Obama's Secret Record Collection
Obama's Secret Record Collection
Inside the White House Record Library
DAVID BROWNE
When Barack Obama moved into the White House on January 20th, he gained access to five chefs, a private bowling alley — and a killer collection of classic LPs. Stored in the basement of the executive mansion is the official White House Record Library: several hundred LPs that include landmark albums in rock (Led Zeppelin IV, the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed), punk (the Ramones' Rocket to Russia, the Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols), cult classics (Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica, the Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin) and disco. Not to mention records by Santana, Neil Young, Talking Heads, Isaac Hayes, Elton John, the Cars and Barry Manilow.
During the waning days of the Nixon administration, the RIAA, the record companies' trade group, decided the library should include sound recordings as well as books. In 1973, the organization donated close to 2,000 LPs. The bad news: The selection was dominated by the likes of Pat Boone, the Carpenters and John Denver. In 1979, legendary producer John Hammond convened a new commission to update the list for the hipper Carter administration. "They felt they needed to redress some of the oversights that might have taken place the first time around," says Boston music critic and author Bob Blumenthal, who was put in charge of adding 200 rock records to the library.
At the commission's first meeting, Blumenthal brought up Randy Newman's thorny dissection of Southern culture, Good Old Boys, to determine what restrictions the panel might face. "That was exhibit A," Blumenthal says. "And I was told, 'Oh, the president loves that album! Go ahead!' " So Blumenthal and his advisers — including Paul Nelson, then Rolling Stone's reviews editor — compiled a list to reflect "diversity in what was going on in popular music." They picked the Kinks' Arthur for its "theme of empire," and Blumenthal snuck in favorites like David Bowie's Hunky Dory.
On January 13th, 1981, the LPs — each in a sleeve with a presidential seal — were presented to Jimmy Carter at a White House ceremony. But the collection — placed in a hallway near the third-floor listening room, complete with a sound system — didn't remain upstairs long. When Ronald Reagan took office that year, the LPs were moved to the basement. Depending on the source, the reason was Nancy Reagan's distaste for shelves of vinyl, or the edgy choices themselves. A spokesman for Obama said it was too early to comment on whether the president would revive the library. But Obama may be pleased to learn that at least a few of his favorite albums — Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run — are there if he wants them on pristine slabs of vinyl.
[From Issue 1071 — February 5, 2009 ROLLINGSTONE.COM
subscribe to our blog
be our friend on myspace
find monkey on facebook
watch our youtube videos
follow us on twitter
Archive
- Limited Edition NYC Artist Series
- Music is the key
- Stab and Grab productions x WBM (zipper pull)
- Nisoel Aviles
- Wrecords by Monkey in a Japanese Blog
- Abby Way Ad
- Lil Kidz Rockin to Wrecords
- WBM in Fashion FACTS folio
- Charlie Healy and friends
- Michelle Buzzard Cheese weasel x WBM
- WBM White on Silver
- Thomas Sulivan (age 5 months)
- Jen Steele on Youtube
- "FATTY GIRL" Fatcopxxl's Mascot for Magic 2007 in LV
- Jill, modeling the train bracelet in gold from our "off the J" collection
- Wrecords by Monkey fox 5 news
- Wrecords by Monkey fox ABC news
- Happy customers
- Cooking in BedStuy
- Cooking Bed Stuy 2
- A peek in to the classic pattern series
- portobello mushroom sadwiches "Cooking in Bed Stuy 3"
- Indo Board Lunch brake
- A peek in to the Native American series
- WBM_indo board lunch brake look around
- peek into the classic pattern collection
- Vinyl Record Cameos and Cityscape pendents
- check us out in "Antenna magazine"
- Mates of State - Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Our Own Brian Farrell in NY Magazine
- 3 Japanese mags 1 Month
- MAX, Skull Record Bracelet- Color: White Skulls/Tan pinstripe background
- WBM in Canada's largest fashion magazine
- I saw this guys stuff around before but never like this
- Benny Plante
- Crazy Hair
- KIds in the studio Field Trip
- crazy armored Hippie Van
- OBEY does MVP
- The peoples ARt
- So, make sure to check out the store 20% off lots of past designs.
- Monkey + Brittanys 6th
- Obama Force One By Jimm Lasser
- Taylor HANSON Rocking WrecordsByMonkey yesterday
- Mates Of State Kori Gardner rocking the Cameo
- BrownStoners pictuers by Diana Levine
- Positive feedback
- Heritage Sneak Peek
- 1987 Terrorist playing Cards, $1 @ Chelsea Flea Markets 25th
- The Heritage Collection Preview 2
- Twitter is linked to the blog so were heading in the right direction
- The Release Of the Heritage Collection in our On-line Store
- Shelby Chan sneak peek to Native American Collection
- Off the Train Collection In Footwear News
- Rachael Yamagata, and Nylon Magazine
- Just Saw this great documentary about 18 cities in 12 swing states 18days before the election.
- Check out FUBZ new site
- WrecordsByMonkey In Time Out NY Gift guide
- 15 limited Edition Lumber Jack Vinyl record Cameos.
- Obama's Secret Record Collection
- Kate Linne for MODA Boutique(one of our favorite retailers)
- The Native American Collection Now in the WBM Shop
- WBM - Intern talking to you about what he does
- The Heritage Collection!!.. New Source:New Price
- WrecordsByMonkey available @ KILL SHOP KILL in Williamsburg
- Tristin Chanel, vocals, rhythm guitar, and didgeridoo of Five Star Affair rocking the Wrecord Bracelets
- * WBM EASTER BASKET with 33%off Sunday only part2
- Here's your* WBM EASTER BASKET with 33%off Sunday only
- Black Dice Record Release Party by Louis Fiedelman
- Another Rocking to Wrecords!!!!
- New York City's P.S. 22 Chorus
- Young @ Heart (a response to the last post)
- Reliving Lennon’s Legacy at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Annex By Brittany Mayne
- The pre-Trailer for The OFF THE TRAIN COLLECTION
- NEW OFF THE TRAIN PRESS
- Limited Halloween Off the Train Bracelets
- More people Rocking to WrecordsByMonkey (send pics our way)
- Holiday Markets
- Off The Train Collection Sequence Shots.
- Untitled document
- WBM Off the Train Release - Where the train stops next #1 of 3
- December 2009 Press
- The Off The Train Collection Release
- Norah Jones rocking to WrecordsByMonkey
- Classic Patterns collection featured in the monographic book RED
- WrecordsByMonkey Valentine's Day 2010 Vinyl record Bracelets
- Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls: Tuesday February 9th at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn
- WrecordsByMonkey turning 6! New revised logo! and the release of the sub-brand WBM! +more
- GOT TO FLY Video (flying over the years)
- WBM, releases vinyl record display and record cover gift boxes
- DJ Code-D, The American Dream Team x WrecordsBymonkey
- WrecordsBymonkey @ Toystreet 4-9pm 2marrow
- Opening Day at the outdoors Brooklyn Flea!!!!!
- Untitled document
- Earth Day Collection!!
- AM-NY 4-29-10
- Not your typical day at the BK flea.
- The LAST Record Bracelets!!
- 4 New Products
- WrecordsByMonkey Summer Contest! The Winner gets $150 shopping spree
- Summer and the City
Write a comment
Posts: 13600
Reply #13227 on : Thu July 29, 2010, 12:03:04
Posts: 13600
Reply #13226 on : Thu July 29, 2010, 11:45:31
Posts: 13600
Reply #13225 on : Thu July 29, 2010, 05:32:42
Posts: 13600
Reply #13224 on : Thu July 29, 2010, 05:15:15