Teasing the Korean Posted December 1, 2008 Report Posted December 1, 2008 The covers of RCA albums circa 1960 each featured a different phrase above the logo. Here are a couple of my favorites: Henri Rene - Riot in Rhythm - LPM 2002 - "Man, it swings!" Ahmed Abdul-Malik - East Meets West - LSP 2015 - "Mideast and hip" Skip Martin - Mike Hammer - LPM 2140 - "Sound of violence" What are some of your favorites? Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted December 1, 2008 Report Posted December 1, 2008 yea ive always wondered about that, maybe we should ask over on the steve hoffmann board- It must of been some art school-type marketing decision- its ok i guess but some of them do get nausiating Quote
Bill Nelson Posted December 20, 2008 Report Posted December 20, 2008 Nauseating? Hardly. They're a gas! What other major label printed jacket fronts implying "file this under: "For Hi-Fanatics" Esquivel- Infinity In Sound "For Woofers and Tweeters" Esquivel - Exploring New Sounds in Stereo "Soundsational!" Marty Gold - Skin Tight "A Romping Holiday" Bob Thompson - Mmm Nice Let's see... should I file that last one under 'Romping' or 'Holiday'? (Such a deep post-modern dilemma!) RCA went with these upper-case headings for many (but not all) of their LSP releases from 1959-61. They stand today as hilarious attempts at product positioning. Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted December 20, 2008 Report Posted December 20, 2008 i dont think it product-positioning as much as crack Quote
Bill Nelson Posted December 22, 2008 Report Posted December 22, 2008 RCA album cover designers on crack? Uhh, you're 30 years late, Chewski. Since we're talking 1959-61, they'd more likely be swilling martinis and hi-balls. (Check an episode of 'Mad Men' sometime and get a taste of the ad industry during these years.) RCA and Capitol consistently led the field in adventurous cover designs during the 'golden era' of developing the consumer market for LPs. RCA went even further in knocking out these zippy phrases just above the logos on the upper right front. It's as if the exceptional quality of Living Stereo pressings weren't enough and RCA honchos felt consumers needs further 'convincing'. It just lasted for a couple years, but I find these zany phrases adds to the charm of experiencing each LP. Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted December 22, 2008 Report Posted December 22, 2008 (edited) what is this show? "Just Shoot Me" circa 1963? sorry, dont have cable/ when i said crack i meant barbituitates- isnt that what people used to 2 do when they weren't cool enough to hang with the yardbird Edited December 22, 2008 by chewy Quote
captainwrong Posted December 24, 2008 Report Posted December 24, 2008 ROCK! BROTHER (Always found that one odd.) Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted November 17, 2012 Author Report Posted November 17, 2012 (edited) "Band with a Beat" - Henri Rene, Compulsion to Swing (LPM-1947) "Sound of TV" - Henry Mancini, Mr. Lucky (LSP-2198) "Two Moods" - Mancini, Blues and the Beat (LSP -2147) "Swing Softly" - The Mancini Touch (LPM - 2101) Edited November 17, 2012 by Teasing the Korean Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted November 17, 2012 Author Report Posted November 17, 2012 So it looks like RCA was doing this at least between album 1947 and 2147, if not longer. I wonder if every album in this period received one of these phrases. Quote
Big Beat Steve Posted November 18, 2012 Report Posted November 18, 2012 Just found another one among my early US pressings: "For Jazz Buffs" - Shorty Rogers, Chances Are It Swings (LPM-1975) (stating the obvious, that subtitle, ain't it?) Were all RCA Victor LPs released chronologically during that period or were there several series running in parallel? Because I cannot find any such phrases on the LPs in the 1500 titles that I have (and these look very much like late 50s to me, contrary to the c.1955-57 1000/1100 and 1300 series). Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted November 18, 2012 Author Report Posted November 18, 2012 I think RCA simply used sequential numbering for their regular LPM (mono) and LSP (stereo) series. They may have had some oddball series in addition. Quote
JSngry Posted November 18, 2012 Report Posted November 18, 2012 Looks like the Imagination Department was on vacation this day... Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted November 18, 2012 Report Posted November 18, 2012 Looks like the Imagination Department was on vacation this day... As compared with their Contemporary opposite numbers I had that LP on UK RCA, but it didn't have a little above logo phrase Guess UK Decca had a little more taste or modesty or something. MG Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted November 18, 2012 Author Report Posted November 18, 2012 (edited) "Swinging Big Band" - Shorty Rogers, The Wizard of Oz (LPM 1997) "World's Biggest Sound!" - Dick Schory, Music to Break Any Mood (LSP 2125) "New Sound Sensation" - Esquivel, Strings Aflame (LPM 1988) "Adventure in Sound" - The Markko Polo Adventurers, Orienta (LPM 1919) Edited November 18, 2012 by Teasing the Korean Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted November 19, 2012 Author Report Posted November 19, 2012 Looks like the Imagination Department was on vacation this day... They were also out the day RCA did Mr. Lucky, apparently: "Sounds of TV" Stanley Wilson, Music from M Squad (LPM 2062) Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 28, 2013 Author Report Posted January 28, 2013 "A sound treat,' Fuad Hassan, Music of the Beduin Bandits, (LSP 1991) Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted December 1, 2013 Author Report Posted December 1, 2013 "Bouncin' Ballet" - Shorty Rogers, "The Swingin' Nutcracker, RCA LSP 2110 Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted December 7, 2013 Author Report Posted December 7, 2013 "For Sophisticated Swingers" - Bob Thompson, "On the Rocks," LSP 2145 Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Posted July 18, 2014 "Songs to fit any mood" - The Skip-Jacks, Sweet Hot & Blue, LPM-2200. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted July 18, 2014 Report Posted July 18, 2014 (edited) "WTF" - The Joe Daley Trio "At Newport '63", LSC-2763. Edited July 18, 2014 by Chuck Nessa Quote
Larry Kart Posted July 18, 2014 Report Posted July 18, 2014 Looks like the Imagination Department was on vacation this day... As compared with their Contemporary opposite numbers I had that LP on UK RCA, but it didn't have a little above logo phrase Guess UK Decca had a little more taste or modesty or something. MG Shelly's is one of the worst golf swings imaginable. Hawes' might be OK; Mitchell's is a decent warm-up move; can't tell about Kessel's putting style. Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Posted July 19, 2014 Shelly's is one of the worst golf swings imaginable. One more reason to love him. Quote
JSngry Posted July 20, 2014 Report Posted July 20, 2014 "WTF" - The Joe Daley Trio "At Newport '63", LSC-2763. A separate thread for later RCA back covers should be considered! but OMG i swear that this is the same cutout sticker that mine had when I got it in 1971(?) Quote
Don Brown Posted July 20, 2014 Report Posted July 20, 2014 Yes, it did have excellent sound and the music was excellent as well. I sure wish I still had my copy which I foolishly sold to a traveling jazz record dealer from California. If I remember correctly he gave me twenty bucks for it. God knows how much he got for it when he sold it. Quote
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