Game recognizes game.

Warren Zevon “Sentimental Hygiene” 1987 Virgin 🧵 This is the album that WZ recorded with 3/4 of R.E.M. Late night debauchery led to an album‘s worth of covers that WZ’s manager released as Hindu Love Gods, w/o the band’s consent, souring their friendship w/ WZ. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Led Zeppelin “Presence” 1976 Swan Song Snagged a well-preserved Zep disc. Doesn’t get the love it deserves. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

New York Dolls “Dawn of the Dolls” 2023 Cleopatra Records 🧵 Before their eponymous debut album in July of ‘73, NYD made their first studio recordings in ‘72. Six originals and three covers of Bo Diddly, Sonny Boy Williamson and Otis Redding. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

i have a lot of bad qualities and one of them is that, despite my better judgment, i sort of enjoy love actually

Various “A Very Special Christmas” 1987 Special Olympics Productions I had this album in ‘87, when it dropped. Lost it to time. Santa decided to rectify that. Every track a banger by a Murderer’s Row of A-listers. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

“Jingle Bell Jazz” 1962 CBS/Columbia This is the 1980 reissue. Last spin before Christmas. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Guardians of The Galaxy (original motion picture soundtrack) 2014 Marvel Records Eldest daughter and I viewed GotG today. She asked a ton of questions. I said, “watch & listen.” Then saw her tapping her foot and hitting her leg with her hand. Level unlocked. #NowSpinning #BinylSky #Vinyl

The #1 movie from when you were 10 years old is how your 2026 will go. Because of course.

Scarlet Rivera (eponymous) 1977 Warner Brothers Rolling Thunder Review icon. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

The Velvet Underground “Live at Max’s Kansas City” 1972 Cotillion Recorded in 1970, and released in 1972. Expanded release in 2004 by Rhino/Atlantic. This is a 2016 RSD release, also Rhino/Atlantic. 180g. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Social Distortion “Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes” 2010 Crime Don’t Pay Records RSD find. Still has the signed poster for “Machine Gun Blues.” #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Ramones “Brain Drain” 1989 Sire Records Mine is a 2013 release on clear vinyl by LetThem Eat Vinyl out of the UK. Last Ramones album with bassist Dee Dee, who co-wrote “Pet Sematary.” #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Iggy Pop “Soldier” 1980 Arista Fun fact: Simple Minds and David Bowie provide backing tracks on “Play It Safe.” Bass and backing vocals on the album by ex-Sex Pistols Glen Matlock. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

X “Wild Gift” 1981 Slash Records PSA: Only 16 shopping days left. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Social Distortion (eponymous) 1990 Epic I think this is a 2008 press. First heard the “Ring of Fire” cover at a cosmic bowl on the north side of Chicago in the late ‘90s. That was my gateway to Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. 🧵 #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Dropkick Murphys “Blackout” 2003 Hellcat Records 2023 pressing. “Worker’s Song” rips, and it hits hard tonight. Love that Ken Casey is still out there fighting. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

The Rolling Stones “Live in Texas ‘78” 2012 Mercury Universal Heard lots of classic rock at a funeral luncheon today. The decedent asked to have the Beatles’ song, “I’ll Follow the Sun,” played. I don’t have that. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

The Pogues “Rum, Sodomy & the Lash” My day tomorrow is about a funeral, and we’re driving to another state to be there. This isn’t the Pogues’ best funeral album, but respect “Dirty Old Town,” as a love song and a dirge. The guy that wrote it: Kirsty McCall’s Da. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

The Clash “Sandinista!” 1980 CBS Just watched a great AppleTV+ Beastie Boys live/doc, and the surviving members credited The Clash as their muse for genre blending/shifting. I get it. 👍🏻 Also, binging this before the next season of “Our Next Dumb War.” #NowSpinning #VinylSky ##Vinyl

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (original motion picture soundtrack) 2025 Rhino This was a Record Store Day pick by my awesome wife. Clear vinyl, finally matches my crystal ball. John Williams nailed this mood, setting the table for the next seven movies. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

John Denver “Greatest Hits” 1973 RCA JD’s a love/hate case. I love. Ubiquitous in the ‘70s, recorded the best Muppets album, & starred with George Burns in two hit movies. My favorite punk cover band recorded two songs off this album. Here’s another reason: #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

John Prine “Common Sense” 1975 Atlantic Feels like the right album for that weird Friday after Thanksgiving. Your sleep schedule is jet lagged, and the leftovers are narcoleptic carb bombs. But Handsome Johnny is your Sherpa back to Monday basecamp. Follow the rope. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Simon & Garfunkel “Greatest Hits” 1972 CBS Records For y’all who’re homeward bound for T-Day - please remember Paul and Art’s advice from their episode of “Delicious Dish”: Yeah, we f’d it up. Go w/Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (Parsley is weak sauce. Ditch it). 🍗🦃🍗 #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Boston (eponymous) 1976 Epic/CBS I know the hits from classic rock radio and the cover from every Columbia House records and tapes club ad ever. Never actually heard the LP. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl #LibrariesRock

Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack) 2018 Hollywood Records Library loan. I’ve had Queen’s greatest hits on CDs since high school. I drew a cartoon about Freddy/Queen in college, This may be the first time I’ve ever heard clean on vinyl. 🧵 #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl #Queen

