Celebrating Robbie Grey, born on this day in 1957. —Ed.
When people think about Modern English, the band that was formed in Colchester in the early eighties, it’s invariably their 1982 hit “I Melt With You” that comes to mind. It was dreamy, irresistible, and impossible to avoid. But before “I Melt With You,” to wit on their 1981 debut LP Mesh & Lace, Modern English showed a far more raw and dissonant face to the world. Mesh & Lace led to no comparisons with Duran Duran because it was an uncompromising slice of droning noise boarding at times on chaos, and had far more in common with Joy Division and PiL than, say, Simple Minds.
Not everybody liked it, that’s for sure. Yo La Tengo’s Ira Robbins, writing for Trouser Press, sneered at Mesh & Lace, calling it “a load of monotonous droning and shouting by a precious art band oppressively weighed down by its self-conscious 4AD pretensions.” Precious they may have been, and droning to boot, but Mesh & Lace is anything but monotonous. Rather it’s an adventurous foray into the heart of darkness by a band that would soon enough undergo a sea change that led to the synthpop of “I Melt With You.”
I’d have never known had it not been for a review comparing noise vandals Clockcleaner to Modern English. This struck me as being akin to comparing GG Allin to the Partridge Family, because like most sentient humans I knew nothing more about Modern English than “I Melt With You.” “Balderdash!” I cried. But I’ll be damned if Mesh & Lace wasn’t one fearless foray into the precincts of noise for noise’s sake. Manic drumming, long drones, chanted lyrics—these guys took Joy Division one step further, by sacrificing their melodies to the exigencies of total desperation. Mesh & Lace doesn’t sound like affectation to me; it sounds like a fatal bludgeoning by Ian Brady, the Moors Murderer.
San Antonio, TX | Staying in the groove: How San Antonio’s record stores keep spinning. The evolution of how people consume music went from vinyl to digital platforms that provide access at our fingertips through streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music. Such change has seen some record stores vanish completely, but after 96 years vinyl still has a strong connection revolving around nostalgia that keeps audiophiles digging through the record bins. For Francois ‘Mike’ Robles, preserving vinyl is about living up to a legacy. Robles is the owner of Pink Zeppelin Books & Records, a place known for the loud local shows that he hosts, but he didn’t grow up collecting music. Robles inherited his father’s immense record collection dating back to the 1970s after he died from a heart attack in 2020. Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin are the iconic groups that make up most of the large collection, hence the name ‘Pink Zeppelin.’ His father’s collection helped Robles 
Pittsburgh, PA | Unbroken record: The 59th running of a local vinyl and CD convention brought together regulars, first-timers and pros: The Pittsburgh Record and CD Convention brings together music lovers of all ages, from all walks of life and places far and wide, to a town where vinyl is still groovy. At the Pittsburgh Record & CD Convention on Saturday, July 13, vinyl records were not a thing of the past. Instead, they were a way to spark conversations and community connections that simply streaming music just doesn’t promote. This summer’s convention, at the West View Firemen’s Banquet Hall as it has been for the last three years, was the organization’s 59th show in its 28th year. The convention had smaller crowds than usual, according to its organizer Anthony Medwid, but the vendors and customers who attended were highly enthusiastic about the music and 
Behind Geddy, prog-metal bric a brac: 2012’s ping-ponging title track (
Melbourne, AU | The best record stores in Melbourne: Whether you’re a veteran crate digger, a mild enthusiast or a total newbie, these are the best stores for record-loving musos. Nothing beats going analog and hearing the warm crackle and pop of spinning vinyl. In the wake of the digital music revolution, bricks-and-mortar record stores took a brutal hit, but luckily vinyl has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with sales on the rise. Is it of any surprise? Considering the ‘TikTokification’ of music and the fact everything is now downloadable, heading to a store and sifting through black-wax gems feels somewhat ritualistic. Plus, chatting to record shop owners and picking their brains is like encountering a bastion of infinite musical knowledge. Looking for something that is a blend of David Bowie, Afro-punk and folktronica? They’ve got just the LP. So if you’re a seasoned crate digger looking for an obscure bootleg or just want to pick up your favourite album now that it has been remastered, check out 
Alhambra, CA | Alhambra’s Vinyl Shop: Offering ‘oldies’ to the new classics. Being a business owner in Alhambra is a full circle experience for Angelle Laigo. She grew up here, took piano lessons in this neighborhood at Pedrini Music when she was a kid and still sings in the choir at her local church. Her father started a community newspaper here after immigrating to the U.S. from the Philippines. He called it Street News. And here, on Main Street, is Str33t Records — Laigo’s homage to her father’s newspaper, community and her love of vinyl (Fun fact: the full name of the shop’s logo is Str33t Records ⅓, which is a nod to the revolutions per minute that records spin). “Str33t Records is the continuing legacy… of my family,” she says. “It’s a family passion project. I really couldn’t have done this without my entire family.” Str33t Records is right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Alhambra’s Main Street, snuggled between restaurants, boutiques, cafes and entertainment. The standing chalkboard sign at the front of the shop is an invitation to 
That “Disco Leg!” never fails to crack me up, and for some reason always brings to mind 
Los Angeles, CA | LA’s oldest record store is also its lowest rated: The Record Collector, a longtime stalwart in Los Angeles, has an owner with a very particular approach and business model. On a recent balmy weekday afternoon, Sanders Chase, a professional violinist-turned-record store purveyor, sits behind a wooden desk and watches as several customers stride into his Los Angeles shop, the Record Collector. Their eyes trail heavenward, toward the labyrinthine stacks bursting with thousands of used classical and jazz records — 500,000 to be exact. “Hi folks,” Chase calls out to the group, adjusting his spectacles. “Need any assistance?” The newcomers smile shyly and keep walking around. He then turns to me. “See, this is my problem,” he mutters under his breath. “They’re curiosity seekers. Curiosity killed the cat.” Someone else strolls into the store. “Is there anything I can steer you to?” Chase asks him. The man says no; he’s just looking around. “Make a list and come back, because 
Nashville, TN | Indie Record Store Profile: Grimey’s New & Preloved Music and Books in Nashville: As part of a series on independent record stores, Billboard looks at one of Music City’s enduring shops, while co-owner Doyle Davis discusses Grimey’s contributions to Nashville. Like a lot of independent record shops, Nashville-based Grimey’s New & Preloved Music and Books sometimes offers giveaways for customers, with prizes such as tickets to local shows and vinyl pressings. But given its location in the creative hub of East Nashville, Grimey’s co-owner Doyle Davis says those giveaways have led to some unusual moments. “We’ll take a picture of the winner and tag them on social media when they pick up their prize,” Davis tells Billboard. “One time, we posted a photo of a guy showing off his prize—and [rock icon and former Led Zeppelin lead singer] Robert Plant was walking up the aisle right behind him. When we posted that [photo], all the comments were like, ‘
