written by Alan Bayer
Vinyl Records Are High-Maintenance...
It's unfortunate, but true. While vinyl records provide the sweetest sounds, they won't for very long if you do not maintain them properly. Vinyl records are victims to many of the same ailments as CDs, particularly scratches, and exposure to sunlight and heat. Vinyl records also suffer from various other problems as well.
Here are 9 tips that will keep your vinyl in great shape:
Maintenance Tip #1: Store Vinyl Records Vertically
The first thing to consider when storing your vinyl is the direction. You should always store your vinyl records vertically. By storing them vertically, there is significantly less stress put on the record, ensuring that they don't bend or deform over time.
Maintenance Tip #2: Don't Store Vinyl Records Horizontally
Vinyl should never be stored horizontally, especially under a pile of other records, or other heavy object(s). The weight causes damage to the grooves over time, degrading the sound quality over time.
Maintenance Tip #3: Don't Let Vinyl Records Lean
Vinyl should not be allowed to lean either. This can cause them to warp, and you can imagine the difficulties this causes.
Maintenance Tip #4: Don't Store Vinyl Records Too Tightly
One other tip, don't store records too tightly, even vertically, as this also puts pressure on the grooves, deforming them over time. This is the same reason why you shouldn't store vinyl records horizontally under other records or heavy objects.
Maintenance Tip #5: Keep Your Records Cool!
Vinyl should also be stored in a cooler portion of your house. Heat causes the records to get softer, and prone to bending and damage. You should never store your vinyl near a window or heater.
Maintenance Tip #5: Keep Your Records Away From Humidity
Take care to keep your vinyl away from humidity. Humidity eventually causes mold to grow, which can lead to damage to your record and cover sleeve. It's really difficult to get mold and dirt out of those tiny record grooves. Treat your vinyl with respect! Don't throw it in your basement or attic for 20 years and expect them to come out looking good.
Maintenance Tip #6: Always Store Your Records in their Sleeves
Vinyl should not be stored outside of its liner or sleeve. This makes it easier for the record to get dirty, and more prone to scratches. Dirt is one of the main things that scratches records. In addition to dirt causing damage, exposed vinyl can be damaged by the sun's UV rays. This is another reason not to store your vinyl near a window or natural light source.
Maintenance Tip #7: Always Handle Vinyl Records by the Edges
When handling your vinyl, the same rules apply as with CDs. Be careful to handle the record only by its edges. Don't be careless with the record in hand, if it drops, you could cause a bad scratch, causing the record to skip, and damaging the record permanently.
Maintenance Tip #8: Be Careful With The Stylus
If you don't have an automatic turntable, be gentle with the stylus (needle). Don't set it down too heavily. Be mindful while the record is playing too: Try not to shake the turntable, causing the needle to skip across the record, causing minor scratches that degrade the sound of the record.
Maintenance Tip #9: Brush the Record, and Return It To Its Sleeve
Lastly, when you're done playing your record, you should give it a quick brush to remove any dust and static. Finally, return it to its sleeve. If you plan on listening to your vinyl for any decent period of time, you should absolutely invest in a carbon fiber record brush.
That's it, folks! 9 Tips for keeping your vinyl LPs in great shape.
Enjoy the music!
Author Alan E Bayer is a jazz lover and vinyl record enthusiast who operates http://www.vinylrevinyl.com, a site where one can find collectible vinyl records, turntables and vinyl accessories. Enjoy the site, and enjoy the sound of music on vinyl.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Guns N' Roses to release new album next month
NEW YORK (Billboard) - More than a decade after its conception, Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" will finally see the light of day before year's end, sources close to the situation told Billboard.
The set will be a Best Buy exclusive and will be available Sunday, November 23, rather than the usual Tuesday.
In the run-up to release date, album track "Shackler's Revenge" will debut in the video game "Rock Band 2," while a portion of "If the World" is playing over the end credits in the new Leonardo DiCaprio/Russell Crowe film "Body of Lies."
In addition, GNR's seminal 1987 full-length debut, "Appetite for Destruction," will be reissued on vinyl on October 28 via Interscope.
The band's last new studio albums were the simultaneously released "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" in September 1991. A covers set, "The Spaghetti Incident?," followed in 1993, and featured some of the last GNR recordings from original guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan.
This spring, soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper offered to send a free can of the beverage to "everyone in America" (excluding ex-GNR members Slash and Buckethead) if "Chinese Democracy" were to arrive anytime during the calendar year 2008. A Dr Pepper spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Reuters/Billboard
The set will be a Best Buy exclusive and will be available Sunday, November 23, rather than the usual Tuesday.
In the run-up to release date, album track "Shackler's Revenge" will debut in the video game "Rock Band 2," while a portion of "If the World" is playing over the end credits in the new Leonardo DiCaprio/Russell Crowe film "Body of Lies."
In addition, GNR's seminal 1987 full-length debut, "Appetite for Destruction," will be reissued on vinyl on October 28 via Interscope.
The band's last new studio albums were the simultaneously released "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" in September 1991. A covers set, "The Spaghetti Incident?," followed in 1993, and featured some of the last GNR recordings from original guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan.
This spring, soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper offered to send a free can of the beverage to "everyone in America" (excluding ex-GNR members Slash and Buckethead) if "Chinese Democracy" were to arrive anytime during the calendar year 2008. A Dr Pepper spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Reuters/Billboard
Album Cover Art
Let's continue our look the the top 50 controversial, weirdest, best and worst album covers as compiled by the crack staff at Gigwise.com
Controversial
19. Ice Cube: ‘Death Certificate’ Death Certificate is the second studio album by rapper Ice Cube, released October 31, 1991 on Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over a million advance orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991. The album debuted on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at #1 and on the Billboard 200 chart at #2, while it went on to sell over two million copies to date. It is considered one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. It was also the source of much controversy due to some of its racially charged content, and Ice Cube's acerbic statements on drug dealing, racial profiling, and the right to keep and bear arms.
It didn't help to have ole Uncle Sam in the morgue which may have been an allusion to the death of the American dream, the album was nonetheless condemned Stateside and suffered severe retail boycotts. In fact, the state of Oregon declared any display of Ice Cube's image in retail stores throughout the state illegal.
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Weirdest
19. Emerson, Lake & Palmer: 'Tarkus' - Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were an English progressive rock supergroup. In the 1970s, the band was extremely popular, selling over 35 million albums and headlining huge concerts. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (guitar, bass guitar, vocals) and Carl Palmer (drums, percussion).
Tarkus is the second album by the progressive rock bandand was released in 1971. The chief feature of the album is the "Tarkus" suite, originally forming the whole of Side one of the album. Greg Lake stated in an early interview that he viewed Tarkus as a representation of the military-industrial complex, and that his lyrics were about that, and about the futility of war and strife.
On the album cover, made after the music was created and recorded, Tarkus is depicted as a half armadillo/half tank creature, born from an egg erupted from a volcano. The inner gatefold sleeve features a sequence of pictures depicting battles between Tarkus and other half-mechanical creatures, until its eventual defeat by a manticore. "Tarkus" then becomes "Aquatarkus", an aquatic version of the land-bound original.
Carl Palmer later stated that he thought that the use of pictures depicting battles between Tarkus and other half-mechanical creatures on the inner gatefold was a mistake, and that only the outer cover painting of Tarkus should have been used. Greg Lake also made some similar statements. I kind of like the armadillo/half tank creature-reminds me of listening to the album and getting stoned.
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Worst
19. David Hasselhoff – ‘Night Rocker’ David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952) is an American "actor and singer," who is best known for his lead roles on Knight Rider and Baywatch. He also crossed over to a music career, successful primarily in German-speaking Europe during the end of the 1980s and the early 1990s. Hasselhoff has had only one number-one hit in the German pop charts in 1989 ("Looking for Freedom") and two more top-ten hits in 1989 and 1993, respectively. Most other releases failed to enter the top forty.
