Author Archives: TVD HQ

Leicester, UK | 13 quirky places to shop in Leicester: Rockaboom, Malcolm Arcade. Every great city has a great independent record shop. Ours is called Rockaboom. If you have a passion for music, or more specifically playing music on vinyl, then you have to visit. It’s a Leicester institution. So if you’re into rock, reggae, jazz, soul, metal, house, electronica, funk, disco, pop, African, Latin or blues, this is the place to go for new or bargain second-hand stock. Owner Carl’s knowledge and service is second-to-none. Classic CDs are also a bargain. Look out for queues around the block for the annual Record Store Day.

Birmingham, AL | How a small record store made an outsider feel at home in Birmingham: Everything old is new again! Vinyl records are popular once more. Here’s the story of how one small record store made an outsider (me!) feel at home in Birmingham. As a young high school graduate moving to a new city for the first time, I was lost. I had no idea where to branch out, meet people, or explore Birmingham. So I turned to something that had always been a comfort for me – music. Since I was a child, I spent every minute I could listening to music. In the car, doing schoolwork, relaxing in my room, you name it. So as a young newcomer to Birmingham, I found a home at my favorite place to discover music – Renaissance Records. If I wasn’t on the lookout for a record shop, I probably would have missed Renaissance Records. The shop is nestled behind Highlands Methodist Church in Five Points South. Renaissance Records is one of three independently-owned record stores in Birmingham and a host for the annual Record Store Day. Forget the music – what really makes Renaissance Records special are the people. Renaissance Records is home to Gary Bourgeois, owner, and Jimmy Griffin. Both are lifelong, passionate lovers of music.

Joplin, MO | Repurposed Route 66 barn reveals collection of vintage treasures: It’s a unique sound in a unique setting. “It’s the sound, it’s the authenticity of a little bit of pop and crackle–it’s just a more lively experience,” explained Vintage Vinyl Purveyor owner Lynn Brennfoerder. You never know what you’ll hear when you visit a repurposed barn in Jasper County. “This is all new vinyl on this side, I’m buying a lot more new than I ever thought I would,” Brennfoerder added. It’s called “Vintage Vinyl Purveyor” and it’s located inside an old barn that Brennfoerder started rehabbing a few years ago. “This is Muddy Waters,” said Brennfoerder. While most of the recordings inside the business go back years, he’s continually surprised at who does most of the buying, and what they’re after. “The majority of my customers are thirty and under,” Brennfoerder continued. “I’ve had nine and ten-year-old kids come in here and ask me for Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra and it just blows my mind that those are the artists they want to follow and put in their collection.”

Reno, NV | Recycled Records’ owner to sell 3,500 albums before retirement, store to remain open: Paul Doege sifts through boxes of albums that he’s stacked in the back of his office. There’s Elton John’s “Yellow Brick Road” with a yellow vinyl inside. An original Rolling Stones “Sticky Fingers” album with a real zipper on the front. He then pulls out an album by The Who that comes with copies of old contracts, letters and “My Generation” lyrics with handwritten notes by the band. “It comes with a bitchin’ poster, too,” said Doege, owner of Recycled Records for the past 39 years. Doege, soon to be 62, is selling more than 3,500 albums from his private collection on Saturday at Recycled Records, 822 S. Virginia St. in Midtown. With mimosas in the morning, beer in the afternoon and live music, Doege said this is a golden opportunity to get some of the most sought-after records among collectors. “If you’re looking for something, this is your chance to get it,” he said. He’s got Queen, Stevie Nicks, David Bowie, Devo — the list of new wave, progressive rock, glam rock and classic rock pieces goes on and on.

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AU | Cassettes and CDs selling for eye-watering amounts: They’re something a millennial probably wouldn’t even now how to use, but cassettes are still highly sought after. Remember the last time you picked up a cassette? Neither do we. But there are still folks out there who are after the now vintage pieces — and they’re willing to pay a hefty price. Discogs, the biggest music database website in the world, has revealed its 100 most expensive cassettes, and none fall below the $500 mark. Coming in at number one was The Artist (Formerly Known As Prince) – The Versace Experience – Prelude 2 Gold, which sold for an eye-watering $6116. It was handed out to attendees of a Paris Fashion Week show in 1995 and was recently re-released for the first time on Record Store Day 2019. Discogs actually says cassettes are the fastest-growing format of the big three sold on its website — the others being CDs and vinyl.

