The vinyl record collecting blog - with news about new vinyl record releases, vinyl record sales, new music releases, album cover art and weekly features
It's being reported that electro-pop darlings Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark have recently announced that they will be releasing their first new studio album since 1996’s 'Universal this September.' The album, 'History of Modern,' will be released by 100% Records on September 20th in the U.K. and by Bright Antenna on September 28th in the US. The record’s artwork was created by legendary Factory Records designer Peter Saville, who designed all of the band’s record sleeves from their 1979 debut single, “Electricity,” to 1984’s Junk Culture full-length. The album will also be available as a limited-edition, Saville-designed embossed boxset, which will include the album on two heavyweight slabs of vinyl, a picture book, an artwork print, a DVD on making the album, and a Saville-designed T-shirt.
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Dunes Announce "Old Souls" 7", Launch Tour
Art Fag Recordings presents Dune's limited edition "Old Souls" 7" vinyl record which will be available on August 31st. Pressed in an edition of 500 vinyl records, "Old Souls" features all exclusive unreleased tracks. Additionally, the digital version of the EP will include the washed out bonus track "Lemon Drop You."
Dunes is an LA-based trio, who bend timeless, ornate darkness into new and forlorn forms. The three artists have deconstructed the classic instrumental set up and rebuilt from the drums up, creating tools for their own dreamy vision of pop. Their inspiration forms itself in themes from outside forces to inner balance. Though serious in musical intentions, they do bring a fun and kinetic element to their live performances.
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MELECHESH: 'The Epigenesis' Artwork, Release Date Revealed
The cover artwork for "The Epigenesis", the upcoming fifth album from Sumerian black metallers MELECHESH, has been released. The cover art was created by the U.K.-based renowned occult artist John Coulthart, who had already collaborated with MELECHESH in the past. Commented mainman and founding member Ashmedi: "The art was meticulously discussed over several phone calls and John like a real credible artist worked in utmost professionalism while having a real short deadline.
"The cover art perfectly represents our music and themes. It portrays an occult, mystical Near Eastern/ Mesopotamian atmosphere while strictly adhering to a non-cliché standard.
MELECHESH's last album, "Emissaries" — the follow-up to 2003's "Sphynx" — was released January 23, 2007 on Osmose Productions/The End Records.
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LORDI: 'Babez For Breakfast' Cover Artwork Unveiled; 'Lordi The Game' Details Revealed
Finnish heavy metal legends LORDI will be releasing their fifth studio album, 'Babez For Breakfast' on September 14 in the US, September 15 in Europe and on October 27 in Japan. The CD was recorded in early 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee with highly regarded producer Michael Wagener, who has produced albums for artists as varied as OZZY OSBOURNE, ALICE COOPER and JANET JACKSON and mixed METALLICA's classic "Master of Puppets".
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No Age Unveil New Album Cover Art
No Age have unveiled their cover art to their new album, 'Everything In Between.' The Los Angeles band will release their sophomore album on September 28 via Sub Pop. The cover art was designed by Brian Roettinger . The first single off the forthcoming album, "Glitter," is set for release on August 24.
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INTERMENT: 'Into The Crypts Of Blasphemy' Release Date Announced
Re-born Swedish death metalers INTERMENT will release their debut album, 'Into The Crypts Of Blasphemy,' in North American on August 31, via Pulverised Records. The CD, which came out in Europe on August 2, was recorded at Erebos Studios with Peter Bjärgo (TYRANT, CRYPT OF KERBEROS). The cover artwork was created by Polish artist Rafal Kruszyk.
INTERMENT released a split CD with FUNEBRARUM, "Conjuration of the Sepulchral", in January 2007 on Conqueror Of Thorn Records.
IT must be catalogued, in mint condition and great care should be taken with its handling. the picture on the face must not be damaged and it should be kept in a clear, see-through envelope. the rarer it is the more it is worth and unlike most antiquities a flawed example can be more valuable than the perfect original.
And no, we’re not talking about stamp collecting. today those who once might have steamed off the one- inch gummed square from an envelope or attended a weekend market to swap their twosomes and threesomes are nowadays more interested in seven or 12 inches of black plastic, known collectively as vinyl.
For collecting old pop singles and albums is, if you’ll excuse the cliché, the new rock and roll. this month 991.com, the world’s biggest dealers in collectable records, reported a 15 per cent increase in sales in the past trading year. the online operation of the British-based company has racked up sales of £50 million.
