Recordshoppers Anonymous Deluxe #2 (Part 1)

Well, I thought publishing the Vicious Rumors was rather cool and I started to make plans to do the same with Savatage. The difference is that there's a lot more stuff in the Savatage collection, more releases available... So I never got started since it never felt I'd have enough time to finish. Then that it's dropping on new additions constantly of course messes things up so we'll see how it ends. Anyway, I decided to start so this first part will feature Sirens, The Dungeons are Calling, Power of the Night and Fight for the Rock and I suppose this is the easy part...

Sirens

Spyrat/Metal blade   03984-14076-2 4                      GER
Metal blade              PHCR-16151                             JAP
Metal blade              3984-14419-2    Silver edition

Par Records            PAR 1050           Blue label  
Par Records            PAR 1050           Silver label  
Par Records            PAR 1050           Blue vinyl  
Par Records            No S/N               Pic-LP              ARG      
Music for nations     MFN 48                                     FRA
Banzai Records       BRC 1968                                  CAN
Combat                  MX 8018                                   BRA
Enigma                  MX 8018                                    MEX

The Dungeons are Calling

Metal blade                 3984-1 4075-2       
Victor Entertainment    VICP-60090                              JAP
Metal blade                 3984-14418-2     Silver edition

Music For Nations        MFN 42                                  UK
Roadrunner                 RR 9793                                NL
Banzai Records            BAM 1012                             CAN
Combat                      MX 6016                                MEX

Sirens/The Dungeons are Calling

Combat                    88561-8227-2                        USA
Metal                       HM-16    Promo with Mag        ITA   
Metal Blade              CDZORRO 83    w/ Dungeons Are Calling + Lost tracks
Ear Music                 020412ERE    Digi

Banzai Records           BRC4 1968                              CAN
Combat                      MXT 8018   
MG Records                MG 1879                                 POL
Banzai Records           BAM4 1012                             CAN
Combat                      MXT 6016 

Power of the Night

Atlantic                     7 81247-2                              USA
Atlantic                     AMCY-387                              JAP
Concrete                   0089472CTR                          GER
Steamhammer          SPV 076-72982 CD       
Ear Music                  0204022ERE    Digi

Atlantic                    781 247-1                             GER
Atlantic                    75681247-1                           KOR
Atlantic                    7 81247-1                              USA
Atlantic                    604712 7                               BRA

GMR/Steamhammer    VMLP 014     Pic-Disc  
Atlantic                       PR 722        Promo              USA
Atlantic                       PR 748        Promo              USA

Atlantic                    7 81247-4                          USA 

Fight for the Rock

Atlantic                       7 81634-2                        USA
Concrete                     0089462 CTR       
Victor Entertainment    VICP-60092                       JAP
Steamhammer            SPV 076-72992 CD             GER
Ear Music                    0206908               Digi

Atlantic                     781 634-1                            GER
Atlantic                     781 634-1            Promo       GER
Atlantic                     81634-1                               USA
Atlantic                     20.142                                 BRA

GMR/Steamhammer     VMLP 013         Pic-Disc  
Atlantic                       PR889              Promo         USA
Atlantic                       PR 909             Promo         USA  

Atlantic                      7 81634-4                      USA
Ego Records               EA-3007                         Indonesia


Of course, starting writing I realized I should have taken one pic per record, it would have made it easier to add on later... On the other hand, I would like to have a little more fancy page really. But it's fun to walk through things, creating a want list (hell yes, there's things missing) And I probably should have included the Avatar "City Beneath the Surface" 7" in this entry... Maybe I should update. But the plan is to take 4 studio albums per entry and compile the rest in one, collections, live and stuff. And then of course I need to add the Jon Oliva's Pain, Jon Oliva, Circle II Circle, Chris Caffery, Matt LaPorte... Perhaps he didn't have so much to do with Savatage but he was one of my favorite guitarplayers of all time. But we'll see... The fun thing with the hype after Wacken is that Discogs is updated with new prints, me likey. So there should be a bunch of russian prints dropping into my mailbox any day now. 

If I've missed anything or listed wrong, let me know! 

Cheers
E

NP: SAVATAGE - Hall of the Mountain King

Recordshoppers Anonymous #20

It sure was a great weekend! First some beer, pizza and good music with Uffe. Way too long since we last hung out now. I sure have missed it. It was a bit strange to not go home to Höör a Friday for sure but it didn't feel good to have 4 hours off travel Friday just to get up Saturday morning and travel another 5 hours to Trollhättan.

