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  • “Hey man, is that Freedom Rock?”

    Gone are the days of television promoted albums like Freedom Rock…

    When I was coming along back in the 70s and 80s, I watched A LOT of TV. And I watched a lot, even though I had a hobby that took a lot of time in the afternoons. I was a veritable television fiend back in my early days and I’m sad to say, nothing’s changed in terms of my television viewing habits. In fact, I even tend to watch a lot of the same shows I watched thirty years ago if I can find them on the boob tube. Case in point, I still watch multiple episodes of The Brady Bunch every afternoon, unless something else, like a particularly compelling episode of Jerry Springer, has otherwise caught my attention.

    One thing I have noticed, however, is that the era of compilation albums being promoted on TV is now apparently over. I’m sure that’s because nowadays, a lot of people, myself included, download individual songs instead of purchasing compact discs. In fact, it looks like a lot of people aren’t even bothering to buy music the way they used to. I notice a lot of my Facebook friends listen to Pandora or Spotify or any of the other Internet radio stations that are now available to everyone.

    I can’t help it, though. I miss the ads for compilation albums. Fellow Pop Rock Nation writer and Facebook friend George Bounacos sometimes engages me in games of SongPop. He once marveled at my skill at that particular game. I have to admit, a large part of the reason I’m good at SongPop is because besides having very eclectic musical tastes, I learned an awful lot about music trivia by watching ads like the one for Freedom Rock.


    Remember this ad? It used to air all the time, with its scrolling snippets of classic songs that were popular before I was born or when I was too young to care.

    Freedom Rock was not the only ad that educated me about music. There were so many of them. I remember back in the late 1970s and early 80s, there would be ads for K-Tel records. I have heard that K-Tel compilations were of somewhat dubious quality. I wouldn’t know from personal experience because I never owned one. But I remember the ads…


    I don’t remember this specific ad, but I do remember so many like it. Actually, as a fan of 70s music, I’d probably love to own the collection being advertised here. I love me some Starbuck, after all.

    Some of the ads were hilarious. For instance, check out this commercial for a music collection directed to those who enjoy R&B and soul music.


    I’ve been an adult for well over twenty years and I’ve never known any of my friends to get all dressed up and have a group date at someone else’s apartment where they slow danced to an album they got in the mail. However, I have to admit this commercial kills me, especially when the guy at the end says, “No, my brother! You’ve got to buy your own!” Some friend, huh?

    If you preferred more Wonder bread style music, you could purchase Lost In Love.


    Looks like the folks in this ad were more interested in sitting on the couch, drinking wine, necking, and listening to some of the love song classics of the late 1980s… Hey, that compilation even had Donny Osmond’s comeback single, “Sacred Emotion”. Haven’t heard that one in a long while. I remember how people made fun of Donny in the late 80s for trying to reclaim his music career. Bear in mind that I was a teenager back then!

    For those who loved southern rock, there was Goin’ South. I would have liked this album, too…

    I actually own a couple of albums that were once hawked on TV. I purchased a “highlights” version of Easy Rock in Columbia, South Carolina back when I was in graduate school. It’s actually a great CD. I would have liked to have bought the double disc set advertised here…


    I used to listen to this all the time while writing and editing public health articles for the bureau of epidemiology where I worked at the time. It was great for concentrating.

    I also own Pure Funk, another great TV compilation disc. But besides being a great mix of music, Pure Funk had a hilarious commercial that went with it!


    Pure Funk was made by the same folks who brought us all three volumes of Pure Disco… also great fun!

    I know these types of ads haven’t gone away completely. I’ve seen the infomercials for the Time-Life Singers and Songwriters collection, for instance.


    This particular compilation has been hawked for at least twenty-three years. I remember when I was a freshman in college, someone who lived in my dorm had actually ordered the double disc set that was being sold back then. It must have done well, since they’ve expanded it. I would probably buy this if I weren’t already a compulsive music collection who downloads at the drop of a hat. I don’t know that I want to see a whole infomercial dedicated to it, though.

    Freedom Rock is probably among my favorite of all the compilation album ads. Time marches on, though, and with the decline of albums we’ve seen the decline of other associated things. I remember when I bought my first copy of the soundtrack for Purple Rain, it was on vinyl… and I got a free poster with it! LPs also allowed for some impressive artwork. I remember when I first bought Michael Jackson’s Thriller, it had drawings MJ had done in the liner notes. CDs don’t lend themselves as well to that. And digital downloads pretty much eliminate art. Even the downloads I’ve had that came with digital booklets pretty much get ignored. When I was younger and bought a record, I’d listen to the music and pore over the innards… if they came with them.

    I know I’m a Luddite. Oh well. George can take comfort in the fact that I don’t listen to newer music as much and don’t get exposed to it as much because the compilation ads have declined. That makes me less of a SongPop contender. And I can take comfort in the fact that Amazon sells a lot of those albums that used to not be available in stores!

