The Cover Up

The cover up is a phrase DJs coined back in the day when one would cover up the label of a record they were spinning so nobody would know the track.  Some would go so far to put a different label on the record to fool the peeping Toms.  The power of the DJ back then was their rich knowledge of music, before the age of the internet, shazaam, spotify and the rest of it.

We were asked to DJ an art show the past weekend and this phrase immediately came to mind.  Of course, we were not covering up any records during the sesh, they were there for all to enjoy, sonically as well as visually.  That was half of the appeal and we were immediately labeled DJ Vinyl.  In a world of digital media, a DJ spinning physical records is a dinasaur, a display at a museum, to be seen for the small price of admission.  Unless of course you are Cut Chemist, in which we would gladly pay the price of admission, and have.  Needless to say, we ran with it.  We did throw a track on the ol’ Ipad and for the sake of argument lets just call it our cover up.  For any of you following along you can probably already guess what this was from our crazed obsessed rant from the previous post.  I mean the music is so damn good, how could I not play it, even if only digitally.  And the response was, what the hell is that?!  Well, we finally found it on vinyl and ordered it today from a record store in Japan.  The website was in mostly Japanese so not the easiest thing I have ever done.  So without further ado, the short but sweet opening track from Dutch DJ Perquisite’s debut EP, Outta Nowhere, featuring Benjamin Herman on sax.

We have been on such a binge to find more, new, different records that we never stop and enjoy the treasures that we have amassed.  And a large treasure it is indeed.  The beautiful thing about DJing last weekend is that we have been tearing through the collection to find stuff to play.  We have listened to just about every record in the collex, but most haven’t had the quality ear time they deserve.  So here are a couple tracks (re)discovered in the last few days that are bound to be displayed at the next event.  The poet and the beat.  No vinyl cover ups here.

Ma, Rare Earth

To all the mothers! If you haven’t heard of the band, Rare Earth, please check them out. I can’t describe how awesome they are. My wife and I have a second hand store we frequent for records. This one day we didn’t see anything we recognized so we each bought a record solely on the cover art. My wife chose a green and black cover of stylized face with glasses on and I chose an album of a black line drawing of a naked fat woman riding a small rocking horse. After we had purchased them and were sitting in our car we discovered they were the same band! Rare Earth.

This album is dedicated to Ma. This post is dedicated to Ma, and this day is dedicated to Ma. Mom, I love you!

Vinylly Found It!!!!

The vinyl gods were with us today as we picked up a really nice original pressing of The Meters self titled debut.  I just put this on my wish list last week and what do you know, Bam!  It was practically screaming my name.  Take me please, play me, I beg you.  It was an afternoon to remember at a nice little estate sale warehouse where I picked up this classic along with some JB, Nina Simone, Al Green, Roy Ayers Ubiquity and more.  To celebrate, treat your ears to the first track off the album while I go and spin this on my Rega.  Cheers!

Vinylly Found is bringing the beef

There is nothing like a bbq with good friends and good music on a Sunday afternoon in sunny southern California, and Vinylly Found will be bringing the beef.  Check out this gem from Captain Beefheart and his magic band (not credited on this album).  You won’t find this kind of magic in old town Las Vegas.