"Written by a 'Nobel Prize Winner' of the 20th Century"

Yesterday 13 October, 2016 it was announced that the first ever award for the Nobel Peace Prize will be given to a singer/songwriter, Mr. Robert Allen Zimmerman - or as most of us know him as Bob Dylan.

“People laughed when Dylan entered the picture out of nowhere in 2011 but maybe there was something blowin’ in the wind after all." - Alex Donohue, from Time's "What To Know About Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize For Literature

It is about time that Bob Dylan, a man with over five hundred songs written, part of a super group in the 1980s, toured with huge bands, successfully written six books, and much more, was recognized with such a prestigious award. Dylan has been nominated for forty-six awards - including Grammy's, Academy Awards, Golden Globe. Has been inducted into three hall of fames, is a Recipient of now four awards, is an Honorary Doctor of Music from two schools, and has five songs inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

It was reported that Dylan had a 16/1 chance of being chosen for this award, with the debate of whether or not a musician's writing, lyrics, has the same artistic value as other who have achieved the award before him. Many were thrilled by the lyricist/poet's achievement, as seen throughout social media. Friends such as Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Roseanne Cash, including other writers, like Stephen King, commented and posted their congratulations towards the writer. However, there were others  who took the seventy-five year olds nomination in another view. People like best selling author, Jodi Picoult stating on Twitter;

“I’m happy for Bob Dylan, #ButDoesThisMeanICanWinAGrammy?”

Picoult was not the only one to make comments against the winner.

Looking back on everything Bob Dylan has done, revolutionizing music, created poetic lines that have inspired hundreds of thousands of writers, not to mention his stand during monumental moments in history, including the March on Washington, led by Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. and songs that croon for freedom, it is about time that he has been recognized for his work in such an honorable way.

Becoming the first musician to win this prestigious award, dating back to 1901, can just only prove that Time's They Are A-Changin'

Articles That May Interest You

• Traveling Wilburys Volume I
• Traveling Wilburys Volume II
• Jeff Lynne
• Paul McCartney Achievements

Meorabilia Day

"Buy, buy says the sign in the shop window,

Why, Why says the...."

beloved artifacts that you or has been passed down to you in your attic!

Keep your calendar open if you're in the Liverpool area this coming October - 26 of October to be exact.

If you have any Beatles memorabilia this maybe your shot to see how much it's worth; although, I am sure that in any Beatles collectors eyes, everything is priceless!
The Beatles Story is hosting an amazing event as they hold Memorabilia Day with the help of Julien's Auction, whom are well known for smashing world records when it comes to selling Beatles artifacts. Some of their many success are;

Ringo's copy of The Beatles White Album

• Ringo Starr's Ludwig Drum kit for $2.2 million
• Ringo Starr's copy of The Beatles White Album for $790,000
• John Lennon's acoustic guitar for $2.4 million
• ....and much more!

“We are very excited about what we might un-cover during this special visit to where it all started for The Beatles" Says, Darren Julien, CEO and founder of Julien's Auctions.

For seven hours, two to nine at night, the event will proudly take place. It is hard to find someone who is not excited about what can be rediscovered. The Beatles Story, Martin King, states;

"We want to encourage members of the public to unearth those hidden gems, which could end up being sold for a significant sum at auction. This special event that we are hosting with Julien’s Auctions will provide a fantastic opportunity for people to have their items valued by some of the world’s most well respected experts in celebrity memorabilia.”

Think about the possible rare, artifacts that could be in the homes of fans just like you and I? Especially, with the event taking place in The Fab Four's hometown of Liverpool!

1960s Beatles artifacts

You can sign up for a free valuation here .  For further information, be sure to check out The Beatles Story.

Beat Bugs

I don't know about you, but I grew up to shows filled with talking aardvarks, big red dogs, and even Spanish explorers. The generation before me had futuristic shows like the Jetsons, stone-aged families, and a talking green frog. Years before that kids were enjoying stories told through radio, sending children on wild adventures in their living rooms. A new generation has now been born, thriving, breathing, and about to grow up on a show that will literally rock their world, with Netflix's new series, Beat Bugs.

