cktimes.ca Archives for Classic Vinyl


Classic Vinyl

With Allan Day

THE HISTORY OF THE FLEXI DISC

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Exile on Mainstreet Ford/Philco Hip-Pocket Flexi
 German Tumbling Dice Postcard Record Soviet Angie Postcard Record German Emotional Rescue Record Soviet Paint It Black Postcard Soviet Midnight Rambler Postcard Record Dzuboks Stones Flexi Discs

I had a friend over last week for a view of some of my Stones collection---to my amazement, he had never heard of flexi disc's or the Foreign issued postcards that were made in the 1960's. The Postcards were one of the ways that Rock and Roll could be heard in the Communist countries. By making this type of very accessible record, made to look like flower scenery, pet animals and other everyday pictures, the average teenager could listen to the music being produced in the Western Countries.

The fidelity quality of these discs is not for the best for listening, but acceptable-- some discs had a space to tape a penny on them, so they wouldn't slide on your turntable. Poland issued records in a flexi_postcard disc form and more liberated countries Germany-Holland released more banned records such as Star, Star by The Stones. What started out as a throwaway when finished listening to, are now hugely collectible, some get bids in the $100's of dollars---Flexipop was a 80's UK magazine that included a floppy flexi disc in each issue---all of these are highly collectible now.

In 1967 Americom and Philco (the electronics division of Ford Motor Co.) began mass marketing flexi discs of the era's top 40 hits. They dubbed this the Hip-Pocket Records by Philco and Pocket-Discs by Americom---Hip-Pocket releases cost anywhere from 50 to 69 cents---packaged in picture-embossed paper envelopes and usually featured 2 songs (check out my Bo Diddley, Otis Redding SS releases) Over a two-year span, the company released over 60 titles and the format became popular enough that Philco made a miniature radio/phonograph, that operated by battery power, played the company's Hip-Pocket flexis and Americom made a vending machine with titles coming in generic cardboard sleeves, at a cost of 50 cents each.

Check out Michael Cumella's Museum of oddball and Flexi disc's http://www.wfmu.org/MACrec/ very unique and interesting.

Now when I was selling items on ebay, I must have sold an easy 500 Guitar Player magazines from the 70's-80's. Many collector's were purchasing them for the flexi disc that would be attached inside the centre of the issue---some buyers were very serious on completing the set that spanned many years----on the flexi disc was usually the guitarist who was featured on the cover that month, who would cut an unreleased track for the buyers to listen to, sometimes it was a personal guitar lesson or a hit track played differently---way back in 1972, The Stones released "Exile On Mainstreet" (very collectible today) in the Musical Express magazine. There are quite a few Frank Zappa postcard's from Poland on the Polpress label. All of these postcards are considered bootlegs, as they have not been given permission to be made---In Russia, NO RECORDS are given permission to be made---NO OFFICIAL RELEASES IN ANY FORMAT---you gotta love living in the western world, don't you?

The Flexi Disc was a very cheap, fast way to produce, than conventional records---Evatone created the discs, calling them "Soundsheets" in 1960---these would eventually be found in cereal boxes, software for your computer, greeting cards, Ford/Philco used them as giveaways when selling their cars, McDonald's used them in contests, bible stories were put on them, installation instructions, literally they were used everywhere and they were also designed to be disposable. When was the last time you saw one of these in a magazine? Well it would be in the year 2000, sadly the company stopped making them as demand had dwindled to nil.

R.I.P. Flexi Disc you're not the first music format to bite the dust---I know I enjoyed your existence and learned many a guitar lick off of some of them.

This week's youtubes are from the infamous Frank Zappa, a true originator/inovator of jazz infused rock and roll "Stinkfoot" live 1974 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf8TM4CIk5g&feat...ure=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf8TM4CIk5g&...ure=related> "Camarillo Brillo" live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A175TP5dtP0&feat...ure=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A175TP5dtP0&...ure=related> a rehearsal clip for "Baby Snakes" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcNjn-dEcK0&feat...ure=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcNjn-dEcK0&...ure=related> Frank Zappa "Stairway To Heaven" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p3Ue3ncH3g&feat...ure=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p3Ue3ncH3g&...ure=related> and to start you off, "Part 1 of Frank Zappa age 22 on the Steve Allen show" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e3I0iagWXU&feat...ure=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e3I0iagWXU&...ure=related> you can go to part 2-3 and 4 on your computer

Hope you enjoyed this weeks column and see you in 2 weeks---contact me at bluesslider88@yahoo.ca or at cktimes with any comments you would like to make about classic vinyl



Allan Day----long time acquaintance of John Gardiner----I presently live in Goderich Ontario, retired (oh yeah) and live for the sound of music, especially from the 60's music explosion---I hope you enjoy some of my articles and they bring back some lost memories of bands gone by. Now I have to let you know that I am a HUGE Rolling Stones fan, collector, historian and I hope to hear any stories you might have on this GREAT Band from the 60's----email me at CK Times and let me know what you have or memories you have of this group. I will include stories and short stories on The Stones each week.