The vinyl record collecting blog - with news about new vinyl record releases, vinyl record sales, new music releases, album cover art and weekly features
Here's what's going happening on the other side of the pond:
RARE Smiths offerings and gold-vinyl Oasis cuts were among the treasures on offer as Manchester enjoyed a vinyl revival.
Hundreds of collectors from across the country rifled through a collection of weird and wonderful LPs, singles and promo releases at the Vinyl Revival record fair in Sacha's hotel.
And among the dusty offerings were rarities from the Manchester music scene, including a signed Smiths LP worth £200, a £150 signed, gold-plated Oasis record and a limited New Order promo for £100.
Vinyl fans say record fairs are booming, despite competition from online trading and downloads.
Trader Cliff Pemberton, 58, from Glossop said: “If I get any Oasis, Stone Roses and 'Madchester' scene vinyl in it always sells very quickly. They are the modern collectibles.”
“We are coming out of a decline in vinyl fairs. The problem was e-Bay hit us badly about five years ago. People were buying vinyl online and attendances at fairs went down.
“But we battled on, and as time has gone on, things have started to go the other way.”
Co-organiser Adrian Melling said: “If you look at the artwork on some of these albums you can see why people come to the fairs. It's incredible. It's great to actually look through the records and search for things, rather than just look at it online.”
Trader Tommy Shennan, 55, from Blackley has 30,000 records in his collection.
Tommy said: “Northern Soul is always popular in the north west. I've also seen Oasis vinyl go up in value over the last few years. Personally I'm a soul man.”
Tommy's holy grail is a first issue of Frank Wilson's Do I Love You (Indeed I do).
“There are only four or five known of them left in the world,” he said.
Fellow trader Mick Johnson, 59, who travelled down especially for the fair from Bishop Auckland, in County Durham, said: “Manchester is one of the few fairs we get a lot of young people and students interested in the records.”
Slim pickings for holiday shopper’s this week (wait until next week!), but we do have some great music being released this week. The Best Of Bryan Ferry, some early Bob Seger, Edith Piaf - Best of the Best, Elvis Presley - Best of the Best and the Best of Rasmus 2001-2009 are just a few of the highlights.
Look for music from Lou Reed/Velvet Underground - Live 1969/1972, Alicia Keys (The Element Of Freedom), a live album from Green Day (Last Night on Earth Live in Tokyo), R. Kelly’s LP Untitled and John Mayer with Battle Studies. Reissues include: Cunninlynguists – Southernunderground, The Holy Modal Rounders, Vol. 2, Olaf Arnalds, Sun Ra and Yes - Keys to Ascension, Vol. 2. We also have a couple of boxed sets including Bucks Fizz - The Platinum Collection and a boxed set from Vladimir Horowitz. Look for a lot more next week as Christmas slowly approaches!
Here is the month in review of the top selling ebay vinyl record sales, on a weekly basis, for November of 2009. First and foremost, a special thank you to Norm and Jane at http://ccdiscoveries/blogspot.comfor compiling this interesting data.
If we look at the past history, as usual, the Beatles led the month with a sealed UK Original Box Set of Let It Be, which was sold for around $10,000. The next top seller was a rare funk LP by John Heartsman and the Circles which sold for an even $5,300.
There were several records that sold in the $4000-4,950 range including: The Beatles "White Album" UK Pressing 0006864 which sold for a shade under $4,900, a 45rpm by Mixed Feeling ("Sha La La"/"Love Will Find A Way") which went for $4,950.00, another 45 by the Magnetics ("Count The Days"/"When I'm With My Baby") which sold for $4,938. Also included in the range was a 78rpm by Willie Walker ("South Carolina Rag"/"Dupree Blues") which sold $4,907 and another 45rpm - Two Plus Two "I'm Sure"/"Look Around" Velgo - $4,049.
An EP by the King, Elvis Presley "Blue Hawaii, a 12" Led Zeppelin “Road Box” LP and Velvet Underground & Nico, self-titled Mono Promo LP all sold for an even $4,000.00.
Other interesting sales were a couple of 10" records, a one sided acetate from Pink Floyd co-founder Syd Barrett which sold for $2,500 and a self-titled record from Charlie Parker, which sold for $2,210. The Beatles make the list again with the LP "Please Please Me" (Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Stereo) selling twice in the month once for a little over $2,500 and the other selling for a little over $3,500.
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/07/2009
1. LP - The Beatles "Let It Be" UK Original Box Set Sealed - $10,099.00
2. LP - John Heartsman And Circles "Music Of My Heart" Private - $5,300.00
3. LP - The Beatles "White Album" UK Pressing 0006864 - $4,899.66
4. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Stereo - $2,571.43
5. LP - Bob Dylan "John Wesley Harding" Red Vinyl - $3,249.00
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/14/2009
1. 45 - Mixed Feeling "Sha La La" / "Love Will Find A Way" United - $4,950.00
2. LP - The Beatles "Yesterday And Today" Butcher 2nd State Mono Paste-Over Sealed - $2,900.00
3. 10" - Syd Barrett "Octopus" one-sided acetate - $2,500.00
4. 10" - Charlie Parker self-titled Dial 203 - $2,210.00
3. 45 - William Powell "Heartache Souvenirs" / "The Chicken Shack" Power-House - $3,830.00
4. LP - Ricard Marrero & The Group "A Taste" TSG - $3,617.00
5. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Stereo - $3,569.59
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/28/2009
1. 78 - Willie Walker "South Carolina Rag" / "Dupree Blues" Columbia Blue Wax - $4,907.00
2. 45 - Two Plus Two "I'm Sure" / "Look Around" Velgo - $4,049.99
3. EP - Elvis Presley "Blue Hawaii" EP RCA 37-7968 - $4,000.00
3. 12" - Led Zeppelin “Road Box” - $4,000.00
4. LP - Johanna Martzy "Bach: The unaccompanied Violin Sonatas" Columbia Box set UK - $3, 750.04
5. 12" - U2 "Out of Control" numbered 12"#548/1000 U2 Three U23 - $3,270.00
As always, a special thank you to Norm at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data. Stop in and listen to their unique radio show Accidental Nostalgia with Norm & Jane On Radio Dentata - 60 minutes of rare records and nugatory narration. Every Tuesday 4PM PT/7PM ET, Sunday 9AM PT/12PM ET & Monday 12AM PT/3AM ET
Susan Boyle smashes record with debut album release
Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle is riding high after her debut album, I Dreamed A Dream, sold a record breaking 410,000 copies during its first week of sales making her album the biggest selling debut release by a female artist in the UK of all time.
The 48-year-old Scot beat off stiff competition from younger rivals including Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, and Rihanna to clinch the top spot in the UK album charts. Susan also entered the singles chart at number 9 with a cover of the Rolling Stones classic, Wild Horses.
After the colossal number of records sold this week, Susan now also holds the record for the fastest selling album of the year in the UK.
The former church volunteer was catapulted to fame on the TV talent show, Britain’s Got Talent. Her audition tape was seen across the world on Youtube and made her a global star. The Scottish singer has a strong fan base in the US thanks to popularity of her internet clip, and performed to a massive crowd on the final of America’s Got Talent. Her album is also expected to be a smash hit across the pond.
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The Strokes scheduled To Play U.K.’s Isle of Wight Festival
The Strokes have announced their first gig in over three years, grabbing the Saturday night headlining slot at the U.K.’s Isle of Wight Festival on June 11-13, 2010. New York City acts will have a big presence at the fest across the Atlantic as both Jay-Z and Blondie are also on the bill. Pink, Orbital and Squeeze will also perform at the fest.
Pending the announcement of any more dates, it’ll be the NYC quintet’s first gig since October 2006. Following their tour behind First Impressions of Earth, the bandmembers splintered into offshoots like Nickel Eye, Little Joy and Albert Hammond Jr. and Julian Casablancas’ namesake solo projects, but now there’s finally confirmed evidence that the Strokes’ long hibernation may be coming to an end.