The Beat Bugs will be coming to streamers around the world for exciting episodes of music inspired by the Liverpool Lords themselves, and life lessons through adorable characters, such as Jay and his friends! The series was created by Josh Wakely, a writer and producer in Australia, who in 2013 found himself lucky enough to achieve what was thought of as the impossible; getting the rights to use The Beatles songs.

“I was wildly naive,” Wakely said. The Australian writer-director-producer had no idea that it would be such a long process — three years in total — to secure the rights to classic songs such as “Eleanor Rigby,” “Hello, Goodbye,” “Getting Better” and “Blackbird” through Sony/ATV Music Publishing.  - LA Times How Netflix 'Beat Bugs' creator scored so many Beatles tunes and  got Sia and Eddie Vedder to sing

Despite, the struggle Wakely had no intentions of using any other artist or band. In fact, the creator spoke out saying,

"My vision was to take Beatles songs to tell love-filled moral messages for children. The writing in their music is so ripe for reinterpretation, and the characters and world that I created was so tied to the imagination of their songs that I knew I needed them. People in years to come will talk about the Beatles like we talk about Shakespeare.”

The following is the Beat Bugs trailer via Youtube 

Getting the rights to use The Beatles songs sounds pretty impossible right? Right. It took Wakely years to secure and use the Fab Four's songs, starting with the company that holds all of the mop topped men's catalog; Sony/ATV. He was appointed to Damien Trotter who quickly told him that the rights to The Beatles songs "aren't just granted..."
However, in an article posted by Rolling Stone magazine, Josh Wakely 's idea of having a children's television show just inspired by the boys music, instead of a show about The Beatles themselves. (There's no bug rocking the mop topped look, scouse accent, or even named after one of the band members), helped pursued the company to be more freeing with the songs.

This however would not be the first Beatles children show, as the Fab Four had their own cartoon about them that aired between 1965 - 1967, being aired in America by ABC (The show was later shown as re-runs until 1969. Re-aired by MTV in 1986 and 1987 and would later appear on Disney Channel for a short while). The show was based around the boys, starring one of their songs in which each episode was based around. Widely entertaining for fans, The Beatles however, where not found of the show. Voices were played by various actors, the characters themselves the boys found annoying, and so forth.  As mentioned above, having a show not based on The Beatles themselves, maybe a positive factor in Wakely's project.  Although, The Beatles will not even play voices in this new series, songs will be performed by artist of today's generation, such as Pink! Sia, Eddie Vedder, and More!

Below is an Episode of The Beatles Cartoon for "Help"

Time will only tell what The Beatbugs have in store for us and the generations to follow. Personally, I would like to thank Josh Wakely for keeping The Beatles music alive and well.

So "Roll Up" and  make sure to check out the new series this coming Wednesday 31 August, 2016 on Netflix. 

Reimagine Music

"Who would not want to pay a bit of tribute to this group? Who doesn't owe them a debt?" -Paul Marion, Reimagine Music, Looking Through You

6 July, 1957, a day that shook a nation, redefining the word "Music". A day when two teenage boys casually met and without even knowing it, would go on to revolutionize the world. In five short years, these two boys joined with two others creating a smart suit, witty act of long haired men, screaming fans, and it wasn't long until their name, The Beatles, became known.

Since The Beatles first number one single, "Love Me Do", debuted in 1963, the bands songs have been heard numerous of times through the vocal talents of others who have walked, or are still walking before us. People like the great Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, even Alvin and the Chipmunks... Many albums and releases have been produced paying homage to the great Fab Four, but none has been taken to the heights as Reimagine Music, a record label where re-envisioning the music that started it all in the eyes of young musicians from all genres, has with their new release of Looking Through You, Tomorrow Never Knows, and Goodbye My Love; 

"These are not cover versions of sonic gems. This is not cover. This is uncovering. Discovering... This recording is musical news that will stick around." - Paul Marion. Reimagine Music ,Looking Through You