In 1994, Hasselhoff was scheduled to perform a concert on pay-per-view from Atlantic City. The concert was expected to help reignite his singing career in the United States. On the night of his concert, O.J. Simpson was involved in a police chase in southern California. Viewership of the concert was significantly lower than expected, due to the live coverage of the chase. Since then, Hasselhoff has not attempted another concert.
Thank god for O.J., now where is KITT?
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Best
19. Dinosaur Jr: ‘Green Mind’ Who am I to question the staff at Gigwise...we all are entitled to our opinions, but this album cover making the 'best' list is beyond comprehension. Dinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984. Originally named Dinosaur prior to legal issues, the band disbanded in 1997 until reuniting in 2005. Guitarist J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph were the band's founding members; however, Mascis has been the group's sole continual member.
Their distinct sound, characterized by high gain, extensive use of feedback and distortion, and frontman J Mascis's melodic guitar solos, were influential in the alternative rock movement of the 1990s, exemplified by the success of acknowledged fans Nirvana.
The cover photograph, "Priscilla, 1969", is by Joseph Szabo and taken from his book of photographs Almost Grown.
Controversial
19. Ice Cube: ‘Death Certificate’ Death Certificate is the second studio album by rapper Ice Cube, released October 31, 1991 on Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over a million advance orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991. The album debuted on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at #1 and on the Billboard 200 chart at #2, while it went on to sell over two million copies to date. It is considered one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. It was also the source of much controversy due to some of its racially charged content, and Ice Cube's acerbic statements on drug dealing, racial profiling, and the right to keep and bear arms.
It didn't help to have ole Uncle Sam in the morgue which may have been an allusion to the death of the American dream, the album was nonetheless condemned Stateside and suffered severe retail boycotts. In fact, the state of Oregon declared any display of Ice Cube's image in retail stores throughout the state illegal.
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Weirdest
19. Emerson, Lake & Palmer: 'Tarkus' - Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were an English progressive rock supergroup. In the 1970s, the band was extremely popular, selling over 35 million albums and headlining huge concerts. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (guitar, bass guitar, vocals) and Carl Palmer (drums, percussion).
Tarkus is the second album by the progressive rock bandand was released in 1971. The chief feature of the album is the "Tarkus" suite, originally forming the whole of Side one of the album. Greg Lake stated in an early interview that he viewed Tarkus as a representation of the military-industrial complex, and that his lyrics were about that, and about the futility of war and strife.
On the album cover, made after the music was created and recorded, Tarkus is depicted as a half armadillo/half tank creature, born from an egg erupted from a volcano. The inner gatefold sleeve features a sequence of pictures depicting battles between Tarkus and other half-mechanical creatures, until its eventual defeat by a manticore. "Tarkus" then becomes "Aquatarkus", an aquatic version of the land-bound original.
Carl Palmer later stated that he thought that the use of pictures depicting battles between Tarkus and other half-mechanical creatures on the inner gatefold was a mistake, and that only the outer cover painting of Tarkus should have been used. Greg Lake also made some similar statements. I kind of like the armadillo/half tank creature-reminds me of listening to the album and getting stoned.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst
19. David Hasselhoff – ‘Night Rocker’ David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952) is an American "actor and singer," who is best known for his lead roles on Knight Rider and Baywatch. He also crossed over to a music career, successful primarily in German-speaking Europe during the end of the 1980s and the early 1990s. Hasselhoff has had only one number-one hit in the German pop charts in 1989 ("Looking for Freedom") and two more top-ten hits in 1989 and 1993, respectively. Most other releases failed to enter the top forty.
In 1994, Hasselhoff was scheduled to perform a concert on pay-per-view from Atlantic City. The concert was expected to help reignite his singing career in the United States. On the night of his concert, O.J. Simpson was involved in a police chase in southern California. Viewership of the concert was significantly lower than expected, due to the live coverage of the chase. Since then, Hasselhoff has not attempted another concert.
Thank god for O.J., now where is KITT?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best
19. Dinosaur Jr: ‘Green Mind’ Who am I to question the staff at Gigwise...we all are entitled to our opinions, but this album cover making the 'best' list is beyond comprehension. Dinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984. Originally named Dinosaur prior to legal issues, the band disbanded in 1997 until reuniting in 2005. Guitarist J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph were the band's founding members; however, Mascis has been the group's sole continual member.
Their distinct sound, characterized by high gain, extensive use of feedback and distortion, and frontman J Mascis's melodic guitar solos, were influential in the alternative rock movement of the 1990s, exemplified by the success of acknowledged fans Nirvana.
The cover photograph, "Priscilla, 1969", is by Joseph Szabo and taken from his book of photographs Almost Grown.
This Date In Music History- October 10
Birthdays:
Goo Goo Dolls guitarist Mike Malinin was born in 1967.
Born on this day in 1955, David Lee Roth, vocals, Van Halen.
Birthday wishes to Country Music super star Tanya Tucker (1955).
Born on this day in 1946, John Prine, singer, songwriter.
Birthday wishes to Jerry Lacroix, Blood Sweat & Tears (1945).
History:
The real Eleanor Rigby died in her sleep of unknown causes in 1939 at the age of 44. The 1966 Beatles' song that featured her name wasn't really written about her, as Paul McCartney's first draft of the song named the character Miss Daisy Hawkins. Eleanor Rigby's tombstone was noticed in the 1980s in the graveyard of St. Peter's Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, just a few feet from where McCartney and Lennon had met for the first time in 1957.
The great jazz composer Thelonious Monk was born in Rocky Mount, N.C. in 1917 (died February 17, 1982).
In 1902, the Gibson Mandolin guitar company was formed. Gibson's first electric guitar the ES-150 was produced in 1936 and in 1946 Gibson introduced the P-90 single coil pickup, which was eventually used on the first Les Paul model made in 1952.
In 1956, Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" entered the Billboard chart for a 19 week stay. It was #1 for 5 of those weeks. The song, from Presley's first film of the same name, was adapted from the tune "Aura Lee", written in 1861.
In 1960, a silly novelty song called "Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne was the number one single in America. The record told a story about a US cavalry trooper who tries to talk his way out of fighting the Sioux Indians at Little Big Horn in 1876. I kind of like the song.
In 1962, the BBC banned Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash" because it makes mention of potentially offensive horror movies.
The Shangri-Las released the immortal No. 1 teen drama "Leader of the Pack” in 1964.
Pink Floyd released their album Atom Heart Mother in 1970. On L.A.'s Sunset Strip, the Harvest label promoted the album with 30-foot-high billboards of the album's cover star, a cow named Lullubelle III.
In 1970, FCC Commissioner Nicholas Johnson responded to Vice President Spiro Agnew's charge that Rock music drives young people to drugs, by playing Rock music during a speech, saying that Agnew would do well to listen to song lyrics to understand what's happening around the US. Touche!
Also in 1970, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles' "Tears Of A Clown" was released. By December, it will top both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts as well as the Cashbox Best Sellers list.
In 1959, the Quarry Men played at the Casbah Coffee Club, Liverpool. Ken Brown, suffering from a heavy cold, was unable to perform and after the show an argument started when Paul McCartney said that Brown should not get a share of the performance fee since he had not performed. Lennon and Harrison side with McCartney and Brown quits The Quarry Men. Oops, wonder if he regrets that career move.
The funeral took place of Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham in 1980. ‘Bonzo’ was found dead at guitarist’s Jimmy Page's house of what was described as asphyxiation, after inhaling his own vomit after excessive vodka consumption, (40 shots in 4 hours) aged 32.
A charity auction selling Elvis Presley's belongings was held at The Grand Hotel, Las Vegas in 1999. A wristwatch sold for $32,500, a cigar box $25,000, an autographed baseball sold for $19,000, and a 1956 Lincoln Continental sold for $250,000.
