UK | Record shops across the UK have reopened: Virtual event Love Record Stores is also taking place this Saturday with a number of special vinyl releases. Now that the coronavirus lockdown restrictions are easing and non-essential high street shops across the country are allowed to welcome customers again, many of the UK’s record stores are back open for business. Many record shops have been making sales online and sending them out for delivery since the lockdown began in March. Now the physical stores are able to open their doors for footfall business with new safety guidelines and social distancing measures in place. Just some of the stores now open or opening this week are Tribe Records, Jumbo Records and Crash Records in Leeds, all four of Rough Trade’s locations, Brighton’s Resident, RPM Music in Newcastle, Eastern Bloc and Vinyl Revival in Manchester, Sheffield spot Spinning Discs, and Flashback Records, S.T. Records, Honest Jon’s, Sounds of the Universe and Sister Ray in London.
UK | Tim Burgess on the Love Record Stores campaign: Love Record Stores ambassador Tim Burgess has spoken of the need to support record shops in a new interview with Music Week. Burgess, who graces the cover of our latest issue ahead of Saturday’s (June 20) LRS event, penned the 2016 book Tim Book Too: Vinyl Adventures From Istanbul To San Francisco about his passion for physical music retail. The sector is facing tough times during the Covid-19 crisis, but Burgess believes record stores remains an “essential” part of the industry. “They’ve got to be protected,” The Charlatans frontman told Music Week. “They are a community and an essential meeting place for like-minded people. Rooms surrounded by popular music and records are great backdrops to talk about a look and a sound that you want to try and create. “They have had tough times over the years, but there are some amazing shops and amazing people working flat out, so with support they’ll be fine.”
SG | Singapore’s White Label Records and Bar announces their shut down amidst COVID-19 and 5 highlights: Through social media posts made earlier today (15/6), White Label Records & Bar announces that it will be closing its doors following the current COVID-19 situation, which paused operations for live music venues all across the country. The locally beloved record store-bar intended to return after Singapore’s two-month-long circuit breaker period. However, with so much uncertainty surrounding the return of live music venues, they were forced to close down. They, instead, intend on building Singapore Community Radio and its music news platform, Vinyl of the Day. While many mourn the loss of an iconic spot in the local music scene, White Label Records ensures that this is not the end of the record store bar and may return once the coronavirus situation has settled down. “This is not all goodbye for the White Label concept, and we’ll definitely look into bringing it back to life again down the road when the situation is under control and regulations are eased,” said White Label in their public statement.
Wolverhampton, UK | Let’s rock! Wolverhampton vinyl shop reopens to public: Claire Howell was reopening Vinyl and Vintage, on Cleveland Street, after having been closed for nearly three months due to lockdown restrictions. The store will open to the public, albeit with a number of restrictions in place to help people observe social distancing. These include a buzzer system to enter the shop, a waiting area outside to limit the number of people entering at any one time and a screen around the counter, with hand sanitisers throughout the shop. Claire said she had mixed feelings about being able to reopen the shop, saying she was delighted to get back to work, but didn’t know how many people would be prepared to come in. She said: “It’s nice that people can come out, although there are still social distancing rules and people may be wary of going out in public. “However, we do know a lot of people who want to go out and spend money and who will be delighted to get out, so it’s all about managing it.”
The Zombies three vinyl reissue due in July: It’s time to take a deeper dive into one of most influential bands of the ‘60s, Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductees, The Zombies. That’s why the iconic group is proud to announce reissues of their classic albums, The Zombies, I Love You and R.I.P on vinyl. With a slated release date of July 31, the vinyl collection will be available for casual fans and dedicated followers alike to add to their collection. The Zombies is the classic debut album from the rock icons including smashes “She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No”. I Love You is best known to Zombies fanatics as the crucial compilation, originally released as an introduction to the American public, featuring the top 5 hit “She’s Not There.” The reissue of I Love You will be the record’s first wide re-release in the United States. Originally scrapped in 1969, R.I.P has gone down in musical lore as the legendary group’s “lost” album. Assembled in the wake of the success of “Time Of The Season” the album contains the band’s last recordings and other assorted unreleased numbers including, “Imagine The Swan” and “If It Don’t Work Out.”