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Sir Paul A Sellout
All of the tickets for Paul McCartney's December 22 show at London's O2 Arena were sold out in four seconds.
Sir Paul was surprised by the fast sales, telling BBC6:
"I was doing an interview with some guy and he said, 'I heard you sold out in four seconds'. I said, 'No. That’s four minutes, are you kidding?'"
He added that it is still comforting to know that people want to still see him.
"I think, 'I love playing to them, and they’re going to actually like hearing me, so what can I do so that we can have fun?' It’s more of a mutual motivation now."
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Lips To Play Floyd
It's being reported that The Flaming Lips will perform their cover of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon during their New Year's Eve Freakout at the Cox Center in Oklahoma City. The studio version of their cover is expected to be released next year, possibly as an iTunes only download.
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Allman Brothers Museum Opens
"The Big House" in Macon, Georgia, where members of the Allman Brothers lived and wrote many of their songs in the early-70's, has been turned into the Allman Brothers museum after five years of fundraising and two years of renovations. The soft opening was held this past weekend with a grand opening set for early next year.
The museum was the idea of Kirk West, the band's road manager, who had lived in the house with his wife Kirsten until 2003. At that time, they looked into selling the building but a possible buyer suggested that it would be the perfect place for a museum honoring the group.
In the early 70's, the home was occupied by bassist Barry Oakley and his wife Linda along with Duane Allman and his family. The rest of the band regularly hung out there where they wrote and played music.
The museum is at 2321 Vineville Avenue in Macon and will be open weekends until the grand opening when it will take on a more regular schedule.
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Liam Gallagher May Continue Fronting Oasis - His new band are considering keeping the name...
Liam Gallagher has admitted that his new band may keep the Oasis moniker.
The singer and clothes designer is currently working on new material with his former Oasis bandmates Gem Archer, Zak Starkey and Andy Bell and plans to release a record by next July.
Speaking to The Evening Standard, Gallagher said of the Oasis name:
"We're not using it at the moment, but if we don't come up with something else by the time we're ready to release the album it'll be Oasis.
"I'm not going to call myself something ridiculous just for the sake of it. We're trying lots of new names right now, but nothing's sticking so we're just plugging on with the music. Obviously we won't be playing any of Noel's songs."
Asked whether the material will be radically different to Oasis material, Liam added: "Nah, not radical. No way, man. It's a little bit different, but not too much.
“It's the kind of music our fans have always liked, you know? But we'll see. I'm not forcing this down anyone's throats. That's not good for the soul."
CELEBRATES ICONIC LABEL THROUGH MUSIC, IMAGES, WORDS, MEMORABILIA; 165 TRACKS SPAN SIX DECADES, 1947 TO 2009
Atlantic Records has announced the release of "ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE," an unprecedented boxed set celebrating the iconic label's past and present through music, images, and words. The most comprehensive project ever devoted to the Atlantic story, this numbered, limited edition collection spans the label's entire history, from its inception in 1947 to the present day. "TIME CAPSULE" is housed in a custom-designed metallic box featuring:
• 9 CDs containing 165 tracks from 141 artists spanning more than six decades
• DVD of the acclaimed PBS American Masters documentary, "Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built"
• 140-page book featuring over 200 rare and/or previously unseen photographs from the Atlantic Archives; reflections and stories from artists and other key players in the company's history; and a complete Atlantic timeline
• Boxed set exclusive 45 rpm vinyl single reissue of Atlantic's first hit, "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by "Stick" McGhee and His Buddies (1949)
• Reproductions of memorabilia and vintage swag, including posters, handbills, ticket stubs, lyrics, backstage passes, and more
• Individually numbered certificate of authenticity
"This has been a labor of love for a passionate team of Atlantic staffers who have been devoted to this project for many months," said Atlantic Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman. "It is an extraordinary celebration of our company's rich musical and cultural legacy. The history of Atlantic is unique in our industry, with an unbroken thread that runs from the label's very beginnings to the present moment. To open this beautiful box and hear, see, read, and touch the Atlantic story is a truly moving experience. I know Ahmet would be so proud of this impressive and compelling tribute to the incredible music, groundbreaking artists, and amazing cast of characters that have given this company life for the past 62 years."
"In the spring of 2004, I showed up for work at Ahmet's house," said Atlantic Chairman/COO Julie Greenwald. "When I looked at all the phenomenal music that he and his partners had brought to life through the years, I felt a deep responsibility to protect the logo and continue this incredible legacy in music. When we began work on the Time Capsule, we were determined that it not only be a celebration of the past, but a celebration of the lasting power and urgency of the vision that guides the label to this day. Atlantic Records was, is, and always will be a welcoming home for artists, careers, and entrepreneurs. I'd like to think that Ahmet is looking down on us, feeling proud of what we're doing to carry on the great company he created."
"ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE" is dedicated to Atlantic founder Ahmet Ertegun, who remained active at the company until his passing in 2006 at the age of 83. The artists Ahmet championed, the music he pioneered, and the executives he mentored led a revolution in contemporary music that reshaped and reflected the modern cultural landscape. In the label's formative years, the groundbreaking "Atlantic Sound" was forged by the most formidable production team to ever reside at a single company - including such industry icons as Atlantic co-founder Herb Abramson, Jerry Wexler, Ahmet's brother Nesuhi, Tom Dowd, Leiber & Stoller, Arif Mardin, and Joel Dorn. Today, led by chairmen Craig Kallman and Julie Greenwald, Atlantic remains inspired by its deep roots as a company driven first and foremost by a passion for the music and a steadfast belief in its artists.
"TIME CAPSULE" was created in the same spirit that infused the label's very beginnings. Just as the company's founders, to quote Ahmet, "wanted to make the kind of records that we would want to buy," the team set out to assemble a collection that would tell a story that they would want to hear. From the outset, the idea was to present Atlantic Records "from the inside," drawing on rarely seen material from the Atlantic Archives, Ahmet's personal papers, the work of staff photographers through the years, and recollections from artists, producers, and other pivotal figures in the company's history.
As Atlantic grew from literally a one-room operation into a major international recording company, the label released an extraordinary body of recordings that have had a profound impact on the course of modern music. The music on this comprehensive collection traces Atlantic's dramatic evolution from its R&B roots into its wide-ranging prominence in jazz, pop, soul, folk, rock'n'roll, and hip-hop. "TIME CAPSULE" is living history - a diverse mosaic of our times, given voice by an exceptional array of singers, musicians, and composers.
The Package Concept & Development of "ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE" was overseen by Mark Obriski, Liz Barrett, and Livia Tortella. The Compilation Producers were Liz Barrett and Bob Kaus, with Art Direction by Mark Obriski, and Design by Mark Obriski and Zachariah Mattheus. Liner Notes & Editorial Content was written, collected, and edited by Bob Kaus. The music was A&R'd by Craig Kallman, Craig Rosen, and Bob Kaus. The Executive Producer was Ahmet Ertegun.
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In the fall of 1947, two passionate jazz fans and obsessive record collectors - Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson - decided to start their own record label. The Istanbul-born Ertegun, son of a renowned Turkish diplomat, was an embassy-bred graduate student of philosophy. New York-born Abramson was a dental student turned record company A&R man. They shared a love of black American music, and with a $10,000 loan from Ahmet's dentist, together they formed what would become one of the most successful, influential, and enduring companies in music industry history.
A pioneer, icon, and true original, Ahmet's eclectic tastes and boundary-crossing life set the course of Atlantic and defined its essence. "I thought that we had a small chance of survival," Ahmet said. "I knew that we knew the music better than our competitors. We understood what made people buy records, and we knew the kind of records we wanted to make... All that really mattered was that we loved the music, and we made up the rest as we went along."
