Sometimes the junk shop turns up a gem. Found today in the loveable and very grungy Salvation Army store was the Very Best of Grin featuring Nils Lofgren.
On the back is a wonderful essay explaining how Lofgren should pay with the Stones in fact he may be the perfect Stones member. It also recounts his career up to 1976, the sidekick of Neil Young, member of Crazy Horse and general musical prodigy. Unknown at this time was his future membership in the E. Street Band and his general ability to be the other guitar player probably really better than the other guy.
Anyway I have never heard anything by Grin but they are pretty darn fun rockers in the vein of all Lofgren’s heroes. A little Stones, Youngian rock out with some heartfelt and sensitive lyrics. Well worth the 50c and the time to clean up.
It also has a seriously creepy album cover that must have done wonders for sales in the late 70’s.
timeweleftthisworldtoday 
A good find. I’ve been fortunate to see Nils a few times at a local small venue and he’s a wonderful performer, well worth catching.
I am hopeful one day to see him, does he really pull that flip move still?
Sometimes, with the aid of a little trampette, he certainly still whirls around as he plays. The last time I saw him, he started by playing a harp – the one with strings, not the one you blow! Much underrated I think.
This has made my day, how rock and roll, a trampette, this is almost up there with Roger Daltrey’s humidifier.
Yes Nils is much underrated forever the sideman although his songwriting is more consistent often than his bosses.
I saw this today when I was rooting through the record stall at my dad’s antique centre – the cover totally put me off buying it!
You should have bought it, it’s really quite good
Not sure if want that looking at me …
This must be great! I should start scoping out thrifty antiqu-y places. That cover…it would make an excellent converted welcome mat.
But surely not very welcoming…
The irony 🙂
Ah yes the hipster motive
Haha! Oh no…I need to shake that label. Or orientation. Or whatever.
Embrace the otherness of hipsterdom
Seems that I’ll have to!