By GREGORY KATZ, Associated Press
LONDON – Eleanor Rigby: fact or fiction?
That question, which has bedeviled Beatles' fans for decades, may be answered in part by a 1911 hospital payroll sheet to be auctioned in London on Thursday.
The document, sent by Paul McCartney in 1990 to the director of a music charity who had asked for funding, contains the signature of a scullery maid named "E. Rigby" who worked in a Liverpool hospital.
The director of the company auctioning the document believes the woman who signed the payroll is the same Eleanor Rigby buried in 1939 in a Liverpool graveyard next to the church where McCartney met the young John Lennon.
"I've spoken to the person who lived in the house where she used to live, and they've confirmed that the signature is the same signature of the person in the graveyard," said Tom Owen of the Fame Bureau auction house, adding that the finding may contradict McCartney's longtime assertion that the song was based on a made-up character.
"It's intriguing that McCartney owned it because he says he created the song around a fictitious figure," said Owen. "And yet, how did he have this document and why did he have it? When he was asked to donate money, he sent this."
Interest is so high it's estimated the document may fetch $750,000.
Read the rest of this interesting story here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081125/ap_en_mu/eu_britain_beatles_mystery
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Hendrix Classic
Hendrix' Electric Ladyland Gets Reexamined on December 9th
What is arguably Jimi Hendrix greatest album, Electric Ladyland, will get the full historical treatment on December 9 through Universal Music Enterprises. The album will be examined on the new DVD At Last...The Beginning: The Making of Electric Ladyland along with a CD/DVD combo set.
Electric Ladyland was Hendrix' third and last album with the original Experience and was the apex of the sound that he was trying to create with the group. With such well known songs as Crosstown Traffic, All Along the Watchtower and Burning the Midnight Lamp, the album is the only one by the artist ever to make it to the top of the Billboard Album chart.
Not only was the album the ultimate amalgamation of psychedelic and funk, but it also contained numerous special techniques in echo, backward tape and flanging that had previously not been combined in such a way.
The DVD documentary contains interviews with many of Hendrix associates from forty years ago, including Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, Buddy Miles, Jack Cassady, Steve Winwood and Dave Mason. The recording techniques are demonstrated by original engineer Eddie Kramer, showing examples of how they were created using the original multitrack tape. The documentary is based around the original Classic Albums show on Electric Ladyland with over 40 minutes of additional program.
The CD track listing:
...And The Gods Made Love
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Crosstown Traffic
Voodoo Chile
Little Miss Strange
Long Hot Summer Night
Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)
Gypsy Eyes
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
Rainy Day, Dream Away
1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
Moon, Turn The Tides...Gently Gently Away
Still Raining, Still Dreaming
House Burning Down
All Along The Watchtower
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
The DVD track listing:
Prologue
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
...And The Gods Made Love
All Along The Watchtower
Rainy Day, Dream Away
Still Raining, Still Dreaming
Voodoo Chile
Crosstown Traffic
Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
Little Miss Strange
Gypsy Eyes
South Saturn Delta
House Burning Down
1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
Long Hot Summer Night
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Epilogue
What is arguably Jimi Hendrix greatest album, Electric Ladyland, will get the full historical treatment on December 9 through Universal Music Enterprises. The album will be examined on the new DVD At Last...The Beginning: The Making of Electric Ladyland along with a CD/DVD combo set.
Electric Ladyland was Hendrix' third and last album with the original Experience and was the apex of the sound that he was trying to create with the group. With such well known songs as Crosstown Traffic, All Along the Watchtower and Burning the Midnight Lamp, the album is the only one by the artist ever to make it to the top of the Billboard Album chart.
Not only was the album the ultimate amalgamation of psychedelic and funk, but it also contained numerous special techniques in echo, backward tape and flanging that had previously not been combined in such a way.
The DVD documentary contains interviews with many of Hendrix associates from forty years ago, including Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, Buddy Miles, Jack Cassady, Steve Winwood and Dave Mason. The recording techniques are demonstrated by original engineer Eddie Kramer, showing examples of how they were created using the original multitrack tape. The documentary is based around the original Classic Albums show on Electric Ladyland with over 40 minutes of additional program.
