So, What are Your Favorite Vinyl Records?
AND...what's So Great about Vinyl Records and the Great Vinyl Era?
What's So Great about Vinyl Records and the
Great Vinyl Era?
Now they are questions I get asked quite a lot. Another is "Why don't you put all those vinyl records onto CDs? Or just download the music, it's all online!" Online? Are They Kidding? So, I say "Why Should I?...… I love my vinyl !
And I think YOU do to, that's why you are checking out this site!
SO! Why do we love vinyl?
 |
Well, do you remember saving up all your pennies, going to your fave record shop to grab an LP that you have been saving to buy for months? Looking through the racks of albums, having a listen in the shop, then parting with the cash? I certainly do! |
Remember rushing home, holding said vinyl record close to your chest? As soon as you walked through the door, out it comes from the Record Shop Bag, the delicious smell of new vinyl, plastic sleeve clinging to the disc!
Mmmm! Lovely!
And, what about those fold out covers? You do not get those with a CD, or on Spotify or any downloads do you! Sleeve notes with print large enough one could them! Exclusive to....., yes, vinyl records!
Remember?..... How exciting was THAT!
So…what gets one into music in the first place.
I was lucky.
Both my parents were into music. My father was a great jazz piano player, his brother, (lost at Singapore in the war) was a music teacher, playing piano, saxophone and clarinet.
Our home in Sydney featured a very large radio/record player, and we had a huge collection of 78’s.
(…..yes, I’m that old I can remember 78’s!)
Many hours I spent leaning against that large player listening to the 78’s and the radio.
I don’t know what happened to that fine bit of furniture. We moved from Sydney to Adelaide, and I guess it was left in Sydney.
It was a while before my sister bought a very small HMV record player, and I grabbed my first 45.
This player also had “78” capability, so we all got into records again.
And...if you were not around for those exciting vinyl record times........
Well this site is not only
for those old timers (like me!) who were there for the good old days of vinyl records and the
music of the 60’s and 70’s
It is also for
those young music lovers who missed out on this magic time.
They want to find out
what it was all about.
So, if you are one
of those wondering what was so great about vinyl records and that great era.
And what an era it was! great new bands coming out every week!
The Beatles! The Stones! The Yardbirds! The Kinks! And on it went!
Read on!!
Here you will find out about, (or remember!)
Elvis, Elvis The Pelvis, (won't even mention what commentators said about his song "Wear My Ring up around Your Neck!) and Buddy Holly, who inspired so many others.
What was The Great British Invasion, who was part of it and who followed in the Second Wave?
Want to know why Paul McCartney bought that strange bass guitar?
Or how George got into The Beatles?
How did the Rolling Stones get their name?
Who was the Rolling Stones founding member, and what happened to him?
Who was it that sang that song about Money?
Was there really a song called "Do Wah Diddy Diddy?"
Who knocked the Beatles from the No.1 spot for the first time?
Was "Smokestack Lightning" a band or a song?
SO… that is what this site is all about
Vinyl records, and the greatest music era ever!
It is about the great music and great music makers that we can still appreciate on good old vinyl. It is certainly not a concise encyclopedia of the music of the times, but it is a bit of a trip down memory lane, the music that I and my friends enjoyed. We were lucky enough to witness the two biggest events in modern music, the start of Rock and Roll, and the Beatles
It's all about the music and those artists that made the 60's and 70's so unique and exciting. A new great new, exciting band emerging, just about every week! But it is not just about the bands that were huge. We will also talk about the other, bands from that era they you may have forgotten .So...whatever era you are from......
So....check out the site, enjoy it!, contribute to it!
Together we will enjoy the music from the best music era!
So, which band was you're fave back then?
Maybe The Beatles, who started the British Invasion? When did you first hear them? Did you get to see them live? Which one was you're Fave Beatle?
Check them out HERE
Or maybe that superb group of musicians The Hollies, one of the few British Invasion bands to not only survive, but prosper. never trendy, always tight harmonies and great musicianship.
Read all about The Hollies HERE
And Manfred Mann gave us an early taste of Rhythm and Blues. who else could get away with a song titled 5-4-3-2-1?
And, while you are here.....stay and check out......
....the Animals, the gravelly vocals of Eric Burdon! What was the song the record company did not want to release, because it was slow and boring? And later became a HUGE hit. Who did the bass play player discover that became a guitar legend? Find out HERE!
