Author Archives: TVD HQ

Louisville, KY | Moving out but moving forward: Underground Sounds getting new location after 24 years. The owner says after being in it’s original location for 24 years, he wishes they could stay for another 24. A local store that’s fed the hunger of music lovers for decades is closing its doors. They are leaving their shop right off Bardstown Road, to move to a more affordable location on Barrett Avenue. “Bardstown road has changed over the last few years. The cool mom and pop stores really can’t afford the rent in the area anymore so we’re kind of going off to the side streets now,” said Craig Rich, the owner of Underground Sounds. Although they are starting new beginnings elsewhere, they are leaving years of history behind at 2003 Highland Avenue. “My son said his first words here, he took his first steps in this store.There’s people who have met here that formed bands. I had two kids that were working here for me a while ago. They’re married now,” explained Craig. They are able to move most of their merchandise to the new location and Craig says they will bring their vibes along on the journey.

Cardiff, UK | The story of Kellys Records – the oldest secondhand record store in the UK: The Cardiff institution this month celebrates its 50th birthday. On the balcony of Cardiff Central Market a group of teenage girls excitably pose for pictures with friends. They’re gathered outside one of the market’s longest-running stalls and haven for music lovers – Kelly Records. One of the youngsters has a camera trained on her subject, while others capture images on their mobiles no doubt destined for social media. On closer inspection several of the girls having their picture taken are all wearing the same uniform – white t-shirt and blue jeans. It transpires that the pictures being taken are for a photoshoot for an aspiring band hoping to get some eye-catching publicity shots. “It happens all the time,” laughs Allan Parkins, the owner of the shop that has become a secondhand paradise for music lovers in the city and beyond during the last half century. “People love to have their photo taken with the records. It’s a great backdrop for pictures to put up on Instagram and Facebook.”

Prince Edward Island, CA | No jail time for P.E.I. man who stole vinyl records: A P.E.I. man who used a stolen credit card and sold about 200 records he stole from his roommate was recently given a suspended sentence. Tanner Edwin Earl Bell, 24, appeared before Judge John Douglas in provincial court in Charlottetown where he pleaded guilty to the theft of the records and using a stolen credit card. The court heard that while the records’ owner was away Bell told him there was a break-in at their home, which wasn’t true. When the owner returned home, he learned Bell had taken about 200 records and sold them. The victim was able to locate most of the records Bell sold to Back Alley Music and to Most Wanted pawn shop. Bell was also caught on video using a stolen Visa card that belonged to a different victim. The court heard he had no prior criminal record before he committed those offences. Before hearing his sentence, Bell told the court he was deeply apologetic and won’t do anything like it again. “It’s a pretty atrocious act on my behalf…”

New Documentary ‘Blue Note: Beyond The Notes’ Surpasses Its Purpose: Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes, a stylish and engaging new documentary by Sophie Huber, opens in the recording studio, with a top-tier crew of modern jazz musicians going about their business. From his station behind a keyboard rig, Robert Glasper calls out ideas for an arrangement; Ambrose Akinmusire’s trumpet, warming up, can be heard in the background. An establishing shot introduces Don Was, the musical polymath serving as Blue Note’s president, as a hipster Buddha in the control booth. As Was explains to the camera, we’re watching a session for the Blue Note All-Stars, a group with an obvious name and celebratory purpose, having originally been assembled in commemoration of the label’s 75th anniversary. That was five years ago. Now, the pacesetting jazz label is celebrating its 80th, and among its related promotions and corporate tie-ins — vinyl reissues, branded playlists, album-cover art prints, a limited-edition watch — is this film.

Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon sells for big money: ONE of Pink Floyd’s best known records is one of the most expensive to be sold in the UK. Fronted by Hove resident David Gilmour, Pink Floyd’s 1973 release Dark Side of the Moon is considered one of the finest records of all time. As well as being a musical masterpiece the album is also worth a lot of money. According to a list by music website Discogs, the album ranks in the top 50 most expensive albums ever sold in the UK. The Vinyl LP, Gatefold Sleeve edition of the record, released on Harvest, was sold in 2018 for the sum of $3,242 (£2,557). It means it ranks 31st in the list of most expensive records sold in the country. Containing well known hits like Us and Them, Time and The Great Gig in the Sky, Dark Side of the Moon is often heralded as one of Pink Floyd’s greatest albums.

