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

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!

Paul Simon Interview - 20th May 1982

How Vinyl Got Its Groove Back

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

Marlon Brando interview after 1973's oscar.

Barbara Walters interviews Barbra Streisand - February 21-22, 1975

Vinyl record renaissance: Wax makes a comeback

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/

How It's Made - turntables

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.

Queen Recording 'We are the champions' 1977

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!

Audio frequency range of LP vs. CD

...but of course we knew this all along! 

                            

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.