The CD track listing:
...And The Gods Made Love
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Crosstown Traffic
Voodoo Chile
Little Miss Strange
Long Hot Summer Night
Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)
Gypsy Eyes
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
Rainy Day, Dream Away
1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
Moon, Turn The Tides...Gently Gently Away
Still Raining, Still Dreaming
House Burning Down
All Along The Watchtower
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
The DVD track listing:
Prologue
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
...And The Gods Made Love
All Along The Watchtower
Rainy Day, Dream Away
Still Raining, Still Dreaming
Voodoo Chile
Crosstown Traffic
Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
Little Miss Strange
Gypsy Eyes
South Saturn Delta
House Burning Down
1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
Long Hot Summer Night
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Epilogue
New Vinyl Releases
Asobi Seksu: Citrus
(vinyl reissue)
Austrian Death Machine: A Very Brutal Christmas
(single)
Brian Jonestown Massacre: Spacegirl and Other Favorites
(vinyl reissue)
Britney Spears: Womanizer
(import single)
Coldplay: Prospekt's Prospekt's March [Vinyl] [EP]
(import)
Fennesz: Black Sea
(vinyl)
Iggy & The Stooges: Raw Power
(vinyl reissue)
Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes: Live at the Greek
(3-LP vinyl)
Judas Priest: Hero Hero
(vinyl reissue)
Judas Priest: Rocka Rolla
(vinyl reissue)
Julian Cope: You Gotta Problem with Me
(vinyl)
Lydia Lunch: Frankie Teardrop
(vinyl)
Motley Crue: Dr. Feelgood
(vinyl reissue)
Motley Crue: GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS [LP VINYL]
(vinyl reissue)
Motley Crue: Saints of Los Angeles
(vinyl reissue)
Motley Crue: Shout At the Devil
(vinyl reissue)
Motley Crue: THEATRE OF PAIN
(vinyl reissue)
Motley Crue: Motley Crue - Too Fast for Love
(vinyl reissue)
Nada Surf: Vinyl Box Set 1994-2008
(7-disc vinyl box set)
Replacements: Tim
(vinyl reissue)
Santana: Abraxas Santana " ABRAXAS " REMASTERED 180 Gram Vinyl Record Album {ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING} MFL
(vinyl reissue)
Santana: Santana
(vinyl reissue)
Supersuckers: Get It Together
(vinyl)
Surf City: Surf City
(vinyl)
Was (Not Was): Boo!
(vinyl)
Fireman (Paul McCartney) Electric Arguments
LP
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Live at Massey Hall 1971
(vinyl reissue)Austrian Death Machine: A Very Brutal Christmas
(single)Brian Jonestown Massacre: Spacegirl and Other Favorites
(vinyl reissue)Britney Spears: Womanizer
(import single)Coldplay: Prospekt's Prospekt's March [Vinyl] [EP]
(import)Fennesz: Black Sea
(vinyl)Iggy & The Stooges: Raw Power
(vinyl reissue)
Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes: Live at the Greek
(3-LP vinyl)
Judas Priest: Hero Hero
(vinyl reissue)Judas Priest: Rocka Rolla
(vinyl reissue)Julian Cope: You Gotta Problem with Me
(vinyl)Lydia Lunch: Frankie Teardrop
(vinyl)Motley Crue: Dr. Feelgood
(vinyl reissue)Motley Crue: GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS [LP VINYL]
(vinyl reissue)Motley Crue: Saints of Los Angeles
(vinyl reissue)Motley Crue: Shout At the Devil
(vinyl reissue)
Motley Crue: THEATRE OF PAIN
(vinyl reissue)Motley Crue: Motley Crue - Too Fast for Love
(vinyl reissue)Nada Surf: Vinyl Box Set 1994-2008
(7-disc vinyl box set)Replacements: Tim
(vinyl reissue)Santana: Abraxas Santana " ABRAXAS " REMASTERED 180 Gram Vinyl Record Album {ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING} MFL
(vinyl reissue)Santana: Santana
(vinyl reissue)Supersuckers: Get It Together
(vinyl)Surf City: Surf City
(vinyl)Was (Not Was): Boo!
(vinyl)Fireman (Paul McCartney) Electric Arguments
LPNeil Young & Crazy Horse - Live at Massey Hall 1971
As Taboos Ease, Saudi Girl Group Dares to Rock
By ROBERT F. WORTH
JIDDA, Saudi Arabia — They cannot perform in public. They cannot pose for album cover photographs. Even their jam sessions are secret, for fear of offending the religious authorities in this ultraconservative kingdom.