In contrast to other independent labels born in the ‘40s and early ‘50s, Atlantic never became irretrievably locked into one musical style. So while its foundation was built on a string of pioneering rhythm and blues recordings, before the ‘50s had passed, Atlantic had branched out into groundbreaking jazz and crossed over into white pop territory. In the ‘60s, the company reclaimed the black music crown with the definitive soul roster, while at the same time moving full-bore into the new rock era on both sides of the Atlantic. By the time Woodstock defined a cultural sea change in 1969, two decades after Atlantic's formation, the label had grown into a global music powerhouse.
Today, sixty years since scoring its first hit, Atlantic's original entrepreneurial spirit remains its driving force, and unlike countless long-departed labels, it has thrived through constant evolution and determined diversity. What has mattered most to the company's long-term survival is that it continues be run by true music people. At the end of the first decade of the new century, the "house that Ahmet built" is in the midst of a renaissance, ranking #1 in an industry in the midst of radical change. It is a testament to Atlantic's unique place in history that it remains such a vital force six decades down the line.
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"ATLANTIC RECORDS: TIME CAPSULE" - ARTISTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL/DISC ORDER:
Joe Morris * "Stick" McGhee And His Buddies * Ruth Brown * The Clovers * Professor Longhair * Big Joe Turner * The Chords * Ray Charles * Ivory Joe Hunter * LaVern Baker * Chuck Willis * The Bobbettes * Modern Jazz Quartet * The Coasters * Bobby Darin * Charles Mingus * The Drifters * John Coltrane * Ornette Coleman * Ben E. King * Herbie Mann * Booker T. & The MG's * Barbara Lewis * Doris Troy * Rufus Thomas * Don Covay * Solomon Burke * Otis Redding * Wilson Pickett * Sonny & Cher * The Young Rascals * Percy Sledge * Sam & Dave * Carla Thomas * Buffalo Springfield * Arthur Conley * Aretha Franklin * The Bar-Kays * Bee Gees * Vanilla Fudge * Albert King * Cream * Archie Bell & The Drells * Iron Butterfly * Crazy World Of Arthur Brown * Dusty Springfield * Led Zeppelin * Blind Faith * Thunderclap Newman * Crosby, Stills & Nash * The Allman Brothers Band * Les McCann & Eddie Harris * R.B. Greaves * Brook Benton * Clarence Carter * Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young * The Velvet Underground * King Floyd * Stephen Stills * Emerson, Lake & Palmer * Derek & The Dominos * Donny Hathaway * The Rolling Stones * Betty Wright * Yes * The Spinners * Roberta Flack * Dr. John * Bette Midler * Manu Dibango * Genesis * Blue Magic * Dionne Warwicke & The Spinners * Bad Company * J. Geils Band * Average White Band * Major Harris * Roxy Music * Hall & Oates * ABBA * The Trammps * Foreigner * Peter Gabriel * Peter Tosh * Chic * The Blues Brothers * Sister Sledge * Manhattan Transfer * Pete Townshend * Slave * Phil Collins * Stevie Nicks * Laura Branigan * Robert Plant * Shannon * Ratt * Twisted Sister * Honeydrippers * Nu Shooz * Debbie Gibson * Levert * INXS * Mike + The Mechanics * Skid Row * Rush * Alannah Myles * En Vogue * Marc Cohn * Mr. Big * Tori Amos * Stone Temple Pilots * All-4-One * Collective Soul * Hootie & The Blowfish * Everything But The Girl * Trans-Siberian Orchestra * Jewel * Matchbox Twenty * Sugar Ray * Lil' Kim * Brandy * Aaliyah * Kid Rock * Uncle Kracker * P.O.D. * Sean Paul * Simple Plan * Rob Thomas * Staind * Death Cab For Cutie * James Blunt * Gnarls Barkley * T.I. * Panic! At The Disco * Paramore * Flo Rida * Lupe Fiasco * Estelle * Jason Mraz * Zac Brown Band * Shinedown
Given the medium's 51-year history on turntables, calling the current vogue for vinyl records a "fad" is short-sighted at best; even though you can fit a dozen CDs in your purse or put 100,000 songs on an iPod, people have been eagerly returning to the format that many audiophiles consider the only one fit to listen to.
According to a Nielsen SoundScan survey, North American vinyl sales doubled last year, and two-thirds of those sales came from small independent shops. But unlike the record-shopping experience of yesteryear, our parents didn’t have to deal with obscure terms like “180-gram audiophile pressing” or “virgin vinyl,” both of which you’re likely to see on new record releases. Since most of us aren’t audio geeks but still don’t want our new records to sound like crap, figuring out all the jargon tossed around in record stores is worth your time, whether you’ve inherited your dad’s collection or have decided to start one of your own. Once you’ve got a halfway decent turntable — your Fisher Price player ain’t gonna cut it — you’re ready to start shopping.
“Amazingly, there are only four vinyl pressing plants in the US, and they use the same machinery that was used 30 years ago,” explains Robert Benson. The avid vinyl collector works out of his Wisconsin home running an online record-appraisal service, and in 2007 he published The Fascinating Hobby of Collecting Vinyl Records, an eBook explaining every facet of record culture. So, is it worth it to buy 180-gram reissues? Benson is adamant that it is.
One thing vinyl geeks look out for is the weight of the record — the heavier records are, the less they become prone to warping and being easily scratched. Also, the grooves on heavier records are cut deeper so that the needle will be less likely to pop out. Lighter records can warp, which can cause anything from more popping and clicking noises to weird pitch shifts that can add an unwanted haunted house quality to, say, your copy of Neil Young’s Harvest.
The standard record weight in Japan — mecca for audiophiles — has always been 180 grams, but America’s was much lower until the recent resurgence in vinyl's popularity. Now it’s common to see stickers screaming “180 grams” on new and reissued records, usually accompanied by claims of “high quality” or “pure sound.” If you plan to play your records a lot, look for a heavier copy.
Watch out for when the record was manufactured, too — a sense of style wasn’t the only thing lacking in the late ’80s. Records created at the beginning of the CD era were often shoddily made, since companies were investing most of their resources in the newer, shinier medium. The same holds for records released in the late ’70s, when the petrochemical crisis caused a scarcity in petroleum-based products like polyvinyl chloride, the key ingredient in vinyl production. This meant records were being produced at half the usual weight, and from a higher percentage of recycled vinyl than normal. Today, these may not play at all and if they do, the sound will be distorted.
You might have noticed that some new records are described as “virgin,” which has nothing to do with whether or not they’ve been played (or anything else) yet; “virgin vinyl” just means that the record is made of all new, non-recycled materials. While it’s possible to find well-preserved LPs, decades of play and improper storage — i.e., in humid basements under discarded furniture — eventually take a toll on the sound.
“There’s something sexy about having the OG,” says Slinky Music’s Paul Azevedo, “but you have to keep in mind that a Led Zeppelin album, for example, has probably gone through three or four people’s hands, making the chances you’ll find one in really good shape less and less.”
At 41, the owner of the Queen West vinyl and CD shop — which shares space with music/DJ equipment store Moog Audio — knows his stuff. Azevedo’s been a DJ since grade eight, and managed Kop's Records for a decade before breaking out on his own.
As someone who moves lots of vinyl inventory, Azevedo also points out that who made the records matters tremendously. Specialty audiophile labels like Classic Records release the purest vinyl you’ll find. They tend to take more time in producing their records than major labels ever did, which means there’s more sound being gathered in the grooves and more to hear when you play it.
Of all the formats, digital music inevitably sounds the shallowest, because MP3 files only hold about ten percent as much sonic information as records. Put it like this: the difference between a well-produced vinyl record and a compressed MP3 is like the difference between the actual Mona Lisa hanging in the Louvre, and a copy of the Mona Lisa on a postage stamp: no matter how close you get to the shrunken reproduction, it could never contain as much detail as the full-sized version. Then again, it’s hard to take the Mona Lisa — or your Stones albums — with you to the gym.
