Found a couple of great articles, one on the success of Record Store Day 2, and the other about the obsession of vinyl. Enjoy the articles:
Traffic, Sales Up At 2009 Record Store Day
By Ed Christman, N.Y.
Thanks to the 82 exclusive releases and limited availability, customers lined up at record stores all around the country on Saturday morning and helped kickoff Record Store Day 2009 with a bang. Reports suggest traffic pick-ups and sales volume this year will be more than last year's inaugural event.
"It was my best day by far," says Eric Levin, owner of Criminal Records in Atlanta and the head of the Assn. of Independent Media Stores coalition. "We had 600 people in the store; it was well-controlled chaos. My vinyl sales alone yesterday was larger than last year's total Record Store Day take."
Michael Kurtz, executive director of the Music Monitor Network, tells Billboard that from the stores that he heard from, "the majority of the stores had matched last year's volume by mid-afternoon."
He added that stores, who have been already selling increasing amounts of vinyl to both the old and younger demos, were particularly shocked by "the massive amount of young people coming into stores looking for vinyl." The exclusives and other commercial releases timed for Record Store Day, really add the extra sizzle, store executives tell Billboard. "All these little gems that the labels created for us - what an incredible effort from the small labels to the big guys, it was really stunning," Criminal Records Levin says.
Read the rest of the article here:
billboard.biz
==============================================
Vinyl Lives
An Introduction To The Obsession Of Record Collecting
By Bob Lange
In 1977, at age 6, I bought my first record, Kiss Alive, and that started an obsession that, for better or worse, has taken a big chunk of both my time and money over the years. When I really started buying albums by bands other than Kiss, in the early 80s usually courtesy of Columbia House, it was always vinyl, even as my peers were buying cassettes to play in their boomboxes. The way I looked at it, I could tape the record, but I couldn't make a record of the cassette. From that point forward, vinyl was the way to go.
Now, at 38, I have a collection, modest by some standards and huge by others, that includes well over 4000 records (over twice as many titles as I have on the vastly inferior CD format). I spend a lot of time down in the basement listening to them, going through them, looking at the cover art. My kids, at only five and two years old, already know how to properly handle them. After all, the records will theirs one day if they play their cards right. The bottom line is that, while it may seem pathetic or immature to a lot of people, those records are a big part of my life.
Read the rest here:
glidemagazine.com
Monday, April 20, 2009
Music News & Notes
Jim Croce's LPs To Be Reissued
Jim Croce's back catalog of three studio albums is scheduled for reissue in September by Rhino in tribute to the 35th anniversary of his death. "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" and "Life & Times" have never been available in their original form on CD while "I Got a Name" has been out of print for a number of years.
"For eight years, I've been trying to get the permission to re-release my dad's three albums on ABC Records," Croce's son AJ tells Billboard.com. "And just last week, I got the OK. So in September, they're going to be available for the first time on CD, and then also in their original form, on vinyl."
==============================
Veteran McCartney Wows Audience
The Coachella Festival in Indio, California opened on Saturday with very impressive sets from a number of artists, but none seemed to get the crowd going like Paul McCartney. The iconic Beatle took the stage for a 2-1/2 hour set (well past the curfew) and covered his whole career from the Fab Four to Wings to his solo material.
But the emotional highlight was his announcement that Friday was the 11th anniversary of the death of his wife Linda. Barely keeping his emotions in check, he played a moving version of "My Love."
==============================
Chickenfoot Release
The vinyl version of the debut album by the 'supergroup' Chickenfoot (Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith) will also include a bonus track, "Bitten By the Wolf."
It has also been revealed that the CD booklet will be printed on heat-sensitive paper so that, when you touch the band logo on the cover, pictures of the band are shown. Amazing stuff.
==============================
Material Girl OK After Fall From Horse
Madonna suffered minor injuries on Saturday when she fell from a horse while riding in the Hamptons. It's reported that papparazzi jumped from behind a bush and startled the horse which threw the singer to the ground. She was taken to a Southhampton for treatment and released. According to her spokesperson, she was treated for minor injuries and bruises and will remain under observation by doctors. Can't a person get some privacy?
==============================
Smashing Pumpkins Drummer Auditions Heating Up
System of a Down’s John Dolmayan was among the 12 drummers who auditioned for the Smashing Pumpkins, the band's official Website reported. Due to the overwhelming response, additional tryouts are scheduled to take place in May.
==============================
James Yuill To Relase Debut Album In North America
London-based singer/songwriter James Yuill is set to release his debut album, "Turning Down Water For Air," in North America on May 26th. "Turning Down Water For Air" is a fusion of Yuill’s many influences, from the emotional songwriting of artists like Nick Drake, Radiohead and Sufjan Stevens to the dynamic beats of Justice, Chemical Brothers and Aphex Twins.
Following the release of debut hit single “No Surprise” last month, Yuill has released his second single, “No Pins Allowed,” via iTunes as part of a 6-track EP that also includes a remix from Post War Years and a cover of Radiohead’s “Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box.”
==============================
EW's Top Heartbreaking Songs
Entertainment Weekly recently posted the most heartbreaking songs of all time which, in turn, brought over 2,000 responses. They used these suggestions and their editor's knowledge on the subject to come up with the "50 Most Heartbreaking Songs of All Time."
What's interesting is that veteran artists sure knew how to pick songs about heartbreak. 78% of the selection are from singers and bands who have been performing for more than 25 years.
Here are the Top 10 songs by veteran artists that made EW's list:
1. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams
2. I've Been Loving You Too Long - Otis Redding
3. Hurt - Johnny Cash
4. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
5. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - Al Green
6. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
7. Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
8. Yesterday - Beatles
9. Purple Rain - Prince
10. Good Morning Heartache - Billie Holiday
Jim Croce's back catalog of three studio albums is scheduled for reissue in September by Rhino in tribute to the 35th anniversary of his death. "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" and "Life & Times" have never been available in their original form on CD while "I Got a Name" has been out of print for a number of years.
"For eight years, I've been trying to get the permission to re-release my dad's three albums on ABC Records," Croce's son AJ tells Billboard.com. "And just last week, I got the OK. So in September, they're going to be available for the first time on CD, and then also in their original form, on vinyl."
==============================
Veteran McCartney Wows Audience
The Coachella Festival in Indio, California opened on Saturday with very impressive sets from a number of artists, but none seemed to get the crowd going like Paul McCartney. The iconic Beatle took the stage for a 2-1/2 hour set (well past the curfew) and covered his whole career from the Fab Four to Wings to his solo material.
But the emotional highlight was his announcement that Friday was the 11th anniversary of the death of his wife Linda. Barely keeping his emotions in check, he played a moving version of "My Love."
==============================
Chickenfoot Release
The vinyl version of the debut album by the 'supergroup' Chickenfoot (Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith) will also include a bonus track, "Bitten By the Wolf."
It has also been revealed that the CD booklet will be printed on heat-sensitive paper so that, when you touch the band logo on the cover, pictures of the band are shown. Amazing stuff.
==============================
Material Girl OK After Fall From Horse
Madonna suffered minor injuries on Saturday when she fell from a horse while riding in the Hamptons. It's reported that papparazzi jumped from behind a bush and startled the horse which threw the singer to the ground. She was taken to a Southhampton for treatment and released. According to her spokesperson, she was treated for minor injuries and bruises and will remain under observation by doctors. Can't a person get some privacy?
==============================
Smashing Pumpkins Drummer Auditions Heating Up
System of a Down’s John Dolmayan was among the 12 drummers who auditioned for the Smashing Pumpkins, the band's official Website reported. Due to the overwhelming response, additional tryouts are scheduled to take place in May.
==============================
James Yuill To Relase Debut Album In North America
London-based singer/songwriter James Yuill is set to release his debut album, "Turning Down Water For Air," in North America on May 26th. "Turning Down Water For Air" is a fusion of Yuill’s many influences, from the emotional songwriting of artists like Nick Drake, Radiohead and Sufjan Stevens to the dynamic beats of Justice, Chemical Brothers and Aphex Twins.
Following the release of debut hit single “No Surprise” last month, Yuill has released his second single, “No Pins Allowed,” via iTunes as part of a 6-track EP that also includes a remix from Post War Years and a cover of Radiohead’s “Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box.”
==============================
EW's Top Heartbreaking Songs
Entertainment Weekly recently posted the most heartbreaking songs of all time which, in turn, brought over 2,000 responses. They used these suggestions and their editor's knowledge on the subject to come up with the "50 Most Heartbreaking Songs of All Time."
What's interesting is that veteran artists sure knew how to pick songs about heartbreak. 78% of the selection are from singers and bands who have been performing for more than 25 years.
Here are the Top 10 songs by veteran artists that made EW's list:
1. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams
2. I've Been Loving You Too Long - Otis Redding
3. Hurt - Johnny Cash
4. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
5. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - Al Green
6. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
7. Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
8. Yesterday - Beatles
9. Purple Rain - Prince
10. Good Morning Heartache - Billie Holiday
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales
Week Ending 04/18/2009
1. 45 - Tommy & The Derby's "Don't Play That Role" / "Handy Andy" Swing - $2,850.00 - Start: $2,850.00 - Bids: BIN
2. LP - Henryk Szeryng Bach's 3 Sonatas Odeon - $2,481.00 - Start: $0.01 - Bids: 21
3. 45 - Shamus M'Cool "American Memories" / "American Humor" Perspective - $2,000.00 - Start: $2,000.00 - Bids: 2
4. LP - Tudor Lodge self-titled LP Vertigo - $1,936.41 - Start: $54.80 - Bids: 29
5. LP - Teddy Robin and the Playboys self-titled Diamond - $1,838.66 - Start: $20.51 - Bids: 23
A recent visitor to the list, Tommy & The Derby's make the #1 spot this week, with their rare Northern Soul 45 selling on a Buy-It-Now for halfway over $2.8k. Next, an Odeon pressing of Bach Sonata's sells for well over $2.4k.
A comedy record makes the list for the first time, one of the rarest of Billboard's Top 100 artifacts, Shamus M'Cool's record gets its asking price at $2k. This record peaked at #80 in the summer of 1981.
Two psych treasures close this week's list. The #4 goes to the Tudor Lodge LP released on Vertigo, bidding to over $1.9k. And last, a psych record from Hong Kong, and the first double LP released in the former British rental property, Teddy Robin and the Playboys sells for over $1.8k
As always, thank you to Norm at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data!
1. 45 - Tommy & The Derby's "Don't Play That Role" / "Handy Andy" Swing - $2,850.00 - Start: $2,850.00 - Bids: BIN
2. LP - Henryk Szeryng Bach's 3 Sonatas Odeon - $2,481.00 - Start: $0.01 - Bids: 21
3. 45 - Shamus M'Cool "American Memories" / "American Humor" Perspective - $2,000.00 - Start: $2,000.00 - Bids: 2
4. LP - Tudor Lodge self-titled LP Vertigo - $1,936.41 - Start: $54.80 - Bids: 29
5. LP - Teddy Robin and the Playboys self-titled Diamond - $1,838.66 - Start: $20.51 - Bids: 23
A recent visitor to the list, Tommy & The Derby's make the #1 spot this week, with their rare Northern Soul 45 selling on a Buy-It-Now for halfway over $2.8k. Next, an Odeon pressing of Bach Sonata's sells for well over $2.4k.
A comedy record makes the list for the first time, one of the rarest of Billboard's Top 100 artifacts, Shamus M'Cool's record gets its asking price at $2k. This record peaked at #80 in the summer of 1981.
Two psych treasures close this week's list. The #4 goes to the Tudor Lodge LP released on Vertigo, bidding to over $1.9k. And last, a psych record from Hong Kong, and the first double LP released in the former British rental property, Teddy Robin and the Playboys sells for over $1.8k
As always, thank you to Norm at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data!
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