Arcadia “So Red the Rose” 1985. Today’s pull for’ birthday (b. June 8, 1962). (The photo of Arcadia-era Nick would have been right at home in my high school year books.) Arcadia, the side project of Rhodes, Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, released just this album and Allmusic calls it “the best album Duran never made.” Arty, darkly romantic and slinky, blending in dreamy Eastern musical influences, it includes appearances by David Gilmour on guitar throughout the album, Grace Jones (“Election Day”), Herbie Hancock and Sting (“The Promise”).

I remember trying to figure out the numeric code on the record when I bought it in ‘85. I probably spent an inordinate amount of time before eventually cracking it; now of course I can just fire up Google and discover the cypher is this:

16 = A 28 = G 40 = M 52 = S 12 = Y
18 = B 30 = H 42 = N 02 = T 14 = Z
20 = C 32 = I 44 = O 04 = U 00 = blank
22 = D 34 = J 46 = P 06 = V
24 = E 36 = K 48 = Q 08 = W
26 = F 38 = L 50 = R 10 = X