Loading ...Calling all Green Day Fans…
By Alan | August 29, 2009
Usually, life as Vinyl Revinyl's main guy is pretty relaxed, and I guess that hasn't changed, but I got some news for fans of Green Day. I got a press release from a manufacturer of vinyl records, and it looks like they've got plans to press the entire Green Day discography. What does that mean? Well! It means that you'll be able to find your favorite Green Day albums on vinyl in the near future.
So, in addition to favorites like "Dookie" and "American Idiot", you'll be able to pick up their 7" singles, and apparently a few box sets are also going to be released.
To be totally honest, I never really listened to Green Day a whole lot, but I do have Dookie, and it's a classic, for sure. The new vinyl versions are gonna sound great, and still have that high energy, high tempo, poppy punk sound. So, if you love Green Day, keep an eye open for these records that going to be released soon.
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Wow! Buddy Rich is Awesome!
By Alan | August 27, 2009
So, the other day my friend Pandora radio played a song called "Time Check" from a drummer named Buddy Rich. I had never heard of him before, but I was immediately blown away. This was fast, loud, in your face swing. I had never heard swing with such a flair and such energy. I immediately bookmarked the song, and did a little research online...
So, it turns out that Buddy Rich was a child prodigy on drums, and apparently was able to hold a perfect rhythm before his 2nd birthday. Fortunately, he chose a career in music, and was able to produce a huge body of work during his career and play with many of the greats, including Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra.
I'll admit that I am still pretty new to this guy. I picked up his 1973 album "The Roar of '74", which included the song "Time Check", and I already love it. I've been playing it all day. I just need to burn a copy to play in the car. This album is from the 70's and has a lot of rock/soul/funk influence. You've got electric guitars with wah, electric bass, some rhodes piano work, and Rich's amazing drumming keeping the big band on their toes. You might hear this kind of music in a blaxploitation movie, but I assure you, this music is the real deal. In addition to the grandiose big band sound on some songs like Time Check and Nuttville, there are a few mellow songs on the album like "Kilimanjaro Cookout" and "Waltz of the Mushroom Hunters". It has a solid 5-star rating on iTunes, and 4-stars on Amazon.
This is jazz with the intensity of rock, without being too trippy and harsh like many of the fusion people. I plan to explore this artist more, but for now, the Roar of '74 is a winner!
For some straight-up drum insanity, check out this clip from the Tonight Show!
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New Music…Some Funk
By Alan | August 26, 2009
As any music lover worth his/her salt would do, I've gotten a little tired of all of the music I have, and I've been trying to discover some new music. I thank Pandora, the awesome service I recommended in an earlier post for helping me along.
You know how you're looking through your music, and you're like "I've heard this too many times", and you can never decide on what to listen to? That's been my life lately. I'll be the first to admit that while I love music, I am in no way well-versed on everything out there. You could spend a lifetime listening to music, and still not hear everything. When I get into this situation, I have to go out and explore. For me, the easiest way is to listen to the radio. Since I am not a fan of actual radio (The kind where you have to tune in, get static, suffer through inane morning shows, listen to poor local businesses and their god-awful commercials, and maybe hear something you like), I have been listening to Pandora a lot lately. Check it out if you haven't, I'm super serial! Thanks to this great service, I have made several new discoveries that I am really excited about...
Sly & The Family Stone
I heard a few of their songs on the Pandora Funk station like "Sing a Simple Song", "Stand", "Family Affair", and "I Wanna Take You Higher", and I was hooked immediately. It is clear to me why so many people in the 60's and 70's fell in love with this group. The music is upbeat and funky, and just a blast to listen to. Unfortunately, the group only lasted for a few years, but when they were hot, they were hot. Call me a NeWb, but hey, I wasn't even alive when this group was around. I have already burned lots of copies of it of for some friends, and everyone has been digging it. My best description is rock mixed with a little blues, a little jazz, some disco, plenty of soul, and psychedelia. Sound good? Check out a greatest hits album to get started, then look for the albums "Stand" and "There's a Riot Goin' On". Sly & The Family Stone Vinyl
Parliament
Another find from the Pandora funk radio station. Of course, I have heard a few of Parliament's songs on the radio and in movies, etc. and I knew they were the quintessential funk group, but I didn't really know very much of their music. Parliament is in your face funky. I would say that they really invented the genre, and have no equal. Their influence is extremely noticeable, especially in west coast rap. In fact, my first exposure to Parliament was back in the early 90's when Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg were doing the G-Funk thing, and sampling Parliament in some of their hits. What I love about Parliament is that it's like rock and jazz, but you can dance to it too. The bass and beats are heavy, you've got horns, plus the magic of the synthesizer filling out the other parts. If you want the bomb, you gotta make your funk the p-funk. Check out their hit album "Mothership Connection" for a taste of this lively music. Parliament Vinyl
So, there you have it. Just a few groups that you should pick up right now if you have an interest in funk. Get funked up, and enjoy the music!
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Music and Freedom
By Alan | July 4, 2009
Here we are on a beautiful 4th of July--at least here in the United States, and the issue of freedom with regards to music comes to mind. We are quite lucky here in the US that music, for the most part, is a widely accepted and enjoyed. This isn't to say that some music hasn't come under criticism, such as Hip Hop or Heavy Metal, but we enjoy amazing artistic and consumption freedom. In other words, we are very free to create whatever kind of music we want and are free to listen to whatever music we like.
