Records Collecting Dust II
directed by Jason Blackmore
starring Jello Biafra, Mike Watt, David Yow
MVD
So, you’re sitting around with your old band mates reminiscing about the good old days. Here’s a topic: “What was the first vinyl you bought with your own money?” Singles count as well, so it’s time to let it rip with various musicians including Brian Baker, Roger Mirot, Curtis Cassais, Craig Werden, Ian McKay, and I could go on, but you get the idea. These are the work horse names of the skate punk era and are now all firmly into middle age or better. Their starter discs range from Kiss and The Ramones and Minor Threat to The Star Wars Soundtrack and Who’s Next, Chuck Berry and Seals and Croft. In other words, a little of everything floating around in the 1970s and ’80s.
While pleasantly reminiscing about the good old days, a few valid points arise. There was very little information available about bands beyond what DJ’s said on air and the art work of the cover revealed. One discovered new music the hard way: finding cool FM stations with weak signals, listening to friend’s collections, and randomly purchasing disks hoping for the best. Thing are easier for listeners today, the internet and digital radio and other similar things make discovering new music much easier, but it does take away the “Winning the Lottery” feeling of connecting with a new band. If you’re young, here you might garner clues on which albums you should pick from the parental unit’s stash, and if your old, you’ll remember the bands and singers you sort of forgot. This isn’t a hard-hitting doc, but more an exercise in nostalgia. And as a wrap-up, my first 45 was “Baby Hold On” by The Grassroots on Dunhill. It’s still my favorite pop tune, check it out.
