PRODUCT DETAILS
Well-known bluesman and one-time Oklahoman Bill Homans, known in the blues world as "Watermelon Slim" and known by '70s rare psychedelic vinyl collectors as "Merry Airbrakes" found work as forklift driver, funeral officiator, small-time criminal, newspaper reporter, saw miller, and truck driver for industrial waste among others. In 1979, Slim and a friend came to Oklahoma and wound up in Pushmataha County, where he bought a piece of land and took up watermelon farming. That vocation didn't last, but the nickname he got doing it did. It was in Vietnam, while laid up by an extended illness at a Cam Ranh Bay hospital, that Homans negotiated in French the five dollar purchase of his first guitar from a "papasan" in a tiny commissary on the hospital grounds. "It was the nastiest old guitar you ever saw, but it did have all six strings on it," he said. There, with a Zippo lighter and a broken shard of a coffee can top, he began to teach himself to play his unique, backwards style of bottleneck slide. After returning stateside he would join the ranks of Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), and in 1973 recorded with his brother and friends an LP titled Merry Airbrakes, a protest album he categorized as "psychedelic folk." A cut from that record eventually appeared on a Country Joe McDonald compilation of music by Vietnam veterans. However, his music career would soon tank. A brief career in petty crime ensued, which he would forsake by 1978.What is an underground album? Some people would say that it is one which has been produced outside, or in spite, of the music industry, whether or not it has prospered. This album, Merry Airbrakes, has incontrovertible underground credentials.This may be one of the only albums one can hear by a Vietnam veteran, and aside from certain American bluesmen, John Prine, and a literal handful of others, American music has never addressed the Vietnam War and it's effects. Certainly it is the only place one can ever hear a song from the Vietnamese point of view.
Tracklist:
- Vigilante Man
- Frog Song
- The Bearded Man
- Quang Tri City
- Even Those Among Us
- Draft Board Blues
- Three Hearts
- A Happy Song for Hanoi
- Preacher Song 1
- Tribute to Frankie
UPC: 719104892625
Label: Scissor Tail
Release Date: 4.12.19
Format: Vinyl Record
SHIPPING & RETURNS
SHIPPING
- No dinged corners: All orders hand-packed by vinyl lovers using sturdy mailers specifically designed to protect your records during transit.
- The protection your records deserve: Every order includes free shipping insurance that covers you in case of damage or loss during shipping.
- All you can ship at one rate: $5.99 flat-rate shipping on all domestic orders.
- Protect the planet: Carbon-neutral shipping and mailers made of recycled materials on all orders.
- Read our full shipping policy.
RETURNS
- Change your mind? No problem: No nonsense 30-day return policy on all domestic orders.
- Read our full return policy.
PRODUCT REVIEWS
ABOUT US
For over 10 years, Pale Blue Dot Records has shared and supported your love of vinyl records. We are an independent online record store located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and we’re passionate about music, the vinyl community, and doing our part to protect the environment. Learn more about us here.
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Let customers speak for us
By far, my favorite shop to buy from! Always quick with the delivery! Love tyler the creator and I've been searching for this specific vinyl at a good price!
package shipped well. there was a fragile sticker on the box which was nice, most places don’t put that and vinyls get damaged. package arrived in perfect condition.
Good packaging, product was in good condition and showed up on time great album no problems with any of the vinyls either very happy with it.
I am a huge Bob's Burger Fan and found this album as I was browsing the website. I had to get it immediately. I can believe I came across this on a random Tuesday. Can't thank coming across pale blue records enough. And the delivery is super fast. Can't wait for my next purchase.
Super fast shipping, packing done well. Exactly as described. The customer service and product choice is why I keep coming back.
Perfectly packaged, no warping, clear sound. Will definitely purchase from Pale Blue Dot Records again.
I ordered this on Friday later in the day and Tuesday morning it was at my doorstep. Insanely fast shipping and came in PERFECT condition. i’ve been looking everywhere for this edition and so happy it came back in stock. Thank you Pale Blue Dot Records!!!! 🩷🩷
Would definitely buy from Pale Dot Records again. The delivery was fast and the records sounds great!
Purchased as a Christmas gift for my 29 year old son. Can't wait for him to open. Packaged with care and timely shipping. Positive experience!
Vinyls arrived in perfect condition, expertly packed, and 3 days from the date of purchase (over the Thanksgiving holiday, no less). Could not be more pleased. Thanks so much!
We received our vinyl fast, it was fairly price, and they had a great selection to choose from. One record we purchased had an issue on the track, and the owner was quick to resolve the issue for us. I’ll be purchasing all of our records from this store moving forward!
The records and the sleeve are really nice. Pacific Dot Records blew me away with shipping it out like, immediately after I ordered it. Arrived well protected and perfect. No complaints.
fast shipping, great communication, and awesome staff. very responsive with messages too. can’t wait to purchase from them again
Records arrived inside the special record boxes, unopened, and in pristine condition. They didn't very long to begin the shipping either. Some places make you wait 3-5 days just to have it shipped out. They did not.
This is not about the product. I've ordered from PBD before and the Vinyls that come from them are wonderful and pressed really well!
This review is more on customer service.
USPS seemed to have goofed around a bit and cause a delay of about 1.5 weeks. Tristan was a highly communicative person and was reassuring with the options I had regarding if my order never arrived. Good sense of humor, accountability, and customer satisfaction. The Sweetwater of vinyl shops. Officially my vinyl go to!