If You Have A Turntable You Need These!

One Christmas long ago, in a simpler time, my parents gave me 1. A pair of drumsticks. 2. A practice pad. 3. An LP called, "The Ventures In Space". I learned the basics of drum strokes from playing along with Mel Taylor's pounding. Eat Mel's dust Ringo and Charlie! This was I think their 10th album. The Ventures went on to make many more albums and honestly not all of them were great ("Super Psychedelics" comes to mind). But there is a core group of records I always go back to time and again. On a recent trip to Newbury Comics I was grateful to find Sundazed has taken on a 180Gram vinyl re-issue series and the first batch includes a representation of my all-time Ventures faves. "Surfing", "Walk, Don't Run Vol. 2", "The Fabulous Ventures", AND "The Ventures In Space". I've owned these on LP since they were released and have opted in on CD re-issues(Ugh). These new pressings are STUNNING. Mel Taylor's rapid-fire rim-shot snare snaps on "Penetration" from "...In Space" leap out of the left channel with a "Take THAT, you Brit-Wimps!" attitude, Nokie Edward's lead on the awesome opener, "Out Of Limits" FINALLY gets the attack and bite right. I have a friend, Brendan, who shares a similar "Music Freak" omnivorousness and we are constantly acquiring and sharing. When I cued up "The Bat" from"..In Space" at real world volume level he just sat there with an open-mouthed, "OhhhShhh*ttt" stare. Say No More!