Author Archives: blacksheepspringfield

I’m Drinkobius-999

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We had a Megadeth release party at The Mall right before everything went to poop with the winter weather last weekend. Well actually things were going to poop in our back room during the party with a sewer backup but that’s all fine now. Here is the winner of the signed poster!

For this week, we have this hardcore show is happening Downtown this Thursday.

Here are the new vinyl releases coming to both stores on Friday!

– A colored anniversary pressing for ALICE IN CHAINS self-titled album from 1995! (Looks like a yellowish greenish to me). This one had been previously unavailable to us until now.
– MICHAEL JACKSON greatest hits compilation “Number Ones” on double black vinyl!
– The soundtrack for STRANGER THINGS SEASON 5! This is just black vinyl, however comes with sticker and a poster.
– The new album from LEON THOMAS III, American R&B singer, “Pholks” out on black inside of silver vinyl.
– KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD have a new demos compilation and it’s out on splatter vinyl!
– The seventh studio album from punk band JOYCE MANOR, called “I Used To Go To This Bar” – on black vinyl and also exclusive yellow.

This week Pepperoni picked Geese

“Not to be confused with jam band “Goose,” we now have herds of music fans coming in asking for this GEESE band and their new album “Getting Killed.” Who is Geese and where did they come from?? They are a New York band that has been around since 2016 lead by 23 year old vocalist / guitarist Cameron Winter who also has a solo album of his own. Genre-wise this is a type of experimental art or indie rock that I find hard to describe (do I hear horns in there?) Maybe you’ll like it, maybe you won’t. I just might need a couple more listens to understand.”

We recently moved around some arcade games. We now have Super Mario Bros free to play at our mall store. Galaga was sitting here and has now moved back to the arcade downtown.

Men At Work AND Shonen Knife

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Karaoke downtown this Friday! for a good cause and everything

Also on Friday at the Mall we’re having a Megadeth album release party. Megadeth’s final studio album (after being a band since 1983) is coming out THIS Friday and we are having a release party at our mall location at 6:00pm that day (January 23rd)! We’ll be raffling off a signed poster from the band, giving out alternative album covers with each purchase, and playing the new album in full!

Here are this Friday’s hot new vinyls

– MEGADETH with their final and self titled studio album… we’ve already been told our order is getting cut in HALF for this one and it’s not looking good for us receiving the indie exclusive variant. So whatever copies we do get will be reserved for our album release party at 6pm at Dumber Records in the mall! Come out to that to snag one, we will still have alternative covers to give out with each purchase!
– DE LA SOUL are here with their ninth studio album and first in close to ten years, “Cabin In The Sky”. We should have a couple of different variants of this.
– THE FORMAT, 2000’s indie pop band are here with a comeback album “Boycott Heaven” and we will have copies on that cream colored vinyl.
– American rock band KINGS OF LEON are here with “EP #2” and we will have copies on red vinyl.
– Heavy metal act / singer POPPY is here with her sixth studio album “Empty Hands” and we have a couple of different variants coming in.
– Looks like DAVID BOWIE’s “Station To Station” is getting a 50th anniversary half-speed remastering! We will have copies out on Friday.

This week Pepperoni picked Megadeth

“Who’s ready for another 80’s metal pick? This is Megadeth’s 1988 album “So Far, So Good… So What!” It’s got some fast and technical playing here – I gotta say I listened in full in the store earlier and I was surprised to hear a cover of the Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy In The U.K.” on here! Come get your thrash metal fix and get you a copy.

The Seven Inch Bandit

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Howdy Pardners, we just roped in a new pinball for ya’ll! This here be MUSTANG from 1977. It’s one of them ding-dong kinda machines. It’s got drop targets. It’s got rollovers, and it’s got saucers kickers and bumpers. Check it out at our downtown arcade YEE-HAAW

Our 12 Year Anniversary Sale is still going on through this Friday. Also we have another batch of new vinyl releases on Friday too!

– MADISON BEER, singer songwriter is here with her third studio album “Locket.” available on black vinyl.
– CAVETOWN, which is an indie-rock solo project is here with a new album “Running With Scissors” (black vinyl).
– EMINEM with a soundtrack to a new documentary film called “Stans” – which is about the rapper’s career and fans? Out on black and red mixed vinyl.
– American rapper A$AP ROCKY with his 4th studio album “Don’t Be Dumb” on black and white vinyl. Don’t be Dumb… come to Dumb Records and buy it.
– LIZZY MCALPHINE with “Older (And Wiser)”, the deluxe edition of her latest album which came out last year.