Because it was there it happened! Great show with Anvil as always. It was also very nice to hang out with the guys again. It feels like the pictures turned out ok also, the lights was ok for the place. It's a very small club I mean.
The day after the show Anvil hade planned att video shoot att the venue so we went there to check it out and bit before drivning back home.

I sure hade a lot of packages waiting for me when I got home. A lot of nice records. Just a shame I don't have any time to listen to it now... I will have vacation over Christmas so it will be then instead. But there are a few that could have made it into top 10... But Metal Kaoz deadline is this Wednesday som no, they're out.

Not at all charged for work now, very tired. But it's only this week and then I'm off until januari 7. That will be great.

Cheers
E

Recordshoppers Anonymous #19

This time it was the right bottle at least! Last weekend when I was going to pick up the Wolf Absinthe (with 66,6% alcohol of course) it didn't look right at all and when checked the shop had sent the wrong one. Today it was the right one...

I also got some Savatage and Vicious Rumors Japanese prints for the collection! New versions it is also so that is cool! But not as cool as the batch of cassettes, polish prints for Sava. VR's Cyberchrist I've never seen on cassett earlier so this is of course very cool! I really should document the collections since both are getting quite big now... We'll see when I find the time though!

Yesterday it was Accept in Copenhagen, today it is a lazy day! Maybe I can find some energy to record some also. Would have been great to finish "Out of the Well"... Tomorrow it's rehearsal time again and a second Accept concerts! Full on right now!

Cheers
E

Recordshoppers Anonymous #17

Well, if following the trend in the earlier posts regarding records I supposed this should have been #32 rather than #17... But I haven't found the time to write very much lately! But I've had the time to shop for records. Me and Peter have about 80-90cm's pile worth of new LP's, apart from the BIG box arriving from TPL records last Friday. Peter checked out 5,5kg records!
It sure is for good and bad to have a personal shopper when it comes to records. The convenient thing is that I just send my wants to Patrik and about every 6 weeks it's time for a new package. With this I don't have to order from Nuclear Blast, High Roller, Pure Steel, Underground Power and more every month.
So now that only happens on occasion, but there are packages coming in every now and then. And of course, start digging into Discogs and eBay for real, so much irresistible for sale there.  

The first must have for the collection was the boxed set of the digi re-issues of all Savatage records. Sure, I had them all already but as this one was a full box I had to have it too.

 

But getting it and have a chance to look at it for real it was kind of a disappointment. It really is a shame that the company didn't put more effort into it. The box itself has quite poor quality but... See the logo???

Yep, it must have had to do with the fat version of Streets - Narrated... Half the T in the logo is gone, they just excluded Japan Live -94 from the box, it looks like shit! And there's not enough room to squeeze in one more into the box either. Such a good thing done in a cheap way, it really sucks.

Then the next must have was the vinyl release of "Maniacal Renderings", regular black vinyl and Clear vinyl limited edition. Still very small editions of both so I think both should be listed as limited. Then I also found a bootleg version of Ghost in the Ruins on vinyl. It looks kind of cheap but I assume it will  be as expensive as "Dead Winter Dead" or "Handful of Rain" which also is bootleg releases. 

The fun thing (or bad perhaps) with Discogs is that it is very easy to find versions of records, completely crazy to get something I already have just because it's a different print but that's what collection is all about. So the collections are now enhanced with some Russian and Brazil prints of a few albums...

Then what? Yeah, the big box... Both vinyls and CD's in it of course. Some new, some old and some re-issues. It's crazy how much music that is released these days. But it held some real highlights, Iced Earth, Grand Magus, Sahg, Blaze Bayley, Satan's Host...
Ok, it wasn't just the big box that had arrived when I came home this Friday, some from eBay too...

I really know what to do this weekend as you see! Gonna be a lot of Metal, that's for sure.

 
Also, included was a very nice version of Iced Earth's (apart from the regular vinyl) new "Plagues of Babylon", 3x10" in a box. Big and nice booklet and a poster. Me like!!!

 
It sure is a good thing we bought a big house! It would have been a shame if it would have been filled to the limit now already! :O)

Well, dinner time!
Meet & Beer on the menu tonight, that'll be nice!