Seattle, WA | Mexico City’s Georgetown Records keeps Seattle’s indie spirit alive: Six days a week from noon to 8 p.m., Alex Bautista can be found sitting behind the counter at Georgetown Records in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City (CDMX). Spinning his favorite jams on a desktop turntable, he often hands an old-fashioned address book to the latest Amoeba employee to stop in, or talks business with a friend on a well-worn couch against the back wall. During a recent Friday art show, the sound of live music often drowned out chatter in the store. Located next to a store that sells musical instruments and other gear, visitors at CDMX’s Georgetown Records can often hear a rogue guitar or the squeak of a speaker. Posters, album covers and stickers adorn almost every available surface of the store, which opened in 2016 as an informal partnership with Martin Imbach, who owns the original Georgetown Records located in Seattle. “The original idea was to make a bridge, a Seattle connection,” Bautista said.

Williamsburg, NY | Former manager of Record Theatre opens new record store in Williamsville: It’s been exactly two years since Record Theatre shut its doors, but the former manager of the store isn’t done selling music. Joe Igielinski opened a new record store in Williamsville, and he’s even got a couple of former Record Theatre employees working there too. Hi-Fi Hits opened on Tuesday. The new store is located at 5221 Main St.- a location which was home to a Record Theatre store that closed in the mid 1990s. Igielinski, who worked at Record Theatre for 26 years, says he has always wanted to own his own record store. “I felt if I was ever going to do it, now would be the time,” Igielinski said.

Reading, UK | Meet the Reading DJ who has been spinning vinyl for nearly 60 years: Jim B. Donovan – who runs Just Imagine Memorabilia in the Harris Arcade – has been nominated for two Pride of Reading Awards. A DJ who has been carrying hundreds of records to sets across Reading for nearly six decades has been nominated for two Pride of Reading Awards. Jim B. Donovan, who also established the record and vintage toy shop Just Imagine Memorabilia back in the 1980s, has been nominated in both the Cultural Contribution and The Chris Tarrant Award categories. He received the nomination from Rachael Chrisp, Tim Hooper and Pete Wheeler, who jointly recognised Jim for his work in the town. In their nomination, they said: “Jim is an inspiration to many in Reading. “Hundreds of us regularly visit his shop to listen to music, and hear stories, soaking up as much knowledge of Reading’s musical history as one can from his encyclopaedic brain. “He has incredible attention to detail, acknowledging individual players on records, and a relentless appetite to collect and share music with anyone that wants to listen.

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Beijing, CN | Across China: Lonely record store plays solo: Vinyl records, CDs, tapes… In this digital era, these words are seldom heard, but not for An Peng, who has lived his dream of running a record store in Beijing for the past 20 years. In An’s store, some customers are occupied browsing shelves full of CDs and records while some are sitting on a sofa, playing their disk with the phonograph in the store, enjoying the music with their eyes closed. With the needle of the phonograph slightly slipping on the vinyl record, a melodious classic lingers in the 20-square-meter store, immersing the customers in its notes. In recent years, streaming music online has exploded in popularity, and it has become rather difficult to find a record store like An’s. An’s store, called Cool Music, is located in Dongsi Street, an old street in Beijing’s downtown area. “People seldom come to buy CDs now. They prefer to open music apps on their phones and listen to music that way,” An said.

Muskegon, MI | Entrepreneur opens 4th ‘geek’ store in Muskegon-area mall: At least one local entrepreneur thinks The Lakes Mall is “the place to be.” Todd Lange owns four “geek”-focused shops in the mall: Lange’s Comics and Collectibles, Lange’s Comic Warehouse, Forbidden Planet Toys and, most recently, Spin City Records and DVDs. “We’re happy to be in The Lakes Mall,” he said. “We think that that is the place to be.” Spin City features all types of discounted, second-hand media that can be seen and heard, including vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, Blu Ray discs and VHS tapes. It also sells movie memorabilia. Lange acquired used vinyl record and movie collections this summer and thought they would make a good store in the mall, he said. If it goes well, the store might also sell new vinyl records and movies, he added. Like others around the country, The Lakes Mall is a victim of a changing retail environment that has seen companies close stores due to bankruptcy after struggling to compete with online giants like Amazon.

