Top Ten Weird Albums In Alan’s Collection
Chances are if you’re coming to this website, you’ve probably figured out that Alan Cross has a rather large record collection. From my previous conversations with him I know that 1) He managed to get a very large portion of CFNY’s physical catalogue when they went to all digital. 2) He’s joked on a few occasions that he moved in order to have more space for his collection. 3) Any time I ask him if he has a record I’m looking for, the answer is usually “Yes I do, give me a bit to find it.” While I’ve never seen the space, I imagine it kind of like the mines of Moria… just with records stacked against the walls.
With that many albums, I had to ask Alan, “What are the top ten weird albums in your collection?”
Here’s the list he sent back.
10) Flaming Lips – Zaireeka (vinyl)
From Record Store Day 2013, the unique thing about this album is you’re supposed to have four copies of the album playing simultaneously on four different audio systems in order to get the full effect (the original cd version was a four disc box set).
9) Anti-Flag – Bacon (vinyl single)
The disc looks like bacon. Despite the odd shape, I’ve been assured it plays fine but does not smell like bacon… pity.
8) The Groupies (vinyl)
An album of interview with women who were or had succeeded in sleeping with rock stars.
7) The Verve greatest hits “import”
Discovered at a “very shady place in Indonesia”
6) The Shaggs – Philosophy of the World
There are two camps when it comes to this album. You either think it’s one of the worst albums ever made or you think it’s a brilliant piece of outsider art. This is what happens when you take your family and make them into a band… even if they can’t play anything.
5) Joe Jackson – Big World (vinyl)
A live album what makes this one interesting is that it’s a double lp but only three out of the four sides have music on them. The fourth is just empty.
4) An Album by Chad Everett
Chad Everett was an actor and voice over artist (younger readers might recognise him as an aged Dean Winchester in an episode of Supernatural). At some point he made an album… who knew?
3) Led Zeppelin – IV and Houses of the Holy set (vinyl)
This Russian import contains both albums on vinyl but with different album artwork.
2) Nash the Slash – Decomposing (viynl)
A unique album that can be played at 33 1/3, 45 and 78 speeds on your turn table.
1) Rough Trade – ” Live! Direct to Disc” album
It’s a really intriguing concept in some ways. Essentially, this is a live album without an audience. Nothing went to tape, it went straight to the masters which gives it a really odd sound.
Do you have a weird album we should know about? Please leave your suggestions in the comments, I’d love to do a follow up list from our readers!
The 2010 Pretty Hate Machine remastered also only has three of four sides filled with music.
Perhaps one of the weirdest ones I have is 1987: The JAMS 45 Edits by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (also popularly known as The KLF). It's an edited version of their 1987 with all the copyrighted samples taken out (most notably ABBA, who did not authorize their songs being used, and this sent The JAMS on a mission to seek permission… the failed in that. In failing to do so, they burned most of the remaining copies of 1987 on a field at a farm not too far away from ABBA headquarters (source: http://www.copyrightwebsite.com/audio/klf/klf.aspx)).
But fear not intrepid listener! Contained within the liner notes are the instructions on how to re-create the samples in the comfort of your own home. For non-commercial purposes… Here's a snippet of the text:
"Kicks off with ‘Me Ru Con’ sung by Zuy Khiem, a Vietnamese friend of ours. If you are lucky enough to have the 7-inch version of it you’ll have the English translation on the sleeve. We never planned to have this on the LP, he just sang this while the tapes were running when he was down in the studio doing the bits of tenor sax and clarinet that are on the other tracks. It blew our minds. This takes us straight into some great wadges of silence. Fill it up by playing Abba’s monster hit ‘Dancing Queen’ from beginning to end."
The Dead Weather's Horehound vinyl only has 3 sides of music as well. The 4th side as an imprint of the cover art on it though. Very cool.
The "3 sided" Monty Python "Matching Tie and Handkerchief" album, with two concentric grooves on side 2.
(I always thought the Joe Jackson's "Big World" sounded wonderful. If I recall, the audience was told not to make any noise.