New York, NY | An East Village record store had the vinyl find of a lifetime—on an island in Maine: Andy Breslau was browsing at Ergot Records a couple of years ago when he stopped short. The East Village shop had an entire section devoted to the relatively obscure folk singer Kath Bloom and her longtime guitarist Loren Mazzacane Connors. “I put out a record by these guys,” Breslau told the man behind the counter. Breslau, who now runs communications at the Alliance for Downtown New York, is a lifelong music fan who ran the short-lived label Ambiguous Records in the early 1980s. …Breslau had pressed 1,200 LPs back in 1982, but with little demand at the time, they went largely unsold. He had hundreds of leftover copies sitting in the basement of his second home in the tiny island town of Vinalhaven, Maine. They’d been untouched for decades.
Melbourne, AU | Spin city: Melbourne is officially the record store capital of the world: With 5.9 stores per 100,000 residents, Melbourne is home to more record stores per capita than any other city on Earth. …For The Record, a new study commissioned by the Victorian Music Development Office, has found that Melbourne boasts more record shops per capita than any city on Earth: 5.9 stores per 100,000 residents, beating Tokyo, London and Berlin. With 119 independent record stores, the city is home to half of Australia’s independent vinyl outlets. The research, delivered by Ethan Holben and Audience Strategies, took a deep dive into Victoria’s vinyl ecosystem, from pressing plants (Victoria produces 66 per cent of Australia’s total) to distributors and retailers who keep local music alive. The findings reveal a city that spins a whole heap of records, and seriously champions Australian music.
Chorley, UK | We should have a plaque to commemorate Malcolm—readers call for icon’s legacy to live on after shop closure: ‘I think we should have a plaque to commemorate Malcolm, maybe a vinyl record-shaped one’ were just some of the many comments from readers upon hearing that Malcolm’s Musicland in Chorley has closed. Updating the store’s Facebook profile pic with a picture of the late Malcolm Allen record store that served the Chorley community and alongside his beloved records, writing etched above the image sadly reads “Permanently Closed.” A reason has not been given for the decision to close ahead of Christmas, but much loved owner Malcolm Allen, who ran Malcolm’s Musicland for over 50 years offering a friendly chat and a supportive ear to all who entered, sadly passed away in July after a decade-long battle with prostate cancer.
Monterey, CA | Recycled Records in Monterey celebrates what is believed to be 50 years in business. If your grandparents had a record player and lived in Monterey, then chances are something in their collection came from Recycled Records – or perhaps is on the shelf there now. Half a century marks the time Recycled Records is believed to have been in existence, but it has changed hands a lot during that time. Still, the same analog attitude is felt when you walk in: A record is often playing on the house system and has a story behind it that shop owners Kellen and Bree Cookson can tell. …The couple has been collecting records individually for about 15 years. Recycled Records stood out to them as the go-to shop when they moved to Monterey County—something they say audiophiles look for in a new town.
Coburg, AU | An Infamous Australian Prison Held the Unexpected: A Record Collection. Pentridge Prison’s radio station played donated albums for its inmates. Twenty-six years after the site’s sale, a local shop has landed its vinyl. For more than 150 years, the 20-inch-thick bluestone walls of Pentridge Prison saw it all. On one side lay the quiet suburb of Coburg, in Melbourne, Australia, while on the other, some of the country’s most infamous criminals—including Mark Read (a gangster known as Chopper who asked a fellow inmate to slice off his ears) and Ned Kelly (the country’s most notorious 19th-century outlaw)—battled for dominance and survival, enduring solitary confinement and regular uprisings. …But over the summer, a perfectly preserved piece of the site’s history was rediscovered: the prison’s record collection.
