More Rolf Ulrici Monitor Book Covers

I'm seeing lots of influences here. Seems to depend on the year these books were reissued. There's even this pair of LPs from 1974.

What do you think?

COVER STORY

Like books, LP covers are a fab store of vintage toys and props. There are hundreds on the net. We've covered a few before on MC over the years and here's a few covers more. Enjoy.

I love this Pink and Perky car. Is that a toy or a prop?

I always liked Burl Ives' snowman but that flying Santa and Reindeer rings a bell. Is it a toy version?

Which Action Man uniform is that?

That's one cool Nova rocket. Do you think they made it for the cover?

I think this is 1955. So what's that gorgeous Fire Engine? Anyone know?

This robot looks familiar. What is it?

Lovely robot collage. What is that bot?

Good Night? Good grief! What can I say! I thought Candy and Andy was bad!

Last but not least is this LP from my youth. It belonged to my older Bruvv. But what is that giraffe? A toy?

Do you know of any old toys on LP covers?

PS. Mentioned in Kev's comment, BBC Space Themes.

MAJOR MATT MASON: THE BAND!

 

I knew about a band called TV21 but finding out that there was a band called Major Matt Mason was all news to me!

Are there other rock bands named after toys, comics and TV shows?

POPS IN SPACE LP: THE JOHN WILLIAMS?

I picked this LP up in a charidee shop whilst on my hols, one I'd not seen before: Pops in Space.

Its by John Williams and the Boston Pops and was released by Philips in 1980. I assume its THE John Williams - is that him in the picture?

Here's the LP track listing:

1. Superman

2. March 4:23

3. Love Theme 4:47

4. The Empire Strikes Back

5. The Asteroid Field 4:11

6. Yoda's Theme 3:19

7. The Imperial March 3:03

8. Star Wars

9. Main Theme 5:35

10. Princess Leia 4:03

11. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

12. Suite 10:03

Is this an LP you have readers? Do you have any other space film theme compilations like this?

MYSTERY MISSILE: BERLIN 1979

Hi All,

Just came across a photo of the first record released by the American group Berlin, in 1979. 

It is 'A Matter of Time', with 'Overload' on the other side. Released by Renegade Records. 

The interesting thing is that the cover of this single has a photo of a missile on it. Looks to be a model, rather than the real thing, with the name of the group on the nose. 

Now 1950s US missiles are not my usual area, so I am not certain what type of missile it is - perhaps a Northrop SM-62 Snark ? If so, the outer wing panels, underwing fuel tanks, and the booster rockets all seem to be missing. 

There were several kits of this missile released in the late 1950s, but surely none would have still been around in 1979 ? It might also be a Regulus II, but the Snark looks closer. 

The attached photo of the record cover is from this website.

Berlin A Matter Of Time - P/S US 7" vinyl single (7 inch record) (618400) (eil.com)

Paul Adams from New Zealand

VINYLNET CENTURY 21 RECORDS DISCOGRAPHY

This maybe of interest of you're a Century 21 Records collector. Its a list of their releases, LP's and EP's. Being a century 21 toy collector, their records are not something I collect. Do you?

https://www.vinylnet.co.uk/label-discographies/century-21

SPIRE AWAY!

Tony K's wonderful postcards reminded me how much I adored Roger Dean's art as a teenager. His visions graced so many rock covers back then it was almost mantra.

In the loft I've got my original but dog-eared Views book alongside the similar much-thumbed Studio, both by Paper Tiger. One of Roger's images I recall is this amazing church spire blasting off like a rocket.

Its such a simple idea and one we will have all thought as kids, that spires look like rockets. Theirs plenty of meaning that can be squeezed out of it too - churches/ God/ Astronaut/ space etc.

Its the cover to Ramases' album Space Hymns.

What do you think?

THUNDERBIRDS TV THEME IN JAPANESE

Blog reader and friend Bill Everatt flagged this up.

Its the full TV theme from Thunderbirds in Japanese courtesy of You Tube! 

It was released as a single too and the cover and sleeve pictures are fabulous, especially of the Zero-X! Here's part of the inside courtesy of Discogs. It looks like a small comic.

