Not only a wonderfully weird vocal record – but a set that's also one of the first albums produced by the legendary David Axelrod! David's hardly the star here, though – as the whole thing's really the brainchild of singer Sheldon Allman – more of a nightclub singer than the folk ... (Vocalists, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(On colored vinyl!)
Laurie Anderson —
Big Science ... LP Warner, 1982. Near Mint- ...
$14.99
One of the greatest albums to come from the New York underground of the early 80s – even if it was a relatively big "hit" on a major label! Laurie Anderson is in perfect form here – drawing on a strong tradition of avant garde performance, but without any of the indulgences ... (Rock, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A really wonderful record from a really wonderful time when it seemed like boundaries were really breaking down – not just between musical genres, but between different sides of the art spectrum as well! The record is partly experimental art, but has a crossover appeal to post-punk ... (Rock, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Blowfly —
Blowfly On TV ... LP Weird World, Early 70s. New Copy (reissue)...
$9.99
Blow Fly's second album – and a hilarious parody of TV! The record features Blow's band playing lots of funky riffs and heavy vamps, while Blow sings songs over the top that are parodies of "Batman", "Sesame Street", "Tom Jones", and "Ed Sullivan" ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
It's the 80s, and Blow's really gone over the top! He's working with some tinny arrangements here that are more Prince-like than his 70s funky grooves – and probably to compensate for that, he's turned up the porno language even more than usual, going to town with the bad words on tracks ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
It's the end of the 70s, but Blowfly's still going strong on this album! The record features his "Blowfly's Rapp" – billed as "the dirtiest rap ever heard", and certainly true in those pre-gangsta days! The rest of the tracks are a mix of boogie grooves, late 70s club ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(White vinyl pressing, includes the printed inner sleeve.)
David Brent (Ricky Gervais) —
Life On The Road ... CD BBC/Universal (UK), 2016. Used ...
$7.99
A big leap into the musical mind of David Brent – aka the character created by Ricky Gervais for the original UK version of The Office – now off to follow his dream as a singer/songwriter! The music here follows from those last few musical moments that Gervais gave us on the final ... read moreCD
Albert Brooks —
Star Is Bought ... CD Asylum/Wounded Bird, 1975. New Copy ...
$10.9911.99
A wonderfully hip comedy album from the early years of Albert Brooks – very much in the spirit of the LA Warner scene of which Brooks was a part! The album's set up as an "all format radio" record – and as such, also offers a great snapshot of mid 70s radio – with ... read moreCD
The second of two albums that Elaine Brown cut while part of the Black Panther Party – and a lot more trippy dippy than the first one. Despite the fact that Motown had a hand in releasing this one, the overall style is fairly folksy – sort of a mix of Jean Ritchie and Joan Baez, with ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has edge wear, split seams, and a small sticker at the bottom.)
Not necessarily a record of interviews – as the title might make you think – but one of Bruce's best records for Fantasy! The album's got some very edgey bits that approximate his live material, and which take the best part of his cleaner act, and transfer them well to record. Titles ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The first-ever record to capture the amazing voice of William S Burroughs – the author who helped transform fiction forms in the 60s, but also somewhat of a public figure too – thanks to albums like this! The set's was recorded in France, and given wider circulation in the US by ... read moreCD
Juca Chaves delivers some comedy routines on the record in Portuguese, but the set also features some mighty nice samba tunes – produced by Paulo Sergio Valle! (Brazil, Comedy/Spoken)LP, Vinyl record album
We don't know about you, but we never get tired of Cheech & Chong's jokes about reefer and East LA. Loads of classic material on this first LP: "Blind Melon Chillin", "Wink Dickerson", "Acapulco Gold Filters", "Vietnam", "Trippin In Court", ... read moreCD
A more obscure late 60s outing – with a bit less of David yelling at Alvin than we'd like – but still a set with some nice numbers, including "Que Sera Sera", "Chim Chim Chere-ee", "The Roses Of Success", and "The Bare Necessities". LP, Vinyl record album
A great little record – and proof that Muhammad Ali was star material, even in his early years! The record is kind of in the spoken word mode – but has added music by Peter Katz – and features Ali delivering some of his famous poetic "zinger" type material, of the sort ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono 2 eye pressing. Cover has some splitting on the bottom seam and a name in marker on back.)
A great little record – and proof that Muhammad Ali was star material, even in his early years! The record is kind of in the spoken word mode – but has added music by Peter Katz – and features Ali delivering some of his famous poetic "zinger" type material, of the sort ... read moreCD
Del Close & John Brent —
How To Speak Hip ... LP Mercury/Go Bop (Germany), 1961. New Copy (reissue)...
