Vinyl Voyage Radio

This month on Adventures in Vinyl , we are going back to 1976 for the K-Tel classic, Power House .  This is a great album, eclectic and odd---just as you would expect from K-Tel.   The variety on this album is pretty impressive.  From some early disco hits by Silver Convention and Andrea True Connection, to Heart and Styx, to Glen Campbell and Seals and Crofts, Roxy Music to Hall & Oates.  Actor Keith Carradine also makes an appearance with his hit song, " I'm Easy " from the film Nashville . As they say in the commercial:  "20 Original Hits, Original stars!"  Fifteen of the songs on this album made the Billboard Year End Chart for either 1976 or 1975.  Join us this month for K-Tel's Power House .  As usual, we'll play the album in its entirety.  Plus, visit some of the events of 1976, review the music and movies as well. Adventures in Vinyl , the only radio show dedicated to the lost art of the K-Tel record compilation. Tim...

After a Retro Repeat September, Adventures in Vinyl returns in October with a new episode.  This K-Tel selection comes from 1982, a big year for me.  It was the year I started high school.  Later that year I got my first real computer:  a Commodore 64 (which I still have, by the way).  It was the year of E.T.: The Extraterrestrial and Poltergeist .  It was also the year of Hit Express . This is the second 80s album we have played on Adventures in Vinyl.  By the 1980s, K-Tel had changed it's format.  Instead of editing songs in order to fit as much as possible on a side, the 1980s saw K-Tel offering more complete songs (at least the radio versions).  Therefore, there aren't as many songs on a K-Tel album as there were a decade earlier.  This album has fourteen songs; about seven less than a 70's K-Tel.  But that's okay.  There are some great treasures on this album from the early 80s: Human League Phil Collins Rick Springf...

We have been on the air now for 7 months.  That's 7 K-Tel albums on Adventures in Vinyl. Over the months we have gained listeners from all over the world:  Canada, Israel, Brazil, New Zealand, South Africa and many others. Even Syria. This month we are going to take a break on Adventures in Vinyl and replay the 7 past episodes as we catch our breath and give people an opportunity to listen to some albums they may have missed. Here's the schedule (all times CENTRAL): Fantastic   Saturday, September 3 (11 am) Tuesday, September 6 (1 pm) Sunday, September 25 (4 pm) Dynamite Sunday, September 4 (4 pm) Thursday, September 8 (1 pm) Wednesday, September 21 (10 am) Music Power Saturday, September 10 (11 am) Tuesday, September 13 (1 pm) Music Express Sunday, September 11 (4 pm) Thursday, September 15 (1 pm) Wednesday, September 28 (10 am) Disco Mania Wednesday, September 14 (10 am) Saturday, September 17 (11 am) Tuesday, September 20 (1 pm) Blo...

Prior to 1980, my musical tastes generally sucked.  Oh, I listened to the standard hits on the radio, but had no coherent musical wants or likes---outside, that is, of what was always played in my house:  John Denver, Neil Diamond, Olivia Newton-John and Barry Manilow.  Yes, I admit it, I could sing along to several Manilow tunes.  Remember, I didn't have any older brothers or sisters to show me the way (Think: Almost Famous ). But then, in 1980, everything changed.  I discovered good music. And I can thank K-Tel for that. For Christmas in 1980, I received a cassette from my parents.  It was K-Tel's Rock 80 .  And this album introduced me for the first time to what would become some of my favorite bands:  Cheap Trick, the Ramones, the Pretenders.  I started listening more to rock radio.  I would sit sometimes for hours, waiting patiently for a single song to add to my collection of mix tapes.  This is a classic K-Tel album....

Having a backyard Independence Day celebration?  What better accompaniment than classic K-Tel? Starting at 1 pm (CT) on the Fourth of July, the Vinyl Voyage will present a marathon of all episodes of Adventures in Vinyl, featuring classic K-Tel albums from the 1970s--a great soundtrack to your Fourth of July Celebrations. We will be featuring the following albums starting at 1 pm, central: Music Power , 1975   Music Express , 1975 Disco Mania , 1975 Dynamite , 1975 Fantastic , 1973 Block Buster , 1976 These are full episodes of Adventures in Vinyl and include not only the K-Tel albums but also trivia, headlines and movie clips.  You'll hear over 130 classic tracks from K-Tel---that's over 7 1/2 hours of music! As they say in the commercials: "All Original Hits!  Original Stars!" Take an extended trip to the past with the magic of K-Tel. Adventures in Vinyl--the only radio show dedicated to the lost art of the K-Tel record compilation.

