Category Archives: A morning mix of news for the vinyl inclined

Orlando, FL | Record Store Crawl hauling vinylphiles across Orlando, Saturday, July 20: The Record Store Crawl is back for another day full of viny, shopping, vodka drinks, and more vinyl. Crate diggers will be escorted via coach bus from record store to record store while enjoying music, drinks, and games on Saturday, July 20th from 11:30 a.m. onwards. Tickets are $39.95 and get you a seat on the bus with access to private music performances along the route, which includes popular shops like Park Ave CDs, East West Records, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven. Crawlers will enjoy special discounts at each stop, limited edition swag, as well as lunch and special drinks from sponsor Deep Eddy Vodka.

Dublin, IE | Made In Dublin: The wheels keep turning for Spindizzy Records: “There’s always been a niche market for records.” For some people, vinyl records simply remind them of their parents or grandparents – a relic from a bygone age. But, fortunately for record shop owners, there remains a sizeable cohort of music lovers who prefer 12 inch records to never-ending Spotify playlists. The market for new and used vinyl records and – somewhat surprisingly – CDs has been buoyant in recent years, aided by the convenience and global reach of online selling. However, Enda Gogarty’s involvement goes back much further – he began working in Spindizzy Records in George’s Arcade in the late 1990s, shortly after it opened, and he has been the manager since 2010. “It started off in a place called the Collector’s Centre,” he recalls, “that would have had a militaria place, a poster place, a crafts place, a book place and a very small record shop. It grew from that small stall.”

Columbia, SC | The Strategies That Keep Papa Jazz Record Shoppe Alive: 40 Years Young. Papa Jazz Record Shoppe is 40 years old. And through those years, “Big Money” Mack Spence has dug through the crates. Arriving at the Five Points shop on a recent Wednesday afternoon, Spence warmly greets employees Alex McCollum and Woody Jones, who recount his exploits playing with the R&B group Black Love back in the ’70s, including opening gigs for the likes of Jackie Wilson, Bobby Womack, and Sam & Dave. An old-school picture of Spence — decked in an extravagant red leisure suit, standing on a Columbia riverbank — adorns the desktop of the computer behind the counter. “Man, if you a friend of these guys, then you gotta be alright,” the longtime customer tells Free Times, adding with a chuckle, “Look, I need to put me a cot up in here, man, as much as I’m down here.” This week, Papa Jazz celebrates its unlikely longevity.

Port Fairy, AU | Port Fairy Vinyl Swap Meet will have something for all record-ophiles: Hunting for an original, not re-released, version of your favourite vinyl album? Port Fairy might be your hunting ground with stall-holders are preparing their stock for the 3rd Vinyl Swap Meet. Prehistoric Sounds owner Shane Godfrey said there will be something for everyone, with vendors bringing everything from vintage blues and jazz, hip hop, soul and heavy metal albums. “It’s great to have an event like this down (in the south-west),” Mr Godfrey said. “People love records because they are tangible and tactile, it’s something you can hold. “When you put a record on the turntable you tend to take more notice of the music, it is not just background noise.” While some highly sought-after limited-release titles, such as Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs or The Coloured Balls, are likely to be snapped up in the first hour, there will be plenty of gems still in the crates.

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An Open Letter to the Majors From Independent Record Stores (Guest Op-Ed): In 2007 things were bleak. Record stores were successful but irrelevant in the eyes of many in the music industry. In response, independent record stores owners got organized and created Record Store Day (RSD). By doing so, the world’s largest music event was established and a billion-dollar-per-year vinyl industry was relaunched. Last year’s RSD was the biggest ever, as were our Black Friday and Small Business Saturday events, breaking all previous sales records. Unsung in the ensuing positive press coverage was the amount of CDs sold on our big day. With so many other businesses leaving the CD behind, record stores are still selling substantial numbers. With the help of our industry partners we continue to adapt and thrive. Not everything is rosy; things have been rough over the past 3-4 months. Just last week, Michael Bunnell, the owner of Boise’s Record Exchange and President of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, sent a message out about how bad things have gotten.

Newark, DE | Rainbow Records settles in to new location: Even with the ongoing Main Street construction and a move to a new location, this is shaping up to be the busiest summer Rainbow Records has had, co-owner Todd Brewer said. The record store, which traces its history back to 1979, relocated last month to Pomeroy Station, the mixed-use complex located next to Newark Shopping Center and anchored by Ski Bum. The new location boasts more space, free parking and less expensive rent. “It’s been fantastic,” Brewer said. “We’re seeing regular customers more often because of the free parking.” The record store is mostly moved in now, and with the extra room, everything flows better and it is “night and day” from the smaller space the store had on Main Street, Brewer said.

Forest Park, IL | Old School Records launches GoFundMe: If owner is unable to pay rent through August, he will have to close business. The Old School Records has started a crowd sourced funding campaign, in an effort to keep the “fixture record store in Forest Park” afloat, said owner Peter Gianakopoulos, who started the GoFundMe. On July 13, Gianakopoulos said he was eight days late paying his rent for this month, and that he still owed payments from the month before. He said that if he is unable to “pay through August” he will have to close the business. “I need a minimum of $5K to cover my late taxes and my rents. Extra funding could help me avoid home foreclosure as well,” Gianakopoulos said. …”I think people get the sense that all small business owners are well off or even wealthy,” Gianakopoulos said. “I started this business with my family lending me about $10,000. If I can pay off my debts, by April of 2020 I’ll be back to normal—month to month, teetering like most small businesses.”

Independent Soul: Daptone’s definitive 7″s: A label that has helped define a contemporary funk and soul sensibility, it’s hard to believe Daptone has existed for fewer than twenty years. Founded by Neal Sugarman and Bosco Mann (aka Gabriel Roth) in 2001 out of Mann’s now defunct Bosco Records, Daptone and its Dap-Kings house band (fronted by Mann) formed the backbone for a 21st century classic soul revival spearheaded by the late, great vocalist Sharon Jones. Taking Stax and Motown as inspiration, Daptone has been a family affair from the off, bringing in artists to record alongside The Dap-Kings, The Sugarman 3, and the Menahan Street Band. In spotting talent, young and old, the label helped bring “the screaming eagle of soul” Charles Bradley in from the cold, and provided journeyman singers like Lee Fields a new lease of life…To mark the 100th 45 released on the label since 2001, founders Neal Sugarman and Bosco Mann have picked a selection of 7″s that have defined Daptone’s prolific output.

