Any discussion of the Vertigo Swirl label would be incomplete without some mention of the early Black Sabbath albums since they are, from today’s vantage point, probably the best known band to have signed with the label and are often the entry point for many who are buying Vertigo Swirls today. Sabbath’s first four albums, […]
Search Results for: black sabbath
Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell: Your Choice
Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell: Your Choice One of the greatest Black Sabbath albums was delivered after the early albums on Vertigo Swirl[1]and subsequent to Ozzy Osbourne’s departure: Heaven and Hell, released in 1980, featuring Ronnie James Dio as vocalist. This album represents a high water mark in the band’s recorded performances, not only for its […]
Too Much-s/t
TOO MUCH- s/t Too Much, by the band of the same name, is a pretty rare Japanese psych record with English lyrics issued in Japan by Atlantic in 1971. Critics have rightly dismissed it because it contains some tracks that should never have been included: a cover of Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released” […]
Lucifer’s Friend self-titled
If you mixed Zep riffs with Uriah Heep vocal parts, played by Black Sabbath and added in some organ parts ala Deep Purple, you’d be describing the debut album of Lucifer’s Friend. No surprise about the vocals- John Lawton later went on to sing for Heep, but already had that full-throated wail on this record. […]
Collectability, Sonics and “Essential” Records- Comparing Notes with Jeff Gold, Owner of Recordmecca
I originally reached out to Jeff Gold, the owner of Recordmecca, to talk about label histories; Jeff began his career as the first employee at the legendary Rhino Records store in Los Angeles, was at A&M from 1981 through 1990 and later, at Warner Brothers for nine years. He’s also had more than a few […]
Warner Records-The “Green Label” Era (and Beyond)
Although it did not have the historical legacy of Columbia or RCA, by the late 60’s and early 70’s, Warner was a significant force in popular music. Its roster of talent was impressive and many of the recordings sound great. This “golden era” seemed to coalesce around several key figures and events: Mo Ostin, once […]
Vertigo Swirl-Summary of Articles on TheVinylPress.com
As more material is published to this site,[1] I thought it would help readers to have ready access-with links- to those pieces that are part of the series of related articles on Vertigo Swirl. Thus:
Buying Used Records-A Primer
My interview with Robert Croydon of EIL-Esprit, a well-known UK record dealer inspired me to create a set of tips for buying used records. Some of this is common sense, basic knowledge to anybody who collects, so please accept this as nothing more than “blithering insights into the obvious” if you are already an experienced […]
A Conversation with Olav Wyper – Creator of the Vertigo Swirl Records
Vertigo Records, in the era of the ‘Vertigo Swirl,’ is legendary- from its unique ‘swirl’ label, to its eclectic mix of artists, strong musical talent and extremely high production values, to the ‘art’ of the album jackets and the clever album packaging. My introduction to the label came late-this UK label carried the work of […]
From the Editor
Mel Brooks was once asked what the hardest part was to film making: “Punching all those little holes on the sides,” was his answer. Putting a fresh round of material together for this site is easier and more fun than you’d imagine, but it requires time (and some hole punching). Although my original intention was […]