DAPHNE AND HER LOVE OF VINYL RECORDS

Good Morning to you,

I was talking to a young friend the other day.... you need to know that she is young, because of the story I am going to tell you. 

Whilst we were talking, the radio was playing quietly in the background and my ears pricked up when I heard Marvin Gaye singing  'I Heard it Through the Grapevine'.

I mentioned how much I loved Tamla Motown music and that I owned the 1971 vinyl album, Motown Chartbusters Volume 3.

She looked at me with a quizzical look on her face and asked what was Tamla Motown.... oh dear I felt a lesson was in order.

So I told her all about the various artists who, in the 1960s sang for the Tamla Motown label.... Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Stevie Wonder to name but a few.

I also mentioned how much I  loved vinyl records and I was also taken with the record sleeves. She asked what was a record sleeve? Oh dear I was beginning to feel old. I told her that the best description I could give, was something which I had previously read in a magazine 'Record sleeves are a visual accompaniment to the album'... I am sorry I cannot give the person the acknowledgement they deserve for this description, but when I find the name I will add it to this post.

For instance,

I grant you the front cover of this 1972 Bread album ... 'Baby I'm A Want You' was maybe a little plain, but take a closer look at the contrast in writing.  The word BREAD is there for all to see but the cursive script underneath makes you look a little closer.

Flip the album cover over,

and what a delight.... isn't it just beautiful.... almost ethereal. 

I love how the designers of this album cover have created the images of Stevie Winwood, Muff Winwood, Pete York and Spencer Davis. Also on these older albums there is always a  write up about the group. Sometimes by a group member, as in this case, or a guest writer.

....and how about,

the artwork on this 1979 Gerry Rafferty album Night Owl and when you flip this album cover over,

the flip side is just as spectacular.

The front cover of Barbra Streisand's 1971 album, Barbra Joan Streisand,  has, what I think, is the most gorgeous photograph of Barbra, but when the album cover is opened,

there are photographs of Barbra with the musicians who worked on the album with her. There is another section, but I didn't think it necessary to include it.

I also said to my friend, that I know we need to make progress, but it was a shame that vinyl records were now obsolete.... although I know they are coming back into fashion as George bought me a vinyl of Michael Buble and George Ezra for Christmas .... lucky me. The downfall of vinyl records was due to the introduction of Cd's.  I went on to mention that I could not tell her how many Cd's I owned, to which she replied, 'Do you know something, I don't own any cds'.  I thought to myself this cannot be right, a young girl not owning any music.  So I asked why? and she replied 'I have all my music on my Iphone. Whatever music I want to listen to, I can find it on my phone'.... and I was totally amazed.  I had thought the loss of vinyl was sad.... and ok, of course I do enjoy listening to Cd's, but I am so out of step, that it had not occurred to me, that someone so young would not own any music.... but then again, why would she, if she can download the music she wants to listen to onto her Iphone there is certainly not a need for Cd's. It certainly saves on storage space.... and then I thought to myself, it was a shame, because she will never know the artistry found on the covers of vinyl records, she will never read a review of the singer or group in question.... but then again, the information is available to her via Internet.

What would I prefer..... absolutely the tactile vinyl album for sure.... but then I am not 18 years of age.

.... and then she totally threw me when she went on to ask.... 'Why did people in the 1990s not have eyebrows?".... honestly I didn't feel I had the energy to discuss the topic of eyebrows.

So I am throwing the question over to you.... 'Why did people in the 1990s not have eyebrows?  Had you even noticed.... I know I hadn't.

Take care and I will catch up with you next Saturday.

As Always,