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Boston, MA | Once again, LPs are rolling off shelves of local record stores: Step off the elevator that brings you to Lowell’s Mill No. 5, a vintage mall and mixed-use space on the fourth floor of an old textile factory. The first shop you see is Vinyl Destination. It’s an old-fashioned record store — all albums, no CDs. Vinyl Destination is open boutique hours — Thursday through Sunday afternoons and evenings, mostly. On a recent Saturday, the guy behind the counter is talking to a customer about their shared addiction to record collecting. “You ever buy so many records that months later you still haven’t listened to some of them?” he says with a rueful chuckle. “That’s the story of my life.” In the digital age, renewed interest in the classic analog format of vinyl records began to surge a decade or so ago, and the revival shows no signs of abating. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl sales for 2018 were up 8 percent from the previous year, reaching a 30-year high. And that doesn’t account for significant sales figures for used vinyl, as Forbes recently reported.

Baltimore, MD | Sound Garden owners plan Maryland’s first medical cannabis lounge in Fells Point: The couple behind the retro record store Sound Garden is planning to open Maryland’s first medical cannabis lounge in Fells Point later this year. The lounge will inhabit 701 S. Bond St., previously home to Sir Duke, a bar that closed earlier this year. It is currently going through the approval process and awaiting final approval. “We don’t know,” said Derek Baumgardner, City Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals Executive Director, when asked when his agency expected to grant final approval. The lounge—inspired by similar businesses on the West Coast and Arizona— will be a members only club where card holders can pay a monthly fee to partake in medical cannabis educational sessions, yoga and cooking classes, according to its website. Members will also be able to consume medical cannabis on site. This business venture comes in two parts, the medical cannabis lounge on the second floor and a new restaurant on the first.

Auckland, NZ | A record pressing plant has opened in New Zealand: The first in over 30 years. A new vinyl factory called Holiday Records has opened in Auckland, New Zealand – reports Newshub. Launched by Ben Wallace and Joel Woods, the factory has one Viryl Technologies WarmTone™ Record Press, with the ability to make 800 records per day. “I got my father’s collection in a box – I don’t want to hand my son a Spotify playlist,” Wallace shared. Wallace and Woods have also opened a record shop in central Aukland with the same name, stocking new albums, turntables and tech, merch and books. You can find them at 111 Wellesley Street West, Auckland

Orlando, FL | DJ Smilin Dan’s Getting Away With It turns Remix Record Shop into an after-hours happening every week: Gather round, kids. Here’s some music lore for you. Once upon a time, people had to purchase music! Even more fantastical, they had to travel – yes, over mountain and wood – to record shops to procure it on physical media, arcane materials like wax, disc, tape and probably flint or something. Some of these record shops even developed into outposts of society unto themselves. Seriously! Watch High Fidelity, Pretty in Pink, shit, even Empire Records if you must. Anyway, though nothing like in ye golden olden times, that great record store culture still exists in our city. Park Ave CDs, Orlando’s flagship independent record store, is both testament to and bastion for that with their excellent and well-known in-store performances. Public events and other such gatherings at other record stores, however, are slim pickings. But a good and notable one that’s been happening on the reg this year is Getting Away With It at Remix Record Shop.

Companies still earning well by their older devices: The Walkman buried in your basement is likely to be someone’s hot new accessory. The retro-tech market is alive and kicking. In May, Apple refreshed the iPod contact for the first time in four years. Vinyl record sales clocked in at 400 million on common over the past four years, based on information from data tracker Statista. DVD player sales are trending downward, however, they nonetheless consistently hit four million units sold each holiday quarter, even as recently as 2018. Different devices that have stayed the course: camcorders, radios, clock radios, desk phones, and DVRs. Millions of those are still being used in US households in 2017, in keeping with Statista. What drives individuals to proceed purchasing vinyl records, instant film cameras, and iPods, long after new merchandise have made those objects irrelevant. Older devices have a lot of staying power as a result of they allow individuals to unplug from the fixed ping of smartphones and tablets.

Glasgow, UK | Missing Records moving to new Glasgow city centre shop. The Missing Records team are expanding and heading back home to Oswald Street, where the magic all started in 1984. An iconic Glasgow record store is on the move. The team at Missing Records are busy preparing to expand to bigger and better things, and just so happen to be heading home to the spot where the magic all began. The second-hand vinyl specialists have announced they are relocating to Oswald Street. And as all loyal customers of the famous independent stockists will know, that was the site of the original Missing Records when they launched in 1984, before they opened their current Argyle Street shop. Staff say they will have plenty more space for even more “music, films and wall art” when the “adventure continues” at the new unit from next month. But at the moment they’re still trading business as usual!

Newcastle, AU | Hiss & Crackle Records making plenty of noise on the west side: Mitchel Eaton can remember a time in June 2003 when music fans formed a long snaking line outside Kotara’s JB Hi-Fi store to purchase a CD. The queue was a peculiar mix of hard rock and metal heads and arty student types, eager to grab a copy of Metallica’s often-maligned St Anger album or Radiohead’s Hail To The Thief. In his 18 years of working at JB Hi-Fi, it was the biggest day Eaton ever witnessed. “We sold hundreds in a week,” Eaton recalls. “It was just a different time.” Today streaming services like Spotify and Apple dominate music consumption and listening to your favourite act’s latest release is as easy as clicking a button on your smartphone. However, there remains a passionate and sizable consumer base who remain dedicated to the humble record store. And a continually growing audience who adorn the old-school pleasure and tangibility of vinyl.

Rotterdam, NL | Rotterdam’s Clone Records launches classical music sub-label, Edit.Futurum. Its first non-electronic foray. Rotterdam institution Clone Records is starting a classical music sub-label called Edit.Futurum. Since Serge Verschuur founded Clone 25 years ago, it has grown to encompass over a dozen different sub-labels, a distribution company, and a physical store. Verschuur announced the news via social media, putting the style shift down to his “never ending curiosity for great music.” Although details on the first releases are still unknown, he says the first white labels have been approved and will be revealed in the next few weeks. Edit.Futurum is the latest Clone imprint, alongside the likes of Royal Oak, Clone Basement Series and Clone Aqualung Series.

Brighton, UK | This is very sad – Brighton record shop is no longer: Two years ago Vinyl Revolution record shop co-owners Simon Parker and Rachel Lowe were simply buzzing, as they swung open the doors to their brightly painted pink store located at 33 Duke St, Brighton. BN1 1AG. Clearly they were on a mission to assist in bringing vinyl records back to Brighton, along with a few other decent record stores in town. They pulled out all the stops during their first Record Store Day on Saturday 21st April 2018, when they secured live broadcasting from the premises by BBC Sussex, when DJ Danny Pike joined them to present his morning show which was broadcast over BBC Sussex & BBC Surrey. It was a milestone event, as it was the first time in over 20 years that Danny had played all the music on his show from vinyl records from the decks in Vinyl Revolution’s window. The shop was packed with customers, the future was bright, the future was pink!