Big Audio Dynamite “This Is Big Audio Dynamite” 1985 CBS I need to sit with this album longer. The printed lyrics are insanely hard to read. On a couple of tunes they don’t lead to where the verses and chorus are. 🧵 #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Steve Goodman “Artistic Hair” 1983 Red Pajamas Records. Got a haircut today. Don’t get a haircut anywhere where I don’t close my eyes and hear “East St. Louis Tweedle-Dee.” 🧵 #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Tutu and the Pirates “Trail of the Great White Beaver” 2014 (No Label) The openly anti-lectual suburban rock band was the go-to opening band for the Ramones when they played Chicago (‘77-‘78). They were one of the first punk bands on the Chicago scene. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl #ChicagoPunk 🧵

Right down to the tie.

Dead Kennedys “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables” 1980 Cherry Red/IRS This is a fairly new pressing on the Manifesto label. 45 years later, the track list reads the same as some new teen punk band’s set list. Except “California UA” would be a Newsome campaign theme. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

The Dead Poets are curious about their first Christmas. Gwendolyn, Seamus and Shel are going to put the “Holy $@&%!” in the holidays.

Plastics “Welcome Back” 1981 Island Records Influential Japanese new wave band. They were signed and released in the states, championed by David Byrne of Talking Heads, as well as the B-52s. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Zero Boys “History Of” 2009 Secretly Canadian 🧵 I had never heard of these guys, but they were one of the openers for Naked Raygun during a two-night stand to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Metro in Chicago. The other opener was The Crombies … #NowSpinning #vinylsky #Vinyl #punk #ZeroBoys

Hindu Love Gods (eponymous) 1990 Giant/Reprise. Back on my $hit: Zevon edition. This is one of the first albums I identify with college because a friend introduced it to me, and it was “new” music from artists I’d heard, but not together, and these were covers. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

I was stymied by short clips, but now, seeing the whole speech, I’m bereft … I think a big percentage of folks there were trying to laugh at a comic and the funny werewolf song. Yeah, it was weird. I also think none of the other acts truly understood the power of that moment. Man, what a voice.

Warren Zevon “Excitable Boy” 1978 Elektra/Asylum Missed the Rock and Roll HOF last night, but I caught a short clip of Letterman’s induction speech for WZ. Do find it if you’re of a mind. Touching, funny words. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Beat Happening “Dreamy” 1991 SubPop Dreamy, somewhat creepy anti pop. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Various “Paranoia You Can Dance To” 1986 Weird System This is a West German compilation of the best of the American vinyl fanzine Flipside. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Bonemen of Barumba - eponymous - 1981 Barumba Stereo (Bone 001) This is a weird 10” 33-RPM EP of protopunk, goth punk & goth reggae?!? “Government Money” is a protest song: “Give us money, give us food, give us things we need.” Sound familiar? #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

“Something’s Gone Wrong Again: The Buzzcocks Covers Compilation” 1992 C/Z Records Fun tribute to the Manchester punks by early’90s punks bands like the Didjits, Coffin Break, the Accüsed and Naked Raygun. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

“Beautiful Happiness” 1988 Sounds/Shigaku Ltd. Cool comp by UK rock weekly zine SOUNDS and Shigaku Ltd., a world-wide indie label. I bought it for the Raygun, but stayed for the D.J. Lebowitz’s lounge cover of DK’s “Holliday in Cambodia.” #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Neil Diamond “Stones” 1971 MCA Mix of Neil Diamond originals and some great covers: “Chelsea Morning” Joni Mitchell, “Suzanne” Leonard Cohen, “I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today” Randy Newman, “Husbands and Wives” Roger Miller. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Jim Croce “Photographs and Memories: His Greatest Hits” 1974 ABC My fall-back, extra hour replay: “Time in a Bottle” #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Misfits “Die, Die My Darling” 1984 Plan 9 Happy Halloween. This is a 2000’s 12” reprint of the original 45. B-Sides are “Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?” and “We Bite.” #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Nina Hagen “NunSexMonkRock” 1982 CBS/Columbia First solo album by the German singer (first in English), which Rolling Stone dubbed the “most unlistenable” album of all time. Harsh. I’ve heard waaaaay worse. The baby, Cosma Shiva Hagen, is now 43. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl

Articles of Faith “Give Thanks” 1984 Reflex Records/Dutch East India Trading Singer Vic Bondi turned a Springsteen/Clash cover band into an influential hardcore punk outfit (‘81-‘85) after seeing Bad Brains in D.C. Bob Mould produced it. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl #ChicagoPunk

The Black Sheep Band “A Chicago Punk Rock Collaboration for the Kids Vol. 1” 2011 distributed by underground communication records 🧵John Toland created this weird, benificent gem out of a love of DIY music … and food. #NowSpinning #VinylRecords #Vinyl #ChicagoPunk

The Germs “(GI)” 1979 Slash Records 🧵In 1977, the Germs took in a drummer named Dottie Danger, who never recorded or appeared live. She was sidelined by a case of mononucleosis, and quit. #NowSpinning #VinylSky #Vinyl