Monday 30 December 2013

Vinyl Philosophy Page on Facebook

Feel free to visit the Vinyl Philosophy Page on Facebook, leave a comment, click on like, share a post, have fun...


Direct link here: https://www.facebook.com/VinylPhilosophy or just click on the picture above.

Friday 27 December 2013

Close Up of a Needle in the Groove

I'm not sure who took this amazing photo, but someone shared it on Facebook and I thought to share it here as well simply because it's a wonderful pic. If you took this please let me know so that I can credit you for it!



Conor Oberst Vinyl Quote



Saturday 14 December 2013

Vinyl Feature: Diana Ross and the Supremes - Greatest Hits



Released in 1967 this album contained a collection of Diana Ross and the Supremes A and B side hits, and was the first LP to name the group under the new title of Diana Ross and the Supremes. It became their second number one album and it would be years before another female group would achieve the same.

Friday 6 December 2013

Hamba Kahle Tata Madiba


For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
- Nelson Mandela

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Phonograph Answering Machine using Vinyl Discs



This Peatrophone phonograph answering machine from 1953 directly recorded telephone messages to a blank disc and could store 140 messages, each limited to 23 seconds of recording time... however the catch was that the recording was permanent. Yes, that would be permanent. Forever and ever. No recording over the old messages! A brand new disk was required every single time the old disc was full of messages. Haha! Anyhow it was the only answering machine available at the time and apparently it worked.


These pictures are from the Popular Science magazine of May 1953.

Well that was one use of vinyl recording that I didn't know about before! ;-)

Industry standards: Technics SL-1200

On the Resident Advisor website is a wonderful article written by Jordan Rothlein about the legendary Technics SL-1200 that was a firm DJ favourite for many years and continues to be used today. Head on down to read it by clicking on the link provided further down this page. 


From their website:

In the first of a new six-part series, RA's Jordan Rothlein looks at why a gimmick-free turntable from the '70s became the most important piece of DJ gear in history. 


There's some gear DJs expect to see in every club they walk into. Our new series Industry Standards will look at the history, technology and personalities behind these classics of the craft. Once a month for the next six months, we'll grab one item out of the booth, scratch through the front panel and see what we find. Along the way, we'll introduce you to the folks who made them, and pick the brains of those who use them week in and week out.


What we'd tackle in our first edition was a no-brainer. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more ubiquitous presence in the DJ world than the Technics SL-1200 MK2, the deck that started it all.


CLICK HERE to Read More


Friday 29 November 2013

Vinyl Feature: The Best Of Nat King Cole


A beautiful compilation album released in 1968 by the man who put the oo into smooth! It was recorded on the Capitol Records label and on the front cover it says that it is playable on both stereo and mono phonographs, which is very reassuring to know! Hehe!

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Vinyl LP Cover Art - from the great to the downright awful

A favourite among many vinyl adherents has always been the incredible art displayed on the outside of the cover containing the grooved black vinyl medium of audio purity we love so much. Despite our obsession with the music inside the protective cardboard cover we have always had a love affair with the outer creativity that was advertising the wares within. Not all of it was good of course, and I will add a few really awful ones at the end just for fun.

First up a few that are recognizable by just about everybody that has breathed in the last 50 years.

Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon

Saturday 16 November 2013

Vinyl record renaissance: Wax makes a comeback

http://wgntv.com/2013/11/11/vinyl-records-are-back/

Vinyl record renaissance: Wax makes a comeback: People who gave away their record players and record collections years ago may be regretting it now. A vinyl record renaissance is underway, thanks to a new generation of music fans who prefer vinyl. In fact, young people are fueling a 33-percent jump in sales so far this year.  As Nancy Loo reports, in tonight’s Cover Story, it’s keeping some local record stores alive.

“This might be my favorite album of theirs”  says 14 year old Brian Johnson as he pulls a Led Zeppelin record out of a milk crate.  It may be an old music format, but among those pushing high fidelity to a new high are high schoolers.  “Records, I think the way they sound and how imperfect they are, almost gives them a sense of being and like, what’s the word, it gives them a lot more character.” This new wave of music appreciation among teenagers and college kids has helped to keep stores like Val’s Halla in Oak Park in business.  And the owner of Val’s Halla, Val Camilletti, says that’s not spin. “Vinyl’s very hot.”  Val almost packed her business in last year.  She’s thrilled that kids have turned the tables. “They buy music with the same kind of passion that their parents and grandparents bought the music from me.”