Legend Ebo Taylor’s missing album found in Nigeria, set to be released September 13: A missing album of Ghanaian guitarist, highlife and afrobeats legend Ebo Taylor has been discovered in Nigeria. The album recorded in 1980 by the “Love and Death” singer is said to have been found in a warehouse in the West African country. BBE Africa, a music publishing and store, reportedly found the masterpiece of the legend. Popular Instagram account ‘Goldcoastghana’ broke the news on its platform. Titled “Palaver”, the album will be released on September 13, 2019, on CDs, Vinyl and digital stores. It shared the old copies of the album found in Nigeria with the caption: “This is great news for Ghana, our own uncle Ebo Taylor recorded an album in Nigeria in 1980 and this record never came out but all thanks to @bbeafrica who discovered this hidden record of the legend Ebo Taylor laying around in some warehouse in Nigeria and will be releasing this September 13, 2019. Let us celebrate this music legend while he’s alive.

Manchester, UK | The Manchester institutions everyone should visit at least once: …Established in 1978, Piccadilly Records has outlived every music format that’s come and gone in the last forty-odd years. The Oldham Street shop is a specialist in new and niche release records and usually has the most extensive list of Record Store Day titles – and the biggest queues. Across the road, Vinyl Exchange is another long-standing resident that’s been here since 1988. It prices its records according to their condition (from mint to poor) and marks them down the longer they’re in stock – resulting in plenty of bargains. Around the corner in Stevenson Square, after a couple of moves, Eastern Bloc was at the centre of the Madchester scene in the late 1980s and remains just as relevant today with its impressive house, techno, dub, funk and reggae selection and late night DJ sets and events in-store. Slightly newer but no less part of the fabric of the city is Vinyl Revival on Hilton Street, which opened in 1997 at the height of the Britpop scene and dedicates a good percentage of its shelves to Manchester music from the 60s to the present day.

Southgate, MI | Stormy Records to celebrate 20th anniversary with big bash: Stormy Records opened in the summer of 1999 when the musically included Windy Weber and Carl Hultgren decided Dearborn needed a record store. According to Weber, the business has changed a lot, both in physical locations, and in the way the record business has been a roller coaster of ups and downs. “The one constant, through all 20 years, is the support of long-standing customers and the friendships forged with them,” a release from the store said. “Stormy Records prides itself in knowing their customers by name, and their dog’s names too!! As dog lovers, their current location is adorned with a collection of record covers that all feature dogs. The store, at 13306 Michigan Ave., is hosting a celebration of its first two decades July 20.

Streaming Now Accounts for 66% of Germany’s Total Recorded Music Revenue: Last year, despite the growth of music streaming in the country, German’s music industry remained stagnant – at best. German music association Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) revealed that the country had recorded 79.5 billion streams. Music streaming had grown by 40%. Meanwhile, and thanks to its reliance on physical media, Germany’s recorded music revenue actually fell 1% year-over-year. CDs declined with 48.2 million units sold, down 23% over 2017. In a shocking drop, vinyl sales also fell 7%, with BVMI tracking only 3 million records sold. In short, the German music industry brought in €1.6 billion ($1.8 billion) in recorded music revenue, down 0.4% year-over-year. Music sales came from all available formats – streaming, CDs, digital downloads, and vinyl… CDs continue to crash, falling 11.7% year-over-year. As with most countries around the world, vinyl experienced a strong boom, growing 7.4% over H1 2018. Physical formats now make up 34% of Germany’s recorded music revenue, down 11% year-over-year.

Brighton, UK | Vinyl Revolution in Brighton is ‘forced to shut down’: A POPULAR record shop is to close because the owners can no longer afford to run it. Vinyl Revolution, in Duke Street, Brighton, will shut its doors for good this weekend. Owners Simon Parker and Rachel Lowe blamed the closure on the chaos caused by Brexit, £22,000 in business rates and high rent. The couple have posted an impassioned video on YouTube saying they have no choice but to shut. Mrs Lowe said: “We’ve been forced to close because the Government has created an environment in which it’s virtually impossible for a small independent shop to survive on the high street.” Mr Parker said: “Hundreds of shops are closing every week and the Government is doing nothing. “When the banking crisis happened the Government invested billions to save the industry and we want to know why they’re doing nothing to save independent retail.”

The String Cheese Incident and Keller Williams Announce Vinyl Release of ‘Breathe’ at Red Rocks: To mark their upcoming Red Rocks collaboration, The String Cheese Incident and Keller Williams will release their 1999 joint LP Breathe on vinyl for the first time ever. “As many of you know, Saturday night [July 20] at Red Rocks, SCI will be joined by our longtime compadre, Keller Williams,” the band wrote via Facebook. “As we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Breathe record, which will be played in full… and we are pleased to announce that a limited run of Breathe vinyl will be available for the first time!” The limited edition Breathe vinyl will be printed as a 180g double LP, available only at Red Rocks merch stands next weekend. Tickets for the band’s special Saturday night Red Rocks show with Keller Williams are still available, although SCI notes that they are “nearly sold out.”

Bay City, MI | Charity pinball event taking place at Bay City record shop during Tall Ship Celebration 2019. Any pinball aficionados who happen to be checking out Bay City for the upcoming Tall Ship Celebration have an opportunity to showcase their supple wrists within a downtown record store. Coinciding with the celebration from Thursday, July 18, through Sunday, July 21, a four-day pinball event is taking placed within Electric Kitsch, 917 Washington Ave. Three music themed-pinball machines — think Aerosmith, Metallica, and Rob Zombie — will be on the shop’s in-store stage. The machines are provided by Crazy Quarters Arcade, located at 1304 Kosciuszko Ave. in Bay City. The games are 75 cents per play, with all proceeds going to Major Chords for Minors. The Saginaw-based nonprofit provides free private instruction on piano, guitar, and drums to pupils who range from third to 12th grade. Crazy Quarters Arcade wanted the funds to go to a charity for children and Electric Kitsch owners suggested Major Chords, they said.

Brighton, UK | Independent record shop tragically closing: A much-loved independent record shop in the heart of the Lanes is tragically on the verge of closing. Despite their best efforts, co-owners of Vinyl Revolution Simon Parker and Rachel Lowe have conceded defeat in the uphill struggle against the big names on the high street. It’s an all too familiar story; independent retail outlets battling against business rates and the rise of online shopping, amongst other things. Simon had this to say, “Independent retail is in crisis, the government is doing nothing. When the banking crisis happened the government invested billions to save the industry.” The well-known shop is situated on Duke Street, and sits side by side with huge brand names as well as fellow independents. Whilst acknowledging that they do sell online, the owners pride themselves on great customer service, the interaction between staff and customer and also the experience of rummaging through their shelves before buying.

