Friday, August 17, 2007

This Week In Music Geek

As I've stated in this space before, Umlaut loves 7" singles... Loves... them. This week a package arrived from across The Pond for me (!). What could it be!? Why.. It was the new release by Regal Recordings:

Paul Weller (The Jam) and Graham Coxon (Blur)
'This Old Town' b/w 'Each New Morning' and 'Black River'
Limited Edition of 5,000 copies


For the newbies, Regal Recordings has a history that's spanned 93 years:

Regal Recordings was founded in May 1914 and was soon releasing records with brilliant titles like 'Come On Baby, Fox Trot' and 'The Elephants Marched Around March'. EMI took over the label in 1932 and merged it with Zonophone records a year later. Regal Zonophone became home to acts including George Formby and The Salvation Army.

In 1967, two of pop's hottest producers - Denny Cordell and Tony Visconti - signed to Regal Zonophone, bringing with them acts like The Move and Procol Harum and, later, Joe Cocker and Tyrannosaurus Rex. However, when the production deals ended in the early 70s, the label folded.

In 1995, Parlophone revived Regal, establishing it as a magnet for new, innovative talent, including The Beta Band, and now, LILY ALLEN and BABYSHAMBLES.

I must say that this is one of the most amazing 7" singles I've ever seen.. Not because of the packaging (no picture sleeve), but because of the record itself. It's a 7" single mastered at 45rpm on the A-Side and 33 1/3rpm on the B-Side (to accomodate 2 songs) and it's probably the thickest single I've ever held in my geek hands! I swear it's like holding a plate. Amazingly old school... and the level of quality extends to the 4mil thick mylar archival quality protective sleeve (embossed with the Regal logo) that protects the 7" and its paper sleeve.

Music Geeks have orgasms over this kinda shit.

It's a piece of art.. Pop Culture art, yes... but art nonetheless.. and something that was created without a shred of cynicism about music or the music business. This 7" is something pure.. Cue The Who song 'Pure And Easy', dude.

What's that? Oh.. what about the music?... Right.. The songs are fookin' gleat! How could they not be, considering that two BritPop legends are involved. What's that? Uhh... no... I didn't play the 7" to hear the songs (ARE YOU MAD!??)!

While the 7" is limited to 5,000 copies, Regal offers the songs as digital downloads for the 21st Century kidz who have no sense of history or tradition.. and who are just plain fookin' boring... OR who don't want to ruin the mint condition of their limited edition 7" single (only 5,000 copies pressed... EVER!) mastered at 45rpm on one side and 33 1/3rpm on the flip side and housed in a nice paper sleeve and protected by a 4mil thick mylar archival quality protective sleeve (embossed with the Regal logo).

Kidz these days don't even fucking know...

===
Later that same night:

Steven B. wrote:
Unless you have one for me too I cannot bear to read this... :(

Umlaut wrote:
Sorry, dude....

Steven B. wrote:
no worries - I am ordering it on ebay as we speak!

Umlaut wrote:
Of course you are... HA!