I know its fashionable to complain about America, on both sides of the fence: Liberals find the US too (whatever), and Conservatives find the US to (whatever else), and the rest, of course, find the US too (something else). However, one thing that most Americans can agree on is that our freedom of speech is one of our most important rights.
Believe it or not, so many people of the world do not have these express rights. In many parts of the world, certain forms of artistic expression are banned or discouraged. Certain people are banned from performing music, such as in Iran where women are not allowed to perform music in public. Western music has been banned in several countries, and its performance, recording or playback are criminal offenses. The Iraqi band Acrassacauda ended up leaving the middle east so they could perform their music without worrying about the death threats that plagued them while living in Baghdad. Before the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1980's, Western music was also widely banned.
Sure, these are the notable examples that horrify most Americans. Of course, there have been and continue to be many notable examples of music being censored in countries that stand for freedom. This isn't hard to identify here. Music videos and the radio regularly feature music that has been censored. There have also been various movements calling for the censorship and banning of music, most notably putting the "Explicit Content" label on music that is considered explicit.
Whatever your thought on this form of censorship is, it is still important to recognize that while we do have some censorship of music, we are still in a much better place that many other people in the world. We are free to create and listen to music, and this is an important right. Let's celebrate our freedom of creating and enjoying music this Fourth of July.
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A Musical Day In The Life…
By Alan | March 31, 2009
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a pretty fanatical music lover. Not really the kind that has opinions on what you should listen to, but the kind who always has his headphones on. So, let's take a look at a day in the life of me, and see what we can hear...
6:45 AM: I get up to the sound of ringing bells.
7:30 AM: I get into my car to drive to work. Most days, I'll crank my stereo, but I'm not always in the mood for loud music this early. I usually enjoy some rock, jazz or r&b music, but not always. Today, I was listening to Sly and the Family Stone on the way to work.
8:00 AM: I arrive at work. Before I even set my computer up, I will pull out my iPod or iPhone.
8:15 AM: I have settled in to work, and have my music going. My taste varies quite a bit, but usually it will be some sort of jazz or rock. I'll listen to music pretty much all morning. This morning, I enjoyed some Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix and Charles Mingus.
1:00 PM: I usually take my lunch around now. Most of the time, I turn the music off, then venture out into the web.
2:00 PM: Back from lunch, and sometimes back to my music. I don't always listen to music in the afternoon, and today was one of those days. Had a lot of reading to do, so I cut back on auditory stimulation...
5:00 PM: Off work, and driving home. Most of the time, I'll just keep listening to whatever I have playing in the car. I continued listening to Sly and The Family Stone.
5:30 PM: I get home. When I am cooking dinner, I will put on a record. Usually I'll play it through once or twice. Tonight was Thelonous Monk.
8:00 PM: Dinner is done and I usually get back to work. In addition to my day job, and this website, I have several others that I own and work on. Many times, I just open up Pandora radio on my iPhone, connect it to my stereo, and listen to whatever. Lately, I have been enjoying the funk radio station on Pandora.
10:30 PM: I am usually getting ready for bed around now. I have been known to listen to music before bed, but the habit has sort of died off lately. I remember when I was in high school, I really enjoyed listening to the Doors before bed, although I do have a "Night time" playlist on my iPod that I occasionally listen to.
So, there you have it. A musical day in the life of me.
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My new best friend: Pandora Radio
By Alan | March 3, 2009
I know this site is about vinyl (ehhhhh, sorta), and vinyl people are supposed to hate digital music, but I have to tell you about a great discovery that I have been hearing a lot about lately: Pandora Radio.
Pandora is a free internet radio service. You can visit the website (http://www.pandora.com) and listen to music in your web browser, or you can take it to the next level of coolness, and listen to music on your phone. If you have one of the phones that works with the service, you can listen to music pretty much anywhere! I have an iPhone, so I just open up the app on my phone, put it in its dock (which is connected to my stereo), and I can listen to tons of music for free. I love this.
OK, OK. I know this site is about vinyl, but the truth is, I love music more than the format it is played back on. I know vinyl sounds better than CDs and digital music, but I must say that the sound quality from Pandora is excellent. I can't always listen to my vinyl, and when I can, I sometimes don't want to have to play DJ and make sure I flip and change the records when they're done. With Pandora, I just launch the program, and let the music play.
I get into musical ruts all the time, and Pandora allows me to explore new music without having to spend any money. If I want to listen to jazz, I can. If I am in the mood for funk, I've got it. If I want to rock out, there is music for that too. If I ever want to discover something new, it's just a few clicks away. I don't like listening to the radio with all of the ads and commentary from the DJs. I just care about the music. With Pandora, there is plenty of music, very few ads, and mounds of convenience.
If you love music, you have to check out Pandora. If you have an iPhone, go download the app for it right now. You are going to love this!
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Rainy Day Music
By Alan | March 3, 2009
It's raining in Northern California today, and it got me thinking about music that is perfect for those rainy days. Of course, I'm just writing about what sounds good to me when it's raining, and certainly wouldn't expect any of you all to agree!
