Put the Needle on the Record: The 1980s at 45 Revolutions Per Minute

Product Description In the 1980s, music defined the moment: "Video Killed the Radio Star" ushered in MTV, "Don't You (Forget about Me)" ruled The Breakfast Club, and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" became the anthem of a generation. The 1980s were also the most visually provocative era of the last millennium. Every new vinyl single hit the stands wrapped in eye-catching sleeves that reflected the latest trends. Put the Needle on the Record is pop culture historian Matthew Chojnacki's definitive guide to 7- and 12-inch vinyl single artwork from the '80s. He presents and compares more than 250 vinyl single covers, representing nearly every prominent musician of the decade. Read the previously untold stories behind the 1980s' most iconic images from the designers and visual talent behind Madonna, Prince, Adam Ant, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Clash, Pet Shop Boys, Kate Bush, and more. Coupled with exclusive commentary from more than 100 of the '80s biggest musicians, including Annie Lennox, Duran Duran, Run-DMC, Gary Numan, The B-52's, Erasure, OMD, Scorpions, The Knack, and Yoko Ono, this is an authoritative journey back to the songs and images that continue to influence our culture. Contains a foreword by Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters and an afterword by Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran. Review "One of the best books for the ultimate music fan." - Rolling Stone "If you miss the 80s, or missed the 80s, buy this book." - --NY Post "A magnificent and important release.....97/100" --- Peek-A-Boo Magazine "Dazzling eye candy. Outrageous, hot-hued, ironic and, above all, erotic." - The Seattle Times "A lively blast from the past. See the sound." - St. Petersburg Times "A nostalgic treasure trove." --- Modern Tonic "Terrific...the perfect gift for the music fan in your life." - Scene Magazine "A conversation-starting coffee-table book...instantly engaging." --- CoolCleveland.com "1980s single cover art was cheeky, sexy, punchy, and glam. Matthew Chojnacki vividly chronicles the best of the bunch, illuminating the way music looked via comments from rock stars and art directors with a strong eye for the visual." --Michael Musto, The Village Voice "Brilliant. Insightful. Revealing." --Nina Blackwood, MTV "The 1980s. The spin point of a time where the collision of art, culture, class, nation, and government was fueled by the steroids of technology. Put the Needle on the Record is a great read on an era that many consider the new '60s." --Chuck D, Public Enemy "Put the Needle on the Record proves that the '80s wasn't the decade that taste forgot - but rather the era where single artwork came of age and caught up with its LP predecessor... before CDs changed the landscape for good." --Jason Draper, Record Collector Magazine "As a dyed in the wool, long-term record collector, I loved this survey of picture sleeves from the 1980s. This decade was really the end of the vinyl singles period as we know it, and these images were ephemeral icons that would be lost in the mist of time without this kind of labor of love." --Terry Stewart, President & CEO, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "Modern day cover art simply cannot compare with sleeves from the '70s and '80s. Mainstream record labels began making the quickest images in the cheapest way possible, and we lost sight of appreciating art for its artistic value. Put the Needle on the Record, thankfully, examines these lost '80s gems. Life is beautiful." ----Mr. Brainwash From the Author TRAILER - Watch the trailer for Put the Needle on the Record! Click on "Visit Amazon's Matthew Chojnacki Page" in the "More About the Author" section below. ROYALTY DONATION  - 20% of the author's royalties from Put the Needle on the Record will be donated to the Keep a Child Alive foundation. BOOK AWARDS - London Book Festival Award (2012: Music, 1st Place) - Paris Book Festival Award (2012: Anthologies, 1st Place) - San Francisco Book Festival Award (2012: Anthologies,