  • The secret to singing online…

    The secret to singing online is having a really good microphone…

    I’m posting today because I got a question on SingSnap from someone who had read my last post and heard the huge difference between the way the two songs sounded. He wanted to know my secret to singing online! It’s simple, really. You need a good microphone.

    Compare the two recordings…

    The first video was done using my computer’s built in microphone. I use an iMac computer which, until a couple of days ago, did not have an external mic. Actually, I was pretty surprised that the first video sounded as good as it did. I didn’t expect good sound quality with the internal mic. Before I got my iMac, I used a PC that had a $10 external microphone. Again, it wasn’t bad, but I sure did miss singing into a “real mic”. The second video was done using a basic, but professional grade, Shure SM58 external microphone.

    After listening to a couple of my karaoke performances with my computer’s built in mic, I determined that it would be worth it to purchase an adapter that would allow me to plug in the Shure SM58 microphone I use with my karaoke machine at home. My computer requires peripherals that connect with USB cables. The microphones I use offline connect to cords that attach to my karaoke player with regular jacks. Since my computer did not have a place to plug in the regular cords, I needed to invest in a XLR to USB adapter.

    Off I went to Amazon.com, where I managed to find a Shure XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter. It was selling for $99. I went ahead and bought a desk stand and pop filter as well (thanks, Amazon suggestive selling!), although I probably don’t need them at this point. The adapter plugs easily into the USB port on the back of my computer and it’s simple to attach the microphone to the business end of the cord. The adapter is also good to have because it has a volume and monitor control, as well as a jack for headphones.

    The external microphone I’m now using is why my later recordings sound so much cleaner, clearer, and just plain BETTER than the earlier ones do. The model of microphone I use is Shure’s basic model, currently selling for $98. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s well made and solid quality. It’s important to bear in mind that the Shure microphone doesn’t come with a cord. A basic cord that plugs into a karaoke machine costs anywhere from $15-$20, but if you just want to use the mic for online singing, you’re probably best off just getting the adapter, which includes a cord that will connect to your computer.

    One thing the microphone doesn’t do when it’s hooked up to the computer is amplify. When I use it offline with my karaoke player, my voice is amplified, which I miss with the online karaoke experience. Perhaps my next purchase will be a new set of external speakers!

    Another odd effect is that for some reason, when I record while using this microphone, the music and my voice can get a bit out of sync. SingSnap.com does have settings that allow users to edit the recording so the syncing can be fixed. The internal mic does not cause the syncing problem, but I think the vastly superior quality of the recordings are well worth dealing with lagging and spending a few minutes editing.

    You can probably find less expensive mics and adapters online. I prefer Shure products because they are very high quality and hold up to a lot of abuse.

    I want to thank everyone who listened to the songs I posted last week of my karaoke exploits on SingSnap.com. I’ve gotten some very nice comments that have done a lot to boost my self-esteem. It was a lot of fun writing that article and rediscovering how much I still enjoy karaoke!

    The Shure SM58 with the XLR to USB Signal Adapter...
    The Shure SM58 with the XLR to USB Signal Adapter…

  • American Idol Season 12: Cutting Down To 8

    Idol After two weeks, it’s is so clear that the girls run this mutha that a blind man can see it. The only male who has performed even close to the best females is Burnell and you know, I know, and my dad who doesn’t even watch the show knows that he’s not winning this show. I do hope he makes it into the top four though.

    My prediction from last night was that Paul Jolley would be going home. Devin Vasquez could go home too, but he may have saved himself with his performance Wednesday. Lazaro is the one who deserves it, but I think America spares him one more week.

    Who rocked the stage?

    Casey Abrams who looked like a homeless samurai, rocked the house with the most horrendous beard you’ve ever seen.

    Then Jessica Sanchez performed her first single with Ne-Yo called Tonight. The fact that Ne-Yo’s on it should push it a little, but it’s not necessarily the kind of song you expect from her. It’s not a bad first try.

    Who were in the bottom three?

    After telling him that he his city was going to declare a day for him, Ryno Seacrest told Paul Jolley he was also in the bottom three. Cold world. Devin Vasquez was as well, even though he did a much better job this week than last. Lazaro was safe. Of course he was. I think even Nicki thought that was interesting.

    Via http://rihanna-vs-nicki-minaj.tumblr.com/.
    Via http://rihanna-vs-nicki-minaj.tumblr.com/.

    Amber was the third piece of that bottom three. That’s the Lazaro tax.

    Who went home?

    Well, I’m two for two. Paul Jolley has been eliminated. Phillip Phillips told him he was gone, gone gone.

    Based on the way this thing is working out, more than likely, Vasquez is next unless he has another really good week. But the fact that Amber was in the bottom three shows that the least interesting girl is also on the chopping block. I do hope that the fans stop voting for Lazaro as he’s absolutely overwhelmed.