The Moody Blues The Other Side of Life (Polygram 82191Y1 - 1986)

It seems like 1986 was about the edge of the end of LPs. I wasn't buying much music at that time and I suspect Lans adopted this but he might have bought it for himself. The condition was mint. Amazon doesn't have this but resellers are starting the offers at 9 bucks.

Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight (RCA AJL1-5429 - 1985)

The vinyl and the production values on this recording were both spectacular. This is from Lans' collection but I doubt he bought it. It fits into a pop genre that he would tend to avoid.

Per Wikipedia:

Their fourth studio album proper, Be Yourself Tonight, was produced in a week in Paris. It showcased much more of a "band" and a centred sound (with an R&B influence), with real drums, brass, and much more guitar from Stewart. Almost a dozen other musicians were enlisted, including members of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, guest harmonica from Stevie Wonder, bass guitar from Dean Garcia, string arrangements by Michael Kamen, and Lennox singing duets with Aretha Franklin and Elvis Costello. It continued the duo's transatlantic chart domination in 1985, and contained four hit singles: "Would I Lie to You?" was a U.S. Billboard top five hit, while "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" (featuring Wonder's harmonica contribution) became their first and only UK number one single. "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" and the Franklin duet (originally intended for Tina Turner) "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" also rode high in the charts.

It looks like you can get this from Amazon for 14 bucks.

I added Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin as contributing artists (Elvis Costello was already there).

Various Artists - The New Acoustic Music Sampler (Rounder AN-02 - 19??)

This one from Lans is a Rounder sampler which pulls tracks from albums by the likes of Tony Rice, David Grisman, Mark O'Connor, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Tony Trishka and others. A very similar release on CD was on the Rykodisc label and had 15 tracks but Llama's Dance, Flexability, Rotagilla, and Intro are missing on the CD and Deviation, Fat Kid, Two White Boys Watching James Brown at the Apollo, Bartok's Blues, For J.L., Gator Strut, Samantha Lynn are added. I count 8 tracks in common between the two releases.

Emmylou Harris - Last Date (Warner Bros. WI23740 - 1982)

From Lans, this one had a disapointing amount of vinyl patina, though still HIGHLY listenable. The Springsteen cover was stirring and of course the Gram Parsons numbers.... The CD release has two bonus tracks: Another Pot o' Tea, and Maybe Tonight. Amazon doesn't have it but resellers are asking from 28 to over 100 bucks for this one.

Google search: Amazon Emmylou Harris Last Date -> I'm feeling lucky!

Skaggs & Rice - Ricky Skaggs/Tony Rice (Sugar Hill SH3711 - 1980)

I would have to believe that this would have been one of Lans' favorites. The condition was nearly flawless. The material compelling straight-up old-time country music. The arrangements are spare and so the musicianship really shines through. The CD cover (what downloaded from the net) is different rom the LP cover. Amazon thinks it's worth 14 bucks. There's a reseller offering a sealed LP of this for $127.50.

Tony Rice - Cold On The Shoulder (Rounder ROUN0183 - 1984)

This one from Lans is in typical "like new" condition. Wikipedia says:

Rice’s solo career hit its stride with "Cold on the Shoulder", a collection of bluegrass-inspired vocals. With this album, "Native American" and "Me & My Guitar", Rice arrived at a formula that incorporated his disparate influences, combining bluegrass, the songwriting of folk artists like Ian Tyson, Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Bob Dylan and especially Gordon Lightfoot, with nimble, jazz-inflected guitar work. Simultaneously, he pursued his jazz-infused, experimental “spacegrass” with the Tony Rice Unit on the albums "Mar West", "Still Inside", and "Backwaters".

New from Rounder, this one will set you back 12 bucks, downloadable from Amazon at 10 bucks, or on CD for 18.

Mary Chapin Carpenter - Hometown Girl (Columbia PCT 40758 - 1987)

Elvin Bishop - Big Fun (Aligator ALC 4767 - 1988)

OK, I really just grabbed this because it was right near Dickey Betts in the tape drawer but I'm not sure what inspired me to do a tape in the first place. Taking the image art presented some new challenges. I looked at re-engineering my photographing setup but didn't make any progress.

Carly Simon - Come Upstairs (WB BSK-3443 - 1980)

The thing that struck me the most about this album was how absolutely pristeen it was. From the cover right down to the groove, this album looked and sounded absolutely right out of the cellophane. Amazon resellers are offering this on CD at $18 and LP versions from $3. This came out of Lans' collection but I'm doubtful that he would have bought this for himself.

