Author Archives: Vinyl Connection
HOT DOG!
My first job in tertiary Student Services was at an Institute of Technology in the industrial inner-west of Melbourne. The institution was, in all truth, more interesting than my job. But the team was diverse and lively, and it was here I first entertained the notion of becoming a counsellor. It would mean more study, […]
VARIOUS ARTISTS — AN INTRODUCTION
Compilations. Collections of tracks by various artists. They have been around as long as long-playing records and aren’t stopping any time soon. We’ve bought them, made them, mocked them and sometimes even played them. They are ubiquitous. Everyone has some, everyone files them differently. Various Artists. Compiled albums. They include tacky TV specials and curated […]
POWER PLANT BACK ON LINE
Are you onboard with Kraftwerk? The Deutsche electronic music pioneers are far better known now than when they created their definitive romantic/ascetic albums in the seventies. In fact a halo of electronic divinity now surrounds a band whose membership grew then shrunk and at one point even toured a set of robotic dummies instead of […]
SEVEN FROM 77 – READER’S CHOICE
Here we are at the last post (cue mournful bugle) of the 1977 series. And how better to wrap it up than by highlighting albums named by Vinyl Connection readers as favourites from that fruitful and varied year. Enjoy. * 7 Talking Heads—Talking Heads: 77 A strange yet fascinating oddity; tense with studied nonchalance like […]
TEN FROM 77 – 5 / OUTLIERS
In the penultimate instalment of the Ten From ’77 series we have five albums whose only commonality is their position on the edge (or in some cases, way outside) the domain of pop music. At Vinyl Connection, forays into lesser known territories are infrequent, yet it is off the well-trodden path that most of my […]
TEN FROM 77 – 4 / FUSION FIVE
10 Steve Khan — Tightrope I first encountered Steve Khan’s name in the credits for other artists… Steely Dan, Michael Franks, The Brecker Brothers… this was clearly an in-demand guitarist of great talent. So when I found the first album under his own name, it was not at all difficult to take a punt. Opening […]
FAIR GAME
Getting ready for a Record Fair used to be quite a stimulating process. Organising and pricing the records, loading up the car for an early start, lumping eight 20 kg crates of vinyl into a big draughty hall… OK, it wasn’t all enjoyable, but there was a small jolt of anticipation when you were finally […]
TEN FROM 77 – 3 / ELECTRONIC – 2
Continuing (and concluding) a rather indulgent journey through albums released in 1977 broadly falling into the ‘electronic’ category. Having covered 10 – 6, here are the Top 5. 5 Jürgen Karg — Elektronische Mythen Herr Karg played bass with jazz experimentalist Wolfgang Dauner on a (semi-) legendary 1969 recording. Eight years later he released his […]
TEN FROM 77 – 2 / ELECTRONIC – 1
It seemed a fine idea to whip up a list of favourite 1977 releases; a straightforward, accessible and hopefully entertaining article. Things started well enough, with the first post of rock-pop albums eliciting plenty of commentary as people compared their own choices to the Vinyl Connection offering. But there was such variety in the VC […]
TEN FROM 77
1977. Forty years ago. Punk sprouted, prog continued, pop morphed; great albums littered the highways of contemporary music… This is the first post of a possible series, presenting albums worthy of acclaim four decades after release. I’ve excluded albums previously covered at Vinyl Connection. So to read about the following gold-plated favourites, just click on […]
DARKNESS DOWNUNDER
Isn’t it great when, by some devious strategy of the universe, something new and unexpected finds its way into your music collection? Recently I discovered that a chap who sells me records on a regular basis has another life as an active and productive Goth musician. In fact his band, Subterfuge, recently released an album. […]
WE LOVE BEACHES
Australia. More stunning coastline than any country in the world, most of it uninhabited. Two thirds of the population live within striking distance of an ocean or bay. The result? Most people can swim, a summer holiday simply must involve sun, sand, and fish and chips, plus we have the highest rate of skin cancer […]
