The Vinyl Record From Iowa That Is Now Worth Thousands
I have been collecting vinyl records for a number of years. I got into the hobby when my parents dropped off some of their old LPs one afternoon. They were into artists like The Beatles and The Beach Boys when they were growing up. I purchased my first cheap record player and I was hooked. I've since upgraded my turntable twice, and have a cataloged record collection of over 160 LPs. I have a few records in my collection that are worth a decent amount of money. But nothing like a rare rock album from the 1970s produced right here in Eastern Iowa.
So what locally produced record could be worth thousands today? In case you need to go through your old collection of vinyl the record is called 'No Rest For The Wicked' by a band called Truth and Janey. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that the BillyLee Janey of Ryan, Iowa wrote most of the songs along with fellow band member Steve Bock. The music is best categorized as progressive blues/rock. Janey told the Gazette that at the time of the first pressing at AR Studios in Ames, he guessed only 1,500 to 2,000 copies were produced.
The Gazette reports that the album has been reissued several times, so collectors will want to make sure the carefully check that they're getting an original. And just how much does an original copy of 'No Rest For The Wicked' go for? I looked up several on eBay. One listed for nearly $1400 while another was asking $1700! I found several copies on sale at Discogs for even more! So what makes the album so great and worth such big money? Janey told the Gazette "...its really great music. It was recorded well. It has everything that makes a great record." And that has music fans willing to shell out big bucks for an original copy.
The band Truth and Janey formed back in 1971, according to the Gazette. Janey played lead guitar and sang lead vocals. Steve Bock played bass and background vocals, Denis Bunce played the drums. The band disbanded in 1976 due to the disco craze. Bock passed away ten years ago while Bunce still lives in Cedar Rapids. The Gazette reports that the album's cover art was shot at a construction site in Cedar Rapids.