Times Union Center

MVP Health Arena

 The Times Union Center on NY 32 in Albany, NY will be changing its name as the newspaper, part of the Hearst conglomerate, decided not to renew the naming rights.  This happens all the time in the business, as this was previously Knickerbocker Arena (owing to the areas Dutch heritage) and Pepsi Arena (they already had other places in North America).  Companies based and/or prominent in the Capital Region should bid on the rights.  I've seen Yes and Paul McCartney there.  I also used to go that way to see family and go to other places there, so I have a good idea who could take over:

Price Chopper/Market 32

Stewarts Shops

TrustCo Bank (rival SEFCU/CAP COM already have a small arena at SUNY flagship UAlbany across town)

St Peters Hospital

Albany Medical Center

Daily Gazette (the Times Unions chief competitor)

General Electric (has longtime presence in Schenectady County)

Death Wish Coffee

Mr Subb (and also have a full location inside to boot to make it easier for locals and visitors alike)

MVP Health (confirmed)

Boris update

Focus 3 featuring "Sylvia". Courtesy Red Bullet.

The list has been changed again.  Some of the A-listers and cult heroes I know won't be hard to find, while others remain a challenge.

A.................................................................................................................

Amenophis: Amenophis (1983)

Anyones Daughter: Adonis

                                Anyones Daughter (1980)

                                In Blau

                                Piktors Verwandlungen

Alcatrazz: No Parole from Rock 'n' Roll

                Dangerous Games

Amorphis: Elegy

                 Am Universum

Altered Images: Pinky Blue

Alphaville: Prostitute

                 Strange Attractor

Anaphema: Judgement

                   Eternity

Anglagard: Hybris

Ange: La Cimeterie

B..................................................................................................................

Graham Bonnet (Rainbow): Line Up

David Byron (Uriah Heep): Baby Faced Killer

Barclay James Harvest: Ring of Changes

                                     North

Biglietto Per L'Inferno: same (1974)

Black Sabbath: Born Again* (may have sent a pirate by mistake)

Blind Guardian: Tales from the Twilight World

               Somewhere Far Beyond

               Imaginations from the Other Side   

C..........................................................................................

Colosseum: Daughter of Time

Tony Carey (Planet P Project/Rainbow): Coldwar Kids (possible namesake of a band I know of)

                   I Won't Be Home Tonight

                   Bedtime Story

                   Boystown Tapes

City (DDR): Feuer Und Ice

Califfi: Fiore di Metallo

Celtic Frost: Vanity/Nemesis

Chameleons UK: What Does Anything Mean?

                           Script of the Bridge

                           Strange Times

                           The Fan and the Bellows

Cardiacs: A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window

               Songs for Ships and Irons

               Heaven Born and Ever Bright

               On Land and in the Sea

Hugh Cornwell (The Stranglers): Guilty (or Black Hair, Black Eyes, Black Suit)

                          Hi Fi

                          Nosferatu

Cirith Ungol: King of the Dead

                     Paradise Lost

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Creatures (Siouxsie and the Banshees spinoff): Hai!

Camel: Rain Dances

D.................................................................................................................

Deaf School: English Boys Working Girls

Dresden Dolls: Dresden Dolls

Dreamside: Lunar Nature

                  Mirror Moon

                  Spin Moon Magic

Dio: Strange Highways*/** (LP)

E.......................................................................................................................

England: Garden Shed

Eloy: Ra

         Eloy (first album)

electra (DDR): Die Sixtinische Madonna

Electric Family: Ice Cream Phoenix

                         Royal Hunt

Roky Erickson: The Evil One (or "I Think Of Demons")

                        Gremlins Have Pictures

Ekseption: Beggar Julias Time Trip

                 Ekseption 3

Earth & Fire: Song of the Marching Children

                     Atlantis

                     To the World of the Future

The Enid: Resurgency

Escape with Romeo: After the Future

                                Come Here White Light

                                Love Alchemy

                                Emotional Iceage

                                Samsara

F..............................................................................................................

Fischer Z:World Salad

               Fish's Head

               Destination Paradise

               Kamikaze Shirt

Faust: Faust Tapes

Fruup: Prince of Heavens Eye

           Modern Masquerades

Focus: In and Out of Focus

           Focus 3 (pictured)

           Hamburger Concerto

Robert Fripp (King Crimson): League of Gentlemen 

Flaming Lips: Oh My Gawd!!!

                      Telepathic Surgery

Freedom Call: Stairway to Fairyland

             Crystal Empire

             Eternity

             Beyond

G..................................................................................................................