Cheers
E

NP: Satans Host - Virgin Sails

 
 
 

 

Madness reigns...

I have to say that eBay has been rather boring lately, at least when it comes to fill the Savatage collection with new additions. I know, there are things available still before it's complete but it feels bad to pay $20 for the LP and $40 for the postage. Previous I've just briefly checked Discogs but yesterday I took it on fully... Was rather ok, but we'll see what happens, I haven't gotten the things I've ordered yet. But it sure is convenient, at least looking for different prints and such.

Anyway, I was really bummed out before new-years and the days after. Mr Postman was a bastard and refused to bring me the things I've ordered. But when I got home this Friday he'd done his job at least. Some CD's for review, some that I ordered and a package of Jon Oliva T-shirts. I saw the add just before Christmas at Facebook and decided I had to have them. I still feel bad for not travelling over the pond to see one or so of the gigs, it seems to have been amazing. But at least I got the T-shirt. Mr Kinder was really nice and sent some guitarpicks as well, thank you!!!

But putting it on display the cat thought the bag was food and refused to move...

He just sat there looking into the camera and of course looking away as soon as the help light started working... Even pushing him off he made sure he's not one to be pushed around and fought with teeth and claws...

So all I could do was to bribe him a bit, opening the door to the fridge did the trick.

In a week or two we're travelling to see Transsiberian Orchestra. Even if I'm not as stuck on the Christmas-records as Bethoveen's Last Night this will be amazing. First, Chris Caffery, Johnny Lee Middleton, Jeff Plate and Al Pietrelli isn't bad. Even if it would have been amazing to have Jon there too. Still the show is fantastic, massive and filled with effects and visuals. 

http://www.trans-siberian.com/

So, the year is starting off rather good! Some good concerts coming up and I've also managed to save some money, still have a bit to go before I've saved enough for my new camera though.... But soon!!!

Cheers

E

NP: SAVATAGE - Sirens

 

 
 

Hazy Dayz

It was a really nice morning today! I really like this time of the year when it still fairly warm outside but not as hot as it was down in Holland/Belgium or at Headbangers Open Air. +10 suites me really good but I don't approve of the rain very much. I want to go by bike to work when I can since I hate to take the bus and the adjusting of time etc that comes with it...

But since it was raining when I was going home from work yesterday I had to catch the bus anyway but took the chance to take a walk to the city center and skip one of the buses. Arriving at the South Square the image was really cool, foggy mornings are very nice and photographs really nice. Mobile camera isn't the best though of course but it still is ok at least.

Back to yesterday though, since I had to take the bus home... This evening there was a woman standing in the back door, trying to keep it open and screaming out on the Square. The driver started the bus and tried to close the doors. The woman started screaming at him instead. The rest of her group showed up eventually but before stepping on-board the bus they sure HAD to finish their cigarettes as well. The screaming continued on the bus and there seemed to be a problem with paying for the ticket also. Why scream? Ask instead. And perhaps, don't leave a full bus waiting just because you need to smoke...

This morning I woke up to this;

The landlord will be cleaning the building and change out the windows so I guess this week will be the last days until December (yey!!!!) with actual outside visual from my window, then it will be a covered working platform outside my window. Seems they will close off the bike cellar as well so I guess I need to squeeze the bike into the flat again. That's for my shoebox flat of course, but luckily I might not have to spend too much time here during the fall.

Last weekend there were a fair in Höör, with a Tivoli as well... We took a stroll down to check it out but there wasn't much. A guy selling 2:nd hand records and films but most everything was in rather poor shape it wasn't very interesting. Still bought two Treat LP's and one Gillan... Cheap and at least the record itself was in good shape even if the cover had some wear and tear. There also was a booth for some cat support or cat shelter and of course I had to support a bit. 

The Blue little fish with Cat Nip won't survive long, the black hooligan will eat it whole when he's back from Summer Camp. But it was a good cause at least!

Today was the only day when I don't had any late meetings so I decided to go home quite early and since, as a Swedish tradition, half Saturday, or Half week or so I took the opportunity to try out Trooper Ale which I got from a colleague just because he could buy my Iron Maiden tickets for Stockholm. Only sold them since we were playing with Void Moon at Metal Magic Festival!

 
The beer is really nice actually. A lot of character and taste! But that it is super is no surprise when it comes from Iron Maiden, right?

