PUT THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD

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216.513.3654
www.matthewchojnacki.com
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Put the Needle on the Record
Book Available September 28, 2011

Written by Matthew Chojnacki

Foreword by Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters

Afterword by Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran

“1980s single cover art was cheeky, sexy, punchy, and glam. Matthew Chojnacki vividly chronicles
the best of the bunch, illuminating the way music looked via comments from rock stars and art
directors with a strong eye for the visual.” –Michael Musto, The Village Voice

September, 2011, Cleveland, OH – In the 1980s, music defined the moment – “Video Killed the Radio Star”
ushered in MTV, “Don’t You (Forget about Me)” ruled The Breakfast Club, and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m
Looking For” became the anthem of a generation. But the era was not just about its distinctive music; it was
also the most visually provocative era of the last millennium. Every new vinyl single hit the stands wrapped in an
eye-catching sleeve that reflected the latest trends. Put the Needle on the Record: The 1980s at 45 Revolutions
Per Minute is pop-culture historian Matthew Chojnacki’s definitive guide to seven- and twelve-inch vinyl single
artwork from the ‘80s.

From a dream of a vinyl collection, Chojnacki presents and compares more than 250 vinyl single covers that
represent nearly every prominent ‘80s musician. However, this is not just a pop-cultural feast for the eyes.

From hundreds of hours of interviews, Chojnacki allows the designers and visual talent behind Madonna, Prince,
Pink Floyd, Queen, Adam Ant, Iron Maiden, The Clash, Pet Shop Boys, Van Halen, and more to tell the unheard
stories behind the decade’s most iconic images. Coupled with exclusive commentary from more than 100 of
the ‘80s biggest musicians, including Annie Lennox, Duran Duran, Run-DMC, Devo, The B-52’s, Erasure,
The Human League, Scorpions, The Knack, and Yoko Ono, this is an authoritative journey back to the songs
and images that continue to influence our culture.

Two prominent pop musicians bookend these musical stories: Scissor Sisters’ lead singer Jake Shears introduces
Chojnacki’s work, and Nick Rhodes, part of seminal ‘80s pop band Duran Duran, rounds out the collection with
the afterword.

Put the Needle on the Record is published by Schiffer Publishing: www.schifferbooks.com

“The 1980s. The spin point of a time where the collision of art, culture, class, nation, and government was fueled by the steroids of technology. Put the Needle on the Record is a great read on an
era that many consider the new ‘60s.” –Chuck D, Public Enemy

Put the Needle on the Record can be ordered online at Amazon or at local bookstores today.

ABOUT AUTHOR MATTHEW CHOJNACKI
Matthew Chojnacki is a freelance writer and music/pop culture historian living in the Rock ‘n Roll Capital of the
world, Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to an extensive music collection, he also invests in the music itself, owning a stake in five hits from the ‘80s. This is Chojnacki’s first book.



Size: 9 1/8” x 8 1/8”
250 b/w & color images
Index
272 pages
978-0-7643-3831-1
Hard cover
$39.99

Put the Needle on the Record

20% of the author’s royalties from Put the Needle on the Record will be donated to the Keep a Child Alive
foundation, which provides first class AIDS care, treatment, surrounding support, and food for children and
families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

Promo video forthcoming by OMD music video directors Bo Nordin and Lapantafilm.

“Brilliant. Insightful. Revealing.” –Nina Blackwood, MTV

“Put the Needle on the Record proves that the ‘80s wasn’t the decade that taste forgot - but rather
the era where single artwork came of age and caught up with its LP predecessor... before CDs
changed the landscape for good.” –Jason Draper, Record Collector Magazine

“As a dyed in the wool, long-term record collector, I loved this survey of picture sleeves from the
1980s. This decade was really the end of the vinyl singles period as we know it, and these images
were ephemeral icons that would be lost in the mist of time without this kind of labor of love.”
–Terry Stewart, President & CEO, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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