I was 8 years old when I got Block Buster .  It was 1976.  The year before Star Wars .  Yeah, that was a defining moment in my life.  Up until then, all I had was K-Tel albums like this.  And this is a good one:  Block Buster .  It must have been released early 1976 as most of the songs are from the previous year.  "Fly, Robin, Fly" by the Silver Convention.  "Sky High," by Jigsaw.  "Swearin' to God" by Frankie Valli.  "That's the Way (I Like It" by K.C. and the Sunshine Band. And my favorite in this collection:  "Why Can't We Be Friends?" by War. Block Buster is the featured K-Tel album on Adventures in Vinyl this month. You can hear the album in its entirety on Saturday mornings at 11 am (CT) and Sunday afternoons at 4 pm (CT). In addition, Adventures in Vinyl can be heard whenever you want.  That's right. If you want to hear Adventures in Vinyl on Wednesday at 1 pm, you can.  Just send us an email or...

Adventures in Vinyl , the only show dedicated to the lost art of the K-tel record compilation, can be heard on the Vinyl Voyage Saturday mornings at 11 am (CT) and Sunday afternoons at 4 pm (CT).  However, for many people, those times just might not work out so well. So, if you would like to hear it at a different time, let us know.  Want to hear it at 1 pm Wednesday?  No problem.  3 am?  Again, no problem.  Today, we introduce the "Personal Playlist" here at the Vinyl Voyage.  Let us know when you would like to hear Adventures in Vinyl and we will play it at that time---just for you.  Want to hear an earlier episode?  Let us know.  That is the beauty of internet radio.  It can readily be personalized. Send us a message at vinylvoyage@bellbookcamera.com to request a personal time for Adventures in Vinyl.  We will email you back with a confirmation.  Or, simply use the "Shout Out" form at the bottom of our Live365....

It was the last day of school.  I was planning on heading down to the Chicago Blues Fest with some co-workers, but I had to clean my desk and haul some books down to the "rebind" room.  That took longer than I had anticipated.  Plus, the weather didn't look so great.  So, I decided to skip that trip and just head home. On the way, I stopped off at my local record store, Rainbow Records in Barrington, to treat myself to a little vinyl.  There are always albums that I want, but inevitably, when I get to the record store, I never seem to be able to remember any of them.  Been looking for some Cure, but vinyl Cure is a little difficult to find.  Saw Sting's debut album, but I have that on cd and decided against it Browsing through the Rs, I came across Tattoo You , the 1981 release from the Rolling Stones.  Back when the album was released, I checked it out at the library and made a copy on cassette.  That cassette has long since vanished....

In 1973, Vicki Lawrence had a hit with "The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia." Of course, who knew that a decade later she would be starring in Mama's Family .  Most people know her from her stint on the Carol Burnett Show . It was also a big year for Elton John:  "Rocket Man" and "Crocodile Rock" were quite popular.  Gary Glitter had "Rock and Roll Part Two."  Tony Orlando was tying yellow ribbons on oak trees.  Donny Osmond was singing something about the "Twelfth of Never,"  whatever that means. K-Tel's 1973 compilation Fantastic had these hits and many more.  As the commercial states:  "22 Original Hits! 22 Original Stars!"   This is a very interesting album.  It has some great hits and many misses---typical K-Tel actually.  I was 5 years old when this album came out.  I remember listening to some of the songs--Elton John and Tony Orlando in particular.   As I listened to it again recently, I realized th...

Did you miss any episode of Adventures in Vinyl?  Here is your chance to catch up.  On Memorial Day, starting at 10 am CT, we will be broadcasting the last four episodes in a row---about 5 hours or so of nothing but pure K-Tel. Here are the albums: Music Power (1975) Music Express (1975) Disco Mania (1975) Dynamite (1974) Adventures in Vinyl is the only show dedicated to the lost art of the K-Tel record compilation.  Join us for a nostalgic trip to the past.

