My favorite topic for videos, my second favorite topic for cards

 

So, way back before my vacation started, more than three weeks ago now, I met Angus of Dawg Day Cards for lunch.

He was passing through town on his way to a concert. I was one day away from vacation with a ton of crap to get done, but we made it work and settled into our usual Buffalo Wild Wings spot -- like literally the same table -- to talk sports card shop.

 

Angus showed up offering gifts, as he often does. We had a bit of a wait before our meals appeared so I dug into the cards right away.

 

Although the selection contained the usual baseball, I'd say the highlight were the music cards, particularly one music card set.

 

Music is my second-favorite card thing to collect after baseball. Yes, even more than football or anything else. I think I've made that obvious on this blog. Music rivals baseball for my main interest all the time. As an example, which I've mentioned prior, music dominates the videos I watch by A LOT.

 

It's my main reason for clicking on youtube after a hard day's night. Music discussions, music documentaries, music chart reviews, music album reviews, music concerts, you name it. In fact, here are the three main topics I watch on youtube:

 

1. Music content

2. Baseball, specifically old games, current highlights, etc.

3. Workout/fitness content (because I'm old)

 

What topic is conspicuous by its absence there? That's right, sports cards.

 

I find card-related channels kind of dull and/or annoying. They don't hold my interest. I would rather read about cards on my own time, at my own rate, than sit and stare at somebody (well at their hands anyway) discussing cards. It doesn't help that a lot of sports card videos have been plagued by the worst elements of the modern hobby -- what's hot, slabs, investing, and non-stop rookie discussion.

 

In general, I'm a quiet guy who would prefer that more people use their inside voice. So, I'll pick writing over talking almost every time. (It's also why I don't understand Alexa or Siri for able-bodied people. I can do stuff -- let me do it).

 

So, anyway, I got off topic there. Angus gave me a nice selection of music cards.

 

This stack is from that bizarre 1979 Donruss Rock Stars set. I showed some of these a long time ago. There are just four bands featured here -- Queen, Kiss, the Village People and The Babys. All four were popular at the time, but the reasoning for this set is lost on me.

But thanks to Angus, I have all but three cards in the set. Probably should finish it off now.

He also gave me a few oddballs from the 1991 MusiCards set. There are a couple of variations, including the famed uncensored (but censored here) Dread Zeppelin card. There's also one of the promos featuring M.C. Hammer. I'm not collecting those (I consider my Musi-Cards set complete) but it's nice to have.

 

But my favorite music cards in the box were these:

 

I had never heard of these before, although Angus said Fuji posted about them at one point (who knows, I probably read it and commented on it and don't remember any of it). They're from the 1985 Rock Star Concert cards.

I have no knowledge on how these were released or where they were released.

I really love these, mostly because they scream the 1980s. The colors, the design. It is very much an '80s MTV look and most of these acts were familiar MTV subjects.

One color is devoted to each act, and the bands also get cards for individual performers.

I think whoever manufactured these tried to stick with artists that were considered rock n' roll or new wave at the time (Wham! seems wildly out of place here, but they were pegged as "new wave" in their early days).

There are just 20 acts featured in the 108-card set.

That's a sampling of each of the '80s acts shown. I know all of them quite well. Probably the best indication of this set being issued in 1985 are cards of Ratt.

The backs contain detailed write-ups on each subject, along with vitals (birthday, hometown, instruments played). I'm normally not a fan of sets with rounded corners, but it fits with the MTV vibe.

Angus nearly had the entire set for me. I just need a couple more Pat Benatar cards and one Huey Lewis card.

So that was all the music content in the box (phew, some of you are saying). Angus threw in a couple of non-baseball sports cards from my interests:

The 1984 Joe Ferguson card is appreciated, that 1984 Topps set just doesn't pop up as often as other 1980s sets.

 

Also in the box were three old Baseball Card Magazine inserts of the star Dodger attraction at that time, I think these are all from 1993 and the backs are all about the price of his cards and "the investor says."

 

Here we go! A bunch of 1990 Swell! Is Billy Sample in every Swell set from this time? Seems like it, and good for Swell if so.

The Swell cards though were dwarfed by another legends set from the same time.

 

Yes I had to stand on a chair to take this picture. That is all from the 1989 Pacific Legends set. I'm down to needing just three or four -- the variations on TCDB making it confusing again -- to finish this portion of the set.

See, I got around to baseball eventually.

 

Because baseball is my first favorite topic for collecting cards.