Cincinnati, OH | Old OTR record store gets new life … Oh, and hemp products: Another Part of the Forest, the record shop on Main Street in Over-the-Rhine, is re-opening with a new owner and new focus. Jerry Stepp is taking over the operation and renting the storefront from Julie Fay, who owns the adjacent Iris Book Café. Stepp ran Another Part of the Forest for Fay until a few months ago when it was closed and the business switched over to Stepp. Stepp’s changes include renovating the space and paring down the stock. What made the former incarnation of the store so interesting was also what made it so difficult: there was stuff everywhere. Nowhere did the vinyl-shopper’s phase “crate digging” more fittingly apply. Another Part of the Forest opened in 2010 with Mike Markiewicz running the operation. He gave it its name, taking the phrase from the Shakespeare play “As You Like It.” Merkiewicz died in 2014. Fay, the landlord, was left in charge and had help from Stepp and others.

Gastonia, NC | Record store opens in Gastonia: In a world of streaming music services, there’s still nothing quite like vinyl. Just ask Ron Davis. “It’s the ritual of it,” Davis said. “It’s just like for a cigarette smoker. It’s taking a cigarette out, tapping it, lighting it, that first inhale. It’s the same thing with sliding the record out of the jacket, spearing the hole with the spindle, and then dropping the needle down. It’s the ritual of it.” Davis is far from the only person who feels that way. And last month, he and business partner Speight Byrd opened Revolver Records on East Franklin Boulevard. It’s Gastonia’s first record store in decades, and it’s a dream come true for Davis. “I’ve always wanted to operate a record store,” Davis said. The shop, which opened in May, is full of vintage and new albums. Prices are varied, but Davis says his selection is cheaper than what folks might find in record booths or in sections of big-name stores. Vinyl in general has seen something of a revival in recent years.

Milwaukee, WI | Inglenook, a new store in Menomonee Falls, sells homemade products and plays vinyl records: Whether the record player is spinning Queen or Madonna, the unique physical vibrations from vinyl records will be the first impression of Inglenook, Menomonee Falls’ newest homemade items store. Inglenook, on the outskirts of downtown Menomonee Falls at N89 W16338 Main St., features homemade products such as self-care products, perfume, pottery and macrame. “Records have the perfect feel to the store,” business owner Tanya Kapp, who owns the business with her partner Angela Roberts, said. “It makes you feel as if you are at home.” They also stock the vinyl records played in the store, Kapp said. Requested records can be special ordered, she added. Inglenook, a Scottish word meaning a nook near a warm place, has a homemade faux-lighted fireplace where customers can chat or just listen to records. “Records are not a thing of the past,” Kapp said. “Vinyl records never went away.”

Chicago, IL | Tone Deaf Records Opens Saturday In Portage Park, With 12,000+ Punk, Metal, Indie, Jazz And Soul Albums To Choose From: Why don’t you do what you’ve always wanted and open a record store? his girlfriend said. So, owner Tony Assimos has been renovating the storefront at 4356 N. Milwaukee Ave. After months of preparation, Tone Deaf Records will open to the public Saturday (6/15). Tony Assimos, the store’s owner, decided to take the plunge and open a shop of his own at 4356 N. Milwaukee Ave. after he was priced out of Logan Square and the neighborhood’s other longtime record shop, Raffe’s, shuttered. “I’ve been busting my ass for the last two months to get everything up and running,” Assimos said. “I think it looks nice and the shelves are full of stuff. I think we’re presentable enough. “I’m going to open the doors at noon and have some cookies, coffee and other snacks,” he added. Assimos said his dad had a “killer record collection” and growing up, he’d sit with him and listen to albums from artists like Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Stones.

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Tulsa, OK | New locally owned record store opens in east Tulsa: Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Nicks once again rock the record bins at an east Tulsa music store. Once a staple of the 1970’s and 1980’s, the vinyl records all but disappeared in the 1990’s and now Oil Capital Vinyl is bringing them back. The store is in its second week of operation at its new location near South Memorial Drive and East 27th Street South. The record store hopes to capitalize on a resurgence in records and record players. It’s also the longtime dream of its owner Daniel Vandurmen who said now just happened to be the perfect time. My previous job ended, they closed our plant recently and we saw it coming so I decided this was a good time, if I was ever going to do this to start a record store,” said Vandurmen. FOX23 did some checking and there is a spike in record sales. Last year Buzz Angle Music reported a nearly 12% increase in vinyl record sales but Vandurmen told us most of his sales right now are records that were printed decades ago.

New Bedford, MA | Hitting their groove: Local musicians going vinyl with help of Purchase Street Records: Another local musician has gone vinyl. With the release of J Kelley’s “Burning Season” the vinyl records renaissance is taking a greater hold in SouthCoast. The record is the second to be funded and released by Purchase Street Records, a downtown New Bedford business devoted primarily to the sale of vinyl albums. In September of 2017 the store supported a split EP with the local bands The Pourmen and Black Kennedys. It has sold more than 200 copies. The release of “Burning Season” will be celebrated on Friday, June 14 with a performance by Kelley and his band at the Pour Farm Tavern, conveniently across the street from Purchase Street Records. The Pour Farm gig will be the second event dedicated to this recording – in April the band launched the CD edition of the songs with a show at Paul’s Sports Corner in Fairhaven. “If you’re into Tom Petty, Goo Goo Dolls or 90′s Aerosmith you’ll like this record,” said Roger Chouinard, owner of Purchase Street Records.