This week Pepperoni picked an odd choice for the Pixies, what the heck Pep.

“I know, it’s a wonder why I haven’t picked an album by Pixies as my pick of the week at this point. I think a little over a year ago everyone in the store shared one spotify account and when our “wrapped” came out, Pixies were the number one band that we all agreed upon. While most would probably argue between “Surfer Rosa” or “Doolittle” being their best albums, I am throwing a little bit of a curve ball by choosing their 3rd album from 1990 “Bossa Nova” as my official pick. I’d say this is an all around great start for anyone getting into the band! Some of my favorite songs on this one are “Dig For Fire,” “Hangwire” and of course “Allison”. Enjoy!”

Blind PictureDisc Johnson, One Of The Greats

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We just got our downtown store cleaned up on Jan 1st, and sufficiently undid all that with the Goth Night and Hardcore show right.

This Friday we’re hosting a hip-hop show downtown.

Then Saturday starts our 12 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SALE, plus ILLINOIS VINTAGE FAIR Saturday and Sunday! Both stores are running the sale, the vintage fair is happening downtown. That’s right we’ve been around for 12 years! That’s 12 years of people asking us if we’re another recycled records or somethin.

Finally we’re back to Friday releases again! Here are this Friday’s hot new vinyls

– RAMONES Greatest Hits being re-issued on clear vinyl as part of the Rhino “Start Your (y)Ear Off Right” series.
– Also a part of the same series, the FIGHT CLUB ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK being pressed to double pink vinyl!
– Then two STEELY DAN albums that had been pretty unavailable on vinyl before now – 2000’s “Two Against Nature” and 2003 “Everything Must Go”
– Then we got two BLUE NOTE TONE POET REISSUES:
– Hank Mobley “Hank”
– and Tyrone Washington “Natural Essence”

This week Pepperoni picks Kid A

“One thing’s for sure – getting through the holiday season it is harder than ever for us to keep RADIOHEAD albums in stock. The kids can’t get enough of this Radiohead band, what’s up with that? Well, here is my fourth ever Radiohead pick… we’ve had “The Bends” we’ve had “OK Computer,” we’ve had “In Rainbows”… now here is their 2000 album “KID A.” The first Radiohead album to chart number one on the US Billboard 200, it didn’t even have any hit singles and is filled with mostly experimental post-rock ambient sounding stuff. I even don’t know if I get it, but the kids seem to love it.”

Do You Have A Sandwich?

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It’s Christmas Eve and we’re still here dishing out the records

This week Pepperoni picked Ozzy again

“We’re down to my last two picks of the year, I better make them good. We lost many legends in the music world here in 2025 – R.I.P. Brian Wilson and Sly Stone were two big ones, Roberta Flack, Chuck Mangione, Terry Reid, D’Angelo, Jimmy Cliff, (the list goes on really). Of course we all know that OZZY is high up on that list as he gave us one final performance sitting down in a mighty throne with the whole world watching and then he died just a few days later. What a life that man had, with Black Sabbath shaping metal music for years to come and then his solo career. This is his second solo album “Diary Of A Madman” which came out in 1981. It does not have Crazy Train on it but I think it is still good.”

I Saw Santa Using the Mall Employee Service Entrance

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It’s the week before Christmas and we’re certainly going through the ringer over here. First the big snow cancelled all our events last Saturday. And just last night all of our lighting went out at once in the main area of our downtown store.

But we’re still hanging in there. DIY till ya die right?

This week Pepperoni picks Primus

“Alright this one’s for all you 90’s freaks out there. This 1993 album by Primus, “Pork Soda” sounds just about as weird as the album title. I’m not sure if it’s metal, funk, punk, or what. You’ve got your funky bass licks and you got a guy rambling on about who knows what and I can hardly understand a word he says. This one includes songs “My Name Is Mud” and also the Christmas hit “Mr. Krinkle.” Enjoy!”

I Need Some Sugar

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It is the season when all parents and grandparents come to our stores trying to figure out how to get all these wacked out vinyls for their kids and loved ones. One way to make this easy is a Dumb Records Gift Card! These can be used at either store.

Tonight we have this show going on Downtown

This week Pepperoni picked Twin Peaks

“(Twin Peaks theme plays) Diane… it is 11:30am, Thursday December 10th. We are entering the town of Twin Peaks. There’s a waterfall. 106 miles to Chicago a full tank of gas and a half pack of cigarettes. Diane, if you ever get up this way, that cherry pie is worth a stop. That’s the best cup of coffee I ever tasted.”