Well, we made it---much to the dismay of Harold Camping and his minions who believed the world was to end on May 21.  I actually somewhat feel sorry for them. Not that I wanted the world to end, but I can't imagine what it must be like---sitting and waiting for something that you are so sure is going to happen.  And watch it pass by.  I can honestly say, I do not know what that is like.  Is it like learning there is no Santa Claus?  I don't actually remember that moment---it probably wasn't a moment, but a gradual realization.  Not the same thing at all.  So, no.  I have never believed in something so heartedly that I was willing to quit my job and give up everything:  money, friends, all possessions---all for a belief that was not to happen.  Bummer. This whole thing reminded me of a song (of course, this is The Vinyl Voyage , after all).  The Eurogliders released "Heaven (It Must Be There)" in 1984.  Formed in Australia in ...

Dynamite is one of the better K-Tel record compilations.  It was the album that introduced me to Eric Clapton, Elton John and Al Capone. When a man named Al Capone Tried to make that town his own He called his gang to war With the forces of the law . You remember that song:  "The Night Chicago Died," a one-hit wonder by British band, Paper Lace.  I loved that song.  It was the song that I played most from Dynamite and it opens side one of this 20-track album.  Much of the song is historically inaccurate ("East Side of Chicago?").  I can say that with confidence because my real job is that of a history teacher.   In fact, when I discuss prohibition and the 1920s, I always play it for my students. And I may sing a little as well. And perhaps dance a bit. They look at me usually with horrified expressions. But at least it exposes them to Paper Lace.  What's more important than that?    I just hope that somewhere down the ...

Okay, this isn't quite the Sesame Street set.  But it's close.  At any moment you expect Elmo to come walking by or Oscar the Grouch to jump out of a garbage can.  Plus, Mick Jagger does resemble a muppet, doesn't he?  "Waiting on a Friend" is the final track on The Rolling Stones' 1981 album, Tattoo You .  Truth be told, it's my favorite song on the album.   It's got a cool rhythm; a groove that gets me moving a bit.  It also has an uncharacteristic sax solo.  The song was actually written some 10 years earlier but lacked lyrics.  And when those lyrics were finally written by Jagger, they represent a softer side of rock and roll's principle "bad boys."  The song is about settling down; about friendships. This is the first video the Stones made and was played constantly on MTV.  You may recognize the building:  it is the building featured on the cover of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album from 1975.  That's reggae...

Remember this one? It's from 1984 and MTv played the hell out of it. Nik Kershaw had his first (and only) U.S. hit with "Wouldn't it Be Good." In the video, he plays an alien with a white suit that is actually a very poorly designed green screen that begins to play images from his life on earth. Make sense? Not at all. But this is classic 80s---a time when videos dominated the music industry and attempts were being made to make the videos more movie-like; often-times telling stories that have nothing to do at all with the lyrics of the song. This video falls into that category. Tune in to the Vinyl Voyage for an eclectic mix of tunes spanning the last several decades, all on glorious vinyl.  Including "Wouldn't it Be Good.  We stream music 24/7--commercial free during the day. Tune us in. We're like your iPod. Only better.

Beltane is an ancient Celtic celebration that celebrates the beginning of summer.  Beltane literally means "bright fire" and for the ancient Celts, fire was a way to bring about purification.  So, bonfires were--and still are--an important Celtic tradition during this time of the year.  In fact, on April 30th, thousands of people attend the traditional burning of the bonfires in Edinburgh, Scotland. I am about 1/3 or so Irish.  And I am also a celtophile, I must say.  I like all things Celtic.  In 2001, I got engaged in Ireland.  We had Celtic-themed wedding.  My vest was made in the traditional tartan pattern of my wife's family. And it was in a bar in Dublin where I became acquainted with Dougie MacLean.  Dougie MacLean has often been called "Scotland's James Taylor."  No, he wasn't performing in the bar that evening.  But a singer performed one of his tunes.  It was one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.  ...

