K-TEL Records!!!

That is one I still have from my childhood, with one cracked record. It was released in the US too...looks like the identical package, amd the track list is the same too. Interesting, usually that isn't the case. Luckily they released the same albums individually, so I was able to replace the broken one. I have never seen the box set anywhere though! Must be very rare.

 

Is there a cheesier song than Stay A While? I knew that at around 9 when I got that set!

 

An excellent track list...they got much better in the 80's!

 

It is possible it is full length on that album. There are far fewer tracks per side on that compilation. Normally there would be no way it would be full length! Most songs with 10-12 per side ran maybe 2:30. And maybe the first song on each side would go three minutes....they would usually put one of the strongest hits first and it would sometimes be close to full length, with a slightly early fadeout, but after that they would get awfully short! Some of them laughingly so!

 

Ha! They all sounded like crap...until the 80's and then they started making a big deal about using "the best available masters" and cutting the somgs down to six or so per side. That did improve things greatly, but I was kind of over the Ktel thing by then, since I could afford to buy the real thing.

 

Those are excellent!! I have many of them...I think it was an off shoot of CBS so they had access to decent masters. Highly recommended! Great sound and track lists. The sixties one is especially good.

 

I have this one..It's a great compilation that I'd love to see a CD release of.

 

K-Tel Brazil?

BTW, TI code = Italy

 

I have LOONNG loved Various Artist albums, as they're far better at times than having to contend with the storage of the 7 inch single. I'd say I have the entire spectrum of the 50's to the mid-late 70's rock era represented quite well. As far as K-Tel/Ronco, I have my share of some of the more classic titles from '70 to '77. Yeah, there's some annoying edits and these aren't records for audiophiles, but they're fun listens overall. Ronco's 1975 "Far Out" is a big favorite for its sequence, as is K-Tel's 1971 "20 Power Hits Volume 2".

 

We had lots of these. Can't say I ever listened to them but the covers formed a key part of my education...

 

Everybody had these in the UK, but nobody wanted them

The covers were to soften the blow of being 'gifted' with one of the wretched things, I'd say.

 

Does anyone have this? We had it and I seem to remember inside it had a fancy map of pop. It was all over to with a cool ad.

 

Here's one from code 07 cut by AZ which sounds quite decent.

The track list has some real gems and duds. I used to have about 25 of these albums, down to 7 now. Most of them are just awful.

 

I still have this on vinyl....

(Sorry, having trouble pasting the images. I think I got it now.)

 

Mom!

 

This is a Ktel disguised as a charity record...

 

I received Rock 80 as a gift in first grade. It pretty much cemented my musical tastes for the red of my life.

 

Wish I still had some of my old ones long gone.

 

This was one of the first albums I remember buying with my own money. Got it for Elton and TDN, but it was a gateway to a slew of great artists I was just discovering. Still have it.

 

It's an interesting one. The quality of sound varies immensely from track to track unfortunately. Also of interest, the jacket has a Ktel cat# but the record has a Columbia.

 

I used to have it on cassette. That "map of pop" rings a distant bell, I think it used to look like some kind of multi-coloured shooting star pattern. I wonder if it's still in my attic...

 

Odd selection on this one. Quite a few stiffs and non-singles.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure most of these things were designed for out of touch parents and relatives to buy as birthday or Christmas gifts to unsupecting kids. Many had TV commercials, yes? Never saw them during Saturday morning cartoons but I bet they aired during whatever shows adults watched.

Before I could afford to actually buy albums myself I was forced to buy only singles and listen to the radio. I'd tell my parents I desperately wanted the Beatles' White Album or Brain Salad Surgery or something (you know, an ACTUAL album) and they'd get me some Ronco or K-Tel abomination because "the guy at the store said THIS one had all the hits on it!"

 

To me these are time capsules. I own a relative small number of them as a result. I like to grab them whenever I find cheapie copies, but more often than not, they're not in good enough condition for me to add to my collection.

The one that I've had since I was a kid though and played most often was this one:




A1 –The Police Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
A2 –Moody Blues, The The Voice
A3 –REO Speedwagon Take It On The Run
A4 –Pat Benatar Promises In The Dark
A5 –Who, The You Better You Bet
A6 –Rick Springfield I've Done Everything For You
A7 –Daryl Hall & John Oates Private Eyes
B1 –Commodores Lady (You Bring Me Up)
B2 –Carl Carlton She's A Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)
B3 –Rick James Super Freak
B4 –Genesis No Reply At All
B5 –Devo Working In The Coal Mine
B6 –Go-Go's Our Lips Are Sealed
B7 –Blondie Rapture

That's a fine track listing. My copy is trashed though.... I should really upgrade it.

 

One of my favorite volumes. Can't say I agree that it sounds good....none of them did until they cut the track list down to around six per side. But the fun they bring makes up for it!