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A common job for music writers throughout the rock era was producing liner notes, the pieces of writing printed on the inner sleeve of a vinyl record. Ritchie Yorke was prolific with his writing of liner notes for some of his favourite acts, including Edward Bear, Aretha Franklin, Ronnie Hawkins, and B.B. King. 

This copy of His Best: The Electric B.B. King features Ritchie’s liner notes and was signed and gifted to him in 1968 upon its release, though he would’ve received an advance copy as well in order to write the notes in line with the albums material. This kind of procedure allows writers to hear the music early and get a head start on any reviews/ articles. 

The concept of liner notes was descended from the program notes of musical concerts where information on the show and its performers and creators could be listed. They evolved and began to be printed on vinyl records as early as 1948. The notes on these records could be dedicated to a variety of things including artist and album bios, discographies, dedications and information on producers, collaborators and other credits.

The idea of liner notes survived early medium transitions such as cassettes and cds, through the use of booklets included in the cases, though these changes in medium each bought significant differences for liner notes, such as cd booklets strong use of imagery. Liner notes survive today in digital formats as credits attached to the files and writing on the materials page on streaming services, as well as in the format they originated from, vinyl. The vinyl resurgence of the past 10 years has led to a comeback in liner notes and a stronger focus on the material as a package, with music, artwork and liner notes all being important parts of the final product for collectors.

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In 1977 one of the biggest rock bands of the era, Supertramp, were busy working on their new album “Even in the Quietest Moments” in Los Angeles. This was the follow-up to Supertramp’s popular fourth work, “Crisis? What Crisis?”. It was this album that Ritchie Yorke was sent a personal signed copy of the record as a gift. Though this material sold well and received some critical praise, Rolling Stone magazine at the time panned the record, adding to the pressure for their follow-up.

Ritchie Yorke, a big fan of the band, was at the time writing for Cheap Thrills magazine when he decided to meet with the band to discuss their new record. The meeting was held at the world-famous Record Plant Studios, where megastars like Stevie Wonder and The Eagles had recorded.

This meeting was significant as the band were renowned for secrecy during their recording sessions and this occasion marked the first time they allowed a media member to be present in the studio as they worked and to hear some of the new material as well as to conduct an interview with the band.

During the interview the band shed light on the new tracks and the concepts and ideas that inspired them. Plans for the new tour and the future of the band were also discussed, the highlight of which being the bands plans to have a Donald Duck statue on stage that blew bubbles as they performed. This article and interview is still available to read here.

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This flier was circulated in 1970 at a James Brown show Ritchie Yorke attended at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. These programs were used as a method of promotion and as a piece of collectible memorabilia to go alongside the concert.  

The program itself features a number of photographs of Brown, as well as some short bios and interviews. The bio details Brown’s life and how he got his start as a recording artist, as well as stories behind some of his most popular songs. 

Before the mainstream merchandising opportunities that exist today, options were significantly more limited and more expensive. Many attendees of these concerts resorted to collecting these programs or items like ticket stubs as a widely available and affordable piece of memorabilia.

The concept of these promotional magazines is descended from theatre or stage shows like musicals where it is used to promote the show and give information like track listing or length. However, it seems that the medium has largely moved back into this realm and away from the promotion of individual artists or bands. 

The evolution of technology has likely played a part in this step back as concerts are now more easily promoted via social media and fans of the artists are much more likely to already know the history through their own research on the Internet. Additionally, most bands and artists now have easier and more affordable access to merchandising options like t-shirts and tote bags that consumers prefer as a way to display their tastes. Overall, while some high status artists still use programs, for the most part their use had been relegated back to the stage performances they originated from.

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On December 15, 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono began the next stage of their campaign for peace. Huge posters and billboards bearing the slogan “War is Over! If You Want It.” appeared in 12 major cities around the world. Thousands of handbills and posters were printed to be posted around the cities and handed out to pedestrians. The ad also appeared in numerous publications around the globe. This handbill was made during this period, signed by Yoko Ono and kept by Ritchie Yorke as a part of his collection.

Ritchie Yorke was involved in this peace campaign as an ambassador, helping Lennon and Ono plan and organise some of the major moments such as the meeting with Canadian PM Pierre Trudeau. His position as ambassador led to him travelling the world alongside Ronnie Hawkins in 1970 to display the posters in various places, including the dangerous trip to the Chinese border.

This campaign set a precedent around the world and showed numerous artists that they could use their success and celebrity for positive causes and to affect a real change. It’s strong branding and use of repetition ensured that the message was cemented in the minds of it’s audience. Though the posters were at the time unsuccessful in ending the Vietnam War raging at the time, they can be considered a significant part of changing the public opinion on the conflict.