The Carpenters were at No.2 on the US singles chart in 1970 with 'We've Only Just Begun.' The song was originally written for a TV commercial advertising a bank.
This is timing: Twenty one years after "Frampton Comes Alive" sold over 16 million copies, Peter Frampton released "Frampton Comes Alive II".
The Supremes made the first of many appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1965.
Goo Goo Dolls guitarist Mike Malinin was born in 1967.
Born on this day in 1955, David Lee Roth, vocals, Van Halen.
Birthday wishes to Country Music super star Tanya Tucker (1955).
Born on this day in 1946, John Prine, singer, songwriter.
Birthday wishes to Jerry Lacroix, Blood Sweat & Tears (1945).
History:
The real Eleanor Rigby died in her sleep of unknown causes in 1939 at the age of 44. The 1966 Beatles' song that featured her name wasn't really written about her, as Paul McCartney's first draft of the song named the character Miss Daisy Hawkins. Eleanor Rigby's tombstone was noticed in the 1980s in the graveyard of St. Peter's Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, just a few feet from where McCartney and Lennon had met for the first time in 1957.
The great jazz composer Thelonious Monk was born in Rocky Mount, N.C. in 1917 (died February 17, 1982).
In 1902, the Gibson Mandolin guitar company was formed. Gibson's first electric guitar the ES-150 was produced in 1936 and in 1946 Gibson introduced the P-90 single coil pickup, which was eventually used on the first Les Paul model made in 1952.
In 1956, Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" entered the Billboard chart for a 19 week stay. It was #1 for 5 of those weeks. The song, from Presley's first film of the same name, was adapted from the tune "Aura Lee", written in 1861.
In 1960, a silly novelty song called "Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne was the number one single in America. The record told a story about a US cavalry trooper who tries to talk his way out of fighting the Sioux Indians at Little Big Horn in 1876. I kind of like the song.
In 1962, the BBC banned Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash" because it makes mention of potentially offensive horror movies.
The Shangri-Las released the immortal No. 1 teen drama "Leader of the Pack” in 1964.
Pink Floyd released their album Atom Heart Mother in 1970. On L.A.'s Sunset Strip, the Harvest label promoted the album with 30-foot-high billboards of the album's cover star, a cow named Lullubelle III.
In 1970, FCC Commissioner Nicholas Johnson responded to Vice President Spiro Agnew's charge that Rock music drives young people to drugs, by playing Rock music during a speech, saying that Agnew would do well to listen to song lyrics to understand what's happening around the US. Touche!
Also in 1970, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles' "Tears Of A Clown" was released. By December, it will top both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts as well as the Cashbox Best Sellers list.
In 1959, the Quarry Men played at the Casbah Coffee Club, Liverpool. Ken Brown, suffering from a heavy cold, was unable to perform and after the show an argument started when Paul McCartney said that Brown should not get a share of the performance fee since he had not performed. Lennon and Harrison side with McCartney and Brown quits The Quarry Men. Oops, wonder if he regrets that career move.
The funeral took place of Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham in 1980. ‘Bonzo’ was found dead at guitarist’s Jimmy Page's house of what was described as asphyxiation, after inhaling his own vomit after excessive vodka consumption, (40 shots in 4 hours) aged 32.
A charity auction selling Elvis Presley's belongings was held at The Grand Hotel, Las Vegas in 1999. A wristwatch sold for $32,500, a cigar box $25,000, an autographed baseball sold for $19,000, and a 1956 Lincoln Continental sold for $250,000.
The Carpenters were at No.2 on the US singles chart in 1970 with 'We've Only Just Begun.' The song was originally written for a TV commercial advertising a bank.
This is timing: Twenty one years after "Frampton Comes Alive" sold over 16 million copies, Peter Frampton released "Frampton Comes Alive II".
The Supremes made the first of many appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1965.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Tempe's indie music stores spinning from digital impact
In an age when digital music is becoming the norm, independent record stores are feeling a squeeze.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, the number of digital albums downloaded online in 2007 increased by 54 percent from the previous year, while CD shipments fell by about 18 percent.
But record stores haven't lost the battle yet, because the numbers show the shift to digital is gradual. Full-length CDs still accounted for more than 82 percent of the music products purchased by consumers in 2007, with digital downloads accounting for 11.2 percent.
Hanging on to the notion that some music fans still prefer the physical discs and records to the digital version, four independent music stores in Tempe have specialized their inventory to help them stay in the game.
Vinyl records
In an unassuming strip mall on University Drive, Memory Lane Records has stood the test of time for almost 25 years. It is one of the oldest independent record stores in Tempe, having forged through the rise of digital music and the presence of corporate retailers.
Owner Eric Finn said what makes his store stand out is a focus on vinyl and hard-to-find music selections. "The majority of music stores want to stick to the rock and roll," Finn said. "I don't think they have the same variety as we do."
Finn hasn't dismissed the digital age completely, though. In 1996, he took the store online, where he now makes a lot of his sales. His musical inventory is searchable and contains detailed information about the condition of every record, CD and cassette tape.
While Finn has noticed a small slowing in sales, he said, he doesn't think he'll lose his customer base over it.
"Basically, people are going to go where they're comfortable," Finn said.
Used music
Although digital music is a new struggle for storeowners to deal with, Steve Wiley, co-owner of Hoodlums Music & Movies, said owning a record store has never been easy.
"It's been challenging for indie record stores for 20 years," Wiley said. "The advantages are given to the corporate places, and that's just how it is."
Wiley and co-owner Kristian Luce faced even more challenges last November when the Memorial Union at Arizona State University caught on fire and ruined their store that was housed in the basement. Hoodlums had been a fixture in the MU since it opened in 1998.
When they decided not to return to ASU, Wiley and Luce faced the decision of whether they should even open another store. But in July, Wiley wrote on the Hoodlums Web site blog, "It's a tough business in a tough economy. However, when it comes down to it, this is what we do. After 20 years each in the biz, it's who we are."
Hoodlums opened in its new location on McClintock Drive and Guadalupe Road on Sept. 20, stocking the shelves with used music straight from the collections of the owners.
"We respond to the economy and the conditions of our industry by focusing on used," Wiley said. "People should be able to come in and get a good batch of music and not pay a bunch of money for it."
In its new location, Wiley said they've expanded their jazz, blues and world sections and have also increased their stock of vinyl. But unlike Memory Lane, they do carry a large selection of new releases as well.
Punk/metal
Eastside Records, a Tempe music veteran for more than 20 years, has seen the ups and downs of the independent music scene. Located on University Drive and Ash Avenue, the store once was doing well enough to expand its space. But then a couple of years ago, it was forced to downsize because of slow sales.
Manager Michael Pawlicki said they're putting everything they've got into the store, despite how quiet it's been there lately.
"This whole economic thing has soaked down to this level," Pawlicki said. "We're working very, very hard these days."
Eastside has always specialized on the underground punk and metal scenes, and Pawlicki said that a specific focus is necessary for small stores to survive in this market. The store has also started selling used equipment, like stereos and turntables, because the resale value is higher than CDs.
Because of the specialized selections, Pawlicki said there's no great competition with the other independent music stores in Tempe. They're all in the same boat.
"Anyone in a small business knows it's not so easy at this point, but we have to try hard to keep our heads up," he said.
Electronic
On Scottsdale Road north of the Loop 202, London West Records is a haven for electronic music and DJ's. And according to owner Matt Spangler, it's the only store of its kind in the state.
The store first opened as an import CD shop in 1998, and switched to selling only vinyl in 2002. When Spangler realized that the majority of DJ's were using only digital music now, he knew he had to do something different.
"We made a whole bunch of changes and are trying to keep up with the digital age," Spangler said.