“We’ve seen an increase in sales of collectible stock all over the UK and abroad, especially in the USA and Japan,” said managing director Rob Croydon who nowaday s employs 40 people at the company’s HQ in Meopham, Kent. “A mint copy of a scarce single for example can be worth more than its weight in gold.”
This boom in vinyl has in turn seen a need for turntables. this week tesco announced that sales of its turntables have doubled every month since they started selling them in May. “Vinyl gives us something that downloads can’t – it is more tangible, you can keep it and collect it,” said Matt Finch of tesco. Collecting records for the baby-boomer generation was for a large majority an essential part of their early lives. In their teens and 20s when pop and rock music blossomed they bought the music by their favourite singers and bands on 45s and long players and spun them on their gramophones, Dansettes and hi-fi systems. Keeping a collection of the plastic discs (and frequently cataloguing them) was as important as shrinking one’s blue jeans in the dryer.
The arrival of the compact disc in the early Eighties spelled the end of vinyl. CD players replaced stereo systems and record collections disappeared into attics, charity shops and skips. A few of the obsessed kept their collections but most were switching their favourite sounds to CD.
And yet the arrival of the iPod/MP3 player and the downloading of music at the beginning of this century brought a surprising sea change – suddenly vinyl was back and it was cool. “When CDs and then down- loading music came along they offered more convenience and they seemed an exciting alternative,” said 42-year-old Jean Paul Cuesta-Vayon, who runs the Vinyl Junkies shop in Soho, central London.
“But as time has gone by music lovers have come back to the more lasting appeal of vinyl. You can’t beat records, they are not just more tactile and boast superior sound quality but they have wonderful art work.”
The result of this nostalgic return to the platter is that records have become highly collectable. And while the appeal of vinyl crosses all types of music from jazz to hip-hop it is the singers and groups with international appeal that have stood the test of time and which are the blue-chip investments. It is their records that in mint condition can be worth serious money.
Heading the list of collectable records are those by the Beatles.
Other bands whose rare discs are worth looking out for are the Rolling Stones, the Who, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Queen and the Smiths. Record Collector magazine puts the first 10 numbered copies of the Beatles’ White Album as some of the most collectable records, each worth around £25,000 and possibly more. Other rarities include the Beatles’ single Please Please Me signed by all four members of the band that recently sold for £7,000, and Queen’s anniversary pressing of Bohemian Rhapsody in blue vinyl valued at around £3,000.
Professional collectors claim the rarest record – if it actually exists and came up for sale and its provenance could be checked – would be the Double Fantasy album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono allegedly autographed by Lennon five hours before Mark David Chapman assassinated him in 1980. If it went to auction it would sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds. So would that’ll Be the Day recorded by the Quarrymen in 1958 before three of them went on to form the Beatles. Sir Paul McCartney owns the only known copy. And then there is Bob Dylan’s the Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, a very rare stereo copy of the album featuring four tracks deleted from all subsequent releases and worth six figures.
These one-offs are so rare they are museum pieces. For most of us it is a case of searching car boot sales, charity shops and eBay to find the bargain album that may be worth a few hundred pounds.
“Seven or eight years ago vinyl was dead as a format,” says Rob Croydon.
“Nowadays it is not only cool but collectable – rare records can be worth a lot of money. And unlike stocks and shares which have had a pretty unsettled time over the past couple of years, the collectable vinyl market is stable.”
According to Rob fi rst pressings are the most valuable as they were produced in small numbers before the record became a hit. Early demos, press copies and limited exports are also sought after.
Other things that make a record worth money are whether or not it was a commercial release or simply produced as a promotional record, whether it was recorded in stereo or mono and if it had any photographs or inserts and if so that they are still intact.
Most importantly however is rarity and how it has been looked after, just like a Penny Black stamp in fact. That was once produced in its thousands and yet today in mint condition it can fetch as much as £500,000. It’s very possible that they will one day be saying the same about vinyl.
