Monday, August 22, 2011

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes


fantastic story of a young person getting into vinyl!

Vinyl is hot

By Tiffany Diorio, Record-Journal staff

Sean Blackall's room isn't what you'd expect the bedroom of a 20-year-old to look like. At first glance, there's nothing that unusual - a Revelation Records poster on his door and a bed post covered in promotional stickers for local bands. But to one side are black shelves that cover more than half the wall, housing his impressive collection of close to 800 vinyl records.

Yes, vinyl. The South Meriden resident said he's been buying the discs for about four years now and doesn't have any intention of stopping.

"I'll come home and at least once a week there'll be a package of vinyls he ordered," said his mother, Kathy Blackall.

Each of Sean Blackall's records is kept meticulously clean in its own clear, plastic package and they're stored neatly on shelves across from his pet gecko.

Please read the rest at myrecordjournal.com

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marvelous story, we've read them before, but they never get old!

New spin on a vintage business

SALISBURY -- Each weekend while many workers are still nestled in their beds, two friends with a passion for music rise early to travel the region in search of vinyl records.

Matt Gunby, a freelance photographer, and Dave Morris, a warehouse manager, get on the road by 6 a.m. stopping at yards sales and flea markets where they dig through boxes and stacks of LPs and 45s.

Even on rainy days where there are fewer vendors and garage sales, Gunby still wakes early and is on the hunt. He has to see what's out there.

Gunby and Morris dig through piles of records each week in search of new records to add to the inventory at their new retail location, U Dig Records, inside Seasons Best in downtown Salisbury.

"There's nothing worse than looking through hundreds of records you've already looked at," he said.

Read the rest of the story at delmarvanow.com

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65daysofstatic Announce Album Release

British electronic-infused post-rock outfit 65Daysofstatic recently announced the North American release of their latest album 'We Were Exploding Anyway' in a special deluxe edition that also features the recent 'Heavy Sky' EP. The expanded set will only be released in North America and hits stores on 2xCD, LP and digital download on October 25th on Monotreme Records.

The Cure founder and legendary songwriter Robert Smith lends his iconic vocals to the album track, “Come To Me”, while the band also experiments wildly with its sound throughout both critically praised releases.

The deluxe 2-CD edition includes bonus 7-track Heavy Sky CD EP.  Vinyl edition is heavyweight 180 gm vinyl (dark blue and white versions) and includes a free copy of the album CD, poster and digital download coupon for the Heavy Sky EP.

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Beatles Cartoon Supports Anti Piracy Cause

The Beatles are the latest band to support the anti-piracy movement led by the organization Why Music Matters, providing their music and animated likenesses to a video promoting the value of recorded music.

The Beatles’ animated short is very cleverly designed, using stick figured characters to share the story of a life told through Fab Four songs. It includes nippets from "Octopus’s Garden," "Something," "Strawberry Fields" and what is nmow a world wide sing along cut "Hey Jude" subtly but clearly get the message (music is worth paying for) across in less than two minutes.

This group aims to educate fans on how to consume music in an ethical way. Their goal is to open up conversation about music piracy. Part of how they do this is with short films that let the music do the talking.

Here's a quote from the website: (visit the site HERE)

Music Matters is a collective effort by artists and all those who work in and around music to remind listeners of its enduring value.

Look out for the Music Matters Trustmark.


As a music fan, the most important thing you can do is consume music in an ethical way.

With so many different ways to stream and download music, it can be confusing to work out which ones will support the musicians you love. That's why we've developed the Music Matters Trustmark.

Remember to look out for the Music Matters Trustmark whenever you are choosing new music.

Spread the word

Do your friends and family value music and know about the hard work that goes into making each song?

Help us build a strong movement supporting musicians everywhere, by inviting everyone you know to join the campaign.

I say, amen, buy your music, don't steal it!



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Metallica and Lou Reed Announced Title Of Upcoming Collaborative Album 'Lulu'

"Lulu" was inspired by German expressionist writer Frank Wededkind's plays "Earth Spirit" and "Pandora's Box," which tell a story of a young abused dancer's life and relationships and are now collectively known as the "Lulu Plays." Since their publication in the early 1900's, the plays have been the inspiration for a silent film ("Pandora's Box," 1929), an opera, and countless other creative endeavors. Originally the lyrics and musical landscape were sketched out by Lou for a theatrical production in Berlin, but after coming together with the 'Tallica boys for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York in 2009 all guilty parties knew they wanted to make more music together. Lou was inspired enough by that performance to recently ask the band to join him in taking his theatrical "Lulu" piece to the next level and so starting in early May of this year we were all camped out recording at HQ studios in Northern California, bringing us to today and ten complete songs.

An official website has been established for the project at loureedmetallica.com. The album will be released worldwide on October 31 and in North America on November 1st.

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and in music history for today, August 22nd:

In 1906 The Victor Talking Machine Company of Camden, New Jersey began to manufacture the Victrola (record player). The hand-cranked unit, with horn cabinet, retailed for $200. Records were purchased separately, usually in the appliance stores that sold the machines, at a cost of between $1 and $7. Famed conductor John Philip Sousa predicted "a marked deterioration in American music" and said that generations of amateur musicians would give way to "canned music."

