Above is one of the three key components (the red colored portion) of the latest public art exhibits in ever changing public art installation space that is Madison Square Park (MSP) Red, Yellow and Blue is the simple yet descriptive title of this new exhibit that was unveiled earlier this month (following 2½ years of planning, conceiving, reworking, and production, plus an additional eleven days of installation) and will remain through September 8th in the park that is bordered by 23rd and 26th Streets, and Fifth and Madison Avenues in the Flatiron district of Manhattan. The ambitious work of sculptor/artist Orly Genger the Red, Yellow and Blue installation contains 1.4 million feet of layered, painted, and hand-knotted rope that are threaded through steel posts and drilled into the park's lawns to hold in place.

Of the three colors my favorite is the yellow (see pic right) since it is to my eyes the most natural. In fact when I first unexpectedly  encountered it -  stumbling upon the artwork earlier this week while walking through the park - at first glance thought it was a hedge or some large plants I was seeing. A traveling installation Red, Yellow and Blue will next travel to near Boston, MA after it finishes its run in NYC, when it takes up residency at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in October. More info on its current MSP exhibit.

In honor of the upcoming Record Store Day 2013, I decided to make a list of 20 records I think everyone should own on vinyl. Take this Record Store Day to build a nice foundation for your record collection. I picked this list based on pretty arbitrary criteria, including what critics generally think are great, what I think is great, what I think particularly sounds good on analog-warm vinyl, and what you won’t have to pay $100 for or scour for (e.g. no hard-to-find ’90s vinyl or things out of print). I also left it to one album per artist. These aren't in any particular order. Send any omissions to this list to idontcare@makeyourownlist.com. Or just leave a comment!

 

The Beatles – Revolver

In my mind, The White Album is the greatest Beatles album, but you can’t beat the utterly perfect one-disc punch of Revolver. It should go without saying that every Beatles album is essential and is worth owning on vinyl yadda yadda, but if you have to start somewhere, do it here. Their catalog was recently reissued on vinyl in stereo mix, so you should have no trouble finding them if you’re just starting out — and you should have no trouble finding quality replacements, if your old Beatles LPs are worn out.

To read more Behind The Grooves, go to http://behindthegrooves.tumblr.com.

Remembering R&B legend Otis Redding (born Otis Ray Redding, Jr. in Macon, GA) - September 9, 1941 - December 10, 1967.

Also remembering Ronnie Caldwell, Carl Cunningham, Jimmy King, and Phalon Jones of The Bar-Kays.

On this day in music history: December 10, 1966 - “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it is the third number one single for the Southern California based band. The song will have its origins in a conversation that Brian Wilson has with his mother during his childhood; she will tell him that dogs bark at people depending on the "vibrations" they sensed from them. Wilson tells this to his bandmate Mike Love and Love will come up with the title "Good Vibrations." Initially, Wilson will collaborate with lyricist Tony Asher on the song. Not entirely pleased with the lyrics, Love will completely re-write them. "Vibrations" will be recorded in 17 sessions over a period of six months in four different studios. The song will incorporate a number of instruments not typical for a pop song including cellos and a electro-therimin.  At an approximated cost of over $50,000, it is the most expensive single record ever produced (at the time), with the final version being edited together from various sections recorded over the lengthy sessions. The song’s innovative production and structure will make it an immediate smash on both sides of the Atlantic, stoking demand for the band’s next album Smile, which is currently in the works. The album itself will not surface in its intended form until nearly 45 years later in 2011.
 

Head to the Vinyl Beat website to check out extensive LP label guides and wild cover galleries!    

Here’s a little known surf gem that I stumbled upon at Amoeba. It has all the ingredients of a hit: catchy tune, great production, and excellent vocal performance, but for whatever reason it never charted.  

Bruce & Terry are unknown as a group, but individually they’ve got quite the reputations. Bruce Johnston went on to become a Beach Boy and also wrote the infamous hit “I Write the Songs,” which Barry Manilow got reamed for. Terry Melcher was a renowned L.A. producer and son of Doris Day.  He produced the first few Byrds albums among others. Together Bruce & Terry also produced many other acts, including the Riptides and their hit of “Hey Little Cobra.”

Unfortunately, Terry is perhaps best known for having been chummy with Charlie Manson for awhile. It was his just-vacated house where the murders occurred and it’s theorized that the family was really after him and his girlfriend, actress Candice Bergen, and not Sharon Tate. 

To read more Behind The Grooves, go to http://behindthegrooves.tumblr.com

On this day in music history: June 4, 1942 - Capitol Records is established in Hollywood. Founded by songwriting legend Johnny Mercer ("You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby," "Autumn Leaves," "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)," "Hooray for Hollywood"), songwriter/film producer Buddy De Sylva, and music store owner Glenn Wallichs (Wallichs Music City), Mercer will propose the idea of starting a record label the year before to his friend Wallichs. A few months later, Mercer will propose the same idea to De Sylva who is an executive producer at Paramount Pictures. With the third partner aboard, the three get to work organizing their first releases and opening their first offices in a building south of Sunset Blvd. By July 1st, the label will release its first nine singles. The label will innovate new techniques in promoting the sales of records, including being the first to distribute free records to disc jockeys for promotional purposes. Capitol will quickly build up an impressive roster of artists that includes Les Baxter, Les Paul, Peggy Lee, Stan Kenton, Les Brown, and Nat King Cole. Over the years, that list of artists will grow to also include Frank Sinatra, Stan Kenton, Judy Garland, Stan Freberg, Gene Vincent, Dean Martin, The Four Freshmen, Al Martino, The Kingston Trio, Nancy Wilson, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Linda Ronstadt, The Band, Steve Miller Band, Bob Seger, Natalie Cole, Tina Turner, George Clinton, Duran Duran, David Bowie, Queen, Heart, MC Hammer, Garth Brooks, Radiohead, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, and Katy Perry. Happy 70th Anniversary, Capitol Records!!!