Monthly Archives: July 2017

Why Vinyl’s Boom Is Over, As purists complain about low quality and high prices, vinyl sales taper off; Gillian Welch and David Rawlings cut their own records: Old LPs were cut from analog tapes—that’s why they sound so high quality. But the majority of today’s new and re-issued vinyl albums—around 80% or more, several experts estimate—start from digital files, even lower-quality CDs. These digital files are often loud and harsh-sounding, optimized for ear-buds, not living rooms. So the new vinyl LP is sometimes inferior to what a consumer hears on a CD. “They’re re-issuing [old albums] and not using the original tapes” to save time and money, says Michael Fremer, editor of AnalogPlanet.com and one of America’s leading audio authorities. “They have the tapes. They could take them out and have it done right—by a good engineer. They don’t.”

Pasadena, Whittier bookstores, record sellers are enjoying a Millennial-led resurgence in sales: Young people are leading to the retro trend, experts say. David Sax, who wrote “The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter,” said millennials, who grew up on digital technology, crave products offering a tactile experience. They also might just be bored with looking at screens, Sax said. “For many of them, especially as they get younger, digital technology is not anything new and magical — it is kind of the norm,” Sax said. “Analog is a choice.”

Vinyl makes comeback in suburban Melbourne: Australia will again make vinyl music with the nation’s first modern record press on track to open after a production hiatus of more than 30 years. The new plant is due to start operations in the Melbourne’s northern suburbs early next year and will double as an event space, hosting launches and other musical acts. “We want to make great records, support the Australian music scene and have fun along the way,” Program Records spokesman Steve Lynch said.

Putting The Record Straight: Of all comebacks, none is as son­orous as this. Veteran ‘vinylhead’ Jaydeep Joy aka Jazzy Joe, hums a happy tune as his fingers flip through the scores of rec­ords lining the racks at Radio and Gramophone House, New Delhi. And one can imagine long-haired youths from long back dancing to the tune of Aao Twist Kare, as he lays the newly pressed record of Bhoot Bangla on the turntable, placing the needle gently into the groove. Jaydeep is not alone in being ent­hralled by the scratchy perfection of Long Playing or LP records.

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Australia to get first modern vinyl pressing plant in 30 years: Program Records is set to open in Melbourne in 2018 and will come fully equipped with WarmTone presses, with makers Viryl Technologies claiming them to be the fastest pressing time in the world. The Canadian company says its fully automated machines can press a record in just 30 seconds. The factory will initially be offering 12-inch pressed at 140 and 180 grams and plan to offer 7-inch and 10-inch pressing in 2019. Custom colour options will also be available. Founder Steve Lynch says: “Program Records will focus on supporting the local music scene backed by a data driven and highly efficient production facility. Australia has a great music scene that deserves to have affordable, good quality vinyl made here on time.”

Electric Fetus’ Bob Fuchs on the vinyl revival: Start being sorry you gave away all your vinyl records (if you ever had any), or didn’t want your parents’ or grandparents’ collection, or don’t have a turntable. Vinyl is back. In fact, vinyl records are so popular that Sony, the biggest of the Big Three record labels, recently announced that it will start pressing them again, as soon as March 2018, in a new factory near Tokyo. The last time Sony made a vinyl record was 1989. Bob Fuchs knows more about the music business locally than anyone. The general manager of the Electric Fetus, a longtime Minnesota mainstay, he has seen it all firsthand in his 30 years there (he started in the record department in December 1987).

Yesterday & Today: Early DC punks shopped, worked at record store: Almost 40 years ago, the door opened to an unassuming record store in a strip shopping center in Rockville and became a rallying point for music fans and members of D.C.’s fledgling punk and alternative scenes. In September 1977, Skip Groff opened the Yesterday & Today record shop at 1327 Rockville Pike. “The rent was remarkably cheap for what I considered to be a prime location,” said Groff, sitting in his living room in Montgomery County. “When I started in 1977 it was $450 a month.” As the punk music scene began to percolate, Groff, who had served stints as a disc jockey at WINX and WAVA, and had worked in the record industry doing promotions for RCA, opened his independent store. This was the year that bands including The Ramones, Blondie, and Talking Heads released American singles, which Groff couldn’t sell.