Have you sat on Santa’s lap yet at the mall? While you’re there, be sure to check out our tree. They have a whole bunch of Christmas trees at the mall to check out.

I’m Too Young To Know Who Mac Miller Is

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We had a Record Store Day Black Friday last weekend, and then a bunch of snow instead of Small Business Saturday. Who needs small businesses anyway, they’re always whining about getting the shaft all the time anyway.

Both stores had the goods and lines. Everyone behaved and made it the best Black Friday to date, good job!

This Friday we have another batch of new releases!
– KHRUANGBIN “The Universe Smiles Upon You II” this is actually 10 new renditions of Khruangbin’s first album! Out on double LP, white vinyl!
– JELLY ROLL has two re-issues for earlier albums “Self Medicated” and “A Beautiful Disaster” out on Friday, black vinyl.
– OLIVIA RODRIGO “Live From Glastonbury” double LP – looks like the records are two different shades of blue!
– A re-issue of the 1981 punk album from GUN CLUB, “Fire of Love”
– Big time punk rock band NOFX releasing the first volume of a new rarities comp, “A to H”.
– MAC MILLER with a triple LP deluxe edition of his 2015 album “GO:OD AM” – there are a couple of different variations but one has yellow, white, and clear vinyl.

Eric Carr’s Pee

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Oh it’s that time again. The time when we gulp down our thanksgiving dinner and get back to work on setting up for Black Friday Record Store Day!

Both stores will have the goods. All but a few more minor titles will be at both stores. We’ve publishe a list of titles where we only have 1 copy and which store will have those. Otherwise you can expect to see the rest at either store (assuming it’s still there when you make it in).

Both stores open at 8am. You can start lining up at the mall at 6am. You can start the line downtown whenever you crazies desire.

We will have 50 shirts and 50 bags at each location (100 shirts and 100 bags total). Free for the first 100 in line at either store will be able to snatch one of these!

Also starting Black Friday we will be offering our 2025 Ornaments at 11.99. These are made locally by Jeff’s Cat wife and there will be a limited supply.

This week Pepperoni picked Sublime

“It’s time for another 90’s classic. I’ve already picked Operation Ivy, but it’s time to strike big with another 90’s ska-punk adjacent pick: Sublime. This 1996 album was released right after singer Bradley Nowell had passed away – unfortunately the band could not tour on the huge success of the album. It’s got hits that you all know and love like “Santeria” and “What I Got” however I prefer circle pitting in my living room to the more punk cuts such as “Paddle Out.”

This Saturday we’ll be hosting a real heck’uva reunion show assuming we survive the possible snow. Tickets are available online to help make sure you secure your spot.

I Forgot About Wasabi Baby

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This Saturday we’re hosting a listening party for Wicked For Good at the Mall at 6pm. We’ve got lots of giveaways and items you can get with purchase of the album! We’ll have copies of Wicked For Good as well as the original Wicked on hand.

Also this Friday we have this show going on downtown.

Here are the Friday releases this week:

– THE BEATLES boy it’s not often that we have new stuff from THE BEATLES… here they are with “Anthology 4” – rare studio outtakes and more, all songs that have never made it to vinyl.
– WICKED: FOR GOOD (the soundtrack) on double black LP – of course we are having a listening party for this one 6pm Saturday at the mall! There is another (picture disc) version coming out for Black Friday as well!
– AEROSMITH and YUNGBLUD giving us a collaborative EP called “One Last Time” – does that mean they are finally going to give Springfield the concert they’ve owed us for decades??
– A reissue of JERRY GARCIA and DAVID GRISMAN “Not For Kids Only”
– A reissue of KORN’s 2005 album “See You On The Other Side” on double magenta vinyl.
– The soundtrack from the hit 2025 film “Sinners”

This week Pepperoni picked Tears For Fears

“How about a nice, real nice, 80’s pick? This is an album that if an original copy used ever comes in, it’s snatched up off the shelves within a matter of minutes. Every time. Tears For Fears 1985 album “Songs From The Big Chair” is THE album you all crave, that multi platinum Brittish pop-rock duo with the HITS “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” “Head Over Heels,” and “Shout” (really the whole album is great). It just hit its 40th anniversary and I tell you what this is a timeless classic. We still have a few copies of the anniversary of coke bottle clear vinyl over here!”

We had a good time last week with Nil8, Acid Fog, and Evan VS Michael playing our store! Thanks to all who came and all who are commenting about not knowing it was happening.