Warwick, NY | 55 Plus: Love to rock? Listen to these tunes: …t’s time for the 55 Plus Guide to New Music for Older People – according to six folks in the musical know about everything from rock, folk and jazz to country, Latin music and hip hop. Our experts include Greg Gattine, 57, program director of one of the hippest, boundary-breaking commercial radio stations around, WDST-FM in Woodstock; Jason Tougaw, 50, host of Jeffersonville public radio station WJFF-FM’s genre-bending Friday night Mix Tape show; Bobby Olivier, 29, a contributing writer for Billboard magazine; Don Lefsky, 59, the owner of one of the region’s pioneering independent record stores, Jack’s Rhythms in New Paltz; Rene Campos, 62, owner of the hip hop/Latin music record store/electronics shop in Newburgh, DMU; and Jim Eigo, 72, a record business veteran and owner of Original Vinyl Records in Warwick and the jazz promotion company, Jazz Promo Services. They’ve listed some of their favorite new music, with musical reference points…

Brighton, UK | From pioneering pop star to friendly vinyl shop owner: …Now living in Saltdean with partner Abbey, Simon is the owner of record label Bella Union, set up month before the Cocteau Twins’ demise. Now the company’s line-up boasts stars such as Beach House and Father John Misty, as well as a tiny record shop in Ship Street Gardens. And Simon’s transition from pop star to friendly vinyl shop owner has been smooth. “It’s so small, you walk in there and you’re literally faced with the counter, you’re right in the middle of it,” he said. “Usually customers are a bit shy and they try and go downstairs, not realising it’s the stockroom. “I just say ‘there’s nothing down there’ and try and make conversation, give them a coffee and stuff like that.” The city’s vinyl revival has also boosted business, though Simon has differing opinions. He said: “It’s nice to see so many younger people getting into vinyls, but I don’t think the numbers are going up. “It’s nice to see the gender balance too, you see so many young women in record shops now. “When shops like Sainsbury’s start stacking vinyls, it’s always going to exaggerate the figures.” [Hey Simon, it’s “VINYL.” —Ed.]

The Official Top 100 Motown songs of the Millennium: As Motown celebrates its 60th anniversary, we reveal the labels biggest songs, including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes and Marvin Gaye. Founded 60 years ago in Detroit, Michigan, Motown was the label that launched a musical revolution. Its impact still reverberates across music today: songs like Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, My Girl and Stop! In The Name of Love are timeless classics that remain as popular today as when they were first released. Motown was founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy, an unknown record producer who borrowed $800 from his family to start up the label. It went on to revolutionise pop with its distinctive brand of R&B-soul with a pop influence – and helped pushed black artists into the mainstream.

Bengaluru, IN | Where to get vinyl records in Bengaluru: Worldwide, the interest in LP records and players has stayed strong. And it is not just music from a certain era; you can even buy music from artists today such as Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande on vinyl. And if you want to skip the expense of a proper set-up, just take your pick of a portable player. In Bengaluru too, there is a growing interest in vinyl. The owners of Antique Palace, Ram’s Musique and Seetaphone Company are in perfect agreement on four things: many college students land up in their shops; passion is the key word; they will source the record if it is not available; and profits is not their primary motive.

Detroit, MI | 21 Michigan record stores that prove vinyl is still thriving in the digital era: People’s Records: Vinyl has gone in and out of vogue so many times that to say records are back would sound like, well, a broken record. However, in recent years there’s no denying it — records are here to stay. Whether you’re a metro Detroit native with a newfound obsession with records (thanks, Urban Outfitters) or an out-of-towner scouring the country for original pressings and rare finds, these local shops keep our music world spinning… Dearborn Music: Dearborn Music has been serving up miles and piles of vinyl (stocking over 50,000 titles across LPs, CDs, and DVDs) since 1956, and has been voted by Metro Times readers as the best record store in Wayne County year after year. Street Corner Music: From Isaac Hayes to Greta Van Fleet to rare David Bowie promos and Prince picture discs, this humble Oak Park favorite (and neighbor to indie bookstore Book Beat) is suited for vinyl lovers old and new and for anyone looking for that record store experience…