The result was a new Web site that he launched this summer, unveiling a one-stop shop for music production and marketing. The store will now provide flyer design and printing, CD/DVD printing and duplication and DJ equipment repair.
But vinyl enthusiasts don't need to worry, he has no plans of getting rid of the records.
"I'll still buy vinyl. I hope to never stop doing that," Spangler said. "The younger kids still buy it, and they yell at me when I don't carry enough."
Spangler, like the other Tempe music store owners, said he hopes that specializing will help his store stay afloat.
"Everything is changing around in the industry," he said. "We're just trying to stay open."
SOURCE: The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, the number of digital albums downloaded online in 2007 increased by 54 percent from the previous year, while CD shipments fell by about 18 percent.
But record stores haven't lost the battle yet, because the numbers show the shift to digital is gradual. Full-length CDs still accounted for more than 82 percent of the music products purchased by consumers in 2007, with digital downloads accounting for 11.2 percent.
Hanging on to the notion that some music fans still prefer the physical discs and records to the digital version, four independent music stores in Tempe have specialized their inventory to help them stay in the game.
Vinyl records
In an unassuming strip mall on University Drive, Memory Lane Records has stood the test of time for almost 25 years. It is one of the oldest independent record stores in Tempe, having forged through the rise of digital music and the presence of corporate retailers.
Owner Eric Finn said what makes his store stand out is a focus on vinyl and hard-to-find music selections. "The majority of music stores want to stick to the rock and roll," Finn said. "I don't think they have the same variety as we do."
Finn hasn't dismissed the digital age completely, though. In 1996, he took the store online, where he now makes a lot of his sales. His musical inventory is searchable and contains detailed information about the condition of every record, CD and cassette tape.
While Finn has noticed a small slowing in sales, he said, he doesn't think he'll lose his customer base over it.
"Basically, people are going to go where they're comfortable," Finn said.
Used music
Although digital music is a new struggle for storeowners to deal with, Steve Wiley, co-owner of Hoodlums Music & Movies, said owning a record store has never been easy.
"It's been challenging for indie record stores for 20 years," Wiley said. "The advantages are given to the corporate places, and that's just how it is."
Wiley and co-owner Kristian Luce faced even more challenges last November when the Memorial Union at Arizona State University caught on fire and ruined their store that was housed in the basement. Hoodlums had been a fixture in the MU since it opened in 1998.
When they decided not to return to ASU, Wiley and Luce faced the decision of whether they should even open another store. But in July, Wiley wrote on the Hoodlums Web site blog, "It's a tough business in a tough economy. However, when it comes down to it, this is what we do. After 20 years each in the biz, it's who we are."
Hoodlums opened in its new location on McClintock Drive and Guadalupe Road on Sept. 20, stocking the shelves with used music straight from the collections of the owners.
"We respond to the economy and the conditions of our industry by focusing on used," Wiley said. "People should be able to come in and get a good batch of music and not pay a bunch of money for it."
In its new location, Wiley said they've expanded their jazz, blues and world sections and have also increased their stock of vinyl. But unlike Memory Lane, they do carry a large selection of new releases as well.
Punk/metal
Eastside Records, a Tempe music veteran for more than 20 years, has seen the ups and downs of the independent music scene. Located on University Drive and Ash Avenue, the store once was doing well enough to expand its space. But then a couple of years ago, it was forced to downsize because of slow sales.
Manager Michael Pawlicki said they're putting everything they've got into the store, despite how quiet it's been there lately.
"This whole economic thing has soaked down to this level," Pawlicki said. "We're working very, very hard these days."
Eastside has always specialized on the underground punk and metal scenes, and Pawlicki said that a specific focus is necessary for small stores to survive in this market. The store has also started selling used equipment, like stereos and turntables, because the resale value is higher than CDs.
Because of the specialized selections, Pawlicki said there's no great competition with the other independent music stores in Tempe. They're all in the same boat.
"Anyone in a small business knows it's not so easy at this point, but we have to try hard to keep our heads up," he said.
Electronic
On Scottsdale Road north of the Loop 202, London West Records is a haven for electronic music and DJ's. And according to owner Matt Spangler, it's the only store of its kind in the state.
The store first opened as an import CD shop in 1998, and switched to selling only vinyl in 2002. When Spangler realized that the majority of DJ's were using only digital music now, he knew he had to do something different.
"We made a whole bunch of changes and are trying to keep up with the digital age," Spangler said.
The result was a new Web site that he launched this summer, unveiling a one-stop shop for music production and marketing. The store will now provide flyer design and printing, CD/DVD printing and duplication and DJ equipment repair.
But vinyl enthusiasts don't need to worry, he has no plans of getting rid of the records.
"I'll still buy vinyl. I hope to never stop doing that," Spangler said. "The younger kids still buy it, and they yell at me when I don't carry enough."
Spangler, like the other Tempe music store owners, said he hopes that specializing will help his store stay afloat.
"Everything is changing around in the industry," he said. "We're just trying to stay open."
SOURCE: The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com
Giving Back to the Community
Local band opens record store
by Connor Adam Sheets | Valley Voice
Visitors to Saturday's In the Street festival in Frederick may have noticed a new music store downtown.
Argyle's Records, the brainchild of two members of Ecstasy the Flower, a band with Middletown and Brunswick roots, and a Frederick friend, opened its doors during the festivities.
The small, well-stocked shop, located at 332 N. Market St., specializes in selling rare and used vinyl records, but also offers a range of cassette and VHS tapes, refurbished turntables and more. Its windows are decorated with strings of old 45s and its walls are plastered with album covers and music posters
Co-owners Chris Wolfe, John Nahwooksy and Jamie Waller got the idea for the store when they realized the worth and appeal of their extensive record collections, which number in the thousands and run the gamut of musical styles, genres and eras.
"Why should I own all the records I've bought and not listen to them when there are other people with the same interests as me who could be listening to them? We're giving back to the community," said Wolfe, a 2003 Middletown High School graduate and Ecstasy the Flower's bassist. "We have everything on record, from Dalton and Dubarri to Wham!, and from AC/DC to Spanky and Our Gang."
Nahwooksy, a 2003 Gov. Thomas Johnson High School graduate and the band's front-man, said he thinks the timing is right for records.
"... Vinyl's making a comeback and we want to be at the forefront of the revolution," he explained.
SOURCE:
Maryland Community Newspapers Online
by Connor Adam Sheets | Valley Voice
Visitors to Saturday's In the Street festival in Frederick may have noticed a new music store downtown.
Argyle's Records, the brainchild of two members of Ecstasy the Flower, a band with Middletown and Brunswick roots, and a Frederick friend, opened its doors during the festivities.
The small, well-stocked shop, located at 332 N. Market St., specializes in selling rare and used vinyl records, but also offers a range of cassette and VHS tapes, refurbished turntables and more. Its windows are decorated with strings of old 45s and its walls are plastered with album covers and music posters
Co-owners Chris Wolfe, John Nahwooksy and Jamie Waller got the idea for the store when they realized the worth and appeal of their extensive record collections, which number in the thousands and run the gamut of musical styles, genres and eras.
"Why should I own all the records I've bought and not listen to them when there are other people with the same interests as me who could be listening to them? We're giving back to the community," said Wolfe, a 2003 Middletown High School graduate and Ecstasy the Flower's bassist. "We have everything on record, from Dalton and Dubarri to Wham!, and from AC/DC to Spanky and Our Gang."
Nahwooksy, a 2003 Gov. Thomas Johnson High School graduate and the band's front-man, said he thinks the timing is right for records.
"... Vinyl's making a comeback and we want to be at the forefront of the revolution," he explained.
SOURCE:
http://www.gazette.net/
Maryland Community Newspapers Online
Interesting Punishment
Judge sentences rap music fan to Bach, Beethoven
URBANA, Ohio - A defendant had a hard time facing the music.
