Vinyl Voyage Radio

This month on Adventures in Vinyl we are taking a trip back to the year 1979 with the K-Tel compilation Spotlight . Actually, it is more accurate to say 1978, as all of the songs on this album were released in 1978 (except for the two that were released a year earlier).  This album is slightly different from other K-Tel albums released at the time and marks a change in the way K-Tel created their albums.  Of course, K-Tel is known for crunching as many songs as possible on an album---usually 20 songs per compilation ("20 Original Hits, Original Stars!").  This album has only 16, which means there is not as much crunching of music. In fact, in the 80s, K-Tel will release several more albums following this format. Spotlight is a solid album that, unlike other K-Tel albums released that year, was not advertised on TV. The album contains songs from Andy Gibb, Crystal Gayle, A Taste of Honey, the Commodores, Kenny Rogers....and many more! Join us on Adventures in Viny...

My favorite K-Tel album by far is Rock 80 . This is Retro Repeat month on Adventures in Vinyl and this week we will be rebroadcasting the Rock 80 episode. The episode airs Saturday, May 19 at 11 am (ct), Sunday May 20 at 4 pm (ct) and then at 1 pm May 22, 2 am May 23 and 10 am May 24. Here is the original post describing the album: 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 .  An...

Happy May.  It is Retro Repeat Month on Vinyl Voyage Radio.  Each week will feature a different K-Tel Album on Adventures in Vinyl . May   1 - May 10    Believe in Music , 1972 May 12 - May 17    Block Buster , 1976 May 19 - May 24    Rock 80 , 1980 May 26 - May 31    Music Machine , 1977 Adventures in Vinyl Can be heard on Vinyl Voyage Radio (all times Central): Saturday, 11 am Sunday, 4 pm Tuesday, 1 pm Wednesday, 2 am Thursday, 10 am  Join us on Memorial Day for the 2012 K-Tel Marathon.  We will feature every K-Tel album that has appeared on Adventures in Vinyl in chronological order starting at 6 am (Central).

Greg Kihn is following me on Twitter. Yes, that Greg Kihn.   And at this moment, certain melodies are crackling through your head.  Mine, too.  "Our love's in jeopardy.  Baby. "  And how about this one:   "They don't write 'em like that anymore ." It must be because I post a lot on Twitter about music.  And, of course, here on Vinyl Voyage we have a day dedicated to the 80s and the Greg Kihn Band appears several times.  But still, seeing that name there in the notification got me a little nostalgic.  Remember the "Jeopardy" video?  I distinctly remember seeing it for the first time.  I turned fifteen in 1983 and it freaked me out a little.  The wedding.  The bride turns into a skeleton.  The guests turn into zombies.  And then a creature from hell breaks through the floor and Greg Kihn kills it with some guitar-shaped piece of wood. Now that's a video. I checked out a little about Greg Kihn....

A few weeks ago, my friend Tom Flannery posted an article about Peter Frampton on his blog .  He unabashedly proclaimed that "Frampton kicks ass" and that the "young punks can learn a thing or two from the bald guy." "I used to stand in front of my mirror," Tom writes, "tennis racket as a guitar, and sing along to 'Lines On My Face'. I was 17." That post got me a little nostalgic for Frampton. A few years ago, I checked out Frampton Comes Alive! from the library and burned it onto my computer.  I'm not even sure I listened to the album then; I just thought it was something I should have.  However, I now wanted to listen to Frampton as it was intended to be: on vinyl and loud.  So, I found a copy at a local record store.  I listened to the whole thing, something I don't think I have done for decades.  Yes, decades. And, I must say, listening to the album again as a 43 year old, I am impressed that Tom Flannery stood in fro...

This month's Adventures in Vinyl features K-Tel's classic 1972 compilation, Believe in Music .  This album has some iconic 70s tunes, including my favorite Cher song, "Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves."  That song was the first single from her 1971 album, originally entitled Cher .  However, the song was so popular, the album was renamed and re-released as Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves .  I remember this vividly.  My parents had a reel-to-reel player and recorded their albums to tape.  Music was always playing in our house.  And Cher (along with Sonny, too) was in constant rotation. This song was written by Bob Stone and was originally titled, "Gypsys, Tramps and White Trash."  Someone with a better ear for music suggested he change the title.  And he did.  In 1971, Cher performed the song on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour .  You can hear this song and many others this month on Adventures in Vinyl .  The episode can be heard a...

On this month's Adventure's in Vinyl , we are going to the early years of K-Tel.  In fact, this is the oldest K-tel album I have.  It is Believe in Music and it came out 40 years ago, which is obvious from the garish cover void of any sense of the songs contained on the vinyl.  But that's okay, in 1972 K-Tel was still developing it's iconic look. This album has my favorite Cher song:  "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves." It also has the 70s favorite, "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)."  This, of course, is one of the greatest one-hit wonders of all time.  Although Looking Glass released two albums, nothing would not come close to the success of that song.  I recently came across a picture of the band.  Not what I expected:   The album also has a song by Rick Springfield.  Yes, that Rick Springfield.  The one who sang about "Jessie's Girl" in the 80s.  The song on this album is "Speak to the Sky," off of his debut album, B...