In 1956, Elvis Presley began working on his first movie, Love Me Tender. In the drama that was set during and just after the Civil War, Elvis played Clint Reno, the youngest of four brothers. The original title for the movie was The Reno Brothers, but was changed to take advantage of the “Love Me Tender” song recorded for the film.

Also in 1956, the Five Satins make their debut on the Billboard R&B chart with a song they recorded in a New Haven, Connecticut church basement, "In The Still of the Night". Originally issued as a "B" side on the tiny Standord label, the song was re-released by Ember Records after some strong local sales. The 45 would rise to #3 on the R&B chart and #24 on the Pop chart, selling over a million copies.

In 1962, the first TV appearance of the Beatles was recorded by Manchester based Granada TV, who filmed a lunchtime session at The Cavern Club Liverpool, (it was shown on 17th October 1962).

Martha & The Vandellas' "Dancing In The Streets" was released in 1964.

In 1964, after releasing a half dozen singles that either stalled in the upper reaches of Billboard's Hot 100 or failed to chart at all, The Supremes scored their first hit record when "Where Did Our Love Go" went to number one in the US for the first of two weeks. It made it to #3 in the UK. The song was first offered to The Marvelettes, who disliked the tune and refused to record it.

In 1964, Liberty Records reported the album "The Chipmunks Sing the Beatles" was selling 25,000 copies a day.

In 1968, Ringo Starr quit The Beatles during the “White Album” sessions when the constant bickering and tension became too much for him. The news of Ringo's departure was kept secret, and he rejoined the sessions on September 3. After Ringo walked out, the remaining Beatles recorded “Back In the USSR,” with Paul on drums and John playing bass.

In 1969, the Beatles filmed a film short for "The Long and Winding Road."

In 1970, Elvis Presley announced his first tour since 1958.

In 1970, four former session musicians who called themselves Bread, topped the Hot 100 with "Make It With You", a song written by their lead singer, David Gates. It made #5 in the UK.

Also in 1970, Anne Murray's "Snowbird" entered Billboard's Hot 100 on its way to a million seller, marking the first time in history that an American Gold record was awarded to a solo Canadian female.

After leaving the Animals the year before, Eric Burdon made a return to the charts when his new band, War, scored a number 3 hit in 1970 with "Spill The Wine". Although Burdon would split from War in 1971, the rest of the group would have many more hits without him, including "The World is a Ghetto", "The Cisco Kid", "Gypsy Man", "Slippin' Into Darkness" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?".



In 1978, Sid Vicious performed for the last time at a London club. He played with Rat Scabies of the Damned, Glen Matlock and Nancy Spungen.

In 1979, Led Zeppelin released their last album together, "In Through The Out Door." The LP entered the charts at number one in both America and England and featured the Top 40 single, "Fool in the Rain". The album remained on the US top spot for seven weeks and sold over six million copies.

In 1998 - Mark David Chapman said that he did not want any of the money that would be made from the sale of the signed "Double Fantasy" album that John Lennon signed for him the same day he was killed. Chapman was currently serving sentence for the December 8, 1980 murder.

In 2003, Kjell Henning Bjoernestad a Norwegian Elvis Presley impersonator set a world record by singing the rock 'n' roll legend's hits non-stop for over 26 hours. The previous record was set by British Elvis fan Gary Jay who sang for 25 hours 33 minutes and 30 seconds. one question...why?

In 2004, 81 year old Al Dvorin, the announcer who uttered the phrase "Elvis has left the building" was killed in a car crash on the way home from an Elvis convention in California. He had been asked to announce his now famous words by Col. Tom Parker, who wanted to inform concert goers that Elvis would not return for an encore.

In 2006, Bruce Gary, drummer for The Knack on their multi-million selling hit" My Sharona" passed away at the age of 54.

In 2008, disgraced pop star Gary Glitter (real name: Paul Francis Gadd) arrived back in Britain after being thrown out of Vietnam after serving two years and three months for abusing two girls aged 10 and 11. In an attempt to escape repatriation, Glitter flew 2,661 miles from Vietnam to Bangkok, then to Hong Kong, then back to Bangkok. Each country denied him entry. He spent three days in Asian airports desperately searching for another country willing to take him after at least 19 turned him down, but was left with no option but to return to Britain. Glitter had to sign the sex offenders' register and his movements in Britain will be restricted to keep him from approaching children.

In 2009, John Carter, a member of both The Dells and The Flamingos, died of lung cancer at the age of 75. He is one of the few artists to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with two different acts.

birthdays today include (among others) Paul Doucette (Matchbox 20) (39), Gary 'Mutha' Withem (Gary Puckett & the Union Gap) (65), Donna Jean Godchaux (Grateful Dead) (64), Vernon Reed (Living Colour) (53), Tori Amos (48) and session singer Ron Dante (66) (The Archies and Cuff Links)




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