Greenslade: Spyglass Guest

Gong: Time is the Key

          Downwind

Grobschnitt: Grobschnitt

                     Ballerman

                     Jumbo

                     Rockpommels Land

                     Solar Music. Parts I, II & III

(Ian) Gillan (Deep Purple): Mr Universe

Gamma Ray:  Power Plant

                      No World Order

                      Empire of the Undead

Goblin: Roller

Gryphon: Red Queen to Gryphon Three

H.............................................................................................................................

Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep): Proud Words on the Dusty Shelf

                     Free Spirit

                     Faster

                     Running Blind

                     My Book of Answers

                     Blood on the Highway

Helloween:  Keeper of the 7 Keys-III (The Legacy)

Heavens Gate: In Control

                       Living in Hysteria

Human League: Reproduction

Peter Hammill (van der Graaf Generator): Nadirs Big Chance

                        In Camera

                        PH7

                        A Black Box

Hypnos 69: Legacy

I.............................................................................................................................

Iron Saviour: Unification

Impellitteri: Stand in Line

Idle Race: Birthday Party

                Idle Race (1969)

           or  Back to the Story (both albums on 1 CD)

IQ: Ever*

J..............................................................................................................

Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick, Part II (solo Ian Anderson)

Jane: Here We Are

          Lady

          Between Heaven and Hell

          Age of Madness

          Sign #9

J.E.T.: Fede Speraza Carita

Japan: Adolescent Sex

            Obscure Alternatives

K.....................................................................................................................

King Diamond (Mercyful Fate): Give Me Your Soul...Please

Keats: Keats (1984)

Karat (DDR): Karat (1978)

                    Uber Sieben Brucke

                    Die Sieben Wunder Der Welt

Karussell (DDR): Entweder Oder

                          Das Einzige Lieben

L.....................................................................................................................

Lake of Tears: Ominous

                       Forever Autumn

                       The Neonai

                       Black Brick Road

                       Moons and Mushrooms

                       Crimson Cosmos

Lacrimosa: Sehnsucht

                 Elodia

                 Revolution

                 Hofnung

Le Orme:Uomo di Pezza

               Storia o Leggenda

               Florian

               Verita Nascoste

Lightshine:Feeling

Lift (DDR): Lift (1977)

                Meeresfahrt (or Lift 2)

         (or both albums on one CD)

                               

M............................................................................................................

The Move: The Move (1968)

          Shazam

          Looking On

Mad Max: Rollin' Thunder

Manowar: Gods of War

                The Lord of Steel

                Into Glory Ride

Magnum: Chase the Dragon*

               Sleepwalking*

               Brand New Morning*

               Into the Valley of the Moonking*

               On the 13th Day*

               Princess Alice & the Broken Arrow**

               Kingdom of Madness*

Manfred Manns Earth Band: Watch (feat. Trevor Rabin)

                                        Masque

Metamorfosi: E Fu Il Sesto Giorno

The Mission UK: Brightest Light

              Another Fall from Grace

Mamas Boys: Power and Passion

Peter Murphy (Bauhaus): Unshattered

                        Ninth 

Mercury Rev: The Light in You

Michael Schenker Group: MSG (1981)

Gary Moore: Dirty Fingers

N..................................................................................................................

New Trolls: Concerto Grosso #1

Novalis: Banished Bridge

             Novalis (1975)

             Brandung

             Vielleicht Bist Du Ein Clown

             Augenblicke

Gary Numan: Berserker

Nits: Alankomaat                     

Nash the Slash: Children of the Night

                           And You Thought You Were Normal

                       (any of two or both on one CD)

Nazareth: The Catch

                Cinema

                Snakes and Ladders

O..................................................................................................................

Hazel O'Connor: Breaking Glass

                          Sons and Lovers

Ric Ocasek (The Cars): Troublising

Octopus: An Ocean of Rocks

Osibisa: Woyaya

Osiris: Osiris (1981)

           Myths & Legends

The Orchestra (ELO): No Rewind

OMD: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1980)

Mike Oldfield: Man on the Rocks

P............................................................................................................

Planet P Project:  Go Out Dancing, Part 2: Levittown

                           Go Out Dancing, Part 3: Out in the Rain

                           Steeltown 

Prinzip (DDR): Feuer Rock

Anthony Phillips (Genesis): The Geese and the Ghost*/** (CD)

Iggy Pop and James Williamson (Stooges): Kill City  

Pell Mell: Rhapsody

               Moldau

               Marburg

Parliament: Motor Booty Affair

                   Gloryhallastoopid

                   The Clones of Dr Funkenstein

                   Funkentelechy vs The Placebo Syndrome

                   Trombipulation

P.R.W.L.: Tales from Outer Space

              God Has Failed

Procol Harum: Norum

      Gary Brooker: Lead Me to the Water (replacement)

Alan Parsons: Time Machine

                     A Valid Path

                     The Secret

R.................................................................................................................