Jim Sampas, Producer and founder of the independent label preaches the idea of how important the music produced at Reimagine Music, allow a "fresh perspective" with its "youthful approach", with the release of these three albums; Looking Through You; A 50th Anniversary Tribute to The Beatles' Rubber Soul, Tomorrow Never Knows; A 50th Anniversary Tribute to The Beatles' Revolver, and Frankie Siragusa Plays: Goodbye My Love - Lost Songs of The Beatles Covered and Rediscovered Sampas statement rings true as promised with help from the younger generation and their salute to these Beatles favorites.

Let's start at the beginning, 1965, Rubber Soul. An album that introduced new instruments such as the sitar, new vocal dynamics with the witty "Tit- Tit- Tit", and lyrics that bring back memories for those long time listeners as well as The Beatles themselves with an Elvis tribute in "Run For Your Life" and Lennon's "In My Life". in Looking Through You artist like; Woodpigeon,  The Daydream Club, So Many Wizards, Bobadil, and more, create a sensational version of the iconic, rejuvenating album. The following is the track listing;

1. "Drive My Car" Preformed by Bombadil
2. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" Performed By The David Mayfield Parade
3. "You Won't See Me" Performed by So Many Wizards
4. "Nowhere Man" Preformed by The Pride of Erie PA
5. "Think For Yourself " Performed by Admirals
6. "The Word" Performed by Woodpigeon
7. "Michelle" Performed by Cereus Bright
8. "What Goes On" Performed by Tyler Lyle
9. "Girl" Performed by The Blackwater Fever
10. "I'm Looking Through You" Performed by Swear and Shake
11. "In My Life" Performed by Blessed Feathers
12. "If I Needed Someone" Performed by The Love Language
13. "Run For Your Life" Performed by Olin & The Moon
14. "Day Tripper" Performed by Nemes
15. "Girl" Performed by Kid In The Attic
16. "The Word" Performed by The Kirkendall Gang

Now for all you die hard Beatles fans, which album was released after Rubber Soul? Revolver. Not only has Reimagine Music created a pristine, fresh take on the 1966 classic, but they have also figured out away to see Revolver in a different, unique way with Tomorrow Never Knows; A 50th Anniversary Tribute to The Beatles' Revolver. 

Revolver, released in 1967, showed how the band had matured throughout the years. Rubber Soul may of been called the "Growing up album" by the group, but their maturity and adulthood really struck as they took on songs about the Taxman, LSD trips, Relationships, and more in depth with cultural sounds. Thanks to Producer Jim Sampas and his team, the album is once again thriving with new sounds, looks, takes, and life... not that the album have ever died.

Reimagine Music has taken the album to a new height with artists such as The Owls, Nellie McKay, Brian Wright, Tapes 'n Tapes, and many other growing artist.  Take a look at the Track list;

1. "Taxman" Preformed by Jake Mann and the Upper Hand
2. "Eleanor Rigby" Preformed by The Owls
3. "I'm Only Sleeping" Preformed by Shawn Mullins
4. "Love You To" Preformed by Glider
5. "Here, There and Everywhere" Preformed by Bjorn Baillie and Simon Baillie 
6. "Yellow Submarine" Preformed by Nellie McKay
7. "She Said, She Said" Preformed by Everest
8. "Good Day Sunshine" Preformed by Headlights
9. "And Your Bird Can Sing" Preformed by Lost In The Trees
10. "For No One" Preformed by Tapes'n Tapes
11. "Doctor Robert" Preformed by Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles
12. "I Want To Tell You" Preformed by Jennifer O'Connor
13. "Got To Get You Into My Life" Preformed by Brian Wright
14. "Tomorrow Never Knows" Preformed by The M's

Not only has Reimagine Music, Reimagined these classic albums but have gone above and beyond in releasing Frankie Siragusa Plays: Goodbye My Love - Lost Songs of The Beatles Covered and Rediscovered. 

All of these tributes can be found {and I quote ReimagineMusic.com }

"...Everywhere digital music is sold!" 

