Author Archives: simon robinson

About simon robinson

Having worked as a graphic designer in the music industry, mainly in the reissue sector, I now concentrate on the design and publication of books about popular culture - and even write some of them.

Learn Russian

Posted on May 15, 2020

I’ve looked at vinyl language learning albums on the site before but this unusual 7″ EP is a nice example of the genre. If the cover is a little bland it is fairly typical of instructional records of the time, … Continue reading →

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Record Supermarket

Posted on May 1, 2020

More record shop ephemera in the way of two 7″ paper bags from long since vanished vinyl stockists which rescued from amongst boxes of tatty singles by my brother.  The Great Yarmouth shop – called with very little imagination “The … Continue reading →

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Stock taking

Posted on April 17, 2020

These two generic bags turned up in a pile of 7″ singles recently, their utilitarian nature suggests they’d be off to land fill if I didn’t intervene!  They would seem to be stock bags, issued by the labels concerned to … Continue reading →

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Hobbies

Posted on April 3, 2020

You’d need to be in your Sixties to remember the Hobbies model shops.  I was taken to their Sheffield branch from time to time by my Father who was quite skilled when it came to making things, though with me … Continue reading →

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Anarchy In The UKulele

Posted on March 27, 2020

This is not a record I would have normally given much time to were it not for the excellent and eye catching packaging. I spotted it at a friends house recently and we ended up listening to most of it!  … Continue reading →

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Special offers

Posted on March 12, 2020

One trade associated with vinyl which did die out in the Eighties was the discounted singles market.  Back in the Sixties some wholesale traders realised that with huge pressing numbers in pop singles, record labels would inevitably get stuck with … Continue reading →

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Weekend – For all the family

Posted on March 6, 2020

Weekend Magazine was published in Britain during the Fifties and Sixties, a tabloid size illustrated title with lots of photos, glamour, stories, showbiz news and other entertainment. It also had full colour on the cover (often a pretty girl or … Continue reading →

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RK Record Club

Posted on February 28, 2020

Another dance EP, but this one issued through the Rice Krispies Record Club based in the UK. Kellogg have had a few attempts over the years the associate their breakfast product with pop music, including flex discs moulded on to … Continue reading →

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Valentine’s day

Posted on February 14, 2020

Never mind saying it with flowers, say it with a record token! This is a screen printed banner advert issued by the National Record Token scheme to record shops in the Sixties to promote the giving of tokens on Valentine’s … Continue reading →

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Special Request

Posted on February 7, 2020

It’s the height of post-Punk and New Wave, 1978. But over in Wigan the “Sexational” (her word not mine!) Pam Shaw is releasing this private pressing, a 7″ EP. And it’s not everyone who can boast of a sleeve note … Continue reading →

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