Cliffs Vinyl Blog
50 Years Ago This Month, ANew Look Fleetwood Mac Hit thr Road!
50 years ago this month, Mayy 15 1975, Fleetwood Mac undertook a tour, starting at the Civic Centre in El Passo. What made this tour different from countless other tours, is that is was the first gig with the bands two new member, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. The two hadjoined the bandin December 1974, the Macs being impressed with Lindseys firey guitar playing. Lindsei insisted on Stevie joining the band with him, so Fleetwood Mac had lead singer for the firrst tome.The set consisted of songs from the forthcoming "Fleetwood Mac" album, plus some Buckingham Nicks music fom their solo album. And as they say, the rest is history!
Continue reading "50 Years Ago This Month, ANew Look Fleetwood Mac Hit thr Road!"
50 Years Ago This Month, ANew Look Fleetwood Mac Hit thr Road!
50 years ago this month, Mayy 15 1975, Fleetwood Mac undertook a tour, starting at the Civic Centre in El Passo. What made this tour different from countless other tours, is that is was the first gig with the bands two new member, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. The two hadjoined the bandin December 1974, the Macs being impressed with Lindseys firey guitar playing. Lindsei insisted on Stevie joining the band with him, so Fleetwood Mac had lead singer for the firrst tome.The set consisted of songs from the forthcoming "Fleetwood Mac" album, plus some Buckingham Nicks music fom their solo album. And as they say, the rest is history!
Continue reading "50 Years Ago This Month, ANew Look Fleetwood Mac Hit thr Road!"
So, What Was the First Recorded Rock and Roll Record?
SO…what WAS the first Rock record?
Bill Hayley’s “Rock Around the Clock”?
“Mystery Train” by Elvis?
Or maybe Chuck berry’s “Maybeline”?
Or Muddy Waters “Manish Boy”?
Well, it was none of those.
On March 3, 1951, music history was made when the first song said to be “rock and roll” was recorded. It was “Rocket 88.” Yes, this great rocky song was recorded by Chess Records at Sam Phillip’s studio in Memphis, (there’s that man again!) and is credited to Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats who were Ike Turner and his band, the Kings of Rhythm. Thi song was written by Brenston and Turner, though Turner was not originally credited. The song was based on the 1947 hit “Cadillac Boogie” and influenced by the instrumental hits “Rocket 88 Boogie” parts 1 and 2. “Rocket 88” was also about the popular Oldsmobile car the Rocket 88. Played in a style of jump blues with real swing, it was also given a raw, biting edge and featured a new technique called “fuzz guitar,” making it something new. Despite being different in sound, it was a hit and reached #1 on the R&B charts.Popular among the African-American community, “Rocket 88” also caught the attention of the white public, and Bill Haley and the Saddlemen (later Bill Haley and his Comets of “Rock Around the Clock” fame) did a cover version of the hit within a few months of its release.
Of course, those other songs have a claim to being the first Rock and Roll release, and many serious historians do not narrow it down to a single song but to important, influential records that defined the genre. Of those, “Rocket 88” is certainly one of the most significant. Sam Phillips, however, who had founded Sun Records, named it the first Rock and Roll release.Brenston would go on to become an alcoholic and died only aged 49 without having achieved any further musical accomplishment, while Turner went on to even more success, especially with his wife, Tina Turner, with whom he is an inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Turner was also nominated for 5 Grammy awards and won 2 of them! He died in 2007 after years of drug addiction and trouble with the law. Rock and Roll, however, lives on and is healthier than ever.
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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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