This means you can Preview and purchase on iTunes and Amazon.   

As George Harrison once said,

"That's what life's all about isn't it? You have to change."

Peace, Chaos and Good Vibes

1, One More Time

"'The Beatles, their music, their work and their images is as strong as (it's) ever been,' Lindsey-Hogg said. 'You can't beat them. You can't beat the Beatles.'" -From interview with Jacque Wilson Smith, CNN http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/20/entertainment/beatles-restored-music-videos/

It was 1957 when John Lennon and Paul McCartney started playing together, it was 1958 that George Harrison was added to the group, and four years later, Richard Starkey fell into place behind drums to form The Beatles. A little Liverpool group that made it to number one and has held that spot, at least in my opinion, as the number one band of all time, with twelve studio released albums {search and read about each album here}, Four films, Eight time Grammy winners, honored as Members of The British Empire, and much more, including Twenty Seven number one Singles.  It was only appropriate that this number one band with a near three dozen number one singles have their own number one album; Beatles 1. 

Beatles 1 was originally released on 13 November, 2000 featuring every number one single released by these Liverpool Lords in the United Kingdom and United States from 1962- 1970. It was no surprised that within hours of being released this number one album shot to number one on charts across the world. This album not only topped charts across the globe, but became the fourth best-selling album in the United States - best-selling album in the US of the decade {2000-2009}, and making it the number one selling album of the decade worldwide! 

The album includes the following tracks;

1. Love Me Do
2. From Me To You
3. She Loves You
4. I Want To Hold Your Hand
5. Can't Buy Me Love
6. A Hard Days Night
7. I Feel Fine 
8. Eight Days A Week
9. Ticket To Ride
10. Help!
11. Yesterday
12. Day Tripper
13. We Can Work It Out
14. Paperback Writer
15. Yellow Submarine
16. Eleanor Rigby
17. Penny Lane
18. All You Need Is Love
19. Hello,Goodbye
20. Lady Madonna
21. Hey Jude
22. Get Back
23. The Ballad of John and Yoko
24. Something
25. Come Together 
26. Let It Be
27. The Long and Winding Road

The album was remastered and released, with once again an over whelming success, in September 2011. However, it may be Forty-Five years since The Beatles broke up {10 April, 1970} their music is still thriving. With that being said, look out world because on 6 November, 2015 The Beatles 1 is being re-released with twenty-seven digitally enhanced promotional videos for each number one hit! On top of that it will include twenty-three additional videos of the bands television appearances and rare footage. 

Dennis Michael, a longtime Beatlemaniac told CNN News the following;  

"Grainy, bad-sounding versions of The Beatles' early music clips have been bouncing around YouTube for years, but now they're back in their vivid glory."

Michael couldn't be anymore on point. Along with Dennis Micheal, many other fans eaglerily wait for the release of this brillant restored album featuring;

Disc 1:

1. Love Me Do
2. From Me To You
3. She Loves You
4. I Want To Hold Your Hand
5. Can't Buy Me Love
6. A Hard Days Night
7. I Feel Fine 
8. Eight Days A Week
9. Ticket To Ride
10. Help!
11. Yesterday
12. Day Tripper
13. We Can Work It Out
14. Paperback Writer
15. Yellow Submarine
16. Eleanor Rigby
17. Penny Lane
18. All You Need Is Love
19. Hello,Goodbye
20. Lady Madonna
21. Hey Jude
22. Get Back
23. The Ballad of John and Yoko
24. Something
25. Come Together 
26. Let It Be
27. The Long and Winding Road

Disc 2:

Paul McCartney audio commentary for “Penny Lane,” Hello, Goodbye, “Hey Jude”

Ringo Starr filmed introductions for “Penny Lane,” “Hello, Goodbye, “Hey Jude, “Get Back”

‘The Beatles 1+’ Bonus Material

Disc 2 Videos:

1. Twist & Shout
2. Baby It’s You
3. Words of Love
4. Please Please Me
5. I Feel Fine
6. Day Tripper (alternate)
7. Day Tripper (alternate)
8. We Can Work It Out (alternate)
9. Paperback Writer (alternate)
10. Rain (alternate)
11. Rain (alternate)
12. Strawberry Fields Forever (plus Paul McCartney audio commentary)
13. Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows
14. A Day in the Life
15. Hello, Goodbye (alternate)
16. Hello, Goodbye (alternate)
17. Hey Bulldog
18. Hey Jude (alternate)
19. Revolution
20. Get Back (alternate)
21. Free as a Bird
22. Real Love

List From UltimateClassicRock.com

You can pre-order the album today by visiting TheBeatles.com

"The Beatles will go on and on."-George Harrison

Turning The Tables - Why Vinyl Is Final

It has become common in today’s society to pull out the latest iPhone and have access to all the music imaginable; whether it’s singles, albums, stories, recorded events, etc. The convenience to just pop in headphones and pull up popular apps such as Spotify, Pandora, or maybe even the wide variety of catalogs provided by iTunes, all in order to create the blissful experience of listening to music; but is this how music is meant to be heard? 

Phones and computers are now loaded with music libraries of MP3s and files that have stripped the music to an almost distorted quality. These files have ruined the tradition of passing down artifacts and personal items, such as Vinyl records, from generation-to-generation. Not only that but headphones limit the amount of interaction and sharing of the music experience one might of once had with another. Analog has been described as a fuller and warmer way to produce music, with this said vinyl records, being a true analog wave form, provides a higher quality in both sound and, should provide, a much higher satisfaction rate. Due to this technology, vinyl records can be seen over and over again to be very effective, not only for our ears but serves as potentially a great way to bond with others, become a generational connection to the past - not to mention it's cost-effective and can be considered as collectible items compared to the latest MP3 file or CD. Any musician or music fan with a a keen ear will agree that vinyls provide a stronger, more effective sensation to an overall blissful experience.

Vinyl’s were introduced as a way to listen to music in the early twentieth-Century where families and friends would enjoy listening to the fruity-voices, jazz tempos, swing rhythms, ballad singers, along with a variety of other, early music genres. It wasn't until the 1950s when musicians such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and other Rock and Roll pioneers that  vinyl records would take off. Records became a novelty and a way for teenagers and the younger generation to rebel against their parents, whose population mostly resented the new genre. Record stores began to flourish with life as everyone tried to get their hands on the latest single or album, cramming bodies into booths to take in a track or two before making a purchase. These shops became a place to meet people with the same music interest, and still today you’ll find friendly, music enthusiasts in the local vinyl selling store. When purchasing a CD there is little thrill or experience as one would achieve when purchasing a record. However when browsing through the CD selection at Wal-Mart or FYE one could meet other’s in the same interest, but most of the time it’s heads and hands buried deep in the $5 bin with little interaction. iTunes and other online music catalogs provide even less communication, as one sits on a Google  Phone and purchases a track or two with the only bonding or conversing comes from the thumb to the phone screen. If communication does permit through the music downloading process it’s through online discussion, which isn't an interaction at all.

The thin, black disc doesn't just provide a great way to communicate with other music fanatics, but can solve various other problems that is seen in today’s society. It is no secret that with every decade the generation gap expands and more often than not the older generations and younger generation do not connect and share experiences as they use to; one factor of this is the use and spike in technology. Spending time at Grandma’s house is not the old baking cookies, instead it is spent in front of these 2” by 3” screens and communication is not the moving of a jaw but the typing of codes that literally have to travel through outer space just to reach our companion. The older generations are suppose to teach the younger generation lessons of their lives and stories of their youth, during which artifacts and memories of their past are often shared.. Artifacts such as pins, pictures, scrapbooks, toys, and yes,even records are most common among bridging the past with the present. Music can tell a lot about a person, their interests, their situation … Passing down music is passing down a piece of someone’s heart which makes Vinyls an important part of building the gap between generations. How will today’s generation pass down this vital piece of life? By sharing a file through the next social media website to their children and their children’s children? Vinyls are structure, solid mass, they are  here to stay while MP3s and other similar files are part of the unstable digital world that involves a constant need of updating and hours of backing up just to insure it's safety for the following year or so. When was the last time you heard of a 33 ⅓ needing a new update?