Just Sold Out!
A hilarious album – not dated at all, and really pretty groovy stuff that holds up well over time! The format is this: Brent and Close are the hippie and straight man – presenting a guide to talking "hip", which is a mixture of beatnik and junkie slang, delivered in a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of Bill's few records that actually feature The Coz singing it up! This one's like his work on Warner Brothers – with funky backings behind Bill's slightly-silly soul vocals. The set was produced by Stu Gardner, who ostensibly did the music too – and Stu's on organ, piano, and ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of the wisdom and knowledge sides from the early days of the Flying Dutchman label. Poet/critic/musician Stanley Crouch delivers a biting set of readings on the state of jazz, love and society. Not actually a musical work, but in the same spirit as the more radical musical recordings on ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
From hipster comedian to schlocky roles in The Planet of The Apes, Severn Darden was one of the 60s more enigmatic performers. This early album has him doing intellectual standup and skits with the help of the Second City cast – including Alan Arkin, Paul Sand, and Barbara Harris. The stuff' ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
This was an address given by Cosby and Davis in 1971 in honor of The Congressional Black Caucus and in order to help raise money for them. The occasion was an inaugural national banquet for the congressmen representing mainly African American districts – and the record features the speeches ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Maybe one of the coolest albums of poetry ever recorded – a set that features a young, pre-hippie Allen Ginsberg – delivering his epic poem Howel, plus some other key works too. The young Ginsberg's voice is great – and really fills the works with a lot of bitterness and cynicism ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Hand-numbered limited edition pressing of 500 – on transparent red vinyl!)
The one-and-only entry in the Verbatum series from Atlantic Records – a proposed spoken word offshoot of the label – but one that only ever issued this fantastic 60s reading by Allen Ginsberg! As you might guess from the cover's beautiful photograph by Richard Avedon, Ginsberg is at ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Ever wonder what happens when beatniks turn into hippies? They make albums like this one – a real treasure from the late 60s underground – and a set that showed the complete transformation of Allen Ginsberg at the time! The set's a real oddity – recorded after Ginsburg had hit ... read moreCD
Nikki G in total righteousness, surrounded by a big choir, and dropping knowledge on cuts like "Great Pax Whitey", "Poem For Aretha", and "Ego Tripping". Very spiritual stuff, with backing vocals by the New York Community Choir, who also recorded a great soul album on ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear, a cutout hole, and some discoloration from age.)
Lorne Greene —
Man ... LP RCA, 1965. Very Good ...
$4.99
Great 60s country exotica and tales of the American West from actor Lorne Greene – with arrangements that combine stripped down, echoey guitar with the big & glossy RCA sound of the era, and even more brash bigness from Hollywood – all done with endearingly poker-faced vocals by ... (Folk/Country, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Dick Gregory at his most righteous – recorded live at the Bronx Community College, and speaking on topics that include The Black Panthers, the Chicago 7, Black Power, Money, Patriots, Riots, and "Checking Out Whites". Less funky than political – which actually makes it a lot ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Death and horror aren't usually the sort of thing you look out for – but in a sound effects album, they're a mighty welcome addition! This volume of the BBC series has a nicely horrorific approach – and some of the tracks are almost mini-narratives in themselves, given the way they ... (Sound Library, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A spoken word classic – Richard Harris' reading of Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet – all set to some sublime backings from Arif Mardin! Harris has an even more pointed style of pronunciation than on some of his previous records on ABC – less of a shining tramp than the British actor ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of the rare early albums on the Detroit based Tribe label, now made legendary by the compilations on Soul Jazz and PVine. Tenor player Wendell Harrison leads a group that includes Marcus Belgrave, Charles Eubanks, and Phil Ranelin, and which features occasional poetry by the "Black ... (Jazz, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of the rare early albums on the Detroit based Tribe label, now made legendary by the compilations on Soul Jazz and P-Vine. Tenor player Wendell Harrison leads a group that includes Marcus Belgrave, Charles Eubanks, and Phil Ranelin, and which features occasional poetry by the "Black ... (Jazz, Comedy/Spoken)read moreCD
A fierce and firey sermon from the Detroit scene of the 70s – served up by Reverend Jodie Holmes with a fair bit of inspiration and accompaniment from other members of his congregation! The album's got a much rootsier feel than bigger-label gospel recordings of this nature – recorded ... (Gospel, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A landmark meeting of two talents! This rare session has the poet Langston Hughes reading his own jazz-based work, set to arrangements by Charles Mingus, with additional work by Horace Parlan. Hughes' voice is incredible – a bit frail, with a wispy integrity that really opens up his own ... (Jazz, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(VSP pressing. Cover has a cutout hole and a light stain along the opening.)
