There’s nothing like hitting your local flea market, thrift store, or (better yet) record store, and wasting the afternoon flipping through piles of dusty records just in hope of finding that one piece–that one slab of vinyl so strange and so bizarre you could of sworn it was beamed down right from mars into the dollar bin. sure most of the time you’re just digging threw Kenny loggins records and are coming home empty handed, but it’s better to think of it as one less crate you will have to dig through. 
We here at the ALD, empathize with our “collector scum” brothers in arms. In fact, here’s a list of some of the most unusual and just down right ridicules pieces of vinyl we have found while wasting countless weekends digging through crates at our favorite record stores, and have kept locked away in the prestigious Atomic Leg Drop Record Library.
Back To School-Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986):
Yeah, he claimed to get no respect but who doesn’t love Rodney Dangerfield! Everyone’s heard his novelty rap record ‘No Respect’,but it’s his ultra ’80s take on the Phil Medley & Bert Burns penned ‘Twist & Shout’ that really gets the party started.
Jim Carrey-”Cuban Pete” 12″ single (1994):
The rubber faced joker’s take on “Cuban Pete” from the mega bucks making adaptation of the Dark Horse comic, ‘The Mask’, shows him channeling his inner Ricky Ricardo for two minutes of nostalgic bliss for anyone who grew up during the Clinton years. Chick-chicky-boom-chick-chicky-boom.
Meco- Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk (1977):
Is there anything more ’70s than a coke fueled disco jam session inspired by the beloved George Lucas cash cow? Listen as Meco crank out a Studio 54 approved version of the ‘Star Wars’ main theme and even turn the “Cantina Theme” into a Tony Monero style hustle.
The WWF Wrestlers-”Land Of A Thousand Dances” 12″ single (1985):
At the height of Hulkamania, Vince McMahon rounded up his troops of roided up musclemen and had ‘em record this musical royal rumble. A “We Are The World” styled take on The Cannibal & The Head Hunters’ Proto-Punk jam with assorted wrestler dudes like Brutus Beefcake, Mean Gene, and Hillbilly Jim all taking stabs at belting it out.
Caped Crusaders-’There’s A Bat In My House’ (1989):
Fresh off the heels of Bat-Mania and Prince’s soundtrack to the latex suited Michael Keaton block buster, Louie Vega and Todd Terry teamed up as The Caped Crusaders for a slice of funky Batman influenced House music.
Kenny Roberts-’Indian Love Call’ (1965):
If you’ve ever found yourself in the predicament of not sure whether you were in the mood for some Country or some yodeling’, never fear “America’s King of The Country Yodelers”, Kenny Roberts, is here!
MR. T- “MR. T’s Commandments” 12″ inch single (1984):
MR. T’s foray into the Rap world with seven street bangin’ anthems about the not so gangsta topics as saying “no” to drugs, honoring your parents, and doing your home work.
Who was the mastermind of such monumental wankstery you ask? It was non other than MR. “OG Cop Killer” himself, Ice-T!
Then an unknown in the game, he was hired to write down some lyrics for the ‘A-Team’ star. Brotha gotta get paid, right?
Anton Levay/ 1st Church Of Satan- ‘The Satanic Mass’ (1968):
The first ever live recording of a Satanic Ritual! Could this be the first true Heavy Metal live album?–I dunno but it’s way scarier than anything off Ozzy’s ‘Speak Of The Devil’.
Original Dulcimer Players Club -Excerpts from The 1987 Dulcimer Fun Fest (1987):
Founded in 1963, the ODPC meets every year in Evart, Michigan for a Dulcimer jam session with thousands of attendees from all over the globe. Perfect stocking stuffer for the dulcimer enthusiast in your family.
Joe E. Ross- ’Love Songs From A Cop’ (1964):
An album of brassy lounge standards recorded by the ‘Car 54, Where Are You?’ star as a deal to payoff several debts he owed to the mob.
The Osmonds- ‘Crazy Horses’ (1972):
Snicker all you want but ‘Crazy Horses’ isn’t what you would expect from the Mormon boy band.
Formed in Utah in 1959 as a wholesome barbershop quartet, The Osmonds achieved fame as being marketed as the safer (i.e. white) alternative to The Jackson 5.
By 1972, Donny dropped out to become a mega Teen Idol while his brothers grew out their hair a little and squeezed out a raucous piece of wah-wah infused, fuzz bass pumping, steaming pile of proto Heavy Metal on par with anything Edgar Winter or Vanilla Fudge ever popped out.
Wild Man Steve- ‘My Man! Wildman!’ (1969):
A raunchy XXX rated comedy party record light years ahead of its time. Listen as the ultra smooth and super funky equal opportunity offender pokes fun at everyone from Jews to gays to Ben Franklin to the size of his wife “down there”.
Venom-’Live’ 7″ (1991):
A cult favorite more quotable than Spinal Tap and was even sampled by the Beastie Boys!
An unofficial Venom live album with NO music on it just nine straight minutes of Cronos yelling at the audience.
For those of us who have not read ‘Get In The Van’, the story goes Black Flag opened up for Venom on April 2nd, 1986 at City Gardens in New Jersey (admission was six dollars and sixty six cents). According to Rollins, “Venom were hilarious it was like seeing Spinal Tap”.
Black Flag roadie Mugger had recorded the entire show, and to amuse Black Flag would play the tape of Venom lead singer Cronos’ asinine in-between song banter (“YA PRETTY FAWKING LOUD NEW JER-SAY!”“IT’S PRETTY FAWKING HOT IN HERE YARRRR”).
The tape was passed around and eventually found it’s way in the hands of Sonic Youth front man Thurston Moore who released the onstage idiocy sans music as a 7″ for his Estatic Peace label.
