Comments on: Vinyl Data

By: Teebo

Teebo — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:23:59 +0000

I have a 45 of “talk to me” by the band Mainframe. The B-side contains 1 program for about 3 different UK-based computer formats(BBC Micro, etc).

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:02:26 +0000

Yes, I remember the ZX Spectrum broadcast on Channel 4 very well. The day I did it, it was stuff from Melbourne House. It had a demo for Mugsy’s Revenge (pool hall scene) and a loading screen for a game called Black Belt (never heard of it again) and a Horace game that never was (never heard of that again either, a real mystery that one) – then there was a demo for Sir Lancelot.
From there it went we had Channel 4 ident and then Microsphere software and a demo for a game called “A day in the life” featuring Sir Clive Sinclair. Lastly there was a single level of a game called Jasper. Think that’s all…it has been 20 years. I really must dig out the ageing tape and make it available.

By: Sean McManus

Sean McManus — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:33:15 +0000

Great article, thanks.

Regarding channel 4 broadcasting games, I wonder whether that was signal interference from someone loading their Spectrum next door?

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:57:26 +0000

Andrew Owen - Didn't you enter the Plastic Raygun game in the CSS Crap Game Competition one year? I'm sure that's how I managed to play it. I have the vinyl, as I later released a 12" on Plastic Raygun, and found out about it. I found my copy in a second hand shop a few months after that! I think this is the 12" that is mentioned above as "Google", which should be "Googlex" http://www.discogs.com/release/193830 However, I do not know if there is any code on this one. Atomic Robo Kid had a track on the Spectrum EP, and I think the 2 releases have been confused by somebody. http://www.discogs.com/release/264791 Also, I definitely remember one band showing off their BBC Micro video on TVS's 'Number 73'

By: Mattybennett

Mattybennett — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:21:52 +0000

Yep – good site.

I’ve got the Pete Shelley album and the Thompson Twins advanture. Completed it too – its actually not that bad, although some of the actions are obscure to say the least – use the walkthruogh.

Do any of you remember a game called “The Extricator”? It was a mid 80’s adventure with a dance track on side B of the tape made up from spectrum loading noise. Not sure what to make of it, but I do remember bits of it even now.

By: Justice

Justice — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 16:29:39 +0000

OMG I just found my old Thompson Twins Adventure flexidisc in a cleanout. Wish I hadn’t thrown out my record player now. LOL

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 08:22:08 +0000

Computer programs on records apparently originally came out in July 1977 (according to old-computers.com). Here’s the link to the article which is quite humorous:

http://www.old-computers.com/history/detail.asp?n=30&t=2

I also sent him a link to your site on the records with the Sinclair programs on them.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 08:13:22 +0000

Hey… just read your spectrum games on records piece… a
few years ago I bought a 12″ ep of electronica on a uk
label called plastic phantom (maybe) imaginately titled
“the spectrum ep” with a funky yellow plastic sleeve and a
paper label pic of a spectrum on the top. the last track is
called “brand new games” and it sounds like more of the
same allthough I always assumed they’d done the reverse
of what you’d mentioned and put audio data from an
existing games tape onto vinyl. I used to buy c64
cassettes just to listen to those noises sometimes… crazy
sounds.

By: Vitesse

Vitesse — Wed, 13 Oct 2004 07:23:44 +0000

Ah, the Sinclair Spectrum. Good memories. Unfortunately I was one of those that could recognize loading by the sounds.

By: Mario

Mario — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 18:17:06 +0000

I have a 12″ with ZX code on one side and music on the other – it’s by a band called la lu lu’s -does anyone know anything about this?

By: Ola

Ola — Tue, 29 Jun 2004 11:36:28 +0000

The album “�ver tid och rum” by “Adolphson & Falk” contains a program for Atari machines.
See http://www.efd.lth.se/~e96an/vintage/af/af.html
(only in swedish, sorry, but there’s a picture of the album, the program code and the running program)

By: John

John — Sun, 27 Jun 2004 15:54:26 +0000

I think the record companies should know this: NOBODY BUYS MUSIC CD’S TO GET COMPUTER PROGRAMS!!

If anybody knows the person who came up with idea, please direct them to this post.

By: Scot

Scot — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 15:58:42 +0000

Anyone remember Mazogs on the ZX81, good thing about the ZX81 was that it made the Spectrum look good.

By: Ian Speight

Ian Speight — Fri, 14 May 2004 20:50:54 +0000

Very intresting,however one small gripe.
The Stranglers keyboard player, is Dave
Greenfield. & not Mark.I do seem to remember
one of The Stranglers albums, (The Raven ?)
which contained a load of beeps/tones sounds,
which fans had to decipher into something.
I never found out if anybdy ever managed it.
And i am wondering know if it was some sort of
early programme for a computer.However as the
album was released in 1979, it would have had
to be a very early programme

By: David

David — Fri, 07 May 2004 06:20:30 +0000

Bah. My Atari 800 > your C-64. That is all.

By: Dave S.

Dave S. — Mon, 03 May 2004 07:29:07 +0000

I believe that Information Society’s “HACK” album also contained an encoded track in the same format… but I don’t really remember.

Their original CD had CD+G graphics, which were really cute, unfortunately the reissues don’t include this, which really sucks.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 01 May 2004 09:57:07 +0000

Hi there, I played in Inner City Unit for the NewAnatomy album (their/our worst) and am the person responsible for the data track, the main things I remember about it are: it was 48k to the byte long, there was a competition to win the acetates of the album on it but no-one entered (I still have the acetates), we mastered the data track straight onto the record lathe from the spectrum itself, there was no tape between the computer and the record. I’ve managed to get it running on Spectrum emulators on the PC in the pat, but don’t have a copy any more, I’ll have another go at it and if I get it working I’ll send you a copy. It was really just glorified sleeve notes, lyrics, a guide to the best on the road food places, a lightshow, band history etc..
Oh, and if people looked at the source it had a postal address for more goodies.. but alas, no-one found that either (useless now, I’ve moved..) oh, and the track was submitted to the PRS as “Electronic music, avant garde” so I could collect publishing on it! Thanks for including us, -Steve

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 24 Apr 2004 11:00:33 +0000

Super! I’m extremely nostalgic for the Spectrum also.

By: Arthur Butler qx

Arthur Butler qx — Sat, 24 Apr 2004 04:57:43 +0000

Great stuff! I’m extremely nostalgic for the Spectrum. It still seems amazing to me that the entire computer can be compressed into one Java applet which runs within a webpage!

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 20 Apr 2004 04:46:12 +0000

Anyone but me remember Radio One (I think..) actually broadcasting Spectrum software? I remember at least twice trying to patch the radio into the computer and it almost worked. Probably we were expected to tape the thing and load it later but I was too impatient…..