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| I recall lying on my living-room carpet in 1978 playing this album on a National Panasonic music centre, just bought (via my brother) from one of his pals across the road. Another older neighbour was in speaking to my father, and expressed surprise to him that someone of my age (19) was into this kind of music. Images copyright relevant owners |
Over the years, whenever a CD was released of a vinyl LP I already had, I more often than not bought it. However, I didn't jettison the LPs just because I now had a more convenient format to listen to; no, I stored them in the loft when some work was being done in my house, and I only brought them down two or three years back. I was concerned that the climactic conditions of my attic might eventually warp or otherwise damage the LPs (even though they were wrapped in plastic), so I bought a few aluminium LP cases from HMV in which to put the records, and they're now discreetly positioned around my living-room for easy access.
Anyway, the last couple of nights, I've been listening to vinyl albums that haven't been played in anything from 35-45 years, and it's a strange feeling to realise that my father and various friends who are now departed were present when quite a number of them were last played, in either the living-room or my bedroom. I found my mind drifting back 3 or 4, even close to 5 decades as their musical notes permeated the room and, as I've said many a time before, it's like a form of time travel which offers a certain measure of comfort and solace, with all the warm memories and associations they summon as I enter the winter of my years.
To save me a bit of time, I've lifted these images from the Internet rather than photograph my own albums. Also, they're not displayed in the order I bought them, but they were all obtained in the '70s, with 12 Songs Of Christmas being the first Jim Reeves album I bought, followed by Arcade Records' 40 Golden Greats (not pictured). Any Crivs still got their old vinyl albums and, if so, what memories do they conjure up for you?
One of my minor life regrets was getting rid of all my vinyl records. I had so many ( well over 300) and at the time thought CDs were the best thing ever ( they are good) and replaced My LPs with them. I also stupidly stacked a load of LPs one on top of each other , in my mum and dad's loft when I moved out to my first flat,a bad move but that helped me decide to bin them ( most were warped) I kept a handful of my favourites Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop etc. Recently I have started to pick up a few of those old 1970s K-Tel / Ronco LPs that have some great tracks. My brother and myself used to play those albums and score our favourites similar to a TV show whose name I can't recall right now. Strange thing is a few of my recent purchases have tiny score marks against the titles so it looks like others did that. I miss the indy record shops like Listen, Bruces, Impulse etc. Like yourself I bought a lot of my LPs from John Menzies, Boots, Coop etc
ReplyDeleteD'you know, McS, I've never counted how many LPs I have, but I doubt I have as many as 300, though I couldn't say for sure. I'll have to count them one day just to see how many, but I'd guess around 200 or so. I still prefer CDs, but the vinyl albums are part of my history so I doubt I'd ever get rid of any of them, even though some of my CDs are exact mini-replicas (right down to the covers) of them. Incidentally, occasionally, some of those K-Tel/Ronco LPs had truncated versions of some songs, so you dfidn't always get the full track of any particular songs on them. Did you ever get any records from the 23rd Precinct?
DeleteMcS, I've left a couple of comments on your recent post, but they keep disappearing for some reason. Have you been hacked?
DeleteI've never owned any vinyl LPs but my mother had a small collection of around fifteen which included Mario Lanza, the film soundtracks of Bambi and South Pacific and the Beach Boys 20 Golden Greats which she'd bought for just one song - Sloop John B. I never actually heard any of those LPs being played because my mother's record player was broken and she never bought another one but I do remember looking at the LP covers with great interest.
ReplyDeleteI think I heard Sloop John B on Desert Island Discs recently, CJ, or a song very much like it. I don't have any Mario Lanza LPs, so I'll keep an eye out for one to add to my collection. In fact, I'd settle for a CD. I have a faint memory (or seem to) of having his Christmas album at some stage a very long time ago, but maybe I'm imagining it.
DeleteI still have all of my LPs, around 600 or so, as well as around 1,600 7" singles. Like yourself, they haven't been played for 35 or more years. I also have quite a lot of CDs, although I don't recall a numerical figure of how many. Some LP's weren't available as CDs (as far as I know), so the LPs are irreplaceable. LPs have made a comeback, but the prices seem quite exorbitant compared to "our day". In the 70's & 80's I was a regular at various music stores locally and had a rapport some of the staff & owners.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, JC, only a couple or so years ago (or so it seems to me), a couple of Jim Reeves albums from the '70s were issued on one CD for the first time. I saw last night on eBay that it's got a high asking price from some sellers, of around £60 or so. I can't imagine why it's so expensive as I presume it's still readily available. I've got both original albums, as well as the CD release, so lucky me.
DeleteKid, my mother had about three Mario Lanza LPs and one of them was a Christmas album.
ReplyDeleteI remember asking for some tracks to be played from it in Boots back in the '70s, so maybe I never actually owned it, CJ, but perhaps I did. Good singer, but a bit 'shouty', like most opera singers. I prefer the softer approach of JR.
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