Mount Kisco, NY | Record Store a Treasure Trove for Music Lovers: …Originally, Gibson, a collector who has been in the record business for most of the past 35 years, was going to use that space to run his mail order record business. But the retail side flourished forcing Gibson to find more room. “There hadn’t been a record store in the area for a long time,” he said. “I didn’t know how many people would be interested and there’s still a lot of people that are (interested) quite a lot, and it’s been a great time so far.” Between the two locations, Gibson estimates that he has about 40,000 records, with almost any genre of music represented at all price points, starting at under $5. However, his bread and butter are the rock albums from the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, mostly the 33 rpm records, although he does carry a small collection of 45s and CDs. His merchandise also includes concert posters and other memorabilia. Much of Gibson’s inventory of used records he’s collected over the years he bought from other collectors or the public.

Seattle, WA | Capitol Hill gets a new bar: Life On Mars: Looking for a new bar to check out? Look no further than this new arrival. Called Life On Mars, the fresh arrival is located at 722 E. Pike St. in Capitol Hill. Life On Mars provides drinks and music in a laid back, retro atmosphere. The bar has a food and drink menu with bar fare like burgers, fries and mac and cheese. Drinks range from creative cocktails to draft and canned beer and wine. You can also purchase vinyl from the wide selection of more than 5,800 vinyl records the bar has displayed like a library of books. From 4-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, you can peruse the vinyl collection, pick a record and ask the bartender to play it during Vinyl Happy Hour. The newcomer has already attracted fans thus far, with a 4.5-star rating out of seven reviews on Yelp. Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. Life On Mars is open from 4 p.m.–2 a.m. daily.

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UK | This new book takes you inside London’s independent record shops: A 60-stop vinyl tour. A new book called Vinyl London: A Guide to Independent Record Shops has been published by ACC Art Books. Written by Tom Greig with original photography by Sam Mellish, Vinyl London visits sixty independent record shops, stalls, cafés and fairs in the city. Organised by location – Soho, North, East, South, West, Suburbs, Markets, Vinyl Cafes – it includes maps, addresses, opening times and information about stock. Featured locales include Phonica Records, Alan’s, Crypt Of The Wizard, Spiritland, and the Independent Label Market. Vinyl London is part of a series by ACC Art Books exploring creative scenes in the capital.

Austin, TX | Astro Records takes ‘a leap of faith’ in downtown Bastrop: Kevin “Lippy” Mawby’s grand opening of Astro Records in downtown Bastrop recently was an auspicious beginning for his new business. More than 100 people turned out — musicians, vinyl collectors and curious passersby — and the excitement surrounding his new venture was palpable. Astro Records, which takes its name from Bastrop, minus the first and last letters, has become Bastrop County’s first record store, nestled in a 1,000-square foot storefront along Pine Street in downtown Bastrop. After nearly 15 years trying to find a home for his vinyl collection, which he’s towed from New Orleans to Austin to Bastrop, he’s finally taking a “leap of faith” on Bastrop’s downtown. “The great thing about Bastrop, it’s one of a few downtowns that remains vital in small town Texas,” Mawby said. “It’s a lovely place to live. It’s safe, comparatively affordable, and everybody seems happy to be here.”

Oak Park, IL | The evening John Prine stopped by Val’s: Legendary folk singer wanted to give old pal’s shop a boost. It’s no secret that Val’s halla Records, 239 Harrison St. in the Arts District, has been struggling. Val Camilletti (1939-2018), the long-time proprietor, was one of Oak Park’s most beloved figures for over four decades. For 46 years Val sold new and used records while sharing her warmth and wisdom about music ranging from ragtime to rock. She died of cancer while in hospice care nearly a year ago. Through the decades, while developing a large number of devoted customers, Val had also got to know many musicians, especially those with local roots. One who was especially significant was John Prine from Maywood. Val actually helped John choose his first pressings for his records. Shayne Blakely, who spent half of his 38 years working at Val’s halla, continues to manage the store. He pays the bills, builds relationships, and sells new and used vinyl, cassettes, and CD’s, ever hustling to keep the place afloat.