Bill sent me the link to Discogs, a record sales and reference site, where you can see all the record sleeve pictures. Here it is..

Here are the approximate lyrics from Bill.

Thunderbird

To Glowing Cosmic Blue Space 

Dancing the breeze

Thunderbird

For the happiness of this night

Land on the sea

who can find the sky

That calling voice is S-O-S

Thunderbird

To Glowing Cosmic Blue Space

Dancing the breeze

THUNDERBIRD

Japanese lyrics by = Takita Jun

Composer = Barry Gray

Arranger = Hattori Katsuhisa

Singer = Royal Knights 

What do you think readers?

JAPANESE THUNDERBIRDS RECORD

I saw this old Japanese Thunderbirds single on Noppin online.

Note the Century 21 logo bottom right.

I love the artwork, which I assume is Shigeru Komatsuzaki's.

I wonder if this is Japanese version of a UK Century 21 release?

I'm not au fait with Thunderbirds records.

You?

CENTURY 21 RECORDS SHOP POSTER 1965

This was an interesting auction I saw last month. A piece of shop display material for Century 21 that's new to the blog.

You ever seen one readers?

Century 21 Records original UK shop display poster issued by Record Retailer magazine, 1965. This poster was for use in record shops to promote the launch of Century 21 label and advertised the first six EPs to be released.

17 x 11 inches (approx).

The Themes of Barry Gray on my Stereo: A Moonbase central Video

This is another short film from the Moonbase.

This time I've recorded an old record I got this past Christmas playing on my record player.

Its a Fanderson EP of Barry Gray's fabulous themes from Gerry Anderson's shows.

It was a lovely gift so I wanted to share it.

The rest of side 1 to follow soon.

Enjoy.

TOY ROBOT RECORD COVERS

Before I gear up for the main theme of toy robots on record covers I thought I'd zoom in on this cover first, 'The Planets' by Holst. Besides the burlesque Flash Gordon garb along with the Star Wars positioning, the toy interest lies in the ray guns. They look so familiar. Anyone know what they are?

OK, let's get to the robots. Here's Robby grooving on the cover of K-Tel's 'Music Machine' - as advertised on TV! Wonder if Robby got any royalties? Do you think its a toy or kit Robby? Billiken?

Next up we have this classic and oft-used image of two space toys in one from the inner sleeve of the Pretender's first album of the same name from 1980. I have seen this on an old American magazine cover too I'm sure.

picture credit: REBRN

The helmet is the beautiful vintage American Banner Plastics 'Space Helmet with radar Goggles' from the 1950's. Anyone recognise the skirt robot with remote control?

Another classic toy bot, this time its Marx's Big Loo's head on the CD cover and sleeve of Los Lobos' 'Colossal Head'.

Picture credit: AIGA. You can read the designer's notes on the AIGA archive

Last but not least is the album 'Explorers of the Dreamworld' by my old musical and artistic friend Tim Rafferty as part of his electronic music band Headshock. The cover features his and our fave toy robots, the Zeroids! Yay! Can you think of any more robot record covers readers?

RANDY RAYDER AND OTHER SPACE AND HORROR SOUND EFFECTS RECORDS

Andy, reader recently reminded me of Randy Rayder, the 1960's LP record featuring our pal Probe Force 1 on the cover. Despite being a narrated story, many online record dealers class it under 'sound effects'. Out of interest I delved into sound effects records and was amazed to see how many there are. Here's a smattering of vintage space and horror sounds effects vinyl borrowed from the amazing Discogs marketplace.

This LP cover for Drop Dead I used to see in the Captain Company adverts at the back of Warren's fantastic Creepy and Eerie comics, which were strewn around the boys' lounge in my parents' house in the Sixties.

Another one from back page ads, this one I have on the wall at Moonbase, Famous Monsters Speak.

And finally, an album I loved as a young teenager, BBC Sound Effects of Death and Horror. With titles like 'Arm chopped off' and 'Lunatics laughing' it was guaranteed to have monster fans like me hooked! My daughter got me framed copy of this this Christmas, which will also go on the Moonbase wall! There were three further volumes of BBC Death and Horror Sound Effects: