Saturday 6 April 2013

Doghouse Tests II

A few short weeks ago I posted up a couple of tests I bought from Doghouse Records. I said that I optimistically entitled the post 'Doghouse Tests I' because there were a couple of records missing from the package. Well, it took a while, but the other two records FINALLY showed up early this week. It took me raising an eBay dispute to get them, which is a bit of a shame, although I don't actually think the delay was intentional. I think it was more that they didn't prioritise getting my package out, but if me raising a dispute lit a fire under their ass then it was worth it.

As I said, there were a couple of extra records I was owed. The first was one of my favourite Doghouse releases from the later years. Joshua 'A Whole New Theory' LP. Once again, this test comes in a plain white paper sleeve.

I also took this photo of the test with the regular cover, although on reflection I think the regular cover is even more dull than the test cover.

The second test I picked up isn't even a Doghouse release. It was released by Big Wheel Recreation, which is the same label that released the Ten Yard Fight 7" and In My Eyes demo 7". This is a test of the third Piebald LP, 'We Are The Only Friends We Have'. I'm not sure exactly how Doghouse had at least two of these tests (they sold one to me and one on eBay). I have a feeling that they may have shared an office with Big Wheel around the turn of the century, although I am not entirely sure on that. Anyhow, this was a favourite of mine when it came out, and I can still sing along word for word. I'm pretty happy to have bagged this, especially for the price I did. $30 well spent.

Once again, it only comes in a plain white paper sleeve, but I pulled out the regular sleeve for the second photo to make it more interesting.

I also received a mystery 7" test press too. I didn't pay for this, but I think they put it in by means of an apology for taking so long to send these records. At first I didn't know what it was. Rather than play it, and risk having to endure some god awful racket I couldn't identify, I just looked up the catalog number that was in the matrix. I then found out that this was a test press of the Get Up Kids 7" that Doghouse released. However, I can also tell from the label and the vinyl itself that this is some recent repress, as it is pressed on European vinyl, which the original never was. I may have paid a little for a test of the original press of this 7", but I'm not fussed by a fifteen years later repress test... although if it's free, I'll take it. I couldn't be bothered to pull out the original 7" because pulling 7"s out of boxes is a lot more hassle than pulling out LPs from a shelf.

Including these three, I have now picked up 19 tests so far this year. Still on track for the 52 target for the year.

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