Cliffs Vinyl Blog
Tips To Keep Your Vinyl In A1 Condition
1. The first step in vinyl record care is understanding how to handle them. Always keep your hands clean and avoid touching the grooves where the music resides. Use the edge and label for handling.2. Ensure you have quality inner sleeves for your albums. Replace any paper sleeves, which can scratch the vinyl, with anti-static, high-density polyethylene sleeves. This switch helps protect the records from dust and static electricity. And get a quality polythene plastic sleeve for the album cover. This will keep the cover in good condition over time. Some of my albums still have the original cheap covers and are not looking good.3. Cleaning your vinyl records regularly is essential for your vinyl collection. Dust and grime gather in the grooves, causing crackles and pops during playback. Using a carbon fiber brush before each play can remove the surface dust effectively.4. And you can practice wet cleaning. This involves spraying a cleaning fluid specifically designed for records, followed by a light rinse with distilled water. This method can restore the vibrancy of older records. I am guilty of not doing this often enough.5. Ensure your turntable is level and regularly check the alignment of your cartridge and the condition of your stylus. A worn-out stylus can damage the grooves irreversibly.6. Storing vinyl records correctly is vital in preserving their condition. It's best to keep them upright, similar to books on a shelf, as stacking them flat can warp the records over time. Use sturdy, dedicated storage, keep them out of the sunlight.7. Invest in a quality record player mat to minimize vibrations and static build-up during playback. A felt or cork mat can improve sound quality and add an extra layer of protection for your records.8. 9. Be mindful of how you insert and remove records from their sleeves. Avoid sliding them against the sleeve edges; instead, slowly ease them out, holding them by the edges. This prevents unnecessary scratches and preserves the record's surface quality.
So What Was The Best Selling Album Of The Swingin' 60's
Just what was the best-selling album of the 60’s?It was a great time to be around! As I’ve mentioned before, I would think how lucky I was to be around. New bands were coming out nearly every day. Yardbirds, Zep, The Who, Hendrix, and continuous supply of new Beatles albums.There were some classic albums that came out in the 60’s. zep 1 and 2, The Who’s classic Tommy, Hendrix hit us with “Are You Experienced”, (I wasn’t!) Heb Alpert, The Monkees and Crosby Stills and Nash were all out that year.And the Winner Is?Of course, you guessed it! The Beatles “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” . It has sold 32,000,000copies worldwide. It sold best in America, where it racked up 12,566,00 copies. In the U.K it sold an admirable 5,400,00 copies. Down here in Australia, where we didn’t even get the fold out cover, it reached 4xPlatinum selling 280,000.Not bad for an album that got its title and idea when Mal Evans aked Paul to “Pass the salt and Lepper” and Paul thought he said “Sgt Pepper!”!
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Guitarist was in Pop Heaven Before it Turned to Hell
Joey Molland Born June 21 1947 Died March 1 2025
Joey Molland, a guitarist with the Welsh pop-rock band Badfinger that was known for such 1970s hits as “No Matter What” and “Day After Day,” has died at age 77.
Molland joined Badfinger in 1969 as guitarist, and guitarist Tom Evans switched to bass. Thus with Pete Ham on guitar, and Tom Evans on drums.Molland is the last surviving member of the tragic four-piece band that went from heaven to hell.Badfinger, (then called The Iveys) were one of the first acts signed to Apple after its formation. Renamed Badfinger, (after John Lennon “Badfinger Boogie”) their first record was “Come and Get It” a Paul McCartney written song. This hit was followed by “No Matter What” and “Day After Day” with George Harrisson on slide guitar. It was all heaven for a while, with Harry Nilsson having a worldwide hit with “Without You”, a Joey said about this time “ I couldn’t believe the luck I was having, hearing our music on the radio, tour all over, and make records.”Then it all went badly wrong. Apple collapsed. The Beatles split. Stan Polley the American shonky manager was ripping them off taking most of their earnings in commission. On April 24 Ham took his own life. In November 1983, Evans also took his own life after a failed attempt with Molland to get a new version of Badfinger going. Joey died on March i, aged 77.Drummer Mike Gibbons died of a brain aneurysm in his sleep.
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You Can’t Keep a Great Album Down! “Abbey Road” a Winner Again!
The Beatles seem to be as popular today as ever. There is always a Beatles album hanging in the Billboard charts, usually the ever popular “Red Album” (1962-1966) or “Blue Album” (1967-1970).But now, some decades after its release, the classic “Abbey Road” album has appeared on three Billboard charts. In fact, on the top Rock and Alternative Albums it re enters at No. 41.And, on the Top Album Sales chart it slips into the No. 46 slot. On their Top 200 albums, it sneaks in at No.194.In the past, the “Abbey Road” album featured on all three Billboard charts. It has scored at least 300 stays on all the Billboard charts.At this rrate, watch the album notch up 500 weeks on the Billboard 200, one of very few albums to do so…
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61 Years Ago! The Show That Stopped A Nation!
In February 1964, an extraordinary event unfolded that would reverberate throughout American culture and music history: "60 Years Ago This Month! A Show that Stopped a Nation!" This event was none other than The Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, a pivotal moment that became a turning point not only for the band but for generations of music fans, forever transforming the American music landscape.
On that fateful evening, Ed Sullivan, the shrewd impresario with a keen eye for talent, introduced to America an unassuming British band with mop-topped hair and an electrifying energy. Ed's decision to bring The Beatles to his show was influenced in part by the monumental impact Elvis Presley had on American audiences just a few years prior when he appeared on the very same stage. Sullivan understood that he was not just offering entertainment; he was showcasing the future of music.
The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show was a spectacle like no other. The band performed five songs across three separate appearances in February 1964, including iconic hits like "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You," and "All My Loving." Their charm, charisma, and groundbreaking sound captivated the viewing audience, many of whom were witnessing the birth of Beatlemania—a cultural phenomenon that swept across the nation and the world.
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