When did adding record pops/scratches to a song first become "a thing"?
November 13, 2020 11:14 AM Subscribe
By the early 90s, musicians such as The Flaming Lips were adding an audio layer of vinyl record pops and scratches to some of their songs to evoke an earlier era, or simply to add character. But who was doing it earlier?
Hip hop artists such as Public Enemy were sampling vinyl as early as 1987 (no doubt there are earlier examples, just the first that came to mind), but it could be argued that those vinyl sounds simply came along "for the ride" as a result of sampling. In other words, they weren't separate layers of sound, but integrated into the vinyl they were adding to the track.
My hypothesis is that someone decided to add a layer of vinyl ambience to a song as a reaction to the digital production of the 80s. But who, and when?
Hip hop artists such as Public Enemy were sampling vinyl as early as 1987 (no doubt there are earlier examples, just the first that came to mind), but it could be argued that those vinyl sounds simply came along "for the ride" as a result of sampling. In other words, they weren't separate layers of sound, but integrated into the vinyl they were adding to the track.
My hypothesis is that someone decided to add a layer of vinyl ambience to a song as a reaction to the digital production of the 80s. But who, and when?
This became a key sound of trip hop in the early 90s. Massive Attack does it on their debut, Blue Lines - Lately.
posted by Beardman at 11:49 AM on November 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Beardman at 11:49 AM on November 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
I recall one of The Monkees albums used this idea, probably around the same time frame as the White Album.
In related trivia, Portishead was also known for remastering tracks from recordings of distressed vinyl test pressings. In olden days fake antiquing was done by adding filtered tracks to a blank scratch loop, before digital antiquing.
posted by ovvl at 11:50 AM on November 13, 2020
In related trivia, Portishead was also known for remastering tracks from recordings of distressed vinyl test pressings. In olden days fake antiquing was done by adding filtered tracks to a blank scratch loop, before digital antiquing.
posted by ovvl at 11:50 AM on November 13, 2020
Speaking of 78s, Moby Grape's 1968 album "Wow" had a track which needed to be played at 78rpm in order to sound 'correct', i.e. with the tonal qualities and flaws of 78rpm records -- per wikipedia, it was "cut onto the LP record at 78 RPM with added scratchy sound effects to give it an authentic period effect."
posted by AzraelBrown at 12:06 PM on November 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by AzraelBrown at 12:06 PM on November 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Ok, we have some clear examples from around 1991, the aforementioned Massive Attack, and there's also the cut Strobelite Honey from Black Sheep, which I believe is not an artifact of a sample, but an overlay of vinyl crackle.
Those 1960s examples are very cool, but still looking for examples from the 80s that were (theoretically) a response to digital production.
posted by jeremias at 1:22 PM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Those 1960s examples are very cool, but still looking for examples from the 80s that were (theoretically) a response to digital production.
posted by jeremias at 1:22 PM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", recorded in 1975, starts with a kind of lo-fi AM radio intro, almost as if we're listening to the guitarist playing along with a crappy radio.
posted by smcameron at 3:19 PM on November 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by smcameron at 3:19 PM on November 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
I would point to Beastie Boy's 1989 record Paul's Boutique as using the cracks and pops of vinyl as a stylistic choice as much as it was a sound that was simply a byproduct of sampling, as you mentioned in your question. To some extent I think this became an aesthetic that invokes a nostalgic sense partially because these guys were all crate digging and finding interesting sounds from years before even during their time, so again necessity was intertwined with "it just sounds cool".
As you mention, a revolt against the digital may have been part of but, but the economics would have also been in favor of old recordings that were never on CD and were being liquidated in the late 80's and early 90's. Those 60's and 70's soul, psychedelic, world, etc records would have been inexpensive and easy to find, since lots of people were switching to CD. Also, since hip hop began with turntablism that grew out of block party's and all, the tradition to play and collect those records would have already been there.
Somewhat unrelated, but there was a similar movement with synthesizers. Starting in the late 80's, the famous Roland TR-808, and various other analog synthesizers+drum machines were being phased out of large studios in favor of digital synthesizers, computers, etc. As such, much of this gear would show up on recordings throughout the late 80's and 90's as it was being liquidated and was widely availible at a low cost. Genres that were more DIY/less commercial were more influenced by this economic-gear phenomenon than popular music.
I hope that helps answer or provides some avenues for further research
posted by boredoms at 3:43 PM on November 13, 2020 [7 favorites]
As you mention, a revolt against the digital may have been part of but, but the economics would have also been in favor of old recordings that were never on CD and were being liquidated in the late 80's and early 90's. Those 60's and 70's soul, psychedelic, world, etc records would have been inexpensive and easy to find, since lots of people were switching to CD. Also, since hip hop began with turntablism that grew out of block party's and all, the tradition to play and collect those records would have already been there.
Somewhat unrelated, but there was a similar movement with synthesizers. Starting in the late 80's, the famous Roland TR-808, and various other analog synthesizers+drum machines were being phased out of large studios in favor of digital synthesizers, computers, etc. As such, much of this gear would show up on recordings throughout the late 80's and 90's as it was being liquidated and was widely availible at a low cost. Genres that were more DIY/less commercial were more influenced by this economic-gear phenomenon than popular music.