San Luis Obispo, CA | Boo Boo Records celebrates 45 years in downtown SLO: Boo Boo Records in downtown San Luis Obispo has managed to stand the test of time and celebrated their 45th anniversary Saturday. “We could not have done it without this amazing community that we live in… loyal fans and costumers… and I’ve been lucky to have the best staff,” said owner of Boo Boo Records Mike White. According to Downtown San Luis Obispo, there have been five businesses this year that have closed their doors, but the Boo Boo records family says they aren’t going anywhere. “You see how rough it is to do business in downtown SLO. The shelf life for a lot of these businesses is six to nine months and they’re gone,” said Boo Boo Records Employee Abe Gibson. “So 45 years I think is a pretty big deal and is something we are really proud of.” Despite all the digital mediums people use to consume music, long time customers said there is something timeless about holding a physical record in your hands.

Buffalo, NY | Grant Street looking sweet with Black Dots on the move: It was June of 2018 that I reported that Black Dots music was supersizing on Grant Street, from a little shopfront down the road. This was a big deal from where the vinyl record business started back in 2013. Now, Black Dots is on the move again – the business has bounced across the street to a newly remodeled building at the corner of Grant and Potomac. While this might not seem like the most exciting news, switching up one renovated storefront for another, it’s actually great news because Black Dots leaves behind a super storefront that should be snapped up in a jiffy. And if you recall, 363 Grant Street was just an empty grass corner lot not long ago.

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Pittsburgh, PA | Calling all audiophiles: Pittsburgh’s best record stores: Despite the rise of streaming platforms and other accessible forms of finding music, record collecting has seen a recent resurgence. Peer into any Urban Outfitters and fresh pressings of classic hit records reside alongside vinyls of some of the hottest modern artists of today. Any Pittsburghers who’ve fallen under the spell of the “vinyl revival” have a plethora of places to choose from that sell both new and used records, catering to customers seeking a legendary grail record or just their favorite album. Not everyone collects vinyl, but keep reading — some of these locations host books, CDs and other offline entertainment mediums. Be sure to keep this list handy next time Record Store Day, held the third Saturday of every April, rolls around.

Dallas, TX | Spinster Records to move into heart of Bishop Arts: The Spirited Oak Cliff Record Store And Hi-Fi Shop Will Move Half A Mile Down The Road In October — But Not Before Sending Its First Location Off Proper. Right around New Year’s Eve, Spinster Records owner David Grover had something of an epiphany. He’d been booked to DJ the Bishop Arts District’s outdoor festivities for the calendar-turning holiday — and, all throughout his set, people just kept coming up to him to ask about the Spinster Records sign he’d set up beside the table holding his turntables. The crowds all wanted to know one thing: Where among this neighborhood’s trendy restaurants and adorable boutiques was this record store? A little ways up the road, he sheepishly replied before directing each person who asked to his shop, which has sat about half a mile down the way from the Bishop Arts District at 829 West Davis Street since it opened in 2014. Grover didn’t really expect anything major to come from those polite bits of promotion, but his store’s sales figures proved him pleasingly wrong; that week, Spinster’s sales were three times what he’d anticipated them being. “That,” Grover says now, “was my ‘Aha!’ moment.”

Lansdale, PA | Entertainment industry survivor, Downingtown resident Mark Evans releases debut album at Chaplin’s in Spring City: South Jersey native Mark Evans’ circuitous creative journey through a wide range of acting and musical projects culminates with a vinyl release party Aug. 24 for The Mark Evans Band’s debut album, “Carousel.” “When we started recording these tracks, and the direction it was taking, it was gonna be … vinyl from day one. I miss vinyl. There was only room for … the best of the session. An album is like a Broadway show, a play in two acts. Side one had to take you somewhere, and end on a strong enough note for you to want to pick up that needle, turn the record over, and begin a new journey with side two,” said Evans, who has called Downingtown home the last three years. The album’s cover art even depicts the underside of a carousel roof as a record. Inside are pop/rock songs that sound like they could have been released between 1966 and 1973. “That sound still moves me,” Evans said.

