You Will Truly Feel The Soul Behind The Music On Vinyl

There's just one real way to enjoy good music for true music fans, and for those in the know, there are no substitutes for the pure and unparalleled sound of vinyl as you listen to your favorite groups from the comfort of your home. On the road, individuals have no choice but to hear digital music or CDs, but for those that truly want to make the most of their music at home, you should journey into the world of vinyl, where you could actually get an idea for the most authentic type of music out there.

Music was a lot different than it is now, and calling yourself a musician was more about the art, and not so much about what you can do in the recording studio to fix a track, and when the needle rubs over the record while it turns, the low hum and occasional crack along with the music could fill you with a feeling of euphoria, for a time long-past. It was an era when real talent outshined all the others, and artists were respected for their talents, without having to lean on technology to make you sound better and fix your inconsistencies.

Even though the industry has changed substantially, a lot of musicians have lasted over the duration, and you are able to actually hear the difference between their more seasoned material compared to their more recent material. Neil Young vinyl will likely sound a little more authentic and true to his actual sound than anything you will discover in another medium, for one example.

Then on the opposite side of the spectrum, Radiohead vinyl however, while being a product of a newer kind of music production, much more reliant upon electronics, may still be incorporated on the other format to give listeners a feel for how the music sounds in a warmer, more classic setting. Modern artists can still appreciate what the format has to offer, even if they were not playing during the time when vinyl records were on top, and to their credit, many of them support the format, giving us the opportunity to listen to their songs in another light, so that we may get a taste for the spirit of the music.

As digital music works to make compact disks a thing of the past, no other format has ever stood up against time the way vinyl has throughout the span of music history, and in the future, vinyl will still thrive, giving real music enthusiasts the alternative they could truly enjoy unlike any other.

SoundStage Direct, LLC is an online independent store based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. SSD has the largest selection of vinyl records online. And you don't want to miss amazing closeout deals available at our LP outlet! We have record albums in every genre ( Neil Young vinyl, Radiohead vinyl ) and in a variety of formats available ready to be shipped at your doorstep.

Boomers - Keep Rockin' - It Keeps You Young!

My wife and I were recently down at our favorite live music club listening to a fantastic Neil Young tribute band, and I couldn't help but notice that the place was filled with Boomers - standing at the bar or sitting at red/orange day-glow tables with guttering candles flickering through half-filled glasses and empty bottles. Just like forty years ago.

And there's the secret that I think our generation has learned - beginning with the "love-in's", parties and concerts of the 60's - all the way down to the present day. The secret of not necessarily trying to stave off the grim specter of grey hair, flabby midriffs and wrinkles by denying their existence, but by not giving up on the greatest gift that our generation gave the world.

And no, it's not the internet, Apple or Google. It's... Rock & Roll!

"But wait." You say... "What about the succeeding generations? Aren't they into music too?"
Sure - but in a different way.

Oh - there's lots of "Gen X and Y" type music that sounds great but what separates their music from the original rockers is that the Boomers prefer their music - live. Hey, we cut our musical teeth at the high school dance and later every dinky little joint with more than two tables and a half dozen bar stools, had a live band. I know, 'cause I was one of them. And it nearly broke my heart two decades later when my two boys had to struggle to find a club that would even book live music! Why? Well here's the saddest part. Because their generation preferred... Are you ready for it? D.J.'s!!!

Yeah - those guys who used to put the record on the turntable and say, "Hey guys and gals, here's the latest tune from 'The Beach Boys'." Hummm... Wasn't that what we got live bands to replace?

Well as all good pendulums do, this one has swung back to what we abandoned and will, given the inexorable nature of pendulums, swing back to local bands making great live music.

And in the meantime, to all of my fellow grey-haired rockers I say as Neil Young told us... "Keep on Rockin' in the free world!"

It keeps us young.

Ric

Ric Wasley - Author - Mystery Writers of America
Author of The McCarthy Mystery Series
Just released...! A new Mystery/Vampire/Romance... 'Midnight Blue'
http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=100&products_id=300

New from WC Publishing: THE SCRIMSHAW, sequel to SHADOW OF INNOCENCE.

The exciting mystery series set in the music and drug soaked sixties that combines mystery, romance and a touch of the paranormal into one "page-turning" package.