This should really be called the "Rick Springfield Mix."  On a 1 hour mix tape, the Aussie/Soap Opera Star/Rock Star/Author appears some 7 times.  And most of the songs that my friend, Dena, placed of Rick Springfield's are those that you did not hear on the radio.  No "Jesse's Girl," for example. This will be very interesting broadcast, from a logistic point of view.  You see, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) has defined the standards for internet radio.  And you can only play 3 songs by a single artist in a 3 hour time period.  Ooops.  Playing Dena's Mix will, therefore, break copyright law.  And I can be fined upwards of $500,000 if caught. But what the hell.  Let's live life on the edge, shall we? This mix was made most likely in 1984.  Many of the songs come from that year.  And it was the year I began to drive and I distinctly remember playing this in the car--which happened to be a Ford Pinto station wagon....

The Vinyl Brunch , heard ever Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM CT will feature a special broadcast this Sunday, April 24.  In honor of Easter, we will play, in its entirety, the original concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar from 1970.  Known by aficionados of the musical as the "brown album," this recording was made before the stage shows were mounted in London or New York.   It features Ian Gillian as Jesus, Murray Head a Judas and Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene.  The musical is unique in that it does not focus on the religious nature of the Gospels too much, but on the political situation and the interpersonal relationships between the three main characters.  As a result, many accused it of being sacrilegious.  It was even banned for awhile by the BBC. The album shot to the top of the Billboard charts in 1970 and produced two hit songs:  "Superstar" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him." If you are only familiar with the Ted Neeley version from the 1...

The other day, I added "The Warrior" into rotation. Had the song on a 45 rpm single. You know the song: "Shooting at the walls of heartache. BANG! BANG! I am the warrior!" The song was released in 1984 and peaked at #7 on the Billboard charts. Not a terrible song, to be sure. Very 80s. The video, however, is atrocious. It's like an apocalyptic Cats :  dancers in ragged tights dance-fighting in an alley.  I've seen various renditions of this over the years at high school orchesis performances.  At one point in the video, Patty Smyth's hair changes into a bizarre Bride of Frankenstein doo.  Why?  Who knows. She battles too, but stops in time to lip-sync the important lines in song.  The video is so bad, it's actually fun to watch: After Sammy Hagar left Van Halen, supposedly Eddie Van Halen asked Patty Smyth to front the band.  Could you imagine Van Halen doing a rendition of this song? On the Vinyl Voyage you can hear an eclectic mix of...

Remember this one from the days when MTV actually played music videos?  This was one of my favorite songs from the era and I particularly love the clips from Nosferatu within this video.  This collaboration between Queen and David Bowie was released 1981.  Of course, Vanilla Ice ripped the famous baseline off in his single "Ice, Ice, Baby" ten years later.  "Under Pressure" can be heard on the Vinyl Voyage. Give us a listen. Streaming commercial-free all day long. Vinyl: The Original CD

I recently came across this site while exploring YouTube, avoiding the task of doing some actual work. On this site, a guy who calls himself "The Dude" shows his appreciation for vinyl by creating some pretty creative videos of vinyl being played in the most unlikely of places:  on a beach, in a field, cooking on a stove--just to name a few. Here's an example: How about this for Bowie's "Suffragette City?" Pink Floyd's "Us and Them:" There's more there as well--a nice mixture of the old and new:  Wilco, The Beatles, Kansas, The Rolling Stones, Phish...and many more. Check out the Daily Vinyl's YouTube page here . Also, check out the website .  Some cool stuff there as well.

Yes, "Careless Whisper" was the #1 song of 1985.  It is a song you will not hear on Mix Tape Memories.  Tune in tonight for an encore broadcast of Mix Tape Memories ---we'll take you back to 1985 for a decidingly non-Wham nostalgic trip to the past. Even so, who can ever forget that classic saxophone riff at the beginning of the song?  Apparently, not this guy: An encore broadcast of Mix Tape Memories airs tonight at 8 pm, Central. If you like early 80s alternative/New Wave, this is the show for you. Sorry, but no George Michael.  Instead:  Boomtown Rats, Psychedelic Furs, The Thompson Twins, Nick Heyward, General Public, Time Zone, Corey Heart, Real Life, Berlin. Oh, and also Alien Sex Fiend. For more information about tonight's encore performance, click here .