What makes a song good for a rainy day? I tend to like mellow music with slow beats. I like music that has a unique sort of sound. I particularly like the sounds of Rhodes pianos and organs. I also enjoy electronically generated sounds, as long as they are not too jarring. I like the occasional song that has the sound of rain in it, or just a sound in the background that reminds me of the constant sound of falling rain. I like music that fits the vibe of the day, mellow, relaxed and gentle.
Let's look at some of my favorites:
One of my favorite rainy day songs is "Riders on the Storm" by the Doors. The sound of the rain and thunder at the beginning and end of the song is what sets the mood, but the melody and beat keep it going. The sound of the organ gives a trippy, underwater sort of effect, which is perfect for a rainy day. Riders on the Storm is on the album "LA Woman", but the rest of the album doesn't really work with my idea of what a rainy day album is.
I have also been enjoying the Herbie Hancock "Mwandishi" albums today. Crossings and Mwandishi have more of a rainy day vibe than Sextant, but Sextant has the song "Rain Dance", which has a neat dripping-water sort of effect throughout the song. All three of these albums use electronic keyboards, which I think have a distinctive sound that reminds me of the rain. I realize that these albums are not for everybody, because they're a little out there, but I like them.
Another album that I like for rainy days comes from similar roots as Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi albums, and that album is Miles Davis' "In A Silent Way". This album is mellow, with a mood that reminds me of the rain. The first time I heard it, I was driving in my car in the rain, which further pushed the idea that it is a good album for rainy days.
So, there you have it. My picks for rainy day music. What do you think? What are some of your favorite rainy day songs?
Stay warm, and enjoy the music!
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Shuffle!
By Alan | February 24, 2009
Sometimes I go through writers block on this blog. You can see there are times when I write lots of posts, then times when I don't write for weeks. I think I found a solution: I shuffle all of the songs on my iPod, then I write about the first 3 albums that come up. If you can get them on vinyl, I'll show you where...If you can't, well, look for the CD, or buy it in a digital format online.
Ready? Here goes!
Album #1: Bo Diddley: His Best
Bo Diddley is the most underappreciated musician in rock and roll history. Why? Because he practically invented it, while Elvis took the credit. I don't want to disrespect Elvis, because his accomplishments in music shadow pretty much everbody, but credit must be given where it's due, and it is due with Bo Diddley. Bo Diddley was the first known musician that took the blues, gave it a harder edge and rhythm, and created what would be known as "Rock and Roll". This sound has been deconstructed and imitated by thousands of musicians since.
Bo Diddley is great. This album that came up on my iPod is a collection of his most famous songs. It includes songs like "Who Do You Love" and "I'm a Man". These songs all feature a fast-paced rhythm with hard-edged guitar parts. Some of the songs on the album have some humorous lyrics as well. There's one with a percussive piano part with two guys just making fun of each other: The 1950's version of the "snaps" we hear nowadays.
If you appreciate oldies, classic rock, and blues, you need to get some Bo Diddley in your collection. Pick up an album or two, and see where rock and roll began.
Album #2: Django Reinhardt: No Album
Well, I have a few tracks of Django Reinhardt on my iPod, but not from any particular album...I am not even sure they had albums back in his time! Anyway, Django Reinhardt is one of the world's greatest guitar players. He was a gypsy from Belgium who learned to play stringed instruments from an early age. At age 18, he was injured in a fire which caused severe damage to his left hand. While many guitar players would have given up at this point, Django Reinhardt learned to play guitar again despite the injuries to his hand. His miraculous recovry has been an inspiration to guitar players ever since.
Django Reinhardt can swing, as they say. His playing is uptempo, skilled, and clean. His amazing talent has inspired people as varied as Jimi Hendrix, Tony Iommi (of Black Sabbath), and Willie Nelson. Having discovered Django very recently, I was immediately impressed with his skill and style. If you love jazz or guitar playing, do your ears a favor and pick up some Django, you'll be glad you did!
Album #3: Vivaldi: Four Seasons
Vivaldi's Four Seasons is one of the most famous musical pieces from the Baroque period (roughly beginning in 1600, and ending around 1760) of European classical music, and no doubt one of the most famous European classical music pieces ever composed. Most people with access to modern media have surely heard the famous introduction to the Spring movement.
The four seasons is a 4-concerto piece, each concerto containing 3 distinct movements. The opening and closing movements of each concerto are faster, with the middle movement being slower. Each concerto (or season) has its own distinct feel. Spring, Summer and Fall are more lively and bright, with Winter being more dark sounding.
This is one of the greatest classical music works ever produced. If you can appreciate classical music (Even if you rarely listen to it), you need to have this album in your collection.
Alright people, I hope you enjoyed these quick glimpses at some of my favorite artists, and that you are enjoying the music!
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Album Review: John Coltrane – A Love Supreme
By Alan | February 8, 2009
Classical music afficionados have Beethoven's 5th Symphony, Rock fans have The Beatles' White Album. Jazz fans have A Love Supreme. If you've read my post about essential jazz recordings, you know that I ranked this album as #1. John Coltrane's masterpiece is a winner on so many different levels. Let's take a closer look.
