Planning a vinyl records night at club

Subject: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: Helen
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 08:46 PM

Hi all,

At our local licensed club where hubby & I are on the Board of Directors we have had a n idea to have an evening where people are invited to bring along their favourite vinyl albums and play their favourite tracks, and maybe give a 2 minute intro as to why they like each album or track. The type of musical tastes is probably going to be incredibly varied - not many folkies, but some blues, some rock, punk, pop, alternative pop, singer-songwriter stuff. And unfortunately I can guarantee there will be a Leonard Cohen contingent.

I'm thinking of having some paper posted up around the room with questions like: which album did you buy for one specific track but then ended up hating that track and falling in love with other tracks on the album? (My answer to that one is The Strawbs album called Bursting at the Seams, for the song Part of the Union, but ended up never playing that track because I loved the rest of them too much and it didn't fit with the style of the other songs.)

And then: which is your all time favourite track (I don't think I can choose just one), and which track do you hate the most, and which album did you buy and then hated after you heard it all, and which album did you always have to fight your housemates to be able to play it (Incredible String Band), and which album became yours through an interesting story (a Bessie Smith double album and a Sandie Denny album which I found behind the record cabinet in a house which had been shared over many years by many people), and ... and...

I just looked through my vinyl collection and apart from the classical stuff, I don't know which ones I would want to leave at home. It's a very varied collection: Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Sandie Denny, Alan Parsons Project, Sileas - the Scottish harp/singing duo, Alan Stivell, Derek Bell, the Chieftains, Emerson Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery, Arthur Brown - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Incredible String Band, The Cars, Heart, some Oz jazz, some Dixieland jazz, Fats Domino, The Dorsey Brothers, Yes - Yessongs. And then there is the double album of The War of the Worlds, the radio play with Orson Welles.

So, any suggestions on how to organise this night, how to get everyone organised to play tracks and not monopolise the evening, and any suggestions of categories for choice of tracks and for the written questions?

And what would you choose to play and why?

Helen

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: SINSULL
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 09:11 PM

That sounds like fun, Helen. I have so many and so many different types of music - can't imagine what I would choose.

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: GUEST,Blackcatter
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 10:04 PM

Great idea - Problem around here is that so few people have albums anymore. If you don't already know, you might want to ask around to make sure that people do have vinyl.

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: Helen
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 11:05 PM

Hello, My Secret Santa!

Yes, a lot of our friends do still have vinyl, and we have started having a lot of different bands playing at the club in the last few months and many of them are into what they refer to as "retro" music, including rockabilly, cool jazz, bluegrass, world music, etc etc. Most of the musicians and their audiences are mid-20's to mid-60's and even older, so it's a safe bet that a lot of them still have vinyl.

Helen

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: PoppaGator
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 05:40 PM

I wish I was on the same side of the ocean as you and your club -- I have plenty of old vinyl that is going unlistened-to because I don't have a working turntable!

If you have folks in your community with the same problem as I do, they'll be jumping at the chance to play and share their LPs.

In addition to all my albums and my wife's, which are in OK shape, I have a bunch of my brother's LPs that he left with us when he moved overseas 15+ years ago. Lots of Frank Zappa, Grateful Dead, and other avant-rock stuff, plus a good basic collection of New Orleans R&B.

They were in storage in our ground-level basement (please don't ask me to explain -- it's a New Orleans below-sea-level thing), and have been through at least one major flood. The cardboard album covers -- and, in some cases, the paper record labels -- have sustained mildew damage and are unreadable. However, I don't *think* the vinyl itself is necessarily damaged.

It would take hours and hours to play, assess, and identify each album. Something to do when I (1) acquire a 33 rpm turntable and (2) retire!

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 06:14 PM

I have plenty of old vinyl that is going unlistened-to because I don't have a working turntable!

That's a defeatist attitude. I don't know about the States, but it's easy enough here to get a turntable, and plumb it into the music centre. And it doesn't cost that much, even if you have to buy it new, rather than in a boot fair or similar.

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: PoppaGator
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 06:51 PM

Believe it or not, it's as much an issue of *space* for a turntable in our crowded little house as anything else. And priorities, too, of course.

Now that the last of the no-good kids are finally moving out (and hopefully staying gone this time), maybe the two of us will set up a turntable for "our" old music.

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 06:55 PM

I think that is a brilliant idea..let each person introduce the track of their choice and play it!
My track would be Donovans "Goldwatch Blues" because it typifies the 60's Folk Scene.
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: Leadfingers
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 10:40 AM

Its 'Jumping on Hobby Horses' Time again - G S - Reference 'Gold Watch Blues ' Donovan only sang it - It actually 'Belongs' to Mick
Softly , who wrote it . I DO wish people would credit WRITERS and not who they have heard SING a song .

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: PoppaGator
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 12:11 PM

Unfortunately, most listeners will ALWAYS associate a given song more closely with the recording artist whose rendition they have heard than with the songwriter -- especially in the case of hits, oldies, and single records in general.

I'm often guilty myself; for example, I know that The Fleetwoods recorded "Come Softly To Me," but have no idea who wrote it. (I'm not about to apologize, either.)

I only find this to be unforgiveable when the writer has released his/her own classic rendition of a number, and some ignorant fan is familiiar only with a lame cover version.

Subject: RE: Planning a vinyl records night at club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 12:19 PM

Leadfingers. I'm sorry if it offends you but my only point of reference for the song is what I heard and who performed it. In those days I could not have been less interested in who wrote what.
I write Folk songs myself but rarely sing them myself...others get known for singing them but it matters not to me. I enjoy what I do and don't do it for money or fame.
Incidentally, My singing partner, Stuart and myself perform "Goldwatch Blues" now and I still didn't know who wrote it until you posted above. The same applies to many others that we perform. Perhaps I should take more interest in what I sing.
Best wishes.