Tim Durling update!

Tim Durling who did an interview for me a short while ago (click here) dug out his vinyl collection recently and took some photo's for me to post! He also included nice descriptions giving a brief history of some of the LP's. So the below is all writtin in Tim's own words and he deserves lots of credit. Thanks Tim!



AEROSMITH

Aerosmith obviously have sold tons of records and had very few low-sellers, so finding their catalogue on vinyl wasn’t terribly difficult.  Fans will notice an absence of the Rocks album, that one’s on my office wall at work.  My favourite Aero-vinyl is also my newest, that being 1993’s Get a Grip, a German import, 2-LP set with bonus tracks.

 

ALICE COOPER

Because I was a late-bloomer in getting into Alice’s music, I haven’t got much of a vinyl collection.  Rarest item here would be the Muscle of Love album, which was originally packaged to turn into a textbook cover (‘70s vinyl packaging was the best!) 

 

APRIL WINE

One of my favourite bands, and one that has its roots right here in the Maritimes.  The only one I’m missing is 1985’s live album One For the Road.  By the way, there are two different albums here which appear twice, with different covers because one is Canadian, one is American.  Can you spot them?

 

BON JOVI, CINDERELLA, etc.

Rarest Bon Jovi-related item is Jon’s Blaze of Glory/Young Guns 2 soundtrack, one of very few ‘90s vinyl albums I have.  Also one of the best hard rock albums of the late 80s, Cinderella’s Long Cold Winter.  All three Coney Hatch albums.  Def Leppard are represented here, including both versions of their second album High ‘n’ Dry, the 1981 original, and the 1984 reissue with “Me and My Wine” and the pointless remix of “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak.”  Hysteria resides on my wall at the office.  And let’s not forget Dokken!! 

 

HELIX , HONEYMOON SUITE

Two of the best Canadian rock bands in my opinion.  You’ll see I have 2 copies each of Helix’s Breaking Loose and Walkin’ the Razor’s Edge.  I also have their Wild in the Streets album, but it’s at work.  I’m missing The Big Prize and The Singles from Honeymoon Suite.

 

JOURNEY

One of my favourite bands, and possibly my favourite album artwork.  Two rare albums here with In The Beginning (a 1979 compilation of material from their first 3 albums, before Steve Perry joined the group and their sound was more progressive rock), and Dream, After Dream (a 1980 soundtrack of a Japanese animated film, never released domestically on CD, and oftentimes not even listed in Journey’s discography.) 

 

KANSAS

Another band whose artwork I really get into. 

 

KISS 1

You wanted the best, you got the best!!  By far one of the most collectible rock bands, with me tending to stick to their music.  Most Kiss freaks would put my vinyl collection to shame, but I have a few interesting items here, such as 1976’s The Originals, which is simply a re-packaging of the first three Kiss albums, and surprisingly, Gene $immon$ has never realized how easy it would be to put this out as a 2-CD set and milk more money from the fans.  It’s one of their myriad compilations I would actually buy, for the sake of CD completeness.

Also, note the German version of Alive II, identified by the funny looking ‘S’s. 

 

KISS 2 ZEPPELIN

Continuing with the Kiss theme, notice the 1994 Kiss My Ass tribute album, featuring the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Garth Brooks, Extreme, etc.  My only coloured vinyl, which is why I showed it separately.  Most Led Zeppelin fans would scoff at the notion of putting the mighty Zep after Kiss, but I’m not one of them.  You see, I like Led Zeppelin, but unlike most fans, I don’t worship them like they created music.  I’m missing Physical Graffiti on vinyl, I’ve never seen it cheap enough for my liking.  Again, not that big of a fan.  My fave Zep album is probably their least popular, In Through the Out Door.

METALLICA, etc.