Read more and watch the video: http://wgntv.com/2013/11/11/vinyl-records-are-back/

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Vinyl Feature: The Best Of Peter, Paul and Mary


I haven't had an album featured on Vinyl Philosophy so far that has so little information available about it on-line. While there is lots of info available about all of Peter, Paul and Mary's other albums, this particular one seems a little lacking in information.

Thursday 7 November 2013

Things to do with old Vinyl Records # 7 - Handbags!

Fancy your very own designer handbag with a cool music theme? Well here is your answer, LP handbags! Just remember not to use good records for this or you will break my heart, just use the really warped or scratch damaged ones that are not playable any more. Thanks!

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Monday 4 November 2013

Vinyl Feature: Les Paul and Mary Ford - Hits of Les and Mary




Les Paul and Mary Ford were a husband and wife hit singing duo during the fifties who sold over six million records. This album was a collection of hits and was released in 1960 under the Capitol Records label as a "mono high fidelity" LP that the producers said could be played on both mono and stereo equipment and they further promised on the back cover that "It cannot become obsolete."! Little did they know what a roller coaster vinyl records would embark on, becoming "obsolete" when CD's were introduced and then staging a strong comeback several years later.


Monday 28 October 2013

It is possible to live in harmony with your environment!

I grew up in the sixties and seventies when we had high ideals about improving the planet through love, peace and harmony with nature and our fellow human beings. Sadly many of those ideals were lost along the way as the eighties and the realities of earning a living set in. Once in a while it's great to hear about people who never lost those ideals and who decided to forge ahead despite the odds. Here is one such story, and it makes me want to go out there and start a small farm myself! I guess I'm just a hippy at heart! :-)

"Growing your own food is a dangerous act because you're in danger of becoming free."
- Jules Dervaes


You can see the "Path to Freedom" website by CLICKING HERE.

Sunday 27 October 2013

Top Ten Crazy Turntable Designs! (yes, but can they play records?)

There are some crazy turntable designs out there to suit every crazy taste under the sun. So if you are not happy with your old traditional boring looking player here are some examples that may tickle your fancy instead.

VPI HR-X turntable

Thursday 24 October 2013

Wood Glue method for Cleaning Vinyl Records

I have never tried this myself, but from what I have heard it works really well for very dirty records that have deeply embedded dirt that can't come out with regular cleaning. I would test it first on a record you don't mind potentially ruining, but my logic dictates that it should be ok as long as you follow the simple instructions given here.

Monday 21 October 2013

How to Set-Up Your Pro-Ject Turntable


Vinyl in the News: Back in the groove: Daft Punk and Arctic Monkeys send vinyl LP sales rocketing by 100 per cent



Back in the groove: Daft Punk and Arctic Monkeys send vinyl LP sales rocketing by 100 per cent

Bands help push the popularity of the revived format to renewed heights this year

Daft Punk helped push annual sales of vinyl LPs over the half a million mark for the first time in more than a decade, according to an analysis by industry body BPI.

Releases by the French dance duo as well as Arctic Monkeys and David Bowie have helped push the popularity of the revived format to renewed heights this year.

Almost 550,000 LPs have been bought by music fans so far in 2013, already giving vinyl its most successful year since 2003. 

Read the rest of this news article on  The Independent's website by CLICKING HERE!

Friday 18 October 2013

Focus on Equipment: the Rega RP1 Turntable


Refoaming a pair of Snell E3 speakers (it's easier than you think)

When buying a second hand pair of speakers that are older than 10 - 20 years it is always a good idea to check them carefully for foam rot. Over time the foam surrounding the speaker cone can get perished and quite literally fall apart. The sound quality will be severely degraded when the foam is a gonner and especially the bass will be affected badly, and if left unattended you will eventually cause permanent damage to your drivers which will potentially be very expensive to replace.

Look at these examples of speaker rot I found online:

 


It's a very common problem but fortunately it is also very easy to remedy. For those who feel they cannot take on a DIY project like this most hi fi repair shops can do this repair fairly easily and at a reasonable cost. For those of us with some basic DIY skills repairing our own speakers is a piece of cake and much cheaper than having someone else doing the refoaming it for us.

