COSMOPHONY 2112
by Oleg Synieokyi
Doctor of Social Communications, PhD in Law Degree,
Rock Archivist & Vinyl Collector, Ukraine
(October 2021)
The author's description of the latest book about the secrets of the vinyl planet
For the first time in rock literature comes this peculiar book on rock music, vinyl records and... space. As it turned out, many of us do not live on Earth, but on a quaint vinyl planet.
We still love to listen to good old rock on cassettes and vinyl records. Although increasingly, this magic pleasure comes to our lives in digital and through the Internet. We continue to believe in fairytales and sometimes even create them by ourselves. You are holding in your hands, my dear reader, the fabulous book Cosmophony about the history, present and future of rock music.
In the history of rock music there are still many 'white spots' and controversial issues. An unforgettable journey through different countries, big and small cities, as well as virtual flights to nearby planets and distant stars is waiting for you. There, you will unexpectedly meet with rare and lost musical diamonds. The author enthusiastically talks about selected music bands that have remained in the shadow of famous rock giants.
The presentation of a significant part of musical stories is conceived in the context of reflections on global communication problems, one way or another connected with Cosmos and Humanity.
Summarized facts and information regarding the life and work of interesting projects left on the other side of the Big Rock music records will shed light on a number of previously unknown details from the activities of the participants in these groups, not all of which were destined to become 'Rock Stars.' Readers will get acquainted not only with the chronicles of selected groups, but also a detailed chronology of events associated with each member of the described bands.
In this regard, the annals of selected performers are presented, which were not appreciated. The research material is grouped in accordance with stages, directions, regions, groups, individual problems. Fragments of the histories of a number of illustrious musical ensembles are contextually included in the collection (Angel, Argent, Belle Époque, Can, Cerrone, Eloy, Genocide, Grand Funk Railroad, Hawkwind, John Lawton Band, Kansas, Keef Hartley Band, Les Humphries Singers, Lucifer's Friend, Nektar, Pavlov's Dog, Ratt, Rush, Rockets, Santa Esmeralda, Sideburn, Space, Styx, Sweet, Tangerine Dream, Uriah Heep, Whitesnake, Wings, UFO & others).
The publication will be interesting for a wide range of readers from among music lovers, rock collectors, philophonists and researchers of archive records, vinyl rarities and home magnetic tapes.
Readers will get acquainted with the achievements in the field of technologies for the creation of phonograph records and restoration of sound recordings, protection against fakes, storage of phonograms, collectible rarities, peculiarities of lockdown rock sessions & reviews for the latest albums, as well as other issues combined into a single concept. The author tried to avoid repetitions, lengthy descriptions of well-known information, stereotypes and accepted stamps. The result was not a reference book, not an encyclopedia or documentary prose, not academic opus or historical journalism, not archival research or musicology publication, not an autobiographical novel or a science fiction, not a political-philosophical treatise. Here is an innovative literary format that includes in different proportions elements of all the genres mentioned above, plus something else. Analytical reviews smoothly flow into commenting of discographies, abundantly saturated with creative rehearsals in the light of personnel shifts. Numerous legal incidents and organizational troubles associated with the management of groups and labels are highlighted. The rhetorical question returns the reader to the neverending problem of the wars of formats, speeds and other physical parameters, emphasizing its relevance.
Photographic materials from the author's private collection, archives, libraries, magazines and newspapers are used in this book for illustration. Authors of other photographs are indicated in introductory scatch and on pages nearby corresponding snap-shots. The information in this book is the possession of the author and cannot be copied or published without his written permition. The original book full text digital copying and publishing on the Internet are forbidden without author's permition. Reprint rights for not-for-profits online publications may be re-quested through the author personally. Regarding individual orders of the hard copies within claimed edition you should contact the publisher or official distributor.