I hope that helps answer or provides some avenues for further research
posted by boredoms at 3:43 PM on November 13, 2020 [7 favorites]
According to PBS History Detectives and FACT, Grandmaster Flash created/refined scratching in the late 70s and on a 1981 album. Herbie Hancock made it famous with a performance of "Rockit" at the 1984 Grammy awards.
Those pieces I linked have more hip hop history.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:02 PM on November 13, 2020
Those pieces I linked have more hip hop history.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:02 PM on November 13, 2020
My hypothesis is that someone decided to add a layer of vinyl ambience to a song as a reaction to the digital production of the 80s.
Neil's Heavy Concept Album (1984) includes a part (end of side one, obvs) where the vocalist is consumed by the "big black skatey bit" - which seems to me to be vinyl ambience.
posted by pompomtom at 5:48 AM on November 14, 2020
Neil's Heavy Concept Album (1984) includes a part (end of side one, obvs) where the vocalist is consumed by the "big black skatey bit" - which seems to me to be vinyl ambience.
posted by pompomtom at 5:48 AM on November 14, 2020
My hypothesis is that someone decided to add a layer of vinyl ambience to a song as a reaction to the digital production of the 80s.
Your hypothesis kinda depends on what you mean by "digital production." I will say from both personal experience and the Wikipedia on digital recording that analog equipment was very much in use in professional recording through the 90's. Digital equipment used in the 80's was primarily digital recorders, and many acts, producers, and studios preferred to use at least some analog recording machines. The mixing consoles the signals ran through to get to and from those digital recorders were (and to this day often still are) analog. Pro Tools, the first and (for a long time) most common entirely computer-based recording technology, didn't even come out until 1990, and it was initially largely adopted by studios that had big-dollar advertising and film clients, and used primarily for those jobs rather than rock & pop acts.
IOW, your initial condition of "digital production dominated the 80's" is questionable from a strictly technological standpoint - so it's hard to say what happened "in reaction to" that production.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:38 AM on November 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Your hypothesis kinda depends on what you mean by "digital production." I will say from both personal experience and the Wikipedia on digital recording that analog equipment was very much in use in professional recording through the 90's. Digital equipment used in the 80's was primarily digital recorders, and many acts, producers, and studios preferred to use at least some analog recording machines. The mixing consoles the signals ran through to get to and from those digital recorders were (and to this day often still are) analog. Pro Tools, the first and (for a long time) most common entirely computer-based recording technology, didn't even come out until 1990, and it was initially largely adopted by studios that had big-dollar advertising and film clients, and used primarily for those jobs rather than rock & pop acts.
IOW, your initial condition of "digital production dominated the 80's" is questionable from a strictly technological standpoint - so it's hard to say what happened "in reaction to" that production.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:38 AM on November 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Which is not to say that I disagree with your underlying thesis - that the 80's tended towards a "clean" or "pristine" or "polished" sound in its rock and pop recordings. Nor do I necessarily disagree with your idea that by the mid to late 80's some acts may have been intentionally adding noise to recordings in contrast.
So your question about "earliest examples of noise intentionally added" is totally valid, as is research into why acts may have added this noise. My concern is that you may be over-emphasizing the "digital" part of 80's production, unless, as boredoms mentioned, you're including the growing use of synthesizers and drum machines and sampling keyboards in that definition.
posted by soundguy99 at 8:03 AM on November 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
So your question about "earliest examples of noise intentionally added" is totally valid, as is research into why acts may have added this noise. My concern is that you may be over-emphasizing the "digital" part of 80's production, unless, as boredoms mentioned, you're including the growing use of synthesizers and drum machines and sampling keyboards in that definition.
posted by soundguy99 at 8:03 AM on November 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
Matthew Sweet's 1991 album Girlfriend had two songs—one halfway through the album, the other near the end—that were followed by "the sound of a vinyl outgroove and a phonograph needle lifting off a record, which was meant to signify the end of each side of the album as though it were an LP". I know from personal experience this effect is on both the original CD and cassette. Girlfriend wasn't released on vinyl until 2014.
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 8:20 PM on November 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 8:20 PM on November 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
> your question about "earliest examples of noise intentionally added" is totally valid, as is research into why acts may have added this noise.
Seems plausible that it was vinyl nostalgia induced by the rise of the CD as the dominant consumer format of the 80s/90s.
posted by rd45 at 2:53 AM on November 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
Seems plausible that it was vinyl nostalgia induced by the rise of the CD as the dominant consumer format of the 80s/90s.
posted by rd45 at 2:53 AM on November 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
Another avenue for research is through music-making hardware: for example, in 2002 the Boss Dr Sample 303 came with a vinyl simulation. It's possible that earlier samplers came with this too, although the precursor from Boss (the 202, from 1998) didn't have the vinyl pops that I'm aware of.
posted by Beardman at 10:13 AM on November 27, 2020
posted by Beardman at 10:13 AM on November 27, 2020
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posted by JonJacky at 11:28 AM on November 13, 2020 [13 favorites]