Rick Derringer ("Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo" and leader of the McCoys) is 63
Airto Moreira - Weather Report (1941)
Rick Huxley - Dave Clark Five (1942)
Jimmy Webb - Wrote the 1968 hit for Richard Harris "MacArthur Park," plus "Galverston," for Glen Campbell, "Up Up and Away," 5th Dimension (1946)
Gregory Leskiw - Guess Who (1947)
Samantha Sang (1953)
Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda - Twisted Sister (1955)
Pat Smear - Nirvana, (fourth member), Foo Fighters (1959)
Calvin Hayes - Johnny Hates Jazz (1960)
Mike Nocito - Johnny Hates Jazz (1963)
Adam Yauch - Beastie Boys (1964)
Jeff Coffin - Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and Dave Matthews Band (1965)
Jennifer Finch - L7 (1966)
They Are Missed:
The late Sammi Smith ("Help Me Make It Through The Night") was born in 1943.
The late Damita Jo (Dublanc-- sang the answer records "I'll Save The Last Dance For You" and "I'll Be There") was born in 1940.
Marilyn Monroe died of an overdose of sleeping pills in 1962.
Country guitarist Luther Perkins died in 1968 (age 40) as a result of severe burns and smoke inhalation. Perkins fell asleep at home in his den with a cigarette in his hand. He was dragged from the fire unconscious with severe second and third degree burns. Perkins never regained consciousness. He worked with Johnny Cash and The Carter Family and featured on the live album Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.
Pete Meaden, former manager and publicist for The Who, committed suicide in 1978.
Culture Club keyboard player Michael Rudetsky was found dead at Boy George’s London home in 1986.
Jeff Porcaro drummer from Toto died in 1992 (age 38). His death has been the subject of controversy: some say the attack was caused by an allergic reaction to garden pesticide, while others say Porcaro's heart was weakened by smoking and cocaine use. Porcaro also worked with many other acts including Sonny and Cher, Roger Waters, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Steely Dan, Paul Simon and Boz Scaggs.
Randy Hobbs, bass player with The McCoys, Edgar Winter Group and Motrose was found dead in his hotel room in Dayton Ohio from a drug overdose in 1993 (age 45).
Singer-songwriter Robert Hazard died in 2008 after surgery for pancreatic cancer. He wrote Cyndi Lauper's, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," and fronted Robert Hazard and the Heroes in the 80’s.
History:
American Bandstand first aired on US TV in 1957. Dick Clark had replaced Bob Horn the previous year when the show was still called Bandstand, Clark went on to host the show until 1989. First guest was Billy Williams and the Chordettes. Countless acts appeared on the show over the years, including Abba, The Doors, Talking Heads, Madonna, Otis Redding, R.E.M. and Pink Floyd.
Sonny Bono was hired by Specialty Records in 1957 as their Hollywood "artists & repertoire" man.
Frankie Avalon's "Just Ask Your Heart" was released in 1959 and it sold a reported 200,000 copies nationally (10,000 in Chicago alone).
The Isley Brothers recorded "Shout" in 1959.
The Beach Boys recorded "When I Grow Up To Be A Man" in 1964.
In 1965, Jan Berry of Jan and Dean was accidentally knocked off a camera car and broke his leg on the first day of filming a new film Easy Come, Easy Go. Several other people were also hurt, causing Paramount to cancel the movie entirely.
The Beatles Revolver was released in the UK in 1966. The bands seventh album featured: "Taxman," "Eleanor Rigby," "I'm Only Sleeping," "Here, There and Everywhere," "She Said She Said," "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "Tomorrow Never Knows." Often considered by many as their crowning achievement.
In 1967, Pink Floyd released their debut album The Piper At the Gates of Dawn on which most songs were penned by Syd Barrett.
In 1969, George Harrison had his new Moog synthesizer brought into the studio for The Beatles to use in finishing their forthcoming album ‘Abbey Road’. Moog overdubs were recorded onto ‘Because’.
Aerosmith signed to CBS Records in 1972 for $125,000 after record company boss Clive Davis saw them play at Max's Kansas City Club New York.
Stevie Wonder signed a $13 million deal with Motown Records in 1972, the richest ever at that time.
Kim Fowley formed the first ever all female heavy rock band, The Runaways in 1975. Joan Jett was one of the members.
"The Beach Boys: It's OK" TV special (with guests John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) aired on NBC in 1976.
The Rolling Stones went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1978 with "Miss You," the group's eighth US #1 hit.
Def Leppard signed to Phonogram records in 1979 with an advance of $180,000 giving them a 10% royalty on 100% of sales for the first two years.
