Trash Talk - s/t album

I'm not really one for gossip, but this album was all the talk at the 2008 Sound and Fury fest a couple of years ago, and not for the music.
It also arguably happened to be the hottest item at the merch tables as there was an actual push and shove crush to get at it.


For those who can't read that small, I will transcribe the front sticker that was affixed to the cover.

"Some of your favorite record labels are in the business of exploiting some of your favorite artists. lacking the creative concepts and materials to entertain on their own, they rely on starving artists to do so. Ideally these artists will no longer have to starve in order for their music to be heard. THAT IS NOT THE CASE and (label name here) is no exception to this horrible standard. Once raped of their product, these artists are charged for copies of their own material, incurring debt to these labels. This is just one of the many ways record labels are able to continue profiting on their artist's hard work without fairly compensating the artists. Without the artists there would be no record label. Ideally the independent music scene should be free of these industry horrors. It is not in addition to perpetuating the grief and hardship of their artists by incurring these fees (label name here) also makes profit through online merchandise sales. bands only see a small portion of the proceeds from these sales and often do not recieve them as the money owed to them is put towards erasing the debt they have accrued with the label. It is virtually impossible to come out ahead. Support the bands and not these labels. Buy directly from the band."

Ok then. Someone is not very happy with their label!

They purposefully remove the name of the label in question, leaving it ambiguous as to who they could be talking about.
However this was the talk of the town in the cattle barn in Santa Barbara that weekend.

a. Trash Talk "Plagues" 7" was their previous release to this album.
b. It has just been repressed by Malfunction/Deathwish (1000 on seafoam green)
c. They form Trash Talk Collective to self release all their future recordings and even repressed Plagues themselves.

Like I said, I don't gossip, but it doesn't take much to leap to the conclusion they are talking about themselves as the wronged band in their statement. It also doesn't take much to guess who the label is.


Whatever, the only thing I know for sure is there were 100 of the S&F editions available. They sold out really damn fast. They used the most common color, green, to use for the press.
It was going for insane bucks on ebay following Sound and Fury, but has tailed off quite a bit since.

Maybe I'm way off on this one, if anyone knows the real deal - leave a comment!

Uniform Choice - Region of Ice 7"

I know I could probably get kicked out of the club for saying this, but when it comes right down to it, I probably pull this single out to listen to more than any other Uniform Choice record - including "Screaming For Change".


The song Region of Ice comes from the (kind of) controversial second album "Staring Into The Sun" put out on Giant Records, the same label that put out some cool albums by Verbal Assault, Government Issue and the Dag Nasty - "Field Day" record.
I just think it is a great song. Unbelievably catchy and I would consider it a "hit", no matter who recorded it. Just awesome!

The single also contains "I Am...You Are" one of the faster, more hardcore songs on the album and "Indian Eyes", the lead track from Staring.


Just like the Unity - Blood Days album, I love this era of Pat Dubar/Pat Longrie music. The California reverb heavy sound, the "growth" in their look and the rock star style. I'd be lying if I didn't say I had the same leather jacket/side part long hair look as Longrie in 1990!


Maybe it's just a nostalgic phase I am going through as I get older, but man I am waxing poetically about my early 20's.

It's just another...lost edge in the region of ice.

D.R.I. - 4 of a Kind

At the request of my friend Geoff, I was asked to randomly pull a record out from the shelf and just talk about it. After all the color variation collections I have been doing lately, it sounded like a good idea. I closed my eyes, ran my finger across some record spines and pulled out this gem.

Dirty Rotten Imbeciles - 4 of a Kind.

Looking back to 1988, I wish I could tell you of stories of listening to Gorilla Biscuits and Youth of Today, skateboarding half pipes and discovering Krisha consciousness.
The truth is that I was still a banger into thrash metal, some crossover hardcore before I knew the label existed, and Living Color. Yeah, the band; not the TV show. The shame I feel.
I was also sporting a legendary mullet and driving a 1984 Toyota Corolla. I was the poster child for awkward, hot mess 19 year olds everywhere.

One thing I did right that year was pick up this album. To me it was the absolute perfect blend of the music I loved. The crunchy guitar sound Spike had was amazing and became the blueprint of what I wanted all guitars to sound like. The recording was so different than "Dealin' With It!" or "Crossover". It was so - loud.

This was also the last DRI album with the classic Kurt, Spike, Josh and Felix lineup. This was a band of longhair punks who loved metal and wore t-shirts and jeans. They became my role models for years to come. Well, maybe not sleeveless t's.

More than sound and image, this record still means a hell of a lot to me. "Suit and Tie Guy" was the very first song my first band ever played. I nearly blew my voice out singing it. I had a bottle of Chloraseptic spray I would use between verses. I had no idea what I was doing, but I loved every minute.

This was one album I bought and played the hell out of just for the love of it. Way before collecting. I'm glad it is on glorious black vinyl and was never repressed.

Excuse me now, I have some "Manifest Destiny" to listen to in the basement.

Bane 7 Inch Series (Time:Place)

You know, for 6 songs, this seems a bit excessive.

As always, I am an idiot. More dollars than sense!
I swear, at the time it seemed like a good idea to order everything.

