INCREDIBLE VINYL FINDS: binaural demo LP for $3...

[Woochifer]

I ventured into Virgin Megastore over the weekend and stocked up on a lot of hard-to-find CDs. I noticed that they'd also dramatically expanded their vinyl selection, with some very impressive finds. For one thing, they stocked a pretty impressive variety of jazz LPs, including various Columbia titles that I have not seen available in a few years (these are the Jazz Masterpiece remasters from the late-80s), including a lot of limited edition 180 gram reissues that I thought had been out of print for at least a couple of years.

But, the one title that I bought was something I have no idea whatsoever how it found its way to Virgin. It's the Stereo Review Binaural Demonstration Record, which dates back to 1971. Judging by the way outdated inserts (which are advertising Stereo Review's other demonstration LPs and library binders for back issues of Stereo Review, which hasn't been around since the mid-90s) and the browned edges on the sleeve, this was a sealed original copy. And Virgin was selling this for $3?! The record itself was recorded with sound effects on one side and music on the other. I'll put on the headphones later on tonight and report on how it all sounds.

If any of you live by a Virgin store, who knows how they got all that vinyl inventory, but it might be worth mining through to see what long forgotten gems might be in those bins.

[mg196]

Just in case you didn't know, Lou Reed recorded a couple of great binaural LP's in the 70's. Try to find copies of Take No Prisoners (2LP live set) and Street Hassle. They sound fantastic even on my cheap headphones.