In 1983, Crosby Stills Nash & Young member David Crosby was sentenced to five years in jail in Texas for cocaine and firearms offences. Crosby had slept through most of his trial. (the conviction was overturned after he spends less than a year in prison). Lucky man.....
In 1984, Bruce Springsteen played the first of ten nights at the Meadowlands in New Jersey to mark the homecoming of the Born in the USA Tour.
Taken from the Batman movie, Prince was at #1 on the US singles chart in 1989 with "Batdance."
Music written by Johann Sebastian Bach was found in the Ukraine in 1999. The music was thought to have been destroyed over 50 years ago during World War II. The material was found in the musical estate of Carl Phillipp Emanuel Bach, who was on of J.S. Bach's children.
Police were called to Gary Glitter's West London home in 2000 after a crowd gathered outside and started to shout abuse. The former pop star was back in London to attend to business affairs before heading abroad again.
*NSYNC started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 2001 with 'Celebrity.'
In 2005, Bob Dylan's song "Like a Rolling Stone" topped a poll of rock and film stars to find the music, movies, TV shows and books that changed the world. The 1965 single beat Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" into second place in a survey for Uncut magazine. Sir Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher, Robert Downey Jr, Rolling Stone Keith Richards and Lou Reed were among those who gave their opinions.
DNA testing in 2007 on about a dozen people who claimed late soul star James Brown was their father revealed that at least two of them were telling the truth. A former adviser for the singer, Buddy Dallas, said he could not confirm exact figures, as further test results were forthcoming. His will, which was being disputed in court, named six children.
Beatles fans feared the misuse of the Fab Four’s music had hit rock bottom in 2007 following the decision to license "All You Need Is Love" for use in a nappy advert. Procter & Gamble had purchased the rights to use the song from Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which now owned Northern Songs, the Beatles’ catalogue. The ad featured a baby jumping on a teddy bear in a disposable nappy which offered “ultimate leak protection.” Say it ain't so......
Hundreds of KISS fans, some in full face paint, protested outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland in 2006, demanding that the band be inducted. According to a Rock Hall rep, the half-hour demonstration was the first of its kind. KISS became eligible for inclusion in the Rock Hall 10 years earlier.
Pearl Jam headlined the closing night of Lollapalooza in Chicago in 2007. During the show, lyrics criticizing President Bush are censored from a live webcast by AT&T Inc. The lines are cut from a rendition of "Daughter" (with a part to the tune of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall") include "George Bush, leave this world alone," the second time it was sung, and "George Bush find yourself another home." Days later AT&T says they made a mistake (no kidding). Following the incident Pearl Jam posts a notice. "This troubles us . . . as citizens concerned with the issue of censorship and the increasingly consolidated control of the media," writes the band. They also promise to “work harder to ensure live broadcasts or webcasts are ‘free from arbitrary edits’."
The "Songs For Tibet" compilation was released in 2008. Featuring Rush and Sting, the acoustic album sends "a musical message of support to Tibet and the Dalai Lama" to coincide with the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Proceeds go to Art of Peace Foundation and projects championed by the Dalai Lama.
Experience Hendrix, a DVD with footage from a pair of ’02 all-star Jimi Hendrix tribute concerts, was in stores in 2008. Filmed in San Diego and Seattle, the 17 song set includes performances by Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Double Trouble ("Voodoo Chile"), Pearl Jam's Mike McCready, Living Colour ("Crosstown Traffic") and former Hendrix bandmates Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox and Buddy Miles.
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler suffered serious injuries when he falls off a catwalk during the band's concert at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota in 2009. Tyler was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. He has a broken shoulder, gashes in his back and his head needs stitches. With Tyler on the mend, Aerosmith pulls the plug on the remaining dates. "Words can't express the sadness I feel for having to cancel this tour," says guitarist Joe Perry. "We hope we can get the Aerosmith machine up and running again as soon as possible."
In 2009, a 53-year-old who claimed he was secretly engaged to Miley Cyrus was charged with trying to stalk the US singer. Mark McLeod was arrested after trying to contact the Hannah Montana actress on a film set near Savannah, Georgia. McLeod claimed he had met Cyrus 18 months earlier and that she had accepted his marriage proposal. He told police that Cyrus' father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, approved of their relationship and that Cyrus had sent him "secret messages" through her TV show.