Andrew Vactor was facing a $150 fine for playing rap music too loudly on his car stereo in July. But a judge offered to reduce that to $35 if Vactor spent 20 hours listening to classical music by the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.
Vactor, 24, lasted only about 15 minutes, a probation officer said.
It wasn't the music, Vactor said, he just needed to be at practice with the rest of the Urbana University basketball team.
"I didn't have the time to deal with that," he said. "I just decided to pay the fine."
Champaign County Municipal Court Judge Susan Fornof-Lippencott says the idea was to force Vactor to listen to something he might not prefer, just as other people had no choice but to listen to his loud rap music.
"I think a lot of people don't like to be forced to listen to music," she said.
She's also taped TV shows for defendants in other cases to watch on topics such as financial responsibility. As she sees it, they get the chance to have their fine reduced "and at the same time broaden their horizons."
Information from: Springfield News-Sun, http://www.springfieldnewssun.com
URBANA, Ohio - A defendant had a hard time facing the music.
Andrew Vactor was facing a $150 fine for playing rap music too loudly on his car stereo in July. But a judge offered to reduce that to $35 if Vactor spent 20 hours listening to classical music by the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.
Vactor, 24, lasted only about 15 minutes, a probation officer said.
It wasn't the music, Vactor said, he just needed to be at practice with the rest of the Urbana University basketball team.
"I didn't have the time to deal with that," he said. "I just decided to pay the fine."
Champaign County Municipal Court Judge Susan Fornof-Lippencott says the idea was to force Vactor to listen to something he might not prefer, just as other people had no choice but to listen to his loud rap music.
"I think a lot of people don't like to be forced to listen to music," she said.
She's also taped TV shows for defendants in other cases to watch on topics such as financial responsibility. As she sees it, they get the chance to have their fine reduced "and at the same time broaden their horizons."
Information from: Springfield News-Sun, http://www.springfieldnewssun.com
More News from VinylCollective.com:
TP/PO: FALCON “God Don’t Make No Trash” 10″
FALCON “God Don’t Make No Trash” 10″ transparent red vinyl
FALCON “God Don’t Make No Trash” 10″ royal blue vinyl
Drum roll please….this is exciting. I feel like we are making independent music history as this is the only cooperative that I know of that has over 200 members who work together to release vinyl. Sure, major labels have share holders and board members, but all those people care about is making chart topping profits regardless of how shitty the music is. The cooperative on the other hand’s sole goal is to release those incredible albums that have yet to be released on vinyl and I think the vinyl collectiving community will be a better place becaase of it. Thanks to everyone out there who have helped to make this coop exist.
Sorry about the rant, but I am psyched. There will be one pressing of the very rocking debut EP by the Falcon which features Brendan and Neil from the Lawrence Arms, Dan from Alkaline Trio, and Todd formerly of Rise Against. The record will be housed in a 10″ gatefold jacket and be pressed on 2 colors:
333 on Transparent red vinyl
667 on Royal Blue vinyl
Since the 210 unit holders, 10 board members, band and label get copies of the red vinyl, there will only be 40 copies for sale. These will sell out in 2 minutes so please do not be upset if you do not get one. Do not however let that bum you out to the point where you decide not to pick up the blue vinyl as the blue vinyl too will sell out more than likely by next week. Regardless of what color you end up with, this is going to be a highly sought after record.
We are also doing a test press contest for all of you who have ordered the record. Good luck. Records should be in hand by the first week of November.
FALCON “God Don’t Make No Trash” 10″ transparent red vinyl FALCON “God Don’t Make No Trash” 10″ royal blue vinyl
Drum roll please….this is exciting. I feel like we are making independent music history as this is the only cooperative that I know of that has over 200 members who work together to release vinyl. Sure, major labels have share holders and board members, but all those people care about is making chart topping profits regardless of how shitty the music is. The cooperative on the other hand’s sole goal is to release those incredible albums that have yet to be released on vinyl and I think the vinyl collectiving community will be a better place becaase of it. Thanks to everyone out there who have helped to make this coop exist.
Sorry about the rant, but I am psyched. There will be one pressing of the very rocking debut EP by the Falcon which features Brendan and Neil from the Lawrence Arms, Dan from Alkaline Trio, and Todd formerly of Rise Against. The record will be housed in a 10″ gatefold jacket and be pressed on 2 colors:
333 on Transparent red vinyl
667 on Royal Blue vinyl
Since the 210 unit holders, 10 board members, band and label get copies of the red vinyl, there will only be 40 copies for sale. These will sell out in 2 minutes so please do not be upset if you do not get one. Do not however let that bum you out to the point where you decide not to pick up the blue vinyl as the blue vinyl too will sell out more than likely by next week. Regardless of what color you end up with, this is going to be a highly sought after record.
We are also doing a test press contest for all of you who have ordered the record. Good luck. Records should be in hand by the first week of November.
Indie Vinyl Sales
Ever wonder how sales of Indie artists fair at a Indie Record Store? My friend, Virgil, over at www.vinylcollective.com brings us up to speed!
VC’s Top 40 sales for September 2008
1 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” LP half pink/half black vinyl
2 SLAPSTICK “25 Songs” dbl LP clear vinyl
3 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” LP pink w/ black splatter vinyl
4 THE BROADWAYS “Broken Star” LP grey blue marble vinyl
5 JOEY CAPE “Bridge” CD w/ free button, poster, and coozie
6 V/A “Revival Road” LP (w/ Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Ben Nichols)
6 TIM BARRY “Manchester” LP black vinyl w/ free button, poster, and coozie
6 FAKE PROBLEMS / LOOK MEXICO “Under the Influence Vol 1″ 7″ turquoise/ white
9 Jawbreaker - Etc. double LP
9 FAKE PROBLEMS / LOOK MEXICO “Under the Influence Vol 1″ 7″ set of both colors
11 V/A “Revival Road” LP (w/ Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Ben Nichols)
11 TIM BARRY “Manchester” CD w/ free button, poster, and coozie
13 PORTUGAL THE MAN “Censored Colors” LP purple w/ white and green splatter
14 MURDER BY DEATH / WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE split 7″
15 TIM BARRY “Manchester” LP brown vinyl w/ free button, poster, and coozie
16 V/A “Revival Road” LP (w/ Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Ben Nichols)
16 EVERY TIME I DIE “Hot Damn” LP clear w/ red, black, and silver splatter
18 TWO COW GARAGE “Speaking In Cursive” CD w/ free button and cozie
19 JOEY CAPE “Bridge” LP army green vinyl w/ free button, poster, and coozie
20 ALKALINE TRIO “Remains” dbl LP clear vinyl limited edition repress
21 Jawbreaker- Dear You 2xLP
21 GHOST MICE / BROOK PRIDEMORE split 7″ mixed color vinyl (hand#d/Colored)
23 EVERY TIME I DIE “Gutter Phenomenon” LP pink/black half and half
24 EVERY TIME I DIE “Hot Damn” and “Gutter Phenomenon” LPs (all 6 colors)
24 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” LP all 4 color set
26 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” LP pink vinyl
27 TWO COW GARAGE “Speaking In Cursive” LP gold vinyl w/ free button,cozie
28 AUSTIN LUCAS “At War With Freak Folk” 10″
29 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “Sink or Swim” LP 3rd pressing purple
29 ALKALINE TRIO “S/T” LP orange w/ white swirl vinyl
