Having been born in 1959, I was raised on vinyl. Here's a few photos of my vintage stereo system. The turntable and quad receiver are both made by Marantz. The cassette deck is a Tandberg. The scope is a Panasonic.

Because my line-up is largely comprised of EMs and prewar games, I typically spin vinyl records while playing pinball. The EM sounds complement the music, in my view. The ambiance transports me back four decades.

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Thanks for the positive comments. I have 6 small (but efficient) Energy speakers positioned throughout the gameroom. The 3rd photo depicts two speakers facing the rear of my basement. The 4th photo shows two speakers atop the dresser facing the side wall. The 5th photo displays the third pair of speakers on shelves at the entrance of my gameroom. I love the warm sound produced by vintage seventies Marantz equipment.

The last photo shows the Sansui stereo system I had in my college dorm (from 1977 - 1981). Back then, I couldn't afford Marantz nor the other high-end brands. Sansui was an economical work-horse alternative. Today, those relatively inexpensive Sansui receivers and amplifiers are sought after by audiophiles.

Looking back, I can't help but smile by the psychedelic light boxes in my dormitory room. The circular one rotated in a hypnotic fashion whereas the square one flashed 9 colored lights, synced to the music. That bookcase is devoid of books. How did I ever graduate? :>

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Both of these games are unusual and both are tremendous fun.

The first game is a 2006 Rockin' Bowl-O-Rama by Namco. In my opinion, it's the most successful video bowling game. The designers of this very clever arcade game consulted with professional bowlers in developing the software. The player controls the ball's spin and speed in a manner which mimics real bowling. This game is a great addition to a home gameroom. They originally sold for $4,275. Fully restored ones currently sell for $1,800 to $2,800 and they are well worth that price. Occasionally, they show up for sale for considerably less. However, the Bowl-O-Rama projects can be costly to restore for the novice. Flash drives do exist to replace the original hard drive. But, installation of the flash drive can be problematic because the designers incorporated systems to resist manipulation of their proprietary product. Replacement vintage ashtrays (which are always damaged or missing) are still available (but expensive). There's a standard arcade cabinet version, which lacks the charm. Needless to say, the retro Brunswick Bowling Alley scoring table cabinet is the signature aesthetic feature. Below is a video posted by Ray Brackins of Wide Area Pinball in PA as well as the specifications and manufacturer's description of the game.

Rockin’ Bowl-O-Rama
$4,275.00
With Jukebox songs
Dimensions: H: 63″, W: 31″, D: 33″
Weight (lbs): 320
Condition: Showroom Floor
Manufacturer: Namco Bandai Games
This is the stylish deluxe cabinet version of the new Rockin’ Bowl-O-Rama. Up to four players can compete in several play modes including Half-Game regulation Ten Pin Bowling, Full game regulation, three game series regulation ten pin bowling, ten pin poker, trick shot bowling, and Blackjack Bowling where you knock down 21 pins out of three full racks without going over to win! Packed with over thirty Rockin’ 50’s songs, selectable balls and weights, slow motion replays, advanced real-world physics modeling graphics, and all of the excitement of bowling without the stinky shoes!

The second game is a 1970 Sega Gun Fight. Here's a good demonstration of the Gun Fight's gameplay, which I found on youtube:

Incidentally, I have some extra parts for Gun Fight (including an extra cabinet, canopy and pair of gunslinger mannequins) should anyone need such parts. Feel free to send me a private message. Donation will be made to Pinside in the event of any such sale.

My daughter, Kiki, is an old soul. Like me, she loves the British Invasion bands of the sixties. We are thrilled to have attended The Zombies concert last Saturday in Collingswood, NJ. Keyboardist, Rod Argent, reunited with vocalist, Colin Blunstone, 18 years ago and they've been touring ever since. I first attended a Zombies concert at the Borgata in Atlantic City, about 15 years ago, which included rock legend bassist, Jim Rodford, along with Rod and Colin. Tragically, on January 20, 2018, 2 months ago, Jim Rodford (who also performed with The Kinks) died at age 76, after falling down stairs.

The close-up photo, on stage, depicts The Zombies and Don DiLego's duo. The Zombies performed a variety of glorious songs, including fan favorites: "Time of the Season," "Tell Her No," "She's Not There," as well as Argent's "Hold Your Head Up" and, in honor of Rodford, "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You."

As an introduction to performing the single: "I Love You," Colin told the backstory of the band's misfire by failing to promote that great song. The song was written by Chris White, original bassist of The Zombies in 1965. The Zombies released it that August as a B-side to "Whenever You're Ready." Unfortunately, it didn't chart; but, it was a good discovery for Larry Norman, vocalist of the one-hit wonder California band, People! The California band parlayed the hit into an extensive tour appearing three times on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and also on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. Billboard ranked People!'s version as #53 in their top 100 songs for 1968, while it was ranked #75 in the Cashbox annual charts. The success of People!'s version of "I Love You" frustrated The Zombies. According to Blunstone: "That was a bit of a heartbreaker. It wasn't a favorite song of mine to be absolutely honest; but, it was a little disappointing that we were struggling so hard." Blunstone joked that The Zombies original version of the song was recently featured in a milk commercial and that the cream eventually rises to the top.

At age 16, Kiki brought down the audience member average age, which was about 63. My daughter was the youngest in attendance. After seeing Argent's masterful keyboard magic, Kiki is ready to resume her piano lessons so I agreed. I couldn't "Tell Her No."

We much enjoyed the daddy and daughter evening out. I suspect that Kiki will long remember this concert. Rod and Colin are each about 72 years-old. While you would never glean that advanced age from the wonderful performance, I suspect that The Zombies tour will come to an end in the near future.

Check out the sweatshirt I picked up at the concert. Kiki snagged the groovy Odessey and Oracle tote bag. Whenever she carries it, I will be asking her: "What's your name? Who's your baggy?" If you're searching for Kiki in the final photo, please don't bother trying to find her. . she's not there. Begin audible groans accompanied by eye rolls. The Zombies sound fantastic as a backdrop to the chimes of the Gottlieb wedgeheads in my game room, which is where I'm headed now. Peace.

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