Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Good question, and it seems ridiculous to do so now. Back in the old days though, all you had to go on was what was what they played on the radio and that would usually just be singles, so unless a mate had the album in question there wasn't much choice. It made it a gamble, but it was great fun bringing an album home when you'd only heard two of the ten songs on it.
I don't think it's that ridiculous tbh.
Ridiculous is perhaps too strong a word, but I don't think the same drivers any more.
I would automatically buy my favourite bands records back in the day. I cannot remember the last time i purchased a physical album.
I kind of miss those days. Streaming just isn't the same. I have absolutely no idea when bands release new music these days either. In the old days it would be in NME.
Or Melody Maker.
In the mid to late seventies you could go to a newsstand in Tottenham Court Rd and buy the music press on a Wednesday evening, the day before they hit the shops.
I used to buy the NME, Sounds and Melody Maker, religiously. I was in a rubbish band or two, and wanted see if anyone had reviewed any of our gigs. But after discovering they hadn’t (normally) I’d read of them from front to back.
In the early seventies I’d get Melody Maker most weeks, and I think one called Disc (?). Had a letter published in MM once, and received a postcard from Beaky, Mick and Tich for my troubles. Unfortunately granny Seed threw the paper and postcard away. 🙁
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Good question, and it seems ridiculous to do so now. Back in the old days though, all you had to go on was what was what they played on the radio and that would usually just be singles, so unless a mate had the album in question there wasn't much choice. It made it a gamble, but it was great fun bringing an album home when you'd only heard two of the ten songs on it.
I don't think it's that ridiculous tbh.
Ridiculous is perhaps too strong a word, but I don't think the same drivers any more.
I would automatically buy my favourite bands records back in the day. I cannot remember the last time i purchased a physical album.
I kind of miss those days. Streaming just isn't the same. I have absolutely no idea when bands release new music these days either. In the old days it would be in NME.
Or Melody Maker.
In the mid to late seventies you could go to a newsstand in Tottenham Court Rd and buy the music press on a Wednesday evening, the day before they hit the shops.
I used to buy the NME, Sounds and Melody Maker, religiously. I was in a rubbish band or two, and wanted see if anyone had reviewed any of our gigs. But after discovering they hadn’t (normally) I’d read of them from front to back.
In the early seventies I’d get Melody Maker most weeks, and I think one called Disc (?). Had a letter published in MM once, and received a postcard from Beaky, Mick and Tich for my troubles. Unfortunately granny Seed threw the paper and postcard away. 🙁
Disc and Music Echo, who had the lovely Penny Valentine (until she jumped ship to Sounds). I was a Melody Maker man and always loved Chris Welch - until Nick Logan took over as editor of NME in about '72 and recruited writers like Nick Kent, Charles Shaar Murray and Ian MacDonald and blew the competition out of the water
the other way you could listen to an album before purchasing is if the record shop let you play it in a booth or in some smaller places on the shops own sound system.
this led to places like Virgin mega stores having headphones across their shop. though with them you only had a few of the albums on offer to choose to listen to. Those albums i guess were ones that their record company had paid Virgin to have on.
I think I've said before, I've been buying loads of soul vinyl on single and album, and most second-hand/collector's record shops worth their salt have a turntable to listen to possible purchases. Mind you, I was in Reckless Records last night and didn't see one.
the other way you could listen to an album before purchasing is if the record shop let you play it in a booth or in some smaller places on the shops own sound system.
this led to places like Virgin mega stores having headphones across their shop. though with them you only had a few of the albums on offer to choose to listen to. Those albums i guess were ones that their record company had paid Virgin to have on.
Yes, we did exactly that with our Vic Godard & Subway Sect album, and it totally wiped out our profits.
I think I've said before, I've been buying loads of soul vinyl on single and album, and most second-hand/collector's record shops worth their salt have a turntable to listen to possible purchases. Mind you, I was in Reckless Records last night and didn't see one.
Most record shops have a laptop wired up to speakers, and they’ll play anything so long as it’s on YouTube or Spotify, which might rule our more rare/obscure soul singles.
Here I was, young sophisticated Raith ready to make the jump from the complex sounds of Yes to the Jazz/Rock/Fusion sounds of the Keith Tippett Group.
'Have you got Dedicated to you, but you weren't listening? It's by the Keith Tippet Group, got an interesting album sleeve."
