SPIN IT HARD

Hi there people!

One new message in 9 months (!!) to let you know about that new blog I launched a month ago : SPIN IT HARD.
Expect nothing new but delicious tracks from my personal vinyl collection and pictures of delicious sleeves.
Not so different than what you found here basically...

Please come pay me a visit and drop a little message, I'd be THAT glad to see you there.

Cheers & beers !

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As many of you may have guessed, time has come to put an end to the Secret Vinyl Conspiracy. I basically don't have time anymore to post new music. I'm pretty sad about this, and I hope in a near future I'll be able to launch a new blog I'll have enough time to dedicate to.

As the ultimate post, I thought about posting a white vinyl (I love them white!).

No need to introduce NEBULA, neither to talk about their blend of Stoner.

If you're the amazingly beautiful lady on the cover, if you or one of your friends know her, once saw her, heard of her, whatever... please get in touch! I want to know that girl! Please!

Please enjoy those last three tracks I post on this blog.

I had a lot of fun doing this and hope to share music again, as soon as I have time again, 'cause plenty of new LPs arrived lately and some more are about show up pretty soon.

Thank you for all your questions, support and much appreciated congrats, hope to be back soon.

CHEERS!

In need of the king Riff!

I was wondering today what would my people expect when visiting the Secret Vinyl Conspiracy?

I thought about great covers. I thought about good music. And I thought about that tasty smoking vinyl sound of course.
So I started thinking about one great cover. Tons came to my mind.

And then I started thinking about some phat riffage. And it all SUDDENLY came clear : FU MANCHU's "Godzilla"!

This 10" released on Frank Kozik's Man's Ruin Record label (did I ever tell you I was a Man's Ruin completist?) is one great slab of see-thru plastic.

As everybody know it, "Godzilla" is a BLUE ÖYSTER CULT cover, but the 2 other cuts are pure FU MANCHU at their best, so you know what to expect : hellrising groove and some of the heaviest riffs.

I really like that record and would never trade it for any other guitar-driven craze.

I have to mention that Mr Homme contributes some additional percussion, that it was recorded at Rancho de la Luna and that EARTHLINGS?' geniuses Drake & Catching engineered this baby.

Smoking!

ENJOY the ride!

45s

JESUS FUC#ING CHRIST!
I can finally find time to post some new music!
The wait is over...

Though I can't rip vinyl anymore (I guess I need a new hi-fi system), I can post some of the 45s I ripped back then... All of my 45s are ripped, so I don't need to get them out of there sleeves.

I give you one of my favorite Noise bands ever : KEPONE and it's a shame the band split (did they really? Can't find any official info on this BTW).

I love KEPONE 'cuz it's truly groovy, yet mean as hell, intricate, loud and dirty. Did you know Michael Bishop (bass & vocals) was also known as Beefcake the Mighty when he was part of GWAR?

I hope you'll enjoy those 2 new songs I post in weeks. If not, I'll do my best for the next one's a winner...

ENJOY!

Back

There goes my new message in weeks!

I just got my internet connection back 2 days ago, so I can post again on the SVC.

I got back from NYC with a shit load of great memories and a bunch of great LPs (Zappa, Joplin, Omnibus, Bandit, Mama Lion and some others).

I'll post music soon, but for the moment I can't rip vinyl anymore. Still have some little things to fix.

Here's my vinyl wall (upgraded and improved on a daily basis). Some new LPs to be added in a coupla weeks, and even more music to post. I'll keep you posted brothers.

Take good care and speak soon!

Riding the city

Let's go to the city and buy LPs!

A little update, folks

I'm settled in this new apartment. Still have to build up shelves for the CDs. No pic to post right now, but I promise I'll post one soon.
No music for the moment as my internet connection still needs to be installed (should be done by the end of this month).
I'll be in the NYC next week, to see some friends and buy a bunch of LPs. I'll bring back some more tunes for your delighted ears.
More news to come!

Take good care y'all and speak soon.

