I've got it — the ultimate solution...
... and apparently running away with the circus isn't it. But needless to say it's been a crazy few months here at Camp GMO ... I've not a single year-end favourites list to my name, nor a post uncloaking the mystery of yours truly (not yet anyway, though I've enjoyed lurking in on all of yours), but I haven't come back completely empty-handed, no! I've been digging through my stash of vinyl, and with the addition of the new 'V-drive' on my desk there's been some great old tunes playing in my little shop of [deadline] horrors.
where I mog, when I mog
I'm quite sure none of my "real life" friends understand this, but I know you guys will: Glancing over and seeing a record spinning on the same desk where I'm toiling away gives me a feeling of geeked-out giddyness I can only compare to the days when I actually was working in a record store.
Back then, in my early twenties, I was scarfing up vinyl like it was going out of style. which erm, it was (though I never expected it to make a comeback). I was especially keen on the surprise aspect — buying an album by a band whom I'd never heard of, and if it was released by Beggars Banquet, 4AD, or Factory I knew it was a done deal and I'd be relegated to eating nineteen cent packages of Top Ramen for the next few days. One such album I happened upon that way was by the band Lulu Kiss Me Dead, which was released on the Situation Two label (the great little "indie" offspring of Beggars). I've never met anyone else who knew of the band; and perhaps Lulu didn't achieve the catchiness they were looking for in their name, because the group produced one EP and a 12-inch single and were never heard from again. But I always thought that was a shame because the rare SIT 39 (39 of 98 albums the label released), otherwise known as The Ultimate Solution, has a couple keepers on it that I still love to listen to now. What little I know about the band is that they were British, and received some airplay in the Philippines (predictably) in the mid-late 80s ... and beyond believing that these boys must have been listening to a lot of Echo and the Bunnymen (a vibe which works well for me), that's all I got. As for a solution to the daily grind, what more does one really need?
Enjoy the tracks and stay tuned for more from the dusty vault...
Locating MOG account...
Comments (32)
Erin,
If it's on a record it's The Vinyl Solution.
2 monitors?
That is so funny ... I actually pondered that for the post title, but was worried it might sound grim ...
How are ya Rob? I was just checking out your last.fm page this afternoon.
Yup, I work a 19-inch CRT on the left and a 21-inch on the right so that I can have my photo, design and email programs in view at the same time. I'm on a radiation high all day!
Well, I'll be durned! That's what Lulu Kiss Me Dead sounds like? Always grinned at the name. Never lent an ear. Until now. Nu! Wavy! Sonorous! Always nice to hear from you, Erin. Hope it's gonna be a Happy New Year in your corner of existence...
Well, it could also be a danceable solution to teenage revolution, but that's Roxy Music.
I am busy as hell, mostly in good ways. A lot of writing and editing, and something that's almost job security, at least relative to what other people have (except white-collar crime; THAT'S the profession I should have gone into. Pays well and if you can't get a job in the private sector there's always government work.)
The desktop guy I've worked with the last several years has just one monitor, but it's the John Holmes of the industry. Are those things radioactive? You could keep a spider near you and see if you get super powers when it bites.
Hellooooo, darling! Long time and you've been missed. :)
I love your vinyl collection! Thanks for a peek back into the cabinet.
Damn you have the old school Mac monitor don't you! People still use CRT's? And one more thing, how the hell do you keep your desk so clean? I can't even keep the dust off my computer!
I miss my record player. I just have no space for vinyl, and I'm suree my kids would have fucked it up if I kept it. Nice space though.
that would do the trick as long as there is a cup of coffee in it for me
Damn this verizon wireless card! I can't stream any tunes right now! So no LuLu for me. Grr.
Super sweet on the v-drive. That would be sweet. You must be loving it.
I see you've cleaned up the office a little bit. :P
I tried to hook up my old technics turntable but I think it's too old for the job. Which turntable did you get? Do you like?
Michael — Thanks, and to you as well! I thought it a good pick for this late NWW. Just goes to show, what's in a name ... by any other would sound as sweet, no?
Rob — You didn't know I have super powers? Clearly we need to hang out more. (Doing away with spiders with my laser vision is one of them. Talk about job security!)
Amber — Miss you too, dearling ... you know, there's an open invitation for you to take a peek into the real-world cabinet anytime. As long as the requisite suchi and toenail partay is involved. :)
Tyler — It's true, I'm an old schooler for now. I'm biding my time before dropping 4G on the two I really want. As for the clean desk, ummm .... But speaking of f*cked up vinyl, true story: I had an album case sitting on my floor the other day, and my dog came in and decided he wanted to own it ... just walked up and peed right on it, the little bastid! So much for keeping it nice all these years...
Kevin — The cup is just slightly off to the right, with a bar of dark chocolate.
Kit-M! Loving it, for sure. shhh about the desk -- it's supposed to be the sign of a dirty mind! ;)
Hey D — it's the Ion USB turntable. (The old analog is still set up in a room with a great amp and speakers, so I didn't want to break apart the system there.) I have some inexpensive Logitech speakers in here, and a subwoofer under my desk and it sounds pretty damn good, surprisingly. I'm a happy girl ...
I've been there, unfortunately before the V-drive though.
I totally remember seeing the Beggar's Banquet brand and knowing I'd get something good. Good thing I never worked at a record store or I'd have been broke constantly.
