Music News & Notes

Found this interesting read:

Stuff happens in record shop afterlife

By Robert Plummer
Business reporter, BBC News

What happens to record shops after they die?

We all know how downloads, supermarket CD offers and online shopping are making life tough for music retailers.

But every independent store is a small business in its own right, with a long-suffering owner, knowledgeable staff and a diehard band of loyal customers.

In times past, a good record shop was also a hangout for an entire generation and a focal point for fans' passions, as well as a place to hear the latest music and a barometer of new trends.

So can any of that be preserved when the shop closes down?

And do the owners keep trading in music by other means or do they find something else to do?

Read the rest here:   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8507703.stm

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New Beach House EP

Beach House are looking to capitalize on their success, releasing a new EP to celebrate Record Store Day on April 17. It's entitled Zebra, and is essentially a single for the Teen Dream song of the same name. As well as a radio edit of the title track, it features two brand new songs plus a remix of the blissed-out, slow-burning "10 Mile Stereo."

Zebra will be released on twelve-inch vinyl via Sub Pop. It will only be available at retailers involved in Record Store Day.

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Alkaline Trio Announces New Album This Addiction and Tour

Recorded and produced by the band with help from longtime cohort Matt Allison at Atlas Studios in Chicago, This Addiction marks Alkaline Trio's first release on their imprint label Heart & Skull and first with their parent label Epitaph Records. The album also finds the Trio revisiting their punk roots while moving forward creatively.

The band's seventh studio album, This Addiction, will be available as a standard CD, a limited Deluxe CD/DVD edition (containing two bonus songs, four acoustic tracks and a full length concert DVD), as well as Gatefold LP vinyl.

Epitaph will also have exclusive items signed by the band, rare vinyl and Limited Collector’s bundles - all with a standard digital download or a Deluxe Digital Download.

Tour Dates:
Feb 16 – Pomona, CA – Glass House (SOLD OUT)
Feb 17 – Los Angeles, CA – House of Blues (Sunset)
Feb 18 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
Feb 19 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Feb 20 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
Feb 23 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
Feb 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue
Feb 25 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
Feb 26 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
Feb 27 – Chicago, IL – Metro
Feb 28 – Chicago, IL – Metro
March 2 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak
March 3 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
March 4 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
March 5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Zoo
March 6 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
March 8 – Clifton Park, NY – Northern Light
March 9 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theatre
March 11 – Philadelphia, PA – Tracadero
March 12 – New York, NY – Nokia Theatre
March 13 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland
March 14 – Providence, RI – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
March 16 – Towson, MD – Recher Theatre
March 17 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
March 18 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm
March 19 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
March 20 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Freebird Live
March 22 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
March 23 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
March 25 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
March 26 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
March 27 – Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom
March 28 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
March 30 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
April 1 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
April 2 – Los Angeles – House of Blues
April 3 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues

http://www.myspace.com/alkalinetrio

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Ray Charles Foundation Reveals the Ray 80 Celebration Logo

Ray Charles was born September 23, 1930 and the Ray Charles Foundation and Concord Records are celebrating what would have been his 80th birthday with a brand new website at raycharles.com. On it, you'll find updated news on all of the planned events, a thorough album and singles discography and a treasure trove of videos and photos.

The Ray Charles Marketing Group has also just unveiled their special Ray 80 logo (right). Janet Macoska, Brand Manager, stated "We’ve planned a series of events and a rollout of new products designed to draw attention to, and celebrate, this historic anniversary. The Ray 80 logo will be used on all product packaging and at all authorized Ray Charles 80th Birthday Celebration events. The RAY 80 campaign is about us connecting to Ray’s worldwide legion of fans and creating opportunities for them to connect to each other."