{"id":123507,"date":"2022-12-16T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-16T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=123507"},"modified":"2022-12-13T17:09:52","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T16:09:52","slug":"the-sound-of-colour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=123507","title":{"rendered":"The Sound of Colour"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It all began in 1877 when the phonograph, later becoming the “record player”, was invented by the illustrious Thomas Edison. It was able to replay recorded sounds through a metal stylus pressing on a foil-wrapped cylinder. However, Emile Berliner was the one who created disk records since the cylinders weren’t practical. And disks became the prominent form of record. Record companies realized that pressing colours onto these disk records were a great way for them to stand out and grab the attention of their onlookers. From there, the concept of the coloured record was born, which eventually led to the coloured vinyl records we know today. To learn more continue reading The Sound of Colour<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key ingredient to creating early forms of records was shellac (in essence, a liquid that comes from lac bugs) to hold the records together as a resin. Shellac is naturally a brownish-red colour. However, producers of records didn\u2019t want people to feel disgusted by their use of \u201cbug juice\u201d, so they would use ingredients such as carbon to turn the records black. These early records were known as “shellac records”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The first coloured record came to be when Vocalion Records wanted their records to stand out in a reddish-brown colour around the 1920s. They decided to retain shellac’s natural colour which is how they got their brown colouring. Eventually, record companies around the 1930s transitioned to using polyvinyl chloride, replacing shellac. These PVC records are known as vinyl records, colloquially. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Coloured vinyl records came out around the same time as their invention. Since record companies already knew how to create coloured records with shellac records, many coloured vinyl counterparts came out around the 1930s. The most notable coloured vinyl records from the time came from Columbia Records creating Royal Blue editions of some of their records in the early 1930s. Coloured records never lost their appeal, and many companies released colour-pressed versions of vinyl records for a host of reasons. Eventually, record companies would also press images onto records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vinyl records have withstood the changes that come with time–even with digital streaming platforms, CDs, MP3s, etc.–music listeners still enjoy their favourite albums on vinyl records to this day. And coloured vinyl records are still just as sought after. Seen as collector items, coloured vinyl records are usually special versions of an album created for either promotional or celebratory purposes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been many uniquely designed coloured vinyl records throughout time. However, these ten vinyl records stand out, in their design and concept. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Like a Virgin <\/em>by Madonna (1984)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like a Virgin <\/em>was pop artist Madonna\u2019s second album released by Sire Records. Madonna was one of the producers of this dance-pop album as well as she wrote six of the songs on it. The album\u2019s title came from Madonna\u2019s provocative exploration of the religious root of her name (Madonna being a title for the Virgin Mary) and the concept of \u201cvirgin birth\u201d. The album helped Madonna establish her career as an artist as it was met with success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The white vinyl version of this album was a promotional version, and the conventional version of this album was originally black. The white vinyl was issued by Sire Records and was manufactured in Canada. It was meant to be distributed to the music press, radio stations, industry VIPs, etc. It soon became a sought-after collectable item due to Madonna and the album\u2019s popularity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n