What is double grooved vinyl?

pardon my ignorance, but what is double grooved vinyl?
I noticed the Shins 7" single, the Phantom Limb, is described like
this. Is it common? and does anyone know of other vinyl pressed
in the same manner?

 

Not familiar with that record, but it's a gimmick whereby you can cut two grooves on the same side, and which one you get depends on where the needle begins to track.

There is a Kate Bush 12" that does this, as well as Monty Python's Matching Tie and Handkerchief (I think that was the Monty title).

 

Yes, that is the Monty Python title. Amuses the heck out of my kids.

 

The prime example of this thing is the original 12" single of Pop Muzik by M, a chart hit from 1979. This one had the hit song and the original B side (a song called M Factor) on the same side. It always was a surprise which tune would pop up once you put the needle to the groove.
In fact I always thought this was the only record on which this gimmick was used. But it turns out there seem to be a few more. Not many probably, for I've never seen it anywhere else.

 

Mad Magazine did it once with one of those 'flexi' records they occasionally gave out. In fact, I think there were four different groves. The song was called 'It's a Super-Spectacular Day' and each version started the same but about halfway through, it would play one of four different endings about how the day turned out anything but super-spectacular.

 

The UK 12" of "The Way You Make Me Feel" (651275 3) by Michael Jackson has double groove on both sides.

This is how it's stated on the frontside cover:

"Get into the Groove - put either side on your turntable, lower the arm and see which mix your needle pix"

 

The UK autographed version of Kiss Creatures Of The Night C/W Rock And Roll All Nite (Live version) 12" was also double grooved.That I think was released around April of '83 from memory.

 

Side four of Marillion's "Brave" album is double grooved. Two different endings to the same song.

 

An earlier example was a Knickerbockers album from 1966 or so. I can't recall the exact title...I think it had "Sync" as part of it. Supposedly, you might get any one of several combinations of tracks on either side.

 

It was definately on the UK pressing of The Sensual World 12" single. It was bloody irritating because it was double grooved with the instrumental version of said track, so it wasn't until you got past the intro that you discovered whether or not you were actually going to hear Ms Bush sing the damn song.

 

I've got a promo EP by Rush titled something like Rush n' Roulette that has multiple (5 or 6?) concentric grooves. I'll have to dig it up later.

 

Another gimmick that could be annoying was when the grove was cut to play starting from somewhere near the label (extra dead wax for those automatic turntables) and ending at the edge of the disc. I remember School of Fish had a blue vinyl promo cut this way for "Wrong" in 1991.

 

Heh, I recently transfered that to CD, man that took some time.

 

Eight grooves! yeah, by the end of the side you might get a skin disease or taken away by a UFO or be rejected on a date.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_A_Super-Spectacular_Day

 

There were also early attempts at stereo reproduction that relied on two grooves instead of one.

 

Somewhere in storage I have a multigroove record from the 1960s or so: it's supposed to be some kind of horse race game where the outcome depends on which of the grooves it picks. Not sure how many there are on each side, but it'd have to be more than two.

 

The earliest versions I have are two "game" records on RCA: "Sandy Becker Calls BINGO" and, best of all, "Mel Allen's Baseball." Thanks to the multi-groved tracks on each side, the discs had random possibilities and one could actually "play" a game of bingo (Would Sandy call N-37 or B-11?) or move their men around the baseball diamond on the back of the album cover (Is good ol' Mel gonna announce a smash to left or a called strike three?).
Good times!
If that doesn't prove the superiority of vinyl over CDs I don't know what does.

 

That's the first one I thought of too.

 

Eh, you could do the same thing with the "random" button on a CD player.

 

Before some flamethrowing commences, I meant that facetiously, but should have been less vague about it.

 

All in good fun.

 

I have one of these. If memory serves correctly it's called "You're The Guy I Want To Spend My Money With" with Laurie Anderson, William S. Burroughs and John Giorno. Side 4 was 3 grooves. One track from each of them. Each of the previous sides featured them seperately. Very cool album by the way.

I remember back in oh, 1985 or so when I first got this that I listened to side 4 a couple times, not knowing, and heard the Laurie Anderson each time. But one day I listened again and it was Burroughs. I flipped out. Couldn't figure how that could happen. I eventually figured it out.

 

Wow! I used to have that record. Unfortunately, it was sacrificed to the used record store in my college days due to that pesky need to buy groceries.
If you ever want to sell (or trade) it, let me know.

 

Hahahhahaa! Yeah, somehow that one didn't make the sad cut in my college days. Although I'm still kicking my self in the keester for what I DID sell off to buy Jack Daniels.

And, I will keep that in mind. If ya want to yak about it pm me.