By MARC CABRERA
Where once Goliath record chains such as The Warehouse and Sam Goody have folded, small-fry Mike Lunt, owner of Recycled Records in Monterey, still stands with a vinyl record in hand and a slingshot in his back pocket.
That's because while the CD has slowly faded into the background due to the popularity of digital downloading, vinyl records have reclaimed their relevance among music listeners, locally and nationally.
According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, while CD sales continue a double-digit decline, sales of vinyl albums have doubled in the last year to 6 million, and turntable sales increased 80 percent over the same period. The resurgence is being led not just by baby boomer nostalgia for gatefold album sleeves and those pops and scratches on favorite records, but by college-age consumers discovering the elaborate artwork of vinyl-album packaging for the first time — and entranced by the grittier, less-artificial sound quality.
Lunt and his fellow record store owner, Bob Gamber, owner of The Vinyl Revolution down the street on Lighthouse Avenue, each acknowledge the bump in business at their shops.
The reason is simple: In the digital download age, people still long for both a physical product and quality sound. Vinyl fulfills both needs.
"Records sound so much better," said Lunt, working in the cramped booth at the end of his store, surrounded by stacks of used vinyl records he carefully rubbed with D4+ fluid to remove smears and fingerprints.
"(With records) you're actually buying something. A lot of the download stigma is you don't actually get anything for your money. Sure, you get the song, but there's nothing there to show for it."
It's gratifying for Lunt and Recycled Records, which marked its 33rd anniversary this year. Lunt plans on celebrating the anniversary in February to honor 331/3 years, a nod to the revolutions per minute setting on some older record players.
At his store, business has steadily improved over the past couple years, although he and Gamber both said the recession has slowed some of the momentum.
A lot of Lunt's customers come in looking for special orders, but a significant portion of his product has included new releases.
Major label recording artists such as Metallica, Radiohead and Wilco have recently issued special vinyl editions of their latest releases and include bonus download codes.
"It's the best of both worlds," said Lunt.
Down the road at Vinyl Rev, Gamber's been busy stocking his shelves with new vinyl releases as well as major record label re-issues. Album re-issues from classic rock artists such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd are plenty popular.
"You can't keep them on the shelves," said Gamber.
The 51-year-old Gamber is a classic rock relic of sorts, albeit a heavy metal rocker. A former Metallica roadie before the band hit it big, Gamber has owned stores in Santa Cruz and San Francisco. He opened Vinyl Rev in 1994, drawn to the ocean and quiet community.
"When I opened up in 1994, people thought I was nuts," said Gamber. "They said 'What are you doing? CDs are the future. Nobody wants records.'"
He's seen vinyl go through different stages of popularity, from mostly the realm of hip-hop DJs during the mid-'90s to dance music DJs seeking drum-'n'-bass, jungle and acid jazz records during the latter-portion of the decade and into the 2000s.
The sales log at Gamber's shop recently offered a varied array of artists, from experimental rockers Mars Volta to hardcore band Leftover Crack to rap icon Tupac Shakur.
Likewise, Gamber's customer base is varied. From punk rock 'tweens looking for classic black metal re-issues to older heads marvelling over the original MC5 pressing.
"The younger kids are getting into vinyl. They know this format sounds the best because it is the best," he said. "The older guys, they know what's on those old records so they're looking for that stuff they grew up on."
Lunt sees some business from tourists as well, particularly business travelers who have discovered his shop while in town.
Michael Calvert, a 29-year-old Web designer from Portland, Ore., was sifting through the shelves at Recycled Records one December afternoon. A former Santa Cruz resident, he picked up the hobby from his older brother, who was a punk and heavy metal fan. He was drawn to the sound quality.
"Vinyl has a more natural sound," he said. "Plus, having a record is a lot cooler than having a CD."
Alex Griffin, 36, of London, was also digging around at Recycled Records. His collection dates back to the early 1980s, and includes originals from The Doors and The Moody Blues.
His prized possession: a collection of original Bob Marley pressings he picked up on a trip to Jamaica. The albums cost him a few hundred dollars.
"If I like it, I buy it," he said.
While the popularity surge has lifted Lunt's spirits, his bottom line is simple — enjoy the music.
"It's the music that really matters, not the format," he said. "Obviously, I'm pro vinyl. But in the end, whatever you enjoy listening to music on is the most important thing."
SOURCE: http://www.montereyherald.com
Reprinted By Permission
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