The first Vinyl Connection post was on 10 May 2013. Six years later, forty-odd posts shy of 500, we’re still going.
From a personal perspective, 2019 has thrown up challenges to posting regularly. I’m not complaining, mind you. To grizzle about having paid writing work would be disingenuous and just plain wrong. But I do feel regret that I have neglected the very thing that lead to the freelance work for Discrepancy Records. There is disappointment, too, that I just don’t get much reading time these days. I miss ‘doing the rounds’ and feel a bit guilty about neglecting the offerings of others. I’m noticing that my listening habits have changed too. Less discretionary time means that listening time is sometimes—often?—guided by commercial writing. Sometimes that is great; last week I spent a lovely few days with Herbie Hancock’s Blue Note recordings. Still, I have noticed that the ‘Not Played’ rack is starting to bulge. But this is about celebration, not whinging. Vinyl Connection is 6!
So to mark the anniversary there’s a batch of new material coming to Vinyl Connection that reflects the blog’s history and is also a thank-you to those who have followed VC’s musical meanderings over the years. You know who you are and I hope you know how grateful I am. But the blog has also accumulated a lot of newer readers over its lifetime (if Followers are indeed readers; who really knows?) so the anniversary special is for those folk too. Please consider leaving your mark (it’s nice to see who has visited) or join in the commentary—new voices are always welcome.
When I started Vinyl Connection one of its intentions was to write music pieces intertwined with memoir, the reasoning being that there are any number of album review sites, but few focusing on the personal connection. The latter is, after all, as aspect of music that nourishes, sustains and sometimes (perhaps) entertains others. Several of early memoir stories I recall with pleasure. (If you are interested, this is one. And here, another. Ah, what the hell; what’s a birthday without a bit of self-indulgence? Here’s a third).
Of course the reservoir of personal stories was always going to eventually run low, perhaps not just due to evaporating memory but also the sad yet inescapable fact that music is not so entwined with daily life these last fifteen or so years; more an absorbing hobby than a waking obsession. (No, I’ve never dreamed about records. Well, not dreams I’m willing to admit to, anyway).
One of the features of Vinyl Connection has been the tendency to run themes, such as this cover art one from the early days. More often than not, these peter out due to enthusiasm fading well before the material has been exhausted. Nevertheless, I decided this May series had to have a theme.
Six years?
We’ll feature sixth albums. Six studio LPs indicates staying power.*
Showing my age?
Unavoidable. So let’s pick a sixth album from each decade, beginning in the 60s.
And then we’ll feature the sixth track.
That last one was the boy’s suggestion. Since becoming a teenager he has become remarkably adept at taking the piss in amusing ways. Ms Connection, as you might imagine, simply rolled her eyes. ‘Good that you’re keeping it simple,’ she said.
So six sixth albums; one each from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and 10s. Some of them will be memoir posts, too. I’m planning to put together a couple of cover art posts as well, those having been a feature of the blog since its inception.
Finally—so that this introductory post has at least a soupçon of actual content—here is a teaser: a collage of edits from the covers of all six featured albums. Anyone who identifies all six will definitely be offered a prize.**
* No live albums, EPs, compilations etc. I’ve used the country of origin for the album order.
** In fact, the highest tally (artist and album, thank you) will get a little electronic something. To enter, LIKE the Vinyl Connection facebook page and send me a FB message with your answers. (Those who have my email are welcome to use that). The quiz will close when the first album article is posted.
vinylconnection.com.au 
Here is to another six months or so!
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I should live that long.
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That quiz is tough – I only know the 1980s one, although I should take another look on a bigger screen.
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A big screen, recalling it’s one per decade, and some serious googling are the recommended approach, G.
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Congrats on the accomplishment! 6 years is a great run! Continued Success Fella!
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Thanks deKE!
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Many happy returns.
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Cheers!
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Great post and enjoyed following the links. The quiz is a tough one, so far failing to identify any of them. Need to take some time to Google (or cheat really) and see what comes up.
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Yeah, it’s tough. Some applied cheating is in order, most certainly. 🙂
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Congrats on the 6th anniversary Bruce!
I like the sound of the new series – though I recognize a couple of the covers, I’m afraid I don’t have much more than a soupçon of an idea of what the names are!
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ça ne fait rien, geoff. 🙂
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Happy birthday!
It’s hard work, I’ve just hit 300 posts. Thanks for many entertaining hours of reading
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Happy 6th blogiversary, Bruce! I always enjoy a visit to VC and I’ll look forward to this celebratory extravaganza! (I think I’ve managed to identify 3 – maybe 4 – of the covers there).
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Well done J! (PM me via FB or email – would love to see your ‘answers’!).
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Happy blogiversery! Six years is amazing. Here’s to many more! – Marty
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Thank you Marty. ‘Preciate your support.
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Congratulations! I like that in the music that you are presenting also a statement is, that expresses some moods and hopes in your life.
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Vielen Dank, Herr Hotfox!
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Happy 6th! Looking forward to this new May series.
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Thank you, sir. Starts Saturday morning, Melbourne time. (Friday afternoon for you, depending on your temporal configuration; or even your State/state).
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Many happy returns. You’ve pointed me in the direction of some absolute treasures in the past but share your guilt about having increasingly less time for bloggery. Do I get bonus points for not having the faintest idea what any of the albums are?
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Too right. An Englebert Humperdink album is winging its way to your door as we speak.
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Engelbert! How could you know? The golden child of my hometown, Leicester. Along with Showaddywaddy of course.
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Both incontestable giants of pop.
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Congratulations, VC. Looking forward to this new series.
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Thanks Phil.
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Six years of blood, sweat, tears, discipline, and love. Congrats! (Hopefully, not with the blood part.)
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Spending some time with Herbie is not a bad thing. I think i recognize a couple of those covers but I will wait for the answers and try to be honest (a very hard thing for me to do). Later. CB alias “Pants on fire”.
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I’d say ‘good luck’ but your strategy (quite an effective one, I predict) kinda takes the luck out of it. 🙂
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Hedging my bet.
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Congratulations Bruce – I’m playing catch up too and swimming upstream so to speak, so I understand things a little better now from your previous/next posts that I’ve already read this evening!
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Working backwards is often a very good ploy. One can confuse both oneself and the enemy simultaneously. (Lovely to see your little yellow head).
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Just reacquainting myself with Look At Yourself and I forgot how much I (we), enjoyed it. Thanks for triggering some good memories
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I just played it too, while moving electronic equipment around the house. Marvellous!
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[…] The introduction to the series is here […]
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Bruce! CONGRATULATIONS on the landmark. I feel so fortunate to have encountered you in cyberspace. In addition to all of the informative, witty posts of your own over the last six years, you’ve been far and away the most engaged reader of my own on and off blog…something for which I am truly grateful. I join Kid Slender in having absolutely no idea what the albums in the montage are, so am requesting that you wing an Engelbert Humperdink LP my way as well! 🙂 Love the shot of you reflected in Uriah Heep, and also that the boy has contributed his own twist to your series.
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Always brings a smile to see your initials appear under the notifications bell, JDB. (Especially on this sad morning in Australia where progress has failed to overcome fear and self-interest.) I’ve picked out a Jim Nabors LP just for you.
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Jim Nabors…LOL! 🙂
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And on a more serious note, the rightward drift of heads of state around the globe is really distressing. You may or may not have heard that there are now 23–23!!!–Democrats vying for the chance to run against the orange blowhard in 2020.
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[…] The introduction to the series is here […]
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[…] The introduction to the series is here […]
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