Baltic Fog on The Tyne - A Very Special Event

The Record Player is very proud to present a Special Unique Event.

On SUNDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER 2012 at 19.00 we give you a unique opportunity to hear the classic 1971 Lindisfarne album, on vinyl,  at the River Terrace in the Baltic, Gateshead.

 We can't guarantee Fog on the Tyne, as the album plays, but you will experience dusk over one of the finest views in the world.

Perfect.

This will be followed by a Q&A with drummer and man about town Ray Laidlaw.

Tickets are limited, they cost £5.00 and can be reserved - (pay for them on the door, cash, no cards, sorry), by emailing therecordplayer@yahoo.co.uk.  

I will then confirm your booking by return email.

Please book early, we expect there will be a great deal of interest.

This a Record Player/Baltic collaboration.

All hail the new colour scheme!!!

We're back!

Starting from the 20st September, in the beautifully appointed Digital Lounge at the Tyneside Cinema, at only £5 per person.

Please note, we'll be starting 15 minutes later at 7.30 on Thursdays.

Here's the Autumn Season for the Record Player. Taking suggestions for the New Year Season, so please leave in comments or email me: therecordplayer@yahoo.co.uk
tweet @mrstevedrayton

This seasons listings, I do hope you approve.

Sept 21^st

Wham Bam Thank you Mam! It's a Glam Slam!

Electric Warrior Vs Transfomer - T.Rex Vs Lou Reed.

Who wins? You Decide!!!!

Sept 28th

The sweet, sweet sounds of Langley Park…

Steve McQueen - Prefab Sprout

Oct 4th

California Dreamin' with…

Rumours - Fleetwood Mac

Oct 11th

All that scratching is making me itch….

Endtroducing - DJ Shadow

Oct 18t

The great lost Dexy's album…

Don't Stand Me Down - Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Oct 25th

Bristol, home of Trip Hop

Blue Lines - Massive Attack

Nov 1st

Ghosts and Ghoulies - Halloween special

Murder Ballads - Nick Cave + Your Scariest Songs.

Nov 8th

I feel so sexy I want to kiss myself…

Purple Rain - Prince

Nov 15th

The third greatest Bowie album ever…

Aladdin Sane - David Bowie

Nov 22nd

STYLUS BREAK

Nov 29th

Sci-Fi Rock Spectacular

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips

Dec 6th

UK vs US Hippy Burn Out

Solid Air - John Martyn Vs. After The Goldrush - Neil Young

Who Wins? YOU DECIDE !!!!

Dec 13th

Lively up yourselves…

Exodus - Bob Marley

Dec 20th

Ding Dong Merrily on High

It's the Record Player Christmas Singles Club. Ten stories, ten songs.

Who wins? YOU DECIDE!!!!

I do hope you can make it along, it would be nice to meet you.

Best,
Mr. Drayton

How's about that then?

How's about these for a possible autumn Record Player line up at Tyneside Cinema from September?*

Any add ons in comments below, will endeavour to please as many folk as possible.

The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Beatles - the White Album
Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen
Bowie - Aladdin Sane
Bob Marley - Exodus
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Don't Stand Me Down
Glam Slam! Lou Reed Transformer vs T.Rex Electric Warrior
The Jam - That's Entertainment
Art Punk Wigout - Talking Heads '77 vs XTC White Music
Electro Clash- Rubicon - Tangerine Dream vs Burial No Exit
Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
Massive Attack - Blue Lines
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
Roxy Music - Roxy Music vs Avalon
Nick Cave - Murder Ballads + Scary songs
Neil Young After the Gold Rush vs Bon Iver - For Emma Forever Ago
Dave Brubeck - Take 5
Christmas Singles Club
UK Prog Wigout Yes - Fragile vs Moody Blues - Days of Future Past

The Second Bi-Annual Singles Club

This Thursday sees two monumental events in the cultural world happen on the same day at the same time and in the same venue, with some of the same people.

Firstly, it's the second Singles Club.
The rules are simple.
Ten 7" Singles, ten stories.
Each spinner has up to two minutes to tell the audience about their chosen song. We then play the single. The audience vote for their favourite and the winner takes home a top prize, of a trophy and Five English Pounds.

Having just completed the slide shows for the respective entries, I can promise a very interesting, funny and eclectic evening of music. Here's the winner of the first singles club, Mr. Jeff Brown with his trophy.

Tickets for the first Singles Club sold out.
The second Singles Club is this Thursday 7th June, Digital Lounge, Tyneside Cinema.
7.30 start. £5.00.
If you're planning on coming, I'd book a ticket:
https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/diary/weekly#2012-06-07
You ought to, it's good fun.


Secondly, It's the end of Side One of The Record Player. An evening dedicated to listening to a record. Started back in September, rolled long gathering it's own odd momentum. We've had some fab albums, and if you've missed them, more fool you. You can always find time in your day to have a listen rather than a shuffle. It's great.

The good people of the Tyneside Cinema deserve a special mention here, they invited me in, and keep asking me back. They've been very kind, and, with the exception of Ken the projectionist coming in and turning Abbey Road down quite unceremoniously, very polite and lovely.
Thankyou Tyneside, you're great. Tyneside is good for films as well.

The Record Player is making a couple of trips out over the summer.
The Sage and The Americana Festival has invited us over for Saturday 21st July, a special bit of Johnny Cash, and War of the Worlds will be spun at Spanish City on Sunday 12th August. More details to follow.

A final big thanks to the guys and gals who have supported the RP through the good times and bad. They know who they are, they're good enough to come along to albums by bands they hate (F***ing U2?) Thank you folks.
The RP returns on the 21st September 2012

The Flotsam and Jetsam of Pop

In recent weeks I've crossed the paths of several pop stars. In their heyday three of them were Number One Top of the Pops, the other, a trier, an also ran. Of the four, only one disappointed, and that was, for me, a grave moment, I expected more, which probably says more about me than them. 