For Benson, the collectability factor is the most rewarding part of buying records. “With proper care, records can last for generations. So, if you’ll excuse my pun, vinyl records are a sound investment.”
ARCHIVE YOUR RECORDS TO MP3 FOR PLAY ON ANY DIGITAL MEDIA PLAYER
With the ION TTUSB10, it has never been easier to preserve your most memorable music favorites to digital media, such as CDs, hard disk, or portable media devices. The ION TTUSB10 sports a sleek design and includes easy-to-use audio recording software for your computer. And with a stereo input, you can also digitize music from cassettes or other analog sources!
EZ Vinyl Converter by MixMeister is included free with the ION TTUSB10 and provides the easiest way to convert your vinyl records to your computer's digital music library. Simply plug in your ION TTUSB10 turntable, click to mark when tracks end, enter your artist, album and track information and you're done! EZ Vinyl Converter automatically separates the tracks and imports them into your iTunes library.
Once you have your albums converted, you can sort them, make custom playlists, and easily take them with you on an iPod or play them directly from your computer. In addition, the ION TTUSB10 comes with free Audacity software for editing your recorded tracks.
Key Features
Plug & Play USB - no drivers needed!
Adjustable Anti-Skate control for increased stereo balancing
33 1/3 and 45 RPM
Supports the recording of 78 RPM records through the included software
Ever heard of the Beatles “Butcher” album? Actually, the real question is have you ever seen it?
If you’ve got one stashed away, it’s worth several hundred dollars in Tucson. In a big city on either coast, you could be looking at a Grover Cleveland.
The grooves laid down on the actual vinyl disk by the Fab Four are worthless. No one really cares what the record actually sounds like. It’s the album cover that’s got some serious bling.
Despite the explosion of CDs, iTunes, and Internet music, it’s the out-of-print records, mistakes, classics, and outrageous covers that are highly collectible.
Scott Landrum, music buyer for Bookmans Used Book Store, 1930 E. Grant Road, recently took me on a little magical history tour of album collecting.
“The Holy Grail is the Beatles’ butcher cover,” he said.
In 1966, Capitol Records released “Yesterday and Today,” a collection of cuts from previous Beatles albums. On the album’s cover, the band posed in white butcher coats surrounded by bloody meat and body parts from plastic dolls.
Lore has it the London lads did it to snipe Capitol for chopping up their albums to repackage them. Although it was recalled quickly, many DJs and music critics had received the records early as promotional copies.
In his 13 years at Bookmans, Landrum has seen only one of the world-famous “butcher” covers - his own. He traded it in.
Collectors are not driven by novelty and nostalgia alone. There is a strong market for people who want the old 12-inch square covers as unique, frameable art. You don’t get that with a puny 5-inch by 5-inch CD.
Others want tunes from their favorite artists to fill gaps in their personal libraries. Many are aficionados, desperately seeking rare jazz, bebop and big band vinyl that, already rich in tenor, will grow in value.
Collecting is not just a passion for boomers who want to recapture their glory days. Many professional musicians still prefer LPs and a new generation of music lovers have sparked a vinyl revival.
“Although not as strong as past years, collecting vinyl is still very popular with the 20 and younger crowd. They buy a lot of punk rock, heavy metal and psyco-delic. They love the Clash and the Sex Pistols. They’re fascinated by the late 70s and early 80s,” said Landrum.
For the more discriminating buyer, ie., those with wads of Ben Franklins, discontinued, high-quality rare finds are always in play. For these fanatics, music and sound quality does matter.
“Most serious audiophiles have big collections and have been collecting for years. They like stuff from the bebop era. They want the great drummers of the past, even big band has appeal to them,” Landrum explained. “It’s been my experience that jazz aficionados really like things that are out of print.”
Album art got its start in 1939 when Columbia Records hired an art director named Alex Steinweiss. Thinking creatively, Steinweiss believed the studio could sell more records if the packaging were more eye-catching and striking.
Just for fun, I looked up some of my old albums on eBay. Not surprisingly, my box of late 1970s rock would only snag a buck or two each. What did surprise me was that eBay sells over three million records a year.
Some albums I’ve grabbed at garage sales for the art on the cover fetch a little more. My 1959 Sound of Music with Mary Martin on Broadway is worth $10. The Oklahoma cover, with Shirley Jones shown riding in the Surrey with the Fringe on Top, brings $5.
Rarely, Landrum sees some old 78-rpm, 10-inch records. Most have little value except for very old blues albums. Once, he matched up a collector with a 1920s-era cut for $600.
By chance, I found an old 78 in storage at home. It’s an Audiophile 13 by the Red Dougherty Trio from 1953. I even recognized some of the tunes: “Twelfth Street Rag,” “Who’s Sorry Now,” and “Sunny Side of the Street.” EBay had one copy for $8.
And to think after all these years, vinyl was deader than Elvis. Makes me wonder where I stashed all my B.B. King 8-track tapes.
A special thank you to Roger Yohem for allowing me to reprint his interesting feature Posted with permission of Inside Tucson Business, original story published Nov. 30, 2009 by Roger Yohem.
3. 45 - William Powell "Heartache Souvenirs" / "The Chicken Shack" Power-House - $3,830.00
4. LP - Ricard Marrero & The Group "A Taste" TSG - $3,617.00
5. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Stereo - $3,569.59
As always, a special thank you to Norm at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com/for this great data. Stop in and listen to their unique radio show Accidental Nostalgia with Norm & Jane On Radio Dentata - 60 minutes of rare records and nugatory narration. Every Tuesday 4PM PT/7PM ET, Sunday 9AM PT/12PM ET & Monday 12AM PT/3AM ET
Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records Holiday Album Available on Vinyl for First Time
The holidays are right around the corner and Blackheart Records, Joan Jett’s record label, will be celebrating with their holiday album A Blackheart Christmas available on vinyl for the very first time. The album features holiday standards from Girl in a Coma, The Dollyrots and original tunes from Seattle punks The Cute Lepers and veteran Blackheart band The Vacancies. A modern take on “Silent Night” closes out the 11-track offering recorded with Joan Jett on vocals and guitar.
Girl in a Coma, The Dollyrots, The Vacancies and The Cute Lepers are all featured artists on Jett’s Blackheart Records, a company she started over 25 years ago, making her the first woman to start her own rock label.
Track Listing:
1. Blue Christmas – Girl in a Coma
2. The Elf Song – The Vacancies (original)
3. Santa Baby – The Dollyrots
4. Little Drummer Boy – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
5. Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You – The Cute Lepers
6. Father Christmas – The Vacancies
7. I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Girl in a Coma
8. Winter Wonderland – Thommy Price featuring Nefertiti Bones
9. Home For Christmas – Kenny Laguna
10. All I Ever Want (Under The Christmas Tree) – The Cute Lepers (original)
11. Silent Night – The Blackhearts and special guests
TETRAFUSION, the Louisiana-based progressive metal quartet, have unveiled the artwork and track listing for their sophomore effort entitled Altered State.
Altered State track listing:
1. Collage of the Present
2. Monologue
3. Last Chance
4. The Deserter
5. Altered State (instrumental)
6. Shadows
7. Tears of the Past
The album artwork can be viewed below:
Altered State is the follow-up to TETRAFUSION’s self-financed, full-length debut, Absolute Zero. The debut was released to critical acclaim, and was also declared as “one of the best instrumental releases of 2009” by Ultimate-Guitar.Com. Altered State will be the band's first time to feature vocals in their work; duties taken by keyboardist/vocalist Gary Tubbs. Stay tuned at the group's MySpace page to receive future updates and news as the release approaches next year. The album is scheduled for an early 2010 release.