Saskatchewan, CA | Saskatchewan record collector reminisces about his life’s soundtrack: As the needle touches the spinning vinyl, a soft crackle spills from the speakers. A jazz song, recorded almost 70 years ago, floats through the air and brings a smile to the 83-year-old listener. Dave Doolittle has been collecting records for almost his entire life. And by his count, he has 35,000. “It goes way back to when I was about 17,” he said. “[I] always liked music, any kind I could get back then. I especially liked jazz. And I just started collecting; I’m sort of the collecting type.” For the past 20 years, he’s been storing all of his records in an old bank in the village of Maymont, Sask. After a recent disagreement over the rent schedule and payment, though, he was given six weeks to move.

Te Puke, NZ | Te Puke record fair at Anann this weekend: Vinyl, 45s, LPs, records — whatever you call them, they are part of many people’s past. They are also, once again, part of the present. Records have made something of a comeback in recent years, and that has sparked a rebirth of the record fair. Brian Wafer has organised several and, on Sunday, is holding one with around half a dozen vendors at Te Puke’s Anann – Pineapple Bar on Palmer Place. “I’ve done a few of them — just for a bit of fun really. This is my social life,” he laughs. “You get like-minded souls and you meet like-minded people.” He has organised fairs at Mount Maunganui’s Totara St venue and The Jam Factory in Tauranga, but this is his first in Te Puke. “I spend a lot of time in the Te Puke area at Little Waihī, so I thought let’s do one. I was having a beer [in Anann] and talking about it and I said ‘we should do one here’, and they said ‘OK, let’s do it‘.”

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Ann Arbor, MI | Encore Records shop to move to Kerrytown, offers big sale: A decades-long used-record shop that placed its footprint near the University of Michigan is moving to Kerrytown by the end of the month. Encore Records, previously called Liberty Music Shop, was at 417 E. Liberty St. for about 60 years but the future of the building is causing owners Jim Dwyer and Bill McClelland to leave sooner. “The situation is that our current landlord is basically doing a ground lease on the space and this building is kind of dilapidated. It’s probably going to be torn down in a couple of years,” Dwyer said. “An investment firm from out of town secured a lease … they have a plan … to build something huge and wonderful … it’s probably gonna be a hotel. So we were going to have to move in a couple years anyway…“We’re really fussy about the condition of records. Not all used-record stores are as fussy. We don’t buy records if they’re scratched up or dinged up,” Dwyer said. “We have a dedicated staff who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and see what we do as religious missionary work. Our job is to help them find the music that makes them happy.”

Richmond, VA | Southside Johnny started collecting records in second grade. Now he has more than half a million: The joy of discovery is what drives John Wood to keep looking for his groove. “It’s organized chaos,” Wood said. “That is why I like it here because I never know what I’m going to find digging through the boxes.” Like a miner sifting for gold, Wood’s prospects remain high of finding precious metal, rock and roll, and rhythm and blues. “There is a bunch of Four Seasons, Aretha Franklin. I love Aretha Franklin,” Wood said. Wood’s vocation is vinyl — volumes of vinyl. “If it has a beat I like. If it has a sound I like or a lyric I like, I’m going to buy it,” Wood said. His favorite hunting spot is far from flea markets and swap meets. John’s honey hole under his own roof in Chesterfield. The one-time DJ known as Southside Johnny has amassed a collection of records that is rarely matched. Wood says he has probably 10,000 or 15,000 78s, 500,000 45s and about 75,000 albums.

Gallatin, TN | Gallatin community fights to save Randy’s Record Store: The fight to save a once-famous building in downtown Gallatin isn’t slowing down. Sumner County historians said during the 1950s that Randy’s Record Shop on West Main Street was the world’s largest mail-order record store. But when the abandoned building’s roof collapsed last year, it was deemed dangerous. Last week Gallatin Council members voted for the building to be demolished in 90 days. A Facebook group and GoFundMe page have been created in hopes of saving the building. Residents are working to raise $250,000 to create a foundation in the original owner’s name. So far just over $2,000 has been raised.

St. Joseph, MI | Vinyl, jukebox store coming to downtown SJ: Kerstin Peterson is in the midst of bringing her dream to downtown St. Joseph. Peterson on Saturday will open 4A Song Vinyl and Jukeboxes at 416 State St. The process has been a long one as Peterson – along with her husband, Tim – has been transferring the original store’s inventory from Illinois to Southwest Michigan. The opportunity to reopen the vinyl and jukebox store in St. Joseph happened within a 10-day period, Peterson said. “It was something we wanted and we went for it,” she said, upon discovering the store’s owner was selling their spot in downtown St. Joseph. “Our five-year plan turned into a five-week plan.” On her trips to and from Chicago, Peterson is bringing more than 4,000 records of various genres. About 10 percent of the stock will be new vinyl. 4A Song sells new and used vinyl records, along with CDs and cassettes. They also do sales and rentals of jukeboxes.

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Leeds, UK | New vintage record store and cafe to open on busy Leeds street: According to reports, it will be run by Premier League referee Jonathan Moss. Music fans are in for a treat as a new record store is set to open in north Leeds. Vinyl lovers will soon be able to buy and sell new and used records from The Vinyl Whistle, which will reportedly be run by Premier League referee Jonathan Moss. A sign has gone up in the window of a vacant unit, opposite The Box on Otley Road in Headingley, to let people know that the new shop will be here very soon. There will also be purpose-built listening booths installed in store and it looks as though there will be a cafe inside too, with customers promised coffee and cake. LeedsLive has contacted the new owner for more information. A message on the website says: “Ok, so you love searching online for your favourite vinyl, but what about getting your hands on some of the best vinyl collections in our Leeds store in Headingley? Wait no more.

Keith Haring’s most iconic record covers: Whether collaborating with Grace Jones, Andy Warhol, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, regularly frequenting clubs like Paradise Garage alongside pal Larry Levan, or conjuring up cartoon DJ robots, New York artist and activist Keith Haring’s work was deeply entwined with the music world. Though Haring died at just 31 years old, he produced art at an eye-watering speed, and as such was hugely prolific. His creations transcended genres to adorn records by punks, pop stars and burgeoning household hip-hop names, lending his vision to sounds by everyone from David Bowie and Sylvester to Run DMC and Crystal Waters during the 1980s. Even after his death, Haring’s work continued to influence culture and music, becoming one of the most recognisable individuals in the fight against AIDS thanks to his unforgettable dancing figures that strutted across its campaign materials, fundraisers and flyers.

