VIA PRESS RELEASE | 50 years ago, the Grateful Dead were cooking with gas. It was spring 1974, the band had successfully emerged from a series of hectic, harrowing times, and would soon follow their transformative Wake Of The Flood with the second acclaimed album release on their very own Grateful Dead Records: From The Mars Hotel.
During the mere eight months that had passed between those two beloved LPs, the group also played some of their most exploratory live music and largest venues to date, famously amplified by the homemade, 75-ton Wall of Sound that they debuted on March 23rd, 1974, at their hometown Cow Palace in Daly City, CA. Eternal staples such as “Scarlet Begonias,” “Ship Of Fools,” and “U.S. Blues” would first be introduced into setlists along that season’s tour, before the Grateful Dead spent two months recording and honing them in the studio for From The Mars Hotel.
Not to mention perennial classics like “China Doll” and “Loose Lucy,” or “Pride of Cucamonga” and “Unbroken Chain”—the final two tracks Phil Lesh would sing on a Grateful Dead studio album. Now, as Grateful Dead members and tributaries continue to celebrate and bring so many of these formative songs to the masses, From The Mars Hotel has been remastered and expanded with newly unearthed material and rarities, in honor of its 50th Anniversary.
Out June 21st via Rhino, six days before the album’s original release on June 27, 1974, From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) features remastered audio by GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer David Glasser, with Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. Produced for release by Grateful Dead Legacy Manager and Audio Archivist, David Lemieux, the deluxe edition also includes demos of “China Doll” and “Wave That Flag”—the song that became “U.S. Blues”—as well as a previously unreleased live performance of the Grateful Dead at University of Nevada-Reno on 5/12/1974.
Millcreek, UT | Vinyl Revival pop-up storefront targets crate collectors and music lovers: Dressed in their hard-rock band shirts and Doc Martens boots, Eric Yuhas and Chris Bowen have an unexpected answer when asked about the rise in popularity of records, dubbed the “vinyl revival.” “All the artists now are all coming out with vinyls. Vinyl outsold CDs for the first time in like 30 years in the last couple of years, and that’s because of Taylor Swift,” Yuhas said. “We’re closet Swifties,” quipped Bowen with a laugh. The men, who are in their 50s, are not the singer’s typical fan base but have an appreciation for her music. While his daughter’s record collection of bands like Boy Genius or Swift differs from his own collection, Yuhas said it’s an experience they get to share together. “Being able to share music with people, 
St. Petersburg, FL | Bananas Records Achieves Time Travel: My favorite block in Florida is in St. Pete at 22nd Ave North and 29th St North. You’ve got all the awesomeness of the goodies at Mazzaro’s Italian Market on one side. On the other, Bananas Records has so many unique finds that take you back to the 1900s. (Sounds so long ago when you say it that way doesn’t it?) Bananas Records has been around since 1977. Bananas is mostly known for their enormous vinyl collection. According to their website, they have 3-1/2 MILLION records. But they also sell random throwback stuff like lunchboxes, band t-shirts, CDs, DVDs, old radios, and technology that Best Buy gave up on years ago. But it takes you back. 
Marrickville, AU | Record Store Owner Offers Up Iconic Gig Posters: ‘They Shouldn’t Go To Landfill’: Lizzie French, the owner of Marrickville’s RPM Records & Memorabilia, details the highlights and difficulties of managing an extensive collection of concert posters. Lizzie French isn’t the type of person who likes throwing things away. She hates waste and always has – something she credits to her upbringing in the countryside of Canada. “We don’t waste anything,” she admits over the phone. “You fix it, MacGyver it, you know, do something else with it; reuse it or something. You don’t just get rid of stuff. It’s art!” That’s how she describes her expansive collection of concert posters that she’s accumulated over many years. Lizzie French owns RPM Records & Memorabilia in Marrickville, selling your favourite albums and memorabilia and showcasing 
Sudbury, UK | Sudbury couple wind the record back with opening of new town centre music shop Rewind Records: Two decades after meeting on the music retail scene, a Sudbury couple realised a long-time ambition, with the opening of their new record shop. Rewind Records – a new outlet dedicated to vinyl music – opened in Gaol Lane on Saturday morning. …It represents a dream come true for husband-and-wife owners Martin and Jenny Hay, who first met while both were working at Compact Music, which was a staple of the Sudbury high street for 30 years. Since then, Martin worked at Royal Mail, while Jenny was employed as a teaching assistant – but their shared enthusiasm for music meant there was always the seed of an idea for running their own shop. “The time seemed right for us to realise our dream,” Mr Hay told SuffolkNews. “We met over 20 years ago at Compact Music and we always said we would like to 
US | A Coast-to-Coast Guide To The Best Record Stores In The US: Digging through vinyl bins to add something unique to your collection is an adventure. It’s all about nostalgia, excitement, and the thrill of the hunt. Finding a rare album isn’t just about expanding your collection; it often becomes a moment worth sharing on Instagram. Examples of two prized albums many collectors are hunting for include the Beatles’ “White Album,” for its highly-coveted low serial numbers (we’re talking first editions), and Elvis’ “My Happiness.” There is just one acetate disc of the king’s first recording known to exist. If you are willing to travel across the country for certain highly sought-after vinyl records, you definitely want to take a look at our list of the 
Jackson, TN | Jackson record store sells vinyl records to the young and old in West Tennessee: Connection Advocate, Andrea Kirk said, “Yes, vinyl is like a whole different ballgame. I don’t think I’ve come in and out of this door, not inspired.” Music is the heartbeat of Tennessee. According to the state, music is a $5.8 billion business supporting 61,000 jobs. Third Eye Curiosities is Connection City’s center for a blast to the past and future featuring music on vinyl. Third Eye Curiosities, Owner Hunter Cross said, “Before Third Eye Curiosities was a business. My good buddy Denver had a bookstore called Oz Books in this space.” Mr. Cross started selling albums at Oz and outsold the books. With his grandfather’s help, he took over the store. Mr. Cross said, “It wasn’t just solely records. It was kind of like a novelty shop. Curiosity shop. But the records are what people came back for.” A musician himself, his love of music pushes 
Okotoks, CA | New record shop soon to bring vintage vibes to downtown Okotoks: Okotoks is getting a dedicated record shop this week. Tipper Records is opening up shop on Friday (March 29) at 18 McRae Street. The name will be familiar to Okotoks’ vinyl aficionados, as it’s been around for a few years. Jaica Tipper originally founded Tipper Records in May 2022 at the age of 17. At first, it operated out of The Hidden Gem in Stockton Business Park before that store closed in January of 2023. That was around the same time Tipper took ownership of the Beatnik bus (a van converted into a rolling record store) along with about 20,000 records. It’s been her main focus over the last year and will continue to function even once the new store has opened. …Her new McRae Street storefront is in the space where Sweet Threads used to be before their recent move to Elizabeth Street. “I kind of had to jump on that… it was perfect for us. 
