David Bowie - Fame And Fashion RCA CD (1984)

Compilation from 1983, converted to CD in 1984 during the conversion of his catalogue to the new format.

For the Story of the First Bowie CDs ...Ever! see Here

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars RCA CD (1984)

The album that made everyone sit up.  The iconic shot under the K West sign in Heddon Street, London.  This has the whole package.  Great artwork, image, music at a time when Glam was about to go really pop this set a standard that others could only dream of.  Fantastic.  This is the CD cover from 1984.

See the Story of the First Bowie CDs...Ever! Here

David Bowie - changesonebowie RCA CD (1984)

An early best of Bowie but a soundtrack to the first half of the 70s as well.  Artwork followed standard of Station To Station and it works well.

The RCA Bowie CDs link

David Bowie - Aladdin Sane RCA CD (1984)

As a 15 year old in 1973 this was one of the releases we were waiting for, could he follow Ziggy?  Absolutely yes he could.  Remains my favourite Bowie album.  I converted it to CD in 1984 as part of the team at RCA.  There are two mistakes on the artwork (or possible misjudgements)  firstly moving the artist's name to the left hand side to accommodate the corporate RCA CD logo and secondly the (c) date on the back of the booklet and the inlay reads (c) 1981 when they should read (c)1973.

Elvis - The Collection (1984)

The first Elvis music on CD was issued by RCA in Europe in November 1983 in the form of a 3CD box set called Elvis:The Legend.  This was a 60 track compilation of his classic hits.  The box was a limited edition of 5,000.  The same tracks were recompiled into 4 volumes of a series called The Collection and issued early in 1984.

Read the story of how the box set was produced and released and why from Europe and not the USA here

Volume 1 - PD 89248
Volume 2 - PD 89249
Volume 3 - PD 89472
Volume 4 - PD 89473

The Tymes - The Tymes (1974)

From The Lost Record Covers Club One of my favourite 70s soul album. Discovered on the back of the singles "Trustmaker" and the massive no1 Uk hit "Ms Grace" this set really hangs together with a great production and set of songs.  The longtime vocal group were well into their second career bythen having emerged in the 50s.  The album was a Philly triumph featuring production by Billy Jackson. Recording was split between the New York RCA studios and Sigma Sound in Philadelphia. Strings and horns throughout were from TSOP (the Sound Of Philadelphia) - possibly including most of MFSB. Apart from the singles the standouts are  the reworked "So Much In Love"; "Someway, Somehow I'm Keepin' You" and "The Sha-La Bandit" but the crown goes to my must have "Are You Lookin'" which I have seen referred to as "Same Cloud" in other places.  A brilliant vocal perfomance against a top arrangement and gathering crescendo of an ending. This copy is an orginal US pressing: RCA APL1-0727 available on CD coupled with the "People" album under the collected title "Grace and Favour"

Daryl Hall And John Oates - Beauty On a Back Street (1977)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

Following "Bigger Than Both Of Us" (which oddly didn't include a track of that name but this does).  This opens with the poppy "Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts?" but moves through the mix of soul and rock that perhaps defines them (their 80's retrospective is called "Rock n Soul Part 1").  An excellent album but tracks of note are "Winged Bull" - which sound like Hall has been influenced by Bowie/Eno Berlin period - taking them into new less traditional territory; "Bad Habits And Infections" a glorious rocker with two style alternating as the track moves on - wonderful stuff.  Probably one of their low key albums - not issued on CD until 1996.  I also recommend "The Girl Who Used To Be" the closing track, a tender John Oates song with a simple arrangement


LP: PL12300 - RCA UK Issue (international AFL1- 2300)

Daryl Hall And John Oates - Bigger Than Both Of Us (1976)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

The duo are, perhaps, best known for their albums in the eighties and the classic "I Can't Go For That" but earlier in their career they had worked with Arif Mardin, Tod Rungren and other top notch producers and had a run of fantastic albums.  The reason:- good songs.  You can have all the production you like but if the base song ain't there then you're way behind.  These two are talented in the van load.  This is a classic album with the well known track "Rich Girl" included but the album is a real set in it's own right with "Kerry" and "Back Together Again", "Crazy Eyes", and "Falling" all favourites.  The tour in supporting this in '76 was well worth the ticket.  They had a very tight band and put on an excellent show.  I got to work on the reissue of some of their albums on CD later when I was at RCA - when you're a fan - what could be better?

This was produced by the duo with long term collaborator Christopher Bond.

LP: NL 83866 (RCA mid price reissue c. 1985)
CD: PD 83866 European CD issue.

Deborah Allen - Cheat The Night (1983)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

I do not know where Deborah Allen came from or where she went but (I think) the main track here "Baby I Lied" was no 1 in the US in 1983.  I know there was a big push for this mini album in the RCA offices in Europe but I don't think it received a very enthusiastic response - shame, it's a great song well perfomed.
US RCA - MHL1-8514 (Specially Priced Mini-Album)