There's a certain Ian McCullough charm to the vocals, for sure.
with dark chocolate to boot? I could easily do this
Jeez, think you'd clean the place up a bit before taking a photo.
Lovely desk setup and post. I look forward to hearing more from the vault.
Dale — please tell me you kept your albums ...?
Kevin — How do you function at 3am? I'm looking for help.
Colin — You didn't think I was going to leave my skivvies lying around, did you? Good to see you. :)
hmm, uncanny, I've got my e-bro up top, and Kevin and Colin are my brother's names...
Erin, I knew that your den would be as tidy! You are my sister that balances my messiness :)
This is a truly lovely song.
Hey!!!
great workspace..I can see the side of a building out mine and my desk is messier. Almost didn't recognize you with your new 'tar. Happy New Year.
The second tune especially might have been a little too raw compared to the new wave that made the biggest splash..love the acoustic elements.
Tell Colin GoBraless I was asking for him.
Such a clean space! I bought a lot of vinyl in my early 20's (this was mid to late 90's though) and recently I broke them out and have been having fun. I wish I could digitize them though. I am in love with these Lulu Kiss Me Dead tracks. Sounds like a lot of other bands but oh man it sounds so nice. Want more! Sweet avatar pic btw.
I'm getting a chuckle over all the comments on the clean space, as I ponder the two-foot high stack of unsorted mail to my right.
Hey Anna sistah! Do I need to warn you about taking your head off again? Your party dress is going to be a travesty!
And a happy New Year to you, Cody. The view here is nice, but I'd also be happier than a clam with a space in Brooklyn. Glad you liked the track ... and hey! I'll buy you a beer the next time I'm in the city if you can recognize the vinyl on the desk...
LOLs Flux. The brothers are truly the braless ones in the family!
Thanks Sam. :) You've heard 2/3 of the tracks on the EP so there's not much more to reveal; unfortunately I haven't been able to track down the single that was released after these. But I'm glad to hear your ears are in love (you know where to find me, wink wink). I know you and I have frequented the same record shops so I'm sure you have some fun stuff in the archives. I'm loving ripping all these to digital, you should go for it...
Right next to the turntable looks like the Cocteau Twins-Heaven Or Las Vegas?
Erin, I never did buy much vinyl, cassettes were my poison. Don't have too many of those either as I switched over to digital format and sold off my CD's and cassettes in my leaner (money-wise) years.
hmm, good guess ... but that is incorrect!
It's A Certain Ratio, Sextet. The good news? The consolation prize is also a beer!
I will make a note..I actually looked up the cover after my guess and knew I was wrong, but the consolation prize does beat a years supply of handi-wipes for sure.
lookie who turned up! i'm lovin' the tunes and most certainly remember Situation Two. other than these, i am reduced to nodding profusely to: "I was especially keen on the surprise aspect — buying an album by a band whom I'd never heard of ... and I'd be relegated to eating nineteen cent packages of Top Ramen for the next few days." ...down to the ramen part!
Cody it would have been difficult to pick out even in full view; but really, I queried because I remember you mentioning ACR in your King Crimson post, and it looks like you've been listening to Force. Do you have this one? It has some funk to it...
Ilay, my shoe twin and Sit 2 cohort, why am I not surprised to hear this? I got pretty sick of the stuff but at least I had something good to listen to while it was going down. I usually went for the chicken or oriental variety alongside a cup of strong black tea—you? :)
You...you...worked in a record store???
Oh god it's no bloody wonder then i'm smitten with your musical wonderland of taste!
I've always looked up to any and all of those fine purveyors of the new and old.
You've hit me right up side the head again with these songs posted and it's the first i've heard of 'em.
Uhoh i been bad though as i've sold off a ton of my vinyl collection this past year.
But not to worry Erin they were mostly doubles and records i could not for the life of me spin one more time.
Also to let you in on one more part of my world it seems even though i rid myself of a few thousand the remaining five digits worth seem to have expanded and eaten away what free space i gained....(you're laughing at me now aren't you?)
Nothing is better than a vinyl...that and a good mystery.
Five digits worth of vinyl left? ... laughing? umm, no ...
:: drooling, drooling ::: Are you home? I can be there in five minutes... ;)
Sure...apt 4. the building leans on my side of the block a bit haha!
(actually it really does)
14,000 miles per hour is the speed you drive?
Whooo hoo i gotta go on a cruise with you!
Pick me up and we'll go record store hopping!
Into The Music in Winnipeg first!
http://intothemusic.ca/
(if you see something you have to have let me know and i'll see what i can do!)
But Erin i would venture to say most of what i have here isn't drool worthy.
A ton of gak with a few hundred killer Lps. Still for some reason i think i need to keep most of it....just in case...in case of what i don't know!
My faves are the ones i bought new from record stores just like you in my twenties.
Did you warm up your rocket car yet?
whoa nelly! That was quite a ride, I topped out at 20,000mph before the boosters jettisoned and I took a trip around the moon (or was that just a dream and I've been stuck here all this time? Maybe it was just the sound of my head exploding.) :)
It's true, though ... I do have a case of lead foot.
I don't know where the last week went, but when I get some time I'm going to have to peruse the e-aisles in that little wonderland of yours ... I have a serious hankering to re-stock. Thanks for the linkage!
Like minded on the vinyl solution. Good Post. Thanks.
Thanks for stopping in trelotrick. Fill up your mog page and air your wares!