Alas, I don’t actually own this album, but it is at the top of the list: The Best of Marcel Marceao.  Apparently both sides of the album have 19 minutes of silence, followed by a minute of applause.

Genius!

I’m not sure why Marcel Marceau’s name is spelled incorrectly on the album cover - does anyone know?

**News Flash**

I was contacted by the folks at Bloomberg (yes - you read that right…they actually sent me a press release) with the news that that John Oates will be interviewed tonight on the show “Night Talk” on Bloomberg TV. Apparently the interview will be available on their web site after the show.

- - - - -

It’s no secret that I am a fan of mustaches. And there is perhaps no finer mustache than the one adorning the upper lip of John Oates. Ever since discovering John Oates’ mustache on the Herb Urban blog, I have been on the lookout to purchase a Hall & Oates album of my very own.

Well I am happy to report that day has finally come! Just this past weekend, I stumbled across the 1982 record H20 by Daryl Hall and John Oates at Rubato Records.

The first song on the album, “Maneater”, is actually kind of catchy. A little too catchy. I’ve actually caught myself singing it a few too many times over the past few days.  “Oh here she comes, watch out boy she’ll chew you up, oh here she comes, she’s a maneater!”

But the album quickly devolves from there. As we listened to the next song, “Crime Pays,” RollerReggie simply shook his head. “I feel like I am in synth hell,” he moaned. “This song embodies everything I hated about eighties music!”

And so it continued.  We couldn’t even make it to the B side of the record.  RollerReggie and I were overcome with the sheer eighties force of H20.  And the saxophone solos.

But, I didn’t really spend $3.99 to actually listen to this record.  I bought it because John Oates has the best mustache ever.  Therefore, I am one satisfied customer.

I was recently introduced to the music of Betty Davis, and I have to say that I was blown away.  Although she was perhaps most well known for her one-year marriage to Miles Davis in the late 1960s, she holds her own as a ground-breaking seventies funk musician.

Raw and powerful, her music was imbued with an unprecedented passion.  As a vocalist she had a very unique style, whispering and purring one moment and screeching and growling the next.  She has been widely compared to Madonna; Santana stated that “she was the first Madonna, but Madonna is more like Marie Osmond compared to Betty Davis.  Betty Davis was a real ferocious Black Panther woman.  I could see why Miles was very attracted to her. You couldn’t tame Betty Davis.”

One of my favorite Betty Davis songs is the “Anti Love Song,” which was included in her 1973 debut album Betty Davis.  The song begins with the following lyrics:

Anti Love Song

No I don’t want to love you
Cause I know how you are
That’s why I have been staying away from you
That’s why I haven’t called ya
Cause I know you could possess my body
I know you can make me scrawl
I know you can have me shaking
I know you could have me climbing the walls
That’s why I don’t want to love you
Cause I know how you are
Sure you say you’re right on and you’re righteous
But with me I know you’d be right off
Cause you know I could possess your body too, don’t cha?
You know I could make you crawl
And just as hard as I’d fall for you, boy
Well you know you’d fall for me harder
That’s why I don’t want to love you…

Right on, sister.

I recently picked up a new record from Georgetown Records in Seattle.  It is the 1977 Kojak Book and Record Set which includes two exciting stories: “Five Star Final” and “a Question of Honor”.

Front of Record

According to the blurb on the back “This action-packed book and record set includes a full-color illustrated book and a 12″ 33 1/3 L.P. record especially designed so you can read the story and hear the record - follow along word for word!  The action comes alive before your eyes!”

And so, of course, I’m dying to listen to it.  The record is actually still sealed in its original packaging so I’m feeling a little torn - do I open that packaging and listen to it, or hold onto it as a keepsake?  Hmmm….

Back of Record

I am now the proud owner of the 1975 Bay City Rollers hit single, featuring the songs “Saturday Night” and “Marlina.”

As you can see the cover is a little worse for wear, but seeing as how it was only a dollar I can’t really complain.  Besides, with that much plaid on the cover, how could I possibly go wrong?

We’ve had our new record player for a little over a month now, and I am smitten. Yes, the record player does technically belong to RollerReggie (it was his birthday present after all) but what can I say - records are fun.

I’m now on the hunt to find new seventies (and eighties) gems to add to our collection. So far I have hunted for records at Georgetown Records, Value Village, and the Goodwill.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot (1974)

Rainbow by Neil Diamond (1973)

Come on Over by Olivia Newton-John (1976)

It’s Impossible by Perry Como (1970)