31 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “Sink or Swim” LP 3rd pressing green vinyl
31 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” CD
31 PINHEAD GUNPOWDER “West Side Highway” 7″ red vinyl
31 DILLINGER FOUR “More Songs About Girlfriends” 7″ blue vinyl (new covers)
35 TWO COW GARAGE Speaking In Cursive deluxe edition 2 LPs,1 CD,pint glass,t-shirt,
35 TWO COW GARAGE Speaking In Cursive deluxe edition 2 LPs,1 CD,pint glass,t-shirt,
37 TIM BARRY “Live at Munford Elementary” 7″ white vinyl
38 USELESS I.D. “Lost Broken Bones” LP tranparent green w/ free button,cozie
38 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “Senor and the Queen” 2×7″ clear vinyl
40 BOYS NIGHT OUT “Make Yourself Sick” LP blue/black half and half vinyl
40 TIM BARRY “Manchester” LP limited deluxe edition (2 LPs,1 CD,pint glass,t-shirt,
40 TIM BARRY “Live at Munford Elementary” 7″ set of white and brown
40 ONLY THUNDER “Lower Bounds” LP orange/grey/black splatter vinyl
VC’s Top 40 sales for September 2008
1 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” LP half pink/half black vinyl
2 SLAPSTICK “25 Songs” dbl LP clear vinyl
3 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” LP pink w/ black splatter vinyl
4 THE BROADWAYS “Broken Star” LP grey blue marble vinyl
5 JOEY CAPE “Bridge” CD w/ free button, poster, and coozie
6 V/A “Revival Road” LP (w/ Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Ben Nichols)
6 TIM BARRY “Manchester” LP black vinyl w/ free button, poster, and coozie
6 FAKE PROBLEMS / LOOK MEXICO “Under the Influence Vol 1″ 7″ turquoise/ white
9 Jawbreaker - Etc. double LP
9 FAKE PROBLEMS / LOOK MEXICO “Under the Influence Vol 1″ 7″ set of both colors
11 V/A “Revival Road” LP (w/ Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Ben Nichols)
11 TIM BARRY “Manchester” CD w/ free button, poster, and coozie
13 PORTUGAL THE MAN “Censored Colors” LP purple w/ white and green splatter
14 MURDER BY DEATH / WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE split 7″
15 TIM BARRY “Manchester” LP brown vinyl w/ free button, poster, and coozie
16 V/A “Revival Road” LP (w/ Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Ben Nichols)
16 EVERY TIME I DIE “Hot Damn” LP clear w/ red, black, and silver splatter
18 TWO COW GARAGE “Speaking In Cursive” CD w/ free button and cozie
19 JOEY CAPE “Bridge” LP army green vinyl w/ free button, poster, and coozie
20 ALKALINE TRIO “Remains” dbl LP clear vinyl limited edition repress
21 Jawbreaker- Dear You 2xLP
21 GHOST MICE / BROOK PRIDEMORE split 7″ mixed color vinyl (hand#d/Colored)
23 EVERY TIME I DIE “Gutter Phenomenon” LP pink/black half and half
24 EVERY TIME I DIE “Hot Damn” and “Gutter Phenomenon” LPs (all 6 colors)
24 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” LP all 4 color set
26 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” LP pink vinyl
27 TWO COW GARAGE “Speaking In Cursive” LP gold vinyl w/ free button,cozie
28 AUSTIN LUCAS “At War With Freak Folk” 10″
29 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “Sink or Swim” LP 3rd pressing purple
29 ALKALINE TRIO “S/T” LP orange w/ white swirl vinyl
31 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “Sink or Swim” LP 3rd pressing green vinyl
31 V/A “All Aboard: A Tribute To Johnny Cash” CD
31 PINHEAD GUNPOWDER “West Side Highway” 7″ red vinyl
31 DILLINGER FOUR “More Songs About Girlfriends” 7″ blue vinyl (new covers)
35 TWO COW GARAGE Speaking In Cursive deluxe edition 2 LPs,1 CD,pint glass,t-shirt,
35 TWO COW GARAGE Speaking In Cursive deluxe edition 2 LPs,1 CD,pint glass,t-shirt,
37 TIM BARRY “Live at Munford Elementary” 7″ white vinyl
38 USELESS I.D. “Lost Broken Bones” LP tranparent green w/ free button,cozie
38 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “Senor and the Queen” 2×7″ clear vinyl
40 BOYS NIGHT OUT “Make Yourself Sick” LP blue/black half and half vinyl
40 TIM BARRY “Manchester” LP limited deluxe edition (2 LPs,1 CD,pint glass,t-shirt,
40 TIM BARRY “Live at Munford Elementary” 7″ set of white and brown
40 ONLY THUNDER “Lower Bounds” LP orange/grey/black splatter vinyl
Release keeps Muscle Shoals legacy alive
By Russ Corey
Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 3:30 a.m.
FAME records is about to open the doors to its vaults and release some of the classic recordings that helped create the Muscle Shoals sound.
The label, sister company to the world famous FAME Recording Studios founded by Rick Hall in 1959, plans to release other historic reissues, new recordings, and never-before-heard tracks from its extensive archives through a new arrangement with EMI Distribution Co.
"It's been nearly 50 years since my father built FAME Studios, and the music made here is more influential now than ever," said Rodney Hall, vice president of FAME Records and son of Rick Hall.
"Our mission with FAME Records is to keep the legacy of this essential American music alive and show the world that Muscle Shoals still thrives as a music mecca today."
"The Best of Jimmy Hughes" is a fitting inaugural release for FAME.
Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20081009/ARTICLES/810090306/1004?Title=Release_keeps_Muscle_Shoals_legacy_alive
Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 3:30 a.m.
FAME records is about to open the doors to its vaults and release some of the classic recordings that helped create the Muscle Shoals sound.
The label, sister company to the world famous FAME Recording Studios founded by Rick Hall in 1959, plans to release other historic reissues, new recordings, and never-before-heard tracks from its extensive archives through a new arrangement with EMI Distribution Co.
"It's been nearly 50 years since my father built FAME Studios, and the music made here is more influential now than ever," said Rodney Hall, vice president of FAME Records and son of Rick Hall.
"Our mission with FAME Records is to keep the legacy of this essential American music alive and show the world that Muscle Shoals still thrives as a music mecca today."
"The Best of Jimmy Hughes" is a fitting inaugural release for FAME.
Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20081009/ARTICLES/810090306/1004?Title=Release_keeps_Muscle_Shoals_legacy_alive
Album Cover Art
Continuing our look at the Gigwise.com list of the top 50 controversial, weirdest, best and worst album covers, we explore #20 on the list
Controversial
20. The Beatles: Yesterday and Today Why this isn't ranked in the top ten is beyond me, rest assured that this cover caused quite a stir. The original cover -- showing the band surrounded by decapitated, dismembered baby dolls -- created so much controversy that it was quickly replaced a studio photo of the band posed around a foot locker.
Released in June 1966, this album's controversial cover marked the first time that the Beatles' judgment was severely criticised by the media and the public. Nevertheless, the album reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard charts by July 30, 1966 and was certified gold soon after. Apart from the butcher cover, this album is of interest to collectors for the appearance of unique mixes of Revolver-era tracks unavailable elsewhere.
The record was released just after John's infamous interview in which he stated that the Beatles were "bigger than Jesus", which angered Americans and provoked many bans on their music and public incinerations of memorabilia. In early 1966, photographer Robert Whitaker had The Beatles in the studio for a conceptual art piece entitled "A Somnambulant Adventure." For the shoot, Whitaker took a series of pictures of the group dressed in butcher smocks and draped with pieces of meat and body parts from plastic baby dolls. The group played along as they were tired of the usual photo shoots and the concept was compatible with their own "black humour." Although not originally intended as an album cover, The Beatles submitted photographs from the session for their promotional materials. In particular, John Lennon pushed to use it as an album cover. A photograph of the band smiling amid the mock carnage was used as promotional advertisements for the British release of the "Paperback Writer" single.