Somerset, UK | Music cassettes – are they following vinyl on the comeback trail Portable Bluetooth cassette tape player is looking ‘to cash in on your Walkman nostalgia.’ A long defunct way of listening to music might be making an unlikely comeback on the wave of nostalgia. Now vinyl has made a much-lauded revival, the cassette tape could be following suit reports Perspecs. Nearly 50,000 cassettes were sold last year – the highest volume in 15 years. But will they be back for good? …However, Global News’ Alan Cross is sceptical of the cassette comeback, arguing: “Let’s please stop pretending there’s a ‘cassette resurrection’.” He accuses cassette fans of “romanticising” – or even “fetishising” – an old technology that has seen its day. Cross argues: “Those of us who lived through the cassette remember its cursed foibles. “The lousy sound. The tape jams. The J-cases — the formal name for a cassette case — with hinges that snapped if you just looked at them wrong. Piles of melted plastic on the dashboard…”

Queen top the Official Top 40 best-selling vinyl for 2019: Vinyl sales in the UK have once again been dominated by classic albums and re-issues, according to the Official Charts Company’s records for January through to June, with Queen’s Greatest Hits topping the list. That securing of top spot is likely largely to be down to the release of the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and the soundtrack to that film drops in at number 10 with the band’s second best-of album also in at 29. There should be little surprise at which are the other classic albums littering the list, with Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours (4), Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon (6), Nevermind by Nirvana (11) and Oasis’s (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? (13) consistently featuring in these kinds of charts. The 40th anniversary edition of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures, meanwhile, has been the third best-selling LP of the first half of this year.

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Barnes & Noble Brings Back Popular Vinyl Weekend to Stores Nationwide, July 12 – 14: Barnes & Noble, Inc. (BKS), the world’s largest retail bookseller, today announced the return of its customer-favorite Vinyl Weekend event taking place Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 14 at Barnes & Noble stores nationwide and online at BN.com/Vinyl. This year, Barnes & Noble is celebrating Vinyl Weekend with a wide selection of exclusive vinyl records and incredible offers including 10% off all vinyl and 30% off Crosley turntables and accessories, plus giveaways, while supplies last, in select stores. Customers can also enter for the chance to win special prizes at select Barnes & Noble stores, while supplies last… “We are excited to share our curated selection of vinyl and encourage new and seasoned vinyl shoppers to stop by Barnes & Noble stores or shop online for our exclusive vinyl, sales on vinyl and turntables, and giveaways in select stores. It’s sure to be the ultimate vinyl lover’s experience.”

Lockport, NY | Vinny’s Vinyl Record Shop’s one of Lockport’s newest businesses: Two vinyl record fans have taken their love and turned it into a business with the opening of a local record shop. Jon Vinson and Jayson Kendzie opened the doors on Vinny’s Vinyl Record Shop, at 21 Main St., about three months ago. The store features thousands of vinyl records, CDs, eight-tracks and other memorabilia. “There was no other places around so we had a surplus of our own collections and we decided to open a small store and see what happens,” Vinson said. So far, they have done a “small bit of advertising” on social media and they plan to get their sign up soon, with it just recently being approved by the city. A grand opening is planned for mid-summer, Vinson added. He said the reception so far has been “good” and that word of mouth has been helping bring in business. Vinson said he and Kendzie would get the records “anywhere we could find them.”

Singapore, MY | Singapore record shop The Analog Vault launches vinyl-only label: Singapore record shop The Analog Vault has launched a new vinyl-only record label called TAV Records to support local artists. TAV’s first release is Fauxe’s Ikhlas EP, described as “a contemporary ode to Malaysian music” by the label. Fauxe is an experimental hip-hop and freeform artist whose work focuses on reinterpreting electronic sounds from South East Asia. According to TAV, “Ikhlas is an exploration of the Kuala Lumpur’s music scene expressed through irreverent samples from traditional Malaysian music. Inspired by an eight-month visit to Malaysia, the EP is a true modern ode to the sonic legacy of the country – covering a wide range of styles through the roots of hip-hop, disco, and breakbeat.”

Kelowna, BC | Kelowna artists create new artwork for vintage albums: Album artwork can tell the story of a collection of songs before you even hear them. Often they’re even more memorable than the tunes themselves. Who could forget the iconic artwork for classic albums like Led Zeppelin IV, Nevermind, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band? A group of artists dove deep into vinyl music to reinterpret album covers and create their own works of art for an upcoming exhibition. Cool Arts Society tasked its artists with a unique challenge. They listened to dozens of vinyl records provided by Milkcrate Records and, guided by art educator Shimshon Obadia, created their own art pieces based on their interpretations of the music. The pieces will be displayed at the Kelowna Community Theatre as an art exhibit titled RE:RECORD. “My hope is that through the minutia of perspective demonstrated in our RE:RECORDs, interpreting something as broad as these well-loved songs, we can gain a greater understanding and acceptance of each others’ seemingly foreign points of view,” said Obadia in a press release.

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UK | Collection of every U.K #1 vinyl single could fetch up to £30,000: A remarkable collection featuring every U.K #1 vinyl single from 1952 to 1992 is heading for sale at Sworders Auctions this week. The collection features 684 vinyl records, which tell the story of the ‘Golden Era’ of the singles charts and the changing face of pop culture in Britain. Together, the records are now expected to sell for £20,000 – £30,000 when they go up for sale in Essex on July 7, as part of the ‘Into the Groove, 1950-1975’ sale. The collection is the life’s work of Tim Claydon, who spent 44 years hunting for singles after being inspired by a childhood purchase. “My collection was fuelled by my grandmother taking me, in 1963 as a three-year-old, into Woolworths in Maldon High Street to buy my very first single – ‘She Loves You’ by The Beatles,” said Claydon. “As a young child I played my parents’ discs on our little record player, some 78s and some 45s. If not listening to those over and over again, I would be listening to Radio Caroline or Radio Luxembourg on our transistor radio.”

Eugene, OR | Skip’s Records & CD World closing after 30 years: After 30 years in business, Skip’s Records & CD World is closing its doors. “It is with very mixed emotions and sadness that we have decided to retire at this time and liquidate the store,” owner Skip Hermens said Wednesday in a Facebook page post announcing the closing. Surrounded by customers Friday seeking to say goodbye and to make one last purchase, Hermens said he and his wife, Sue, are shocked to see all of love and support erupting from the community after their announcement. The post has more than 130 comments full of memories and well wishes from the community. “People are commenting all sorts of things, memories and experiences we didn’t even know about,” Hermens said emotionally. “We had no idea we touched so many lives.” And while there’s been a lot of tears, the last 24 hours have been really exciting, Hermens said. Despite what some may say, the internet didn’t take over. There are still people who want physical music, he said. “You buy a record and it’s in your hand,” Hermens said. “It’s something to hold and it means something.”

