For those of you that follow my good friend, Mr. Red Clay Soul, you will know that I occasionally guest write for the RCS blog. Perhaps that is where many of you got to know me and have found your way to this little personal blog, Big Haint Blue. Today, we have “co-posted” companion pieces pecked out with inspiration from the cocktail table book, 

BOOZE AND VINYL: A SPIRITED GUIDE TO GREAT MUSIC AND MIXED DRINKS*.  I felt I was getting a little wordy on RCS, but was on a roll so thought I’d continue the cookbook of great Albums and Drink Recipes here . . .

A little Nostalgia…

Phil Collins. No Jacket Required. 1985

Virgin and Atlantic. Produced by Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham

Liner Notes: No Jacket Required is Collins third solo album. We all know the songs and they are ultra chill despite their poppy commercial feel. Think: “Don’t Lose my Number”, Sussudio”, and “One More Night”. Rather than fully criticize Collins or Genesis for that matter, it might be better to refer you to the whole chapter devoted to the subject in the Brett Easton Ellis novel, American Psycho. 

When to Spin: Stay Home Date Night

Before you Drop the Needle: Set an uptown apartment vibe. No Jacket creates background ambience on a date night of take-out eaten right from the cartons, eventually rolling up the volume for a little silly dancing, and a chill evening on the sofa.

Strawberry Champagne

• Veuve Clicquot Brut
• float a neatly sliced fresh Strawberry

Skip the flute and serve in a coupe glass. Class it up with an ice filled bottle-valet and a neatly tied kitchen towel.

Baby Guinness

• 1 ounce Patron Cafe
• .5 ounce Baileys 

In a two- three ounce expresso glass first pour the dark Patron and carefully float the Baileys cream above.  While served as a shot and aptly named for looking like a miniature Guinness pint, it makes a great evening ending nightcap that can be sipped.

Huey Lewis and the News. Sports. 1983

Chrysalis Records. Produced by Huey Lewis and the News

Liner Notes: Okay, the eighties Patrick Bateman thing has me going. This was album holds some of my favorite songs from elementary school that I was sure I would never listen to as long as I live by the time I reached middle school. And then it happened, I found a old crate and spun it- and I had to listen again and again. The heart beat at the beginning of the album is corny as hell as is the song that follows, but you will make it through the “Heart of Rock and Roll”- probably finding yourself doing a little white boy boogie if no-one is looking. If you make it that far, you will encounter “Heart and Soul”, which is just purely a badass song. Some of the album becomes an in-between, “I want a New Drug” is nostalgic for those of us that heard it on the radio a thousand times. By the time you hit “If This Is It” you are in a mood, a good mood. Maybe there is something about the sports-bar cover art, but I’ve spun to Sports more than once when shooting pool with house guests.

When to Spin: Game Night with House Guests

Before you Drop the Needle: Taunt you macho friends. Get out the dart board, rack the pool table, deal a few dozen hands of mid-stakes blackjack on the side. Keep score.

Brown Water on the Rocks

Bourbon: Get a great single barrel like Blantons

Scotch: Get a great single malt like McCallan Fine Oak 15

Serve in Whiskey Tumblers with a large single ice cube and nice cocktail napkins. Be generous with the good stuff- you’ll get their money in the gaming.

I have a funny feeling this is going to become a regular column so let me know what you think. If you haven’t ever visited RCS or would like to dive into the PART 1 of this muse, with lots of other albums, inspiration to imbibe, and fun cocktail recipes dive over to Red Clay Soul and check it out.

*Booze and Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Mixed Drinks by André Darlington and Tenaya Darlington. Running Press, 2018.