    It’s true, owners grow a deep bond and connection for their records; maybe that is why vinyls are still around today and are finally regaining popularity. Everyone has their own hobby, whether it’s athletics, painting, photography, cooking, and so forth. Vinyls do not just provide a way to escape the world, a way to communicate, and a great way to pass memories and stories from generation-to-generation, they also provide a great hobby; the art of collecting and archiving. Whether it’s the collection of stamps, stuffed animals, baseball cards or any kind of collection any collector would agree that there is a deep appreciation and love for their items. For any music lover records probably provide the best way to collect and show off their music catalog, for these discs express a more unique look than CDs, look fantastic hung on walls, are neatly stacked on a shelf, can come with rare and collectible add ons such as posters, and much more! Also, it’s physically impossible to collect and boast your collection of MP3 files, unless you want to print off a bunch of sound-waves or file folders from your desktop. 

Records and Vinyls provide a timeless collection and with help with today’s technology these collections, for example The Beatles, are being restored and released as box-sets, AKA a collectors dream! It was groundbreaking when iTunes released The Beatles collection in 2010, allowing music fans from around the world to have access to downloading and bring the Fab Four into their playlist, thus skyrocketing iTunes and Apple business. However, even with the great increase in Apple sales, a decrease in sound quality could easily be heard by any audiophile purest. Four years later, long over due, The Beatles collection was remastered and released in the ultimate Beatle lovers dream; a vinyl box set! For essentially the same cost as their catalog on iTunes, the mop-topped Liverpool lords can be brought to shelves, walls, and collections and passed from generation-to-generation. The moral of this paragraph? Vinyls and records provide a great hobby and make a great collection with their artsy vibe, look, enthusiasm through restored box-sets.


          Words like, art, free, creative, expression, among others are usually associated with the word “music”. One can say the same about vinyl. It’s words like dexterity and the previous list that cannot be used in the same fashion when comparing vinyl records to other sources of music for a few reasons. One being the cleverness and effort put into creating the track-list of an album; granted buying an album online or on a CD will offer all of the same tracks in the same order as they appear on a vinyl, however vinyls require some effort in flipping the record every few tracks to listen to each side. What? Actually having to get up (or sit down) to flip a record just to finish listening to the album? Vinyls and the switching of sides weren't created as an exercise routine for listeners, due to the technology of a record it is impossible to have all tracks on one side without expanding the diameter of the vinyl itself, but these sides are not a bad thing, in fact this is where words like creative come into play. Sides provide an artistic way for artist to space out their songs and create a track-list that flows constantly throughout the album. Take The Beatles, again, for instance and their album Abbey Road. Abbey Road is a great example of how vinyls are more creatively put together than CDs or MP3s with what is known as The Abbey Road Medley. A Medley, as described by Merriam Websters Dictionary, are “a musical composition made up of a series of songs or short pieces”, for example the A-Side of Abbey Road is composed of a normal track-listing of songs, one to another, without much thought of the order, it’s the B-side however consists of creative, expression with an eight song medley! MP3s and CDs do not allow a listener to have the experience of jumping from one side of an album to having the second side be completely dedicated to a suite of music, instead one listens to the album in a whole without any artistic, if you will, breaks. When it comes to listening to music, side’s are on your side.