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MENTORS' 'You Axed For It!' Reissued On Vinyl With Two Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks
Out for the first time on vinyl in nearly 25 years, the MENTORS' "You Axed For It!" is ready to shock and gross the world all over again. Stool Sample Records has created an exact replica of the 1985 classic and has pressed a very limited edition of 500 on vivid pink "beef curtain" vinyl. Included in the package is a bonus 7" with two never-before-heard tracks from the infamous trio, including "Animal", a song written about a particular roadie who was notorious for showing up late to gigs.
The MENTORS' lyrics are often credited for the creation of the voluntary, RIAA-administered, parental advisory label "Parental Advisory - Explicit Lyrics" label we've all become so accustomed to seeing. With such classic rockers as "Herpes 2", "Free Fix" and "Clap Queen", who can blame Tipper Gore for her outrage?
Stuart Leonard Sample launched Stool Sample in late 2008 with bands just like the MENTORS in mind; that is, classic bands worthy of re-circulation and re-introduction and with a fan base tired of paying top dollar on eBay for these extremely rare records. Stool Sample is also releasing a picture sleeve 7" containing two songs recorded in Steve Broy's (Dr. Heathen Scumbag) basement in Seattle, Washington in 1977, long before the band was ever signed in Los Angeles.
Both the album and the 7" have a release date of December 15.
JUDAS PRIEST: Classic Albums To Be Re-Released On Vinyl
Back On Black, which specializes in vinyl editions of classic metal albums and is dedicated to providing top-quality releases for record collectors and metal fans worldwide, has announced that 2010 will see the release of the original classic JUDAS PRIEST albums on vinyl. All albums will be 180gm heavyweight vinyl and packaged in deluxe gatefold sleeves. The first 1,000 copies of each title will come in limited-edition colored vinyl. All editions will contain bonus tracks as per the Sony remastered issues.
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This Is It Slated For Jan 26 Release
Sony Pictures has announced a January 26 release date for the DVD version of Michael Jackson's This is It. The date was moved back to give theaters additional time to show the film and to tie it in with the Grammy Awards.
The DVD version will have an hour of extra footage while the Blu-Ray will have 1-1/2 hours extra along with a Smooth Criminal film that was to show prior to Jackson's performances and a making of for the short film. Both will have two making-of pieces on the full film and shorts on costumes, dancer auditions and Jackson himself.
Marc Rashba, VP of marketing for Sony, said "We're thrilled with the date that we ended up with, where it's at an opportune time in the market. The Grammys follow right after the release date (on Jan. 31). There will be a lot of Grammy areas in stores, and we can play into that."
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Dead Game
Discovery Bay Games and Debbie Gold have published Grateful Dead-opoly, an officially licensed version of Monopoly but, instead of buying streets, you purchase Dead albums. The playing pieces include the bands bus and a drum while the "Chance" cards reference different things that happened in the band's history. More information is available at http://www.gratefuldeadopoly.com/.
American Bandstand host Dick Clark - often called "the world's oldest teenager" (1929)
Paul Stookey - Peter Paul and Mary (1937)
Frank Ifield (1937)
Jimmy Bowen - Rockabilly singer and MCA Records executive (1937)
Sixties soul vocalist J.J. Barnes (1943)
Leo Lyons - Ten Years After (1943)
Rob Grill - Grass Roots (1944)
Roger Glover - Deep Purple (1945)
Terry Reid - UK singer, member of Peter Jay's Jaywalkers. Reid turned down the job as lead singer with Led Zeppelin - Ooops (1949)
June Pointer - Pointer Sisters (1953)
David Sancious - keyboard player and guitarist, early member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, contributed to the first three Springsteen albums (1953)
George McArdale - Little River Band (1954)
Billy Idol (real name William Broad) (1955)
Richard Barbieri - Japan (1957)
John Ashton - Psychedelic Furs (1957)
Paul Wheeler - Icehouse (1965)
John Moyer - Disturbed (1973)
Clay Aiken - runner-up in 2003 US American Idol (1978)
They Are Missed:
The late Luther Ingram ("If Loving You Is Wrong") was born in 1937.
Ukulele-strumming freak Tiny Tim (real name Herbert Khaury) died in 1996 from an apparent heart attack. He was 74.
Born on this day in 1924, Allan Sherman (1963 #2 hit "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah"). He died on November 21, 1973 (age 49).
Born today in 1929, Johnny Horton (1959 #1 "The Battle Of New Orleans"). Horton was killed in a car crash on November 5, 1960.
Don 'Sugarcane' Harris was found dead in his Los Angeles apartment in 1999 at the age of 61. The American guitarist and violinist was part of the 50's duo Don & Dewey. He also worked with Little Richard, John Mayall, Frank Zappa, John Lee Hooker and Johnny Otis.
History:
Coed Records released the Crests' "16 Candles" in 1958. It will be the Johnny Maestro-led group's biggest hit, reaching #2 on the pop chart and #4 on the R&B chart in January.
In 1959, Billboard reported the payola scandal "will substantially damage the careers of at least twenty-five DJs." Alan Freed was quoted as saying that his career has gone "down the drain."
George Harrison was deported from Germanyin 1960 for working under the legal age limit (he’s 17). The remaining Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney and drummer Pete Best) eventually followed him back to Liverpool ending the band’s first Hamburg excursion.
Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People" was released in 1968.
Glen Campbell started a five-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1968 with "Wichita Lineman."
In 1969, The Monkees made what would be their last live appearance for 15 years when they played at The Oakland Coliseum, California.
David Bowie, Dusty Springfield, Grapefruit and the Graham Bond Organization and other acts performed at the Save Rave '69 benefit concert to aid the youth culture magazine, Rave, in London in 1969.
Simon & Garfunkel's first TV special aired in 1969. Sponsor AT&T backed out when they learn that the duo plan to show footage of Bobby Kennedy's funeral march and clips of the Vietnam War.
In 1969, The Rolling Stones played the final night on a 17 date North American tour at the International Raceway Festival, West Palm Beach, Florida. Also appearing, The Moody Blues, Ten Years After, King Crimson, Janis Joplin, The Band, Steppenwolf and Iron Butterfly.
Sly And The Family Stone were at #1 on the US singles chart in 1971 with "Family Affair."
Genesis releases "Nursery Cryme" in 1971.
Wings released "Hi, Hi, Hi," in 1972. The song was quickly banned from the BBC because of its "unsuitable lyrics." However, the song is a hit, making #5 in the U.K. and #10 in the U.S. in early 1973.
Jazz drummer Buddy Rich was arrested on marijuana possession charges during his Australian tour in 1973. He pleads innocent and the charges are later dropped.
The Eagles' "Best Of My Love" was released in 1974.
Elton John started a ten-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1974 with his "Greatest Hits."
In 1977, David Bowie appeared on Bing Crosby's 42nd annual Christmas Special. He does a duet with Bing on "Little Drummer Boy." The show had been taped prior to Crosby's death the previous month.
At the Top Rank club in Wales in 1980, Elvis Costello and Squeeze performed a benefit concert for the family of late Welsh boxer Johnny Owen, killed recently by head injuries suffered in an American match.
In 1983, the Jackson family and promoter Don King announce plans for the "Victory" tour.
In 1985, the Dead Kennedys release the "Frankenchrist" album, which includes a poster later deemed by courts to be obscene.
Phil Collins had his fifth US #1 in 1985 with "Separate Lives." The song was taken from the film 'White Nights' and featured Marilyn Martin.
LL Cool J performed the first rap concert in 1988 which was held in Africa.
Rob Pilatus of Milli Vanilli infamy was hospitalized in Los Angeles in 1991 following a suicide attempt.
In 1991, the Billboard Hot 100 chart changed by including airplay as well as sales, the #1 hit this week was P.M Dawn, "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss."
