Overview

'By mixing lo-fi charm into hi-fi science Into the Groove captures all the wonder and absurdity of its subject, jumping and skipping with real analogue delight.' - Sunday Times The story of recorded sound - the technological developments, the people that made them happen and the impact they had on society - from the earliest inventions via the phonograph to LPs, EPs and the recent resurgence of vinyl. While Thomas Edison's phonograph represented an important turning point in the story of recorded sound, it came only after decades of invention, tinkering and experimentation. Into the Groove celebrates the ingenuity, rivalries and science of the modulated groove, from the earliest paper records of the 1850s all the way up to the recent return of vinyl to vogue. Vinyl collector and music journalist Jonathan Scott dissects a mind-blowing feat that we all take for granted today – the domestication of sound. He examines the first attempts to record and reproduce sounds, the origin of the phonograph, and the development of commercial shellac discs. Later he moves through the fascinating story of the LP record and 7-inch singles, to the competing speed and format wars, and an epilogue charting the decline and then unexpected return of vinyl. Into the Groove tells the story of the invention that changed us. It explores how these fragile discs not only changed the way we consumed music, but also shaped the way music was made.

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9781472979834

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Reviews

By mixing lo-fi charm into hi-fi science Into the Groove captures all the wonder and absurdity of its subject, jumping and skipping with real analogue delight. * Sunday Times * An attentive, expository account of how records came to be. * The Wire * A thoroughly entertaining history of how sound recordings evolved ... The tone is light and the narrative engaging… Within these pages is a lot of humor… an excellent, absorbing book. * Washington Independent Review of Books * An audio geek’s delight, this engrossing history of music and voice recording is as wide-ranging and thorough as one could want … Scott spins a history told with near-perfect pitch. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) * A very detailed and well researched history of the gramophone… [Scott] writes in a non-technical way but fully explains how sound recording has evolved. * David Harris, Practical Wireless * Enjoyable … Scott has an eye for detail … music lovers will want to take this one for a spin. * Publisher's Weekly * Scott excels in explaining the connections between innovators and their various epiphanies and lawsuits without ever losing focus of recordings’ end users: the listener … A perfect fit for music lovers who’ve always wondered how a recorded performance reaches their ears. * Library Review * A thoroughly entertaining history of how sound recordings evolved... excellent, absorbing book. * Eugene L. Meyer, Washington Independent Review of Books * This is the book music lovers will want this summer. * Bookworm Sez * In Into the Groove, Scott spins a remarkably dulcet history of sound recording from its genesis to the present day. -- Bill Thompson * The Post and Courier * This is an interesting look at a specific part of music history. -- Erica Ezeifedi * Book Riot * Into the Groove is a thorough exploration of the sound revolution that brought music to the masses… Jonathan Scott contributes a wealth of valuable information that will engage audiophiles everywhere. A winning book of history mixed with pop culture. -- Philip Zozzaro * Manhattan Book Review * This is the book music lovers will want this summer, by the water or by the speakers. -- Terri Schlichenmeyer * Marco Eagle News * Scott’s writing is engaging… And there is no dearth of nuggets that even the least engineering-minded individual will take from his narrative... Ultimately, for anyone who loves music, Into the Groove is an essential document. -- Frank Valish * Under the Radar * This book will fascinate both novices and knowledgeable readers…One comes away from this volume with an appreciation of how technological change/innovation occurs in an economy that is dominated by profit making and by the inquisitiveness of individuals. -- R. J. Phillips * Choice Magazine *

Author Information

Jonathan Scott is a music journalist who has been collecting vinyl since he was seven years old. He’s written about weird, rare and collectable records for Record Collector, has edited books about Prince, Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead, and has written about Nirvana, The Venga Boys and lots of others in between. Jonathan's first book, The Vinyl Frontier, told the story of NASA's 'golden record' on the Voyager missions.

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