The Baby Boomers and everyone else are sure to enjoy these appealing mysteries featuring a pair of musician partners in love and danger.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=ric+wasley&x=9&y=21

Songwriting - How Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" Uses Rhyme As an Accelerator in Its Lyrics

When you write lyrics, they tend to work best when the meaning of your words is directly tied into what's happening musically. When all the elements of your song are fused together this way, it's called prosody.

Rhyme can be an incredibly powerful tool for tying the meaning of your words to your music. One way to do this is to use rhyme as an accelerator. For example, let's say you have a rhyme scheme that rhymes on every other line. We'll call this an ABAB rhyme scheme. It might look like this:

Now we're gonna rhyme (A)

It'll be so fun (B)

We'll do it in four lines (A)

Just like that, we're done (B)

In this ABAB scheme, the 'A' rhymes are the lines with the words "rhyme" and "lines" and the 'B' rhymes are "fun" and "done."

Once we've established this rhyme scheme in our song, it becomes what's expected throughout the song. If we change it, it'll change what the song makes us feel.

For example if we establish our lyric to be an ABAB rhyme scheme and then change it to an ABBB rhyme scheme the next time around, it'll feel different. Check it out:

Section 1

Now we're gonna rhyme (A)

It'll be so fun (B)

We'll do it in four lines (A)

Just like that, we're done (B)

Section 2

Now we're gonna rhyme (A)

It'll be so fun (B)

These lines are gonna run (B)

Just like that, we're done (B)

Future Grammy-winning lyrics for sure. Okay, maybe not. But lame lyrics aside, how did the second section feel compared to the first? Did you notice the acceleration of the last three lines in the second section? One of the functions of rhyme is it can act as an accelerator, when you space your rhymes close together.

In the example above we established our rhymes to happen at every other line, in section 1. Then we went against your expectations in section 2 by increasing the frequency of the rhyme, which made the lines feel accelerated.

strong>"Heart of Gold" by Neil young

Let's check out a great example of this concept in action. Who better to learn from than Neil Young? Check out the first verse of the song "Heart of Gold:"

I want to live, I want to give

I've been a miner for a heart of gold

It's these expressions I never give

That keep me searching for a heart of gold

And I'm getting old

This is essentially an ABABB rhyme scheme, in five lines. Technically, in lines one through four, they're not rhymes, but identities, since it's the same word being repeated ("give" and "live"). But that's beside the point for right now. Let's treat them as typical rhymes.

With the ABAB rhyme scheme that's established in the first four lines, there has been a certain rhyme pace that's become expected. So when the fifth line comes in with another 'B' rhyme, it's a surprise that accelerates that line.

Mixing Meaning With Your Rhymes

"So what?" you ask. "The fifth line accelerates... Big deal." Fair point. Here's why it's cool. This acceleration happens on the line "And I'm getting old." The implication of a line like "And I'm getting old" is "I'm getting old, quickly." Except he doesn't have to say "quickly" because that was implied with how the line was written. The acceleration due to two lines of rhyme back to back (after establishing a slower rhyme pattern previously) really helps us FEEL the aging process happening fast for him. It's the meaning of the lyric tied into the rest of the song. And in my opinion, it works very well. If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself.

This pattern continues throughout the song, but you'll get the gist after the first verse. So just listen to the first verse, through about 1:15 into the song.

You can hear it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZX8RAaRNIk

Other Factors

With moves like this, rhyme is always the most obvious contributor, because it stands out so clearly when we hear it. It can't be mistaken. But when you're using rhyme to highlight one of your ideas, it usually works best when combined with other tools. In the case of our line "and I'm getting old," a second tool being used is a change of line length.

If you check out the first four lines of the verse, you'll notice they're longer than the last line, "and I'm getting old." This helps drive home the idea about "I'm getting old quickly." When you establish a longer line length in previous lines, and then shorten it, it'll feel quicker. It's a second contributor to the same idea. And it contributes so nicely.

Use It

Experiment with this idea. If your lyrics give you a reason to accelerate (or decelerate), try supporting that meaning with rhyme, and even line length, if possible. See if you like the results you get compared to what you would have done beforehand. And don't forget to have fun.

For more lyric writing advice, watch your free lesson, "Writing Lyrics to Music," here: http://www.successforyoursongs.com/freeoffer

Anthony Ceseri is the owner of http://www.SuccessForYourSongs.com, a website dedicated to the growth and development of songwriters of all skill levels. Anthony's writings appear as examples in the book "Songwriting Without Boundaries: Lyric Writing Exercises For Finding Your Voice" by Pat Pattison, an acclaimed lyric writing professor at Berklee College of Music.

