Mining the layers of long players. We focus on great albums in their entirety and believe every album tells a story. We take a deep dive into the history of the artist and the album while discussing the merits of the music within the grooves. We are highly opinionated and outspoken and hope to provoke you into sharing your own opinions on albums. If you are serious about great music, this is your podcast. www.tappingvinyl.com
Send us a text This week's episode is a battle between the Ramone's first album and the Sex Pistols first and only album, Nevermind the Bollocks. Learn how these albums are so very different, yet often discussed together and learn more about how these two bands have influenced so many other artists. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text We're late with this week's episode, but luckily our good friends at Alka Seltzer are at the ready with a salute in song to the island of the red hibiscus, Hawaii! We'll get the next episode up later this week and we'll be back on schedule next week. And why are we late? Well, our host Doug Cooper spent a lot of his free time this week getting married and Tony and J.M. were involved in some of the events, which ate into the time we spend editing and mixing the ...
Send us a text The Kinks were known in their earliest days for power chords and songs about lust. But the main song writer, Ray Davies, began to turn his attention to his native England and life there after WWII. On this album, we explore the circumstances that gave rise to this often praised and often overlooked masterpiece by the four original members of the Kinks. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
Send us a text This episode focuses on Paul Simon's masterpiece, Graceland, an album that found Simon at his peak as a song writer. The making of this album was an adventure starting with a cassette lent to Simon, which resulted in a trip to South Africa during the height Apartheid, with stops in London, Louisiana, Los Angeles, and New York along the way. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
Send us a text In this episode, we examine Bob Dylan's second, and perhaps most influential album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. It was a harbinger of things to come, not just for Dylan, but for rock, country, and folk artists for decades to come. Plus, find out why Dylan may be one of the funniest songwriters ever. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text The second album from the band that dominated much of the eights and nineties. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text In this episode, we look at the second album by the quintessential British band who were not so big in the native country, the Moody Blues' Days of Future Passed. This band and album has a pretty fascinating history and it makes prodigious use of a new electronic keyboard originally intended for use at parties: the Mellotron. Find out more about how this album was made and how a rhythm and blues band became an art rock pioneer in just a few months. Visit us at www.tappingviny...
Send us a text On this episode, we explore the unlikely 1968 masterpiece the Byrds released with the heavy influence of a new and fleeting member of the group. Gram Parsons was an Ivey League, trust-fund baby who followed his own drummer. He was a member of the Byrds for a short time, but in that time, he helped create one of the most influential albums of all time. Without this album, it's unlikely we'd see the country rock of the Eagles or the alt country movement of the late 80s. Fi...
Send us a text In this episode we delve into the debut album by The Cars. Find out about the unusual beginnings of this band; how they went from a folk band from Ohio to a huge rock band in Boston to perhaps the must popular new wave band in the world. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text In this episode we turn our attention to Rush's 1980 album Permanent Waves, the album made before their breakthrough album, Moving Pictures. Rush fans are a unique in their fervid devotion to this band and we try to explore that devotion. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text Willie Nelson’s most remarkable album, stripped of all Nashville flash and clichés. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text This is part two of our episode on The Clash's third and greatest album, London Calling. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text This album is consistently regarded as one the greatest albums of the 1980s (bit of controversy when it was actually released, but we don't delve into that on this episode). Learn why a song about Montgomery Cliff is called The Right Side. Why would a song about picking groceries at a supermarket have social-political insights? And should you wrong them... Boyo? Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
Send us a text One of the most compelling singer/songwriters in pop music makes one of the compelling albums of the early 60s that sounds like nothing he's recorded before. Find out more about Sam Cooke and the fine musicians who helped make this album a classic. Hear Tony tell the story of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his death in 1964. And you'll learn about the high school where he and so many legendary people attended in Chicago. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
Send us a text A collaboration of one. A struggling musician and MIT grad working at Polaroid builds a studio in his spare time, then invites his singing buddy over to lay down some vocals and a couple drummers to come in and lay down some drum grooves. What you get is one of the best albums in rock and one with arguably the strangest beginning. The album that ushered in corporate arena rock was made by hoodwinking the corporation that sprung for its creation. On this episode we look at Boston&a...
Send us a text Who's Chuck E. and why is he in love with Rickie Lee Jones? Probably because she made this incredible album that you're sure to fall in love with if you haven't already. We break down this album track-by-track and explore what makes this album one of our favorites. Also, Doug comments on his favorite radio station in the whole world. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
Send us a text From the ashes of the quite original and cult favorite Midwestern band Uncle Tupelo came two bands that each eventually went very different directions. In the episode we explore the two albums that are most revered by each band, Son Volt's Trace and Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. This one is sure to stir up some controversy. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text What song written in the 60s protests WWI? How many songs based on short stories should one album have? What do ZZ Top and Zombies have in common? Find out more about a band you think you know nothing about in this episode of This is Vinyl Tap. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text In this edition, we tell you what your problem is and answer the question what is the best song written about an old ghost who haunts his ex lover who accidently knocked his head off in a croquet match? Hint: it's not the Go-Gos. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text Who is (or what is) Sally? What's with the blonde hair? Who's brother went on to found IRS records? Found out on this installment of This is Vinyltap as we take a look at the Police's first album, Outlandos D'Amour. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text Why did the Dire Straits become a three-man band? What do Born to Run and Making Movies have in common? What hip new album released this millennia will Tony recommend? Find out on this episode of This is Vinyl Tap. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text What do the Eagles and Jackson Browne have in common? Who was the first artist to sing one of the best-known Jackson Browne-penned songs? What pedal steel player also was a renown stop-motion animator? Is David Crosby all that? Find out this and more in this week's edition of This is Vinyltap. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text Our first album war. David Bowie v. himself. We look at two back-to-back albums Bowie made in the early 1970s: Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Who will emerge the victor? You'll have to listen to find out. Also, Tony recommends a documentary on the late Bowie sideman and remarkable guitarist and arranger Mick Ronson. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
Send us a text This classic album from 1970 contains what is probably Eric Clapton's best known song, "Layla". On this episode, we make the case that this album deserves to be considered as a complete band album with Clapton playing a supporting role and that there are many other great songs on this album that may even be superior to its most famous track. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
Send us a text Doug, Tony, and J.M. discuss what made Billy Joe Shaver such a force on country music. He wrote the music for Waylon Jennings best all time album. He also wrote songs covered by Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley and many others. One of the greatest songwriters in the history of Texas music. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text Doug, Tony, and J.M. discuss what made Billy Joe Shaver such a force on country music. He wrote the music for Waylon Jennings best all time album. He also wrote songs covered by Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley and many others. One of the greatest songwriters in the history of Texas music. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
Send us a text This emergency episode was made necessary by the October 23rd death of Jerry Jeff Walker. We discuss his story, his music and his influence. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.