In the United States, Capitol Records printed approximately 750,000 copies of Yesterday and Today with the same photograph as "Paperback Writer". They were assembled in Capitol's four U.S. plants situated in different cities: Los Angeles; Scranton, Pennsylvania; and Jacksonville, Illinois. Copies from the various plants may be easily differentiated by examining the number printed near the RIAA symbol on the back; for example, stereo copies from the Los Angeles plant are designated "5" and mono Los Angeles copies are marked "6". Mono copies outnumbered stereo copies by about 10 to 1, making the stereo copies far more valuable today. A small fraction of the original covers were shipped to disc jockeys and store managers as advance copies. Reaction was immediate. The record was immediately recalled. All copies were ordered shipped back to the record label, leading to its collectability. It has been substantiated that the record was indeed for sale in some stores in limited areas, probably for only one day.
Capitol initially ordered plant managers to destroy the covers, and the Jacksonville plant delivered most of its copies to an area landfill. However, faced with so many jackets already printed, Capitol quickly changed course and decided instead to paste a new cover over the old one, cropping the open end of the album jacket by about 1/8 inch to address problems where the new sheet was not placed exactly "square" on top of the original cover. Tens of thousands of these were sent out. As word of this manoeuvre made the rounds, people attempted, sometimes successfully, to peel off the pasted-over cover of their copy of the album, hoping to reveal the original image hidden below.
Copies that have never had the white cover pasted onto them, known as "first state" covers, are very rare and command the highest prices. Copies with the pasted-on cover intact above the butcher image are known as "second state" or "pasteovers"; today, pasteover covers that have not been altered in an attempt to remove the white cover are also becoming increasingly rare and valuable. Covers that have had the white cover steamed or peeled off to reveal the underlying butcher image are known as "third state" covers; these are now the most common (and least valuable, although their value varies depending on how well the cover is removed) as people continue to peel second state covers to reveal the butcher image underneath. In December 2005 a "first state" copy of the album was sold for $10,500.
Then-president of Capitol Records, Alan Livingston, has in recent years confirmed the existence and private sale of twenty "first state" butcher covers, salvaged from his personal collection. These still-sealed pristine items with the controversial cover are the very rarest specimens. The so-called "Livingston Butchers" today command prices of $40,000 and up among collectors.
At the time, some of the Beatles defended the use of the photograph. Lennon said that it was "as relevant as Vietnam" and Paul McCartney said that their critics were "soft". However, not all of them were as comfortable with it. George Harrison commented, "I thought it was gross, and I also thought it was stupid. Sometimes we all did stupid things thinking it was cool and hip when it was naïve and dumb; and that was one of them." Capitol Records apologized for the offense. Yesterday and Today was the only Beatles record to lose money for Capitol.
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Weirdest
20. Blue Oyster Cult: 'Heaven Forbid' Heaven Forbid is a Blue Öyster Cult album released in 1998. It was the band's first studio album in a decade. American science fiction and horror writer John Shirley wrote lyrics for several songs on the album, so the album cover, a half mutilated face and a woman screaming in the background, fit perfectly and certainly complimented the lyrics on the album
Blue Öyster Cult is an American rock band formed in New York in 1967 and still active in 2008. The group is well known for three songs: The 1976 single "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" from the album Agents of Fortune, the 1981 single "Burnin' for You" from the album Fire of Unknown Origin, and "Godzilla" (1977) from Spectres . The band is a pioneer in heavy metal music both for its hard-edged musical assault and its use of sci-fi and occult imagery. They have sold over 14 million albums worldwide.
The name "Blue Öyster Cult" came from a 1960s poem written by manager Sandy Pearlman. It was part of his "Imaginos" poetry, later used more extensively in their 1988 album Imaginos. Pearlman had also come up with the band's earlier name, "Soft White Underbelly", from a phrase used by Winston Churchill in describing Italy during World War II. In Pearlman's poetry, the "Blue Oyster Cult" was a collection of aliens who had collected to secretly guide Earth's history.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst
20. Orleans – ‘Waking and Dreaming’ What? Makes the worst list with those pleasant male bodies so elegantly pictured? Yep, and I would rate it even higher on my list. A popular myth suggests that the band posed nude for the cover of the Waking and Dreaming album. In fact, they were wearing jeans but the photo was cropped above their waists. Oh, now that makes it better!
Orleans is an American pop-rock band best known for its hits "Dance With Me" (1975), "Still the One" on the album Waking and Dreaming (1976) and "Love Takes Time" (1979). Orleans was formed in Woodstock, New York in February 1972 by guitarist/songwriter John Hall, vocalist/guitarist Larry Hoppen and drummer/percussionist Wells Kelly. In November of that year the group expanded to include Larry’s younger brother Lance on bass. Drummer Jerry Marotta later joined, thus completing the quintet.
Now approaching their 35th anniversary, Orleans continues to play live and record. Their latest studio album, Dancin’ in the Moonlight, was released in late 2005. The current lineup includes Lance and Larry Hoppen, youngest brother Lane Hoppen on keyboards, Dennis "Fly" Amero (replacing John Hall) on guitar and, on drums, Charlie Morgan (best known for his 14-year stint with Elton John). During his 2006 bid for a US Congressional seat, Hall appeared with the group on rare occasions. On November 7, 2006 Hall was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from the state of New York.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best
20. Pink Floyd: ‘Atom Heart Mother’ - Atom Heart Mother is a 1970 progressive rock album by Pink Floyd, engineered by Alan Parsons and Peter Bown. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England, and reached number 1 in the UK, and number 55 in the U.S. charts, and went gold in the U.S. in March 1994. A re-mastered CD was released in 1994 in the UK, and in 1995 in the U.S.
The original album cover shows a very ordinary cow standing in a very ordinary pasture, with no text nor any other clue as to what might be on the record. (Some later editions have the title and artist name added to the cover.) This concept was the group's reaction to the psychedelic "space rock" imagery associated with Pink Floyd at the time of the album's release; the band wanted to explore all sorts of music without being limited to a particular image or style of performance. They thus requested that their new album have "something plain" on the cover, which ended up being the image of the cow. Storm Thorgerson, inspired by Andy Warhol's famous "cow-wallpaper", has said that he simply drove out into a rural area near Potters Bar and photographed the first cow he saw. The cow's owner identified her name as "Lulubelle III". More cows appear on the back cover (again, with no text or titles), and on the inside gatefold.
Somehow, this cover with a 'rump' roast as its feature makes the best list.
I love cows, especially on a bun with ketchup and mustard.
Controversial
20. The Beatles: Yesterday and Today Why this isn't ranked in the top ten is beyond me, rest assured that this cover caused quite a stir. The original cover -- showing the band surrounded by decapitated, dismembered baby dolls -- created so much controversy that it was quickly replaced a studio photo of the band posed around a foot locker.
Released in June 1966, this album's controversial cover marked the first time that the Beatles' judgment was severely criticised by the media and the public. Nevertheless, the album reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard charts by July 30, 1966 and was certified gold soon after. Apart from the butcher cover, this album is of interest to collectors for the appearance of unique mixes of Revolver-era tracks unavailable elsewhere.
The record was released just after John's infamous interview in which he stated that the Beatles were "bigger than Jesus", which angered Americans and provoked many bans on their music and public incinerations of memorabilia. In early 1966, photographer Robert Whitaker had The Beatles in the studio for a conceptual art piece entitled "A Somnambulant Adventure." For the shoot, Whitaker took a series of pictures of the group dressed in butcher smocks and draped with pieces of meat and body parts from plastic baby dolls. The group played along as they were tired of the usual photo shoots and the concept was compatible with their own "black humour." Although not originally intended as an album cover, The Beatles submitted photographs from the session for their promotional materials. In particular, John Lennon pushed to use it as an album cover. A photograph of the band smiling amid the mock carnage was used as promotional advertisements for the British release of the "Paperback Writer" single.
