Something in the Air
So, I have been searching for years for a replacement for a record album that seems to have disappeared from my vinyl record collection closet here at the stately Motley Manor.
I still have the album jacket, but the album itself, “Something in the Air” by Thunderclap Newman, is nowhere to be found. But I found one recently at the local vinyl record store, Mountain Magic Music in Crestline.
In case some of you youngsters are wondering what the heck a vinyl record is, it’s a round, flat, black vinyl disc with a small hole in the center that has grooves, where the needle lands on and produces music for your enjoyment. Groovy, eh? Many believe the music produced by a vinyl record is superior to that of a compact disc. However, the jury is out on that one.
One thing’s for sure, though – you don’t need a magnifying glass to read the liner notes on an album jacket.
Only problem is my ancient record player finally conked out on me. So, I went down the hill to this giant appliance and electronics store to buy a new one; however, it was defective and the sound was all wobbly, so I returned it and picked up a more expensive one, thinking it had to be better. But guess what? I couldn’t get it to power up after plugging it in. (Hey, I’m a college graduate and I know how to put a plug into a wall socket.) I followed all the instructions, but the platter just wouldn’t revolve.
“Where’s the revolution?” I asked myself.
“Call out the instigators because there’s something in the air. We’ve got to get together sooner or later because the revolution’s here, and you know it’s right. We have got to get it together, we have to get it together now.” (“Something In The Air” – Thunderclap Newman – 1969)
So, I returned the dysfunctional gramophone to this big box store, which I shan’t name; however, one of the store’s Geeks told me it might be defective… no duh! Anyway, they didn’t have another one in stock, so it’s on order and they’ll e-mail me when they get it.
You may ask yourself, “How is it, Uncle Mott, that you know so much about records?” Well, I’m glad you asked. I used to own some record stores out in the OC back in the 70s. Meantime, I can’t wait to get my hands on that Thunderclap Newman album and slap it onto my new (hopefully working) turntable.
Thunderclap Newman, by the way, is the namesake of Andy (Thunderclap) Newman, who fronted the band, with some assistance from Pete Townshend, who played bass on the group’s one and only record, “Hollywood Dream,” which featured the generation-defining hit, “Something in the Air.”
“Block off the streets and houses because there’s something in the air. We’ve got to get together sooner or later because the revolution’s here, and you know it’s right. We have got to get it together now.”
Keep it flyin’ Uncle Mott