Playing around with an old scanner last night I couldn't help but being caught up in the graphics on old LP jackets!  Few designers trumpet the excitement of "Stereo Sound" in this ipod age... occasionally, though,  you will see a tip o' the hat to past design (Aimee Mann's last CD took its disc art from old Recordio discs...more on Recordios when/if I find one with a Porter song). 

The Smithereens: My Heart Belongs To Daddy

Finally, the computer is back in the office (a tip o' the hat to John - computer expert extraordinaire), the turntable is up and running, and the audio restoration software is slowly revealing its secrets. Here we go with our first vinyl-to-digital offering: The Smithereens! A vinyl artifact from Smith College in Northampton, Ma. No date on sleeve or disc, but I'm guessing it was made in the early 80's.

The college LP represents a nearly forgotten subgenre....the musical equivalent of the "vanity press." Thousands of these discs, representing glee clubs, greek organizations, and drama departments, find themselves in landfill every year. Every record collector runs across them and nearly every record collector shuns them. This one is actually interesting: a cappella versions of Beatles and Beach Boys...and Cole Porter. www.box.net/shared/uuqlsql9oa

I Love Paris in the Springtime

Yikes...from the amateurish sublime to the professionally ridiculous!

Harmonica - I Love Paris - Cole Porter - Frank Sinatra

Its Saturday! Unfortunately, its still too cold for yard sales or flea markets...oh well. Computer still out of comission but I was able to grab my wife's macbook for a few minutes. How about another amateur video? Man, this guy sounds pretty good. Anyway, have a great weekend...

Ukulele: Don't Fence Me In

Okay, my turntable is running but my computer has crashed. Still not able to digitize music. In the meantime, how 'bout a little video for you? A demented ukulele version....

Eartha Kitt sings Night and Day

Still working on the turntable...installed a new Shure cartridge last night. Currently charging my minidisc recorder. Don't laugh at the minidisc format - Sony no longer produces them, but the last model could record a PCM flow, AND you could actually upload onto your computer for audio "tweaking." Quite a handy device for the vinyl lovers out there. Anyway, just to throw a tune your way, here is an AM radio broadcast from New York city. Its really a shame that somebody edited out the dialogue...Eartha Kitt can be pretty damn funny! Until a more complete recording surfaces, here is Eartha and a piano player, and someone snapping their fingers. http://www.box.net/shared/k9vxd3vkci

Sarah Vaughn sings From This Moment On...

Okay, I'm slowly figuring this blog thing out. Before I begin the artful task of transferring vinyl to digital (an art I'm learning "on the fly"), I think I'll throw this at you. Its a live recording of Sarah Vaugh and an unknown trio. Recorded at the Stadhall in Karlsruhe, Sweden, November 3rd, 1985. http://www.box.net/shared/37k25utsu4