Sunday Spins: 'Miami Vice' Edition

I just love flipping through bins of old records at antique shops, thrift stores and proper music shops. You never know what you are going to find. A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a pristine copy of the Miami Vice soundtrack on vinyl. Obviously, it was coming home with me. Officially the title is Miami Vice - Music From The Television Series. I paid $10 for my copy that looks showroom new!

The Miami Vice soundtrack was released by MCA in 1985. The album was also released in the UK, Germany and other parts of Europe, Australia, Canada, Peru and Mexico. As far as I know, the LP has never been re-released. The record is flat and clean - the sound is pristine and has incredible mastering. A CD version was re-released in some countries in 2006 but the sound is apparently not great. I have never heard this album on CD, so I can't speak to that.

The soundtrack features the theme song (naturally) plus big hits from the likes of Glenn Frey and Phil Collins. The theme of the show was written by Jan Hammer. Dude made magic when he created the opening theme for Miami Vice. The song remains one of the best television tunes ever.

Glenn Frey's "You Belong to the City" and Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight" are what made me really want the album. I happen to love those tracks and I don't have them on vinyl (yet).

A totally fun trip back to the mid-80s! 

Comments

[Mike]

There were actually 2 soundtracks released - a second one came out in 1986, which I bought as a new release being a fan of Andy Taylor who had just left Duran Duran and put out one of his first solo recordings on this compilation.

Both Miami Vice soundtracks are excellent 80's pop/rock, I spin them both frequently during the summer months.

[Him]

Yan can cook. But Jan worked with some of the greats.

He is like Vangelis, but without the same range of output. Or Harold Faltermeyer, but without the same range of output (in a different way though).

Imagine if all three of them, and Herbie Hancock, released an album. The Four Tinklers? Synths? I dunno. But I suspect it would have been great.