Young Adult Books

Adventure and Thrillers

Amongst this category of fiction for the young adult can be found a few of the titles written by Robert Muchamore: Cherub: Class A; Cherub 4: the Killing; The General (Cherub); The Sleepwalker (Cherub), amongst others. You will also find 'The Best of Pippi Longstocking' and Philippa Pierce's book 'Tom's Midnight Garden' which I find to be an excellent book. However, one of the more provocative and evocative books that are currently on the market under the young adult classification is 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' written by John Boyne. This book covers an incredibly difficult and heart-wrenching period in the history of the world - the events that took place during the Second World War in war-torn Europe: the Holocaust.

Without giving away the details of the plot, the 9 year old son of the Auschwitz commandant tells the story from his own perspective, about meeting a boy from the other side of the fence and readers can only wonder at the naivety of the commandant's son as the story unfolds. However, today's reader relates to the book with the benefits of hindsight - knowing what went on during that awful period in history - and from the perspective of today's worldly-wise child. Children 60+ years' ago were certainly not that knowledgeable about events surrounding them. At that time there was the 'grown-up world' and the 'child's world' and the two never overlapped as we understand it today.

To my generation [and I was a child at the end of the War] this story is totally believable in its naivety - something children today would find totally unbelievable: today's children have the benefit of television; we did not. Moreover, even many adults at that time did not fully believe that other human beings could be capable of such atrocities and, because it was so unbelievable, it was not until after the War had ended and places like Auschwitz and Buchenwald were liberated, was it possible for the full picture of what had been happening, to emerge - often under the noses of local residents, none of whom had even been aware that such awful things had been happening, in reality, so close to them.

I have read reviews of this book that suggests that such naivety 'beggars belief' but, unless you truly lived at that time, you couldn't possibly understand how sheltered children of all ages were from the lives of adults going on around them. Today, a 12 year old would well be expected to be totally aware of current affairs but, for my generation, being 12 years old, you were just a child, probably akin with a 6 year old child's development today. This book is a very clever and very accurate portrayal of the behavior of children of their era. It has been written very sensitively and with considerable understanding. Moreover, the atrocities of both World Wars should never be allowed to be forgotten - especially nowadays, as the ages of those veterans serving in the Second World War, ages and with the First World War now almost beyond living memory.

Biographies and Memoirs

Staying with the same period of history, 'Out of India' is the autobiography of Jamila Gavin whose mother was English while her father was an Indian in the years coming up to Partition. Jamila was a child during the 1940s and returned to the UK to the sounds of doodlebugs and other sights and smells reminiscent of the Second World War and the Blitz. This is another evocative book written about a colorful period in history. I don't want to say much more about it as it would be too easy to give away little nuggets from within this book that would ruin your read. Visit our website and order it from us, settle back and have a good read. This book is aimed at the young adult market, but it tells such an interesting story you would enjoy it regardless of your age.

History and Historical Fiction

If you think about it, both the books I have mentioned above could also have been categorized within the history section - but that's how it is with book genres. Many fit just as well in one category as they do in another. Rather than pick out some of the more obvious history or historical novels, I thought you might be interested in the series of novels being written by Gordon Korman. I notice that this series have been described as being the Da Vinci Code for kids - which just about sums it up. The books involve following a set of clues across Europe and includes secret passageways and getting into all sorts of scrapes as each clue evolves and leads the characters into danger - then, through a process of elimination, the adventure is cleverly solved through the use of agile brains and even more agile bodies so that the main characters come through completely unscathed to emerge triumphant at the end of the book.

It's that time of year again - Hallowe'en coming up within the next couple of weeks and, with it, the anticipation of keeping warm as the evenings close in, reading some of the best horror books. One book I would like to get my hands on - and will do once I have a bit of time to spare, is Neil Gaiman's 'The Graveyard Books' which looks like an excellent read. Then, of course, there are the other categories within this genre: 'Flower Fairies of the Autumn' by Cicely Mary Barker that fits into the Literature category; 'Much Ado about Prom Night' by William D McCants, categorized amongst the Love and Romance section. As for the other sections, space really precludes individual titles being mentioned in each of these classifications but, if you visit our website I am sure you will be truly delighted at the enormous range of books you will find in each of the following categories:

•Mysteries

•Reference

•Religion

•School and Sports

•Fiction

•Science Fiction and Fantasy

•Social Issues

Buy young Adult Books

What To Do With Your Favorite Antique Vinyl Records And Turntable

Are you holding on to a box of old vinyl records? Do you have an antique turntable just collecting dust? It can be hard to let go of items that created wonderful memories for us. Vinyls remind us of a time when life was much easier. You don't have to toss your favorite vintage items in the trash. Keep those old memories alive by considering some different options.

