Nipper - The RCA Dog

Few corporations are lucky enough to have a mascot as famous as Nipper.   He's the RCA dog that served as corporate logo in a painting showing him being confused by the sound coming out of a phonograph.  The sound presumed to be that of his master droning on about something.

So famous is Nipper that his likeness is displayed in The Smithsonian.  The above stained glass window once adorned the factory in Camden, NJ.  He was on the label of RCA records for decades - save for that period in the 70's when they had that orange label.   (In the UK, they never used Nipper after that period as the trademark was owned by HMV)

But.....Nipper is a fox terrier - a smooth one rather than a wire - but still a fox terrier.   I have had many fox terriers.  It's highly doubtful he was mesmerized by the sound of 'his master's voice.'  Fox terriers don't care about their master's voice.   They do, however, care deeply for vermin.   A more believable scenario has to do with the surface noise on the old '78's.   Nipper is probably thinking there's a mouse in there scratching away.  Personally I'd get him away from the hi-fi.  It's likely to turn into a pile of metal in the next few minutes.

I once had a foxy dismantle a woodpile single handedly because a critter ran underneath it.  They've caught birds and squirrels.  And they'd bring them in the house as gifts - well not gifts actually - they'd put them in front of you but quickly snatch 'em up and run when you tried to dispose of it.  I had two at one time playing tug-of-war with a squirrel. 

You get the picture. They're crazy - all of them. 

Here's a typical reaction to something as commonplace as a sprinkler

Happy Holidays

Snuggle up. Sleep tight while visions of sugar plum fairies dance in your head.

It's Liberace on The Night  Before Christmas!

Also available on 8-track if you'd like to listen in your car.

Jeff Beck Truth

In the late sixties, there was a heavy blues boom coming out of the UK.  Often the origination of this genre is credited to Led Zeppelin.  Not discounting the brilliance of Led Zeppelin I, it certainly was not the first.

In my opinion, it belongs to.....

Jeff Beck - Truth (Epic 1968).   

This was released months before Led Zeppelin I and pretty much defined the genre.  Jimmy Page set out to top Beck at his own game.  

The band featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ronnie Wood on bass.   This was Rod before he became a caricature of himself.  Long before he adopted the look of your odd aunt who had a lifelong 'roommate.'  Long before he had to ask his audience if they thought he was Sexy.   He wouldn't want to hear my answer.

Enough about him.  Beck absolutely plays circles around his protoges.  Led Zeppelin even included You Shook Me on their debut.  Beck does it better.

And here I am spinning some Truth.  Play it loud!

The Glitterhouse

I came across this in a thrift store.  I don't remember where or when.  I'm always game for obscure psych records.  I'm not surprised I bought it, but I just don't remember the details.  It probably entered the collection with a stack of others.  

 I rediscovered it when refiling a Gong record.   I gave it a clean and a spin.  Wow!

The Glitterhouse - Color Blind (Dynovoice 1968)

The sound is somewhat close to early Procol Harum.   Their genesis is from Long Island  - not really known for its contribution to the genre.  They were managed by Bob Crewe - the man behind The Four Seasons.  They were on a subsidiary of Dot Records which boasted Pat Boone on their roster.  All things against this album having legs.   

The band is probably best known for providing the soundtrack to Roger Vadim's Barbarella with Jane Fonda.  To the best of my knowledge, this is their only album.

My Daughter Went to Hong Kong

My daughter went to Hong Kong.  I had been before and was asked what were some of my favorite things.  I, of course, insisted she go to Paul's apartment to shop for records.   When asked if I wanted anything, I suggested goofy Asian pop/psych from the sixties.   This is what she came back with.

Rica and Sakura - Hitmakers (have no idea about year or label)

Just what the doctor ordered!  Goofy psych/pop personally recommended by Paul.

And on translucent orange vinyl to boot!

She told me it was a highlight of the trip - and she was there for the hurricane!

When in Hong Kong - it's an absolute must to visit Paul.  Check out my earlier blog posts.

https://vinylstatistics.blogspot.com/2014/08/record-underground-in-hong-kong.html

https://vinylstatistics.blogspot.com/2014/08/inside-paul.html

Roxy Music Cover Models #4 - Country Life.

In slight variation to the cheesecake photos gracing the first three albums, the fourth takes a slightly different approach.

Roxy Music - Country Life (Polydor 1974)

This time out, the photo seems more like two women caught in the headlights.  A sharp contrast to the 'come hither' looks of the previous three.

In contrast to the other three albums, Bryan Ferry was not having an affair with the models.  These two are German tourists Ferry met while vacationing in Portugal.   Using a line he had the privilege of using often, he asked them to get undressed to model for the next Roxy Music album cover.  They obliged.   The two later assisted Ferry in the German portion of Bitter Sweet which opens side 2.


So shocking was the cover for Americans, the US version came wrapped in opaque green shrinkwrap with a sticker.

Later pressing removed the girls entirely only depicting the bushes.

In Praise of Old Warner Brothers Pressings

To my ear, nothing sounds better than original Warner Brothers pressings on the green labels.  There's a warmth and fullness to the sound I don't hear coming from other companies  - even UK or German pressings from other labels.

The common perception (at least by me so that means everyone else) is there was a definitive change when they switched to the gawd awful looking trees label.  In reality the dip in quality and warmth happened about a year or so later.

Warner Brothers (and subsidiaries Reprise, Discreet, etc) did not operate their own pressing plants. Instead, they outsourced to others.  During the 'green label' period they were using Columbia's plants.

In 1973 they switched to the gawd awful trees label.   For about two years, they still pressed at Columbia.  These pressings can be identified by the clamp ring on the label about 3/4 if an inch from the runout groove.   See below for an early pressing of Bear's Choice by Grateful Dead.  If you squint, you can see the ring passing through Vol.1 and the skull logo.

Sometime in 1975, Warner's switched their outsourced pressing to Capitol.   Capitol pressings can be identified by the clamp ring closer to the middle - at about the same place a 45 spindle would go.

I first became aware of the difference when I spied a copy of Grateful Dead's Europe '72 on the Green label.  I snapped it up just because it looked cooler.  I had an subconscious feeling it would sound better.   In comparison to the copy I bought in 1977, the warmth jumped out.  Phil's bass was right there, the kick drum resonated in my chest.  Wow!.  From that pressing, my appreciation of the green labels grew.   It was only upon geek investigation did I discover the overlap of warm pressings and gawd awful trees labels.   Billion Dollar Babies had the warmth as did Zappa releases prior to Zoot Allures.

Fortunately, during this period Warners did not use Columbia for 45's.  Columbia pressed on styrene.  Warner's 45's are on vinyl.  More to come on the use of styrene in 45's.

The Lemon Pipers - Beyond The Green Tambourine

To most of the world, The Lemon Pipers are considered one hit wonders with their pop/psych gem Green Tambourine.

Their story goes a little deeper.   Signing to Buddha Records in 1967 was probably not the best move artistically for the Cincinnati band.  The Lemon Pipers were a psych band.  Buddha was a bubblegum label - the home to the 1910 Fruitgum Company and The Ohio Express.   When it came time to do the first album, Buddha enlisted Brill Building songwriters to come up with safe hippy songs for 12 year olds.  

The Lemon Pipers - Green Tambourine  (Buddha 1968)

I picked up this LP at a record fair.  Mostly out of curiosity to see what a nine minute Lemon Pipers tune could be like.

Evidently what happened was this.....    There weren't enough songs to fill the album, so they needed to fill the remainder with long tracks that were more in line with who The Lemon Pipers were. The result is awesome and completely changed my perception of the band.