Today’s Music Ain’t Got the Same Soul

Just take those old records off the shelf 
I’ll sit and listen to ’em by myself
Today’s music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock ‘n’ roll

Sang Bob Seeger in the classic rock anthem “Old Time Rock and Roll”. Back in the days of old time rock and roll, when you saved up your allowance to buy records at the downtown record store, you’d spend hours flipping through the albums, looking at the artwork, reading the backs of the sleeves, making a careful selection for your meager spending money.

 

Back then the artwork on a record was important. Music wasn’t sold by the thumbnail on a streaming site, it was sold as an actual, physical object in which the artwork, liner note and inner sleeve were all part of the package. In college we used to flip through the used record stores looking for obscure booklegs, special releases, original pressings with all of the good sleeves full of lyrics and photos of the band. Promo “for radio play only”, not for resale, cuts out, remainders.

In my younger days I’d scan the racks at Caldor’s and Bradley’s for greatest hits music bargains and K-tel compilations of the Kinks, Beach Boys and Monkees. The vintage records in my series of old record still life’s come from a collection older than I. Albums from the 50s and 60s before I actually started paying attention to music. A such they have a mid-century modern graphic design quality.

See the entire collection of classic vinyl record album artwork by fine art photographer Edward M. Fielding including prints, museum quality framed artwork, throw pillows, tote bags, canvas, wood, metal and acrylic prints, shower curtains, t-shirts, fleece blankets and more here: https://edward-fielding.pixels.com/art/record