Or check out the British Blues Scene, where it all began. John Mayall, Alexis Korner and the founders of the British Blues.
What's Your Fave AlbumFrom 60 Years Ago?
What was happening way back in 1965? What were the albums you remember most from that year?
Foe me, ‘65bwas a great year. I had been working for a year, had a bit of cash, and loved the music!
I can remember thinking, “what a great time to be around, the 60’s! A new band, new new music coming out every week!
Here are some of the great albums I loved from that era.
The Beatles "Rubber Soul"
Ah, the Beatles Rubber Soul album. Released on Dec. 3, 1965, Rubber Soul was for me, the album the Beatles became a great band, not just a great pop band.
I can remember reading an interview with Paul, he was saying he was going to write a song featuring just one note. And he did, with "Drive My Car."
And of course “Norwegian Wood” was the first appearance of the Sitar, soon to be copied by guitarists everywhere.
I bought it the day it was released. Played it as soon as I got home, drove down and collected my girlfriend (now my wife of 50p+ years!) and played it to her.
Rubber Soul, the Beatles' sixth album, reflected a band that had entirely transformed itself from the fab four mop top pop band that burst onto the scene barely three years earlier. Their previous two efforts, Beatles for Sale and Help!, showed them straining under the weight of Beatlemania but also looking to explore new musical and lyrical territory.
The Byrds "Turn Turn Turn"
It took me a while to get into The Byrds. Mainly because I was right into the Invasion Bands at the time.
But on visiting a fellow vinyl record lover, who had two Byrds records, I rushed out and grabbed "Turn Turn Turn" the very next day. ("Bobs Records" in Adelaide Arcade if any fellow Adelaidean's can remember?)
The actual song, Turn! Turn! Turn!" was adapted by the Byrds from a song written by Pete Seeger back in 1959 .
The Byrds released the song as a single October 1, was also included on the Turn! Turn! Turn!, album, released on December 6, 1965. The version is the most successful recorded version of the song, having reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts and number 26 on the UK Singles Chart. Also on this album that influenced me to grab it is “It Wont Be Long”, “He Was A Friend of Mine” and a classic version of "Oh! Susannah"
More about The Byrds HERE
Kinda Kinks
I got right into the Kinks (with everyone else) on hearing "You Really Got Me". I'd been to their Adelaide concert in January "65 and had bought their first album "Kinks" (the album with sleeve notes asking us all to restore the letter "K" to its rightful place in the English alphabet!") The Kinda Kinks was a very rushed album, being completed and released in a couple of weeks. It took a couple of listening's to get into it as it didn't seem to have the same punch as the first album. "tired of Waiting" was the single, and a hit in the UK and here in Oz. Ray Davies always said the record was to rushed, and some of the overdubs were badly done. Apparently, producer Shel Talmy was trying to capture their live rough edge on vinyl.
Read More on the Kinks HERE
The Who My Generation
Somehow I managed to get this album, just after in came out in December '65 for a bargain price. I think this was the first Who record I bought, from the local record shop here in Blackwood. (Still in business, but don't sell records any more, just stereo gear) It came out in December 1965 and featured the great tracks "My Generation", La-La-La- Lies", "The Kids are Alright" (my Fave) and Legal Matter. It was the Who's first album, and I think still sounds great today.
What's Your Fave Vinyl Record Memories
Tell us your Vinyl Record experience from those great days!
Which bands did you love?
Which ones could you not stand?
Tell us you're stories!
Share them with us!
Enjoy this site? Share with friends!
60 Years Ago This Month! The Show That Stopped A Nation!
In February 1964, an extraordinary event unfolded that would reverberate throughout American culture and music history: "60 Years Ago This Month! A Show that Stopped a Nation!" This event was none other than The Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, a pivotal moment that became a turning point not only for the band but for generations of music fans, forever transforming the American music landscape.
On that fateful evening, Ed Sullivan, the shrewd impresario with a keen eye for talent, introduced to America an unassuming British band with mop-topped hair and an electrifying energy. Ed's decision to bring The Beatles to his show was influenced in part by the monumental impact Elvis Presley had on American audiences just a few years prior when he appeared on the very same stage. Sullivan understood that he was not just offering entertainment; he was showcasing the future of music.
