AnalogPlanet Radio

I LOVE 12" singles (most of them, anyway). Not everyone loves to get up and turn the record over after one or two songs, but the fidelity can be stunning. One of my favorites is The Proclaimers' "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". Jaws drop when I play this for friends. I also have a couple The Pretenders 12". I'll say that if there's an occasional flaw in common with some of them is that they can be a bit bright. That, and because they were often made for dance clubs, an insistent dance rhythm is sometimes added which can either enhance or ruin a song. Anyway, they're worth seeking out.

[Rimshot]

Yeah, 12" singles are in my opinion often the maximum in fidelity possible, wide grooves, spread out over 12 inches, rotating at 45 rpm. And 12 inches, rotating at 45 rpm will, as any woman will tell you, beat 7 inches any time.
In my opinion, with many of those 12" singles, sound reproduction on vinyl reached its peak. As is being acknowledge today with a whole heap of 12" 45 rpm reissues, among others Analogue Productions, Music Matters, ORG, etc., etc. The Elvis 24K hits, Elvis is Back, Muddy Waters Folk Singer, the Verve remasters by the late George Marino are particular favourites of mine, have a listen to Soulville, Coleman Hawkins and his confreres, Ben Webster meets Oscar Peterson, Body and Soul, Coleman Hawkins encounters Ben Webster, Smokin' at the half note, We get requests. Seriously, in my opinion, this is the best these recordings have ever sounded on vinyl.
For 12 singles, some favourites of mine are:
David Bowie, Cat People, original soundtrack
Keith Richards, You don't move me (massive, massive improvement over the album)
AC/DC, Rock And Rock Aint Noise Pollution / Hells Bells (this one has to be heard to be believed, Hells Bells, with no compression)
Aretha Franklin, Jumpin Jack Flash (with Keith and Ronnie on the guitars)
Rolling Stones, Start me up (the 1981 promo cut by the master, Mr. R Ludwig)
Rolling Stones, Cocksucker Blues / Brown Sugar (with Eric Clapton on guitar. The original 1971 special issue done for I guess a select group of record Co. people.... )

HOLY CRAP!

(I actually own a lot of these)

"Seconds" is very underrated, as is the Missing Persons lp 'Spring Session M' produced by Ken Scott. Some of the synth pop was ABSOLUTELY audiophile material.

One of the synth records I use to impress/astonish/flabbergast my friends isn't pop, it is the Walter Carlos version of Beethoven's 9th, 4th movement, from A Clockwork Orange. Those old olive-green label WB lps can sometimes sound really amazing, and that one does.

The 12" single of Elvis' GREEN SHIRT is jaw-on-the-floor amazing sounding for it's entire length.

I miss the days of good 12" singles. The 80s is when I dialed back, as some of the remixes became quite awful IMHO. Yes's "Owner of a Lonely Heart" pretty much dispenses of the melody (except for a brief glimpse of it) and goes nowhere; same with Human League's big hit "Don't You Want Me Baby." Much as I like both songs, those remixes were an insult.

I only keep just under 200 of my best ones up in the listening room. Just about any Prince 12" is a good bet, and the flip sides usually had non-album tracks, including some that had major airplay in our area. Many of the disco singles from the 70s could also give the system a serious workout. Some like Chicago's "Street Player" and Earth Wind & Fire's "Getaway", or the "holiday" remix of "Let's Groove," became quite rare. Or the Brothers Johnson's extended version of "Get The Funk Out Ma Face." I could go on...

I could see a Volume 2 of this broadcast happening. It'd be cool to solicit suggestions in the future. I have quite a few myself, but the real expert I know is like a walking encyclopedia of 12" singles. Great one to consult. :)

I was in high school in the mid-80's. These are the records I grew up with...and kept when CD came out. I remember going to the first SF Stereophile show at the airport and going into the Krell/Apogee room and playing CD's of this music. They thought I was crazy. It wasn't about the sound, but the music. I think that was when Ted Denney of Synergistic was walking around the halls introducing his cables.

For many of these singles it was about import pressings. UK or European pressings were preferable. The question is: do you have your 12" singles categorized by BPM???

Michael, thanks for stirring the memories.

My all time favorite, A German Decca with Satisfaction, Paint it Black Jumping' Jack Flash and Honky Tonk Woman. The best sounding Rolling Stones I have ever heard on Vinyl.

Including that Frankie Goes To Hollywood - the 12" version is the only version that has that wonderful orchestral bridge in it! Thank you so much for playing that.