Savannah, GA | Mini Graveface fest brings together impressive, diverse lineup: Ryan Graveface talks ahead of special Jinx show: Graveface Records, owned by musician, label head, and entrepreneur Ryan Graveface, is a Savannah staple by this point. He’s been running his label for over 15 years, and his record store has been here in town since 2011. Since landing in Savannah, Graveface has staged some successful music festivals — but admits that attendance started lagging after the first few years. He shifted his focus towards horror film festivals, but he’s ready to test the waters again and see if there’s still a hunger for the incredible music he’s consistently brought to our city. With the lineup he has planned, it’s bound to be an unforgettable event. I’d been doing the Graveface Music Fest for 15 years, mostly in Chicago,” he tells Connect.

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Edinburgh, SCT | Turntables, vinyl, cakes and coffee – welcome to Leith’s new record store cafe: Cafe Greenhouse opens this weekend at the Shore. Team EH6 has a new addition in the form of Cafe Greenhouse – a local coffee shop with a difference. Housed in Studio w2 – a concept events venue, pop up space and creative studio located on the Shore – the cafe is a record store meets coffee shop hybrid, packed full of turntables, records, cakes and coffee. Owners Jo and Erica have filled the Leith venue with an impressive selection of vinyl which customers can purchase or simply listen to whilst having a drink. In residency at 7 Tolbooth Wynd for the next eight months, the pop-up are serving up tea from Edinburgh-based Eteaket as well as Glasgow’s Ovenbird Coffee (who they are working with to create a bespoke blend for the caff). Writing on their launch party event page, Cafe Greenhouse said: “For a limited time only we’ll be sharing our love of speciality coffee, underground music, cultural activities and obscure plants to the wonderful people of Leith and beyond.”

Los Angeles, CA | Learning to Listen, in a Los Angeles Cafe Built for Vinyl Japanese-style listening bars, where D.J.’s spin carefully selected records for a hushed audience, are arriving in America. But truly appreciating them can take a little practice. At 9:30 on a recent Monday morning, I parked on East Fourth Place in the downtown arts district, between Skid Row and the Los Angeles River. I walked into a kind of glass vestibule, then opened a door into the half-light of In Sheep’s Clothing, a listening bar. I was returning for a second visit, at an unpopular hour, because I hadn’t grasped its purpose at a popular one. Listening bars — cafes with high-end audio equipment, where patrons listen to vinyl records, carefully selected by a bartender, from a record library behind the bar — have been an institution in Japan since the 1950s. They are a subset of the kissaten, the small and idiosyncratic coffeehouses dotting side-streets in Tokyo. Only recently have several emerged in New York City, Los Angeles and a few other places. Shakily, a culture and a lore are growing, of connoisseurship and grace and obsession.

Best turntables 2019: Budget, mid-range, high-end: Best Turntables Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best turntables you can buy in 2019. Vinyl is back and it’s here to stay. So whether you’re buying your first turntable, replacing an old deck or looking to upgrade your existing record player, we can help. We’ve rounded-up the best record players around, whatever your budget. There are a smattering of selections at the budget end of the market, plus a selection of premium record players if you’re looking to spend a little more money. You can even get a wireless Bluetooth turntable should you want to stream your vinyl selections. The boom in interest in vinyl has seen cheap turntables flood the market, with many all-in-one vinyl systems on the market for less than £100. But you can do better. In fact, some of these decks can even damage your vinyl. As tempting as some of the super-cheap systems may be, it’s worth paying a little more for better build quality and superior sound.

The past and the present merge beautifully in Sony’s wireless vinyl record player: CDs have pretty much already gone the way of the dinosaur. In fact, most cards don’t even come with CD players anymore. Not all physical media is dead when it comes to music though, because vinyl is making a huge comeback. People love how retro vinyl records are, and nothing sounds quite like a record. Of course, playing your vinyl collection on a 50-year-old record player sort of ruins the experience. If you want to enjoy the past but also drag your vinyl records into the future, we’ve got just the thing. The Sony PS-LX310BT Fully Automatic Wireless Vinyl Record Player with Bluetooth is our favorite record player by far, featuring both Bluetooth and wired audio outputs so you can connect it to any system you want! Here are the key details from the product page…

Recordings by Elton John, Nirvana and Thousands More Lost in Fire: A New York Times investigation has revealed that decades of Universal Music Group treasures burned in 2008. Eleven years ago this month, a fire ripped through a part of Universal Studios Hollywood. At the time, the company said that the blaze had destroyed the theme park’s “King Kong” attraction and a video vault that contained only copies of old works. But, according to an article published on Tuesday by The New York Times Magazine, the fire also tore through an archive housing treasured audio recordings, amounting to what the piece described as “the biggest disaster in the history of the music business.” What happened? The fire started in the early hours of June 1, 2008…The flames eventually reached Building 6197, known as the video vault, which housed videotapes, film reels and, crucially, a library of master sound recordings owned by Universal Music Group…Almost all of the master recordings stored in the vault were destroyed in the fire, including those produced by some of the most famous musicians since the 1940s.