But the members of Saudi Arabia’s first all-girl rock band, the Accolade, are clearly not afraid of taboos.
The band’s first single, “Pinocchio,” has become an underground hit here, with hundreds of young Saudis downloading the song from the group’s MySpace page. Now, the pioneering foursome, all of them college students, want to start playing regular gigs — inside private compounds, of course — and recording an album.
“In Saudi, yes, it’s a challenge,” said the group’s lead singer, Lamia, who has piercings on her left eyebrow and beneath her bottom lip. (Like other band members, she gave only her first name.) “Maybe we’re crazy. But we wanted to do something different.”
Because this is copyrighted material, I can't post the whole article. To read the rest of this interesting piece, please visit the N.Y. Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/world/middleeast/24saudi.html?_r=1&bl&ex=1227675600&en=bd682c7ab16daa1e&ei=5087%0A#
JIDDA, Saudi Arabia — They cannot perform in public. They cannot pose for album cover photographs. Even their jam sessions are secret, for fear of offending the religious authorities in this ultraconservative kingdom.
But the members of Saudi Arabia’s first all-girl rock band, the Accolade, are clearly not afraid of taboos.
The band’s first single, “Pinocchio,” has become an underground hit here, with hundreds of young Saudis downloading the song from the group’s MySpace page. Now, the pioneering foursome, all of them college students, want to start playing regular gigs — inside private compounds, of course — and recording an album.
“In Saudi, yes, it’s a challenge,” said the group’s lead singer, Lamia, who has piercings on her left eyebrow and beneath her bottom lip. (Like other band members, she gave only her first name.) “Maybe we’re crazy. But we wanted to do something different.”
Because this is copyrighted material, I can't post the whole article. To read the rest of this interesting piece, please visit the N.Y. Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/world/middleeast/24saudi.html?_r=1&bl&ex=1227675600&en=bd682c7ab16daa1e&ei=5087%0A#
Top Ten TV Theme Songs
Let's explore PasteMagazine.com's list of theme songs, this time see what made #4 on their list:
4. Peter Gunn - Henry Mancini
The P.I. wouldn't have been nearly as hip if his every move wasn't accompanied by music from Mancini. The theme music has been covered by everyone from Duane Eddy and Jimi Hendrix to Aerosmith, Pulp and The Cramps. Even Quincy Jones has recorded a version of it—and when Jones covers a song, you know it's cool.
Peter Gunn was an American private eye TV show that aired on the NBC and later ABC television networks from 1958 to 1961. The title character (played by Craig Stevens) was a private investigator and a sophisticated "hipster" who loved cool jazz; Peter Gunn was portrayed as the epitome of "cool".
The show's use of jazz, at a time when most TV shows used orchestra for the soundtrack, was another unique touch that set a trend for many years to come.
The main theme from Peter Gunn became an instant hit for Mancini, earning him an Emmy Award and two Grammys and which has since been covered by numerous jazz, blues, and rock artists.
interesting tidbits:
In Stephen King's novel Misery, Annie Wilkes poisons a cat named Peter Gunn.
After the two-season run on NBC and the single season on ABC, Edwards made numerous attempts to revive the character in other media. A novel and a comic book were released in 1960.
A feature film, Gunn, was made in 1967, and ABC carried a pilot in 1989 with Peter Strauss in the lead role, but they failed to catch on.
There are various vinyl releases of the music and the Lp's range from $10-50, depending on which copy you have.
4. Peter Gunn - Henry Mancini
The P.I. wouldn't have been nearly as hip if his every move wasn't accompanied by music from Mancini. The theme music has been covered by everyone from Duane Eddy and Jimi Hendrix to Aerosmith, Pulp and The Cramps. Even Quincy Jones has recorded a version of it—and when Jones covers a song, you know it's cool.
Peter Gunn was an American private eye TV show that aired on the NBC and later ABC television networks from 1958 to 1961. The title character (played by Craig Stevens) was a private investigator and a sophisticated "hipster" who loved cool jazz; Peter Gunn was portrayed as the epitome of "cool".