Moving

I'm about to move to my new apartment. Still have plenty of LPs and CDs that are not packed yet and I can't find more boxes... Will surely have to come back a day after to pick up the rest.
I won't be able to post any music in the coming days.
I fear the next music post won't happen before July... Sorry for that. I do my best to get some fresh stuff as soon as possible. Cheers!

When classical music hits Psych Heavy Rock

Inventive Rock and technical musicianship all gathered on one record (please do not pay attention to what the band recorded afterwhile).

This is Prog Rock in one of its most demonstrative forms. Tons of variations and pinnacles, when dark Folk and heavy riffage walk together, all in a very classical music frame.

FRUUPP wasn't very popular in spite of relentless touring (with KING CRIMSON among others) and the record sales never quite satisfied Pye's Dawn label.
The band unfortunately called it quits after 4 albums and hundreds of shows.

Please ENJOY "Graveyard Epistle", you might need to buy the record right away. But note it's a $100 investment. At least. I don't like the cover though. But the music itself is pure delight.

FRUUPP "Future Legends" - 1973 - UK - Dawn DNLS 3053

I've been stolen my wallet

A motherfucker stole my wallet yesterday night and I can tell you i'ts a pain in the ass. Credit card, ID, driving licence... He almost owns me the motherfucker.

Anyways, have you ever heard about the model who wanted to become a star and hopefully did?

Marc Bolan and its T-Rex monster created a very special kind of music, something he was the very only one to write and perform.

With this album, Bolan crafted his unimitable guitar sound and production, and established his unstoppable tunes and melodies. He stuck to his early Folk/Hippy Music orientation, added a huge amount of distorted guitars and some good dirty Rock'n'Roll to the recipe.

We all miss him dearly and the guy is one of my favorite Rock Icons.

I give you "Jewel" and I'm sure you'll ENJOY!

T-REX "s/t" - 1970 - UK - Fly HIFLY 2

More British Classic Rock!

Freshly departed from PROCOL HARUM, Bobby Harrison & Ray Royer founded FREEDOM, a Heavy Blues infected Psych Rock combo, that toured with BLACK SABBATH among others.

FREEDOM never reached great success and is often seen as a middle-of-the-pack band.

Sure it's not as inventive and catchy as other British bands of the era, but FREEDOM still delivers some great tunes and good Heavy Rock tracks that really deserve a listen.

This is the American press on Cotillion and is somehow easier to find (and cheaper also!) then the original UK press.

Go check Toe Grabber on the player and let me know what you think.

ENJOY!

FREEDOM "Through The Years" - 1971 - UK - Cotillion SD 9048 (US press)

The Electric Elves

Before he sang for BLACK SABBATH (among other bands), Ronnie James Dio ran a band called ELF, and they released their debut in 1972, a Classic Rock milestone. But the band needs no introduction, does it?

I found this original US press a coupla years ago, with a 3D lookalike cover. I don't know if it's a repress or any limited edition, as I've only seen it once, and subsenquently bought it.

I've seen some original copies sell for over $60 here in France, I wonder what it's worth in the US.

Please give a listen to Never More on the player, and enjoy.
This truly is a must-have, filled with hard boogie Rock anthems and the inimitable voice of Dio, the man that invented the sign of the devil (yes he's the first guy who threw the horns back in the 70's).

ENJOY!

ELF "s/t" - 1972 - USA - Epic KE 31789

Music to smoke to

ASH RA TEMPEL is one of the Krautrock leaders, mainly because of their debut LP (highly valuable and pretty hard to find in great condition).

"Discover Cosmic" is a French only release that consists of two ASH RA TEMPEL LPs : "Inventions for Electric Guitar" and "Seven Up" with the late Timothy Leary.

"Inventions..." is a Manuel Göttsching album only, as ASH RA TEMPEL broke up weeks earlier. This LP is about monolithic cosmic riffage and various guitar effects. Aerial et hypnotic, perfect soundtrack if you've been having a bad day and are out of pot. You don't need much if you have this.

