#hypesticker

Today (July 25) is the 30th anniversary of this landmark album—the Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique.” This is my original pressing, amazingly still sealed with the hype sticker. I always believe that records are meant to be opened and played, but when I stumbled across this a few years ago, I felt the weight of history upon me to keep it as-is and intact. A commercial disappointment when it came out, the LP has gone on to become considered a classic and with good reason—it’s fun!


A nice find today—Simple Minds’ 1984 album, Sparkle in the Rain, has long been a staple of my collection, but I spotted a copy with the original hype sticker and a Tower Records price tag, all for a mere $3. A nice plus is that it’s the first US pressing—you can tell because if you hold the black vinyl up to the light, it turns out it’s really a deep violet. A&M was experimenting with some special audiophile vinyl back then, and that’s how you spot it. The only other album I know of with it was the first pressing of The Police’s classic Synchronicity.

Sure, whatever sells the product.

MY CLASSIC ROCK HYPE STICKER COLLECTION!