Metallica are probably the only true metal band in my collection.  I just think they happen to be very good at what they do, despite all their changes in sound.  But I think the reason I got into them and not most of their peers is simple; James Hetfield can actually sing.  Any Metallica vinyl is pretty rare, and I’ve been fortunate enough to track down their first three.  My Kill ‘em All record, by the way, is a U.K. issue on Music For Nations records, complete with a t-shirt order form.  Two of the three Kim Mitchell albums I own are notable; his 1982 EP as I mentioned before, is one of very few albums I’ve never been able to snag on CD.  Also, that blue record cover is his hit album Akimbo Alogo, with alternate artwork.  On the bottom you’ll see the Joe Perry Project’s I’ve Got the Rock and Rolls Again, which I should have included with my Aerosmith records, and Poison’s classic (yes, I said classic) Open Up and Say…Ahh!!

 

QUEEN

What more can you say about Queen?  Rarest album here would be the Canadian version of 1986’s Live Magic, which wasn’t released Stateside for another ten years.  Also, the Hot Space record is still in its shrink-wrap.

QUEENSRYCHE, RATT, REO SPEEDWAGON, DAVID LEE ROTH

Kind of a mixed bag here…you don’t come across Queensryche vinyl all that much, here you’ll see The Warning, the classic Operation: Mindcrime and a rare UK 12’ single of “Bridge,” complete with a huge fold-out poster.  Thanks to my buddy Matt for that one!!  Next up, a little Ratt ‘n’ Roll, including their debut EP which I don’t have on CD as of yet.  1971’s debut album from REO Speedwagon, very, very rare and no I don’t have that on disc either.  Then of course, the one and only Diamond Dave!!

 

RUSH

The best.  Period.  Ok, that’s just my opinion.  Rarities here include Archives (like Kiss’ The Originals, a re-packaging of their first three albums, never released on CD in this form), a European-only compilation called Rush Through Time, Hold Your Fire in shink-wrap, and also an unopened copy of their 2004 covers EP Feedback, which I purchased in their hometown of Toronto.

 

SAMMY HAGAR

The Red Rocker’s albums are fairly hard to locate in the wild without resorting to ebay and the like.  Here I’ve also included the debut Montrose album, and one off HSAS (Hagar, (Neal) Schon, (Kenny) Aaronson, (Michael) Shreve) album, and my newest (so far) vinyl by anyone, 2009’s debut album from Chickenfoot; which by the way, could also have been called HSAS (Hagar, Smith, Anthony, Satriani.)

 

SKID ROW, TESLA, 38 SPECIAL

A very nice surprise when I happened upon the debut Skids album at Backstreet, also the debut album from Tesla, and my 38 Special collection, including their rare 1977 debut, signed as you’ll see.

 

LYNYRD SKYNYRD

(Tim must have missed this picture when he was typing his descrisption so I'll try to fill the blanks)

This album called Street Survivors was released just three days prior to the plane crash that took three of the band members lives (as well as other lives). This copy that Tim has is with the original cover with the flames. Out of respect of the band members that died in the fiery plane crash they removed the flames and re-released it with a plain black backgroud.

TRIUMPH

I’ve always had a soft spot for this band.  Their US/Canadian album releases differed somewhat at first.  Eagle-eyed fans will spot which releases are which.  Would still like to get the Canadian MCA version of Rock ‘n’ Roll Machine, which sports a different cover than its American RCA counterpart.

 

TWISTED SISTER, VAN HALEN

Ladies and gentlemen, Twisted Sister.  And oh yeah, Van Halen.  OU812 is another “at work” record for me.  Note 1995’s Balance, unopened.

 

VANDENBERG

Should have included this with Whitesnake.  1983’s Heading For a Storm was the 2^nd of only 3 albums from guitarist Adrian Vandenberg’s pre-WS band, all of which are extremely rare, especially on vinyl.

 

WHITESNAKE

…and speaking of the ‘Snake, not a complete collection (I’m missing Saints an’ Sinners and Slide it in), but a lot of rare vinyl here. 

 

WINGER

First of all, anyone who let a stupid cartoon influence what bands they like, should be ashamed of themselves.  Second of all…no, that’s about it.

 

Y&T

Unfairly overlooked to this day, Y&T’s albums subsequently tend to be rare as well, which is why when I see them, I usually pick them up; that’s why you see some multiples here.  Also note the newest one I have, 1987’s Contagious, also contains a Geffen press kit.

After Tim sent me the above photos he hit up a few record stores and took a few pictures of what he found.

A few new 8-tracks to Tim's collection.