Rockets: Galaxy

             Atomic

Rhapsody: Rain of a Thousand Flames

                 Power of the Dragonflame

                 Dawn of Victory

                 Symphony of Enchanted Lands, Part I

                 Legendary Tales 

                 From Chaos to Eternity

                 Rebirth and Evolution

                 Tales from Emerald World Sage

Rational Youth: Heredity

                         Cold War Night Life

                         Future Past Tense

Ramses: La Leyla

             Eternity Rise

Rousseau: Flower in Asphalt

Running Wild: Brotherhood

Reform (DDR) :Reform (1979)

                      Der Lowenzahn

S................................................................................................................

Scorpions: In Trance

Sweet: Off the Record

           Waters Edge

Stratovarius: Elements, Part 2

                    Episode

                    Visions

                    Infinite

Seventh Avenue: Southgate

                           Eternals

                           Between the Worlds

                           Terium

                           Rainbowland

                           Tales of Tales 

Sieges Even: Uneven

                    Steps

                    Sense of Change

Stranglers: Dreamtime (2001 edition)

Billy Squier: The Tale of the Tape

Siouxie & The Banshees: Juju

                                        Downside Up

Siouxsie Sioux (solo album): Mantaray

Space: Deliverance (latest edition)

Solar Project: Ghost Lights

                      Five

Space: Deliverance (latest edition)

Sparks: Hippopotamus

            Gratiutuous Sex & Senseless Violins

Semiramis: Dedicato a Frazz

Strawbs: From the Witchwood

               Dragon Fly

               Ghosts

Sad Lovers and Giants: Epic Garden Music

                                     Feeling the Flame

Skids: Days in Europa

          The Absolute Game

           Scared to Dance 

Spear of Destiny: Outland

                           Volunteers

Second Movement: Blindmans Mirror

                              Movements (1981)

The Sound: From the Lions Mouth

                   All Fall Down

                   Heads and Hearts

Lee Saunders: A Promise of Peace

Saga: Saga (1978)

Styx: Styx (1971) (first album)

Sisters of Mercy: Floodland

Rod Stewart: Foolish Behaviour

The Smiths: Meat is Murder

T...............................................................................................................

10cc: Look Hear

         Ten Out of 10

         Windows in the Jungle

TV Smith:  Immortal Rich

                 In the Arms of the Enemy

Toyah: Kneeling at the Shrine (or Sunday All Over the World)

           Minx

           In the Court of the Crimson Queen (reference to husband Robert Fripp)

           Dreamchild

           Ophelias Shadow

           Mayhem

Trace: Birds

Twelfth of Never:  Blowing Bubbles Through Broken Windows

                            Things That Were

Tranzit (DDR): Tranzit (1980)

                      Bernsteinhexe

U..................................................................................................................

Midge Ure (Ultravox): Fragile

                  Pure

                  Move Me

Unheilig: Puppenspiel

              Von Mensch zu Mensch

              Gipfelsturmer

              Grosse Freiheit 

Ultravox: Brilliant

UFO: Obsession

V..................................................................................................................

Viva: Dealers of the Night

Virgin Steele: Invictus

                      The House of Atreus (Act I & II)

                      Visions of Eden

                      Black Light Bacchanalia 

                      Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation

van der Graaf Generator: Trisector

                                         A Grounding in Numbers

                                         Do Not Disturb

W...................................................................................................................

Rick Wakeman (Yes): Living Tree (w/Jon Anderson)*

                         Out There*

Roy Wood: Mustard

Robert Wyatt: EP's (on single CD) (this is an album)

                      Rock Bottom

Wallenstein: Blitzkrieg

                    Cosmic Century

                    Stories Songs & Symphonies

                    Mother Universe

                    No More Love

John Watts: The Iceberg Model

                   Quick Quick Slow

Wire: Chairs Missing

         154

         Send

         Object 47

Wuthering Heights: To Travel for Evermore

                               Far from the Madding Crowd

                               The Shadow Cabinet 

                               Salt

                               Within

Wintersun: Wintersun (2004)

                 Time I

Roger Waters: The Therapeutic Experience of Being Suspended (bootleg)**

Y............................................................................................................

Yachts: Yachts (1979)

Yes: Keystudio**

.........................................................................................................

*I have these myself.

**I need these as well.

Prom

 

If only kitties could have one too!

COVID-19 has taken too much off from us already, including prom from the kids.  Even this year, some were not held.  One in Schenectady County was held by a student instead.  While it's too late too have anything now, next year, when things are likely better, I could have something myself, and it would include 2020 and 2021 graduates alike.  I would maybe have it before the end of the college semester as there would be students from out of town who were deprived this year and CNY has several schools in the region.  They would be too young to go to most adult proms where you'd have to be 21 because it'd be where there's alcohol (one place in town used to have it a couple times that I went and several before that.  There was also a one-off for a charity and two more at a non-profit that is now closed).