Thursday 17 October 2013

Vinyl Feature: Don McLean - Homeless Brother

Front of cover



Released in October 1978 by folk singer Don Mclean Homeless Brother was the fifth of twenty albums spanning a career of more than forty years. This was not his most commercially successful album only making it to 120th place on the US Billboard 200 at the time, however it is pure Don Mclean at his absolute best with the great folk style and fantastic vocals that he is known for.

The quality of the recording and the vinyl pressing is outstanding as well and sounds so real it's almost as if he is sitting in the room and performing for us personally. Very engaging!

How To Setup A Turntable


The vinyl revival: Sales of LP records double in 12 months

Sales of LP records double in 12 months to reach 550,000 thanks to releases by artists including Arctic Monkeys

Vinyl sales have doubled in the past year, with record industry body BPI is predicting that more than 700,000 will be sold by Christmas.

- Vinyl record sales have doubled thanks to famous names releasing LPs
- Around 550,000 have been bought so far in 2012 and could exceed 700,000

Sales of vinyl LP records have doubled in the last 12 months to their highest level for a decade.
Around 550,000 have been bought so far and the record industry body BPI is predicting that more than 700,000 will be sold by Christmas.
An online poll of 1,700 vinyl buyers found that 86 per cent of them said it was their favourite music format. A third of today’s LP fans are aged under 35.

Full Story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2463674/The-vinyl-revival-Sales-LP-records-double-12-months-reach-550-000.html

17 October 2013
www.dailymail.co.uk

Don McLean on TV-am - 1984


Wednesday 16 October 2013

Things to do with old Vinyl Records # 6 - Art!

Possibly the most difficult of the lot in technical and creative terms. Could be fun to try though, so let me know what you have done and send pics of course!

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Vinyl Feature: Smokie - Greatest Hits

Released in April 1977 the album "Greatest Hits" by the band Smokie contained all 10 of their singles up to that time spanning their (then) 12 year career. They went on to be one of the longest surviving bands from that era and still exist today, although only one of the original band members is still with Smokie.

Their first ever hit was "If You Think You Know How To Love Me", they had 13 top twenty hits during the 1970's, and went on to sell over 30 million LP's and CDs. To date their mega hit song "Living Next Door To Alice" has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

Front of Cover

Chris De Burge Canadian TV Interview 1987


Saturday 12 October 2013

Vinyl Feature: The Beatles - The Red and Blue Albums

The Red Album front cover

Today I am featuring two double albums together simply because they belong together having being released on the same day as complementary collections of The Beatles "A-side" singles hits spanning their career together. Despite having singles hits with cover versions this series only included songs composed by the Beatles themselves.

The first album is titled "The Beatles 1962-1966" but came to be commonly known as "The Red Album", and the second album "The Beatles 1967-1970" which came to be known as "The Blue Album". They were released together on the 2nd of April 1973 and I think it is still one of the best compilations of Beatles songs ever created.

Thursday 10 October 2013

In conversation with Shawn Phillips


Recreate the Disco Era! - How-to make a Disco Ball

Got all that old disco music and want to throw a great disco theme party? Well you will need to get the mood right and this easy DIY disco ball would be just the right thing to help you get your boogie down:




Don't have any disco music to have a disco party? No problem, Amazon have a brilliant 5 cd collection of classic disco music that will keep you jiving for hours! Click on the link below and have it delivered to you in super quick time:


Audio Note Factory Tour in the heart of the factory

A brief and informal look inside the Audio Note factory.

Things to do with old Vinyl Records # 5 - Lamps!

These look like they require a higher level of skill than some of the other examples, but I think with a bit of determination they should be doable.

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Vinyl Feature: Simon and Garfunkel - The Concert in Central Park

Back in 1982 I was in my final year of high school in my home town of Pretoria South Africa and had a drivers licence, a very laid back attitude towards life in general and towards studying for my final exams in particular. The year before Simon and Garfunkel had performed a free benefit concert in Central Park New York and I was eagerly awaiting the live album that had been promised by the media. When I finally purchased it sometime in 1982 it instantly became a firm favourite and would be played on many long hazy evenings together with friends in mostly very smoke laden environments with the smell of stale beer providing a special ambiance. It remained at the top of the playlist for several years until it was stolen along with my entire record collection one fateful night. (You can read about that by clicking here.)

Front Cover