Rainbow Chasing (No Homo)

I'm by no means a great digger. Not at all. I have a very rudementary idea of what I'm doing when I'm out buying records, but really, I'm a follower. I have a fascination with records that have been used more than those that can be used. Perhaps because I'm not one to actually produce anymore, that part of the game has lost interest. What I like more is finding the obscure stuff that has been used to make some of the doper cuts in recent years. Its this that gets me into record stores multiple times per week. Trying to chase the rainbows - "That Ain't The Way You Make Love", "When I Die", "Light My Fire" (Africa), Gap Mangione's DIANA IN THE AUTUMN WIND... The list goes on and on. It's the thrill of the chase though. I can remember when I was looking for Apollonia 6's "Sex Shooter" for like a year. Or Bob James' ONE. These, by all standards, are relatively easy to find. It's kind of cool to go back and see how far I've come.

I've chased down some more rainbows today. Again, not that these records are impossible to find, but somewhere between Apollonia 6 and Gap Mangione, I've managed to finally find HURRY UP THIS WAY AGAIN by the Stylistics. The title track was used for Jay-Z's "Politics As Usual" from his debut LP, REASONABLE DOUBT. It's a classic. I found it at Recycled Records on Haight St. in San Francisco. Between hitting that spot as well as Rooky's Records (also on Haight), Groove Merchant (also also on Haight), Rasputin (Berkeley) and Amoeba (Berkeley), I came up with a few other goodies.

I snagged THE HIT MAN and LOVE KEYS by Eddie Kendricks. I have yet to cross paths with PEOPLE, MOVE ON, but I have a new friend, Dick at Rooky's Records who will be keeping an eye out for me. I also was able to find "I'm Your Pusher" by Ice-T. Outside of the greatness of that track and the 12"'s cover, the b-side was Von Pea's stomping grounds for his remake of "L.G.B.N.A.F." which is a favorite of mine (Von's version, that is).

I've come across some new Chi-Lites records lately. Well, not new new. Just new to me. As in, I haven't seen them in record stores. Or if I have, they hadn't caught my eye. I found HAPPY BEING LONELY which seems pretty solid judging by the crazy afro/mustache combinations on the cover photo. I've gotten my hands on "Are You My Woman", used for Beyonce's "Crazy In Love". This one I haven't heard yet. Its from 1976 though. Should be good.

I also got some Shirley Bassey of "Diamonds Are Forever" fame. She did a lot of soundtrack/scoring work for United Artists (I think. Gotta double check that) and has some really cool stuff. I got the I, CAPRICORN album and THE BEST OF, which I usually frown upon, but for 99 cents, it'll be a good primer.

My splurge for the week was this record from Young Holt Unlimited, .....JUST A MELODY. Its one of those "rare" records that if you can find in a store, will likely never be found in a dollar bin because it is... well, its the shit, really. I mean, it's got a crazy cover of "Light My Fire" and the album's closer, "Young And Holtful" is very very dope.

Speaking of "Light My Fire", we'll probably have to do a "Light My Fire" cover post one of these days. I've come across many a great version lately and although I'm not much of a Doors fan, I'm loving what I've found in the way of covers. Here are some of the 45s that I picked up this week:

"More, More, More" pts. 1 and 2 - Andrea True Connection (doubles)

"To The Other Man" b/w "Love Ain't Gonna Run Me Away" - Luther Ingram

"Sixty-Minute Man" b/w "Scrub-Board" - The Trammps

"Just Because I Really Love You" b/w "Only The Strong Survive" - Jerry Butler (again)

"Make It With You" b/w "Stray Woman" - Ralfi Pagan (thanks, Filthy)

"Stay In My Corner" b/w "Love Is So Simple" - The Dells (Beatmaker sample)

"Pray All You Sinners" b/w "Rubber Band" - The Trammps (again)

"Want Ads" b/w "We Belong Together" - The Honey Cone

"Killing Me Softly With His Song" - The Glen Burton Experience

"The Champ" b/w "Give Me Some" - The Mohawks

"1999 Riddim" b/w "Gal Dem Request" - Spragga Benz (dancehall cover of "1999")

"Tryin' To Love Two" b/w "If Sex Was All We Had" - William Bell

"Clean Up Woman" b/w "I'll Love You Forever" - Betty Wright

"Pass The Dutchie" b/w "Give Love A Chance" - Musical Youth

BOMB SHELTER EP - Yesterday's New Quintet

More digging to do tomorrow as I visit Record Man in Redwood City for the first time ever. What joy.