Giving new life to Nepali music (and musicians): Imagine listening to the late music maestro Narayan Gopal’s recordings on high quality stereo vinyl. The sound of the yesteryears cap­tured and reproduced in the most primitive of the formats where the whole ‘analogness’ of the music is preserved. Now imagine not having to scrounge through other peo­ple’s collections or antic shops to buy them. Instead, you could have them with the click of a button or find them at a convenient spot near you. That’s exactly the intent of the Wild Yak Records—an ini­tiative of three friends who connected with each other through their common love for vinyl and music. Sushil Koirala, Kiran Byan­jankar and Neeraj Prasad Gorkhaly are the men behind the Wild Yak Records, its inception made possible by their common love. They are spread across the globe—Koi­rala is a public health pro­fessional based in Bangkok, Byanjankar is a restaurateur in Chicago, and Gorkhaly is a scientific policy advisor in Washington DC. What also brings these men, all in their early 40s, together is their common root as the rebellious “thrash metal” generation of Kathmandu in the early 90s.

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Chicago, IL | Beverly Records to showcase rare photos of ‘the day the music died,’ Buddy Holly’s last concert: The music might have died that night, but the legacy lives on. Hours before the plane crash that killed all on board and catapulted Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens onto the rock and roll world’s eternal radar, the young men were performing their music at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The stop on the Midwest “Winter Dance Party Tour” was a last-minute addition. So was the plane ride. Rare photos of the young pioneers playing on stage the last night of their lives will soon be available for public viewing right here on Chicago’s southwest side. On Saturday, Beverly Records will become only the second place in the world to display seven photos from that fateful night. The pictures were taken Feb. 2, 1959 by fan Mary Gerber and now belong to documentary filmmakers Jim McCool and Sevan Garabedian, who are close friends with Jack Dreznes, owner of the Western Avenue record shop. After the Saturday unveiling, the photos will remain on display at the store.

Walton, UK | Format record shop open in Walton: A NEW record shop will be music to the ears of vinyl lovers in Walton. Format, in High Street, is aimed at music lovers of the 70s, 80s and 90s, with more than 100,000 items in stock including vinyl, CDs, cassettes and memorabilia. The shop buys, sells and exchanges records and is encouraging people to dig out their rare records. The owners, Janice, Lee and Paul Phelps, have run a busy music mail order service for the past 30 years. They said: “We have had many people ask us if we had a shop, so we thought it would be a good idea to make that happen. “The shop is a real time warp experience for those who remember the record shopping experience back in the 70s. “New stock is added on a daily basis, so you’re sure to find something new and interesting on each visit.” The shop will be open every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am until 5pm.

Fargo, ND | Savoring the local flavor: Ojata Records and the Dogmajal: The High Plains Reader spoke to Ojata Records and the Dogmajal owner and operator Jeremy Swisher about the ever-growing Grand Forks record store and hotdog shop. “…Learning that Ojata was a ghost town 9 miles west of here was interesting, it was the first train stop heading west from Grand Forks. Legend has it that Ojata was quite the party destination. It’s said that one could hop the train for a nickel or dime and head to Ojata for nightlife and entertainment. Ojata wasn’t much more than a few saloons and hotels, a post office & the train station. The last of the buildings there had burnt down in the 50s, and it was erased from the county map. I guess I envisioned that the shop would be, not only a place for cool stuff like vintage vinyl, books, comics, music, movie media, and gear… but a small live performance venue for in store shows and other parties/meetings. So I decided to resurrect the name to see if there were still good times to be associated with it, a historic reboot for the region, or just a fun story to tell.