I would book the OnCenter downtown if there's enough demand.  I would need sponsors, an event planner, catering, DJ, you name it.  If only a few people are interested, a smaller place I know would work, yet there isn't much room to dance (the other place across town was bijou, yet they could get everyone in there).  I'd like to start a GoFundMe, but each time I do, I never see a dime, as I'm not good at these things.  I have posted about this before, trying to start my own only in recent years regretting not going to prom when I was in high school, as I didn't want to then and couldn't even if I did.  At least by now, I've had a handful of chances since, yet would like to see something like we've seen in film and on TV, as well as online from recent memory and days gone by. Virtual just isn't the same. Sod all that.

Teens in smaller schools without their own prom, or those who schools didn't have it this year or were homeschooled since pre-pandemic could also attend, as well as those from anywhere who missed out.  I would have to plan all year, and I would lose interest once the season peters out until it starts again by next spring.

UPDATE: Salt City Collective, a Meetup group in my area, started their annual Adult Prom in October, held twice at the original TK Tavern in Camillus (burned down in January 2023 and replaced in 2024 by Byrne Dairy), then held in the Ukrainian National Home on Tipp Hill, and the next one yet to be planned. The place that had it twice with me before pulling it for seven years' time until 2024 was Singers Karaoke Club a couple miles away next to Solvay. I will do a new post listing all of the ones I've been to so far and hope to get to in future.

Instagram

Steve Howe

While I'm not the biggest Instagram user myself, many artists should be on there in order to promote themselves more.  Here's a list of them who need an account:

Steve Howe

Billy Sherwood

Annie Haslam/Renaissance

Mystery

Talk Talk

Jim Diamond (run by his family or estate)

Ace of Base

Fiona Apple

Trevor Rabin

Savoy

Supertramp

Pallas

It Bites

Arc of Life

Anthony Phillips

Plixid.com

Plixid.net

Plixid was another pirate blog that had the latest releases.  It has been offline several months, and may not come back.  Another one like it is also gone.  Over two decades after Napster, IFPI, RIAA and DMCA have been trying to stop sites like these.

UPDATE: It is now on Plixid.net

The Beatles on Stargrove

Photo taken in 1963 by Bob Freeman (RIP)

An indie budget label in the Toronto area called Stargrove Entertainment released something too good to be true: cheap budget Beatles compilations. You'd think with ironclad rights, it'd be legally impossible?  However, in Canada, copyrights for older recordings expire after fifty years or so.  A fan club in Québec have a similar release that came out last year, and more releases have been put out in Europe to boot as rights run out there as well.  The Stargrove CDs were mainly sold in Walmart, where I bought three in Niagara Falls, ONT.  Recently, I found a couple more for a dollar each from the bargain bin at FYE in the Mohawk Valley (now owned by Canadian chain Sunrise Records, which I once visited in eastern Ontario, seeing how alike they were).  The Fab Four of all people reduced to this?  Makes what little that they put on their original US label Vee-Jay look fresh (classic David and Goliath story there).  It's only material from 1962-64 which I have anyway.  More for completist and novelty value, I guess.  I had room to spare if not as much cash when I found them.

Universals solicitors however did what they could to put a stop to these poor mans releases.  The sound quality isn't quite what you'd find from the official CDs, sounding like unnecessary needle drops.  I listen to these once since I heard it all a hundred times before and prefer to play it from LPs nowadays like it used to be done.  Other classic artists from the same era also have these cash grab items.

If they put out CDs of bootlegs recorded at the time, that would be a little more imaginative, as a number of different labels have gotten away with CDs of other people in the past several years sold new at small businesses, Amazon and a few chains alike, largely of radio shows from later decades, though a Pink Floyd bootleg LP (only the second one I got so far) says those alone are public domain after a point in the UK.  More on bootlegs another day as that's a world all its own.

I suppose you could call these grey area releases, much like interview discs that are exempt from the contract.  I sent a couple to someone out of state.  If I get back to Canada, I could buy and ship more, but maybe Stargrove could try to reissue material that's been out of print instead worth a bother instead of doing what's been done with Elton John, The Moody Blues, Shirley Bassey (lesser known in North America) and other classic artists who've been recycled to the hilt.  I've talked about who doesn't have these yet, but this is the other end of the spectrum.  It's nothing new, as I have a couple similar EU collections from the '80s or '90s with the same old songs.  As for these newer CDs, neither Walmart Canada or FYE have them on their sites, although Discogs sellers do, some at high prices (not worth it when you can just get the original albums as well as those of the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan or George Jones).  I just know I got there at the right time before they were extortionately priced where I may as well get a butcher cover or early white album pressing.