Gary Numan was booked to record a down the line interview for the radio show I produce. I had asked the lad who brokered the deal if he would forward an email, asking if Gary would tell me about a significant song for the Singles Club. The email was never forwarded, but come the day, I jumped in on the interview and explained myself . Not a problem, in fact he was concerned that the song he had chosen contained swearing and wouldn't be suitable. He was affable, honest and very warm, several million miles away from the image touted around at the height of his fame. Once that went he lived in a bedsit with a knackered old settee watching a black and white telly that belonged to his grandad. The woman who would become his wife kept him afloat. He's now an electro pop pioneer. Good on yer Gary I say, I'd buy you a pint or some batteries for your electric friend.

I'm not one for comebacks or reunion tours. I'm firmly of the opinion that the hertiage rock acts should stay exactly where they came from. I don't want to see an over weight former teen star dragging their sorry ass around an O2 singing the hits in the wrong key. New Order without Peter Hook? Like Joy Division without Ian Curtis, The Undertones without Fergal Sharkey? The Sugababes without Mutya....oh, fuck...well you know what I mean. 

I am however prepared to get off my pop high horse when it comes to Dexy's Midnight Runners. Never a band to compromise, it's been a chequered career and one that has required patience. Seeing Dexys recently was one of the greatest moments in my pop life. It was the third meeting we've had, and although I've never met him, I feel as though I know alot about Kevin Rowland. Part music hall, part soul revue, part pop explosion, nothing is watered down with Dexys. Those who don't know can deride until the earth stops spinning. They'll always be wrong. Always.

My sister Louise was a David Cassidy fan. I'd had the glad eye for Susan Dey in The Partridge Family, so Dave got into my pop blood . Daydreamer is one of my all time favourite singles. We had an interview scheduled with Dave, my presenter was late, so I jumped in. I asked him if he'd say Happy Birthday to my sister, what with her once being a fan. He began talking, taking the piss, mumbling, repeating the questions he must have been asked a million times. During this I got up, swapped seats with the interviewer Simon and went off to do my business. On editing the interview I discovered he hadn't even noticed the swap. I don't know if he was suffering from some pop star jet lag or if he just has a different reality, but I have to say that I came away thinking he was a bit of a tool. Shame, but there you go. 

Little Jimmy Osmond had more humility.

Lawrence from Felt/Denim and Go-Kart Mozart won't even be a footnote in most people's book of pop. He's more indie now than when indie was cool. He's released tons of songs, he plugs away at being a pop star, waiting for the fickle finger of fame to touch his shoulder. He's been homeless, addicted, lost and found. His guitar is in hock. There's a rather groovy film about him, Lawrence of Belgravia. He came along to a screening at the Tyneside Cinema. Afterwards he was gently honest, I bought his single "New World In The Morning", a Roger Whitaker song. It's lovely. He signed it and we shook hands. I went home on the bus with a single, like I did when I was a kid. Lawrence was gentle and self effacing, I wouldn't want to get in an arguement with him though.

What Do You Fancy?

Shaping up a Record Player programme for the Autumn, my thoughts below. Anything you fancy adding to the list please post in comments below, or email therecordplayer@yahoo.co.uk.

Once I've got some suggestions they go to a public vote.

Here's some of my thoughts:

Kate Bush - The Kick Inside

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin 3

Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen

The Human League - Dare

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Too Rye Aye

Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure

David Bowie - Diamond Dogs

Dave Brubeck - Take Five

Singles Clubs

Christmas Singles.

Halloween/Bonfire Night Special - Scary Songs/Explosive Songs

The Saddest Songs Ever

Themed Nights

California Dreaming Night - Rumours vs Hotel California

Wiggy English Prog Night - Threshold of a Dream vs Fragile

Electro Then and Now Night - Tangerine Dream vs James Blake or Burial

Mr Drayton's Album of 2012 (it's landed already)

Neil Young - Harvest vs Harvest Moon

Wiggy Punk Night - Talking Heads '77 vs XTC White Music

Whilst you're thinking on, here's some pictures of the Singles Club Crew, Thurs 12 April, 2012.

With Champion Jeff Brown holding his well deserved trophy.

The Singles Club - Sophie's Choice

Back in the olden days, before colour TVs, sex and computers, people made their own entertainment.

This entertainment often consisted of gathering to eat, drink and listen to records, not unlike these young people (left).

These records were called 'singles' and were first introduced by the RCA Victor label in 1947. The format was simple - two songs, both running around the three minute mark were released and our grandparents would buy these records in record shops.
When rock and roll burst forth, this 45rpm format was perfect for the adrenaline rush of Elvis, Chuck Berry and The Beatles.

Millions of singles have been sold over the years, though with the introduction of the Compact Disc their popularity waned.

The Record Player loves the 7" vinyl format, and so decided to pay tribute to their circular beauty by holding the first ever 'Singles Club' at the Tyneside Cinema on Thursday 12th April 2012. Ten contestants have all chosen a significant single, and they will be playing these to the audience - the audience who then vote for their favourite single of the evening.

The Record Player has decided to join the fray, but oh, what a palaver. After several days the choice has been narrowed down to 12. I now face the awful task of one single single to play to an unsuspecting audience. Which shall it be? There's only one way to find out, by joining a group of music lovers including a comedian, an artist, a TV presenter or two, a theatre maker and, on tape, an electro-pop pioneer.

There can only be one winner, and you can help decide who that person will be.

Tickets are £5, and are limited, show starts at 7.15 in the digital lounge at Tyneside Cinema.

Go here for details. Book early.
https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/mr-draytons-record-player