The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show was a spectacle like no other. The band performed five songs across three separate appearances in February 1964, including iconic hits like "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You," and "All My Loving." Their charm, charisma, and groundbreaking sound captivated the viewing audience, many of whom were witnessing the birth of Beatlemania—a cultural phenomenon that swept across the nation and the world.
The reaction from the American audience was immediate and overwhelming. Over 73 million viewers tuned in to witness The Beatles' debut, accounting for roughly 34% of the entire U.S. population at that time. The Beatles' appearance was more than just another musical performance; it was a cultural event that offered a needed distraction and sense of hope for a nation still reeling from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy only months before.
The Ed Sullivan Beatles appearance effect on Americans cannot be overstated. It marked the beginning of a musical revolution. The freshness and vitality of The Beatles' music, coupled with their accessible demeanor, resonated deeply with American youth, who were in search of new heroes and creative inspiration.
Famous Record shop HMV is due to reopen on Oxford Street after a four-year hiatus.
One of my joys of visiting London was always to visit this spot in Oxford Street, so its great to see it back. The HMV logo is special to me, as a large model of it was in the EMI Offices here in Adelaide when I went for my reps job there.
The century-old music chain closed the flagship London store in 2019 after going into administration. It was then taken over by Sunrise Records.
It said the return to 363 Oxford Street was due to a "dramatic turnaround", with HMV returning to profit in 2022.
The first HMV opened there in 1921 and has seen appearances from artists including Edward Elgar, who was part of the opening ceremony, and David Bowie.
The new shop will open on 24 November, and will create 70 new jobs, according to the company.
A spokesperson from HMV said stock will include about 20,000 vinyl albums and CDs, more than 8,000 4k Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVDs, as well as music technology.
HMV shut the store in 2019 after the retail chain tumbled into administration and was forced to axe stores and jobs.
The retailer was rescued from insolvency by Canadian Doug Putman’s Sunrise Records business.
The site, at 363 Oxford Street, had been operating as an American sweet shop following its closure.
However, in April, HMV confirmed it had sealed a deal with the landlord to return to the site.
Mr Putman said he hopes the shop can have “crowds which will shut down the street” again, harking back to memorable visits including Michael Jackson, the Spice Girls and Sir Paul McCartney.
“It is a pretty great moment for us, coming back here after four years away,” he said.
“When we bought the business, we couldn’t keep the site because the rates
Tamla Records Started This Day in 1959!
On January 12, 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. started Tamla Records with the help of an $800 loan from his family, starting a journey that would forever change the music industry. The following year, it merged into Motown Record Corporation.
For Gordy, starting his own label was the product of a longtime love of music. When he returned from Army service in 1953, he opened a short-lived record store in Detroit. Later, to amuse himself on the Ford assembly line, Gordy would make up songs. Eventually, he found himself writing for singer Jackie Wilson and helping young singer William “Smokey” Robinson and his band, best known as the Miracles, sell records.
The limited returns—one royalty check Gordy received is said to have been for just $3.19—are part of what motivated him to start Motown. “Back in those days, especially if you were Black, nobody was paying you what you should be paid, if they paid you at all. So Berry decided to start his own record company and gave us that outlet,” Robinson told AARP Magazine in 2018.
“I never wanted Motown to be a mouthpiece for civil rights,” he told TIME in 2020. Instead, he saw the label as an example of a successful Black business and a force for integration through music. Still, Gordy and Motown took an active role in civil rights history by recording Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, unknowingly creating an important archive of the now-famous address.
“I saw Motown much like the world [King] was fighting for—people of all races and religions, working together harmoniously for a common goal,” Gordy told TIME. Gordy later sold the label, but its beginning and golden era left a profound mark on history.
What Got Me Into Music and Vinyl Records?
My father being a great piano player, had a stack of the old 78's. He also had access to tickets to concerts, and that's where I first witnessed live shows.
The best show in Sydney was...
Johnnie Ray
His was the first LP I ever bought, and joined his fan club!
Elvis....Jailhouse Rock...
Elvis, of course! I first heard Elvis as we travelled from Sydney to Adelaide. After my early influences of Frankie Laine and Johnnie Ray, this was something else!