My uncle, Dan McGonagle, CEO of Media One, whom has re-read and edited my work for this post, mentioned the following on the subject; 

"And to more emphasize the point, music being produced today isn’t being produced in the genre of “concepts”. Abbey Road or Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon were meant to be listened to from A-Z. They were known as “concept’’ albums with the idea of a total music experience. Today music is being created as one downloadable track at a time with no relevance to each other. Concept albums are still be created by artist such as “Beck” and revered for their creativity, there are still too many Taylor Swift empty-shell, thoughtless tracks promulgating playlists and most of our society, who are heavily affected by pop culture, suffers and steps back, instead of moving forward to greater enlightenment. "

 
The following video is The Abbey Road medley;  

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Hard Promises album, 

 and poster

    Money, the major factor in any purchase. When it comes to music MP3s maybe cheap, and yes, Walmart does have a $5 bin when it comes to buying CDs, and sure a new vinyl can cost a lot of money, depending on their rarity, condition, and who the artist/band is, but vinyls can also be found in good condition for little cost. Buying a single song on iTunes is typically $1.29, whereas a CD can cost an average of $13.80 (as of 2010), but a FULL album used can be found in good condition at a local record store that can sell as little as $1 - a vinyl in new condition can averagely cost,at starting price, around $20 (estimated in 2013). When it comes to purchasing an album, vinyl is the way to go for a few other reasons besides cost. For example when downloading a file one only receives the song, track, or album on their device - but don't worry, one will still get the album cover with a download, but warning, binoculars will be needed due to the small sized image. A CD provides a case and cover - a cover that is slightly larger than a file - which is cool too. But, an album provides a cover, better quality sound and, as mentioned previously, can come with other novelty items such as a poster. Get the whole music and cultural experience and purchase music with the whole package.

  While on the subject of comparing these main, three music productions and their design, there's really no comparison, vinyls are the clear winner. In the previous paragraph it is mentioned that MP3s and digital files use the computer generated route in producing a sound-waves and compression that create the music we hear through our headphones. CDs come with little cover artwork and sometimes with a booklet about the album or song lyrics of every tracks. Vinyls proudly provide not only a larger and prouder collectible item but much more. Let's start with album art. Music itself is an art form, therefore the music ringing through the air while listening is a form of art and beauty itself, but another reason to purchase vinyls is for the cover art itself. Sometimes the true beauty of an album is found in the cover, that certain design or look that gravitates the listener towards the music source. Covers are created in various ways, whether it's an iconic picture, for example Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run, of the artist(s) themselves; a scenery or place, for instance The Eagles Hotel California; or artwork itself, use Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of The Moon as a reference. However we not only loose this beauty when downloading a small, pixelated image on our phones, or a slightly larger image on a CD but we loose the creators and story. If you've ever held a vinyl you may find song lyrics,and more often than not, little notes found on the records sleeve or cover - these are called liner notes. One should also find a list of names, names of people - from producers, other musicians who played on the album, engineers, cover photographer or artist, etc. - who made the album possible. Vinyls contain pictures of the bands journey and sessions throughout the albums which can make great posters and a great way for the listener to see what goes into the creation.

 Cover art work provides much more than just pictures, lyrics, credits, etc. they also provide a story. Once again take The Beatles as example with the Paul Is Dead Rumor where cover's such as Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road provide a plethora of clues and details that aid towards the rumor. Then there are album covers that are simple or are created through colors and zany patterns that allow the viewer to create their own story or imagery giving a more creative experience, in the sense that the album art doesn't just belong to the artist but the interpretation belongs to the fan.

Not to paraphrase what has already been written, it cannot be stressed enough that vinyl provide a much higher sound quality than any other music production. Now here's why in depth. Let's start with that rich, beautiful, and full sound a listener receives after dropping the needle. The sound quality provided by the contact of the needle and vinyl grooves emits the closest, most organic, production one can experience when it comes listening to a specific artist or band without actually being a live concert or recording session. This is due to several factors, one is do to the the full analog contained on the thin, black disc. When creating a vinyl record an engineer takes the analog, or the raw product of a artist or bands work and transports it into a magnetic tape which eventually will be transformed into that beautiful, shiny LP without loosing the full-fidelity of the track and avoiding, at all cost, any digital conversions. Another reason why records dispense a stronger quality are the grooves or lines shown on the record itself. Depending on the grooves length and depth reflects on the songs volume. For example the larger the record - compare a 33 1/3 to a 45 - the softer and quieter the sound will be, due to the more tracks fitted on a side, the skinnier the grooves. However, this may sound anti-vinyl it is completely opposite. Grooves supply room and space between the analog - not to mention a mirrored image of the sound-wave itself - creating a crisp, clean sound for it's specific format, unlike digital.
Digital formats of music, found in both MP3s, files, and CDs strip the analog and loose essential pieces of music through the transformation process. This can be seen through sound-waves and radio-waves, where Disc-Jockeys are over and over again playing songs that have been so digitally mastered. These files are made of closely knitted waves created by speeding up snippets of the analog signal at a certain rate - CDs for examples are sped up at a 44 rate, meaning 100 times per second. In this process the once untouched, analog becomes a digital file of smashed dynamics, textures, and other essentials, concluding in little space for the music to produce the full, vitality of an artist or band's creation.

