Funky Kingston

There‘s a used record store in the bigger city close to where I live and I try to go there as often as I can. It‘s just nice to flip through actual record bins instead of clicking or swiping to the next page. I don‘t always find something I like, but from time to time I do find a record or two I need to pick up. Funky Kingston by Toots & The Maytals had been on my want list for quite a while and I’m really happy I managed to get a copy from an actual record store. This is just a perfect reggae record. After picking up this record it was on repeat for days while I was working in the office. 

UK Press on Trojan Records (“1976“ on the sleeve and “1974“ on the labels)

Bare Faced Cheek

Why only buy one record by a band you like if you can buy two? Another early Toy Dolls LP that for some reason I didn‘t own yet. Not their best work, but there are some hits on there. Yul Brynner Was A Skinhead and Fisticuffs In Frederick Street are the highlights for me.  

Idle Gossip

A few weeks ago I was both feeling nostalgic and like I need something fun to listen to, so I reached for a couple of Toy Dolls records and sort of fell into a wormhole. When checking my records I noticed that I didn't own all of their early records, which was a big surprise to me. Luckily, their records aren't that hard to find and don't cost an arm and a leg. 

I realize that The Toy Dolls are very silly, but sometimes you need something silly in your life. At least I do. Also, it's sort of an accomplishment in itself to have what feels like 50% of the band's catalogue dealing with the lives of soap opera characters. Having said that, Olga is such a phenomenal guitarist, and while the subject matter is rather silly in itself, the lyrics are constructed quite cleverly.

Their Live in Tokyo record sounds like a ton of fun and I'm seriously contemplating going to one of their shows if they happen to play not too far from where I live. I also might read the band biography again. Silly me. 

Bleach

Nirvana have been part of my life for many decades, but only sort of. I caught the tail end of their career on MTV and I remember reading about Kurt Cobain's death in some teenage magazine shortly after it happened. I liked the songs I heard on MTV, but since the metalheads at my school wore their shirts and sweatshirts, I never bothered to dive deeper into their music. Which obviously is a very stupid move, but hey, teenagers aren't always know for their smart choices. A couple of years later I dove headfirst into punk and hardcore and grunge seemed not that exciting and rather boring. Also, all my money went into skateboards, skateboard videos and punk and hardcore records, and I didn't even think about buying records from other genres. Some time ago, I made the conscious decision to finally check out the band's catalogue and after almost 30 years of knowing the band, I bought my first Nirvana record. 

2019 (?) Repress