"Seven Up" is a Timothy Leary/ASH RA TEMPEL collaboration, recorded in Switzerland with a lot of LSD and other drugs. Blues, experimentation and effects galore for a very peculiar album. Tracks are all mixed in together with bizarre noise and moog keys.

Downtown and Power Drive are the two first tracks of this album and I hope you'll like them.

ENJOY!

ASH RA TEMPEL "Discover Cosmic" - 1975 - Germany - Ohr 940.117/18 (French only)

Stop! Look! Listen!

From Dortmund, Germany comes EPITAPH and its second offering "Stop Look And Listen", by far its greatest achievement.

The band went on to common Hard Rock in the 80's and thus will not be discussed here.

But this one is tasty as hell!

You get some kind of Rural almost Folk intros that merge into some smart Heavy Rock, laid-back, cool but solid.

The 5 cuts here are sharp and precise, floating between false Hippy Rock and crude Hard Rock.

This German press doesn't come up very often, so I advise anybody to catch it while they can. You won't buy it for the cover (ain't that shit ugly?). You'll have to spend at leat 40€/50€ for this one, but I tell you it's worth the price!

I give you the title track, cut #5 : Stop Look And Listen.

Enjoy!

EPITAPH "Stop Look And Listen" - 1972 - Germany - Polydor 2371 274

What if Jim's French shallow grave was a hoax?

You all know I'm a huge DOORS fan, been a fan for near 20 years and will still be in the next decades.
The feeling I had when I listened to this album for the first time was : "Fuck! This Jim Morrison rip-off actually has something special".
And any DOORS fan have to play this one.

Back in '74 (Jim was dead for 3 years already), PHANTOM'S DIVINE COMEDY was promoted as Jim Morrison's new band by the management itself.

This Psych horror-themed album capitalizes on heavy organ, Morrison-like vocals, Heavy Rock riffage and subtle jazz touches here and there.

It's hard to listen to this record without thinking about original DOORS songs, but once you think about PHANTOM'S DIVINE COMEDY as a real band, they might sound soulful, original and inventive.
"Part 2" never saw the light of day and I'm not even sure the band had any material for another LP.
$50 is a decent price for an original US copy. Most US copies you find in Europe are Export copies with a cut corner or a punch hole in the upper right side of the cover.

"Tales From A Wizard", the album's opener, seems to be a call to the Lizard King to rise from the dead. Judge by yourself.

ENJOY!

PHANTOM'S DIVINE COMEDY "Part 1" - 1974 - USA - Capitol ST-11313

Sunday's face-melting guitar action

Randy California died in 1997, trying to save his son from drowning.
This guy was a highly talented guitar player, as you can hear on his debut LP.
Sure you know him thanks to the part he played in the band SPIRIT (though I don't like SPIRIT that much) and his other solo albums don't compare to this one.

On Downer, he's acompanied by Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding (credited as Henry Manchovitz and Clit McTorius).

I can only advise anybody to check this one as it's truly enjoyable from start to finish with 2 BEATLES covers and a heavy load of screaming wha-wha guitars.

A must-have? I think so!!
Please note there are 2 different covers existing. I've been told that the one you see (the one I own) is supposedly the original one (with no inscription below the picture), but if you have more info on that, please let me know!

ENJOY!

RANDY CALIFORNIA "Kaptain Kopter And The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds" - 1972 - USA - Epic E31755

Debe Ser Un Camello

I discovered Uncle Frank with "Hot Rats" and its awesome "ultra-violet in infra-red" photograph cover, and I got to admit it's been a real slap on my face, right at first listen.
Everything on this record is delectable.
Maybe the 'easiest' entry to the ZAPPA's discography, "Hot Rats" is also an unbeatable milestone in modern music.

Anyone would expect me to select Willie The Pimp (what a song!!!) for the player, but I went for It Must Be A Camel, the sixth and last cut of this unbelievable album.

I'm sure you will ENJOY!

