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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
 Posted - 02/12/2008 : 15:10:08
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Maybe you know about a new book titles 'Old Rare New'? A large book on the the days of the old independent record stores where you bought and looked at records? It looks at those vanishing stores in Britain and the US. Here's a store owners lament:
"They will never know the joy of flicking through a rack of records, being captivated by cover art work and reading the sleeve notes. Of getting the record home, sliding it reverentially out of its cover and then out of its inner sleeve, marveling at the luster of the grooves. The sacrificial offering onto the altar of the turntable, the gentle penetration of the spindle, the lowering of the arm and the total bliss of being part of an actual performance that you have helped to complete. This baptismal immersion into sonic joy will never leave you. The day you bought the record, where you were, what you were wearing and who was in your heart, will be etched into your soul, as well as defined as the grooves that are pressed into your record". That guy couldn't say it any better, eh? Another time, another place. |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2008 : 00:14:57
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Thanks for bringing back the memories, rocker. Mine was a second floor shop (back in the 60's)....two adjacent cramped rooms with records displayed on homemade shelves on all the walls.
Memorable finds...Neil Young's ST, Poco's first, The White Album, Cream, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield 1st, Tumbleweed Connection (who was this guy?!! Cool cover), Pink Floyd.....nothing like that experience. New vinyl today is just not the same.
I feel for the young folks here that never had the experience of finding those great LPs....seeing them displayed on the first day of their release!  Nothing like it, mates. No mall store for me. Besides they won't even order vinyl!! 
At least the local record collector shop recalls for me the memory, today......just a little privately owned record shop. But the CDs are up front for college students, with the old vinyl in back. Just not the same. Not like the FIRST TIME! ...back in the days of the golden age of rock.
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Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. ---- William Saroyan |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 03/12/2008 00:20:09 |
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John9
Old Love
United Kingdom
2154 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2008 : 00:25:28
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Lemonadekid and Rocker - I remember on my first trip to New York in '89, taking the train out to Princeton just to visit a famous record shop. It was right there on the main drag....but I can't remember its name. Those places really were aladdin's caves. I spent about a whole day in Greenwich Village moving hypnotically from shop to another....bewildered by all the bootlegs on display..they were almost impossible to obtain anywhere else. And I have a very vivid memory of Washington Square. |
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bob f.
Old Love
USA
1308 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2008 : 03:20:54
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we had a record store in '68-69 L.A. Wallach's Music City, where we were allowed to play any album in the store in their listening booths. a turntable, earphones, and all the local heads were tripping and the booths were on the outer part of the building, with big glass windows to the street. anyone walking and driving outside saw the record listeners'heads bobbing to the music in the booths.
that's where i first listened to Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" lp, or at least 20-30 minutes of it 'cause of the time limit!
we have a few great used record stores that have both vinyl and cd.
there's the digital library listening phones with reviews by Allmusic, with samples, and that's ok.
...what the world needs now... |
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Allan
Old Love
USA
560 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2008 : 14:48:05
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In Philly, I had several different record shops that I would frequent back in the 60's. One was called 'The Record Shop' appropriately. Zounds was another. One in the Normandy Mart, one in the Pennsauken Mart, 'The Record Museum' had several stores throughout the area. All LP's were $2.99 everywhere. So I used to spend $10 a week, and come home with 3 new LP's. I did that for a couple years and built up quite a collection, which i still own and listen to. There's just something about the sound on vinyl...very analog and primitive, and that's the way I prefer to listen. I'll still buy an LP (EBay, starrynightrecords, etc) from time to time, to upgrade some really wasted ones I have.
Allan |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2008 : 15:00:26
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Man, we were really involved with the grooves, eh?...." that was groovy"....
You know it's funny but I had a cheap stereo system back then so the records I had didn't play within a state of "aural nirvana" but back then blissfully the music was the story and not the tech specifications. The thing with me was that when cd's came out I always had that memory of a song played on a cheap player so I went nuts when I heard notes I never heard before on songs from the cd. But it also goes the other way too. For some reason, when I hear "I Feel Fine" on record it can't compare to its recording on the cd. I don't know. I just don't like the way it sounds on cd since, to me, it doesn't appear to be "mixed" right. And who knows? Maybe all this aural stuff is psychological and I'm talking off my ears!.....records and cd's can do this to you! |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 15/12/2008 : 17:19:50
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Interesting you brought that up, rocker.....Cd vs vinyl mix. I just re-read an article about that.