Jailhouse Rock! My uncle days later said I should buy the record and play it LOUD! Which I did.
and Houd Dog, Ed Sullivan Show, October 1956
John Mayall
I found John Mayall in a record shop when I was looking for Yardbirds albums with Eric Clapton on it. I bought 5 Live Yardbirds, and the shop attendant showed me the "Beano" album, saying "You Might Like This"....and I did. been a John Mayall fan ever since. Above shows him with John McVie on bass, Mick Taylor on guitar Colin Allen on bass.
Best Vinyl Album Covers
The Beatles Revolver, from 1966. Cover by the Beatles old Hamburg friend, Klaus Voorman.
The Stones controversial "Sticky Fingers" album from April 1971. The original album had an opening zip on the trousers, causing it to be banned in Spain.
The classic follow up to "Dark Side of The Moon", , "Wish You Were Here" featured stunt men Ronnie Rondell and Danny Rodgers on the front cover. Rondell had the tougher gig, having to be set on fire. Luckily, after about 17 takes, he escaped with only a singed mostache.
Arguably the most famous of all the vinyl covers, The Beatles "Sgt. Peppers" still is as interesting today as it was on release in May 1967.
Featuring Bruce's beloved "Mutt" guitar, a Fender Telecaster with Esquire neck, purchased nearly 50 years ago, the "Born to Run" album also shows Bruce's sax player from 1972 until his death in 2011, Clarence "the big man" Clements.
Recent Articles
-
61 Years Ago! The Show That Stopped A Nation!
Feb 20, 25 07:32 PM
In February 1964, an extraordinary event unfolded that would reverberate throughout American culture and music history: "60 Years Ago This Month! A Show that Stopped a Nation!" This event was none oth… -
Marianne Faithfull Dies
Feb 04, 25 10:53 PM
Born in Hampstead in December 1946, she was known for hits like As Tears Go By, which reached the UK top 10 in 1964, and for starring roles in films including 1968's The Girl On A Motorcycle. She was… -
Wings Venus and Mars Released 50 Years Ago!
Jan 28, 25 10:29 PM
Yep, seems like yesterday "Venus and Mars" arrived in my record shop in Adelaide. The EMI rep came in just after the batch had arrived, and we played the album. We loved it, and the first 50 copies we…
Classic Rock from 60's and 70's
Don't Know what vinyl is? Forgotten? Take a look at this classic hit!
Just Starting Your Collection?
so, here is a book to get you started on what to buy. In 100 Greatest Albums You Should Own On Vinyl, they have collate the greatest albums to have ever been pressed and then sold on vinyl since the '50s.
From the bands and solo artists that made the music possible, to the sleeve art and limited edition extras of the records themselves, take a trip back in time to discover the ultimate artists and their best records for the definitive list of vinyl that should be part of any collection!
What was BIG 50 Years Ago!
(Yep, I remember Back Then!)
Wings, Band On The Run
Yep, the album that finally got Paul some recognition. The album came out in November 1974, featuring just Paul, Denny Laine and Linda this album continues to sell well to this day.
Read about Paul and Wings Here
The Beachboys Endless Summer
Endless Summer, the classic compilation album by the Beach Boys, came out on June 24, 1974, the ultimate collection of their hits from 1962–65. It was compiled by their old label, Capitol, as a result of the success of the “American Graffiti”, which l songs of the band. It really revitalized the Beachboys popularity after years of rather average sales, starting a new interest for the Beach Boys' early surfing and hot rod-themed music.
Led Zeppelin 1, Released
This Month 1969
It was this month in 1969 , yes 56 years ago, that Led Zeppelin released their first album
After the demise of The Yardbirds, as Keith Relf, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty all departed the band, Jimmy Page was left with a series of Scandinavian concerts to complete. Jimmy owned the rights to the name Yardbirds, so he looked around and recruited Robert Plant as vocalist, seasoned session player and arranger John Paul Jones to join as bassist. Plant asked friend and Band of Joy bandmate John Bonham to join as drummer, and The New Yardbirds were formed. The band first rehearsed on 19 August 1968 (the day before Plant's 20th birthday), just before a tour of Scandinavia as "the New Yardbirds", performing some old Yardbirds material as well as new songs such as "Communication Breakdown", "I Can't Quit You Baby", "You Shook Me", "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and "How Many More Times. Returning to London, Page changed the band's name to Led Zeppelin, ( after as comment from Keith Moon, suggesting the band would “go down like .a led balloon)and the group entered Olympic Studios at 11 p.m. on 25 September 1968 to record their debut album.