The show's use of jazz, at a time when most TV shows used orchestra for the soundtrack, was another unique touch that set a trend for many years to come.
The main theme from Peter Gunn became an instant hit for Mancini, earning him an Emmy Award and two Grammys and which has since been covered by numerous jazz, blues, and rock artists.
interesting tidbits:
In Stephen King's novel Misery, Annie Wilkes poisons a cat named Peter Gunn.
After the two-season run on NBC and the single season on ABC, Edwards made numerous attempts to revive the character in other media. A novel and a comic book were released in 1960.
A feature film, Gunn, was made in 1967, and ABC carried a pilot in 1989 with Peter Strauss in the lead role, but they failed to catch on.
There are various vinyl releases of the music and the Lp's range from $10-50, depending on which copy you have.
Album Cover Art
Let's continue our look at the Gigwise.com list of the top 50 dirtiest and sexiest album covers (as compiled by their staff- Gigwise comments in quotes):
28. Herbie Mann: ‘Push Push’ – "From a heterosexual male perspective, it’s hard to see what could possibly be rousing about Herbie Mann’s 1971 record with Duane Allman. Flouting his thick curly chest hair and ominously holding his flute as if it’s some kind of sex toy, to us at least, it’s stomach-churningly cheesy. Mr Mann seems to be pleased with himself. The dirty bugger."
Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), better known as Herbie Mann, was an American jazz flautist and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played saxophones and clarinets (including bass clarinet), but Mann was among the first jazz musicians to specialize on the flute and was perhaps jazz music's preeminent flautist during the 1960s.
Mann was an early pioneer in the fusing of jazz and world music. He incorporated elements of African music in 1959 following a State Department sponsored tour of the continent, adding a conga player to his band, and the same year recorded Flautista, an album of Afro-Cuban jazz. In 1961 Mann took a tour of Brazil and returned to the United States to record with Brazilian players including Antonio Carlos Jobim and guitarist Baden Powell. These albums helped popularize the bossa nova. Many of his albums throughout his career returned to Brazilian themes. He went on to record reggae in London (in 1974), Middle Eastern (1966 and 1967) (with oud and dumbek), and Eastern European styles.
28. Herbie Mann: ‘Push Push’ – "From a heterosexual male perspective, it’s hard to see what could possibly be rousing about Herbie Mann’s 1971 record with Duane Allman. Flouting his thick curly chest hair and ominously holding his flute as if it’s some kind of sex toy, to us at least, it’s stomach-churningly cheesy. Mr Mann seems to be pleased with himself. The dirty bugger."
Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), better known as Herbie Mann, was an American jazz flautist and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played saxophones and clarinets (including bass clarinet), but Mann was among the first jazz musicians to specialize on the flute and was perhaps jazz music's preeminent flautist during the 1960s.
Mann was an early pioneer in the fusing of jazz and world music. He incorporated elements of African music in 1959 following a State Department sponsored tour of the continent, adding a conga player to his band, and the same year recorded Flautista, an album of Afro-Cuban jazz. In 1961 Mann took a tour of Brazil and returned to the United States to record with Brazilian players including Antonio Carlos Jobim and guitarist Baden Powell. These albums helped popularize the bossa nova. Many of his albums throughout his career returned to Brazilian themes. He went on to record reggae in London (in 1974), Middle Eastern (1966 and 1967) (with oud and dumbek), and Eastern European styles.
This Date In Music History-November 25
Birthdays:
Percy Sledge ("When A Man Loves A Woman") turns 67.
Folk/rocker Bob Lind, who went to #5 with "Elusive Butterfly" in 1966, was born in 1944.
Christian pop singer Amy Grant was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1960.
They Are Missed:
Dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (inspiration for the song "Mr. Bojangles") died in 1949.
Jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler was discovered drowned in the Hudson River in 1970. His death at age 34 soon becomes the stuff of legend, with some speculating he committed suicide, while others claim he was tied to a jukebox.
In 1974, 26 year-old Nick Drake, an English singer, songwriter and musician best known for his acoustic tunes, died from an overdose of amitriptyline, a type of anti-depressant. Although he failed to find a wide audience during his lifetime, Drake's work has grown steadily in stature, to the extent that he is now widely considered one of the most influential English singer-songwriters of the last 50 years.
History:
Miles Davis made his first recordings as part of Charlie Parker's band in 1945.