There is a big difference between the ol' vinyl days kind of mixing & the new CDs. Our music was mixed in the tech of the day.....single mike mono. A perfect technology. Back then, STEREO was mixed from the MONO masters, giving us that wonderfully simple two speaker stereo. You know, Neil's lead out the right & Steve's guitar coming out the left speaker. With psych, that swirling sound jumping back and forth. By the late sixties, stereo was on the rise and the ability to mix mono was lost....mono became just a mix down from stereo, but even stereo was still great--especially for the psych music fans. We hadn't reached the digital age yet.
Today, even the ability to create 60's stereo has been lost...that wonderful Sgt. Pepper's 8-track sound. With the digital age, came the ability to do an infinite number of tracks within a song. We'll never get back that wonderful "mercurial" mono sound that Dylan loved.
It's now multi-tack mono, essentially. So when remixing our music NOW for CD, the art of 60's true & simple stereo or mono has been lost, thus creating a totally and sometimes disconcerting mix...at least for you & me, rocker, who grew up with that marvelous 60's sound. We get so many multiple tracks that were originally "lost" in the old mix sound, that it becomes almost glaring and annoying! Our old time vinyl sound is a lost art.
The digital age has it's many pluses, giving the artist the ability to do as many takes and changes to a recording as he wishes....that was Michael Stuart's problem on FC...that he couldn't bring up the drums because it was recorded on the same track as the bass...thus no changes could be made! I'm kinda glad they couldn't go on making "forever changes"!! So for us, the innocent age, with it's limitations will never be better. Listen to Dan Fogelburg's "Innocent Age (Tribute To Buffalo Springfield with Richie Furray)".......brings it all back.
Can't beat "for What It's Worth" in MONO!!!! 
I'll email you the full article sometime, rocker. Really interesting.
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Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. ---- William Saroyan |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 15/12/2008 17:24:19 |
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bob f.
Old Love
USA
1308 Posts |
Posted - 15/12/2008 : 22:48:16
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Phil Spector used to promote "BACK TO MONO" , and yet, one of his greatest albums is his Christmas Album, 1963, recorded in true STEREO!
I have a copy which i cherrish, and i know it is out of print,in vinyl AND CD. The mono version is still a classic cd readilly available, but i sure would like the stereo version to be released on cd, 'cause it's Christmassy with all the bells, chimes and more beautiful in stereo.
also.....just wonderring if anyone has quadrophonic lps!?
sounds like an interesting concept. i remember when it was a fad in the late '70s- early '80s.
and one other recording technique was called,"binaural". with earphones, the listener would hear the sounds not just to the left and right....but also from front and back! i have a cassette sampler that was recorded that way, and it's amazing.
...what the world needs now... |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 16/12/2008 : 01:31:02
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quote:
Originally posted by bob f.
Phil Spector used to promote "BACK TO MONO" , and yet, one of his greatest albums is his Christmas Album, 1963, recorded in true STEREO!
I have a copy which i cherrish, and i know it is out of print,in vinyl AND CD. The mono version is still a classic cd readilly available, but i sure would like the stereo version to be released on cd, 'cause it's Christmassy with all the bells, chimes and more beautiful in stereo.
also.....just wonderring if anyone has quadrophonic lps!?
sounds like an interesting concept. i remember when it was a fad in the late '70s- early '80s.
and one other recording technique was called,"binaural". with earphones, the listener would hear the sounds not just to the left and right....but also from front and back! i have a cassette sampler that was recorded that way, and it's amazing.
...what the world needs now...
There were a very few excellent STEREO albums recorded in the early 60's, Phil's being one of the most collectable. along with Roy Orbison's "Crying"...considered to be the finest ever. Trouble is, MONO was the one promoted & stereo was too expensive, so MOST stereo was really crappy....which is why mono is so collectible for audiophiles. But, right, bob....there are a few REALLY amazing exceptions to the rule in STEREO!!
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Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. ---- William Saroyan |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 16/12/2008 : 06:38:17
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quote:
Originally posted by bob f.
Phil Spector used to promote "BACK TO MONO" , and yet, one of his greatest albums is his Christmas Album, 1963, recorded in true STEREO!
I have a copy which i cherrish, and i know it is out of print,in vinyl AND CD. The mono version is still a classic cd readilly available, but i sure would like the stereo version to be released on cd, 'cause it's Christmassy with all the bells, chimes and more beautiful in stereo.
also.....just wonderring if anyone has quadrophonic lps!?
sounds like an interesting concept. i remember when it was a fad in the late '70s- early '80s.
and one other recording technique was called,"binaural". with earphones, the listener would hear the sounds not just to the left and right....but also from front and back! i have a cassette sampler that was recorded that way, and it's amazing.