It can be a great idea to hold on to old vinyl records and record players. The industry is seeing a rise in vinyl album sales. Many new artists are releasing records on vinyl as well as in digital format. New young music fans are getting a chance to see what vinyl is all about. Aside from new, young music listeners, there is an entire world of collectors buying, selling, and trading vinyl albums at high prices. If you don't mind getting rid of your collection, find out if you can make some money off of everything. You may just have a record that is a collector's item.

If you listen to songs today, you know what you get with digital music. While the invention of digital downloading has made buying and finding music much easier, the sound quality of this product is poor. Nothing sounds as nice as vinyl. If you still listen to music, you may want to consider holding on to a VPI record cleaner or VPI turntables. With new musicians releasing albums on vinyl, you don't have to deal with digital at all. Not to mention, you need a player to still enjoy those old Neil Young vinyl albums you have in your garage.

You should also consider passing down your vintage vinyl to a younger generation. Your grandkids or niece and nephew will probably think your collection is neat. This can be totally appreciated by a loved one. You can pass down the memories that you made with them, and give them a way to have their own. These collections can be passed down for generations to come. A young music lover will love this special gift.

Don't just toss out those antique vinyl records. Think over all the variety of things you can do with them. You can make some dollars, pass them down to your family, or simply keep them to listen to yourself. These belongings will always carry your favorite memories of a time when things were much simpler.

SoundStage Direct, LLC is an online independent store based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. SSD has the largest selection of VPI record cleaner and vinyl records online. And you don't want to miss amazing closeout deals available at our LP outlet! We have record albums in every genre and in a variety of formats available ready to be shipped at your doorstep.

The Many Worlds of Young Adult Fiction

In the last decade, young adult fiction has transformed. Authors are pushing the envelope, creating fantastical stories, unearthly characters and, of course, magical worlds. What began with Narnia, a world within a wardrobe, has now become a universe of countless lands. Here are just a few of the wonderful lands born from some of the world's most creative minds:

Rondo by Emily Rodda

The Key to Rondo (Scholastic Press, 2008)

While Narnia has its wardrobe, Rondo has its music box. But entering the music box you'll find a beautiful world containing a quaint village, a lush forest, a magical castle and more. Rondo is filled with magical creatures, many of which you'll recognize from fairytales, like the troll who guards the bridge, or the three little pigs.

Deltora By Emily Rodda

The Deltora Quest series (Scholastic Press, 2001)

Deltora is a land of dragons. It is divided into territories, each named after a different gemstone (amethyst, moonstone, etc.). Each territory is home to its own unique creatures, cities, dangers and of course dragons, making every step of your journey through Deltora very different from the last.

Middlemost by Chris McCoy

Scurvy Goonda (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2009)

Debut author Chris McCoy brought an entirely new concept to the traditional "other word" story. What we believe to be the middle star of orion's belt is actually Middlemost, the world where imaginary friends are born. Entering Middlemost, you'll find a motley crew of creatures-everything from vampires and ballerinas to plandas (half panda, half bonsai tree and swamsters (half hamster, half professional swimmer).

Inkworld By Cornelia Funke

Inkheart (Scholastic Press, 2003)

We've all wished we could dive into the pages of our favorite storybook and live in that world-at least for just one day. In the Inkheart trilogy, Meggie gets to do just that. Her father's "silver tongue" has brought the world inside Inkheart to life. While some characters emerge from its pages, others jump right in.

Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The City of Ember (Random House, 2003)

Ember is an underground city built before the apocalypse over 200 years ago. It is home to many citizens who have no clue that blue skies exist. They live in a world of darkness, lit in the daytime by lamps. But things are changing. Food is running out. And the electricity is on the fritz. If they don't discover the way out of Ember soon, they'll be plunged in darkness forever.