Halifax, UK | ‘Bigger and better’ expansion for Halifax record store: Vinyl and coffee shop Loafers is all set to start a new chapter and new later opening hours. The independent business is moving from the second floor of The Piece Hall to bigger premises on the ground floor, between Elder and the entrance to Halifax Central Library. The move means as well as welcoming record and coffee fans during the day, it will also open until late on Friday and Saturday nights, adding wine, craft ale, bagels and pizza to its menu, extending the number of vinyl and limited edition artwork that it stocks and offering outside seating. Director of Loafers Mark Richardson said the new premises will have the same atmosphere as their current place but the extra space will mean they can hold more live music and other events. “It’s what we have been doing but a bit bigger and better,” he said. “And we’ll be right in the centre of The Piece Hall.

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Big Bear Lake, CA | Village Music makes a move: Village Music owners, Stephen “Jonesy” Jones and his wife, Connie, found something they both have in common — a love for music. Connie plays the piano but doesn’t perform. Jonesy has always been a record collector and musician. The couple decided to open a new Village Music seven years ago, after the original Village Music had been closed for 10 years. The original store opened in 1967. “We started collecting records,” Connie says. “And asked the previous Village Music owner if we can use the (previous) store name. We reopened with his blessings.” …They travel far and wide a couple of times a month for records. “We get them everywhere and specialize in classic rock more than anything,” Connie says. Jonesy began collecting LPs (long players) in the ’60s. “The vinyl is warmer sounding (compared to digital),” Jonesy says. “I think people are picking up on that. The vinyl will blow away the sonic, sound wise.”

Brighton, UK | Hit record: What is behind Brighton’s vinyl revival? Music might be more accessible than ever thanks to online streaming but that has not stopped the return of vinyl. For many young people in Brighton, records used to be a relic. They were something to embarrass your dad with when you found his old collection of Japan vinyl in the attic. But now youngsters are the driving force behind increasing record sales, which reached a 25-year high in the UK last year. Digging around a record store has become an experience in itself for many Brighton students as they discover old gems and new releases. Graham Jones, author of The Vinyl Revival And The Shops That Made It Happen, called the city “the best place to go record shopping”. “Brighton’s an independent place, it has always supported independent businesses,” he said. “People realise that high streets are mostly the same everywhere so it’s vital to keep independent shops going.”

Dún Laoghaire, IE | Dun Laoghaire Vinyl Festival Returns For A Second Spin: Following the success of its 2018 event, the much anticipated Vinyl Festival returns to Dún Laoghaire from November 1- 3, promising once again to be an unmissable experience for music fans and vinyl record aficionados. The festival will take place in a selection of venues around Dún Laoghaire, including The LexIcon Library Studio, The National Maritime Museum, The Pavilion Theatre and The Lighthouse. It will involve a collection of talks and discussions relating to all aspects of vinyl recordings – from writing, recording, producing and performing, down to examining sleeve design and liner notes. The importance and significance of vinyl records in our culture today will also be explored. Highlights of the festival look set to be two live gigs featuring Johnny, Barry & Jim of Horslips on November 1 and 2 in the Pavilion Theatre (43 years on from recording their Horslips Live album in Dún Laoghaire’s old Pavilion). Meanwhile, Vicky McClure of Line of Duty and This is England fame will host a DJ set in The Lighthouse on the Saturday night.

Ocean Colour Scene’s ‘Moseley Shoals’ And ‘Marchin’ Already’ Set For Vinyl Reissue: Big sellers during the mid-1990s, these legend-enshrining albums were also spawned a succession of highly-acclaimed UK Top 10 hits. Two landmark Ocean Colour Scene albums, Moseley Shoals and Marchin’ Already are set for reissue on heavyweight, 180g vinyl on 27 September, through UMC/Island. Following a successful red vinyl edition for Record Store Day, Moseley Shoals will be returning on heavyweight black wax. Arguably the band’s quintessential title, it was originally released in 1996, at the height of Britpop when it reached No. 2 in the UK, and amassed 92 weeks on the charts, going on to sell a million copies world-wide. ‘Moseley’ takes its name from an area in Birmingham, and ‘Moseley Shoals’ is a tribute to Muscle Shoals, the legendary soul recording studios in Alabama. Having made a low key start to their career with a self-titled album in the early 1990s, Ocean Colour Scene’s career was boosted by two things – the endorsement of two of Britain’s biggest pop stars – Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher, and the exposure given to the first single, ‘The Riverboat Song’, by Chris Evans on his hit TV show TFI Friday.

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