...what the world needs now...
There were a very few excellent STEREO albums recorded in the early 60's, Phil's being one of the most collectable. along with Roy Orbison's "Crying"...considered to be the finest ever. There were a small number of other exceptional stereo releases in the late 50's & early 60's. Trouble is, MONO was the one pushed & stereo was too expensive, so MOST stereo was really crappy....which is why mono is so collectible for audiophiles. But, you're right, bob....there are a few REALLY amazing exceptions to the rule in STEREO!!
And quadrophonic was pretty cool..... even without a quad stereo player. I have Bridge Over Troubled Waters in Quad and it's pretty different on some tracks...kind of like the differences between stereo & mono mixes---some tracks are completely different mixes. The Airplane's "Volunteers" Quad LP has a couple much longer alternate tracks & is quite collectible. So if you have the opportunity to buy a Quad version of an album you like...get it. I wouldn't recommend getting something you don't care for like a cheesy Archies LP, but the great ones in quad are ....pretty great, & a sometimes very different listening experience.
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Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. ---- William Saroyan |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 16/12/2008 06:49:27 |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 16/12/2008 : 14:53:20
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quad!...jayus..looking back that was sure a jump from the tinny transistor sound, eh?
That background on stereo and mono was fabulous lk. You know with this "resurgence" of vinyl I'm wondering if the current generation realizes that that "ipod" sound world is nice but aurally there's something to be said for the "old" technology and how it brought music to life. Just because something is technically new doesn't mean its "better". The other day I was in Barnes & Noble and lo and behold I see vinyl for sale in their own rack. Looks like we're "goin' back"...... |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 16/12/2008 : 17:24:27
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quote:
Originally posted by rocker
quad!...jayus..looking back that was sure a jump from the tinny transistor sound, eh?
That background on stereo and mono was fabulous lk. You know with this "resurgence" of vinyl I'm wondering if the current generation realizes that that "ipod" sound world is nice but aurally there's something to be said for the "old" technology and how it brought music to life. Just because something is technically new doesn't mean its "better". The other day I was in Barnes & Noble and lo and behold I see vinyl for sale in their own rack. Looks like we're "goin' back"......
Right, rocker. The old analog/mono way of recording...essentially one mike for vocals...well basically a live performance---even if some instruments etc were added separately is coming back along with vinyl. With "Time Out Of Mind" by Dylan, Bobby Z went back to his old analog way of recording. You can hear the analog richness, especially on the vinyl release, but it's even evident on the CD. Dylan loved the method & sound of the return to analog, and he swore he would never go back to digital again. He hasn't. That ol' mercurial sound is back.
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Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. ---- William Saroyan |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 16/12/2008 17:41:35 |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 16/12/2008 : 18:05:29
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| So does that mercurial sound go to everything he recorded after "TOOM"? I don't know. I have all those records and there's soemthing about them that I can't let go of. It just seems Dylan "knows" how to record himself and the tunes he sings. Whenever I hear the songs now, they sound so grounded and earthy. Man, we're a far cry from "Mr.Tambourine Man!" |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 16/12/2008 : 20:59:07
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quote:
Originally posted by rocker
So does that mercurial sound go to everything he recorded after "TOOM"? I don't know. I have all those records and there's soemthing about them that I can't let go of. It just seems Dylan "knows" how to record himself and the tunes he sings. Whenever I hear the songs now, they sound so grounded and earthy. Man, we're a far cry from "Mr.Tambourine Man!"
Yep, rocker. TOOM and all subsequent LPs. Good ones for sure, rocker! Just like the 60's again! TOOM really goes right back to his roots.....back to Blond On Blond. In the RS top 100 all time best. It proved he never lost IT. Not that Dylan had anything to prove.
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Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. ---- William Saroyan |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2009 : 16:45:49
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I've gotten a few new 180 gram LPs, such as July and they are not even trying to digitize into "modern" stereo. July was only released in MONO originally so..mono it is! 13th Floor Elevators first has been issued in MONO 180 gram vinyl bu Sundazed and all I've read is "throw away every other issue and get this"...you've never heard it till you've heard this mono release, from the original masters.
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Round up the usual suspects.... |
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For the vinyl aficionados...