The Concept:
A Love Supreme is an album written, recorded and performed by John Coltrane. Other musicians that perform on the album include McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The album was seen by Coltrane as his gift to God. A humble offering that expresses a deep thankfulness, commitment and love to God. While many people speculate about which God Coltrane is paying tribute to in this album (Coltrane was apparently a deeply spiritual person who was raised Christian, but had an interest in many different religions), it is most likely a tribute to the "true" God, ie the one that really exists, whether Christian, Islamic or something else. I don't believe Coltrane was making any statement about "which" God, but just about God. In other words, I think Coltrane is saying: "God, Whatever your name is, wherever you are, whoever you are, I present to you this humble offering of my love for you". Some people believe that he is praising Allah, and have a problem with the album from a Christian point of view, but I think that Coltrane is just saying that he loves the creator, whoever it may be.
A Love Supreme is a suite, with four distinct parts. They are "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Persuance", and "Psalm". Let's take a look at each part.
Acknowledgement:
Acknowledgement begins with a bassline that sounds like "A Love Supreme" spoken. This bass part continues throughout the song to give the song a forward moving kind of vibe. Almost like climbing a mountain. It is symbolic of Coltrane, remaining continuously faithful. The sax parts on this first movement are complimentary to the slower tempo. Towards the end of the first part, Coltrane begins chanting "A Love Supreme". Symbolically, the song represents Coltrane's acknowledgement of God, and his acknowledgement of his own talents, which come from God.
Resolution:
Resolution begins with a short bass solo, at which point Coltrane begins playing. This song is a nod to the atonal style that Coltrane would later adopt, although it is not nearly as atonal as Coltrane's work would later become. The melody is still very catchy and melodic, and at times sounds like some of Coltrane's earlier work. Symbolically, this song seems to say that thanks to God, Coltrane has resolved his personal difficulties. It reflects on his earlier work, while looking forward to the future.
Persuance:
Persuance is without a doubt the climax of the album. It begins with a lengthy drum solo that fades out, and Coltrane begins playing. After a short part by Coltrane, McCoy Tyner begins a fast tempo piano solo. I always feel like this part represents Coltrane mentally preparing himself for a highly passionate "peresuance" of the awesomeness of God. When Coltrane begins playing again, he is in top form. He is playing fast, passionately, and intense. There is no doubt to me that while Coltrane played this legendary part, he was having a highly spiritual moment. Every time I hear it, I can feel the intense emotions that must have been going through his head at the moment this part was recorded. This is one of the most magical musical moments ever experienced by me. Of course, after such an intense burst of emotion, Coltrane was exhausted. The song ends with a slow bass outro.
Psalm:
The final part of the suite is known as Psalm. This part is unique, because it is a musical narration of a devotional poem written by Coltrane and included in the liner notes of the album. The sax parts are "speaking" the poem. This part of the suite is slow and solemn, and reflects Coltrane's very deep love for God. For those that take the time and attention to listen closely, this albums will leave you a changed person.
A Love Supreme went on to be one of the most highly regarded jazz albums in history. It has been on many "best of jazz" lists, as well as "best album" (in any genre) lists. Time Magazine recognized it, as did Rolling Stone. It has been covered, imitated and re-imagined over and over by many musicians, both known and unknown. A few notables who have taken a crack at it are John McLaughlin, Carlos Santana, and Branford Marsallis.
What sets A Love Supreme apart from just about anything ever released is just how magnetic and powerful it is. The emotions that come through the music are intense and real. The message is one of positivity and love and reverence, and a serious listening of this album is a mind-changing experience.
Let me say it right now: I don't care who your favorite musician is, or what your favorite music is, or who you are, or where you come from. If you love music, you need this album. You will never hear music with this kind of power on anything ever written or performed to this date. In addition to A Love Supreme being the best jazz album ever released, it is no doubt one of the best albums released in any genre.
 |
 John Coltrane LOVE SUPREME Orig Labels STEREO LP US $15.50 |
 A Love Supreme / John Coltrane ( Impulse, Mono) US $9.99 |
 JOHN COLTRANE, A LOVE SUPREME MCA 5660 VG++ BEAUTY US $24.99 |
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- John Coltrane Quartet Plays
- Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
- Major Works of John Coltrane
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The (Real) Secrets To Awesome Sound…
By Alan | February 3, 2009
You know how live music seems to hit you on a deeper level than recorded music that is played back?
Why is this? Well, there are a few things at work here. First of all, live music has real, live people playing music. These performers are part of the experience. Because they are usually energetic when they perform, that energy is passed on to the audience. The energy of the experience affects us on a deeper, emotional level, making us feel better, and the music sound better. While I won't deny that this is theorhetical and not really based in science, everyone who has seen live music be performed knows what I am talking about.
Another thing with live music, is that the volume is turned to 11. Like Spinal Tap. The sheer volume of everything is enough to heighten the experience...even if it is bad for your ears.
Also, since live music is not recorded, the sound is more pure. You are actually hearing a guitar played through an amplifier or a trumpet, not the sound of a guitar played through an amplifier into a microphone that has gone through a mixing board before being recorded onto an analog tape, which is then mixed, mastered, and copied to a CD, which is then read by a laser, amplified, and played out of a speaker. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
In addition, musicians in the studio often have to do take after take, until they are bored with the music. This comes through on recordings all the time. They sound good, but the energy is sometimes missing. Live musicians are playing in the moment.
So, we all know that live music sounds better for many reasons. But, hey we can't always enjoy live music, so how do we get the great sound of a live performance at home or in the car?
