The Inner Sleeve

You guys that are hooked up to IPods, MP3 players, ITunes, CD players, and like technology cannot appreciate the vinyl record inner sleeve. It's a rare piece of musical Americana that was sadly neglected in its day. In these retro times, though, it's enjoyed something of a macabre comeback. There are a few CD reissues that are encased in LP-look alike covers, and even fewer still are the LP "jackets" that have an protective inner sleeve that has the original artwork included. Most notable of this strata is The Doors Original Studio Recordings (Elektra) that take you back to the 1960s in true aesthetic style. If you buy them for nothing other that this exoctica, you'll not be disappointed.

I'm not really here to proclaim the virtue of the inner sleeve as much as I am the analogy this piece of paper brings to a discussion of humanity. People are somewhat like phonograph records (CDs if you will, or even an MP3 if that association is a little easier). They have something to say if we take the time to listen - there's the crunch - taking the time to listen, to get in the groove (no pun intended) and hear what's being sung, played, or said. The Inner Sleeve, then is like what's really inside the human spirit, it's a encasement of the spirit and usually there's something significant there.

Vinyl record inner sleeves usually contained photos of other albums available from either the distributing record company, or some technical information about how that company records and manufactures its product. Columbia Records did the best job of this illustration, even including photos of a line of trendy console stereos and of course the warning that a worn or damaged needle could permamently wreck the recorded work. Inspect and change them often.

The inner sleeve above is from the Mercury Record Corporation, who seemed to have some rather colorful and eye catching cover art sleeve work. But like a lot of things back in the day, it got ignored, torn up in the haste of getting to the record which was never handled correctly and consequently smudged and later scratched up in use (though "nonbreakable"). I guess everyone was in too much of a hurry to pay attention to it. More is the loss. There were some pretty good albums to buy back then, and most of us let that information slip through our fingers.

The spirit of man is like that inner sleeve - it has something vital to say - trouble is we're too busy to pay attention. Maybe we could slow the pace of living down, give someone an ear to see and and listen to what's on their sleeve. I think we'd all be better for it; to spend time outside of ourselves and what we think is important. What do you think?