Friday, May 15, 2015

There's a Birthday in the House...

Linear Tracking Lives was established six years ago today with a short post about Those Darlins. Random, for sure, but I was off and running. Every May 15 I ask myself whether I want to continue. As long as it doesn't feel like work, I'll keep it going. I love our little community, and it's the camaraderie with you that makes it fun and completely worth the commitment. So, thank you, dear readers and fellow bloggers.

I'm not one to follow my blog stats. I think it stems from not having an audience for the first couple of years. No news is good news... that sort of thing. I did poke around today for the first time in a long while, fishing for an inspiring way to sum up these six years through music. What I learned was that in the early days my most successful posts, in terms of readership anyway, were the ones when a 12" single was highlighted. So, if the numbers don't lie, here are among the six most popular extended versions ever to appear on Linear Tracking Lives! I'm thinking every one of you will find at least one song in this lot that will make you say, "Really?" Just go with it. This is supposed to be a celebration.

ABC - Tears Are Not Enough (12")
Madness - Sweetest Girl (Extended Version)
China Crisis - Fire and Steel (Mix)
The English Beat - March of the Swivelheads (Extended)
Big Country - Fields of Fire (400 Miles) (Alternative Mix)
Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder - Together in Electric Dreams (Extended)

Oh, and in case you're wondering about the photo, this is the Technics SL-6 linear-tracking turntable. That was my turntable in 1984, and it's still my turntable today. So, for me, linear tracking lives...

14 comments:

The Swede said...

Congratulations on your first six years - long may you continue. My pick of the mixes? Madness's splendid Scritti cover.

drew said...

Well Done Brian. Keep up the good work. Still having the same turntable after 31 years is impressive and shows just how well built Technics products are built. Here's hoping my SL1200 lasts as long.

george said...

Six years, great achievement Brian. Maybe a little less Scritti Politti over the next 6, though!!!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday - I admire your stamina and ability to keep it fresh - way beyond my meagre effort.
A big thank you for all your posts. Really enjoying the 90s series

Echorich said...

Congrats Brian! It's always comforting and gratifying that the blogosphere is where I found like minded musical souls and your's is just about the most like minded I know!
Now to find out you had the same Technics Turntable as I did back in the day is like icing, cherry and extra whipped creme on a very tasty cake. While everyone else I knew was overheating their vinyl on Sony or Pioneer home systems, I went for Technics...maybe it was style/form over function, but it would be a few more years before I went from Technics silver to Marantz gold and finally Denon black in the early 90's. These days it's Pioneer for analog vinyl and Numark for transfer to 0's and 1's (which I really hate doing).
I hope you keep flying the Scritti/EBTG/Primitives flags among others for years to come!!

Charity Chic said...

As long as it doesn't feel like work is my philosophy also Brian
Congratulations on your first 6 years

C said...

Six years - wow - congrats! And long may you continue. I really believe that blogging is the most creative form of social media: it takes love, commitment and effort! Good on you.

Scott said...

Well done on your first six years Brian. Although I am fairly new to your blog, it is one of the first sites I log on to each day and always look forward to seeing what you have posted. Here's to another six years of top quality posts.

McPop said...

Even though I've only been around for a short time, I really appreciate your blog and hope you continue for another 6 years! Thanks for showing your turntable. It's good to know the origin of your blog's name. It all makes sense now. Congrats.
--Matt

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Brian, keep on keepin on
Swiss Adam

Uncle E said...

Congrats, and please keep it going. I'm with you on the whole "why am I doing this" conundrum, but you are right: the community of like minded music obsessives enable us to continue each day/week/month, etc. Yours is one of my "daily checks". Happy anniversary.

Brian said...

Thanks so much for the kind words, everyone. Humbling, to say the least. Oh, and George, you would get along with my wife very well. Thus, the Scritti-free zone in our home. That's the only positive I can think of when it comes to her constant travel for work.

Dirk said...

Sorry mate: no internet for me this weekend, garden work instead all the freakin' time!! Therefore a belated happy birthday, to you and your blog: Keep the good posts coming, alright?

Luca said...

Buon compleanno al blog! I especially like the Moroder / Oakey track. Oh, and thank you for all your efforts during these 6 glorious years.