Colchester, UK | Stone Rock Records shop to celebrate Record Store Day: A unique and independent record store will be celebrating all things vinyl during an event in Colchester next month. Stone Man Records is a pop-up record shop which is often found in an array of different shops in Colchester and its surrounding areas. On April 20, from 10am until 3pm, it will be marking Record Store Day at TwoBrews, in Church Street, where it will show off its huge selection of vinyl records. Record Store Day is a chance for people who buy and sell vinyl records to come together and honour the special role record shops play in their local communities. In the UK, more than 270 shops participate in the annual celebration. Jonathan Stoneman, the owner of Stone Rock Records, said: “Celebrating Record Store Day is very exciting. “It will feel like a validation of all the work I am putting in and if it can stir up some more excitement toward the medium of vinyl, 
Bozeman, MT | Out and About: At Bozeman’s Wax Museum you won’t find wax sculptures—just a whole bunch of records. Bozeman has a Wax Museum on East Mendenhall. And no, its not a collection of waxy historical figures—it’s a record shop! “Saw it was the house with the big round window that had haunted me since I had been in college here back in the 80s, and I thought, ‘Oh, it’s that house? Ok, can’t say no to that,’” Kels Koch, the owner of the Wax Museum told me. …Since opening, the Wax Museum has been a hidden gem for record enthusiasts across Bozeman and has even gained interest across the country. In fact, Koch got an order from Minnesota during our conversation. “I’m getting calls from—that one was Minneapolis—I’ve sent them off to Maryland, Maine,” said Koch. But 
Germantown, KY | Underground Sounds In Germantown Will Close After 28 Years In Business: The independent record store will make its final sales in April. Underground Sounds will close after 28 years in business. Owner Craig Rich has announced that his record store at 1006 Barret Ave. in the Germantown neighborhood will vacate the space at the end of April. Rich told Louisville Business First that he is closing Underground Sounds because the property owner, Almost Diamond, has declined to renew his lease. When Almost Diamond purchased the property for $506,500 in April 2022, they let Rich know that they were planning to open a tequila bar there. Rich opened Underground Sounds in a retail space at 2003 Highland Ave. in 1995. As many independent record stores have experienced since the turn of the millennium, he says listening habits have changed and it has affected business. Digital downloads and streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music have 
Hayward, CA | The Record Store: This Shop’s Niche Hip-Hop, Soul, Jazz, and Funk Make It a DJ’s Dream: Come inside The Stacks Record Shop in Hayward, California. When SETI X—the San Francisco-based emcee and recipient of the Pharrell Williams-backed J Dilla Music Tech Grant—told me about a small brick-and-mortar he co-owned with Delrokz, a turntablist and breakdancer from Daly City, I knew my visit would yield audio gold. Nestled in Hayward, a sleepy suburb 45 minutes outside of San Francisco—and whose local high school mascot is a hay-carrying farmer—The Stacks Record Shop can be easy to miss. The brick shop is on the edge of a three-block downtown scene, which isn’t particularly known for any music or arts presence in the region. Though off the radar, it’s a Bay Area audiophile’s sanctuary. Since opening in 2020 during shelter-in-place, the Filipino- and Indian-owned storefront has become one of the only remaining spaces that specializes in 
Louisville, KY | Jack Harlow Foundation and Guestroom Records Give Away 100 Records and Record Players: The partnership gave Louisville kids their choice of vinyl albums and players to go with them. Jack Harlow’s non-profit organization continues its mission to make Louisville a better place to live. In March, the Jack Harlow Foundation made Louisville a better sounding place too. In partnership with the local record shop Guestroom Records, they welcomed 100 local kids to come to the store, chose their favorite album, and then take home a record player to listen to it on. In a photo set by Urban Wyatt we spot kids with everything from Chief Keef’s “Glotoven” on glow-in-the-dark vinyl to Korn’s “Issues” and even Alex G’s “Trick.” When Travis Searle and Justin Sowers opened Guestroom Records all the way back in 2002, their inventory was their personal vinyl collection. They sold records out of their guest rooms and garages for 11 years, until they opened their retail location in the Clifton neighborhood in 2013. In 2024, they helped make memories for 100 kids and 
