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From The Desk Of The Feelies: My Original Copy Of “Trout Mask Replica”

“Stay the course. Keep on trying.” So sings Glenn Mercer on the Feelies’ In Between, their sixth album and second since rebooting in 2008. Last year, the Haledon, N.J., band founded by guitarists Mercer and Bill Million celebrated its 40th anniversary. Crazy Rhythms, their frenetic, classic debut, arrived in 1980, but they waited six years for their second, the comparatively sedate The Good Earth. That was the first Feelies album with the band’s current lineup of Mercer, Million, bassist Brenda Sauter, drummer Stan Demeski and percussionist Dave Weckerman. After the (relatively) quick run of three albums between 1986 and 1991, the band retired until Sonic Youth coaxed a reunion in 2008 that led to sporadic touring and to 2011’s Here Before. The Feelies will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on them.

Demeski: I got my first copy of this for Christmas 1973, during my eighth grade year of grammar school. That one was a mid-’70s Reprise issue. I guess about five years later, my friend picked this copy up for me at Second Coming Records in Greenwich Village. While I like Lick My Decals Off, Baby a little more, well, this an incredible LP. It’s like an LSD trip on vinyl. It’s not an easy listen but John French’s drumming is one of the most original and interesting musical statements ever. His playing made me realize you didn’t have to play standard drum beats. Mint condition with lyric sheet.