The Vinyl Playground Podcast
Cheers - This is Alex - your music man, record guy, host and curator of The Vinyl Playground Podcast.
Here, I take a look at a rather large collection of records, my family's record collection. 12 record collectors under the same roof, and the music we collectively bought between 1936 and 1987.
Originally intended as a personal letter between 2 musical cousins discussing family and music, The Vinyl Playground has bloomed into a "musical family tree" with almost 100 years of recorded music.
Episodes
21 episodes
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - "Ep. 17 - The Rutles As Education"
In this episode - The Rutles, and a strong case for music as an educational tool of great depth and power. Featuring songs from the made-for-tv-movie All You Need Is Cash, this is a loving tribute to some music (and words) that very much ...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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18:06
The Vinyl Playground Podcast- "Ep. 16 - 7 Valentines for Friday"
Igor is in search of the "perfect set of love songs" to present to Friday, his girl friend, on Valentine's Day. Can Professor Music Man help his assistant with a little bit of ancient "mix-tape voodoo?" Featuring songs from the film Mad Monster...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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15:41
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - Ep. 15 - "O, Holy Night - Choosing One Present To Open"
In this TVP - Christmas Eve - we "little terrors" of the family each receive the gift of opening only one present before Christmas Day . Plus, a beautiful rendition of O Holy Night by Trombone Shorty. Cheers from here and Happy Holidays! ...
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4:12
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - Ep. 14 - "Holiday Cartoons!"
In this TVP - A short look (and listen) at 3 classic tunes from 3 classic animated Christmas specials . Plus childhood holiday memories of "picking and choosing" which cartoons to watch. Cheers from here and Happy Holidays! Alex i...
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6:20
The Vinyl Playground - Ep. 13 - "Christmas Memories #2 - Pictures With Santa Claus"
In this TVP - A trip to Sears & Roebuck, some history on Eartha Kitt's holiday classic "Santa Baby," and of course, pictures with Santa Claus! Cheers from here and Happy Holidays! Alex is the owner of "The Vinyl Playground," t...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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3:05
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - "Christmas Memory #6 - Trapped In The Car When Uncle's Flatulent"
In this TVP - A Christmas road trip to Candy Cane Lane, singing dogs, and Uncle's flatulence make for a very difficult "read through" when the mic is on and "live." Apologies for the foul-ups, bleeps, blunders and giggles. Happy Holidays! ...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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3:35
The Vinyl Playground - Episode 11: "Songs In The Key of Cartoon"
In this episode -the stories behind the music from: Scooby Doo, George of the Jungle, Fat Albert, Groovie Goolies, and others."Songs In The Key of Cartoon," is a quick look into the history of some of the most beloved cartoon theme song...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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21:19
The Vinyl Playground - Episode 10: "Halloween Music Macabre"
TVP presents a "Halloween Special," in salute to some of the most beloved and "creepy" music associated with the bizarre, macabre, and strange. Tonight, we'll hear music from: Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and Sir George Martin and Orchestra; "sla...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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18:54
The Vinyl Playground- "TVP - Ep. 10, Trailer 2: (Theme from) John Carpenter's Halloween"
For Halloween, TVP "exhumes and examines" the legendary theme from John Carpenter's Halloween. Exceprt from Episode 10, "Halloween Music Macabre." Cheers from here and Happy Halloween.Alex Oliver is the owner of "The Vinyl Playground," ...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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2:04
The Vinyl Playground - "TVP Ep.10 - Trailer 1: "The Twilight Zone (Theme)"
For Halloween, TVP "exhumes and examines" the legendary theme music for The Twilight Zone television series. Exceprt from Episode 10, "Halloween Music Macabre." Cheers from here and Happy Halloween.Alex Oliver is the owner of "The Vinyl...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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1:41
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - Episode 9 - Action Kills Fear
Age 16. High School freshman. Suspended for fighting . . . again. Whether right or wrong, I was stuck in my room for five days, mostly cloaked in a paralyzing fear of, well, virtually everything outside of my control.And mixed in with t...
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20:52
TVP Ep. 9 Trailer #3: "Judo Julie"
It's Spring, 1985, and there's absolutely no experience like getting punched in one's "manly center of gravity" first thing in the morning at school. At the time, I was studying the music of The Partridge Family. Result? I "tear up" and writhe ...
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0:44
TVP Ep. 9 Trailer #2 - "Fear"
It's Spring, 1985. Suspended from school, my fears start to envelope my everyday living. And my moods were dark, and soundtrack'd by the music of The Velvet Underground (Excerpt from "Episode. 9 - Action Kills Fear") Cheers, ...
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1:45
TVP - Ep. 9 Trailer #1: "The Bottom Line?"
It's Spring, 1985, and once again I get suspended from school. Mom's NOT going to like this - time to drown out life with some music by Van Halen. (Excerpt from "Ep. 9 - Action Kills Fear") Cheers, and thank you for your ears. ...
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1:02
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - "Ep. 8 - Love, Honor and Meat Lips Mix-Tape"
Fall, 1984 - I was a newly-minted high school freshman, surrounded by the then-current Top 40 (Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, etc.). My ear, however was tuned to the music of nearly 20 years earlier - the music of ...
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19:24
TVP Ep. 8 Promo 2 (Excerpt)
AKA "Love and the Campus Fuzz," this is a 45-second segment of upcoming TVP Episode 8 - HS Freshman: First Love. Cheers!Alex is the owner of "The Vinyl Playground," the online, mail-order vinyl LP record shop. The items you see in these...
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0:45
TVP Ep. 8 Promo 1 (Excerpt)
Fast recollection of the afterglow following my first kiss, freshman year high shcool, 1984. It was a doozy - and part of me is still "stuck on stupid." Cheers!Alex Oliver is the owner of "The Vinyl Playground," the online, mail-order v...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:16
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - Ep. 4 - "The Crest of a New Wave"
Episode 4: The Crest of a New Wave. I recount, recall, and remember some of the first "new" music I heard via radio and television in 1979 - 1981. This included music by Blondie, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Police, and Pretenders....
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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14:23
The Vinyl Playground - Ep. 5 - "Boss Radio Revisited"
This episode focuses primarily on my discovery of 1960s pop music, as a 12 / 13 year old in early 1980s Los Angeles. Music by The Dave Clark 5, Spanky and Our Gang, John Fred, Neil Diamond, The Kinks, and The Animals. Alex is the o...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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17:53
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - Ep. 6 - "Sketch Book Cyrano"
1982. Age 13. Junior high school. Teenage love. Friendship, and betrayal. Acne, and more record money for vinyl LPs. It's a story as old as time - love "short circuits" the brain of young man. The musical soundscape of the times included songs ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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20:28
The Vinyl Playground Podcast - Ep. 7- "Access To The Family Treasure"
Summer, 1978. Age 9. My family movies, and I get my first glimpse of "it" - the family record collection. At the time, it was 42 years worth of collecting. Be prepared to share memories and my varied musical soundscape of the times: songs by Fr...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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19:18
