Various Artists-Slash: The Early Sessions (1983)

 

Artist: Various Artists (The Blasters, Gun Club, Rank and File, Violent Femmes, X, Fear, Germs, The Dream Syndicate)

Title: Slash: The Early Sessions

Label: Slash

Format: LP

Cat:  1-12937

Year of Release:1983

Country and Year of Edition: US 1983

Sell Price: $9.99 VG+/VG  2/8/23 initials markered on cover approx 1" x 1"

Discogs Last Sold: 12/14/22 NM/NM $12.95

Low:$7.49 12/11/20 NM/VG+

Median: $10.00

Average: $10.05

High: $15.00 NM/VG+  like new condition, has hype sticker on cover, price sticker

Current low price: $12.05 VG+/VG+

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 5

Have/Want: 109/22

Where Sold: Alhambra, CA

Time it took to sell:  8 years

Where and When Purchased: Worcester That's Entertainment $3.99

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A-

Sad To See It Go: No

Excellent compilation of crucial music that came out on Slash in the early 80's.  The only complaint for me is that I'd never listen to this album if the urge struck to hear any of these bands.  I personally would go straight to any of the excellent albums this is culled from, even if I never got around to buying roots rock wing of The Blasters and Rank and File.  Come to think of it, I somehow never had the X album until the 2-for came out on CD and even that I bought used.  It really didn't matter, every radio station I was at from the mid-80's onward had 'em, so they were always accessible.  These Warner distributed records got around.  

Slash: The Early Sessions showed up in a thin "alternative" used bin, so I dutifully bought it without thinking much about it or playing it more than once in the mid 80's.  I bought and heavily played the Violent Femmes first, Fear's The Record and Germs two Slash releases used around the same time.  Dream Syndicate, Gun Club and X I didn't get around to getting until CD reissues.  It didn't matter, they were around.  

Nowadys, you can't escape "Blister In The Sun," "White Girl," "Los Angeles" or "Sex Beat" at any NYC bar that plays punk rock or any kind of alt-rock really.  Fear & Dream Syndicate contribute favorite tracks of mine from their Slash records.  With the "greatest hits of Slash" theme I would've had "Lexicon Devil," "What We Do Is Secret," or "Circle One" for a lone Germs selection in this best of the best realm.

It all comes down to the roots rock for further investigation.

A1	The Blasters–	Border Radio Engineer – Pat Burnette, Roger Harris Producer – The Blasters Written-By – Dave Alvin Engineer – Pat Burnette, Roger Harris Producer – The Blasters Written-By – Dave Alvin	2:43
A2	Gun Club*–	Sex Beat Engineer – Pat Burnette Producer – Chris D. Written-By – Jeffrey Lee Pierce Engineer – Pat Burnette Producer – Chris D. Written-By – Jeffrey Lee Pierce	2:45
A3	Rank And File*–	The Conductor Wore Black Producer, Engineer – David Kahne Written-By – Chip Kinman, Tony Kinman Producer, Engineer – David Kahne Written-By – Chip Kinman, Tony Kinman	3:30
A4	Violent Femmes–	Blister In The Sun Engineer – Glen L. Lorbiecki*, John Tanner Producer – Mark Van Hecke Written-By – Gordon Gano Engineer – Glen L. Lorbiecki*, John Tanner Producer – Mark Van Hecke Written-By – Gordon Gano	2:23
A5	The Blasters–	Long White Cadillac Producer – The Blasters Producer [Associate], Engineer – Jim Hill Written-By – Dave Alvin Producer – The Blasters Producer [Associate], Engineer – Jim Hill Written-By – Dave Alvin	2:54
B1	X (5)–	Los Angeles Engineer – Norm Graichen, Rick Perrotta Producer – Ray Manzarek Written-By – Exene Cervenka, John Doe (2) Engineer – Norm Graichen, Rick Perrotta Producer – Ray Manzarek Written-By – Exene Cervenka, John Doe (2)	2:25
B2	Fear (3)–	New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones Engineer – Bruce Barris, Gary Lubow Producer – Fear (3), Gary Lubow Written-By – Lee Ving Engineer – Bruce Barris, Gary Lubow Producer – Fear (3), Gary Lubow Written-By – Lee Ving	2:07
B3	Germs–	Caught In My Eye Engineer – Pat Burnette Producer – Joan Jett Written-By – Darby Crash Engineer – Pat Burnette Producer – Joan Jett Written-By – Darby Crash	3:21
B4	The Dream Syndicate–	Tell Me When It's Over Engineer – Pat Burnette Producer – Chris D. Written-By – Steve Wynn Engineer – Pat Burnette Producer – Chris D. Written-By – Steve Wynn	3:27
B5	X (5)–	White Girl Engineer – Norm Graichen, Rick Perrotta Producer – Ray Manzarek Written-By – Exene Cervenka, John Doe (2) Engineer – Norm Graichen, Rick Perrotta Producer – Ray Manzarek Written-By – Exene Cervenka, John Doe (2)	3:2