Rushed home, put it on the deck ... and jeez what a 'kin racket! To make matters even worse I decided that I was wrong about the track I heard and liked on the radio - it was awful, dunno what I was thinking.
Bought the album Raintown on the back of it - the album was shit and the song wasn’t even on there, it was from their upcoming album.
Well that's an unfortunate experience of an excellent band, although calling 'Raintown' shit is a bit much.
If you are expecting Real Gone Kid type pop then you're possibly going to be disappointed by other Deacon Blue material. That song was so polished and begging to be a hit that Ricky Ross hates and regrets it.
They next tried to fit in with what was fashionable in 1993 with ' Whatever you say, say nothing' which I love. I don't think it's their best but it is arguably their best album.
I remember on the way to a gig at the Borderline, on Charing Cross Road. We we're talking on the train, and the next thing I'm lamenting the producer... Was he coming to the gig?
A year earlier I'd got into Pixies, me and perhaps another CL subscriber, and some others - saw them play in summer 1988 across London, and the next year as they took over the whole scene - I was there, sort of thing...
By spring 1989, the heavily trailed second proper LP was much anticipated. First broadcast on John Peel as session tracks, I captured onto cassette and replayed ad infintum on Walkman ... slightly 6th form music weirdo but otherwise largely unnoticed. The gigs were another world. At each gig a new song was burned into our hearts.
I bleed, debaser, tame, hey ... they seemed were exclusive to cassette forever (about 6 months in reality, if that...) They were figments of a vinyl dream. Not recorded, not released. Just for personal use.
I had stolen from them from the radio, and I knew the future.
An then at the club, Gil Norton wasn't there. A mate's sister was liaising (linking?) with him. He was in London, but not at the gig. Or maybe, he was hidden from me.
You see I would've told him; Doolittle is a pile of shit. What have you done? Why this watered down, coffee table turd of an LP? How dare you temper the Pixies energy, swear ... why did you even think to get involved? Why not get Billy Joel to play some piano, you f...
Luckily he wasn't there. (It was another night I got thrown out the Borderline.)
And of course I still have my copy of Doolittle. With the 4AD cards and book thingy. Love the songs, hate the production. Bring back Albini!
And I play the other Pixies LPs to the kids.
Got Doolittle when it came out and was blown away by it. Then picked up Surfer Rosa and Come on Pilgrim. Loved Albini’s visceral production on Surfer Rosa. Saw them live at Kilburn National in 1989, met Black Francis in the crowd (Me: Hello Charles / BF: Hi) with Pere Ubu supporting which was amazing. Saw them twice on the Bossanova tour at Brixton Academy and Hammy O, and then once more on the Trompe le Monde tour at Brixton. Surfer Rosa was probably the closest recorded version to the sound and the fury of the live performances back then.
Mine is definitely 'Dreams that money can't buy' by Holly Johnson. To say I was disappointed is such an understatement.
I liked his first solo album. It has weak tracks but at least the singles were very good pop songs. He got away with the weaknesses thanks to living off the glories of Frankie goes to Hollywood.
When I went to buy the second album I remember that the girl serving me in Our Price criticised my choice which looking back is a weird way to speak to a customer. I guess she felt it only right to warn me even if it meant being rude to a customer. I soon understood her opinion. The music is as atrocious as the cover was garish.
I still love Frankie goes to Hollywood and half of his first solo album though.
Mine is definitely 'Dreams that money can't buy' by Holly Johnson. To say I was disappointed is such an understatement.
I liked his first solo album. It has weak tracks but at least the singles were very good pop songs. He got away with the weaknesses thanks to living off the glories of Frankie goes to Hollywood.
When I went to buy the second album I remember that the girl serving me in Our Price criticised my choice which looking back is a weird way to speak to a customer. I guess she felt it only right to warn me even if it meant being rude to a customer. I soon understood her opinion. The music is as atrocious as the cover was garish.
I still love Frankie goes to Hollywood and half of his first solo album though.
Our Price Lewisham? I bought Parallel Lines by Blondie in there for my girlfriend and I remember the assistant laughing and me explaining it was for my girlfriend.
Mine is definitely 'Dreams that money can't buy' by Holly Johnson. To say I was disappointed is such an understatement.
