Boneyard Media

“This album combines two of the most fascinating and incredible achievements of modern technology: stereophonic sound and the high-powered racing car.” (liner notes)

This was one in a handful of real-life-sounds LPs that the jazz label Riverside put out in the late 50s/early 60s. I’m still on the lookout for Coney Island in Stereo, the one non-automobile-oriented release.

Side 1

Technical Inspection (movement from right to left): “The process by which each car is authorized to compete. Brakes, tires, fluid leaks, general running condition, etc., are checked. At Sebring (which is run under rules of the F.I.A.), such other items as headlights, working top, seat size and windshield are also checked.”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Slow Corner (movement from left to right): “A 90 degree right-hand turn. From top speed, drivers shift down through the gears to second for this tight corner, then shift back up for the next long straight.”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Side 2

The Esses (movement from left to right): “The difficult and dangerous bends where the incredible Ferraris and Jags and Porsches slam through the gears, sliding from one side of the road to the other, tires screaming, and zoom away.”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Straight (movement from left to right): “Here the cars emit the loudest noise of full acceleration as they pass through all the gears. Note the different shifting points of the different cars.”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Sep. 15, noon, 91.7 KOOP-FM, Austin, TX

In honor of the Texas Classic Car Show tomorrow, I’ll be spinning some classic car songs on “The Swinger” with regular host Paul Borelli and apprentice Jim Cleveland at noon, so please spin your dial in our direction. (I’ve opted not to play any of my racing soundtrack records because I’d rather play songs, but I’ll probably post some of those here.)

Folkways is all about keeping ancient releases like this one available and viable, so if this catches your interest, then why not pay ‘em a visit…

L.M. Hilton - “Zack, the Mormon Engineer”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

This Russ Ballard cover was made available only on the US LP version. Information is power.

Bay City Rollers - “Are You Cuckoo”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Here’s that chronically out of print Beau Brummels b-side I love so much and talked about some time ago. They were a trio at this point, just Sal, Ron E., and Ron M.

Beau Brummels - “Lower Level”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.