One of the rawest, hardest-hitting albums of soul poetry of the 70s! Kain – aka Gylan Kain – was a member of the original Last Poets, a group who emerged in New York during the late 60s, but were eclipsed by the second (more famous) ensemble sharing the name who recorded for Douglas ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Jewish entertainer/musician Mickey Katz has been getting a lot of attention recently – whether it be from modern projects to revive his music, like Don Byron's from a few years ago, or from press in places like The Village Voice, dealing with the resurgence in Jewish cultural identity. ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some wear, with a mostly split top seam.)
Includes "Poetry For The Beat Generation", "Blues & Haikus", and "Readings By Jack Kerouac On The Beat Generation" and a beautiful 40 page book! A classic meeting of jazz and beat poetry – packaged beautifully too! CD
(Out of print.)
Richard Kostelanetz —
Invocations ... LP Folkways, 1983. Near Mint- ...
$28.99
Kurtis Blow —
Rap To The Wise ... LP Ethnic Communications Outlet, 1985. Very Good ...
$24.99
A public service announcement LP including 12 songs. A quote from the back cover states "positive motivational messages in rap-music style about important problems and issues!" (Hip Hop, Comedy/Spoken)LP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has stains & peeling due to moisture.)
The first album by the second group to call themselves the Last Poets – and as fierce a document of their rich talents as you'll ever find – bursting forth with anger and righteousness at a level as tight as Gil Scott-Heron's first album! The group here is the key second lineup of the ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s pressing.)
Last Poets —
Right On! ... LP Juggernaut, 1968. Very Good Gatefold ...
$6.99
One of the wildest albums ever by the mighty Last Poets! Billed as "a woodstock in poetry", this is the soundtrack to the obscure film Right On (billed as "the hit film" on the cover), which was shot using the first version of the Last Poets that included Felipe Lucianao, David ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing. Cover is stained on the bottom half, with some wrinkling and flaking.)
One of the Last Poets greatest albums – and one of their most sophisticated as well! Gone are the rough-hewn rhymes of the group's first album, and in their place are better arranged, more thought-out tracks that mix in a wealth of musical influences – and which expand the group's ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Fantastic stuff – incredibly hard and incredibly funky, and a masterpiece all the way through! Long before there was any talk of gangster rap, Jalal of the Last Poets recorded this album of gamblin', pimpin', and hard double dealin'. It's a fantastic album-long ride through the dark side of ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A late 60's issue of Lord Buckley's rare early recordings for the Vaya label in LA – groundbreaking sides that predated most comedy albums, and which also had a huge influence on the spoken word recordings of the beat generation! The tracks were recorded live, with Buckley talking in a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Ed sings, a bit off-key – as you might guess from the fact that his vocal coach is credited as high as the producer of the record! Arrangements by John Cacavas. (Vocalists, Comedy/Spoken)LP, Vinyl record album
Rudy Ray Moore flies the friendly skies – and turns out one of his best records of the 70s! The set is easily one of the tightest albums from Rudy's classic years – and uses a fair bit of musical backings beneath his very raunchy comedy – in ways that are sometimes funky, but ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreCD
The title's a reference to a famous antacid commercial in the early 70s – but from the cover, it's obvious that Rudy Ray Moore wants you to think of it in a much nastier way! Given the sounds on the wax, it's easy to do – as the set's one of Moore's best from a time when he was the ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreCD
Rudy's always been a player – and you'll hear plenty of proof on the raunchy comedy bits on this album! The set's one of Rudy's best from the early years – recorded live before an audience who's clearly very juiced up – and set to occasional music backing, which really helps add ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of the best of the Rudy Ray Moore raunchy party albums from the 70s, and one that must be seen to be believed! The cover has "Rudy" standing nude with "The Madam" – but the man on the front really isn't Rudy, as you can plainly see that his face has been pasted over ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreCD
Rudy Ray Moore cut some mighty raunchy records in his time – but this one may well the be the raunchiest, and maybe the funkiest too! The album's an instruction of "the proper way to make love to a lady" – but done in true Rudy Ray style, with very down-to-earth language that ... (Soul, Comedy/Spoken)read moreCD
Standup, sketches, and spoken word -- plus kids records, sports records, and even some Folkways oddities!
Laurie Anderson —
Big Science ... LP 
