h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In the days before CD, Kate's albums usually had a hidden message inscribed in the playout area of the record - the bit without any grooves around the label. Allegedly, these messages were written by Kate. It was quite fun to go through all the albums once you'd noticed one, and find all of them.

You mean, like the words 'Another Porky's prime cut' which you can find on the leadout of so many LPs from the 70s?

Yes, that's the kind I mean. I wonder if CDs have hidden messages encoded somewhere in the data?

Did you also know that Elton John's LPs weren't black? If you hold one up to the light it's actually a deep shade of red. Don't know if they stopped doing that at any time, but it doesn't hold with any of the American-made EJ LPs I've tried it out on.

That could just have been a natural artefact of the particular type of vinyl used, rather than an aesthetic choice (like the pink Vinyl 'Cool for Cats' single my sister owned).

Possibly, but I've never noticed it with any other artist's LPs, and I was told about it during the early 1970s by someone who worked for Polygram and who had an encyclopaedic knowledge of music trivia

I've got The Dreaming on vinyl here. The only thing I can find in the playout area is the catalogue number, both sides.

What did catch my eye though, first the first time, on the sleeve, she's wearing a houndstooth jacket and near the cuff is what looks like a biro'd "R". Research informs that it is the symbol of the Knights Templar, which Kate, or Katie (KT) has adopted. Apparently it's on all her stuff somewhere or other.

Trout

Blimey I just brought this up in a different thread! I always liked that about Kate too.

The Smiths always had really quite long messages on virtually every record they put out - like 'Home is Where the Art is' and 'I Dreamt About Stew Last Night' and on their last single 'And Never More Shall Be So.'

My copy doesn't have the message either, though in fairness, it's one of the re-released pressings from 1990-something.

According to official sources....

http://gaffa.org/faq/faq_4_11.html

... The Dreaming isn't supposed to have a message, but I'm *sure* that my friend Charlotte (who introduced me to the album) had a copy with the inscription "Play it loud!" on the out-groove.

Prompted by this thread, I dug out my vinyl collection, and I'm pleased to confirm that my copy of the 7" single reads "For Rolf", while "December Will Be Magic Again" wishes its readers a "Happy Christmas".

I should really hook my turntable back up

The Dreaming *definitely* had "Play it Loud!" - I'm sure I remember that one. Maybe I should ask my Sister to check all her originals.

My god! I'd forgotten all about this. Katie wasn't the only one. I'm pretty sure Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Queen and/or Genesis (and/or applies to all, not just the last two; I can't rememberwho did and didn't, but I do remember looking for the message on just about every album I bought) did this too.

Time to dig all my LPs out of their boxes.....

I've just dug mine out. As the website says, Lionheart has "Hope you like it" and The Kick Inside has "Remember Yourself" althought he more I look at it the more I think it is spelled "RemBer" but that could be my eyes. The pair of glasses that seems to be on Never For Ever might help me! It says "Do" on that too. It says "Townhouse" on both sides of Hounds of Love/Ninth Wave.

Now to look at the Queen ones.