I liked his first solo album. It has weak tracks but at least the singles were very good pop songs. He got away with the weaknesses thanks to living off the glories of Frankie goes to Hollywood.
When I went to buy the second album I remember that the girl serving me in Our Price criticised my choice which looking back is a weird way to speak to a customer. I guess she felt it only right to warn me even if it meant being rude to a customer. I soon understood her opinion. The music is as atrocious as the cover was garish.
I still love Frankie goes to Hollywood and half of his first solo album though.
Our Price Lewisham? I bought Parallel Lines by Blondie in there for my girlfriend and I remember the assistant laughing and me explaining it was for my girlfriend.
No, Dartford, possibly Bexleyheath. I've definitely never even been shopping in Lewisham.
Parallel Lines was nothing at all to be ashamed of. Your assistant was far worse than mine. I deserved the shaming although she could have just played me the first 30 seconds of the album and I'd have been willing to take her advice.
Kid A - Radiohead Sandinista - The Clash Berlin - Lou Reed
From disappointment you can only go up.
Kid A was a huge change after The Bends and OK Computer. A couple of Radiohead fan friends of mine also didn't like it when it came out although they have changed their minds since.
It's actually rated as best album of the noughties on this site that I frequent:
Kid A - Radiohead Sandinista - The Clash Berlin - Lou Reed
From disappointment you can only go up.
Kid A was a huge change after The Bends and OK Computer. A couple of Radiohead fan friends of mine also didn't like it when it came out although they have changed their minds since.
It's actually rated as best album of the noughties on this site that I frequent:
Kid A is an amazing record and true grower. I remember thinking WTF is this on my first listen, it was a huge step from the poppy Radiohead i was used to.
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Done it many times. If you're a particular collector for a band or artist, you just do it... sometimes it backfires, often not.
I Give you ....... Depeche Mode , ive brought every Album they have put out , the last 4 not so good , but i buy each new release just hoping they are going to be back to their best , it looks like this new one ,Momento Mori might just be the one .
Comments
I was a Melody Maker man and always loved Chris Welch - until Nick Logan took over as editor of NME in about '72 and recruited writers like Nick Kent, Charles Shaar Murray and Ian MacDonald and blew the competition out of the water
this led to places like Virgin mega stores having headphones across their shop. though with them you only had a few of the albums on offer to choose to listen to. Those albums i guess were ones that their record company had paid Virgin to have on.
'Have you got Dedicated to you, but you weren't listening? It's by the Keith Tippet Group, got an interesting album sleeve."
Rushed home, put it on the deck ... and jeez what a 'kin racket! To make matters even worse I decided that I was wrong about the track I heard and liked on the radio - it was awful, dunno what I was thinking.
If you are expecting Real Gone Kid type pop then you're possibly going to be disappointed by other Deacon Blue material. That song was so polished and begging to be a hit that Ricky Ross hates and regrets it.
They next tried to fit in with what was fashionable in 1993 with ' Whatever you say, say nothing' which I love. I don't think it's their best but it is arguably their best album.
I liked his first solo album. It has weak tracks but at least the singles were very good pop songs. He got away with the weaknesses thanks to living off the glories of Frankie goes to Hollywood.
When I went to buy the second album I remember that the girl serving me in Our Price criticised my choice which looking back is a weird way to speak to a customer.
I guess she felt it only right to warn me even if it meant being rude to a customer.
I soon understood her opinion. The music is as atrocious as the cover was garish.
I still love Frankie goes to Hollywood and half of his first solo album though.
I bought Parallel Lines by Blondie in there for my girlfriend and I remember the assistant laughing and me explaining it was for my girlfriend.
Metallica sounded great per usual, but Lou Reed’s incoherent rambling makes it near impossible to listen to for any length of time.
Absolute snooze fest that he has milked in his concerts for the last five years, knowing full well the fans are not into it whatsoever.
Parallel Lines was nothing at all to be ashamed of. Your assistant was far worse than mine. I deserved the shaming although she could have just played me the first 30 seconds of the album and I'd have been willing to take her advice.
Kid A - Radiohead
Sandinsta - The Clash
Berlin - Lou ReedFrom disappointment you can only go up.
Sandinista - The Clash
Berlin - Lou Reed
From disappointment you can only go up.
It's actually rated as best album of the noughties on this site that I frequent:
https://www.besteveralbums.com/yearstats.php?y=200&rank=1#1002