In truth, it might make more sense to post this after I listen to all of it but wtf …. 90% of this is easily available in HK, it was just a lot cheaper to get it “over there.”

* Where the Action Is: Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968. Four CD set, the fourth in Rhino’s Nuggets series (an expansion of Lenny Kaye’s original 2 LP compilation, I think it was on Elektra?). I’d downloaded this but thought it was worth it to actually own it – in part because I love this music, in part because I have every other volume in the Nuggets series and especially because it features an absolutely fabulous book with detailed credits and info for each of the 101 songs on the set. Standells, Byrds, Love, Buffalo Springfield, Captain Beefheart, Lowell George, Iron Butterfly, Bobby Fuller, Rising Sons, Sonny & Cher, Doors, Seeds, Music Machine, Spirit – that’s just some of the bands on just the first disc of this kick-ass set.

* Foo Fighters – Greatest Hits – the “deluxe” version that includes a DVD of their music videos.

* R.E.M. – Live at the Olympia – again deluxe version with 2 CDs and 1 DVD, early thoughts are that they’ve really been a shadow of their former selves in the studio for the past decade but still can cut it live.

* Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland – I’d wanted to get this “collectors edition” that includes a DVD with a documentary on the making of this, one of my all time favorite records, finally bit the bullet when I came across a used copy at Amoeba.

* Glen Campbell – Reunited With Jimmy Webb – for my money Webb is up there with the all time great songwriters and he got even better once he made the conscious decision to stop chasing hits. Campbell, one of the top session guitarists in the 60s, when he feels like it and when he has the right material, is a terrific singer. 14 bonus tracks clinched the deal for me.

* Barry Goldberg – Barry Goldberg – the original mix of the only non-Bob Dylan album produced by Bob Dylan, recorded in Muscle Shoals. Goldberg was my piano teacher while he was working on this record and two songs co-written with Gerry Goffin became big hits for others (Imagination for Gladys Knight, Spotlight for Rod Stewart). Maybe one of the worst album covers of all time. Barry introduced me to Goffin and Mike Bloomfield but I never got to meet Dylan – just as well, what the hell could I have said to his Bobness anyway. Further trivia: during this period Goldberg had an instrumental hit on r&b radio but had to change his name because the program directors said they wanted to play the record but couldn’t because his name sounded too white for their stations. So for one record he became “Snake Eyes.”

* Rolling Stones – Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out 40th Anniversary Edition – a relatively typical ABKCO disgrace – the first two CDs could have fit on a single disc. Haven’t watched the DVD yet. Whatever, the original album was great, and I say that not just because I went to one of these shows but because it was great.

* Flo & Eddie – New York Times – two CD set of tracks selected from their 15 year run of Christmas shows at the Bottom Line in NYC. Flo & Eddie of course being the leaders of the Turtles, members of the Mothers of Invention and two of the busiest session back-up singers of all time (everyone from Springsteen to Bolan), they could do amazing pure pop and biting rock satire.

* Big Star – Keep an Eye on the Sky – long overdue box set for this seminal group. They may not have recorded much, they may not have sold much, but their influence over everything that came after them remains huge to this day.

* U2 – Unforgettable Fire – the original album, a 2nd disc of bonus tracks, a DVD documentary and a really nice hard cover book.

DVDs purchased – again mostly available in HK but cheaper to buy there

* The Story of Roxy Music – More Than This – had been debating on this, again a cheap copy at Amoeba helped make up my mind

* Wings of Desire – one of my all time favorite films gets the Criterion Blu-Ray treatment, no way I could resist because the DVD I have of this looks like shit

* Third Man – I wasn’t going to spring for this Criterion Blu-Ray, I’m happy enough with the standard def disc, till I found out this was going out of print. If you’ve seen it, you know it’s a fucking amazing film. If you haven’t seen it, what’s wrong with you?

* Howard’s End – Merchant/Ivory get the Criterion Blu-Ray treatment. (Noticing a trend here? In the past I’ve bought as many Criterion releases as possible and rarely been disappointed; their Blu-Rays are even better.)

* Monsoon Wedding “and Seven Short Films” – yes, another Criterion Blu-Ray

* Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – the complete 9 disc set sold only via the net by Time/Life

* Food, Inc – bought this because I thought it was important for my mom to see it. I wanted to leave the disc with her after we watched it, told her she should loan it to all her friends, she said none of her friends have DVD players so it stays with me.