Luster by Bruce Coville

The Unicorn Chronicles (Scholastic Press, 2005)

Luster is the land of unicorns. At one time, the unicorns lived on Earth. But everything changed when a group of hunters tried to kill their entire race. So they created Luster, a beautiful world that could act as their safe haven. Luster is also home to other creatures such as dwarves, dragons and squijims, along with the occasional human.

The Edge by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

The Edge Chronicles (Transwood, 2000)

Much like the film Avatar, the world inside The Edge Chronicles contains magnificently creative creatures, unique trees and floating mountains. The Edge and its residents are so fabulously bizarre, that without the illustrations, the book would be hard to visualize.

The list of magical worlds doesn't end there. Also check out:

Archipelago of Dreams

From Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen (Simon & Schuster, 2006)

Lyonesse

From Lyonesse by Sam Llewellyn (Scholastic Inc, 2009)

Terabithia

From Bridge to Terabithia by Kathrine Patterson (HarperCollins Publishers, 1977)

Fantastica

From The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (Doubleday, 1983)

The Realms

From A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (Random House, 2003)

Muratenland

From A Hole in the Sky by Barbara A. Mahler (Turtle Sea Publishing, 2009)

Panem

From The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Inc, 2008)

Malice

From Malice by Chris Wooding (Scholastic Inc, 2009)

Atherton

From the Atherton series by Patrick Carmen (Little, Brown, 2008)

The Land of Faerie

From Stardust by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins, 2001)

Halla

From Pendragon by D.J. MacHale (Simon & Schuster, 2002)

Fablehaven

From Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (Simon & Schuster, 2007)

Cyberia

From Cyberia by Chris Lynch (Scholastic Inc, 2008)

Crystallia

From the Alcatraz series By Brandon Sanderson (Scholastic Inc, 2008)

http://www.kidzworld.com

A Great (and Unknown) Neil Young Song: "Mr. Disappointment"

In this day of digital downloads, YouTube and music-sharing it seems the album (or "LP") has gone the way of the dinosaur. Music fans are simply scanning websites, cherry-picking their song selections and moving on to the next site before they even have a chance to listen to the tune they just downloaded. This revolutionary approach to obtaining music has replaced the days when music fans would purchase an album of typically ten to fourteen songs from a given artist and in the process uncover musical "gems" hiding somewhere in those tracks. "Mr. Disappointment", from Neil Young's 2002 release Are You Passionate? is one of these buried treasures.

Canadian Singer/Songwriter Neil Young made his initial splash with the bands Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Since setting out as a solo artist Young has made musical explorations into swing, electronic music, 50's style, and grunge (to name a few.) Young's 26th studio album Are You Passionate? represents his foray into soul music featuring Booker T and the MG's in addition to Young's band Crazy Horse. While many of the tracks are soul-inspired the tune "Mr. Disappointment" jumps off the collection as a Neil Young classic.

"Mr. Disappointment" opens with the slow 2/4 tempo ala by Bob Dylan on his recent work (i.e. "Mississippi", "Shooting Star".) This rhythmic "pocket" and groove is the perfect canvas for Neil's mellow, grunge-inspired electric guitar intro which we later learn is the melody for the song's chorus. But what is truly captivating is Young's vocal approach. Again, very reminiscent of recent Dylan as the song's verses are essentially spoken rather than sung. The opening line sets the mood and tone of the song: "Where did all the feelings go? What about that happy glow? Was that so long ago, when we were first in love? I didn't feel the change, everything was still the same. And when that moment came, I didn't know."

In the chorus Young changes from spoken-word to his trademark high, nasally, tenor singing voice and sadly sings: "I'd like to shake your hand, Disappointment. Looks like you win again, but this time might be the last..."

The song moves between verse and chorus juxtaposing the spoken-word with Young's singing and in-between lies Young's heart-breaking, Les Paul-toned guitar riffs. His guitar solo three quarters of the way into the piece is as beautiful as any solo Young has ever played.

From a songwriter's standpoint, Neil Young's "Mr. Disappointment" is among the most compelling and honest songs in Young's catalogue. However, it is Young's performance of this tune that makes it completely unforgettable. Surf on over to your favorite music website and check it out. But bring the Kleenex.

Kenn Morr http://www.kennmorr.com is an internationally acclaimed Singer/Songwriter, Performer, Producer and Author with six albums to his credit. Originally from Long Island, NY Kenn lives in the foothills of New England's Berkshire Mountains with his wife and two young sons.