There is nothing like vinyl. It’s truly an experience. Vinyl taught me everything I know about music. It’s so hard to choose some of my favorite vinyl memories for record store day. They include Carol King’s Tapestry, Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Black Sabbath- Black Sabbath, Suzi Quatro’s debut, The Pretenders (every record!) Def Leppard- Pyromania, Aerosmith Rocks and The Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed. My earliest memories of the sound, look, feel and smell of vinyl. The actual Vinyl told me the story of those artists and the musical journey I was about to embark upon. On record store day I always comb band sites finding out what exceptional vinyl they will put out to celebrate the occasion.

This year everyone from Alice In Chains, to Bad Company, to Motorhead, Prince and Willie Nelson will grace us with unique, glorious pieces of vinyl on record store day. The sound of the needle, the feel of the grooves, the detail of the pressing. There is nothing that compares.

1. Zenyatta Mondatta – The Police
2. Invasion of Your Privacy – Ratt
3. Metal Health – Quiet Riot
4. Shout at the Devil – Motley Crue
5. Eliminator – ZZ Top
Honorable Mention
6. The Power Station – The Power Station

Most of my vinyl albums are from the 70’s and 80’s. I have had most of  them since I was a kid and teenager.

I ranked “Zenyatta Mondatta” by The Police at #1 because the track “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” is what introduced me to The Police back in 1980 when I saw the music video on Video Jukebox on HBO. We did not have MTV in the town I lived in at the time.

I thought they were the coolest band I had ever seen, I couldn’t get the song out of my head. For weeks it just played as a loop in my brain. Then one day my mother took me to Tallahassee, Fl., I cant remember why, probably Eye Doctor or Dentist, anyway I got her to take me to The Record Bar. I went straight to the P section in the Rock area, I am frantically looking for The Police, I had no clue what album it was on, Boom! I find The Police and I am grabbing each album by them that I see ( I had no Idea which album it was on) and having no luck on finding the album with “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” on it, until I come across this yellow colored album with the three guys I saw on the music video.

They are inside of a pyramid on the front of the cover, I quickly turn it around to the back and see “Don’t Stand So Close To Me,” this is it I have it! I was so excited I got home ran to my room and started playing it and discovered other tracks that I really liked.  “Driven to Tears,” “Bombs Away,” “Canary in a Coalmine,” “Man in a Suitcase,” “Behind my Camel,” “When The World Is Running Down,” “You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around,” and “Voices Inside My head”. Those are all my favorite tracks on the album to this day. This album hooked me and I became a lifelong Police fan. I ended up buying every album they made and I still have them on vinyl to this day. There is nothing like going to a record store and shopping for vinyl.

I am so glad that record shops have made a comeback and i hope that it is here to stay.

Simple picks from the “Captain” who loves to collect Vinyl

Dream Police-Cheap Trick it was my first vinyl

MEAT LOAF-Bat out of Hell one of my first final records and the album cover is from a cemetery in Sussex county

Phil Collins – No jacket required cause Phil Collins rules

Michael Jackson – Thriller: I found this one at a local garage sale for 5-dollars! I don’t know what the seller was thinking, but this is worth more than the price on the label. Lucky find on my part …
Billy Ocean – Suddenly: I had this vinyl for many years and is still in good condition. ‘Loverboy’ and ‘Caribbean Queen’ will always be my favorites of the album.
Billy Joel – The Stranger: Another classic album I had stored away for 30-plus years. ‘Movin’ Out’ and ‘Only The Good Die Young’ were always a fun song to listen too. Such a classic.

Kiss – The Ritz on Fire – Double live album

Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime

Rush – Moving Pictures 40th Anniversary (Coming soon!)

Honorable Mention: Mammoth WVH debut album