20,000 vinyl LPs 301: The Buggles & the birth of MTV

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The Buggles ~ The Age of Plastic

vinyl LP back cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

At midnight, forty years ago today, on Saturday, August 1, 1981, the MTV cable channel was launched and they broadcasted the very first music video from One Astor Plaza, 1515 Broadway, Times Square, Manhattan, New York where it is still based.     

 

The song they blasted out to the world was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles from their second album, The Age of Plastic: the prophetic song would forever change the way we listened to and, indeed, watched pop music or any music for that matter.  

 

 

The Buggles ~ The Age of Plastic

vinyl LP front cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

 

Video Killed the Radio Star was written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley in 1978. It was first recorded in 1979 by Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club (with Thomas Dolby on keyboards) for their first album and used again on their second album, English Garden. The later recording by British new wave/synth-pop group the Buggles, with just Horn and Downes, became the big hit version.     

The Buggles ~ The Age of Plastic

vinyl LP front cover 

photo by Styrous®

In those early days of broadcasting, MTV was desperate for video to show so they showed just about anything they could get their hands on (link below); I saw some truly fantastic stuff. I still remember the network's "VJ's" I liked the best, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood and my very favorite, Martha Quinn: I thought she was the cutest EVER!     

 

 

MTV VJs top to bottom: 

Mark Goodman, Nina Blackwood, 

Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, & J.J. Jackson 

photo by Mark Weiss/WireImage)
 

 

I loved the song by Dire Straits, Money for Nothing, which references MTV with an iconic, echoey refrain (below).       

The Buggles ~ The Age of Plastic

vinyl LP back cover

photo by Styrous®

There is a terrific video of the first two hours of the broadcast on YouTube with some of the greats of rock at the time, commercials included (link below). This is a valuable documentary of a major music event and a whole lot of fun to watch. The one downer is, April Wine and Cliff Richard were short-sighted and objected to the use of their videos so they were cut from the documentary; too bad, their loss!   

The Buggles ~ The Age of Plastic

promotion stamp

vinyl LP front cover detail 

photo by Styrous®

The Buggles ~ The Age of Plastic

vinyl LP, side 1

photos by Styrous®

The Buggles ~ The Age of Plastic

vinyl LP, side 2

photos by Styrous®

   

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - Living In The Plastic Age, written by Geoffrey Downs*, Trevor Horn - 5:12
A2 - Video Killed The Radio Star, written by Bruce Woolley, Geoffrey Downs*, Trevor Horn - 4:08
A3 - Kid Dynamo, written by Geoffrey Downs*, Trevor Horn - 3:27
A4 - I Love You (Miss Robot), written by Geoffrey Downs*, Trevor Horn - 4:55

Side 2:

B1 - Clean, Clean, written by Bruce Woolley, Geoffrey Downs*, Trevor Horn - 3:53
B2 - Elstree, written by Geoffrey Downs*, Trevor Horn - 4:27
B3 - Astroboy (And The Proles On Parade), written by Geoffrey Downs*, Trevor Horn - 4:48
B4 - Johnny On The Monorail, written by Geoffrey Downs*, Trevor Horn - 5:26

Companies, etc.

    Manufactured By – EMI Records Ltd.
    Distributed By – EMI Records Ltd.
    Published By – Island Music Ltd.
    Published By – Carlin Music Corp.
    Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Island Records Ltd.
    Copyright © – Island Records Ltd.
    Mastered At – Strawberry Mastering

Credits:

    Liner Notes [Essay] – Geoffrey Downes*
    Mastered By – Sean*
    Producer – The Buggles
    Written-By – Woolley* (tracks: A2, B1), Downes*, Horn*

Notes:

 Has inner lyric sleeve.

The label incorrectly states that track A2 "Video Killed The Radio-Star" as being 2:40 in length. (Actual length of the track is 4:13).

 
Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Side 1 Stamped / Etched): ILPS 9585 A-2U 3(sideways) STRAWBERRY Sean
    Matrix / Runout (Side 2 Stamped / Etched): ILPS 9585 B-2U 42(sideways) D7H7
    Matrix / Runout (Side 1 Stamped / Etched - VARIANT 1): ILPS 9585 A-2U 7(sideways) STRAWBERRY Sean
    Matrix / Runout (Side 2 Stamped / Etched - VARIANT 1): ILPS 9585 B-2U 8(sideways) D7H7
    Barcode: NO BARCODE

 

Buggles* – The Age Of Plastic
Label: Island Records – ILPS 9585
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop   

         

Viewfinder links:        

         

Thomas Dolby         

Geoff Downes        

Trevor Horn        

Bruce Woolley        

        

Net links:        

        

CBS News ~ MTV turns 40           

Forbes ~ MTV At 40        

NBC News ~ MTV turns 40         

MTV website         

NPR ~ First 100 Videos Played On MTV

USA Today ~ MTV turns 40      

Variety ~ MTV Turns 40        

Yahoo ~ First 24 hours of MTV held together by duct tape  

        

YouTube links:        

         

The Buggles ~ Video Killed The Radio Star         

CBS News ~ MTV turns 40 years old     

MTV turns 40 years old         

MTV's YouTube channel                 

USA ~ The Very First Two Hours Of MTV (2 hrs, 19 mins., 28 secs.) 

