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There is no shortage of web-space devoted to vinyl records these days. A moribund medium that survived despite the early promise of consumer digital playback, vinyl records now seem to be flourishing across a wide spectrum of users- longtime, hardcore vinyl enthusiasts, audiophiles, collectors and a whole new generation of people, including those who “came back” to vinyl after years of digital playback or weren’t even alive during the heyday of vinyl.

Why this site? Aside from a gnawing itch to write, I found myself between the cracks- audiophile websites seemed far too “gear-centric” and much as I love gear and shiny new (and particularly old) things, the endless quest to perfect the imperfect nature of home audio seemed to be a pursuit for its own ends, often leaving the music on the sidelines. At the same time, most music-driven sites did not cover my particular combination of interests, often focusing on record reviews of new releases or reissues of old releases. I was interested in a lot of music that hadn’t been reissued or sounded better on earlier pressings.

I also seem to like bands that are largely forgotten or remembered only for a hit that charted, the band itself, and the rest of their music largely forgotten. And, to discover music from talent that, for whatever reason, hasn’t reached the wider audience it deserves. So, there will be a few new releases covered here, but much of it is older stuff.

The selections I devote attention to on this site are not intended to represent any ‘absolute’ musically, sonically or culturally. Because music and its enjoyment is a deeply personal experience it is rarely amenable to suasion by others. Exposure is enough: You listen. You like it. Or not. (Although, admittedly, sometimes it takes time to appreciate a recording. More about that later too).

I’m treating this whole website as a process of exploration. I have access to a considerable pile of vinyl that I have accumulated over the course of more than 45 years. I’ve spent countless hours listening to all kinds of systems, grand and modest, in homes, studios and demonstration rooms. My experience has taught me that you don’t need to have “golden ears” to hear the differences in gear or in different pressings of the same record. Another thing I’ve learned is that old records can sound wonderful, in part, because there can be much less gimmickry in the mixing and making of them, the equipment was more primitive and what was captured often has a quality of real life- of a real performance, raw, imperfect and emotionally moving.

In the process of sorting through thousands of old records in my collection, and buying as many more in the last decade or so (mostly older records), I have also learned something about how to clean records effectively. It is more than just a ‘ritual’ and involves far more than making a record ‘look’ clean. Just as different pressings of the same record can yield significantly different sonic outcomes, I have found that various cleaning processes can take a record that I once would have regarded as inherently unplayable – groove noise, sibilance and other distortions that I used to associate with groove damage and, in many cases, and to varying degrees, not only salvage it but bring it up to a very high playing standard. Here, I have no magic bullet, but will detail what I have learned.  One section of this site is therefore dedicated to record cleaning and care. I consider this an essential part of buying older records.

For now, I have neither the time nor the inclination to moderate a chat forum as part of this site. If you have a comment, a criticism or a contribution that you would like me to publish, send it to me as a Letter to the Editor, and I may publish it.

Bill Hart

February, 2015

 

Austin Update: 2017

As readers know, my wife and I permanently relocated to Austin, Texas this year after several years of back and forth between New York and Texas. I’ve learned a considerable amount since I first began publishing TheVinylPress in February, 2015– mostly about how little I really know. My assumptions are constantly tested– digital recordings that sound good, a second system that is nowhere near “state of the art” but brings as much musical joy as my main system (with an entirely different sonic presentation), bands that I ignored or dismissed that are now part of my playlist.

Given my penchant for offbeat and less mainstream older records- particularly those made during what I consider a peak of creativity and sonic simplicity in the recording arts that occurred in the era 1967-71 in the UK and other parts of the world– I’ve found myself chasing some stupidly expensive records. So, part of my mission is to find decent alternatives, where possible, to records that are in the high three and four figure price range. There is also a wealth of live music here in the “live music capital of the world.” So I may review a few shows along the way but even if I don’t cover bands I’ve heard, I’m attending more live shows than ever. I have also updated my system profile, but kept the original profile from 2015.

System Notes- Austin, 2017

SYSTEM NOTES- 2015

TheVinylPress Goes Digital!

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Brief:

Incoming- Mrs. Henry Keep on Rising

Mrs. Henry Keep on Rising   A 21st century rock opera? Recorded to tape? And mastered at Bernie Grundman’s shop? I’ve started to explore this box (3 LPs, 2 CDs and a substantial book) in more depth and plan on interviewing the producer in an upcoming piece. … [Read More...]

Power to the People-Back Up Generator

    Shortly after the Texas "big freeze" in February 2021, I contacted various vendors of back up generators. Some did not bother to respond, a few came out, ostensibly to give me a quote and I never heard from them again. One vendor did send me a blank form with a very high total price, without completing the cost analysis for running gas lines, electrical wiring and the other things that are "adds" to the cost of the generator itself.  I kicked this around for a while-- given the heat in Central Texas during the summer--110F for days on end, we got constant warnings last summer (2023) to reduce power consumption, lest we suffer rolling blackouts. And then there's the fact that Austin really isn't "built" for freezing temperatures. Black ice with no road crews, downed power lines, and demand that teeters off the edge of power failure catastrophe. I do not want to go into the power grid … [Read More...]

Incoming-Know what I mean?

Cannonball Adderley's "Know what I mean? is a warhorse, to be sure,but one that deserves its reputation. I was prompted to explore a few different pressings as a result of a thread on the Hoffman forum: https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/do-you-have-cannonball-adderley-bill-evans-know-what-i-mean-the-best-sounding-vintage-jazz-lp.1175660/  I used to shop these OJCs as bargains back in the day when Tower Records was thriving. They were a solid entry point into some very good sounding jazz--some of it "straight ahead" but well made, taken from analog masters for the most part and did I say cheap? Back in the day, these were bargain records when they were released, and until the more recent surge in prices of older LPs, could be readily found for little money.  The recent Craft reissue cut by Kevin Gray has brought renewed attention to the record. I thought it might be fun to do a … [Read More...]

We’re Back!

We’re Back! Some fresh content for your consideration. Neil Antin did some modest updates to his seminal book on Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records. Neil did not regard these changes as a “new version” so the download is now 3.1 with a “Record of Changes” at the end. I’ve talked to Peter Ulrich, the drummer from Dead Can Dance a few times over the years because I was fascinated by the group. They hit it big in audiophile circles with “Into the Labyrinth” which became a “demo” record with the MoFi release. I got that, but also sought out an original 4AD pressing, and as I delved into their music, bought more original copies- they were not crazy expensive at the time. When Peter told me he was doing a book on the history of his involvement with the band, I was eager to read it. It offers some great insight into a period when this band was inventing new sounds in the post-punk … [Read More...]

Drumming with Dead Can Dance: and Parallel Adventures- Peter Ulrich

  Drumming with Dead Can Dance: and Parallel Adventures Peter Ulrich   I didn’t really get on to Dead Can Dance until “Into the Labyrinth,” their most popular LP that made the audiophile rounds here in the States. 4AD, their label, wasn’t well distributed in the US when the band was first developing, it wasn’t exactly mainstream stuff here, even in the audiophile community. Yet the band had a following, starting in Australia, where Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry had a band and moved to a council flat in London where the two met our narrator, a soon to be jobless publicist for a theatrical/live show venue. Ulrich had the time, interest, musical background, and chops as a drummer to become part of their band. So we get the story of DCD from the outset of their adventures in England, playing local venues and developing a following. The scene was a sort of post-punk, … [Read More...]

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