this past weekend’s Hopscotch Festival, which was an absolute blast. Kudos to all involved in making this little fest such a success. As with any festival, you don’t always get to see everyone you want to, but you often end up seeing something that you weren’t familiar with that blows you away. On the latter point, I was so glad that I caught spiritual free jazz group Irreversible Entanglements. They were amazing and we should be stocking their new record very soon.

I had to man the fort here at the shop whilst ESG played, but Daniel went along to represent Sorry State and reported back how good they were. The classic hip-hop element was very strong this year with Digable Planets, Kool Keith, Denzel Curry and Prince Paul all performing. On the country music side of things, I caught a little of Margo Price’s set. She’s one of the fewer new country artists that I have followed, and it was cool seeing her live. Tight, pro band backing her too. However, for me, the highlight of the weekend was having my wig blown off by the sheer volume and power of Dinosaur Jr. They were magnificent, and I loved every second of their killer set. Next to My Bloody Valentine, the loudest group I have witnessed. I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen them a few times over the years, as well as some of the J. Mascis solo projects and collaborations, and although I won’t front and say I am a super fan, I will say that Dinosaur Jr. were one of the new breed of American bands that I got into when I began spending more time this side of the pond in the late 80s. Them and Fugazi were door openers to a whole new world to me at the time. The UK scene was a little flat around that time, with shoegaze just beginning and Britpop a few years away. Everything coming out of the US, rock and hip-hop, seemed much more interesting. To my ears anyway.

Dinosaur Jr. don’t require any deep dive from me here as I am sure you are fans or at least familiar with them, but I will say that it was beyond dope seeing them again and they played a lot of the “hits,” including finishing their set with their version of The Cure’s Just Like Heaven, one of my favorite covers even with the sudden ending. A tough record to DJ if you aren’t ready. I still have my 12” of that song, which was a hit back in the UK when released, and it came with a cool etched B-side. Worth noting about the show was the equipment set up. Gear heads will know more about it than I do, but I believe J was playing through four Marshall stacks with vintage heads and was even using a twin reverb at ear level for a monitor. It was loud, but in an awesome way. For the exact set up, I’ll refer you to Jeff or our good friend Mike, who were both there and know all about this type of stuff. It was impressive, that’s all I can say.

All told, a fun but busy and hectic weekend, which also included a little bit of festival magic for me. I ran into friends I hadn’t seen in years, and we got to hang out and that really capped the weekend off. Good times.

Not exactly a “staff pick” this week, but I hope that you’ll forgive me. My mind is overflowing with way too much stuff right now. If nothing else, maybe I’ll inspire one of you to pull out an old Dinosaur Jr. record and give it a blast.

Cheers everyone – Dom

Happy Newsletter day Sorry Staters. Even though we have switched our drop day to Mondays, we’ve still kept our deadline for our picks to Thursdays, which isn’t anything odd, but writing for the future this week is a little weird. Today, Thursday, is the first day of the Hopscotch Music Festival here in Raleigh and this year’s line-up is particularly strong. I’m hoping that by the time you read this, if you went, you had a killer time. Not even sure who I’ll end up catching, but it doesn’t really matter. Live music. It’s ace.

If you were in town and had a chance to stop by our store and pick up something tasty, thank you. Thank you everyone for your support. You keep the wheels rolling and the lights on, which means that we can keep stocking more new records by more bands and in turn support them.

There’s so much new stuff coming through our store, let alone elsewhere, that it is literally impossible to keep on top of it all. Two examples I would like to use as my picks for you readers this week are the bands Heavenly Blue and Tha Retail Simps. Both bands from Canada and although a little different in sound, both following the long lineage of garage and punk bands that have kept the original spirit of teenage rock ‘n roll alive and well. As someone raised on Pebbles, Back From The Grave and KBD comps, I hear a lot to like in both bands.

Prompted by the recent arrival of the latest Retail Simps record Live On Cool Street and a 45 from Heavenly Blue, I gave a good listen to everything we had by both bands. Retail Simps changed their Tha to Thee and might be adding an extra e with each new release. Very Oh Sees and Headcoats of them. This is the first slice of wax that we have had from Heavenly Blue, carrying their two previous cassette releases. They are out on the Sewercide label whilst the Simps are currently on Total Punk. That should be the end of anyone’s review saying they’re on the Total Punk label. I mean, what can you say? Those guys have a deserved reputation akin to Crypt, Sympathy For The Record Industry, Bomp, Stiff and many other fine labels for high-level quality releases. You almost don’t need to hear it before you buy it. The best compliment one can give a label.