In conclusion, vinyl is more than just a material. The icon symbol of music is a great way to make new friends, create a greater bond between generations, provide a stunning collection, without worrying about money. When compared to digital productions it's no secret that vinyl records supply a more creative outlook, in both the album art work itself and the creation of the track list and sides. If I haven't convienced you yet about the sound quality of a record verses a mass- media digital creation, try it for yourself.

Peace, Chaos and Good Vibes!

-Lindsey C.

Ringo Starr Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame

This post has been long overdue for two reasons; one being my busy schedule and little time to write, and two the fact that it has taken this long for Ringo Starr to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"My name is Ringo and I play drums." -Ringo Starr's introduction speech, 18 April, 2015

It was this past Friday, 18 April 2015, that all members of the worlds most influential band, The Beatles, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when ex-Beatle Sir James Paul McCartney proudly presented his former band mate, Ringo Starr, with his rightful place in the Rock Hall. Although Starr has been in the hall since 1988 when The Beatles were inducted, it took twenty-seven years for all members to be recognized as artist themselves.

Starr, among other musicians and bands such as Joan Jett, Lou Reed, Green Day and others were given this prestigious award in Cleveland on Friday night in an event filled with love, laughter, music, and good vibes. It was a great thrill to have a venue packed with great musicians and celebrities from not only two Beatles and other inductees but legends such as Stevie Wonder were also present for the event as he inducted Billy Withers, and Joe Walsh, as Ringo's brother in law, was also in attendance and would make an appearance when Ringo spiritedly sang "It Don't Come Easy".

For Ringo's portion of the ceremony he delivered a speech about his beginnings and the meaning of being in a band, even leaving the audience with the wise words of;

"And another tip I brought for all bands who are starting out: When you're in a van, and you fart, own up. It'll cause hell if you don't own up because everyone will blame everyone else. Make a pact that you'll own up to it. We did and that's how we get on so well."

McCartney, who inducted John Lennon into the Hall in the 1990s, even started the ceremony with a beautiful speech about Ringo joining the band and the relationship The Beatles had and the relationship they still have today. Read about how Ringo was nominated to be inducted into the hall and Paul McCartney's work on helping his friend with this achievement by clicking here.

"It's a great honor for me to be able to induce him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland tonight!"

The musician loosely using the word "induce" instead of "induct" as a joke towards Starr's remarks of not really thinking too much about the award when asked about it earlier this year and McCartney being what Starr called his "manager", in leading the whole presentation. 


The two would reunite on stage to perform the beloved Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band song, "With A Little Help From My Friends" while Ringo would continue to take the stage with a song that "took his fancy" with The Shirelles "Boys".

You can read Ringo's speech on Rolling Stone Magazine's post by clicking here and Paul's speech here.

Congratulations Ringo!

Articles Of Interest;

• Ringo Starr on being inducted into Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame 
• Postcards From Paradise
• Postcards From Paradise Lyric Video
• Ringo Starr of Rolling Stone 2015
• Ringo Reflects
• Ringo Starr GQ Men Of The Year
• 57th Grammy Awards
• George Harrison Lifetime Achievement Award
• McCartney Achievements