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Hi Steve! The excellent Sparks documentary really goosed the market for old Sparks LPs. Fortunately I was still able to find the three classic Island albums at very reasonable prices over the last couple of years. This copy of Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing wasn't hugely expensive--it was $35, but as you saw, the cover is distinctly rubbed and the lyric sheet is missing. I had actually seen this same copy at a previous record swap, and passed on it because I knew that a colored vinyl version was coming out for Record Store Day. Well, it turned out that the RSD version would have cost me MORE than the original, selling for $40. To hell with that!

He's doing three nights at SF Jazz in November. Definitely a bucket list performer for me.

Hi Rob! The Renaud album has a long piece on side one divided into an intro and parts one and two, and three separate tracks on the flip side. I previously had a reissue copy of Rhizosphere which I was able to replace with an original a few years ago. (I sent the reissue to someone else in the VC.) Love the cover of that one...very disturbing. I don't have many of the latter day Sparks albums, so I've been gradually picking those up, mostly on CD. I need to get Hippopotamus, which I've heard is a really god one. Thanks for watching!

Hi Richard! Thanks for watching. This was a killer swap this time. There's so much more great stuff I could have picked up but I spent a bit more than I should have as it is. Prices were not low this time. I think this is the first time I've ever seen a $1,000 record (a clean second-state butcher cover) in a bin with other records rather than being pinned on a wall. There was also an OG copy of Thembi by Pharoah Sanders, HIGH on my want list, but it was very expensive.

Hi Keith! A shame to have a bad pressing on an ambient album. If you can only own one Sparks album, Kimono is the one, IMO! Thanks for watching.

Hi Ambie! Thank you so much. Always delighted to know you are watching. Have a great weekend!

Yes he does an excellent job. Very informative.

Hi Ron! Thanks for watching. I was also planning to hit another record fair the following week but I wasn't able to make it due to a transportation snafu.

Hi Scott! I have learned to beware of the Barnaby label for one, after buying the Cecil Taylor/Archie Shepp album Air, not realizing it was a reissue of The World of Cecil Taylor. I saw Sparks live only once, when they were touring for Angst in My Pants. I got a kick out of Ron Mael's keyboard with the Roland logo changed to Ronald. Thanks for watching!

@@michaelpdawson Sparks seemed like they would be a perfect fit for the new wave, but none of their output resonated with me. Ironically, a band like Mumps, who were obviously influenced by Sparks ended up beating them at their own game (at least as far as the 80's went).

There was so much more great stuff at the swap that I could have picked up but I was getting a bit light in the wallet by that time. Thanks for watching, Dereck!

Hi Christopher! The Third Ear Band album is really great! Thanks for watching,

lt's more than a browse John, bring a lunch... :)

Hi John! Yes, the SF Amoeba is quite amazing, just such a huge, cavernous space. I always get too tired/dizzy to really do a thorough flip-through on any one visit.

Hi Claus! Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed Terje Rypdal; I think he's fantastic.

Just got the album. It is magnificent. Listening on my #2 system. Still sounds amazing. Thanks again. /Claus

Now listening on my #1 system. Magnificent. It seems like you provided description of the album on Roon? Anyway, which album by Rypdal would you recommend as the next one to get? Thanks for your help. Br, Claus

I don't know anything about Roon...they are probably recycling some capsule reviews I wrote for the print version of the All Music Guide back in the pre-internet days which seem to turn up in various places. My favorite Rypdal has always been Odyssey, which is a very heavy one.

I will try that. Br Claus