1977, the Year of the Robot and the year of "Music Machine"

In 1977, robots invaded pop culture with the release of Star Wars.  And K-Tel jumped on that bandwagon big-time.  Music Machine features one of the most famous robots in history on its cover: Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet.  How K-Tel was able to feature that robot on the cover AND in the commercial is beyond me:


The album features an eclectic mix (as usual) of music from the time:  the disco hits of Andy Gibb, ABBA and K.C. and the Sunshine Band, a Kiss ballad, Kenny Rogers, Alice Cooper and the theme from Rocky.  K-tel spared no expense with this album.  It even has bonus Andy Gibb and K.C. and the Sunshine Band posters!

Music Machine from 1977 is the featured K-Tel album this month on Adventures in Vinyl, the only radio show dedicated to the glory of the K-Tel record compilation.  We will listen to the album in its entirety and even flip the record for you. Adventures in Vinyl can be heard at the following times (central):

Sunday 4 pm
Tuesday 1:30 pm
Wednesday 2 am
Thursday 10 am
Saturday 12:30 pm

In 1977, K-Tel Gave Us "Stars"---next on AiV

I recently picked up this K-Tel album at our local library's book sale.  It was in great condition for an album that is 36 years old. This is a classic---K-Tel's Stars.

The album, as usual, features an eclectic mix of music.  From disco standards to pop ballads to rock and roll, this album cuts across genres and offers a great glimpse of the year that brought us Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Annie Hall.  Most of the songs made it to the Billboard Year End Chart for 1977.  A couple are on the 1976 chart.  And one is on the 1973 chart.

Here's the commercial:


This is the album featured on Adventures in Vinyl this month.  Join us for a music trip back to 1977 through the magic of K-Tel.  We'll play the album in its entirety and discuss the music, movies and news of the day.

Adventures in Vinyl can be heard to the following time (all Central):

Sunday, 4 pm
Tuesday, 1 pm
Wednesday, 2 am
Thursday, 10 am
Saturday, 12 pm

Music Machine: A 1977 K-Tel Classic

In 1977, robots were all the rage.  After all, the most popular movie of the year introduced the world to two of the most famous robots of all time:  R2-D2 and C3PO.  It would only make sense that K-Tel would cash in by putting the previous most famous robot on the cover of it's new compilation album, Music Machine.  That robot is, of course, "Robby" from Forbidden Planet and Lost in Space.  Here, he dances to the various hits of 1977 in the commercial aired for the album:

Music Machine is the featured album on this month's Adventures in Vinyl.  It is actually a pretty good album. In fact, all but one of the songs appears on the Year End Billboard Hot 100.  On this album you will find Foreigner, Andy Gibb, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Manfred Mann, Elton John and even Bill Conti with his theme song to the movie Rocky.

The album came with two posters as well: one of Andy Gibb and the other of K.C. from K.C. and the Sunshine Band.

Adventures in Vinyl can be heard on Saturday morning 11 am (CT), Sunday at 4 pm (CT), Tuesday 1 pm (CT), Wednesday 2 am (CT) and Thursday 10 am (CT). 

This may be the last chance to hear Adventures in Vinyl.  We have been on the air for a year and our subscription on Live365 will run out February 3.  We are not sure we will be continuing the station.  If you've been listening for awhile, thank you.