All joking aside, I really like how this turned out. All the labels with their individual releases were unique with their color choices and it was still all held together by the cover design and labels.

I'm just hoping the next Bane record is a little scaled back in scope. I got kids to feed!

Converge - Axe To Fall

I felt an update was in order as the last time I posted about this record, I had only recieved the exclusive Eptiaph color. Over the course of the last couple of months I have been able to put together 7 of the 8 color variations.

Some were easy to obtain through distros like RevHq or Dr. Strange, some came in with my Deathwish pre-order and a couple were kind of tough as I got involved in a damn bidding war on eBay. A couple of the rarer colors are still very hot on the 'bay.

Of course, I am still missing the rarest and most desired variation - clear with color shards. There were only 100 pressed and a few lucky people got them with their pre-orders. I am going to have to be patient with this one as it will probably be years before they loosen up. Those that have it, are keeping it and there are probably more than a few still in the hands of Tre and Deathwish to raise funds for future projects. That's the way it goes...

On to the vinyl!

300 pressed on Blue and Beer split with Yellow splatter

400 pressed on Beer with blue, white and yellow splatter

500 pressed on cream (This was the Epitaph mail order exclusive)

800 pressed on Beer, Coke Bottle Blue and Black tri-color

1000 pressed on Beer. This was a European exclusive color. I rolled the dice and got one through Amazon.uk. There was word on the internet that Amazon in Germany was shipping coke bottle blue. That would have sucked.

2000 pressed on Coke Bottle Blue

2000 pressed on Solid Light Blue

I should be happy with seven copies of the same record, but damn - that clear with color shards is going to haunt me! I am throwing it out there to the world wide web, hook a brother up!

ON - Double Vision

I realize that others in the record collecting blog world have touched on this record (Hey Mike!), but I figured I took all these damn pictures, I might as well post them.

Everyone is well aware of the band and the record by now. Seattle "supergroup" (lame tag-this ain't Steely Dan) made up of members of Champion, Go It Alone and Blue Monday. They self released two amazing 7 inches, "Vital Times" and "Control". Both go out of print immediately and are highly sought after collectors items, especially as their buzz grows.
A couple months later they have two of the more prolific hardcore labels out there, React! and Reaper Records, jointly re-release the two records as a single full length called "Double Vision". I think that is it in a nutshell.

Of course, this blog is about the vinyl, and this package is again of a top notch quality that we have come to expect with Aram and React! Records. It's the little things, you know?

Here we go:
250 pressed on white as the React! exclusive color. Sold out almost immediately through pre-orders.


250 pressed on grey as the Reaper exclusive color. Also long gone and was only available through web pre-orders. I remeber it was supposed to be a different color (clear maybe?) but this is what we got.

Both labels had the "regular" issue black vinyl available as well. This was out of 350. 100 pressed more than the exclusive colors is not much, and it is sold out now too.

Of course, there were plenty of goodies included with the records as well. As a staple with React releases, there was a very cool screened cardboard mailer insert, stickers, 90's Ebullition-esque flyer, and the always important download card.


As is usually the case these days, you also have to have some cool limited tour vinyl as well.

150 clear blue were pressed and was available at the 2009 Sound and Fury festival.

As you can see in the picture, there is a noticeable black streak through the vinyl.

Now before we get all excited for a "transition" press, Aram told me directly that this will not be the case. There may be as few as 10 out there, but they were not caught early, nor were they identified or stamped like the Right Idea - "Our World" transition press. Good for you if you have one, but that is about it. Saying all that, I'm glad I have one!

ON were also preparing for a Euro tour this summer and the records were not ready. So what to do? Why make an "Emergency Edition" of course! Black vinyl out of 130.


Powered Records also did a press for the before mentioned European tour. Pre-orders went up in June for a July release. Plenty of time right? Well, obviously there is an "Emergency Edition", so no. After many delays, these came out last month. Turned out great anyway.

150 stamped pre-orders were made on red vinyl.


In addition, Powered also pressed red vinyl out of 50 (I'm guessing 200 red were pressed and this is the leftover from the 150 pre-order), 200 on white and 600 on black. I have them coming, but I think I have posted enough pictures of this record!

Powered also had a couple cool inserts including a glossy promo band shot (?) and a small apology card explaining the delays.

All in all, a very well put together record from three separate labels. That is a hell of a lot of output!

Champion - Promises Kept : Warehouse Edition

Boy oh boy, do I like the holidays!

My buddy Aram from Champion, Betrayed, The First Step and React! Records was back in Calgary for Christmas and we were able to meet up for coffee last night before he had to head back to Vancouver. Anyone who knows Aram, knows him as a generous guy and he was like freaking Santa Claus when he sold this little gem to me. Hand delivered and everything. The only thing missing were reindeer!

Promises Kept - Warehouse Edition of the reject press/record release white vinyl. Out of 12. Yeah that's right - 12!


With the exception of the blank label misprint on Come Out Swinging, this is by far the rarest Champion record. I didn't even know it existed until Aram told me about it last week. Needless to say I am psyched!


Oh, how I love the holidays!