Los Angeles, CA | What Is The Future of Hollywood’s Treasured Amoeba Records? …Although they won’t be closing, the space where Amoeba currently stands will be home to a 26-story complex in the future. The City Council voted to approve zoning changes that will allow development on the property on Sunset and Cahuenga. Making a pretty penny, the store sold the building to developer GPI Cos. in 2015 for $34 million. In 1990 co-founder Marc Weinstein created Amoeba Records and opened up the first of their three stores. As bigger giants like Tower Records and Sam Goody were crumbling around them, Weinstein and his partners took a gamble that ended up paying off not only for them, but for everyone within a 20 mile radius of their shops. Following their flagship store in Berkeley, they set up shop in San Francisco in 1997, and in 2001 they moved down south to Hollywood, CA. “Thank you for all your love, concern, and support. The LA community and music lovers from around the world have embraced us and enabled us to build and grow one of the greatest record stores in the world. This will be a new chapter for all of us and we’re looking forward to landing in our new spot in Hollywood,” Amoeba Records added.

Marshalltown, IO | For the record: Locals wax poetic about a love of vinyl. …Warren Wolken has owned Odds & Ends since 2002. Then in 2014, Blabaum approached him about doing a side business that would focus on music, while Warren sold vintage and modern gaming systems and cartridges. In April of 2018, the pair moved the store to its current spot (next door to the old location). It offers thousands of new and used 33’s, 45’s and 78’s, plus phonographs, turntables and other accessories. “We have people just come and hang out and listen to music for hours,” Blabaum said. He said young customers are often shocked that the tunes humming out through the store’s speakers come from a record player in the center of the store. “A customer was looking up at a speaker and said ‘I can’t figure out what CD this is.’ I said it’s a record playing and he said ‘a buddy of mine said I needed to get vinyl. I didn’t know it sounded that good.’ I sold him a turntable and he’s been back in every week to buy vinyl,” Blabaum said.

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London, UK | There’s a new record store opening in East London: After almost a year in Tottenham, Kristina Records will soon return to Hackney in east London. Kristina Records closed their Stoke Newington store last year, before moving temporarily to multi-purpose venue The Cause in Tottenham. Announcing the news on Instagram yesterday, Kristina Records founder Jason Spinks said that the new store at Well Street near Hackney Central “will be up and running ASAP“. Earlier this year, ACC Art Books published a book that takes you inside London’s record stores. Brooklyn in New York welcomed two new record stores in Spring this year.

Toronto, CA | Toronto record shop Invisible City closes physical storefront ‘indefinitely’: “We’re looking for a new home now, and we hope to be back up and running soon,” the owners say. The record shop and label announced the move in an email today, adding that they will continue selling records online while they look for a new location. “The business we were sharing the space with has decided to go in a different direction that does not include us anymore,” the owners wrote in an email today. “We’re looking for a new home now, and we hope to be back up and running soon!” Meanwhile, the online record shop will be business as usual. Specializing in funk, disco and soul (especially from Africa and the Caribbean), Invisible City opened for business in November of 2016, as an offshoot of the reissue label Invisible City Editions. Cofounder Brandon Hocura also split off from Invisible City in 2017 to start his own online store and label, Séance Center.

Gallatin, TN | Gallatin officials to decide next steps for ‘dangerous’ Randy’s Record Shop building: City officials are allowing advocates of a historic record shop a little more time to present a more ‘viable’ plan to restore Randy’s Record Shop, a building that officials deemed dangerous and which could be demolished. Gallatin City Council members tasked representatives of the Historic Randy’s Record Shop Foundation, a nonprofit organization aiming to save the historic landmark, with coming up with a better plan to save the two-story former record shop with a caved-in roof and asbestos found in its material…Randy’s Record Shop opened in 1946. In its heyday, it was the largest mail-order record store in the world in the 1950s and 1960s, established by Randy Wood. Among other historic milestones, Wood also founded Dot Records from the record shop, and the label featured Pat Boone, Johnny Maddox, Roy Clark and other artists over the years. Wood died in 2011 at age 94.

Sacramento, CA | The next hunt: As Dimple Records plans to close, mom-and-pop shops thrive. For the last decade, Dimple Records has been Neil Vann’s hunting ground for classic rock and heavy metal CDs. “I have these lists I’ve been going through for years, and I just cross them off,” Vann said inside the Dimple Records on Broadway, showing several crumpled papers lined back-to-front with album names. “It’s been a hobby to rummage through all the stuff and see what you find.” Vann is one of many customers who professed a love for LPs and CDs and Dimple Records, the 45-year-old chain that announced on June 18 that it would close all seven locations after selling their inventory. Owners John and Dilyn Radakovitz told the Sacramento Business Journal that factors for their decision include declining sales and the increasing California minimum wage.

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Valdosta, GA | Remerton record store remembers the King of Pop: Millions remembered the King of Pop as Tuesday marks the ten year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death. A decade after his passing and the singer remains a household name with fans crossing generations. Le’Shawn Taylor owns Vibes & Stuff Record shop in Remerton. He said Michael Jackson albums remain among his top sellers. It’s a trend he doesn’t think will slow down anytime soon. “He’s just the artist of first. He’s like the Michael Jordan of pop music, if that makes sense,” Taylor said. “Once they reach that level they’re more of a brand, once you’re world wide, you leave an impact.” Taylor said he always keeps some of Jackson’s most famous albums, like Thriller, on hand, because of its timeless interest of fans of all ages. He said he also offers work by modern hip-hop artists that he can hear were inspired by Jackson.