Records.  Lots and lots of records. We are going to try it again, folks.  Got everything working (hopefully).  Listen live to The Vinyl Voyage all day without commercial interruptions.  We have the most eclectic mix out there and are adding more each day. Then, stay tuned at 9 pm (CT) for Mix Tape Memories .  Tonight, we will be playing a mix from 1985 with some of the best new wave/alternative of the early 80s.  Time Zone.  The Fixx.  Real Life.  Boomtown Rats. And, of course, Alien Sex Fiend. Join us at 9.

Starting today, the Vinyl Voyage will be live and commercial free, streaming the best music on vinyl throughout the day.  Perfect for listening at work.  Growing up during the 70s and 80s, I have a large record collection, so most of the music will be from those eras---with a few new modern hits thrown in as well.  We offer an eclectic mix of the best tunes from the last several decades plus deep tracks, rarities and oldies as well.  And we are constantly adding to our collection.  You never know what might end up on the Vinyl Voyage turntable. Give us a listen. Let us know what you think.

This was my favorite mix tape from the 1980s; it was the one I was most proud of.  We all had mix tapes like that:  the ones we cranked up in the car when we drove with the windows down, showing off our taste in music.    This was the tape that made me feel cool, in my highschool--"look at me, I'm an individual"---way. This is the tape with Alien Sex Fiend. I bought that Alien Sex Fiend album at a record store in Northbrook.  I didn't know anything about them.  Just thought it would be cool to own.  It's not very good, yet I put a couple of tracks on this mix---probably just to show that I was "cutting edge,"  or something like that.  The album is called "Who's Been Sleeping in My Brain?" and contains some classic punk/death metal songs, such as " Drive My Rocket (Up Uranus) ."  Don't worry, that one is not on this mix. But " Black Rabbit " is. The mix begins with a classic 80s song that really captures the s...

Tonight, we will be an encore broadcast of Mix Tape Memories, Episode 1.  This mix is called "Many Songs #4" from 1986 and includes such 80s bands as Oingo Boingo, Tones on Tail and R.E.M. Broadcast begins at 8 pm CT. Join us for this nostalgic trip back to the mid-80s--commercial free.

This week on The Vinyl Brunch , we will be featuring Over the Rhine .  Over the Rhine has been making music together for 20 years.  Their new album, The Long Surrender , is perhaps one of their best. The core of the band is husband and wife team, Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist. They are, perhaps, the most literate of bands, making music that spans many genres.  Karin's voice radiates passion and there is no finer vocalist today, in my opinion. In fact, Over the Rhine provided some inspiration for a novel that I am writing as well. The Long Surrender was released on vinyl this year and we will be playing several selections during The Vinyl Brunch . Broadcasting every Sunday morning from 10 am to 1 pm CT, The Vinyl Brunch offers an eclectic mix of music perfect for a Sunday morning.  Join us. More information about The Vinyl Brunch can be found here .

I used to doodle the faces of all of the members of the band KISS. We’d debate among friends who was our favorite band member. Mine: the drummer, Peter Criss. He was the “cat,” in case you’re wondering. There was something magical about a band that wore bizarre costumes and make-up. I longed to go to a concert and imagined the fireworks, the spitting blood and the sound. Oh, that sound. I could only imagine how loud it actually was. The only thing I knew was that it would have been louder than my record player. I first became acquainted with KISS in 1976 with, believe or not, a K-Tel album called Disco Mania . That’s right---you read correctly: Disco Mania . The song “Rock and Roll All Nite” appeared late on the second side. And I loved it. I played it all the time. I got other KISS albums. I imagined what it would be like to see them in concert. In 1976, KISS played a concert at my soon-to-be junior high. River Trails Junior High in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, had...

I turned 8 years old in 1976. And that was the year I got K-Tel’s classic compilation, Disco Mania . I have fond memories of this album---not because I was a huge fan of disco.  Quite the opposite, actually.  This was the album that introduced me to Kiss. Yes, you read correctly. An album called Disco Mania introduced me to the make-up wearing, hard-rocking, blood-spitting band, Kiss. That is what makes this album pure K-Tel nuttiness. Sure, there are some early bona fide disco hits here: “The Hustle,” “Walkin’ in Rhythm,” “Never Can Say Goodbye” and “Disco Queen.” But then, there are some songs that are gloriously out of place: “Rock and Roll All Nite” by Kiss, “Lady” by Styx and “Hey You” by Bachman Turner Overdrive. There are 19 songs on this album and it begins with the classic disco song, “The Hustle.” This song was all over the place in 1976.  I remember dancing to it in my living room. Included are other Disco hits: “Kung Fu Fighting,” “Shame ...

