Robert Benson

Ahhh, the sweet sound of a vinyl record spinning on a turntable playing the music that you love. No matter what kind of music that you listen to, it just sounds better via this format. And if the vinyl revival is any indication, these treasures of sound are not fading...

The music industry is an ever changing business entity. Slowly, CDs are disappearing as the format of choice and the sales leader of retail music. However, there is an old and friendly favorite emerging for millions of music lovers and competing for that almighty music dollar. Vinyl records are back, as...

Happy Birthday and welcome back to an old friend, the 45 rpm record officially turned 60 years old on March 31. British trade journals are reporting that single song 45rpm records are now outselling their CD counterparts and many American bands are now releasing music via this historic audio medium. The...

With the renewed interest in vinyl records, an old friend is becoming more important again- album cover art. There have been tens of thousands of album covers created throughout the years and there are some that are instantly recognized, while some remain obscure, but one thing is certain, album cover...

There is a very simple audio question making the rounds these days; why vinyl? The answer is just as simple-millions of music lovers are discovering the superior sound that vinyl offers. Add these newcomers to the millions of audiophiles and collectors who are already sold on the benefits of analog...

As we all enjoy the vinyl record revival, there is another aspect to this phenomenon that sometimes gets overlooked: the forgotten 45 rpm records from years past. Sure, there are some mainstream artists, punk rockers and indie musicians who have found this audio medium to their liking, it is a...

The global economy is in shambles. Ask people involved in the music industry and they'll probably tell you that their industry has likewise been affected. But there is a bright spot: the renewed interest in vinyl records. Taking advantage of this vinyl revival is eBay veteran Chris Celeste. He believes that...

Well, we made it. The vinyl record revival is in full swing. With many independent artists issuing new releases via the format and many mainstream artists following suit, it is a great place in music history. Add to this the numerous reissues of classic LP's and the vinyl comeback is...

It's all over the news- from countless newspaper features (including a write-up in the Wall Street Journal), online articles and even the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. It's the vinyl record revival and more importantly, the resurrection of analog sound. Yes, vinyl records, left for dead with the advent of...

An Interview With Classic Rock Art Curator Michael Goldstein of RockPoPGallery Rock and roll has been part of our pop culture for many decades and, so too has pop/rock memorabilia and art associated with it. Many classic album covers were created to not only sell music, but the concepts and images...

The article details the beginning of album cover art packaging (Alex Steinweiss) and the affect it has had on music and pop culture. Included are discussions of historic Beatle album covers and a web site (www.superseventies.com) dedicated to providing the visitor a detailed look at the album cover art of 70's artists including the Sex Pistols,the Eagles, and Rolling Stones. Album cover design is an art form and the music buying public has lost a national treasure, album cover art.

The article rants about some of the more popular music being used in commercial television, including songs by the Beatles, BTO, Iggy Pop, Bob Dylan and more. I then talk about music we may hear in the future in television ads.

Everyday it seems that we read about the resurgence in the sales of vinyl records. In fact, in a recently-released 2007 RIAA sales report, the American music industry sold 36.6 percent more Extended Play (EP) and Long Play (LP) records than it had in the previous year; increasing vinyl sales...

As we continue our look at 'naked vinyl' album cover art, let's explore two other companies who capitalized on the fad and what has transpired since. In the last article, we discussed two West Coast record labels that were prolific and utilized 'naked vinyl' to sell their record albums. Not to...

Ever since Alex Steinweiss designed album covers for Columbia Records in the 1940's, many famous artists and designers have also designed iconic and stylish album cover art. From famed cartoonist Robert Crumb, who designed Janis Joplin's "Cheap Thrills" album cover to Andy Warhol's contribution to the Rolling Stones' "Sticky...

Do dogs provide health benefits? Believe it or not they do! Did you know that owning a dog and pet ownership in general, can help a person in many ways? Owning a pet can improve your mental wellness, reduce your visits to the doctor, improve your cardiova

According to a recent report from eBay, the online auction giant, they sell more than three million vinyl records each year. It is also reported that eBay users buy and sell six vinyl records every minute (or an average of one every ten seconds). It seems the vinyl record, just...

At age 23, the "Godfather" of album cover art, Alex Steinweiss accepted a job to design promotional materials for Columbia Records. What would happen next would revolutionize the music industry, specifically vinyl records, when he invented the illustrated album cover. A rather obvious, but brilliant, idea was to create a...

Finding and securing insurance for your valuable and treasured collectibles is easy with a company that specializes in just this kind of insurance. In an interview with Dan Walker and Debbie Spilman of Collectibles Insurance Services, they explain how important it is to have such insurance and that is it very affordable as well.

Ahhhh...The Three Stooges...Classic slapstick comedy and an American tradition.

There are few classic toys that have persevered and managed to survive the video onslaught that has taken over the children's toy market today. One of these toys, Mr. Potato Head, still entertains children as much as it did when it was first introduced in the early 1950's. Let's explore...

Vinyl is back. From the 'error' by a Fred Meyer employee (where LP's were ordered by mistake), major electronic retailer Best Buy's stocking vinyl in select stores and mainstream recording artists releasing records gain, the resurgence is upon us. And in the heartland of America, records are a hot commodity. I...

According to a recent report from eBay, the online auction giant, they sell more than three million vinyl records each year. It is also reported that eBay users buy and sell six vinyl records every minute (or an average of one every ten seconds). It seems the vinyl record, just...

Everyday it seems that we read about the resurgence in the sales of vinyl records. In fact, in a recently-released 2007 RIAA sales report, the American music industry sold 36.6 percent more Extended Play (EP) and Long Play (LP) records than it had in the previous year; increasing vinyl sales...

He dreamt of world peace. He was an artist, poet and an outspoken voice of the hippie generation. He was an influential musician, a peace activist, an absent father and a devoted lover and husband.

The value of vinyl records is very subjective and certainly up for debate. There are many elements that go into ascertaining just how much a specific record or a whole collection may be worth. Do you use fair market value, replacement value or record price guide value? As I found...

It's all over the news- from countless newspaper features (including a write-up in the Wall Street Journal), online articles and even the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. It's the vinyl record revival and more importantly, the resurrection of analog sound. Yes, vinyl records, left for dead with the advent of...

Part one When we look back at album cover art throughout the years, it is kind of ironic that some album covers that are released these days can cause such an uproar because they may have a nude image on them or sexual suggestive scenes. But 'naked vinyl' started a long...

As we continue our look at 'naked vinyl' album cover art, let's explore two other companies who capitalized on the fad and what has transpired since. In the last article, we discussed two West Coast record labels that were prolific and utilized 'naked vinyl' to sell their record albums. Not to...

The article details the beginning of album cover art packaging (Alex Steinweiss) and the affect it has had on music and pop culture. Included are discussions of historic Beatle album covers and a web site (www.superseventies.com) dedicated to providing the visitor a detailed look at the album cover art of 70's artists including the Sex Pistols,the Eagles, and Rolling Stones. Album cover design is an art form and the music buying public has lost a national treasure, album cover art.