As always I've been shopping for records, I got a package from eBay the other day with some rather expensive versions of Sirens & Dungeons are Calling and one not so special Power of the Night. Got it for a bargain also, that's nice!!! Also, the Banzai version of Dungeons was out on eBay a while but that was too expensive for now... Still, what bugs me about it is that I found it once but then, regardless what I was searching for it never showed up. Can't figure out what the limitations are and why it wasn't possible to find it, it's not THAT many Savatage items listen at eBay.
But getting the package the urge to listen to Savatage came back and the records spun throughout the weekend. Also read the storyline for Streets which feels like a bit of a funny co-incident since this was posted on the web early this week.

 
earMUSIC has announced the long-awaited final chapter of the successful SAVATAGE reissues series. Previously unreleased and originally only intended for the Broadway rendition, "Streets: A Rock Opera" — the groundbreaking album by SAVATAGE — is now available including its original narration parts.
To complete this extraordinary release and to award the many fans who have shown dedication and love for SAVATAGE's legacy, the final chapter of this reissue series will feature the band's favorite videos. Released for the first time on DVD and restored from the original tapes, the video collection spans from SAVATAGE's 1987's video "Hall Of The Mountain King" until 1996's "One Child".
As on all previous chapters of the SAVATAGE reissues series, the album includes newly written liner notes by Jon Oliva, who is sharing his memories about all SAVATAGE videos.
Fans looking for unreleased and rare bonus tracks will be happy to discover a lot of extra audio content on the DVD: "Shotgun Innocence", "Forever After", one instrumental acoustic version of "Voyage", live versions of "Stare Into The Sun" and "Conversation Piece" recorded in Japan (but NOT included on the official live CD) and the piano version of "Sleep". The bonus track "Larry Elbows" deserves a special mention: this previously unreleased song didn't make it on the original "Streets: A Rock Opera" album due to time limits and is finally available to all the fans that never forgot the creativity and the energy of this extraordinary band.
"I'm really excited for this version of 'Streets' to finally be released," says Jon Oliva. "It was something different, an idea that Paul O'Neill had to take the progressive rock opera format to a bigger and better place than anything we had done, and anything I had heard anyone else doing before. This version of the album has only been floating around on bootlegs."
CD "Streets: A Rock Opera: Narrated Version"
01. Streets
02. Narration To "Jesus"
03. Jesus Saves (Original Version)
04. Narration To "Tonight He Grins Again"
05. Tonight He Grins Again
06. Narration To "Strange Reality"
07. Strange Reality
08. Narration To "A Little Too Far"
09. A Little Too Far
10. Narration To "You're Alive"
11. You're Alive
12. Narration To "Sammy And Tex"
13. Sammy And Tex
14. Narration To "St. Patrick's"
15. St. Patrick's
16. Narration To "Can You Hear Me Now"
17. Can You Hear Me Now
18. Narration To "New York City Don't Mean Nothing"
19. New York City Don't Mean Nothing
20. Narration To "Ghost In The Ruins"
21. Ghost In The Ruins
22. Narration To "If I Go Away"
23. If I Go Away
24. Narration To "Agony And Ecstasy"
25. Agony And Ecstasy
26. Narration To "Heal My Soul"
27. Heal My Soul
28. Narration To "Somewhere In Time
29. Somewhere In Time
30. Believe
Bonus Track
31. Larry Elbows (previously unreleased)
DVD The Video Collection
01. Hall Of The Mountain King
02. 24 Hrs. Ago
03. Gutter Ballet
04. When The Crowds Are Gone
05. Jesus Saves
06. Edge Of Thorns
07. Sleep
08. Handful Of Rain
09. One Child
Bonus Audio Tracks
01. Sleep (piano version)
02. Stare Into The Sun (Live In Japan)
03. Conversation Piece (Live In Japan)
04. Voyage (Al Pitrelli acoustic instrumental)
05. Shotgun Innocence
06. Forever After

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/savatage-streets-a-rock-opera-narrated-version-reissue-detailed/#OAFdu737r8aRmMUf.99
A must have of course!!!! With the listening sessions the urge to go and see the Jon Oliva's Storytellers tour in US during December sure became strong! NC, NJ isn't that far and expensive... We'll see! Still have a lot of vacation to take out... (if not to get away from the flat)

Now what then? Perhaps try to get to bed early? 
Cheers
E


NP: SAVATAGE - "Handful of Rain"