In the United States, Capitol Records printed approximately 750,000 copies of Yesterday and Today with the same photograph as "Paperback Writer". They were assembled in Capitol's four U.S. plants situated in different cities: Los Angeles; Scranton, Pennsylvania; and Jacksonville, Illinois. Copies from the various plants may be easily differentiated by examining the number printed near the RIAA symbol on the back; for example, stereo copies from the Los Angeles plant are designated "5" and mono Los Angeles copies are marked "6". Mono copies outnumbered stereo copies by about 10 to 1, making the stereo copies far more valuable today. A small fraction of the original covers were shipped to disc jockeys and store managers as advance copies. Reaction was immediate. The record was immediately recalled. All copies were ordered shipped back to the record label, leading to its collectability. It has been substantiated that the record was indeed for sale in some stores in limited areas, probably for only one day.
Capitol initially ordered plant managers to destroy the covers, and the Jacksonville plant delivered most of its copies to an area landfill. However, faced with so many jackets already printed, Capitol quickly changed course and decided instead to paste a new cover over the old one, cropping the open end of the album jacket by about 1/8 inch to address problems where the new sheet was not placed exactly "square" on top of the original cover. Tens of thousands of these were sent out. As word of this manoeuvre made the rounds, people attempted, sometimes successfully, to peel off the pasted-over cover of their copy of the album, hoping to reveal the original image hidden below.
Copies that have never had the white cover pasted onto them, known as "first state" covers, are very rare and command the highest prices. Copies with the pasted-on cover intact above the butcher image are known as "second state" or "pasteovers"; today, pasteover covers that have not been altered in an attempt to remove the white cover are also becoming increasingly rare and valuable. Covers that have had the white cover steamed or peeled off to reveal the underlying butcher image are known as "third state" covers; these are now the most common (and least valuable, although their value varies depending on how well the cover is removed) as people continue to peel second state covers to reveal the butcher image underneath. In December 2005 a "first state" copy of the album was sold for $10,500.
Then-president of Capitol Records, Alan Livingston, has in recent years confirmed the existence and private sale of twenty "first state" butcher covers, salvaged from his personal collection. These still-sealed pristine items with the controversial cover are the very rarest specimens. The so-called "Livingston Butchers" today command prices of $40,000 and up among collectors.
At the time, some of the Beatles defended the use of the photograph. Lennon said that it was "as relevant as Vietnam" and Paul McCartney said that their critics were "soft". However, not all of them were as comfortable with it. George Harrison commented, "I thought it was gross, and I also thought it was stupid. Sometimes we all did stupid things thinking it was cool and hip when it was naïve and dumb; and that was one of them." Capitol Records apologized for the offense. Yesterday and Today was the only Beatles record to lose money for Capitol.
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Weirdest
20. Blue Oyster Cult: 'Heaven Forbid' Heaven Forbid is a Blue Öyster Cult album released in 1998. It was the band's first studio album in a decade. American science fiction and horror writer John Shirley wrote lyrics for several songs on the album, so the album cover, a half mutilated face and a woman screaming in the background, fit perfectly and certainly complimented the lyrics on the album
Blue Öyster Cult is an American rock band formed in New York in 1967 and still active in 2008. The group is well known for three songs: The 1976 single "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" from the album Agents of Fortune, the 1981 single "Burnin' for You" from the album Fire of Unknown Origin, and "Godzilla" (1977) from Spectres . The band is a pioneer in heavy metal music both for its hard-edged musical assault and its use of sci-fi and occult imagery. They have sold over 14 million albums worldwide.
The name "Blue Öyster Cult" came from a 1960s poem written by manager Sandy Pearlman. It was part of his "Imaginos" poetry, later used more extensively in their 1988 album Imaginos. Pearlman had also come up with the band's earlier name, "Soft White Underbelly", from a phrase used by Winston Churchill in describing Italy during World War II. In Pearlman's poetry, the "Blue Oyster Cult" was a collection of aliens who had collected to secretly guide Earth's history.
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Worst
20. Orleans – ‘Waking and Dreaming’ What? Makes the worst list with those pleasant male bodies so elegantly pictured? Yep, and I would rate it even higher on my list. A popular myth suggests that the band posed nude for the cover of the Waking and Dreaming album. In fact, they were wearing jeans but the photo was cropped above their waists. Oh, now that makes it better!
Orleans is an American pop-rock band best known for its hits "Dance With Me" (1975), "Still the One" on the album Waking and Dreaming (1976) and "Love Takes Time" (1979). Orleans was formed in Woodstock, New York in February 1972 by guitarist/songwriter John Hall, vocalist/guitarist Larry Hoppen and drummer/percussionist Wells Kelly. In November of that year the group expanded to include Larry’s younger brother Lance on bass. Drummer Jerry Marotta later joined, thus completing the quintet.
Now approaching their 35th anniversary, Orleans continues to play live and record. Their latest studio album, Dancin’ in the Moonlight, was released in late 2005. The current lineup includes Lance and Larry Hoppen, youngest brother Lane Hoppen on keyboards, Dennis "Fly" Amero (replacing John Hall) on guitar and, on drums, Charlie Morgan (best known for his 14-year stint with Elton John). During his 2006 bid for a US Congressional seat, Hall appeared with the group on rare occasions. On November 7, 2006 Hall was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from the state of New York.
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Best
20. Pink Floyd: ‘Atom Heart Mother’ - Atom Heart Mother is a 1970 progressive rock album by Pink Floyd, engineered by Alan Parsons and Peter Bown. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England, and reached number 1 in the UK, and number 55 in the U.S. charts, and went gold in the U.S. in March 1994. A re-mastered CD was released in 1994 in the UK, and in 1995 in the U.S.
The original album cover shows a very ordinary cow standing in a very ordinary pasture, with no text nor any other clue as to what might be on the record. (Some later editions have the title and artist name added to the cover.) This concept was the group's reaction to the psychedelic "space rock" imagery associated with Pink Floyd at the time of the album's release; the band wanted to explore all sorts of music without being limited to a particular image or style of performance. They thus requested that their new album have "something plain" on the cover, which ended up being the image of the cow. Storm Thorgerson, inspired by Andy Warhol's famous "cow-wallpaper", has said that he simply drove out into a rural area near Potters Bar and photographed the first cow he saw. The cow's owner identified her name as "Lulubelle III". More cows appear on the back cover (again, with no text or titles), and on the inside gatefold.
Somehow, this cover with a 'rump' roast as its feature makes the best list.
I love cows, especially on a bun with ketchup and mustard.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
My Christmas Wish
Yes, I know it is early, but if any of my relatives or friends are reading, this is a must have gift for me:
Yesterday, Neiman Marcus released the 82nd edition of its legendary Christmas Book. Originally published as a 16-page booklet in 1926, the guide is now 154-pages strong and full of mind-blowing gifts that I know can’t afford but will drool over anyway. Here is what I will be asking Santa for:
THIRTY-FIVE YEAR COLLECTION OF 45 RPM RECORDS ($275,000)Audiophiles will covet this collection of each and every 45 RPM vinyl record that was listed on the Billboard Top 100 Rock and Pop charts from Jan. 1, 1955, through Dec. 31, 1990. There are about 18,400 records total, including those from greats like Elvis and Hendrix and the Beach Boys.
Maybe they take installments or even my first born.......
Yesterday, Neiman Marcus released the 82nd edition of its legendary Christmas Book. Originally published as a 16-page booklet in 1926, the guide is now 154-pages strong and full of mind-blowing gifts that I know can’t afford but will drool over anyway. Here is what I will be asking Santa for:
THIRTY-FIVE YEAR COLLECTION OF 45 RPM RECORDS ($275,000)Audiophiles will covet this collection of each and every 45 RPM vinyl record that was listed on the Billboard Top 100 Rock and Pop charts from Jan. 1, 1955, through Dec. 31, 1990. There are about 18,400 records total, including those from greats like Elvis and Hendrix and the Beach Boys.
Maybe they take installments or even my first born.......
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