Animal Stories
Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards
WLS Radio
1981
Highly acclaimed, world renowned Animal Stories with charming and delightful Ol’ Uncle Lar and sidekick snot-nosed Little Tommy.
If you grew up near Chicago in the 70s or 80s and have a dark sense of humor, Animal Stories, a daily bit from the Superjock on WLS-AM and later WLS-FM, may be the reason. This record was the first of 3 volumes released by ‘LS on vinyl.
Green Day
Dookie
Reprise Records
1994
25 years ago this week, I added this unknown band to our station’s playlist. The label freaked out over the “too-early add.” The band’s management sent me a bottle of Jameson. And after they sold many millions of CDs, they sent me this.
Talk smack all you want about Green Day — I don’t care, still like this record!
Various Artists
Fast Times at Ridgemont High Soundtrack
Elektra Records
1982
Aloha, Mr Hand. Aloha, Spicoli.
New Wave. Power Pop. Hard Rock. 4 of the 5 Eagles. That’s what 1982 was all about. This film set the trend for soundtracks for many years…and the brand of shoes I still buy today.
Gnarly.
The Lost Boys
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Atlantic Records
1987
“One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach: all the damn vampires.”
Bing Crosby
Merry Christmas
Decca / MCA / Universal
1955
Various versions of this collection have sold 15 Million copies. This copy pictured is the 1977 printing.
Sponge
Rotting Piñata
WORK Group Records / Sony Music
1994
Sponge was a favorite band of mine in the 90s. My radio station was one of the first to play these guys outside of their native Detroit, so the band’s management and label sent me a gold record when they hit 500,000 units in sales.
This was my first gold record I ever received from a band and I was thrilled!!!
Then … I unwrapped it and realized they spelled my name wrong. Oh, well. I still love this album, the band, and the gift.
The Blues Brothers
Orignal Soundtrack
Atlantic Records
1980
The greatest soundtrack ever. The greatest movie ever. Filmed in the greatest city ever. Hit it.
The Who
Tommy
MCA Records
1969
The word epic is often overused, but I’ll use it here.
The Who
Collection
Polydor Records
1985
This compilation available only in the UK was the first import record I ever had. Teenaged me: “Wait, records are different in other countries?” Hooked.
It had a cool remix of “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and great packaging as you can see here.
Various Artists
Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved
Mercury Records
1994
I generally dislike tribute albums. But this Kiss tribute from 1994 was cool and the red vinyl version was even cooler! It featured some great signature bands of the 90s including Gin Blossoms, Toad The Wet Sprocket, and Lenny Kravitz.
Garth Brooks’ performance of my favorite Kiss song, “Hard Luck Woman” made me a Garth fan!
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