Today marks the best record/mail day ever. I got four records I never thought I would ever be able to find, let alone together in one 13"x13", half crushed (thanks to good old USPS) box. Thankfully everything inside that box was fine, and here is why:
Undertow - The Edge of Quarrel (7" Red/Pink /110)
This is Undertow's first release ever pressed onto vinyl. The "Edge of Quarrel", is a two song EP released in 1991 on Ron Brotherhood's Seattle based Overkill records. The tracks "My Enemy" and "All I Can Give" were exclusive to this release as far as I know, aside from the less than legitimate "Edge of Quarrel" CD released by our favorite German bootleggers at Lost & Found Records. Note the awesome stickers. I am still beyond stoked that I actually got a copy of this 7". I have been actively searching for a copy for about three years. Since there were only 110 pressed (and keep in mind this was about 20 years ago), many of them have probably been lost to edge breaks and growing up. In those three years, I have only been able to find a few people (outside of the band members) that own a copy, all of which declined to sell or trade their copy to me. About a week ago, I finally managed to track down a copy, thanks to one of the guys in Undertow. I have long considered this to the be the Holy Grail of 'tow stuff. Apparently, this 7" was to be the Undertow + Resolution split. There were mastering errors, and 110 copies were pressed on solid red/pink vinyl before the error was discovered, which I assume is the fact that Undertow is on both sides rather than one for 'tow, and the other for Resolution. The same error is present in the "Extinction of all that is Holy" 7", also released by Overkill. However, that 7" is on black vinyl, with a Slayer tribute cover. Why the error pressing was pressed twice on different colors is beyond me. But oh well. Just one more piece of vinyl in the collection.
Undertow - The Edge of Quarrel (7" Clear Red, TEST PRESS)
So there isn't much I can say about this record that I haven't already. When I went into this deal, I originally was just amazed that I had found a normal copy of the 7". Then, out of the blue I get offered a test of it, plus some other stuff that I will discuss in a minute. I have no idea how many of these there are, but judging by how few of the normal pressing there are in circulation, there can't be more than a few of these. My best bet is that they went to the band and Overkill kept a few. But HOLY SHIT, test pressings on color vinyl are legit. Especially a color that wasn't included in the normal pressing.
Undertow - Conditioned/Split with Resolution (7" Black, TEST PRESS)
Again, another record I never thought I would come across, a test pressing of that split with Resolution you have heard so much about. Only this time, it isn't some fucked up Undertow only mispress. This is the real deal. If you aren't familiar with Resolution, it was another project fronted by Ron from Brotherhood, post the B'hood days. They are best known for awesome Motorhead covers, which can be found a couple entries down. After listening to this I had to bust the Resolution 10" out.
Undertow - At Both Ends (12" Black, TEST PRESS)
Ok, now this is fucking mind blowing. The release scientifically known as EXC-009, but commonly referred to as the "At Both Ends" LP. ABE was the first and only full length record released by Undertow before their demise. In my opinion, this album the most important piece of hardcore ever recorded. Sure, this can and will be contested by everyone else (more than likely haha). This album and the songs within it opened the doors to hardcore for me. I guess it was the single album that let me hear the feeling behind the music and the words. I have never listened to any piece of music that was filled with such raw emotion. Fear, confusion, anger, hate and love all wrapped into 25 minutes of insanity. There should never be something that you define yourself with, but this album speaks the words and feelings I have felt through life like I wrote it myself. The progressions of the pains of life, and the process of defining yourself though the both the good and fucked up things that you see and deal with.
Oh yeah, no fucking God. Almost forgot.
In Conclusion:
I don't think I can top this pickups entry. Fuck. I think I am done collecting records. I'll still but new releases and stuff, but I feel like with these pickups, there is nothing I personally want anymore. Until next week at least.
I still owe a huge thanks to Ryan from Undertow, who hooked me up with all of this stuff.