If you missed last Friday's Mix Tape Memories , you can catch an encore broadcast tonight at 8 pm CT---live and commercial free.  This is a great mix tape from 1986 and features some eclectic music, including Belinda Carlisle, the Stray Cats, Duran Duran, INXS and the Monkees.  Plus a song from West Side Story , as well.  I did say it was eclectic, didn't I? Join us for a nostalgic trip to when music was shared...on mix tapes.

This week on the Vinyl Brunch , we will be featuring songs about the sun and sunshine.  As we shake these winter blues, these songs will be a perfect accompaniment to your relaxing Sunday morning. So pour some coffee, open the Sunday paper and lose yourself in this eclectic mix of music---all played on glorious vinyl.  What will you hear this Sunday?  The Beatles.  John Denver.  Cowboy Junkies.  Neil Young.  Billie Holiday.  Bobby Darin. Ray Charles. Vikki Carr. Just to name a few. The Vinyl Brunch airs every Sunday morning from 10 am to 1 pm (Central.)

I am not exactly sure when "Alane's Mix" was created.  Sometime in 1986, I believe.  In that year, Belinda Carlisle released her first post-Go-Go's solo album, Belinda .  A couple of songs from that album appear on this mix including the hit, "Mad About You."  So I assume it was made around this time---summer, 1986. This is a nice mix and very Alane.  I basically grew up with Alane.  We went to elementary school, junior high and high school together.  Our families camped together a couple of times.  We went on road trips into the city and once got lost while singing songs from Jesus Christ Super Star and didn't realize we were lost until well into the second act. (Yeah, we liked musicals and she got me hooked not just on JCSS, as we called it, but also on West Side Story as well.  Sometimes we'd act out scenes in the hall in high school.  We were Glee before Glee .) Tonight, on Mix Tape Memories, we will feature "Alane's Mix."...

Oingo Boingo.  Depeche Mode.  Tones on Tail. R.E.M. Jethro Tull.  Need I say more? This is "Mix Tape #4" created in 1986 and airs exclusively on Mix Tape Memories.  If you missed the first show on Friday, you can hear a rebroadcast TONIGHT at 8 pm Central.  For more on "Mix Tape Memories" and a schedule of future shows, click here . Join us on April 1 for "Alane's Mix"---another eclectic mix tape from 1986.

Pour some coffee, open the Sunday paper and lose yourself in The Vinyl Brunch every Sunday starting at 10 am central.  The Vinyl Brunch features an eclectic mix of music perfect for Sunday mornings.  Jazz.  Soft-rock.  Motown.  Folk.  Showtunes.  Classical.  All played on original vinyl and commercial free.  Tomorrow you'll hear a song from the original cast recording of Hair.  Frank Sinatra will make an appearance or two.  So will Billie Holiday and Dionne Warwick.  Burt Bacharach, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Gordon Lightfoot and Carly Simon---to name a few.  Remember Nadia's Theme from the 1976 Summer Olympics?  You'll hear that, too, on the Vinyl Brunch. So join us.  The Vinyl Brunch streams live every Sunday morning from 10 am to 1 pm.

Just a few weeks ago, I collected two boxes labeled, "cassettes" from my basement. And these boxes were full of.....you guessed it, old cassette tapes. Hundreds of them. Many of them old mix tapes spanning the last thirty or so years. Mix tapes. What a concept---a concept that is completely lost on this new generation of kids who know only their iPods. Kids don't make mixes for each other. They create playlists, to be sure. But these are not necessarily designed to share. The mix tape was a collective art form. Mix tapes were meant to share. They were meant to be heard by more than just the person who put it together. There was a certain amount of pride that went into the mix tapes we created. Mix tapes given as gifts contained cryptic messages in the form of songs, and much agonizing thought went into the creation of these. I pulled out an old Walkman and listened to some of my tapes. The tapes reflect me at certain times in my life. A diary told throu...