Manchester, UK | A Factory affair: Inside Tony Wilson’s record collection: Since his death, the record collection belonging to Tony Wilson – co-founder of Factory Records and the Haçienda – has been stored in an archive. With his new book, A Life in Thirty-Five Boxes, exploring the impulse behind collecting vinyl records, DJ and writer Dave Haslam gained exclusive access to the archive to share a few highlights. I recently had the honour of viewing a vinyl collection belonging to the late, great Tony Wilson. Looking through the records felt like an intimate act. His son, Oliver, told me he’d decided not to accompany me, as the occasion was likely to be “too emotional”. Tony, who died in 2007, was an influential broadcaster on Granada TV, a co-founder of Factory Records, and the Haçienda. He was a man who gave opportunities to musicians, DJs, and young creatives of all kinds, always believing in Manchester…

Los Angeles, CA | Amoeba Music Set to Be Torn Down, Replaced With Complex After L.A. Council Votes to Approve Zoning Changes: The John Ferraro Council Chamber at Los Angeles City Hall is hardly the most artistically expressive of places, but on Tuesday, the room played host to an event that will have real world consequences for generations of music fanatics. The City Council voted to approve zoning changes that will clear the way for the development of a 26-story complex at the site of the Amoeba Music store at the corner of Sunset and Cahuenga boulevards in Hollywood. The move cements the fate of the distinctive building and fuels further speculation on the future of the city’s biggest record store. Amoeba will be moving. Where to, however, remains anyone’s guess. The retailer’s Hollywood location, which opened to great fanfare in 2001, has been in a kind of holding pattern since news of the possible development came to light a few years ago. The store sold the building to developer GPI Cos. in 2015 for $34 million.

Petal Explains How Streaming Services and Major Labels Hurt Indie Artists and Record Stores in Twitter Thread: Earlier this week, news broke that streaming service Spotify had reportedly overpaid artists in 2018 and was asking for a refund. To many artists, Spotify’s stance was a slap in the face; not only does the platform offer only the paltriest of royalty payments, but now their corporate greed was exceeding themselves. With this in mind, indie rocker Kiley Lotz (of the band Petal) took aim at the corporation in a Twitter thread Monday, making some thought-provoking points and raising interesting questions about the state of the music industry. Her main takeaway is that major labels and distributors are cooperating with streaming corporations in a process that hurts not only independent artists, but also local record stores. “In the streaming age, the best thing labels can do is sell directly to independent record store [sic] and foster those relationships. If you hear a record you like on Spotify, go to their bandcamp or to the record shop and order/buy it,” one tweet reads.

Ben Swank explains how Third Man Records give back to their most dedicated fans: …Living up to the label’s motto of “your turntable’s not dead”, Third Man is about the music, first and foremost, with Swank explaining that the label’s focus is on artists who share the same desire that they do. “You just try to work with people that you care about and artists that are just excited to be there,” Swank explains, noting that this same attitude led to the creation of a physical location for Third Man Records. “It largely started as a way for Jack to get his music out, and 10 years ago some of those early recordings, their licensing was beginning to revert to him. “So that gave him the idea of finding a physical location in Nashville to house all his gear and equipment and everything. Then the idea became, ‘let’s start a physical space and have a physical storefront, and sell some rare 45s here and there’. “And from there, the ideas spilled over, […] other ideas started firing off, and things just got bigger.”

Los Angeles, CA | Amoeba Music building has been approved for demolition — but where’s the store’s new location? The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday voted to approve zoning changes that would clear the way for the development of a 26-story complex at the site of the Amoeba Music store in Hollywood at the corner of Sunset and Cahuenga boulevards. The move cements the fate of the distinctive building, and fuels further speculation on the future of the city’s biggest record store. Amoeba’s Hollywood location, which opened to great fanfare in 2001, has been in a kind of holding pattern since news of the possible development came to light a few years ago. The store sold the building to developer GPI Companies in 2015 for $34 million. “Amoeba has every intention of remaining in L.A.,” Amoeba’s Jim Henderson told The Times in 2017, citing the store’s statement on Facebook as the most complete update on its future at 6400 Sunset Blvd. “Rest assured, we are NOT closing, but we are now in a position where we may have to change locations in the coming years.”

Northamptonshire, UK | Desborough day centre Beatles album sells for £2k: A rare first pressing of The Beatles’ debut album found at a day care centre has sold for £2,200 at auction. Auctioneer Will Gilding discovered the Please Please Me vinyl at Marlow House in Desborough, Northamptonshire. The record, which was a stereo version on a black and gold Parlophone label, had been in storage for 10 years. Pamela Goodman, trustee at Marlow House, said she was “giggling like an idiot and whooping” as it fetched four times its estimate. She said they will spend some of the money on specialist cutlery for their centre users. Please Please Me was originally released in March 1963, with the stereo version a month later.

‘Inna de Yard’ Delves into the ‘Soul’ of Jamaica: Dogs barking in the distance. Birds chirping nearby. A man walking through the mist, surrounded by lush vegetation. A distinctive vibrato singing “Speak Softly, Love” over it all. So begins Inna de Yard, a documentary that can safely be called a love poem to reggae music, or the “soul of Jamaica”, as the film is sub-titled with an obvious play on words. Directed by Peter Webber (whose first feature was the acclaimed Girl with a Pearl Earring), the documentary comes at a timely moment: reggae was inscribed last November on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Before opening across Germany on Jun. 20, the film was screened in Paris at the U.N. agency’s headquarters to a full house of spectators, many of whom seemed to know the artists and the songs. Several stood up to dance when the musicians performed after the projection. nna de Yard takes us into the lives of pioneer reggae musicians who have come together to record music in a hilltop studio. This is a weathered, old house that offers breath-taking views of the capital Kingston. It is filled with stacks of vinyl records spilling out of their decaying jackets, while an ancient piano sits on the porch.

IsoAcoustics unveils wooden “butcher block” turntable isolation platforms: Do they make the cut? IsoAcoustics has announced a new range of wood isolation platforms called the DELOS series. Crafted from maple, the four models combine IsoAcoustics’ isolation technology wth a maple block base, and range in price from £399 – £699, depending on size. Turntables are extremely sensitive to vibrations. The stylus navigating the tiny variations in the vinyl’s grooves is a delicate process that is easily interrupted by vibrations.” explains IsoAcoustics’ Dave Morrison. “We found the most effective solution to diminish the effects of external vibrations was integrating our isolators into a butcher block to combine mass with our patented isolation technology.” DELOS series will be available 1st July.

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Little Rock, AK | Vinyl record store opens in Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood: More than 3,000 records in stock. A new store opens its doors Saturday in Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood, and it offers a step back into time. Control New and Used Vinyl Records has been a year in the making, but its two owners are finally ready to offer a novelty that appears to be making a comeback. “A place where people can come shop and explore,” Wes Howerton, co-owner, says. Howerton, along with his business partner, Michael Schaeffer, each invested 350 records from their personal collections to kickstart inventory. The pair recently purchased 800 more from a seller in the Cabot area. Now, their showroom is filled with more than 3,000 records in preparation for Saturday’s grand opening. Their store’s opening comes at a time when digital music seems to dominate airwaves, but some say there’s a nostalgic trend spinning listeners back to vinyl.