Here is the first secret: Power. You need to listen to your music a little louder to appreciate it. In addition, when you play your music through a powerful amplifier, you will enjoy cleaner sound. When the volume is turned up a little higher, you'll also notice more of the subtle nuances in the music, and chances are that you'll hear a little more bass too. Bass is important. You don't see people getting hyphy to cymbals.
If you don't have a decently powered amplifier or receiver that you play your music through, I would recommend checking out a new one. If you listen to your music on some sort of "all in one" stereo, you're missing out. Also, look at investing in some sort of subwoofer. This will fill out your bottom end very nicely. You'll find a new appreciation for all of your music. Subwoofers aren't just for dance music and hip hop; every kind of music has sound on the lower registers, and a subwoofer will release that sound from your CDs, and bring it to your ears.
Don't pay any attention to audiophiles who say you need to have 1/1000th of a percent less total harmonic distortion, and a really expensive Krell amp to enjoy your music. You can't hear 1/1000th of a percent THD, and the real power behind the music when played through a Krell amp is the power in the amp. That's it.
Here's another secret: Passion and love. If you really love what a musician is doing on an album, you are going to enjoy the sound better. This is not about being picky and saying "I like this, but I don't like that". This is much more difficult. This is about gaining an appreciation for the work of all musicians. It requires being more open mentally and emotionally. It requires getting into the head of the musician, and feeling what they're playing. Not easy, but once you get it, you'll be amazed at how much more you love music, and how much more enjoyable it is to your ears.
The last secret: Seek out live recordings. A live recording is not necessarily a recording of a concert, but can also include recordings where the song was captured in one take, and was never cut or edited. The emotions of the musicians seem to come through more clearly on these types of recordings, and you'll be amazed at how much feeling is there.
To wrap it up: Get loud, get into it, get a live recording. The secrets to awesome sound.
Enjoy the music!
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The Day The Music Died
By Alan | February 3, 2009
Today is the 50th anniversary of the day the music died. This is the tragic event that ended the lives of three young and promising musicians: Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and the Big Bopper.
It was February 2nd, 1959 when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper had performed at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The musicians had a gig the next evening, and Buddy Holly was reportedly annoyed with the tour bus they were traveling on because the heater broke and the weather was cold. He suggested that some of the performers charter a flight, and avoid the cold bus for a night. After some shuffling of people, the ill-fated musicians boarded a small airplane to Moorhead, Minnesota.
Soon after takeoff, the owner of the airplane (who was the owner of the company that Buddy Holly chartered the plane from) saw the airplane's lights descend toward the ground. The owner initially believed that it was an optical illusion, but after the pilot of the airplane never filed his flight report, and the owner of the airplane repeatedly tried to contact the pilot, he reported the plane missing. The next day, the charter company owner flew a plane over the intended path and saw the plane's wreckage in a corn field.
This was the day the music died.
What makes this event so tragic was that the three musicians on board were so young, and had so much talent, and had such bright futures.
Ritchie Valens
As a kid, I loved the movie La Bamba as well as the soundtrack for it. I listened to it all the time, and while it didn't actually feature the original Ritchie Valens versions of the songs, I loved it all the same.
Let's take a look at Ritchie's life, and the musical contributions he made to the world before most of us even knew who we are, and what we're here for.
Ritchie Valens was born Richard Steven (Stephen?) Valenzuela on May 13th, 1941 in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles). He reportedly grew up listening to traditional Mexican mariachi music, flamenco, blues, and R&B. As early as 5, Ritchie expressed an interest in music. His father encouraged him to play trumpet and guitar, and Ritchie also taught himself to play the drums. Interestingly, Ritchie who was left-handed (aren't all the greats?), learned to play guitar right-handed. He would bring his guitar to school in his teens, and soon enough was asked to join a group called the Silhouettes as a guitar player. After the group's vocalist left the group, Ritchie performed vocals as well. His spirited performances left audiences in awe. In addition to his electric stage performances, he was highly musically skilled, and often improvised lyrics and guitar riffs while performing. He earned the nickname "Little Richard of the Valley" because of his energy.
Ritchie was soon discovered by Bob Keane of Del-Fi records. In May 1958, Bob invited Ritchie over to his home for an audition. Within a few weeks, Ritchie signed a recording contract with Del-Fi records. After a little time rehearsing and writing, Keane decided it was time for Ritchie to enter a recording studio. The first recoding date produced "Come On Let's Go" and "Framed". An instant success, Valens returned to the studio to record "Donna" and "La Bamba". By the fall of 1958, Ritchie dropped out of school to focus on his career. Bob Keane had booked gigs for Ritchie Valens all over the country. He appeared on American Bandstand twice, as well as Alan Freed's Christmas Jubilee in New York.
Ritchie's career was going well, with much hope for the young musician's future when he began the midwestern tour known as "The Winter Dance Party". The tour was full of problems, from the tour bus's heating system failing, to the illnesses suffered by the musicians, to the illogical routes traveled by the tour bus. Ultimately, the discomfort experienced by the musicians is what prompted Buddy Holly to charter a plane from one of the tour stops to the next. We are only left to ponder what could have been if the musicians experienced more comfort in the tour bus.