John Lennon returned his MBE to the queen. The attached note reads, "Your Majesty, I am returning this MBE in protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against 'Cold Turkey' slipping down the charts. With love, John Lennon of Bag."
The Band's final concert in 1976, called The Last Waltz, was given at San Francisco's Winterland. It included appearances by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Ringo Starr, Emmylou Harris, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Hawkins and Neil Diamond.
The Beatles' "White Album" was released in 1968.
In London in 1965, Harrod's department store stayed open for two hours so the Beatles could do their Christmas shopping.
In 1966, Jimi Hendrix was introduced to the British press when the Experience play London's Bag O'Nails club.
"Incense and Peppermints" by The Strawberry Alarm Clock hit the top of the Billboard Pop chart in 1967. The recording was initially intended as a 'b-side' and the lead vocal is actually that of a friend of the band, 16 year old Greg Munford, who was just hanging around during the session. Munford was not even a regular band member, but ended up singing a tune that would become a Rock and Roll standard and sell over a million copies. Despite this success, Munford never actually joined the group and drummer Randy Seol sang the song in concert (the single didn't chart at all in the UK).
In 1968, over 10,000 fans saw Cream play their final two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London. During the shows, the crowd chanted "God save the Cream."
In 1986, for the first time in Billboard chart history, the top three spots were occupied by female artists. #1 is Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors", #2 is Tina Turner with "Typical Male" and #3 is Janet Jackson's "When I Think Of You".
The Beatles' album simply titled "1", a collection of their UK and US chart toppers, reached number one in Great Britain in 2000. It will top the US chart a week later and will become the best selling album in a total of 28 countries worldwide.
Percy Sledge ("When A Man Loves A Woman") turns 67.
Folk/rocker Bob Lind, who went to #5 with "Elusive Butterfly" in 1966, was born in 1944.
Christian pop singer Amy Grant was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1960.
They Are Missed:
Dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (inspiration for the song "Mr. Bojangles") died in 1949.
Jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler was discovered drowned in the Hudson River in 1970. His death at age 34 soon becomes the stuff of legend, with some speculating he committed suicide, while others claim he was tied to a jukebox.
In 1974, 26 year-old Nick Drake, an English singer, songwriter and musician best known for his acoustic tunes, died from an overdose of amitriptyline, a type of anti-depressant. Although he failed to find a wide audience during his lifetime, Drake's work has grown steadily in stature, to the extent that he is now widely considered one of the most influential English singer-songwriters of the last 50 years.
History:
Miles Davis made his first recordings as part of Charlie Parker's band in 1945.
John Lennon returned his MBE to the queen. The attached note reads, "Your Majesty, I am returning this MBE in protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against 'Cold Turkey' slipping down the charts. With love, John Lennon of Bag."
The Band's final concert in 1976, called The Last Waltz, was given at San Francisco's Winterland. It included appearances by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Ringo Starr, Emmylou Harris, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Hawkins and Neil Diamond.
The Beatles' "White Album" was released in 1968.
In London in 1965, Harrod's department store stayed open for two hours so the Beatles could do their Christmas shopping.
In 1966, Jimi Hendrix was introduced to the British press when the Experience play London's Bag O'Nails club.
"Incense and Peppermints" by The Strawberry Alarm Clock hit the top of the Billboard Pop chart in 1967. The recording was initially intended as a 'b-side' and the lead vocal is actually that of a friend of the band, 16 year old Greg Munford, who was just hanging around during the session. Munford was not even a regular band member, but ended up singing a tune that would become a Rock and Roll standard and sell over a million copies. Despite this success, Munford never actually joined the group and drummer Randy Seol sang the song in concert (the single didn't chart at all in the UK).
In 1968, over 10,000 fans saw Cream play their final two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London. During the shows, the crowd chanted "God save the Cream."
In 1986, for the first time in Billboard chart history, the top three spots were occupied by female artists. #1 is Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors", #2 is Tina Turner with "Typical Male" and #3 is Janet Jackson's "When I Think Of You".
The Beatles' album simply titled "1", a collection of their UK and US chart toppers, reached number one in Great Britain in 2000. It will top the US chart a week later and will become the best selling album in a total of 28 countries worldwide.
