KOSMO's VINYL of the Week

Moondog, "Viking 1"

3/29/2019

KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are in the Germany of 1977, in the company of an American, for Moondog's "Viking 1", first released on the "Moondog In Europe" LP released on Kopf...

"Louis Hardin, AKA Moondog, was a musician/composer who truly defies description, he claimed himself to only make "Moondog Music". It certainly covers a lot of territory but avant-garde, neoclassical, street recordings and spoken-word jazz are all in there. Not many people have been covered by Janis Joplin and Julie Andrews ! If you're going to give him a listen, I think it best to start with the aptly named compilation "The Viking of 6th Ave". From the late 1940s until the early 70s he could be found on the streets of New York, blind since age 16, over 6 feet tall and dressed as a viking, his favourite spot being 6th Ave and 53rd/54th Streets." - KV

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Prince, "Sign o' the Times"

3/22/2019

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KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are in Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, Minnesota in 1986 for Prince's "Sign o' the Times", first released as a single in February 1987...

"I must confess that it wasn't until the release of "Kiss", a year before this, that Prince truly won me over. There was for me never any denying his talent, but his presentation until that time had not been 'my speed'. I had seen him early in his rise but was put off by the raincoat, high heels and lingerie wardrobe combo. Anyway, he proved himself to be one of the greats of his time and this is a piece of Protest R'n'B that can hold i's own in the company of Curtis, Marvin and The Isleys. It is truly sad that he is no longer with us." - KV

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Ken Parker, "True True True"

3/15/2019

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KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are at 33 Bond Street, Kingston, Jamaica in a studio above the Treasure Isle liquor store in 1968 for Ken Parker's "True True True", produced by Duke "The Trojan" Reid...

"Ken Parker is a rock steady singer I know very little about and I'm not sure I've ever seen an LP by him, let alone heard it . At some point in the 1970s, he returned to singing gospel music. Producer Duke Reid is the big name here and he was one of the pioneers of the Jamaican music scene. He also had a very heavy reputation and was known to brandish guns. He died in 1975, still very much opposed to the Rastafarian influence in what had become known as Reggae Music." - KV

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The Everly Brothers, "Brand New Heartache"

3/8/2019

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KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are in Nashville, Tennessee on the 16th August 1957 for The Everly Brothers recording of "Brand New Heartache" produced by Archie Bleyer and released in 1958 on his Cadence Record Label...

"Growing up, I never paid too much attention to The Everly Brothers, although their hits were often on the radio. It was only after I truly discovered country music in the late 1970s that I really began to appreciate the quality and craft of their late 1950s records and hair. Both magnificent !" - KV

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Tyrone Davis, "Can I Change My Mind"

3/1/2019

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KOSMO's VINYL of the Week:
This week we are in the Chicago of 1969 for Tyrone Davis' "Can I Change My Mind", originally released on Dakar as a b-side...

"Mississippi-born Tyrone Davis made it to Chicago via Michigan and there became a valet and chauffeur to blues man Freddie King. The move to singing was obviously the right one as he had 3 R&B No.1 Hits. Tyrone never had hits in the UK and so I knew the Delroy Wilson cover version before I knew the original." - KV

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