The Sixties began in the summer of 1956, ended in the October of 1973 and peaked just before dawn in 1 July, 1967 during a set by Tomorrow at the UFO Club in London. So begins the entertaining memoir of Joe Boyd, educated middle-class American and key player in the much mythologised ‘swinging London’ scene […]
An occasional series featuring LPs boasting ‘fine art’ on their covers, with words about the music and something about the art #1 PROCOL HARUM – Exotic Birds and Fruit [1974] THE MUSIC By 1974, the massive success of Procol Harum’s debut single was a long time gone. Not that the band had disappeared; more gently but […]
There was a time when one of Vinyl Connection’s favourite recreations was reading a print biography of an artist while concurrently working through their catalogue of recordings. Soundtracking a music journey, you could say. Genesis, Fleetwood Mac, Zappa – all have provided entertaining reads and enjoyable playlists. A more recent print adventure was the idea […]
As part of a rationalisation of his music storage and delivery system, my friend BB gave me a box of CDs to take along to the next Record Fair. Comprising largely jazz from the more exploratory end of the spectrum and progressive music of the kind that defies genre labelling, BB had transferred the music […]
A gentle four note phrase hovers, a small colourful bird on the wing, leading, beckoning, from bush to branch. It is still, early, a breath of dew on the lawn where lines of cut grass betray yesterday’s mowing. The bird trills as the light brightens, slowly at first. The melody becomes more insistent. Then the […]
Summer at Vinyl Connection often means a beach holiday, preferably with some walking options nearby to satisfy the more active half of the VC partnership. This year we have just returned from ten days in Gippsland, a coastal region two hours south-east of Melbourne. When the weather does not shout ‘Beach!’, we visit various towns and […]
So here is the Vinyl Connection New Year’s Resolution: To post a weekly diary of all – I mean all – new music arrivals at Base Camp Connection. The good, the bad (as in “that’s really, bad, man”) and the ugly. It’s been tried before and lasted two posts, there has been a holiday edition, even an […]
IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING A reflection in two parts by a grateful subject I Has there been a more spine tingling opening to an album than the beginning of In The Court Of The Crimson King? An interstellar wind approaches from the depths of nowhere, fades, then explodes into one of the […]
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more” Players who departed in 2014 included… * Rik Mayall [March 7, 1958 – 9 June, 2014] Tommy Ramone [January 29, 1952 – July 11, 2014] Doc Neeson (The Angels) [January 4, 1947 […]
Vinyl Connection acquired 12 albums this year (1) . Here you can find each one in its original carry bag (2). The simple task, dear Friend of Vinyl Connection, is to name the Artist and the Album. The albums span every decade from the 60s to the 00s (3). * PLEASE DON’T post answers in Comments […]
The first half of 1977 was spent sitting in my room. It wasn’t locked; I just couldn’t find many reasons for leaving. Other than one friendly human being, companionship came in the form of books and records. The small but diverse vinyl collection included a selection of the popular progressive music of the day, some […]
I was thrown out of Melbourne’s signature university at the end of 1976, having accumulated an impressive collection of ‘F’ grades. That’s not ‘F for Fail’ – though it certainly is well below the plimsoll line of the good ship Pass Mark – but the F at the end of the series A – B […]
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