Pittsburgh, PA | 4 top spots for vinyl records in Pittsburgh: Looking to score vinyl records? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top vinyl record hot spots in Pittsburgh, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you’re in the market for vinyl records. 1. Jerry’s Records: Topping the list is Jerry’s Records. Located at 2136 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill South, the spot to score music and DVDs and vinyl records is the highest rated vinyl record spot in Pittsburgh, boasting 4.5 stars out of 75 reviews on Yelp. 2. Amazing Books & Records: Next up is Squirrel Hill South’s Amazing Books & Records, situated at 2030 Murray Ave. With five stars out of 13 reviews on Yelp, the bookstore, which offers vinyl records and more, has proven to be a local favorite…
Del Rey, CA | ‘A record store for bands that don’t exist’: Do you remember the viral anthems of Rainbow Vulture? The head-banging concerts of Incendiary Android? The introspective ballads of Misunderstood Clementine? To be fair, those are trick questions. None of these bands actually exist — except in the world of Rohit Records, the brainchild of Santa Monica artist, illustrator, art director and commercial director Rohitash Rao. Born out of an art show and concert hosted by Google’s Venice campus about a year ago (with some inspiration from an animated short Rao created years ago called “Battle of the Album Covers”), Rohit Records has evolved from a collection of over 150 album covers made for “bands that don’t exist” into a faux record store and music label that’s set up shop at conferences, festivals, galleries and even a real L.A. record store. The “label” has even grown into producing songs, music videos, T-shirts and its own vinyl record filled with singles by a few of its made-up one-hit wonders.
Mystic, CT | Mystic Disc named among the country’s best 50 record stores: There are ghosts in those grooves. Vinyl recordings — albums, singles, EPs — operate on an Edisonian principle of a stylus that rides the endless groove burned into the plastic. Presto! Music! Now, think of all the millions of records that have provided much solace and triggered emotions across the spectrum of human experience. If you’re of a particular temperament — a true Music Head, for example — you can almost get spiritual about the revenant power represented by the history contained on all that vinyl. This is particularly true in a used record store like Mystic Disc. The iconic and influential shop — not much bigger than Leslie West standing next to a few stacks of Marshall amplifiers — has been a source of pleasant refuge, tucked away in the touristy Steamboat Wharf, for almost 37 years.
New Plymouth, NZ | Renovations uncover teenage 1960s time capsule in New Plymouth: A time capsule of a typical 1960s teenager’s pop culture crushes has been uncovered by a Taranaki teacher during house renovations. Katey Pittwood picked up the keys to her 1901 wood and corrugated iron cottage in Lemon St, New Plymouth, on Friday afternoon and immediately got to work with partner Steven Rollo. “I owned a house next door, sold it, and bought this one, and so I knew all the ceilings were hidden,” the mother-of-two said. They decided to work on a small room which they plan to make into a bedroom for Pittwood’s two young children. “It was completely gibbed,” she said. “The walls and ceiling were completely covered in gib, like a normal bedroom, but I knew, because I lived next door, that there were beautiful wooden ceilings. “I got the keys on Friday at three o’clock, and I marched in, got the crowbar and said, ‘Just pull down a little bit. Have a look.’ And that was it.”
Jamestown, NY | Write Now: Besides Records, Record Stores Held A Wealth Of Information: I have fond memories of going to the mall as young teen. It was the transition between sixth and seventh grade. That summer some things changed. I have always loved music in some form or shape, but as a young teen, I began to play with my toys less. The change wasn’t a bad thing. It just meant my G.I. Joe was going to have to ride the pines. In other words, it was time for him to experience the shelf. He would still get some playing time, but nothing like he was used to. His replacement — music. During that summer, I started loving music more. I listened to what music was on the radio. Back then, AM radio played the hits and FM played the albums and longer cuts. FM had better fidelity, and was clearer. But AM and FM radio stations were not the reasons I put G.I. Joe on the shelf. It was just music. As I heard more songs, I wanted to know more about the artist or artists behind the songs.
Rolling Stone: For the Record: How to Clean and Care for Your Vinyl Collection. Upgrade your listening experience with everything from brushes to sleeves, to make sure your records get clean and stay that way. Whether new or old, every record needs a bit of care to keep it sounding as warm and lush as intended. Luckily, some of the most common issues with records are also the easiest to fix. We’ve outlined a simple guide for pain-free vinyl maintenance. From brushes and sleeves to sprays and crates, these are our favorite products for cleaning and caring for your records, as well as how to use them.
Listen to what the music is telling us: It’s astonishing how American rock can spread a positive message on foreign shores. And distressing that music is now being used by political lowlifes to divide us. …For me, music has not only been a constant social companion and an important emotional support, it has also provided a series of exciting and challenging business experiences as well. From my early days as an owner of Rainbow Records, the neighborhood record store, to building and launching some of the most important music content sites, including RollingStone.com and TheSource.com, and then on to The Concert of the Century at the White House, I’ve had a chance to be a small part of every aspect of the music business. And believe me when I say it’s been mainly a business, one that’s all about making money, which just incidentally happens to create a little great music in the process. Or, as one old timer used to remind me, “we sell records, not music.”
Vinyl Word: the album cover worth big bucks: Just recently, the late John Lennon’s personal copy of The Beatles’ most controversial album sold at auction in New York for a staggering NZ$355,000. That was the third highest price ever paid for a vinyl record. The album was titled Yesterday and Today. On its release in June of 1966, it sparked a huge amount of controversy. The album was originally released only in the United States and Canada and will be remembered primarily for the controversy surrounding its original cover image. The album cover showed The Beatles dressed in white smocks and covered with body parts from baby dolls and pieces of raw meat. It became known as “the butcher cover”. Taken by Australian photographer Robert Whitaker, the Fab Four played along with the concept as apparently, they were tired of the usual cover shots. Although it was not originally intended as an album cover, Paul McCartney pushed Capitol records in the US to include the photo, reportedly describing it as “our comment on the Vietnam War.”