This album was released in January 1969. Its hard to imagine today, but back in 1969 there was talk of who was going to be the next big group…Led Zeppelin, or the Jeff Beck Group. Well, that question was soon answered. The original Jeff Beck Group dissolved, and Zep went on to huge success.
Zep 1 went on to reach No 1 in Australia, 6 in the UK and 10 in the USA.
And Venus and Mars Came Out 50 years Ago!
Band on the Run was an unequivocal success for Paul McCartney's '70s group - a No. 1 hit that delivered expected experimental doodles plus hooks worthy of the Beatles. Follow-up Venus and Mars aimed to repeat the formula, with one of his fiercest rockers, "Rock Show," leading the way. "Listen to What the Man Said" gave McCartney and Wings their third No. 1 and helped ignite a successful world tour, one of the year's biggest.
It was the fourth studio album by Wings, this one featuring guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Jo English. Because of Pauls renewed contract with Capitol Records, there was a price increase for the album, and us retailers paid a bit more for the record. It continued Wings' run of commercial success and provided a springboard for a year-long worldwide tour. The album was Paul McCartney's first post-Beatles album to be released worldwide by Capitol Records rather than Apple.
The album sold well, going to No. 1 here in Australia and New Zealand, 1 in the US and Canada and UK.
Buckingham Nicks Joined Fleetwood Mac a Decade Ago!
On January 1, 1975, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac and changed music history forever. The duo produced an album, Buckingham and Nicks in September 1973, which was a commercial failure noteworthy only for the album cover that features a picture of Stevie and Lindsey before they could afford clothes...It was Lindsey who first joined Fleetwood Mac, replacing guitarist Bob Welch, the only guitar player in the band. Lindsey quickly convinced the band to recruit his musical partner (and girlfriend) Stevie Nicks, who played guitar and piano. Oh, and she sang a little too. It was Buckinham the Mac were interested in, but Christine got on well with Stevie Nix when they met, and Lindsey insisted that they came as a duo, and would only join if they took Stevie. Stevie sometimes felt unwanted, as if they would didn’t really want her, they just took because Lindsey insisted.
The result was Fleetwood Mac were propelled to meteoric success, resulting in fractured relationships and huge record sales.
Read About Fleetwood Mac with Buckingham Nicks HERE
Marianne Faithfull Dies Aged 78.
Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull has died at the age of 78, her spokesperson has said.
Born in Hampstead in December 1946, she was known for hits like As Tears Go By, which reached the UK top 10 in 1964, and for starring roles in films including 1968's The Girl On A Motorcycle.
She was also famously the girlfriend of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger in the 1960s, inspiring songs such as Wild Horses and You Can't Always Get What You Want. After a period of heroin addiction in the 70s, she resurrected her career with the classic album Broken English.
Paying tribute, Jagger described Faithfull as "a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer and a great actress," saying he was "so saddened".
Marianne and Mick, May, 1968
Broken English, the seventh studio album by Marianne Faithfull, came out in November 1979 released by Island Records. This was the comeback album for Faithfull after her many years of suffering due to drug abuse, homelessness, anorexia plus ending her relationship with Mick Jagger in 1970 and losing custody of her son This is probably her definitive recording, and Faithfull herself described it as her "masterpiece".[citation needed]
One Hit Wonder from 50 Years Ago!
"Love Will Keep Us Together" is a song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. It was first recorded by Sedaka in 1973. The brother-sister duo Mac and Katie Kissoon also recorded a version in 1973. American pop duo Captain & Tennille covered it in 1975; their version became a worldwide hit.
Love Will Keep Us Together" first appeared on Neil Sedaka's 1973 studio album The Tra-La Days Are Over which did not have a US release. A version of the song made its US album debut on the 1974 compilation album Sedaka's Back. In West Germany, Sedaka's original song was also included as the B-side of his 1976 hit, "Love in the Shadows".
The melody was written with Diana Ross in mind. Greenfield wrote the lyrics as one of the two final collaborations with Sedaka , as they had decided reluctantly to break off their partnership because their songs were no Neil Sedaka – piano, organ, electric piano, vocals
Lol Creme – guitar, vocals
Eric Stewart – guitar, vocals, recording engineer
Graham Gouldman – bass, guitar, vocals
Kevin Godley – drums, percussion, vocals.