Ritchie Valens's story is particularly sad because of his age. He was only 17 when he died, and he showed so much promise. Already proving himself as a very competent guitar player and vocalist, as well as magnetic performer, Ritchie Valens surely would have gone on to become a highly influential rock and roll musician in the 60's. It is suggested that Ritchie Valens' highly energetic rock and roll sound (as influenced by Bo Diddley), was the precursor to more bluesy rock and roll and classic rock such as Led Zeppelin, and even early punk rock such as the Stooges and The Ramones.
It hurts to see such talent come to an end so unexpectedly and so abrubptly. RIP, Ritchie Valens. We thank you for your contributions to the world. We love you and miss you.
Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley on September 7th, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas. His family was very musical, and Buddy grew up playing piano, guitar and violin. As a teenager, Buddy met Bob Montgomery, and they formed a duo called "Buddy and Bob", where they played bluegrass tunes. In high school, Buddy Holly sang in the school's choir, and became further interested in music.
Buddy Holly became more interested in rock and roll when in 1955, Elvis Presley performed in Lubbock. Shortly after, Buddy Holly performed on the same bill as Elvis. This caught the attention of Decca records, which signed him to their label. After signing this record contract, Buddy Holly recorded a version of "That'll Be The Day". He soon put together a group of musicians which would become known as The Crickets. With his new band, he recorded and performed more, including a famous series of gigs at the Apollo Theatre, where he gained acceptance by the largely African American audience. In 1958, Buddy Holly and his band toured both Europe and Australia.
Things were looking good for Buddy Holly. He married a young Puerto Rican woman named Maria Elena Santiago in late 1958. He was becoming more interested in working in New York, where some of the largest musical acts in the world were from. Unfortunately, at this point, Buddy Holly's band was not as interested in the New York scene, and they split up. Buddy Holly continued with his music, earning a spot on the Winter Dance Party tour.
Buddy Holly, much like Valens, was young, talented, and showed much promise as a musician. He was only 22 when he died, leaving much speculation as to what he could have accomplished if he had lived. Buddy Holly already had developed his own style of singing, which is very distinct. Classic songs like "Peggy Sue" display his "hiccup" (or glottal stop) technique, where he adds extra syllables to words with a very abrupt hiccup sort of sound. You know it when you hear it, and it is a unique characteristic of Buddy Holly's style. His songwriting has been celebrated as being very advanced compared to much of the popular music during that time. Buddy Holly had been playing music his whole life, and was cleary very committed and talented to his craft.
Buddy Holly's legacy continues to this day. From his "appearance" in Pulp Fiction, to Nirvana dressing up in his style in their "In Bloom" music video, to the Weezer song "Buddy Holly", he continues to influence and inspire musicians. Other notable musicians influenced by Buddy Holly include The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan.
Buddy Holly's tragic death on this fateful date is a sad moment in the history of rock and roll. We love the contributions he made during his short musical career. Buddy Holly, if you can see this somehow, we love you and miss you. Thanks for the music...
The Big Bopper
The Big Bopper was born Jiles Perry Richardson, Jr. on October 24th, 1930 in Sabine Pass, Texas. He was known as "JP" to his friends. As a child, JP was interested in sports, and played defense for his high school's football team. In college, JP was studying pre-law, as well as participating in the school chorus and band. He was also working part-time at a local radio station. He soon accepted a full-time position at the radio station, and got married to Adrianne Joy Fryon in 1952. In 1953, Adrianne gave birth to their daughter, Debra Joy.
JP's career in radio was beginning to take off. He was promoted to the position of Supervisor of Announcers. In 1955, JP was drafted into the military, and he served for two years. In 1957, upon release from the military, he returned home, and began his career as a radio personality. He took the name "The Big Bopper" during this time because of a popular dance at the time known as "The Bop". As a radio personality, The Big Bopper broke a world record for the length of time he spent in one continuous broadcast. He broadcast for 5 days, 2 hours and 8 minutes. He played 1,821 records during this amazing spree.
The Big Bopper had always been involved with music, and did write and perform in addition to performing his duties as a radio personality. He didn't have much success initially until "Chantilly Lace" was released in 1958. This song is a stunning example of The Big Bopper's over-the-top, yet lovable personality. On this recording it is clear as to why he enjoyed such success in the radio business. With the success of Chantilly Lace, The Big Bopper took some time off from the radio gig to tour with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens for the Winter Dance Party tour.
The Big Bopper's story is also tragic. At the time of his death, his wife was pregnant with his son. In addition, The Big Bopper was looking to furthering his career in the radio business by investing in a radio station. He also had pioneered the idea of a music video, and was possibly looking at the production of the then unheard of medium. He had also written several new songs, and was in the process of building a recording studio in his basement. The world is left to wonder what JP Richardson could have accomplished had he lived.
JP Richardson was a character full of life. From his boisterous on-air personality to his introduction to Chantilly Lace, he was adored by many. His legacy continues to this day with Chantilly Lace played daily on rock and roll stations across the country. His son, JP Richardson, Jr. continues to promote his father, and keep his legacy alive. The Big Bopper, RIP. We miss you.
It is a sad day remebering these three lives cut short, but we cannot feel sad forever. These musicians were about the joy of music, and all loved their craft. They did it because it made them happy and it made their audiences happy. To be happy while enjoying their music is the greatest way that we can pay tribute.
Some morals: Life can sometimes be cut short without warning. Always tell the people you love that you love them.