Chester, UK | Inside Chester’s oldest record shop that almost never was – and the story behind its success: The team has been selling collectible vinyl for over 30 years. Historical Chester is filled with a wealth of independents… Chester’s record shops have displayed a valiant effort, with many coming and going. Penny Lane Records on Foregate Street was a loved local which unfortunately had to close its doors in the 90s following the boom of the big brands who could easily undercut prices. Global Grooves on Brook Street was for years the go-to shop to top up your dance collection – but unfortunately succumbed to the same fate. Impact Records on Watergate Row was another much-loved favourite that was forced to shut. However, there is one Chester record shop which has stood the test of time. Brook Street’s Grey and Pink Records opened in 1986, and ever since it has offered a vast array of collectors items.

Port Macquarie, AU | 2019 Port Macquarie Record Fair will have vinyl vultures in a spin on July 20: Vinyl vultures will be in a spin come July with the second edition of Port Macquarie’s Record Fair making a return. RAWR Music, Dark Alley Collectables and Hold Steady Records are once again presenting the event with vendors from across NSW bringing their extensive collections of music to the Hastings on July 20. This year the event will coincide with a pop-up beer garden in the space at the rear of Dark Alley Collectables in William Street, Port Macquarie from 12 pm to 4pm. Music fans can sift through thousands of LPs covering popular, folk, alternative, punk, metal, rockabilly, blues, jazz, country, reggae, club, hip hop and every other genre since the dawn of rock and roll. Co-founder and record store owner Travis Fredericks said old time record lovers and those new to the vinyl revival are in for a treat. Jason Sherman from Hold Steady Records said every genre will be available.

Bradford, CA | Vinyl Frontier will be back, despite a rainy start. Record-lovers are invited to four more Vinyl Frontier events this summer, hosted by the Innisfil Arts, Culture and Heritage Council. When the Innisfil Arts, Culture and Heritage Council came up with the idea of the Vinyl Frontier, its members envisioned gathering outside the Lakeshore Library in Alcona on a warm Thursday night to listen to and share vinyl records. There’s nothing like a vinyl recording, say collectors: The nostalgia, the rarity of some recordings, the physical act of picking up a record and placing it on a turntable. While physics might deny that “vinyl sounds better than CD,” there’s a certain warmth – especially connected with pulling out a favourite album and listening to it spin one more time. So it was disappointing when the first Vinyl Frontier evening saw the clouds roll in and the rain pour down.

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Port Coquitlam, BC | Pinball Alley’s new owners bringing on the weird: The City of the Arts is about to get weird. That means instead of floral watercolours to hang on the wall, expect the inky punk stylings of I, Braineater…Penny Ball and Kaine Delay have a background in pinup and punk and they think the city’s ready for their vibe. The couple are longtime friends of Pinball Alley’s owners, Heather Wallace and Johnny Barnes, who are upping stakes to chase their lifestyle dreams in Spain. Ball said when she learned the St. Johns Street shop — which has become a destination for audiophiles looking to fill out their vinyl record collections and lovers of mid-century kitsch and knick-knacks — was for sale, she didn’t hesitate. She said after 27 years working for others in retail, she was ready to strike out on her own. Delay, a veteran musician with the Vancouver punk-metal-electronica band Left Spine Down, was on board as well.

Asheville, NC | New vinyl pressing plant will be an immersive food, music and cocktail experience: “Synergy” is a word that comes to Gar Ragland’s mind often as he talks about his proposed project, tentatively named AVL-Vinyl. Ragland, a North Carolina-born music producer, president and CEO of NewSong music, and the Board Chair of the Asheville Area Arts Council, plans to build a vinyl pressing plant in the Asheville Citizen Times building, taking over nearly 10,000 square feet of the ground floor. The Asheville Citizen Times newspaper staff moved back to the second floor of the historic building this week. “We aspire to be one of the country’s leading manufacturers of high-quality vinyl,” Ragland said. “And as we started to put that model together, we realized that Asheville offers a special, unique opportunity, driven by both the homegrown love of music and craft here — as well as the 12 million tourists who come here seeking that here in our town.”

Sacramento, CA | Dimple Records closing after 45 years in Sacramento. The local chain of independent record stores is closing its seven locations. The owners’ son says his parents are looking to retire. Dimple Records is closing the doors on all seven of its locations later in 2019. Andrew Radakovitz is son of co-founders John and Dilyn Radakovitz, who opened Dimple Records in 1974. He reached out to ABC10 to share the news Tuesday evening. “My mom and dad have been doing this for years. Decades,” he said. “It’s basically a retirement sale. They’re both in their mid-70s.” The Greater Sacramento Area chain of independent record stores sells music, movies, collectibles and more. Radakovitz said business has been negatively impacted in recent years by a number of factors, including “some difficulties in regulations, minimum wage.” The liquidation sale starts Wednesday and will last through the summer. While the couple is open to finding the right person to give Dimple Records a second life, Radakovitz said there’s currently no successor in place after a potential buyer fell through.

Record Store Day Thinks the World Needs a 3-Inch Single of Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage”: Record Store Day proper has come and gone this year, but that’s not stopping organizers from releasing more of those “exclusives.” In fact, RSD has decided the world is not complete without a 3-inch vinyl version of Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage,” so that’s exactly what it’s going to get. RSD is marking the 25th anniversary of Beastie Boys’ Ill Communication with a 3-inch vinyl single of the group’s 1994 hit “Sabotage” — because normal vinyl, CDs, tapes and even streaming apparently no longer cut it anymore these days. If you’re a big 3-inch fiend, the single will be released in indie record shops on July 19. It is meant to be played on the RSD3 mini-turntable, and the “Sabotage” single comes in an outer box that reproduces the original 7-inch single (that’s four inches larger for those keeping track) sleeve art and includes a pull-out Ill Communication poster. RSD will press up 2,500 copies of the single. We’ll leave it up to you to decide if that’s an appropriate number for this “limited” pressing.

Stranger Things 3 soundtrack to be released on vinyl: A doo-wop turn in the upside down. Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein’s soundtrack to the third series of retro sci-fi romp Stranger Things is to be released on vinyl, via Lakeshore and Invada Records. Members of the synth-power-pop outfit S U R V I V E, Dixon and Stein have previously drawn heavily on ’80s b-movie soundtrack motifs for the show’s score. However, according to the press release, season 3 will step away from familiar territory, in favour of “the pop sensibilities and melancholic undertones of ’50s doo wop.” As the duo explain, “With the season 3 soundtrack, we’ve made an album that doesn’t feel like a “score” necessarily, but one that feels more like a stand-alone record than a collection of brief cues. We’ve incorporated the main narrative elements of the series and stayed true to the original sound while at the same time expanding on our musical palette — we often pushed it to the limit.”