The Smiths announce deluxe The Queen is Dead vinyl box set with unreleased recordings: The Smiths are releasing a deluxe version of their 1986 album The Queen is Dead on 20 October 2017. The vinyl set includes the first take of ‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’, along with demos and b-sides taken from their third studio album. The news comes over a month after the band teased a possible reissue of the album on social media. Hopefully this release will go more smoothly than their ‘The Queen is Dead’ single reissue earlier this year, which drew the ire of Morrissey after HMV implemented a ‘limited to one per customer’ policy.

Nightmares of an Erstwhile Record Store Manager: I have a recurring nightmare. It isn’t always the same, but it always involves a last-minute, present-day reopening of Hollywood Records and Tapes, the record store I managed decades ago. Until one day when it was abruptly shuttered by the building owners following a bank foreclosure. In my dream, I’m freaking out — rushing around, un-boxing 8-tracks, installing LP racks, and trying to remember how to fill out an Ennis form. Because customers are coming any minute now and we’ve been closed for 32 years! Ancient history. But memories of losing “my” music shop came flooding back when I heard that the Roosevelt Row home of Revolver Records is for sale. Wide awake, that news brought a flood of my own long-ago panic when one day my record store was no longer there.

Long time book and record store closing it’s doors in Santa Cruz: After a 48 year run, it is time for John Livingston to say goodbye to Logos Books and Records Store, a staple of downtown Santa Cruz. Livingston founded Logos Books and Records at the age of 22 on Pacific Avenue and over the years, he’s seen his fair share of ups and downs. But recently it’s just been too tough to make ends meet. “This economic environment is difficult to sell a business like this,” added Livingston. A business that buys and sells used books and records, ultimately becoming a hub for downtown Santa Cruz. But currently, Livingston added he’s seen how streaming books and music online has completely changed the industry.

Longtime Rochester alternative music shop closing after 29 years: Alternative music fans are browsing the collection at Lakeshore Record Exchange on Park Avenue for the last time. The longtime Rochester alternative music store is closing next month after decades in business. Owner Andrew Chinnici says the European and American records and CDs he sells aren’t that hard to find anymore because most people buy their music online. “In a way, you could say that it’s good because more people listen to more music now than they ever have before.” he said. “It’s just the way in which they get it is different. And that’s the thing that sort of means that a place like this doesn’t really have a reason for being.”

Restaurant owner to open record store downtown in historic building: The owner of a popular Cincinnati restaurant is going into the music business, the Enquirer reports. Elias Leisring, owner of Eli’s BBQ, is preparing to open Herzog Music, a record store and music shop in the famed historic building where Hank Williams and other pioneering country, R&B and blues musicians recorded some of their earliest music. An opening event for the store at 811 Race St., across the street from the Phoenix reception venue, is planned July 22-23 “We’re going to have live music, bands and just a full weekend of celebrating Cincinnati’s music history,” said Andrew Aragon, who will be the store manager.

Soaring vinyl sales help put Golden Discs back in black: Record store chain Golden Discs is back in the black after the group posted a profit of €172,878 for financial year-end 2016, according to a statement from the group. Turnover for period-end December 2016 was €17.9m, driven in part by new store openings and a significant growth in sales of vinyl records. Store openings included one in Dundrum Town Centre and a pop-up store on Dublin’s Henry Street for the busy Christmas trading period. Sales of vinyl were up more than 100pc on the previous year, it said. “Vinyl sales are at a 25-year high and are continuing to grow,” said Golden Disc Group CEO Stephen Fitzgerald. “Its renaissance proves the desire to own music in the physical format remains strong,” he added.