The Medium Is The Massage (LP)

When Marshall McLuhan proposed his idea to create an audio companion piece to his landmark 1967 book The Medium is the Massage, no one quite knew what to expect. The book itself brilliantly captured McLuhan's theories on media and technology, arguing that the medium by which information is transferred to people was more important the the actual content being relayed. McLuhan hoped that an audio recording would help give greater depth to his theories, and in the late 1960s, he and producer John Simon went to work on a record of the same name.

Using audio clips of McLuhan speaking, often interrupted by discordant sounds and other voices interjecting, they created a thought-provoking, sometimes whimsical patchwork of sounds and ideas that illustrated the complex relationship between people, media and technology.

Over 40 years since its release, The Medium is the Massage continues to challenge listeners to think about media and communications in new ways. Five Day Weekend is proud to present the definitive vinyl edition of this rare and important album. Included in the LP package is a 20-page 8x11” booklet featuring original essays by DJ Spooky and Michael Vasquez, a reproduction of a print by Winston Smith and a collection of previously unpublished photos from the original recording sessions.