An article in yesterday's Herald got me thinking about the old favourites languishing in the cupboard.

Silly Wizard’s – Caledonia’s Hardy Sons and So Many Partings – still treasured... The Wild Geese with Gerry O’Connor playing Naimh’s Capers on the banjo. Meat Loaf’s - Bat Out of Hell...

Vinyl had a ‘warm sound’ that hasn’t been replicated in CDs.

Here's the Herald article:
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/features/display.var.1549325.0.0.php

Yes, of course. I play it all the time but everything's set up so that I can easily access CDs, vinyl, shellac, reel to reel!, MP3s........et al

One problem with many of the old folk albums though is that the actual recordings as opposed to the music were often inferior to rock and clasical music. Not always but the CD versions are often a big improvement.

I have just posted Head Machine album to Germany at £125.00 .I like my mp3 better now .

Do usb decks sound as good as the old type? Or are they more for loading on to computer?

I regularly listen to my old vinyl copy of Roy Harper's Valentine (I know it's not trad but I don't care, it's brilliant) and although I have it on a CD now, somehow it's so much better with a few crackles and a bit of hiss.

You can't beat good old nostalgia. Nothing modern is as good as the way things used to be. For example old buildings (according to Prince Charles), the railways (if you ignore jokes about BR sandwiches), farming life (I am sure manual labourers weren't at all interested in tractors), etc. How long till someone who downloads all their music online expresses a yearning for the good old days when CDs were on the go?

I bought a windup gramaphone to play 78,s at auction
great fun and green .Best 78. to play on it at the moment is The Platters great pretender clear and loud . Might take it to Edinburgh festival with top hat \and tales ..

Was talking with someone last night re the "Ellen Vannin Disaster" and discovered it had been recorded by the Spinners: so happens I had bought a double LP of the Spinners a while back from a junk shop, in mint condition, for all of £1, and, yes, Ellen Vannin was on it!
So after clearing all the other rubbish off the top of the stereo system so's I could actually open the lid of the turntable (ca 1978), I have been re-playing a lorra vinyl today (while dusting the front room, so I don't feel guilty!)

Ahh johnnyguitar, 78s.

I don't have a machine at the moment but amongst my treasures are 2 discs, one of Marjory K-F playing the piano accompanying Margaret singing, and one of Patuffa on the harp.

We went to '78s from 7 to 8' at the Forest on Bristo Place the other week, Thursday night I think it was, an hour of swing and jazz as a 'live performance' on a portable windup machine. Very beautiful.

Ah vinyl I still love the click hiss before the music starts.. However the turntable is too bulky for my wife and girls so it has been stowed away..
Nevermind so has the cassette player and the mini-disc player.. I liked cassettes as I would make p compilations for friends.. Then along came mini-disc which I thought would last longer than it did.. Still use them but you don't see them around anymore.. Sad how formats change.

John J - where do you get needles to play shellac??
I still play vinyl from time to time, but I suppose the day will come when you can't replace the stylus any more and ta ta.

I tend to think it's wasteful to buy a CD of an album I already have on vinyl. My husband's ex saved him that dilemma by going off with all his albums and he had to get replacements on CD.

Don't think it counts as doing him a favour, though...

Is it true that some Aberdonians can get 72 slices out of a ½ pound tin of Corned Beef?

Ihave about 1000 vinyls looads of which I have not heard in years. Are MP3 desks any good at trnasferring scratches and bumps? Othwise `i'll seek out a real . Dansette fo r the `beatles Experience anyyone?

"John J - where do you get needles to play shellac??"

I'd imagine you'll still get those too but I just use a turn table which will also play 78s. There's a special stylus for this purpose which you just get from a good Hi Fi (Sorry, old fashioned word) shop.

Unlike the old needles, you don't have to change them after every record!

One place to get packets of steel needles for 78s is at the Gramophone Emporium in St Stephens Street, Edinburgh, a mecca for those interested in old recordings. Theyr'e open on Saturdays and Wednesday afternoons. They used to have another place which was mysteriously referred to as "The Basement", where 78rpm collectors would gather and sift through boxes (and boxes and boxes) of discs. Happy memories for me, but alas: I have left these ranks noo.

Back to vinyl, and I admit it:

"My name is Nigel and, I still love my vinyl."

I have a wonderful collection of Scottish folk music in the loft, and often spend happy times sifting through, listening to tracks, and occasionally digitising odd songs or tune sets. I like to specialise in the more obscure folk acts, the foot soldiers of the movement, so to speak. Unfortunately I don't seem to have a lot of time to devote to this anorak-ish hobby these days, but if I ever manage to retire...oh boy!

Am inspired by this, and will go and see if it is possible to buy a record player again, we have lots and lots of records, and it's time to get out, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, and the original music to the War of the Worlds,as well as Monty Python live at Drury Lane,
Also lots of folk and traditional music from the 60's and 70's. ( being middle aged !)

Viola, here's a bargain if your serious...

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/321245/art/roadstar/ttl-8600-turntable.html

You can still get record decks and you can also get decks with USB connections to transfer your records to MP3 if you want to..
I'd like to think in a hundred years from now Folkies will still be listening to vinyl..

I know I will be.

;-)