Rapper Tupac Shakur was shot five times while being robbed outside a New York City recording studio in 1994. He survived, but was killed in another shooting nearly two years later in Las Vegas.
Metallica were at #1 on the US album chart in 1997 with "Reload," the bands third US #1 album.
In 1999, Elton John was blasted by the Boy Scout Association after he appeared on stage at London's Albert Hall performing 'It's A Sin' with six male dancers dressed as Boy Scouts. The dancers had peeled of their uniforms during the performance.
In 2003, the corner of Bowery and Second Street in New York was renamed Joey Ramone Place, in honor of the late punk icon. Among the hundreds attending were Tommy and Marky Ramone, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads, The Dictators' Handsome Dick Manitoba and Plasmatics guitarist Richie Stotts.
In 2005, 50 Cent was planning to create a vibrator of his manhood, so his female fans could pretend to have sex with him. The rapper was also planning to sell a line of condoms and waterproof sex toys designed to excite his female fans. The rapper said: "I need to make a 50 Cent condom and motorised version of me, which will have to be waterproof so you can utilise it in the tub, Blue is my favorite colour so it will probably be blue." How freaking vain.....
Also in 2005, police were investigating claims that Michael Jackson was trafficking drugs to feed his 40 pills-a-day habit. The singer was suspected of flying antidepressants and painkillers from the US to his current home in Bahrain.
John Lennon » Local DJ has held onto record, with one of ex-Beatle's last signatures, for 29 years.
By Ben Fulton The Salt Lake Tribune
After more than 40 years working in radio, a person is bound to collect lots of memorabilia along the way.
Wooly Waldron, who now works weekend shifts for 103.5 The Arrow, is no exception. Except he tends to lose track, or just plain lose, items that would make most music collectors rabid.
His five original Elvis Presley 45 RPM records pressed on the original Sun label were sold years ago. Waldron also once owned a hen's-tooth-rare radio promotional copy of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." Hell if he knows where it is now.
The one collector's item to which he's held tight was one he did not even remember he had, until he rummaged through his old records almost 10 years ago.
"It was one of those finds that just sweeps over you--a 'Wow' kind of thing," Waldron said. "Once I discovered where it was, I knew I wasn't getting rid of it."
Pulling the vinyl LP sleeve from his original copy of John Lennon's 1980 album "Double Fantasy," Waldron saw the ex-Beatle's famous cartoon signature, plus the call letters KCPX, the Salt Lake City dual-band station he worked for in 1980.
The album was mailed to Waldron by record executive friend Bert Keane, who accompanied San Francisco DJ Dave Sholin into Lennon and wife Yoko Ono's New York City home for a Dec. 8 interview. Later that day, and after a Rolling Stone shoot with photographer Annie Leibovitz that preceded Lennon's interview with Sholin, the pop star was murdered by Mark David Chapman.
Waldron opened the signed LP just weeks after Lennon's assassination, recalling that it was meant as a possible promotional item for the station to be given away to some lucky caller. The record evokes memories of that year every time he handles it, Waldron said, especially now that the 29th anniversary of Lennon's death is fast approaching.
"I knew I couldn't do anything with it. Beatles fans were still reeling," Waldron said. "For fans and people in the music business, it was very much like the Kennedy assassination. You knew where you were when you heard the news and remember it today."
So the album stayed stashed away for almost 20 years. Today, Waldron no longer keeps it at home, but stored in a safe at an undisclosed location.
Waldron has shown the signed LP to a select few people, mostly family and radio station colleagues.
"He took it out of his satchel briefcase one day and I damned near passed out," said Sue Kelley, program director at 103.5 The Arrow. "It's a museum piece."
Waldron said he still has no definitive plans for the record, except to hold onto it until he does. "Maybe I'll donate it to charity for an auction," he said. "After all these years, I'm still thinking of promotion."
"Double Fantasy" is the comeback album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, released just three weeks before Lennon's death on Dec. 8, 1980. In the aftermath of the murder of Lennon, who was mourned worldwide, the work won the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. A copy of "Double Fantasy" signed by Lennon for Mark David Chapman, his murderer, who was later sentenced to life in prison, sold in 2003 for $525,000 -- the most valuable single record in history.
Kuzma Stabi S Brass Turntable with Kuzma Stogi Tonearm
An attractive turntable with simple design and high performance.
Published on November 25, 2009
Kuzma Stabi S Brass Turntable
SRP $2240
Turntable design constructed of solid brass rods 50mm in diameter in a T-shape; independent motor with 45 rpm attachment; acrylic cover, plastic mat, heavy brass clamp included; 13 kgs; platter weight is 4 kg; AC synchronous motor; 400 x 300 x 140mm; available in black.
with Kuzma Stogi Tonearm with Cardas Wiring
SRP $1875
Medium mass tonearm machined from aluminum; Cardas wiring with Eichmann RCA plugs; brass counterweight; included arm bass; VTA, azimuth and fine bias adjustment; total mass 850 g; effective mass 12.5 g; effective length 229 mm; removable finger lift, Eichmann RCA plugs.
Kuzma KC 1 MC Phono Cartridge
SRP $875
Cartridge made for Kuzma by ZYX Co. of Japan; .48mV output; 2.0 g recommended tracking force; recommended load impedance >100 ohm; 5.0 g weight.
Elite Audio Video Distribution
Scot Markwell
800-457-2577 x22 (voice)
Associated Equipment
Musical Fidelity A5.5 Integrated Amplifier, Sunfire Cinema Grand Amplifier, Meridian 568 Preamplifier, Bowers & Wilkins 803S and Signature 8NT speakers, Sonneteer Sedley Phono Preamplifier [John- link review], Marantz TT-15S1 Turntable/arm/cartridge (for comparison).
Setup
Scot graciously offered to do a full setup for my review, but I preferred to do it myself so I could write about the process. If you don’t have the necessary experience it is best to have the dealer set the table up. Small adjustments can make all the difference. The arm, table and cartridge all come in separate boxes. I’ll take you through it:
Table. The manual with the table was fantastic. It has color pictures that explain how to put everything together. The T-base was extremely heavy and has rubber rings to prevent scratching the surface it rests upon. There is no leveling option so it is critical that it rests on a level solid table, rack, etc. I set the base down and added oil and slipped on the sub-platter. It spun freely so I moved on. I had no need for the brass pillar (to use with other tonearms) as I intended to use the Kuzma arm and it slides right into the base.
Motor. My motor did not come with an electrical plug, so I called Scot and he put on a Furutech. He said that normally the dealer wires this up. I didn’t set up the motor yet as I was planning to move the table to a different location. The manual has a recommendation for placement distance from the T part of the base, but I found it easier to use my KAB strobe and disc to adjust the distance. In turn, when I did put the belt on I was able to get an almost constant speed with less than .03% error for over a minute. It was completely stable as far as I could tell—excellent performance.
Tonearm. I’m not a big fan of unipivot arms. They may sound good, but it just makes me nervous watching them twisting back and forth, so I requested the Stogi—a standard pivot arm. The manual with the tonearm was photocopied and much more involved than the table manual. All the necessary wrenches are included to install the cartridge and set the arm up. I attached the finger lift (as I can’t imagine moving the arm back and forth by the shaft). When I put the arm onto the base I came to my first hurdle. It seemed the arm wouldn’t go up high enough. After a quick call to Scot I found I was just being impatient and there is an adjustable inner sleeve on the table that allows for precise height adjustment. Cool. I didn’t need the mounting template and ignored section IV in the manual which includes information on mounting the arm to a different table. The only thing I did do was attach the bias thread to the arm.