A moment of silence for these three amazing young perfomers.
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Topics: Artist Tributes, Musicians I Like, Rock | 1 Comment »
Blasphemy! Ripping LPs to CD
By Alan | January 28, 2009
When it comes to LPs, we all know how awesome they are. They sound great, and are much more fun to listen to. The problem is that records are not very portable. Digital audio is much more convenient and portable, and thanks to modern technology, pretty easy to create.
I own several LPs that I don't have digital copies of, whether MP3 or CD. This music is stranded at home, and I can never listen to it in my car or on my iPod. In order to make my vinyl portable, it is essential to rip it to a digital format.
First up, a caveat. Ripping LPs to CDs is not really a quick, straightforward process (Unless you have a special turntable with a USB-out or iPod dock built in). As such, there are several considerations that you have to make. Of course, with some extra time and some extra care, you will be enjoying your LPs on the go, and score tons of hot chicks too.
Part 1. The Prep:
Before getting going on this, here is a list of equipment that you'll need.
- Turntable
- Receiver
- Y-Cable (RCA to phono mini jack)
- A computer with a line-in jack
- Sound recording software (I recommend Audacity...It's free and cross-platform)
Next, you'll need to clean your system, stylus and record:
Before doing anything, you should give your system a bit of a cleaning. It may be a bit anal to clean all of your audio cable plugs, but if they have never been cleaned, now is a good time.
Next up, you need to ensure that the LP you are going to rip is clean. Clean off any fingerprints, grease, etc. using a wet cleaning method. After that, use a carbon fiber brush to clean any dust, lint and hair from your vinyl. This will ensure a more "quiet" recording. For details, see my post about how to clean vinyl records.
While you're at it, it might not be a bad idea to clean your stylus (needle). This will also help to ensure a high-quality recording. For details on this, read about how to clean your stylus.
Once you have cleaned your vinyl, you'll need to set everything up. Here's what you need to do.
- Make sure that your turntable is connected to your receiver through the PHONO input.
- Connect your computer's line-in (NOT Mic) to a RECORD OUT or MONITOR OUT jack on your receiver with the RCA to mini phono cable.
Believe it or not, but vinyl records are EQ'd before pressing. I don't want to go into it here, but basically to fit all of the musical data on a record, some of the frequencies have to be shaved off the actual record, and added back to the music during playback. This is accomplished through your receiver, so the important thing to note is that you should not hook your turntable directly into your computer, but into your receiver as normal, then hook your receiver to your computer. If you don't, however, you can fix your recording in Audacity, so don't fret if you did a recording and it sounds weird. I'll explain how to fix it later.
Once you have your computer and turntable all set up, it's time to do some testing.
Fire up your sound recording program, get it all ready to go, and get your turntable ready. Begin playing the record, then begin recording. If possible, record an entire song that has a good mixture of quiet and loud parts. Once the song is over, stop the recording and stop the record.
Have a look at the diagram of the recording. See if the sound waves "clip" at any point. Please excuse my very crude explanation of what this is...Clipping is when the sound waves exceed the bandwidth? level?? of the recording or something, and are "clipped". So, in other words the "peaks" in the audio get their tips cut off (or clipped). Here's a picture since I don't really know what I am talking about. The red exclamation points refer to the emotions you'll feel when you see this in your recording!
Clipped sound is really bad. It sounds bad, and it can damage your speakers. If you see clipping in your recording, you need to lower the volume of the receiver. In general, I like to have my volume about 2/3 to 3/4 up. This allows a nice, loud recording with no clipping. I don't guarantee that this will be right for you, that's why you need to test.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, there is a possibility that a recording can be too quiet. If you look at the graphical representation of your music, you might notice that the sound waves look "small". If this is the case, you'll probably need to turn the volume on your receiver up. Here's a picture of a recording that is about right..although maybe a bit on the quiet side.
Part 2. The Rip:
OK, now that we have gone through all of the tedious and annoying testing, it is time to do the recording for real. Before recording, be sure your sound recording software is all set up.
I am going to explain how I use Audacity, but I am sure that most of the other audio recording software titles offer the same functionality and similar setup procedures.
Alright! So, I open my preferences in Audacity, and I go to I/O. I make sure that my software knows that the audio source will come through my line in, not my microphone. Next, I go to quality. Since we are recording an analog source, I want to get the highest quality digital reproduction of that. Audacity allows me to record at quality levels that are well beyond the CD, and I believe that you should record at this higher quality, even if you can't hear the difference between an LP and CD, and even if you are eventually going to transfer the recording to a CD. Now, CDs are 16-bits with a 44.1khz sample rate. Audacity allows me to record at 32-bits with a 96khz sample rate. I'll do that. Bear in mind that this is a very intense recording, so your computer needs to be able to handle the load. A single LP side could take up over 1Gb of space on your hard drive, and require much processing power, so quit any applications you're running before doing this. Those are all of the options I care about right now, so I will click OK, and go back to the main window.
Finally! Time to record...
Open a new file, and click record. Start your turntable, and let the record play all the way through.
A few tips:
- I usually unplug my speakers with the theory being that the sound waves produced by the speakers could interfere with the stylus and cause some (subtle) coloration of the sound. Would it be noticable? Probably not, but I am looking for a very pure recording, and this will help ensure it.
