Ah, the old Technics turntable - looks like a SL-D2!
Posted on 01/12/2015 7:24:14 PM PST by Squawk 8888
Albums are almost as old as recorded music. A hundred years ago when the most music a 78 RPM record could hold was four minutes, long pieces like operas or symphonies were broken up over multiple discs. Those discs were then sold in book-like packages that reminded many of photo albums. That’s how the record album got its name.
The multiple disc problem was solved by Columbia in 1948 when in June of that year, they unveiled the 33 1/3 long-playing album. When RCA countered with the 7-inch 45 RPM single a year later, the LP became the domain of “serious” music–classical, jazz, folk, Broadway show tunes–while the 7-inch ended up as the heart and soul of rock’n’roll. Adults bought albums; kids bought singles.
Oh, sure, there were rock albums, but usually only the form of a compilation of an artist’s singles. It wasn’t until the Beatles and Bob Dylan came along that the album starting becoming a thing for rock and pop. And it didn’t take long for the marketplace to adopt albums. By the end of the 60s, albums were king and stayed that way for the next thirty years.
Along the way, though, the music industry abused its customers, especially towards the end of the 90s. By phasing out singles, the industry forced people to buy an entire album for just one song. When the price of CDs didn’t come down fast enough to suit consumers, they got pissed. VERY pissed. When Napster came along and offer an opportunity to get just the songs you wanted without the filler–and for free!–there was no going back. The breakup of the album had begun.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajournalofmusicalthings.com ...
The notes and the lyrics are great. But all of that stuff is online.
My standard joke for years was -- "If you want to be a famous singer, take A LOT of dance lessons." The whole Madonna, Paula Abdul, Britney Spears thing ... music became very visual and focused on one person. The bands were invisible.
Nobody's ever seen him. Or the drummer. Or the drum riser, for that matter.
Our Kel's a big gal.
I haven't listed to an "album" from beginning to end for about 10 years now.
Now I stream music into my home stereo from either my personal music library or from a personalized station on Pandora.
You also lose glorious analog warmth.
Most of those are on my favorite list as well. Add
The Who, Quadrophenia
ELP, Brain Salad Surgery
Allman Brothers, Live at the Fillmore East
Pink Floyd, Animals
Steely Dan, Aja (although I am also partial to The Royal Scam)
Moody Blues, Days of Future Past
Supertramp, Crime of the Century
The Cars
Yes, Fragile
My love of album art caused me to choose graphic design as my College major! I loved the 12 x 12 format, and liked it even better when you could unfold a double album for a beautiful panorama.
The only good thing about cd’s is the fact that I can make my own in my little 16 track studio.
I still design the covers, but they are so small!
Put them in frames and hang them on the wall.
I am so sorry you lost those beauties to a flood! (Sigh)
And a tool for rolling joints.....or so I've heard.
Give them to me
Before making it big on SNL, the late Phil Hartmann designed album covers.
Here is some of his work...
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/doigman/covers_designed_by_phil_hartmann/
Oh indeed...those are terrific as well.(especially AJA!)
I also liked Pink Floyd’s Album that had “Welcome to the machine” on it...I don’t remember the name of the album but the cover art was sublime!
YES. It keeps me hanging on.
Ok, who built the ELO Spaceship that came with “Out of the Blue”?
Wow..i never knew.
I recognized quite a few of those.
The really good bands did concept albums. You listened to them to hear a story. That’s not done anymore because too few people have the sufficient attention span to listen to tehm and divas don’t hire songwriters with that depth of intellect.
One album I have not been able to find online is Bruce Cockburn’s “Humans”.
Some of his songs are available on iTunes, and there are a few YouTubes of him singing, but the Album seems to be nowhere to be found. I suspect it was never made into a cd, and so is not available online.
Very strange, as nearly everry album i have ever owned is available either as a cd or online.
Ah, the old Technics turntable - looks like a SL-D2!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.