        

        

        

 

"I want my MTV!" 

  ~ Dire Straits

         

        

        

        

Styrous® ~ Sunday, August 1, 2021       
       

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45 RPMs 51: Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

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 Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

45 RPM record in sleeve

photo by Styrous®

Sixty years ago today, on October 27, 1960, Spanish Harlem by American singer and pianist, Ben E. King was recorded at the Bell Sound Studios in New York City. The song was King's first hit away from The Drifters. It was originally released as the B-side to First Taste of Love.      

Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous® 

 

I remember hearing it for the first time. It is such a beautiful little song with its slow and gentle, syncopated and sensual beat with the marimba accompaniment; how could you NOT remember hearing it? The arrangement is by Stan Applebaum; in addition to the marimba there was Spanish guitar, drum-beats, soprano saxophone, strings, and a male chorus. It peaked at number 15 for rhythm and blues and number 10 in pop music. It was ranked number 358 on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. King's version was not a hit in the United Kingdom. The song was re-released in 1987, after Stand By Me made number one.     

 

 

 Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

45 RPM record

photo by Styrous®
 

Spanish Harlem was written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.        

Cliff Richard released a version in 1962. He also recorded a German version, titled Das ist die Frage aller Fragen, with lyrics by Carl Ulrich Blecher, that was a #1 hit in Germany and Austria in 1963, and a #1 hit in Switzerland in 1965.                 

 

 

Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous® 

The song was covered by The Drifters and Aretha Franklin in 1971. The Drifter's version is a little faster while the Franklin version is way faster and a bit jazzier (links to all below).    

 

Spanish Harlem lyrics

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
It is a special one, it's never seen the sun
It only comes out when the moon is on the run
And all the stars are gleaming
It's growing in the street right up through the concrete
But soft and sweet and dreaming

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
With eyes as black as coal
Then look down in my soul
And starts a fire there
And then I lose control
I have to beg your pardon

I'm going to pick that rose
And watch her as she grows in my garden

I'm going to pick that rose
And watch her as she grows in my garden

La la la, la la la, la la la la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)
La la la, la la la, la la la la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jerry Leiber / Phil Spector

 Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record in sleeve

photo by Styrous®

 

The "B" side on this record, Taste of Love, actually started out as the "A" side with Spanish Harlem on the "B" side. By the time this record was issued, the switch had been made.     

 

 

Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous®    

     

First Taste of Love was written by Doc Pomus, who wrote songs for many blues and rock singers, and Phil Spector, record producer, musician, and songwriter who developed the Wall of Sound, a music production formula he described as a Wagnerian approach to rock and roll.       

Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous®   

     

      

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A     Ain't Got No Home, written by Clarence Henry*

Side 2:

B     First Taste Of Love, written by Pomus*, Spector* - 2:17

Companies, etc.

    Record Company – Argo Record Corp.
    Published By – Arc Music (2)

Credits:

    Arranged By [Orchestra], Conductor [Orchestra] – Stan Applebaum
    Engineer [Uncredited] – Phil Ramone
    Producer – Leiber & Stoller

        

Notes:

Both sides recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York City on October 27, 1960 

Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Side A): 60C5161
    Matrix / Runout (Side B): 60C5162 II

    Rights Society: BMI       

Ben E. King ‎– Spanish Harlem / First Taste Of Love
Label: ATCO Records ‎– 45-6185
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: Dec 1960
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal

       

       

      

  

Viewfinder links:       

         

The Drifters          

Ben E. King         
Doc Pomus         

Phil Spector      
     
Net links:       

         

50srockin ~ Bell Sound Studios N.Y.C                 

     
YouTube links:      
        

The Drifters ~ Spanish Harlem         

Aretha Franklin ~ Spanish Harlem         

Ben E. King ~      

        First Tast of Love        

        Spanish Harlem        

       Spanish Harlem (Original 1960 version in MONO recorded by Phil Spector)    

Cliff Richard ~ Das Ist Frage Aller Fragen        
        
              

      

Styrous® ~ Monday, September 7, 2020        

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