- I usually leave the room while the recording is being done so my heavy foot doesn't shake the turntable causing a vibrato-ish sound being introduced to the recording. It happens easier than you might think.
- Try to record in a quiet room, and tell your housemates to stay away until the recording is done.
After the record stops, I stop recording. I save the file immediately. Once I have the saved file, I'll usually just close it, then record the next side of the LP. I usually do all of my steps in a batch. So, if I have 5 records I want to record, I'll record all of them before I edit and burn them. It's just a little faster that way.
Part 3: The Editing
Alright! Now that the long, boring, and hard parts are over, it's time to edit your recordings.
First of all, if you could not record through a receiver (In other words, you connected your turntable directly to your computer), your recording probably sounds a little funny. That's because of something called "RIAA Equalization". To fit all of the audio data on a record, it has to be EQ'd, then added back to the sound during playback. Receivers automatically do this, but not turntables. To fix a recording that was not recorded through a receiver, simply select all of the audio data (ctrl+a or command+a), then go to effect > equalization. Select "RIAA", and click OK. How does it sound now? Normal? Good. If you did record your LP through the receiver, it should probably sound normal, so you don't need to worry about this.
The next thing I do is listen to the recording to see how noisy it is. If it's pretty clean sounding (and it should be if you used a clean LP with a clean stylus), then I just let it go--even if there is some noise. If there is some hiss and pop that is annoying, I will try to edit it out. In Audacity, you can do this by selecting a quiet portion of the recording (like before the first song starts), then clicking Effect > Noise Removal. The first step is to click the get noise profile button. From there, select the entire track, then go back to Effect > Noise Removal. You will be able to select more or less noise removal, preview what it sounds like, then make the change. I generally prefer to err on the side of less noise removal. Too much and the recording sounds flat. Just get the recording down to an acceptable noise level rather than trying to cut it all out.
The next thing I do when I am looking at the audio data from an entire LP is cut out the empty space at the beginning and end of the recording. I simply select the audio data that I want to cut by clicking and dragging, then selecting Edit > Cut.
From here, I need to cut the recording up into the individual songs. This is not mandatory, but most people prefer to maintain separate tracks for each song. Cut each song, then paste it into a new Audacity file. Save the file.
Once you have done all of your tracks, it is time to do some more minor editing. Cut out any long spaces with no sound at the beginning and end of each track. I also like to do fade-ins and fade-outs so the analog "hiss" is less noticable at the beginning and end of the tracks. To fade in, I select the space from the beginning of the track up to the exact moment that the music begins, and click Effect > Fade In. I do the exact same thing at the end of each track, except that I like to let the last moment of music ring out until it is almost completely quiet before I apply the fade out effect. Same deal: Select the audio, click Effect > Fade Out.
Repeat for every track. Save every track.
Part 4. The burning.
You're almost done! Once you're satisfied with the recording of your vinyl, and it has been edited and cut, it's time to burn. This is the easiest phase of everything.
In Audacity, open the track that you want to export. I usually export it twice: Once as a standard WAV file, and once as a high quality MP3 file. I can use the WAV file as an archival quality "Master" copy for burning CDs. The MP3 version will be transferred to my iPod.
Before exporting, I'll go back into my Audacity preferences, and go to "file formats". For my "uncompressed export format", I will choose WAV Microsoft 16-bit PCM. PCM is the format used on audio CDs, and is considered an exact copy of CD-Audio data. For my MP3 export setup, I will choose the 256 bit rate. If you're file size conscious, you can go for a 160 or 192 bit rate, but I wouldn't go lower than a 128 bit rate because the sound is noticbly worse.
Note: If your MP3 Export Setup doesn't appear to be working, you need to download the LAME MP3 encoder. Don't worry, it's free too! Have a look here.
Anyway, now that you have set your export preferences, it's time to export the files!
To export, go to File > Export Project As (WAV or MP3). That's it. Audacity will take a minute or two to do the MP3, and possibly 30 seconds to do the WAV. Please note, you have to do this once for each file you want to export. Audacity won't export both a WAV and MP3 at the same time. When you export your MP3 files, Audacity will allow you to input the text data for the song such as the title, artist, and genre.
Once you have exported the WAV file(s), you should burn them to a CD. You can either record it as an audio CD that will play in your CD player, or you can burn them to a data CD so you have the actual WAV files available that you can use to burn audio CDs. This is your "master" CD. You should treat it well so you won't lose all of the hard work you've put into it!
As for the MP3 files, I just open up iTunes (Or whatever other MP3 software), add them to my library, then transfer them to my iPod.
...And that is it! Overall, this method works very well, and I have been quite impressed with my results. The CDs I have recorded sound great (although I don't have purchased CDs to compare them to), but still, they do sound pretty awesome. As for the MP3 files, they sound very nice as well. In addition to the fact that they used a high bit rate (256kbps), I encoded them at a 48khz sample rate which is actually higher than the sample rate of a CD (44.1khz). I think these particular MP3 files rival the sound of even a purchased CD!
This is a worthwhile project for people with lots of music on vinyl, but it certainly isn't as quick or easy as ripping a new CD to your computer. But, on the other hand, with an hour or so of work, you can enjoy the music (on the go) for a lifetime. Have fun!
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Topics: Music, Vinyl Info | 4 Comments »