Product Description

For nearly 60 years, since the arrival of the long-playing record in 1948, the album has provided the soundtrack to our lives. Our record collections, even if they're on CD, or these days, an iPod, are personal treasure, revealing our loves, errors of jugdement and lapses in taste.

Self-confessed music obsessive, Travis Elborough, explores the way in which particular albums are deeply embedded in cultural history, revered as works of art or so ubiqitous as to be almost invisible.

But in the age of the iPod, when we can download an infinite number of single tracks and need never listen to a whole album ever again, does the concept of an album still mean anything?

THE LONG-PLAYER GOODBYE is a brilliant piece of popular history and a celebration of the joy of records. If you've ever had a favourite album, you'll love Travis Elborough's warm and witty take on how vinyl changed our world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #118540 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Review
'He's got a happy knack of stuffing sentences with facts, colour and incident' (Scotland on Sunday 20080905)

'Pleasingly compelling... Elborough is a charming, funny and frequently fascinating guide' (Daily Telgraph 20080831)

'Reassuring air of cultural authority... impressive depth of perspective... admirably persuasive' (Independent on Sunday 20081128)

'Fascinating... very fresh and clear' ( Guardian 20081210)

'Wonderful book... a great thundering roar of nostalgia for the LP record.' (Spectator )

'Elborough has the passion of a true enthusiast... but he's also an indefatigable researcher, who has somehow seen a clear path through the vast amount of material to write a book that reads easily and well but also wholly coherently. Richly enjoyable.' (Mail on Sunday )

'highly entertaining' (Independent )

'an affectionate adieu to the format' (The Long-Player Goobye )

'Lovingly researched' (TLS )

'pacey narrative' (New Statesman )

'Very good' (Herald )

'a P.G. Wodehouse guide to pop history' (Times Online )

'a timely paean to the sound of the needle hitting the record' (Metro )

About the Author
Travis Elborough is a former bookseller and a freelance writer. His previous book, The Bus We Loved: London's affair with the Routemaster was a massive critical success. He lives in London and owns far too many albums for his own good. (20080802)

Customer Reviews

The life and times of fantastic plastic.
I bought this in hardback and enjoyed every fact splattered page, providing as it does not just a history of everybody's favourite teenage obsession - but also a commentary that is pithy, wise and funny. I'm glad its out in paperback now because I have a couple of birthdays coming up and this will be an ideal gift for a few mates who will forever be armchair record producers. If you like to slide those faders up to 11, kick back and feel the noise - then you'll love this.