Category Archives: Media

WTF Bad Album Covers: Organ Fantasy

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We were so busy last week with the inauguration of our new digital single download offerings that we haven’t posted a single bad album cover in quite some time. But rest assured, now that the kickoff of the digital downloads has started we are back on the prowl for the worst album covers ever.

For example…

Organ Fantasy does NOT sound like the name of a record…it’s more like some unreleased David Friedman 42nd Street “adults only” epic starring Chesty Morgan and an embryonic Shannon Tweed. If it weren’t for that balloon on the lower left pointing the way, you could almost excuse this as the work of some genuinely naive and misguided soul…but no. Organ Fantasy is definitely the work of some twisted prankster.

And what on EARTH was the near literal FRENZY to preserve ORGAN music in the first place? There are so many records dedicated to the organ that you’d think all the performers would be EXTINCT in five years or something. How many frickin’ organ records do we really need? No wonder they resorted to Freudian names with Beavis and Butthead visual puns on the cover–the art directors were probably going out of their minds with the literal avalanche of organ records.

Rek-O-Cut Portable Vinyl Record Lathe

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Yes, I’m obsessed with these portable vinyl record cutting units! I fully intend to purchase the first multi-speed unit that works I can find, and start cranking out strange lo-fi electronica. In the meantime I have to content myself with viewing vids like this and trolling places that might sell a unit like these:



If you happen to be selling a unit like this or want to chat about record lathes in general, please drop me a line…would love to get price lists or learn more about DIY record cutting.

Turntabling Presents Homeless Download: Chicago Indie Electronic Compilation

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A hand-crafted and hand-lettered CD case, plus a dozen tracks of curious, left-of center electronic music from Chicago is what you get when you buy Homeless Download, the new compilation project from Turntabling.

Homeless Download features 12 tracks from a variety of Chicag0-based electronica projects including Paisley Babylon, Electronic Penis Choppers, Thelema USA, Satan’s Tea Boy VS. Toilet, and a surprise appearance by Texas sound manipulators Post-Mortem Telepathy.

Homeless Download ranges from Aphex Twin-style bouncy synth to distorted, near Power Electronics type electronica and a few shades of grey inbetween. This album is definitely the soundtrack to some kind of futuristic big screen madness, we’re just not sure what.

At press time this release is ONLY available as a physical CD purchase via Etsy.com in the Turntabling shop. It is a limited edition package, hand-crafted and lettered. No more than 250 of these editions will be made. Each one is hand crafted to order and may require 2 weeks to complete and ship based on order volume.

TRACKLISTING:

1. Robes Off
— Thelema USA

2. Ever Hear Me Screaming?
— Paisley Babylon

3. I Did I Number Two for the Republican Party
— Electronic Penis Choppers

4. Do You Question the Religion?
— Paisley Babylon

5. French Kissing Jack Kervorkian
— AUDITORTURE

6. Eternal Surveillance
— We Are Delicious

7. Play Now, Honey
— Satan’s Tea Boy Vs. Toilet

8. Watching The Golden Girls On Ketamine
— The Velvet Underdog

9. The Naked Pentagram
— Thelema USA

10. Cream Fist
— Murder City Devils

11. Savior Noise (Epic Quarter Hour Version)
— Paisley Babylon

Plus one “hidden” track by Post-Mortem Telepathy.

All material is copyright 2011 Turntabling Records except Post-Mortem Telepathy which appears courtesy of the individual artists.

Peter King’s Home-Made Record Lathe

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Lately a lot of my free time has been dedicated to researching how to build a home-made DIY record lathe. I’m fascinated by the video clips I’ve seen of people making their own records using sheets of acetate or transparency film for flexi-discs, cutting records on compact disc, even plastic plates!

The thing about home-made records that is the most intriguing–the end product does not have the indefinite lifespan that ordinary vinyl does–every play potentially reduces the lifespan of the DIY recording. This ‘destructible music’ is a wild concept–and one that is strangely attractive to me. I plan on investigating this further as it would be great to put out some crazy Turntabling Records RECORDS and see what happens.

In the meantime, here’s a look at Peter King–who apparently has a very good reputation in these circles and even cuts records for others using his setup–operating his own DIY record lathe. Amazing stuff. This video is a bit chaotic and crazy, hoping to locate some more instructive or informational clips to pass on here. I think the band having its record cut is some kind of Power Electronics noise outfit, like you’d find in the pages of As Loud As Possible.