Alan Parsons - Stereotomy (Arista AL9-8384 - 1985)

The quality of this vinyl was flawless as far as I could hear (but I didn't put on the headphones ;-) Amazon is selling an "Import" "original recording remastered" version dated March of this year for $18. Resellers are asking more than 5 bucks for the used standard CD version whereas asking prices for the LP start at more than 9. The tracks tend to run into each other so it was challenging but I think I got all but one. I used Goldwave to trim a few seconds from the end of track 8 and pasted them onto the beginning of track 9. My archival CD is unfixed.

David Grisman - Quintet '80 (Warner BSK 3469 - 1980)

This one belonged to Lans. It's on the Warner Brothers label rather than Rounder but the condition of the vinyl and the cover was "like new". I find this available on Amazon only as an LP from resellers who are asking from 25 to 35 dollars. I took the photos of the album art.

The Who - Who Are You (MCA Records 1980)

From Lans' collection but not typically his cup of tea. Of course it's hard to argue with The Who and since this album came out and presuably was purchased toward the waneing days of LP-dom, it doesn't seem to have seen much play and so the condition is pretty much "Like New". A new one on CD could in fact be had from Amazon for 10 bucks.

Tony Rice Unit - Mar West (Rounder 1980)

I think this finishes up the "Tony Rice Unit" portion of the library. Amazon is only offering this as an import for $39. I might have heard a pop or two but generally speaking I thought the condition of this LP was spectacular. "Neon Tetra", which is on this album, also appears on Grisman's "Hot Dawg". I assume they are different recordings but I didn't verify that.

Tony Rice Unit - Backwaters (Rounder - 1982)

From Lans. This album was released just after "Still Inside". But unlike "Still Inside", Amazon has this one, albeit for an unexplicably high $17. They are however offering a download for $7. The condition of the vinyl on this one was flawless, as near as I could tell. All instrumental, this is a very pleasant bluegrass-jazz fusion album that I find mesmerizing. Dawgma!

Tony Rice Unit - Still Inside (Rounder 0150 - 1981)

Pure Lans.

Vinyl Condition: Outstanding. Amazon: Currently Unavailable

Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska (Columbia - 1982)

Found wedged inside an Al Stewart album. Quality: Average. Amazon: $11

Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues (1983 - Sire)

This one has a somewhat bizarre blister pack style packaging in lieu of a normal record jacket. The packaging is slightly oversized and after moving some records around this stuck out kind of like a sore thumb so it leapt to the top of the queue. It's actually a pretty good album and it turns out that the packaging is a limited edition which won a Grammy award. Initially the oversized dimensions were really annoying but after looking at it more closely, it's really kind of cool. Wikipedia talks about it some. The condition of the record was pretty good especially since it's on clear vinly. The basic CD is selling on Amazon for $11 but the used special edition vinyl like mine from Amazon resellers (4) are being offered at from $55 to $275.

The Clash - Black Market Clash (Epic 1980)

Another one from Lans' collection and another presumed adoption by him from... should we give this person a name? Suggestions? Collection X? The condition of this odd 10" disc's vinyl was pretty average. Amazon is selling a substantially expanded reissue version of this on CD titled "Super Black Market Clash" for $12.00. Yes, that's the end of the Clash albums from the "to do" pile.Per Wikipedia:

Black Market Clash was released only in the US between the releases of London Calling and Sandinista! It compiled recordings which were then unavailable in the US except as imports. It was one of series of 10" records that Epic released by various artists, including Gary Glitter and New Musik, under the name Epic "Nu-Disk".

The Clash - Combat Rock (Epic 1982)

This also came from Lans' collection and before that, it probably came from the same person who had the Asia, Jon Anderson, BTO, Boston, Bad Company, etc. The quality was not an issue. Amazon is selling this on CD for 8 bucks. Per Wikipedia:

Combat Rock was originally planned as a double album with the working title Rat Patrol from Fort Bragg, but the idea was scrapped after internal wrangling within the group. Mick Jones had produced the first cut, but the other members were dissatisfied and producing duties were handed to Glyn Johns, at which point the album became a single LP. The original cut has since been obtained and subsequently bootlegged.... Original U.S. pressings of the album had the full length track "Inoculated City" lasting 2:43. This version contained the audio from a television commercial for a toilet bowl cleaner called "2000 Flushes." After the maker of the product complained of copyright infringement the track was edited to 2:11. Approximately 100,000 copies of the first version were pressed with custom designed record labels. However the majority of copies sold had the edited track and were re-issued on a standard dark blue Epic Records label. The full length track also appeared on the B-side of a US "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" single. Early US CD copies had the edited track. But when the album was released as a remastered CD in 2000 the full length track was restored though no mention of this was made anywhere on the CD package.

Mine contains the 2000 Flushes! A quick scan of eBay didn't create an impression that this earlier version of the LP is a serious rarity that commands a premium price.