We all have those songs which touch us in certain ways. Music has that ability---to stir emotions, to wrangle memories. We have the tendency to claim songs as our own for what they do within us. For me, no song is more poignant and powerful than “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.” The song was written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell, their only collaboration as songwriters. Russell was dying of cancer at the time and his lyrics for this song would be the last he ever wrote. The origin of the phrase is unknown, but it did appear as the title of an article in Kiwanis magazine in 1924 and then later became the motto for Father Flanagan’s Boy’s Town in the 1940s. Written in the late 60s, the song conjures images of the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam. In fact, every year when I teach Vietnam, I use music to tell the story and “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” highlights 1970, the year of it’s release. However, for me, the song has nothing to do with Vietnam. For me, the song i...

If you grew up in the 80s, no doubt you took your vinyl collection and made mix tapes.  The Sony Walkman went on sale in the United States in 1980 and nearly everyone I knew eventually had one.  I brought it to school, listened to it on the bus---not too different from kids today with their iPods and mp3 players. The only difference is that more thought went into a mix tape--after all, you only had 60-90 minutes for all of the songs you wanted to include.  A mix tape was all about mood.  It was about current feelings.  It was about friends.  Mix tapes were more inter-relational.  We would make mix tapes for road trips into the city; mix tapes for special events.  We would give mix tapes as gifts.  iPods are about the individual; mix tapes were more about friends. Mix tapes were meant to be shared. I had a special mix tape entitled, "Depression Songs."  Too bad I no longer have that one.  It was a tape with songs that would ...

One of my favorite albums as a kid was K-Tel’s classic 1975 compilation, Music Express . It’s typical K-Tel: cheesy 70s graphics, a few bona fide hits and obscure never-again-heard-from artists. Who the hell is Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes anyway? But there are some 70s powerhouses on this album to be sure: Captain and Tennille, Elton John and Barry Manilow. I think the Captain and Tennille may have been the first band that I could recognize by name. Yes, I admit it. Before the Beatles, the Rolling Stones or any other classic rock band---I remember Captain and Tennille. How could I not? They were all over the place. My parents had their albums, the first of which came out in 1975 and contained the title song which appears on K-Tel’s Music Express, “Love Will Keep Us Together.” And they were all over tv as well, even appearing on their own variety show. I remember watching that show, actually. And the segment that stands out was the “Bionic Watermelon.” The album al...

Today, the Vinyl Voyage went live for a period of time, playing tracks from 1979-1982.  Those were the years of junior high for me.  Probably the worst years of my life; who ever liked junior high, anyway?  Even so, this period of time provided the foundation to my musical tastes and as my allowance increased, so did my record-buying. For about an hour and a half today, I spun tracks from that period of time in my life.  Currently, many of these songs can now be heard on the Vinyl Voyage: Cars---Gary Numan Loverboy---Turn Me Loose Billy Squier---My Kinda Lover Stevie Nicks---Edge of Seventeen Rush---Limelight Journey---Escape Pat Benatar---Fire and Ice Quarterflash---Harden My Heart Shooting Star---Flesh and Blood Styx---Babe Pete Townshend---Let My Love Open the Door John Cougar---Ain't Even Done With the Night John Lennon---Watching the Wheels Pretenders---Brass in Pocket Sniff 'n' the Tears---Driver's Seat Journey---Still They Ride I had a lit...

This is Benny Mardones I know nothing about Benny Mardones. Nothing. I don't know any albums. I don't know if he still makes music. I don't know if he ever was a member of a band. Until recently, I had no idea what he looks like. And I don't know any of his songs. Except, that is, for one. That song is "Into the Night." It originally came out in 1980 but was rereleased in 1989. Both times it made the charts; one of the few times a single song had made the charts for the same recording. It happened with the Righteous Brothers and their song "Unchained Melody" and also Chubby Checkers made the charts twice with "The Twist." So this is quite a feat for Mr. Mardones. I first heard "Into the Night" sometime in the early 80s. And the thing that I remember about hearing the song for the first time was that I thought it was Steve Perry. At that time, I was a huge Journey fan (and, frankly, still like the band an awful lot. Old Jour...