I bought this album on the cover alone. The way the entire album is put together it looks like a scrapbook of sorts. The pictures on the front depict William H. Arpaia in a variety of styles; Ballad Style (as a composer), Polka Style (as a lawyer), and March Style(as a quip writer). It's almost like he's the long lost member of the Wu-Tang Clan. The back is even better with asorted pictures, a Navy commendation, and a plethora of Quips (Some better than others) This album was actually in my possession for about 6 months before I played it. I was afraid that the music wouldn't be as funny(read: attrocious) as the album cover. Boy was I wrong. It seems Mr. Arpaia is a prolific writer of Song-poems. A long lost art from the mid-late twentieth century. I looked the album up on the web and found the full discography on ASPMA(the american song poem music archives). Whatever, dude. This is one freaky album.

Next Month: "Pop Shopping"

I found this store at a great store in Nashville, TN called "The Great Escape 1/2 Price Store". The store is only open on Fridays and Saturdays until 7pm, and they run additional specials each week. When I picked up this album, all 12" records were discounted to 44cents a piece!! I brought it home and stuck a needle in it only to find it to be one of the most horrific torture devices to be "validated by the Tennessee Department of Education".(says it on the back!) And people wonder why kids bring guns to school?? Side one features our teacher Annette Gregory searching for rhyming words with the Addition and Subtraction of the numbers 1-12. Every song is Wesley Willis Style pre-keyboard. Side two finishes the + - and brings a new beat and a new mathmatical equation, Multiplication. When I get a chance I'll put up some MP3's to share. This record is from 1984, if you'd like more info (And who wouldn't???) you can write her at:

Next Month: "the Arpaia Sound III"

The cover of this album says it all! Rick Grossman is " Hot Romance "!!! Is it just me, or could you see a fake Behind the Music(TM) starring Will Ferrel As Mr. Grossman?? Along the same lines of other albums I've posted in the past, this is definitely an outsider album. Rick croons to the ladies in an imaginary bedroom audience in his psuedo-seventies casanova voice, smooth as hot buttermilk. My mother says "This guy has NO CHARISMA". Yet, somehow, I disagree. If, at least in his own mind, Rick Grossman is the ultimate ladies man. If you don't believe me, listen to these samples of his lyrical genius. P.S. The band can't keep a steady beat and has problem with transitions. It's HI-FI-larious!

Next Month: "Leaping into Math with Music Vol. II"

While browsing a local record store, I found this gem in a discount bin. Being a fan of really bad music, I picked up this priceless vinyl for about a dollar! Not knowing anything about Marcy or her long-lasting recording carrer (You mean there are more of these?), I picked up a book written by a radio DJ I used to listen to as a kid. "Songs in the key of Z" by Irwin Chusid. Sure enough, a paragraph on page 211 tells me she has 35 to 40 albums! To quote my 'auld pal' Irwin, "Lord have Marcy!"
The Bran Flakes and "Cool & Strange Music Magazine" host a tribute site to Marcy Tigner called The Marcy Zone Check it out!

Next Month: "Rick Grossman"

I found this 1966 record in the deep dark basement of a Radio Shack(tm) in Medina, NY. Ziggy, the owner, told me that he had vinyl from his old inventory in the basement if I was interested. I was, and I came across this classically defunct piece of audio. It asks the question "Is Menopause all in a woman's mind? If it's not, is estrogen replacement dangerous?"
This strange album is perfect for samplers and media appropriators. It is totally text for cut-up! Hoo-ray!

Next Month: "Marcy Sings"