profile records Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

Run-D.M.C. “Tougher Than Leather”

sfilzen — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:27:57 +0000

Run-D.M.C. “Tougher Than Leather” 1988. Profile Records. If you need a pick-me-up, throw Run-D.M.C.’s fourth LP on and get ready to dance your a** off. Classic 80’s hip hop with a rock edge and a who’s who of samples; it went to #9 in the US and to #13 in the UK. What I did not know: producer Rick Rubin directed the band in the ’88 “crime” film (also titled Tougher Than Leather) in which “Run-D.M.C. must find and punish the evil drug lord-record company executive who murdered their friend. Along the way, they encounter racist bikers, blonde bimbos, and the Beastie Boys.” (Wiki) Apparently it is not good – you can watch it in its entirety here (maybe I will at some point, not now). The record, however, is fantastic. I love it all but if I had to choose, my top pick is “Mary, Mary,” a Monkees cover (not released as a single but rather included as a cereal box prize in 1969) which changes the lyrics – Run DMC’s version samples the original so much that the song’s credits go solely to Michael Nesmith. It’s ridiculously infectious and ass-shaking and went to #75 in the US and #86 in the UK. I also love the album opener “Run’s House” (also the name of Rev. Run’s reality tv show) which samples The Soul Searchers and James Brown, and the funky “Papa Crazy” which samples The Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.” The title track “Tougher Than Leather” combines serious 70’s funk with heavy metal guitar shredding, as does “Miss Elaine.” The only track I don’t love is the album closer, “Ragtime,” mostly because it is, indeed, ragtime and it’s not a style I’m fond of and rap over ragtime doesn’t improve on it.

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Murphy’s Law “Back With a Bong”

sfilzen — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 22:21:13 +0000

Murphy’s Law “Back With a Bong” 1989. Profile Records. Clear vinyl. New York melodic hardcore, Back With a Bong is the band’s second album and had an almost completely new lineup from their s/t debut in ’86 – save vocalist Jimmy Gestapo (James Drescher) – that included Agnostic Front and Warzone guitarist Todd Youth (Todd Schofield). The revolving door of members continued throughout subsequent years – drums, guitars and bass have seen around 20 different players each. And then with the addition of a ska/horn sound on this album (on the aptly titled “Ska Song“) and other records following, there’s been about 80 Murphy’s Law musicians. Even though Murphy’s have been around forever (since ’82 and they have concerts scheduled in New York later this month) I never really listened to them; this record was part of a collection a friend gave to me awhile back and I’m finally getting around to spinning it. It’s hardcore punk with more than a little speed metal so it’s loud, fast and really adolescent in content. The song “Panty Raid” is both offensive and hilarious. Same with “Cavity Creeps.” As the album’s title suggests, Murphy’s Law clearly likes their weed, that sentiment also punctuated with the tracks “Quest for Herb” (link here to a 2020 livestream during the shutdown) and “Bong.”

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Murphy’s Law “Murphy’s Law”

sfilzen — Tue, 11 May 2021 19:31:13 +0000

Murphy’s Law “Murphy’s Law” 1986. Profile Records. Party time melodic 80′s hardcore punk with songs like “Fun” and “Beer” (its ending punctuated by a very respectable beer belch). Murphy’s Law is the NYC’s band second album and their first of two with Profile Records (the other was ‘89′s Back With a Bong). Some tracks are super-fast with competent speed-metalish thrashy solos while others are a bit more relaxed which provides a nice variety as compared to a lot of hardcore albums of the era. My top tracks are the album opener and title track “Murphy’s Law,” “Sit Home & Rot,” “Ilsa” and their cover of Iggy Pop’s “I Got a Right.”

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Run DMC “Raising Hell”

sfilzen — Tue, 16 May 2017 17:16:52 +0000

Run DMC “Raising Hell” released on yesterday’s date, May 15th, 1986. Profile Records. This LP, Run DMC’s third studio album, is a new acquisition: I received it for Mother’s Day on Sunday but I’ve had a cassette of Raising Hell since the fall of ‘86 (and it’s further evidence of a lifetime of odd musical pairings as apparently I thought Charlie Sexton’s Pictures for Pleasure would make a good B-side).

Raising Hell was, of course, a significant development in popular music history. Run DMC’s collaboration with Aerosmith on “Walk This Way” on the recommendation of album producer Rick Rubin was brilliant and ridiculously popular, becoming the first rap song to crack the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and helped resurrect Aerosmith. Raising Hell was the first rap album to hit #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B album chart and it peaked at #6 on the Billboard album chart. Run DMC released three other singles from the LP besides “Walk This Way” – “You Be Illin’” which hit #29, “It’s Tricky” went to #57 (and still one of my faves) and “My Adidas” which failed to chart on the main US charts but did manage to teach a generation how to incorrectly pronounce Adidas – it isn’t pronounced ah-DEE-duhs; it’s AH-dih-dahs.

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