PINBALL MUSIC ON VINYL

Music store and record label, Jackpot Records, has released a new limited-edition two-album set of music taken from classic Williams/Bally pinball machines, called Jackpot Plays Pinball.

Based in Portland, Oregon, USA, and run by Isaac Slusarenko, Jackpot Records is a popular music store selling multiple formats but specialising in vinyl. In addition, it also re-releases music under its own label.

Isaac told Pinball News, “Jackpot Records started in 1997 as a record store located in Portland, OR where I grew up. The record label began in 2004 and so far has released over 100 records by artists like Devo, Willie Nelson, The Wipers, Mudhoney, Etta James and many more. My vision for the label was not to be locked into a specific genre of music, but instead records I feel that music fans should own, or records that slipped through the cracks that needed to be rediscovered by a new audience.“

This latest release by Jackpot Records takes original music recordings from Williams and Bally pinballs of the ’80s and ’90s, ranging from 1986’s Pinbot to 1996’s Tales of the Arabian Nights.

Here are all the games featured:

Volume 1:

• Pinbot
• Taxi
• Black Knight 2000
• Attack from Mars
• Tales of the Arabian Nights

Volume 2:

• Banzai Run
• Funhouse
• Fish Tales
• Medieval Madness
• Theatre of Magic

The records are available in two versions – in transparent red (volume 1) and transparent blue (volume 2), or in a limited edition ‘Combo Splatter’ design in red/gold and blue/green.

The albums are available to pre-order through the Jackpot Record website. The $59.99 two-volume set is available in a Jackpot Exclusive Edition with the ‘splatter’ design which is limited to 500 units and includes free shipping within the US, although the company does ship internationally too at extra cost. Individual volumes retail for $29.99 plus shipping.

The recordings are original tracks used in the pinball games, not more-modern re-recordings, and are officially licensed through Planetary Pinball and SG Gaming. That means some of the tracks are reasonably short, allowing between 9 and 23 recordings per side.

After working with established artists, we asked Isaac why he made the move into releasing pinball music. He told us, “Pinball and records are more similar than people think. I get pinball themes stuck in my head just like a song. There were so many good pinball themes that we made two volumes to accommodate them. These albums fit with the label’s vision of having people discover not only pinball but music.“

There is also a promo video for the two volumes.

Isaac is no stranger to either pinball or music. “I grew up as a kid of the late-’70s/early-’80s playing pinball and collecting records. I was lucky to have parents who were amazingly supportive of these interests and surprised us with our own Gottlieb Abra Ca Dabra pinball.”

Asked if this might be lead to even more volumes of pinball music, Isaac said, “We’re very interested in continuing the series.“