Hong Kong, CH | HMV liquidation sale: massive discounts see hundreds queuing up to buy vinyl records, CDs, toys and more: Hundreds of people showed up much before the start of HMV’s liquidation sale on Thursday morning, eager to get their hands on heavily discounted items. HMV’s two-week long liquidation sale, the largest for a collapsed retailer in Hong Kong for a decade, started at 11am at W Square in Wan Chai. More than 100,000 CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, toys, iPhones and headphones are available at discounts ranging from 50 to 90 per cent. Alex Fasso, a music lover, was among the first customers who patiently waited for nearly an hour in the queue to enter the venue. “It is the last chance to look for a good bargain for vinyl and CDs at HMV,” Fasso said as he browsed some 9,000 vinyl records featuring Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones and David Bowie and local stars like Denny Chan Pak-keung, Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing and Anita Mui.
London, GB | East London Is Transforming Itself Into A New Vinyl Mile: London’s Vinyl Mile is the stuff of legend. Berwick Street in Soho has long been the city’s main hub for music fans, boasting a huge number of record shops. The downturn in vinyl sales around the Millennium sadly trimmed this number, but some key outlets – Sister Ray, Sounds Of The Universe, Phonica – are still going strong across the Soho area. Over in East London, though, a new generation of retailers are fast transforming the area into a new vinyl mile. From Vinyl Pimp in Hackney Wick through to Love Vinyl on the cusp of Haggerston, Hackney can boast some of the finest vinyl outlets in the city. Thankfully, the team at Vinyl Pimp have crafted a handy map, a kind of ‘vinyl walk’ for those who want to spend a solid afternoon digging through those crates. It’s a great list, which moves from left field electronics to metal, soul, house, funk, and more.
A “priceless” 7,000-strong record collection is up for sale: The private collection is valued at close to $1 million. A self-described “1-of-a-kind” record collection has been put up for sale by an anonymous private seller. According to the press release which accompanies the sale, the owner is a music industry insider based in California. Dubbed the ‘VIP RPM’ collection, the 7,000 records include a combination of LPs, 45s and 78s, many of which remain factory sealed. The collection is also said to contain mint condition test pressings (such as The Ramones’ ‘Leaving Home’), 12” DJ-only releases, limited and unreleased material, autographed LPs, coloured vinyl and a range of music merch and memorabilia. While it is said to focus on rock from the ’60s and ’70s, it also includes are jazz, country, classical and comedy records. One particular highlight is the complete 191-record Motown Yesteryear series, the 25th anniversary catalogue of every 45 the soul label ever released.
10 Most Expensive Vinyl Records Ever Sold: The music industry might rely on streaming apps to sell, but until some decades ago, vinyl record sales were essential to defining the success of a single or a musician. Not quite obsolete, many people are still passionate about vinyl records, leading to some seriously expensive records. It is hard to believe, but some records are more expensive than a house. But what makes a vinyl copy expensive? It is not only about the quality of the music, but how rare it is. Usually, records that have a limited number can be worth some thousands and the value can increase depending on how unique it is. Details like a rare cover, a handwritten note, or even a serial number, have a strong influence on the final price. Here is a list of the most expensive vinyl records ever sold.
West Norfolk, UK | Vinyl fair at The Warehouse Antiques and Collectibles in Setchey: The Warehouse Antiques and Collectibles at Setchey is holding a vinyl fair this month when guest seller will be Ted Carroll, of Ace Records fame. Ted founded Chiswick Records in 1976 and signed bands such as The Damned and Motörhead. He also managed Thin Lizzy during their Decca label years. Stand A6 in the antiques centre run by Mike Reeve has turned into a small professional record shop with more than 500 different titles. Stock has steadily increased during his first year and now includes CDs and cassettes too. Mike aims not to have two copies of the same title in each format to make browsing more interesting. A new range of vinyl LPs have been introduced that has been professionally machine cleaned to enhance the sound quality by extracting the dust and grime that can penetrate the grooves. The process involves combining a cleaning solvent with distilled water, brushing this liquid into the total playing surface of one-side of the vinyl with a pure-bristle brush that has been soaked in the cleaning solvent.
The Fuse Vert is a vertical record player that defies gravity: Have you ever looked at your record player and thought “that’s pretty swish, but how will anyone ever appreciate how truly edgy I am if they can’t see the sumptuous vinyl I’m spinning?” Well Mr. Cool, hold that thought for just one second, because we might have exactly what you’ve been looking for. Say hello to the Fuse Vert ($165), a vertical record player that’ll show off your glorious vinyls while they spin. The system also features an FM radio, alarm clock, USB port for MP3s, and bluetooth connectivity for streaming, but the main attraction is that gravity defying player that’ll showcase your favourite records without sacrificing sound quality. We’ll admit, it sounds like a bit of a gimmick, but if the project (currently seeking funding via Kickstarter) actually works, it’s an admittedly swanky idea.
Donavon Frankenreiter’s vinyl revival: Professional surfer turned songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter will be back on Nantucket Sunday playing his laid-back acoustic rock, but this year with a twist. Frankenreiter, whose career in music spans nearly two decades, will share the stage with his right-hand man Matt Grundy and a turntable, as part of his national “Record Player” tour. His 21 and over show at The Chicken Box starts at 10 p.m. Earlier this summer, Frankenreiter went in to the studio and recorded just the bass and drum tracks for 16 songs. Then he made a vinyl record of those tracks and plays along with them live at shows. “I turn the record player on and we play two different albums, both sides, all 16 songs and jam to it. It’s fun but it’s kind of crazy. Once the record starts there’s no room for error,” he said. “It’s something different, but it’s three things I love: playing live, vinyl records and playing music with my friends.”
Henry Winkler once talked suicidal Fonzie fan off ledge: ‘I don’t know where I got the nerve.’ …During an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” the 73-year-old “Barry” star said he was rehearsing his lines on the set of the sitcom, where he starred as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli from 1974 to 1984, when an Illinois state trooper reached out to him. The actor said the state trooper called the set directly and asked for his help in a dire, real-time situation. “He said, ‘I have a 17-year-old kid on a ledge and he is threatening to jump off and he will only talk to you,’” Winkler recalled the trooper telling him at the time. “I don’t know where I got the nerve to take the phone and start talking to this kid.” Winkler remembered that the young man told him that his name was John and that he was an aspiring actor and wanted to jump because his career wasn’t going very well. “‘So you’re 17, you haven’t made it yet. OK, let me ask you a question… Do you collect records? Do you have a record collection?’ Because at that time they were vinyl. I said, ‘Do you have a record collection?’ He said yes. I said, ‘OK, before you jump John, will you just will them to me?’”