Cartridge. I had been warned by Scot about excessive break-in time needed for the cartridge, so I had attached it to the Marantz table and played records for a couple of weeks. It went from sounding lousy to being competitive in its price range. The nuts are attached to the cartridge body, so screwing the cartridge to the arm was less of a problem than it can be. The arm wires attached with no problem, so I went on to adjust tracking force. I used the Shure scale rather than try to adjust the weight by floating the arm. There is even a screw to lock the weight into place once the weight is adjusted--another nice feature for dealers who want to avoid curious customers messing up their precision work. According to the manual (much later) there is no way to adjust the bias (anti-skate) for more than two grams, so I was lucky that the recommended tracking force was only two grams. The manual suggests an arm height where the shaft is parallel to the record to start. There is a section F in the manual that explains fine adjustment. I found better results were achieved by raising the arm and increasing VTA (vertical tracking angle). The arm comes with a protractor with points at 66 mm and 120.9 mm. I used it to adjust the cartridge with a little trial and error. Azimuth was fine so I didn’t touch the arm. I set the bias weight and that’s it!
Sound
Due to an unfortunate situation with my computer, I lost the entire review I had previously written (including all my listening notes). Normally I jot down details like what recording I listened to, my sonic impressions, etc. and translate them later into the review in a way that makes sense. They are all gone. Pages of notes—poof! Lucky enough, most of what I had been writing about is still fresh in my mind, so although it may not be the equivalent of paragraphs full of examples to compare, I will do my best to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of the Kuzma.
The first group of listening tests involved a direct comparison between the Marantz table/arm/cartridge (which I purchased) and the Kuzma combo. The Kuzma strengths were: dynamics, rhythm and pace, involvement, and bass control and impact. At times it was just plain exciting to listen to music with the Kuzma. The Marantz, by comparison, sizzled with lots of top end, offered finer detail, extension and air. The Marantz sounded a bit looser and lighter weight as if the music was being thrown around a bit (for lack of a better description). With the Kuzma the midrange was more emphasized, most likely due to the lack of extreme high end that changed the balance of sound, but the benefit was that surface noise was not as noticeable. That emphasis also seemed to make some of the images (with high midrange content i.e. voice) blend together somewhat.
Matching in a system is critical to get the best performance as is matching the components of a turntable. With a different set of speakers I had tried initially the sound was not as good. A different phono preamp was even worse. It is always a good idea to hear the combination you plan to buy or rely on the good advice of someone who has experience with what you intend to buy.
I suspected that a lot of the differences I heard were related to the difference in cartridges. I decided the best way to get a better handle on the sound of the tonearm/table combination was to move the Clearaudio cartridge from the Marantz to the Kuzma. First, I did quite a bit of listening to the Kuzma by itself. Switching between the tables would require time and I wanted to get the best feel for the sound as I could. Then I mounted and aligned the Clearaudio on the Kuzma and began listening to an entirely different sound.
The Kuzma cartridge was duller sounding, bass was heavier and the image had less depth. In isolation the music came through nicely, but as soon as I made the comparison its deficiencies were obvious. The Clearaudio did offer some advantages, but some listeners will find it too detailed and get in the way of just listening. It’s a fine line but if I had to pick between them I would choose the Clearaudio. Ultimately, I would want something better and sonically in between the two. In a different component setup results might lean the other direction.
I tried the clamp on and off and there wasn’t a large (if any) difference with the records I tried. Warped records may be another matter.
Operation and Component Critique
Table. From the moment you push the power button to the motor, the table starts up smoothly and quickly. Since the motor itself is heavy it doesn’t move when you power it up or down so readjusting its distance from the turntable is unnecessary. The belt is wide so it is easier to put on in comparison to some tables with small round belts. The device to play 45s is easy to put on and take off; however the table doesn’t come with a 45 adapter so it will be necessary to purchase one or get inserts for playing 7” records. (See my accessory article for more information.) [John – link to accessory article] It’s nice to have the plastic mat if you just want to keep the platter clean without putting on the large lid. At first I thought the lid was quite goofy-looking, but once it is placed on the table it is very attractive. As a standalone table I was very impressed with the Kuzma’s build and flexibility although I missed having feet to adjust for slight level imbalances. (You can always buy a base that will allow for leveling.) Another nit to pick is that the record rests inside the diameter of the platter and because the platter is black (like most records) if you aren’t careful you can miscue and land the stylus on the platter instead of the record—the horror, the horror! All in all though, compared to the table I had, the Stabi S was clearly better.
Tonearm. As long as you keep the tracking force below 2.0 grams you shouldn’t have a problem with this arm. It allows for all the other adjustments one might choose to perform. I like that it comes with all the necessary tools and complete instructions for setup. It even has a cartridge protractor and detailed instructions on how to use it. The arm rest sticks a bit which might not be such a problem, but the arm is above the height of it, so when you take it out it needs to pop up and when you put it in you need to push it down slightly—not as sleek as I’d expect for two grand. Originally I had intended to compare the arm with a Rega RB-900. Unfortunately, the Rega arm was modified for a Basis turntable and had a thicker sleeve than normal preventing the arm from fitting onto the Stabi S. The Kuzma table seems like it could work with a variety of arms if trying to stay within a budget.
Cartridge. Originally I had told Scot that my maximum budget was under $5000 dollars so when I made the choice to get the more expensive arm, it meant going with the cheapest cartridge in the Kuzma line to keep the price in check. In retrospect, this is where I would have made a change. I believe this table and arm could easily support a much better cartridge. Then, the system would offer much better performance. One of the things that bothered me about the cartridge (aside from the sound) was that the needle was hidden underneath the cartridge body. This made cueing up a particular song more difficult. I would recommend going up to a better model in the Kuzma line or investigating a different cartridge.
Conclusion. I had this review sitting for a while before finishing and it gave me some time to put the performance offered by the Kuzma in perspective. Since my initial start of this review I’ve had the chance to play around with some older tables (a Thorens and a Linn) and the newer VPI Classic (which will be reviewed soon). My opinion is that the Stabi S is the best table I’ve used so far. The Stogi tonearm did the job well and I don’t have any complaints with its performance although I don’t have a lot of experience comparing tonearms. As a less expensive alternative the Stogi S (which is normally sold with this table) or a Rega arm might fit the bill. The cartridge was the weakest point with this combination. It wasn’t bad, but if I had the funds I would be looking for something better (and most likely more expensive). If I get the chance to keep the table for a while I will continue to use it and try other cartridges (if they become available to me).
The last thing I’ll mention is the styling of the table. During a Halloween party (of about 40 people), several visitors had a chance to see this table and mentioned how fantastic it looked—not the kind of comments I usually receive for products under review! Aside from its attractive appearance, there is solid (pun intended) engineering behind the design and from what I’ve heard, its simplicity contributes to excellent performance. Kuzma may not be the top of everyone’s high performance turntable list, but it is now on top of mine.
Bruce Channel - (1962 US #1 single "Hey! Baby") (1940)
Glen Curtis - Fortunes (1940)
Randy Newman ("Short People") (1943)
R.B. Greaves - (1969's "Take a Letter Maria") (1944)
Beeb Birtles - Little River Band (1948)
Hugh McKenna - Sensational Alex Harvey Band (1949)
David Letterman sidekick Paul Shaffer (1949)
Matt Cameron - Soundgarden/Pearl Jam (1962)
Dawn Robinson - En Vogue (1968)
Matt Cheslin - Neds Atomic Dustbin (1970)
Rapper Chamillionaire (1979)
They Are Missed:
Steppenwolf drummer Jerry Edmonton was killed in a car crash not far from his Santa Barbara, California home in 1993 (age 47).
History:
In 1960, Elvis Presley started a six week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Are You Lonesome Tonight," his third #1 of 1960. The single included a spoken passage loosely based on Shakespeare.
"Leader of the Pack" by the Shangri-Las hits #1 on the U.S. pop chart in 1964.
Willie Nelson made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry in 1964.
