Real-world shopping: Buying CD’s in Gran Canaria – Part One

I’m not a total Luddite, I embrace the internet, downloads and mp3’s…but, apart from my vociferous anti-piracy stance, I can honestly say I get very little pleasure from music as bunch of ones and zeroes.  even though i have an extensive collection spread between mac, ipad and ipod, I find myself yearning for the booklet to thumb through, the artwork to look at, and before you say “they have the artwork”, i mean, bigger than a friggin’ postage stamp!

So, our regular trips to the Canary islands afford me the opportunity of rummaging around the now dwindling record racks in search of interesting CD bargains. Well, the trip to Gran Canaria in January was extremely rewarding, as I returned with Eight albums in all, the first four of which I’ll discuss here.

SLASH feat. MYLES KENNEDY – Apocalyptic Love

I recently finished reading Slash’s autobiography, so this one jumped out at me from the shelves. Most other copies in the store were around 17 euros, but this one was going for a very reasonable 11 euros, and complete with a bonus DVD, too!

BLACK SABBATH – Greatest Hits

I don’t have much Sabbath, but tracks from their first four albums featured heavily in my youth, and although I have (and love) the new album ’13’, I thought this 14 track beauty was well worth the €5.99 I paid for it!

THE DARKNESS – One way ticket to hell…and back

Although this proved to be the archetypal ‘difficult second album’ for Lowestoft’s finest, I could resist it for just €5, and truth be told, it does grow on you. Worth it for the title track alone, and the mentalist that is Justin Hawkins.

APOCALYPTICA – 7th. Symphony

Unfamiliar with this – it was real find. For just €7 I was taken  on a musical journey of grandiose proportions, sledgehammer riffs battling with sumptious and sinister strings, and a sprinkling of guest appearances from the likes of Gavin Rossdale, Brent Smith of Shinedown, and best of all, a wonderful performance from Lacey of Flyleaf. Musical graduates from the Sibelius academy in Helsinki, Finland, these four cellists started out covering Metallica! Fabulous album.

Perttu Kivilaakso of Apocalyptica @ Ilosaarirock 2009 – from Wikipedia

In Part Two: A Guitar God, a 70’s Rock Classic, some hardcore American and the band that became a Soap-opera!

Kev Moore