I have posted many stories about independent record shops (mainly ones that are still open) but this story really hit home. It is up to us, the vinyl record consumers, to visit our local record shops and spend our money there. Otherwise we have the closings of historic audio meeting places. I found this online (http://www.greeleytribune.com) and thought I would share it:
Bye, bye to The Finest records
“I went down to the sacred store,
Where I’d heard the music years before,
But the man there said the music wouldn’t play.”
Don McLean - American Pie
It’s an unfortunate sign of the times.
The closing of The Finest records in Greeley is like the demise of the drive-in or the closing of the last soda fountain. It signals the end of an era.
Consumers, it seems, are no longer buying their music at retail stores. Most are downloading their favorite songs directly onto their computers, and either burning their own discs or putting it directly into their iPods.
The Finest owner Jim Risser bravely withstood the technology boom longer than many others. Since 2003, 3,100 music retailers have closed across the United States. Of those, 1,400 were independent retailers like The Finest.
Risser tried to change with the times. He sold vintage vinyl records for the collectors. He set up a kiosk where patrons could download music. He sold novelty items and trimmed his budget.
Still, it wasn’t enough. And so as soon as Risser can liquidate his inventory, he will close his doors at his Hillside store, 2529 11th Ave.
It will be a blue day in Greeley when The Finest shuts its doors. Risser has spent 32 years with the store, first as a customer, then as a clerk, manager and eventually store owner. He will keep his Fort Collins store open through at least August, when his lease is up for renewal. Then he’ll decide whether to keep the store or close it like its sister store in Greeley.
This has been a difficult year for many Greeley businesses large and small. K-Mart, Dillards, The Bread Board, The Red Roaster and Hallmark have joined The Finest in closing their doors.
These closings should serve as a reminder to us all, especially this holiday shopping season, that we must support our local businesses. Not only is it good for the stores, it’s good for our local economy, keeping those sales tax dollars in Greeley rather than leaving them in nearby municipalities such as Loveland and Denver.
We wish Risser, and others who have been forced to close their doors, the best of luck in their future endeavors. They will be missed.
Like drive-ins and soda fountains, a few small record stores may remain for novelty sake. But in the end, most won’t survive the iPod generation. And for that, we are nostalgic, and even a bit sad.
“Bye, bye Miss American pie ...”
Bye, bye to The Finest records
“I went down to the sacred store,
Where I’d heard the music years before,
But the man there said the music wouldn’t play.”
Don McLean - American Pie
It’s an unfortunate sign of the times.
The closing of The Finest records in Greeley is like the demise of the drive-in or the closing of the last soda fountain. It signals the end of an era.
Consumers, it seems, are no longer buying their music at retail stores. Most are downloading their favorite songs directly onto their computers, and either burning their own discs or putting it directly into their iPods.
The Finest owner Jim Risser bravely withstood the technology boom longer than many others. Since 2003, 3,100 music retailers have closed across the United States. Of those, 1,400 were independent retailers like The Finest.
Risser tried to change with the times. He sold vintage vinyl records for the collectors. He set up a kiosk where patrons could download music. He sold novelty items and trimmed his budget.
Still, it wasn’t enough. And so as soon as Risser can liquidate his inventory, he will close his doors at his Hillside store, 2529 11th Ave.
It will be a blue day in Greeley when The Finest shuts its doors. Risser has spent 32 years with the store, first as a customer, then as a clerk, manager and eventually store owner. He will keep his Fort Collins store open through at least August, when his lease is up for renewal. Then he’ll decide whether to keep the store or close it like its sister store in Greeley.
This has been a difficult year for many Greeley businesses large and small. K-Mart, Dillards, The Bread Board, The Red Roaster and Hallmark have joined The Finest in closing their doors.
These closings should serve as a reminder to us all, especially this holiday shopping season, that we must support our local businesses. Not only is it good for the stores, it’s good for our local economy, keeping those sales tax dollars in Greeley rather than leaving them in nearby municipalities such as Loveland and Denver.
We wish Risser, and others who have been forced to close their doors, the best of luck in their future endeavors. They will be missed.
Like drive-ins and soda fountains, a few small record stores may remain for novelty sake. But in the end, most won’t survive the iPod generation. And for that, we are nostalgic, and even a bit sad.
“Bye, bye Miss American pie ...”