I liked the new Heavenly Blue 45. The simple garage aesthetic of the plain brown sleeve and stamped band logo appealed to me. It looks like an old single from the late sixties or early seventies. Sound wise, the band have added a little fidelity polish to proceedings, but keep to the garage punk of their demo tape, although as Jeff and I listened we wondered whether there was a different vocalist. The singer seemed to be less growly, we thought. Good stuff though. Four tracks, with the first Push On Thru reminding me of a slowed down take on The Wailers’ Out Of Our Tree. Slightly. I can’t tell you too much about the band other than they come from Halifax, Nova Scotia and that you should give them a listen and check ‘em out live if they come to your town or you are in their neck of the woods.

As for Thee Retail Simps? Do you like garage punk? Have you attended a Goner Fest? Do bands like Dead Moon, The Make-Up, Thee Oh Sees, Smirk, Blues Explosion, King Khan & The Shrines float yer boat? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you probably are already hip to what these guys are doing. For those playing catch up like myself, don’t sweat; we have both their records currently in stock and you should check ‘em out. Two winners I think.

These guys are from Montreal, Canada, but if you told me Memphis, it would make total sense. The music is very much American but with the Euro X factor going on, which makes for an interesting and fun listen. On the latest record, they expand on their sound and throw in a few curve balls. When I was listening, I had to check once or twice to make sure it was the same record. Not that the stylistic changes are so dramatic, but there is more going on than just simple, drunken garage rock. You get some of that for sure, but you also get some clever song writing and mood setters for your money too. Neato packaging too with a poster included.

Whether you are an old school head or not, these guys might well become your new favorite band. Maybe.

Okay, I must finish this and get on with work and then get out and see some music. Thanks for reading. See you next time.

Cheers - Dom

Hey! What’s up everyone? We’ve gone from Memorial Day to Labor Day and another summer is ending. The seasons change as the world turns and we all get another year older. The only thing any of us can’t do is stop, delay or stockpile time. We must make the best of what we are given. Try to leave the world a better place for having been here and hopefully have a few laughs along the way. I’ve been thinking about the passing of time a lot lately and how years can go by one after the other in what seems like the blink of an eye. I’m just a few weeks away from taking my first trip back to the UK in ten years. The last time I went over was for my Dad’s funeral and unfortunately circumstances and finances haven’t allowed me to go back since. It hasn’t been good for me to be honest. Not seeing your family for so long, if you are lucky enough to have one, does a number on you. Thankfully that will all be done with very soon. I can’t wait to see everyone and the ol’ country again. I will be back in time for Sorry State’s ten-year store anniversary and Sorry State Fest though. That’s going to be awesome, and I am so proud to be a part of this beautiful family also.

Another reminder about time flying by was given to me when I came to work on Tuesday and saw that we had got in the Lush reissues. I might have let out a shout of delight when I saw them in the new arrivals section. It’s been tough and expensive finding Lush records, as it is with many 90s vinyl. I have been holding on to my CD copies since buying them when they first came out. Lush were a special band for sure and I was fortunate enough to see them live back in the day. Lumped into the Shoegaze category of bands around at the time, and although from the UK were more popular in the US. That worked out great for me as I was over in America more than Britain during the 1990s and got to see many touring UK bands play smaller venues here. I was working on the ships from the late 80s through the 90s and was in Miami a lot. Back then South Florida had a healthy live music scene. There were a lot of clubs to go see bands at. It seemed like I was always catching something good, although if I remember rightly it was at Lollapalooza that I saw Lush in Miami. Anyway, a great band that made the move from Shoegaze to Britpop successfully with the Lovelife album in 1996 but ended shortly after with the tragic death of drummer Chris Acland. My personal favorite album is probably Spooky from 1991 along with Gala from the previous year. The latter was a compilation made for the US market which combined their debut mini album with single sides and tracks exclusive to that collection. Again, I still have the CD of that release and perhaps one day will score an original vinyl but hopefully it might also get the reissue treatment. We have Spooky, Lovelife and Split in stock currently and they are reasonably priced. So, if you are a longtime fan or just discovering them, now is the time to take the plunge.

As an additional “pick” this week I must give a mention to the limited repress that label Goodbye Boozy gave to the Sick Thoughts 45 from 2021 called Poor Boys b/w Drug Rock. If you missed it the first time around make sure to snag yourself one. That is, if you want two sides of fun, catchy, kick ass rock ‘n roll. This is the type of punk, garage, rock, call it whatever you like, stuff I love best. Although essentially a one-man band, Drew Owen has released a couple of dozen records over the past decade across multiple labels and the easiest comparison would be to the late great Jay Reatard or to someone like Billy Childish. Sick Thoughts play that Oblivions, Carbonas, style of punk garage with a big dash of 70s Heartbreakers and Saints for good measure. You can catch them soon at the upcoming Goner Fest, which seems like the perfect surroundings for this type of sound. In the meantime, snag yourself a copy of the single and make sure to watch the official videos for both tunes. Worth watching.

Okay, back to work. I’ve got boxes and boxes of used records to price. See you here next time or in the store itself if you get a chance. Thanks for reading and supporting us. We really appreciate it. Cheers!

-Dom