Abertillery, UK | Welsh Artist “Blown Away” By Positive Feedback To Record Store Tribute Mural: According to BirminghamLive, artist Paul Shepherd from Caerphilly in Wales, was ‘blown away’ by positive feedback after he painted a stunning mural of Ozzy Osbourne. Approached by Lee ‘Kenny’ Kendrick for his record store, Kenny’s Vinyl Vault, Paul was tasked with an Ozzy mural on the high street in Abertillery.Over five days, Paul created an eye-catching mural of the late Sabbath singer and admitted it was a no-brainer when presented with the task. …Speaking to BirminghamLive, he said: “When Kenny approached me for this, I jumped at the chance. There are certain jobs you do because it’s a job, but this is something I wanted to do. Kenny picked the design of Ozzy and I think it’s because it’s one where it shows off his personality…”
Deptford, UK | Meet the Traders: Deptford’s underground vinyl emporium. Last month, a new independent record shop celebrated its opening in the heart of Deptford. Crates R Us is based in Aaja, an established community-led radio station, bar and event space. The shop has already been gaining traction and business from local music lovers and DJs. Crates R Us is run by DJ Lessons, DJ Juniorbuzz and DJ LS Dare who are all embedded in the local scene. “We’re just three DJs who love vinyl, love playing music and want to do something for everyone else who’s into the same things as we are,” Kenny Gillard, AKA DJ Juniorbuzz says, explaining how the record shop was more of a personal idea than an entrepreneurial one. The idea for the shop grew organically out of Aaja’s existing community.
Cottonwood, AZ | Queen B Vinyl Café blends music, meals and makers into one vibrant hub: Current food industry aims are centered on sustainability—maintaining an ecological balance. This core principle fills the larder at Queen B Vinyl Café. Its diverse interests involve an immersive, niche record shop, barbershop, restaurant and roastery. The mingled spaces beg one to wander from one teasing thing to another. The color scheme is a showstopper to start. Bright orange and blue exudes a happy energy and eccentricity. Customers of all ages and backgrounds flick through records while a historic hearse parked in front wears the bumper sticker, “Honk if you love vinyl.” The indie record shop curates select latest releases from across genres, while boasting exclusive, limited and rare releases from the owner, Maynard Keenan’s bands. It’s also a proud outpost for Record Store Day.
17 vinyl record players worth buying: There’s something special about dropping a needle on a record and hearing that warm, authentic sound fill the room. Vinyl has made a serious comeback, and whether someone’s rediscovering their old collection or starting fresh, the right turntable makes all the difference. Let’s explore some of the best record players on the market right now. Each one brings something different to the table, from vintage vibes to modern tech.
Flood Magazine Launches Gimme Shelter: Songs For LA Fire Relief: Flood Magazine and partners announce Gimme Shelter, a double LP of 18 rare and unreleased tracks raising funds for LA fire relief. Flood Magazine—in partnership with Obey, Good Neighbor Music, and Alliance Entertainment—announces Gimme Shelter: Songs for LA Fire Relief, a double LP compilation featuring 18 rare and previously unreleased tracks from Elliott Smith, Rilo Kiley, The Flaming Lips, Norah Jones, Local Natives, Chromeo, Dawes, CSS, J Mascis, and more. The album features original artwork by Shepard Fairey, with 100% of net proceeds benefiting Los Angeles wildfire recovery and housing relief initiatives. It is available nationally at Urban Outfitters on unique orange translucent vinyl. “Home is where the heart is. Our home is LA, and our hearts were shattered by the devastation of this year’s horrific fires in Altadena, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades,” said the Flood editorial team.
Dropping Apple Music saved me from becoming a lean-back listener: With Wrapped season in full swing, there’s never been a better time to take yourself off streaming. It’s Spotify Wrapped season, that special time of year when all your friends share what made-up genre defines them and reveal their “listening age.” It’s a difficult time for Apple Music subscribers. And who even knows what kind of FOMO the Deezer faithful suffer? The message from the streamers is clear, though: Everyone uses these services, and if you want to be part of the fun, you’d better rent your music from them, too. This used to get to me, but thankfully, last September, I finally did what my gut had been urging me to do for years: I quit streaming music. It didn’t take much effort or planning. One day, my wife said she was canceling her Apple Music subscription, and I followed her out the door.
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