When I entered college just after graduating high school in 1986, there was a new band from my neck of the woods that just spoke to me. The band was call The Rainmakers and they were from Missouri.
It wasn't just the Rainmaker's music that caught my attention but also the lyrics themselves. Many of the band's songs from their early days referenced locations and attitude that you can only understood fully if you were from Kansas or Missouri. And the "big city" they referenced most in their songs was my hometown of Kansas City. I was such an early fan that I remember this band wasn't always introduced as the Rainmakers but also as the band "formerly called Steve, Bob, and Rich".
The first time I saw the Rainmakers live was when they played in the Student Union at the University of Kansas. That show was so long ago that I don't remember a whole lot about their performance. What I do remember is the crowd of dorm friends that came with me to watch the show, the music was fantastic, and the venue sucked for short people like me. Unfortunately, I also remember that the band's smoke machine on stage caused somebody elsewhere in the building to trigger the fire alarm which in turn prompted the show to end early. My friends and I ended our evening outside the student union seeing the fire trucks line-up to put out a fire that didn't exist.
Despite the show's shortcomings, the event still inspired me to make a number of album purchases on cassette and compact discs for the years that followed. Typical of someone my age from that era, I never bought this band's music via vinyl records...until now. This month I purchased my first Rainmakers vinyl record which in turn is their first album from 1986. My vinyl copy of The Rainmakers is also my first album I have ever purchased via Discogs. I'm pleased to say the album delivered by UPS is in great condition. Although the album cover is slightly worn and may have been cut, the sleeve and vinyl record itself is in near mint condition given the age of this album (manufactured almost 35 years ago!).
So here I am, listening to the The Rainmakers as the days have long gone long into years. Yet listening to this album, I somehow feel I'm 18 years old all over again. If you get a chance, find this album and take a listen yourself. It's simply one of the best albums you'll ever listen to at the end of your day.
Note: If you have an interest in playing your music in vinyl but currently do not own a record player, check out my list of turntables that I think are worth your consideration to purchase.