In rotation: 12/13/17

Where to get Vinyl Records in Kuwait: The first shop I went into had a large pile of records piled up in the corner of the shop. So I sat down on the floor and started going through them one by one. Anything that was remotely interesting I put on the side. By the time I was done I had found around 14 potential records which I ended up reducing down to 10…The buying process though wasn’t so easy. The shop was originally closed (it’s always closed whenever I visit) but the basement janitor has the key. So I had him open up the shop for me and after I chose the records I wanted, he had to take pictures of each one and send them to the owner.

10 Best Vinyl Record Stores in Singapore For A Throwback To Before Spotify Was A Thing: With Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube, we have a world of music quite literally at our fingertips. But for vinyl enthusiasts and aficionados of analog audio, there’s something more satisfying about the experience of buying an LP, slipping the shiny new record out of its sleeve, placing it on a turntable, and gently dropping the needle – a far more elaborate ritual than hitting “shuffle” on iTunes. There’s no logical reason to buy vinyl over digital downloads – it’s a purely emotional experience. If you’re looking to get acquainted with the magic of analog music, here are ten record stores where you can indulge your vintage fetishism and crate dive for that limited edition marble green Joy Division LP – or Taylor Swift’s Reputation, if that’s how you roll.

Sam the Record Man sign lights up Yonge Dundas Square, Iconic signage will be a fixture this holiday season. The Sam the Record Man sign is back in action. It was lit up Friday evening overlooking Yonge-Dundas square. The 15-metre by 11-metre neon turntables on the sign spun and flashed “That’s Entertainment” at 5 p.m. The sign will stay illuminated through the holiday season until January 3. Last week, Ryerson University, which owns the sign, installed it atop 277 Victoria St., the Toronto Public Health building. City council approved a proposal in 2014 to reinstall the sign. Restoration of it began last year. The sign was removed 10 years ago, when the flagship store at Yonge St. and Gould St., which sold vinyl records, closed. The closure marked the end of the record store chain, which was established in 1937.

Remembering Ross ‘Skip’ Kolhonen: No music played at Salem’s venerable vinyl shop, The Record Exchange, on Friday morning. Longtime employees Paul Bazylinski and Barrence Whitfield, sorted through records mechanically, just trying to get through the day. Just a week ago, their beloved manager and friend, Ross “Skip” Kolhonen, 43-year owner and founder of the store, died of heart disease complications. He was 71. “It’s hard,” said Bazylinski. “He passed last week, and the funeral’s this week, and so it’s sort of like this odd week in between. And a lot of people coming in to reminisce — sharing their sympathy and condolences, but also telling these great stories … He was such a joyful guy that you’re crying and laughing at the same time sometimes.” Bazylinski first met Kolhonen in the late ’70s, in his old store on Lafayette Street. He called him “the warmest guy,” and remembered how he liked to connect through music.

Indie Labels Can’t Get a Vinyl Record Made In Under 3 Months: We’ve reported about interminable delays for vinyl records for years. But now, the issue seems to be intensifying, with an unfortunate production war brewing between indies and major labels. The skinny? Majors are jumping ahead with bigger, more lucrative production orders. Indies lack that buying power, and are now facing delays of three months — or more. “We’ve been making records continuously for 20 years and the lead time has gone up from three weeks to three months,” Gerald Short of Jazzman Records just told the Guardian. “The major labels have the leverage with the pressing plants due to the volume of business they can offer, which I can understand. Most record companies in the UK use plants in Europe these days, and at the moment the pressing plants just cannot cope with the demand. They’re working 24/7.”

Vinyl record show a music lover’s paradise: KALAMAZOO, Mich. Some people say the vinyl record industry died decades ago, but don’t dare say that in Kalamazoo. It was a nostalgic music lover’s dream Sunday at the CD and Record Show at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center. “You can find a lot of nice records. You can find some great ones for $1, or some extremely rare cuts for $1,000,” said Rod Branham, the organizer of the show…Branham says for real vinyl fans there’s some rare records you’ll only find at shows like this, but for anyone wanting to start a collection, there’s plenty of quality bargain buys to get you started. Branham says you can’t beat the sound of vinyl, as opposed to today’s digital music.

Washington, DC Record Rats 2 Record fair Saturday, 12/16: Record Rats returns to Rhizome, just in time for the holidays. Hunt vinyl from your favorite local record shops including Red Onion Records, Som Records, Joe’s Record Paradise, and Petworth Records, as well as the collections of local record heads. There’ll be surprise guest DJ’s and probably some food too. Find that perfect gift for the music lover in your life (and its okay if that’s you).

You’ll Want to Drop All of Your Galleons on These Gorgeous Harry Potter Vinyl Soundtracks: Still looking for the perfect holiday gift for the Harry Potter fan in your life? Well, consider your search over. Soundtracks from the first five films in the magical franchise — from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix — have been released on vinyl for your listening pleasure. Sure, you can pull up classic songs like “Hedwig’s Theme” and “A Window to the Past” on Spotify any time you want, but there’s just something about hearing them from a beautifully decorated record that can’t be beat.

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