FRANK ZAPPA "Hot Rats" - 1969 - USA - Bizarre RS6356

For your listening pleasure...

... KHAN!

Steve Hillage and Dave Stewart united for a one-LP only Prog Rock outfit (with Nick Greenwood from the CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN).

Man what an incredible record! Ambitious, meditative at times, heavy and beautifully orchestrated.

Hillage's guitar work is stunning and Stewart's visceral organ parts are strong and intoxicating.

If you're into the Canterbury scene, this is truly a must-have, though you'll have to pay $100 to get a mint copy...

I had to play the record twice to decide what track to add to the player. You can't be disappointed.

ENJOY!

KHAN "Space Shanty" - 1972 - UK - Deram SDL-R11

Going back to what I do best

Non-existing comments on recent posts made me think about going back to our cherished vintage Rock.

So here we go with YESTERDAY AND TODAY from Frisco and their debut album, released in 1976 on London Records.

Energic and hard hittin' with hardly any soft songs (one per side, cause we all need to rest for a minute or two and go to the kitchen to bring back another round of beers).

I'm amazed by the double bass drum as it was pretty rare at the time to be that assaulted all the way.
The slaying riffs are groovin' like hell and the energy is communicative.
I don't like the voice though, a bit too weak for this excellent Rock'n'Roll record.

ENJOY!

YESTERDAY AND TODAY "s/t" - 1976 - USA - London PS677

The Fuggy Grooves [originally titled Fuggy & Groovy] sessions unleashed

Third and final mix, focusing on the Krautrock scene, mixed up with sci-fi movie extracts and other horror classics. My personal favorite.

The tracks :

• JANE "Moving" (from their "Here We Are" album)
• BIRTH CONTROL "Hoodoo Man" (from their "Hoodoo Man" album)
• BRAINTICKET "Brainticket (part 2)" (from their "Cottonwoodhill" album)
• NEU! "Negativland" (from their s/t album)
• AMON DÜÜL II "Dehypnotized Toothpaste"+"A Short Stop At The Transylvanian Brain Surgery" (from their "Tanz Der Lemminge" album)
• GURU GURU "Ooga Booga" (from their "Känguru" album)

GET IT HERE!

This is all about British vintage Rock!

I'm not completely satisfied with this one, something's missing, but I still don't know exactly what.

Tracklist :

• NUTZ "Poor Man" (from their s/t album)
• BUDGIE "Nude Disintegrating PArachutist Woman" (from their s/t album)
• PALADIN "Fill Up Your Heart" (from their s/t album)
• URIAH HEEP "Gypsy" (from their "Very 'Eavy... Very 'Umble" album)
• HORSE "The Sacrifice" (from their s/t album)
• INCREDIBLE HOG "Warning" (from their "Volume 1" album)
• MAY BLITZ "8 Mad Grim Nits (from their "2nd Of May" album)
• DIRTY TRICKS "The High Life" (from their s/t album)
  

GET IT HERE!

This is the first of those 3 podcasts.

I used American bands only and some 70's movie extracts. As I did for the STONEFREAK series, I used effects and sometimes reshaped the songs to make sure this podcast is fully enjoyable (depending on the listener). This is clearly dedicated to NYC, I definitely love the city.

This is vinyl only as you may guess and the tracklist goes like this

• ARMAGEDDON "Buzzard" (from their s/t album)
• GRANICUS "You're In America" (from their s/t album)
• YESTERDAY'S CHILDREN "She's Easy" (from their s/t album)
• SIR LORD BALTIMORE "Master Headache" (from their "Kingdom Come" album)
• BLUE CHEER "Magnolia Caboose Babyfinger" (from their "Outsideinside" album)
• TINHOUSE "Personal Gain" (from their s/t album)
• BANG "Come With Me"(from their s/t album)
• JAMUL "All You Have Left Is Me" (from their s/t album)
  

GET IT HERE!

Btw, if you like what you hear, please leave comments, that'd be well appreciated!

ENJOY!