Cork, IE | Why we need to support independent record shops: THE independent record shop has been under threat for many years now. Before the so-called vinyl revival of the last 10 years, nearly every one of them had closed in Cork and at one stage even Plug’d records had to shut for a significant amount of time. Plug’d originally occupied the Washington St premises that Comet had in the 90s, (during the heyday for record shops here) but there are multiple reasons why independent shops have not been able to continue doing business since. Remarkably, in Cork, we still have a few, but sadly one of the main ones took a massive hit recently with the fire in Douglas Village shopping centre. Music Zone was just one of the many independent shops affected by the fire, which looks set to keep the centre closed for a significant amount of time. But Ray from the shop is doing his best to carry on regardless.
Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh’s 3 best spots for affordable vinyl records: Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable vinyl record hot spots in Pittsburgh, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to satisfy your cravings. 1. Jerry’s Records: Topping the list is Jerry’s Records. Located at 2136 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill South, the spot to score music, DVDs and vinyl records is the highest-rated low-priced vinyl record spot in Pittsburgh, boasting 4.5 stars out of 73 reviews on Yelp. This spot was named one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s best record stores, according to its website. Expect to find nearly a million albums in a diverse range of genres like pop, metal, funk, classical and more.
Bromsgrove, UK | Bromsgrove Record and CD Fair returns to the town: The Bromsgrove Vinyl Record and CD fair returns to the Bromsgrove Hotel & Spa this Sunday (September 29). Organisers are promising a number of new traders who have never sold at the venue before in addition to 40-plus tables of used and new vinyl/CD and memorabilia assortments. The fair is the first since May, having taken a four-month break over the summer. Further information is available at www.midlandsrecordfairs.co.uk There is free on-site parking when registering inside the hotel, as well as a cafe and restaurant. The fair runs from 10am-4pm.
Gearbox Records unveils Automatic MkII turntable: Vinyl record label, Gearbox Records, has announced the Automatic II turntable, targeted at novice and experienced vinyl users alike. Gearbox Records was established in 2009 and has cultivated a reputation for producing great quality vinyl releases. It then struck up a collaboration with Austrian hi-fi brand Pro-Ject Audio, resulting in the original and distinctive Automatic turntable. The MkII (£549) is a similar affair, taking its design cues from Dieter Ram’s 1955 Braun PC 3 SV record player. It’s a meld of the old and the new with transparent plinth allowing users to see the internal workings of the deck. There’s also Bluetooth connectivity for streaming vinyl wirelessly, as well as Gearbox’s music-recognition technology that allows tracks to be added from your record collection to your Spotify playlist. It carries a built-in valve phono stage, designed and tuned for moving magnet (MM) cartridges such as the pre-fitted Ortofon OM10. Plug the turntable into any line input and you’ll be ready to listen to your collection straight from the box.
The National Prep Record Store Day Live Album Modeled After Classic Bootlegs: Three-cassette set Juicy Sonic Magic recorded with same equipment used by legendary taper Mike Millard. The National will release a new live album, Juicy Sonic Magic, this fall. It documents a 2018 two-night stand at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California, and was recorded using the same gear and techniques as legendary taper Mike Millard. Juicy Sonic Magic will arrive as a three-cassette box set November 29th as part of Record Store Day Black Friday. The National also shared a trailer for a short documentary, directed by David DuBois, that chronicles the making of Juicy Sonic Magic. Millard — aptly nicknamed “Mike the Mic” — was active in Los Angeles during the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties, recording hundreds of shows by artists like Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and Rush. As Relix notes, he would release his recordings on cassette tapes featuring hand-drawn covers, passing them around to friends rather than hocking them like a commercial bootlegger.
Bacardi is turning your plastic straws into vinyl records: In celebration of World Cleanup Day, BACARDÍ announced that it will now give people an alternative to throwing away their straws by turning them into music by creating the first-ever straw vinyl. Through the new Straw Vinyl program, BACARDÍ and Lonely Whale will collect used straws from 55 partner bars across the country and upcycle them into limited-edition vinyl records, transforming something that sucks into something that slaps. As part of BACARDÍ’s ongoing commitment to this pledge, the iconic rum brand has partnered with Major Lazer and Anitta to use their music for the greater good. All of the upcycled vinyl records will be pressed with the global music titans’ summer anthem, Make It Hot, which was released this past June in partnership with BACARDÍ.