In 1966, several gold records were certified on this day. The Righteous Brothers get one for their album "Soul and Inspiration." The Monkees earn their third gold record for "I'm a Believer," which was #1 for seven weeks and a gold record went to the New Vaudeville band for their '20s style novelty song, "Winchester Cathedral."
The Beatles recorded their last fan club record as a group in 1967; 'Christmas Time Is Here Again!'
On their first North American tour in 1968, Deep Purple played the first of four nights at the Fillmore West in San Francisco, California.
In 1968, John Lennon pled guilty to possession of cannabis following his arrest in October. He was fined 150 pounds. Lennon and Yoko Ono are found not guilty of obstructing the police. The cannabis charge would come back and cause him visa problems later on.
George Harrison's All Things Must Pass was released in 1970. The first triple album by a solo artist, the original vinyl release featured two records of rock songs, while the third, entitled "Apple Jam" was composed of informal jams led by Harrison with musician friends and other famous musicians. It was eventually certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA.
George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and Elton John's "Your Song" were released in 1970.
In 1974, Elton John made John Lennon make a promise. If Lennon's "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" hit #1, he would join Elton on stage for Madison Square Garden appearance. The song did and Lennon does joined him on stage for three tunes, "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night," "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." It turns out to be Lennon’s last-ever live performance. Backstage, Lennon has a brief reunion with Yoko Ono, from whom he'd been separated for over a year.
Foreigner's ballad "Waiting For A Girl Like You" stalled at #2 on the US pop charts in 1981. It’s held out of the top spot by Olivia Newton-John’s "Physical."
Taken from the film Dirty Dancing, the Jennifer Warnes' duet with Bill Medley "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life," went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1987.
REM had their first entry in the Top 10 on the US singles chart in 1987 with "The One I Love."
In 1990, law enforcement officials in Los Angeles decide there isn't enough evidence to prosecute singer Axl Rose for assault in connection with a dispute involving his neighbor. The neighbor claims that Rose hit her over the head with an empty wine bottle.
Nirvana recorded a performance for BBC TV music show Top Of The Pops in London in 1991. When asked to lip-sync ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to a pre-recorded tape Kurt Cobain protests by singing in a low-pitched funny voice with the rest of the band not even trying to mime in-time to the track.
Whitney Houston started a record-breaking fourteen-week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1992 with "I Will Always Love You," taken from the Bodyguard soundtrack. The song was written by Dolly Parton.
1999, Rage Against The Machine were at #1 on the US album chart with ‘The Battle Of Los Angeles’ the bands second US #1.
David Bowie was crowned the musician's musician in 2000. Bowie beat the Beatles and alternative rockers Radiohead in a survey by the NME that asked hundreds of top rock and pop stars to name their biggest musical influence.
Also in 2000 - About nine million people watched a Madonna concert over the Internet. The 29-minute, six-song event was performed at London's Brixton Acedemy in front of about 2,800 people. According to MSN.com the show set a record for such events.
Aretha Franklin sued a tabloid in 2001 for $50 million over their story claiming she had a drinking problem. That would buy a lot of beer.
Metallica played the last show on their 137-date ‘Madly in Anger with the World Tour’ at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California in 2004. It became the fourth-highest grossing tour of 2004, reaping $60,500,000 in ticket sales.
In 2007, Kanye West and stuntman Evel Knievel settled a copyright dispute over West's use of the name "Evel Kanyevel" in a music video. The 69-year-old daredevil had claimed his image was tarnished by the video’s "vulgar, sexual nature." The clip for Touch The Sky, showed the rap star cavorting with Pamela Anderson and trying to jump a rocket-powered motorcycle over a canyon.
I am very proud to continue our new feature (look for this every Friday), music reviews that are written by the senior contributing editor of Stereophile magazine- Michael Fremer. It has been a pleasure to speak with Michael and learn more about audio sound and equipment. In fact, his new DVD, "It's A Vinyl World, After All" has hit the shelves and is selling out very quickly. This is a must have for anybody who loves vinyl, it is a true masterpiece.
ALBUM REVIEW:
Beck (new reissue)
Sea Change
DGC/Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-3082 180g LPs/CD
Produced by: Nigel Godrich
Engineered by: Nigel Godrich
Mixed by: Nigel Godrich
Mastered by: Rob M. LoVerde
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-11-01
Music - 10
Sound - 11
Sea Change, Beck's late-afternoon, mid-tempo reverie of an album, harkens back to the great old days of painstaking production, carefully drawn arrangements, and a concern for—and love of—sound and musical textures for their own sakes. Tempi are languid, notes are caressed, and gaping atmospheric spaces welcome listeners willing to be drawn in.
While the sumptuous sonic and musical concept is far removed from his two-turntables-and-a-microphone collage days, live-in-studio references to classic records abound. You'll hear Beck's iPod mind sampling favorite tunes and layering freshly made elements from them into the musical mixes. A Led Zep string reference here, a Mike Garson "Alladin Sane"-era Bowie piano there, even lessons learned from George Martin's arrangements for The Beatles. And always lurking in the mix is Nick Drake, especially on the chilling "Round the Bend." "Sunday Sun" sounds like Beck's tribute to Brian Wilson.
There's an unmistakable melancholic L.A. vibe to Sea Change, as the late-afternoon gold runs from a comfortable glow to an unnerving pre-eve desolation. If you've lived there or still do, you know exactly what the light and air catch as the sun sinks, and Beck captures the city's beauty and the chilly isolation brilliantly in the sweeping ascending violins and digging celli, accented by producer Nigel Godrich's always tasteful electronica.
I've been told that much of the multi-instrument recording at Ocean Way was done live (as in the old days) instead of being individually tracked. There's an organic completeness to the production and a sense of communication between the musicians that makes it sound that way, and you can almost imagine the core group—including Joey Waronker and two Jellyfish alumni, Roger Manning and the hugely underrated Jason Falkner—leaving the darkness of the studio for breaks on the bright, bleak Sunset Boulevard sidewalk. (Falkner's brilliant solo albums on Elektra and the Sony-issued Bedtime with The Beatles are well worth finding.)
Detractors complaining that the album is "boring" are simply not allowing themselves to be drawn into its atmospheric spell (or they're listening on boomboxes). You need a system that can communicate the textures, explore the depths, and reveal the harmonic and spatial complexities embedded within the cinematic arrangements. Listening to this production as an MP3 would be like eating a gourmet meal with a head cold.
As for Beck's vocal performance, he occasionally strives to reach beyond his emotional and vocal range, delivering an empty monotone where he intends a subtle communication. But that's easily overlooked as he connects more than he misses, and his stretching on the vocals adds it’s own drama.
When first reviewed on musicangle.com in February of 2003 as an excellent sounding SACD that included an Elliot Scheiner surroud sound mix, I wrote “ It's a shame that such a brilliant sonic production, probably all-analog, will never see vinyl.”
That was wrong on two counts. First of all it did get a limited vinyl issue years ago but that double LP doesn’t come remotely close to what the Mo-Fi guys have done here.
The recently issued Mo-Fi CD is extremely fine too but “for CD.” I’ve been playing this record for years and now, finally, what I long expected was in the recording is revealed. YIKES THIS IS AWESOME! The string sound is luxurious, the bass extension deep and full, the dimensionality extreme and the atmospherics full 1080P high definition.
All of the care that went into the recording, all the of electronic textures, bell-toned percussion and low level detail all of the gestures, grand and tiny have finally been let out. The SACD is very good. The Mo-Fi CD is outstanding and the original vinyl was very good, but this is insane.
This is sinfully luxurious sound and meticulous production that's guaranteed to overwhelm your senses and best of all its in service of a superbly musical and thoughtful set of tunes.
As Beck sings in the opener, "Put your hands on the wheel, let the golden age begin." Sea Change is a finely crafted, thoughtful, and enduring album. Highly recommended. No, that’s too eqivocating. This album is mandatory.
