Category: Vinyl / Tunes Blog

LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD

Exhausted, George Harrison entered 1973 on the heels of The Concert for Bangladesh, the first multi-artist fundraiser in Rock. It turned out to be less of the charitable event than he had hoped for, even with multi-million dollar sales from the subsequent film and album. Continue reading “”

EXILE ON MAIN STREET

Here’s an album released by The Rolling Stones 42 years ago that still has people talking…

In the spring of 1971 the Rolling Stones left Britain evading taxes. Mick Jagger settled in Paris, and guitarist Keith Richards rented a villa near Nice, France. The other members followed, along with the band’s mobile recording truck (and some unknown substances). They chose Richard’s chateau basement to record this double album that summer, widely regarded as the group’s best release. Continue reading “”

OUT OF AFRICA

100 years ago Karen Blixen asked her lover’s brother to marry her and travel from Denmark to Kenya to start a farm. Seventy years later Sydney Pollack made a film about the story starring Robert Redford (who played Denys George Finch Hatton) and Merryl Streep (who played Baroness Karen Blixen).

Critic Roger Ebert described the resulting 1985 Acadamy award-winning film this way, “Out of Africa is a great movie to look at, breathtakingly filmed on location. It is a movie with the courage to be about complex, sweeping emotions, and to use the star power of its actors without apology.” I agree. Continue reading “”

THE BEATLES FIRST ALBUM

Fifty years ago, the album Please Please Me was released in the U.K. A pop music phenomenon, this debut stayed at number 1 for 30 weeks until it was replaced by the band’s second LP, With The Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr at the beginning. Continue reading “”

PINK MOON REISSUE BOX SET

Here’s my vote for 2012’s top reissued piece of vinyl.

The newly released box set LP of Nick Drake’s phenomenal 1972 album, Pink Moon, was done right. Mastered with care from the original master tapes, EQd all analog, 180g record pressed at the highly regarded German Optimal plant with excellent quality control (my copy is flat and quiet), and presented in custom packaging that only adds to the experience. Continue reading “”

PLEASE PLEASE ME

Fifty years ago the single “Please Please Me” was released in the U.K. The Beatles B-side was originally “Ask Me Why” but later switched to “From Me To You” on the U.S. release. Composed by John Lennon, with help from producer George Martin, PPM went on to become the group’s first #1 hit. Their first 7″ record, “Love Me Do / P.S. I Love You” (with Andy White on drums), failed to top the charts due to lack of promotion as The Beatles were still playing in Hamburg, Germany. Continue reading “”

NEIL YOUNG – PSYCHEDELIC PILL

The recently released album Psychedelic Pill by Neil Young is now available on vinyl. This 3-LP package is sumptuously packaged and all analogue.

The result is one the best sounding Neil Young records ever. When the songs are this good, and LPs are done this right, it’s cause for celebration… even with this pricey edition. Continue reading “”

DR. NO TURNS 50

Released in the Fall of 1962, an action thriller called Dr. No was unleashed on an unsuspecting public. The film starred a suave British secret agent with codename 007 and a license to kill: “Bond, James Bond.” Moviegoers were also introduced to the Ian Fleming book characters “M”, “Q” and “Miss Moneypenny”.

The debut Bond movie featured the iconic Sean Connery, as well as one of the agent’s top villains, the overachieving “Dr. No”, a brilliant power hungry madman. Of course, both were upstaged by bikini clad Ursula Andress as “Honey Ryder”. Continue reading “”

NEW BEATLES VINYL FROM EMI

I came across a copy of this LP just released today at my local record store: The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – in stereo.

I know what you’re thinking… “Wasn’t this famous record with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr at the top released in 1967? And, Randy, don’t you have the original UK, US, German, and Japanese pressings from that year, plus a bunch more?” Well, yes actually it was, and yes actually I do. Continue reading “”

I’M NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE

Just back from Salina, Kansas where I photographed Blue Heaven Studios’ 15th Annual Blues Masters at the Crossroads concerts. The live music was inspirational and aided by the superb acoustics in the converted church studio. It was a fun-filled weekend hanging out with Michael Fremer, Chad Kassem, Kevin Gray and many others. Continue reading “”

THE CARS – LET’S GO!

It was the summer of 1978. The Cars were moving in stereo. They let the good times roll and were just what I needed.

As it turns out, The Cars were just what another million music fans needed too. Recorded at London’s AIR studios, their debut record was so fresh and appealing that it instantly became an AM radio favorite and went Platinum in six months. Continue reading “”