As a famous man (I think it was Geoffrey Chaucer) once said, time waits for no man. And in the case of Manchester’s The Stone Roses, the five long years that passed between this, their massively popular 1989 debut, and 1994’s Second Coming were fatal. Come Second Coming baggy pants and bucket hats were passe, and Britpop ruled England’s green and pleasant land.
Those five years may have been piddling compared to the 14 years that elapsed between Guns N’ Roses’ The Spaghetti Incident and Chinese Democracy, but those five years they were an eternity–during the same time span The Beatles went from Meet the Beatles to Abbey Road.
The Stone Roses’ half-decade of silence stemmed form a variety of issues, the most important of which was a protracted effort to sever ties with their record label, but it doesn’t much matter. In his poem “The Second Coming” (sound familiar?) William Butler Yeats foresaw a rough beast slouching towards Bethlehem, waiting to be born. The Stone Roses’ follow-up didn’t so much slouch towards the record stores as crawl, and by the time it arrived Engand’s notoriously fickle trend watchers had long since written them off.
None of which detracts from the fact that The Stone Roses is one killer LP. The album’s rave-friendly dance rhythms and hypnotic grooves would seem to put The Stone Roses in the same category as fellow Mancunians the Happy Mondays, but they took it the extra yard by fusing said dance rhythms with the Happy Daze psychedelic guitar sounds of the mid to late ‘60s. Like the Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses produced dance music, but they could rock the arenas as well.
San Francisco, CA | Popular SF record store closes permanently: ‘There just isn’t a way forward in the city.’ Stacks of colorful indie comics have slowly begun to replace the massive collection of vinyl records sold at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records on Valencia Street. On Monday afternoon, owner Steve Stevenson announced the San Francisco location would shutter after five years in business, with comic book shop and former DIY record label Silver Sprocket taking over for the remainder of the lease. “Given the uncertain direction of the pandemic and the heavy revenue losses we’ve sustained over the last 5 months there just isn’t a way forward in the city,” Stevenson wrote in a Facebook post, encouraging his clientele to support the comic book publisher in the coming months. Silver Sprocket, previously located on Haight Street, moved into the record shop in late February after a seismic retrofit taking place at their former location prevented them from resuming operations. Since the comic book shop was operating out of the building as a pop-up business without a formal lease, they knew that once the renovations were over, their landlord would likely begin the search for 
Athens, AL | Vinyl Revival: Record store keeping it old school in Athens: The music industry has undergone many changes over the years when it comes to keeping up with the modern digital age. Most people stream music from one of many apps on their smartphones these days, but not so long ago, music was found primarily on physical media. Even CDs have been largely phased out, but there’s still those who prefer something more than a digital file. That’s where record stores like Vinyl Revival in Athens comes in. Places like this small, local shop cater to clientele who like to keep things old school and still get their music on physical media like vinyl records. “I think records, above all other mediums, are pretty unique,” said owner Keith Montgomery. “It’s a hands-on experience. You have a jacket. It’s got its own artwork and lyrics. It’s 
Austin, IL | ‘Austin is where we want to be.’ Despite pandemic, looting West Side small businesses still loyal to community. On June 6, less than a week after the wave of looting swept through West Garfield Park’s Madison Street corridor, Out of the Past Records store, which has been operating at 4407 W. Madison St. since 1986, was open for business. Marie Henderson, who founded the store with her husband, Charlie Henderson, said that the store has been struggling throughout the pandemic. And while it wasn’t looted, in the month after the reopening, the business hasn’t fully rebounded to where it was pre-COVID-19. The Hendersons are among a handful of small business owners on the West Side who were interviewed about how they’ve fared since the pandemic and the death of George Floyd. Some of the entrepreneurs reported an increase in profits while others found their business model completely disrupted. The Hendersons said that at one point they owned 12 record stores throughout Chicago, but as tapes and later CDs became popular, the demand for records plummeted and they wound up 
Everett, WA | Pop into this Everett pop-up store for new vinyl records: Upper Left Records will offer albums from local bands and new pressings of classic recordings. Success for Ryan Taylor and Brooks Smothers would mean a six-foot folding table and, if sales really take off, an eight-footer. The two partners recently launched Upper Left Records, a pop-up store that sells new vinyl records. “Our store is a four-foot table. We’re just going to be a little pop-up table,” Smothers said. “We’re starting small, but our goal is to grow to a six-foot and then an eight-foot table,” Smothers said. The two friends, who share a love of music, were camping with their families in June. Over a campfire, they began musing about how rare it is to find places in Everett that sell new records. “I said, ‘Let’s do a little research and see if this is viable,’” Smothers said. What they found is that recent music industry studies suggest that vinyl records are 
NEW RELEASE PICK: V/A, Cover Charge: NC Artists Go Under Cover to Benefit Cat’s Cradle (coverchargemusic.com / Bandcamp) Living as I do near the tiptop of North Carolina’s neighbor to the north, I’ve only been to Cat’s Cradle once…well, actually it was four consecutive nights while attending Merge Records’ 15th anniversary festivities back in 2004, an experience that persists as a wonderful memory. That’s one thing: live music, especially the kind that’s played in the close quarters of clubs, is about potential great times in the moment, but it’s also about remembrance, which is part of the reason people keep returning for more. But another thing: live music is impossible without musicians of course, but it also doesn’t happen without the investment of time and money into places to play, so in times like these, both artists and show venues are struggling. The straight scoop from the folks responsible for this digital-only benefit: the Cat’s Cradle is in trouble.
REISSUE/ARCHIVAL PICKS: James Booker, Classified (Craft) The legendary New Orleans pianist and singer James Booker doesn’t have an extensive studio discography. I rate this as his best in studio and maybe period, reissued by Craft in part to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Rounder Records, who originally issued it in 1982; it’s a jewel in the label’s extensive discographical crown. Booker’s addictions shortened his life and career (he died shortly after making this album), surely damaging his opportunities to get on wax in a non-live context. Fittingly, this set’s contents reportedly came forth in a four-hour spurt after days of unproductive recording, but boy howdy, did a gem arise from that late gush of inspiration. Fleet of finger and smooth of voice, Booker’s playing style has similarities to Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, and Allen Toussaint just for starters, and his singing is approachably bluesy, reminiscent of Jimmy Reed blended with prime ’50s Atlantic R&B. Which brings us back to Fess. Not sure why Craft didn’t reissue the 2LP expanded edition from 2013. It would’ve received the +. A
Airto, Seeds on the Ground—The Natural Sounds of Airto (Real Gone) Last year, Real Gone reissued Natural Feelings, Brazilian drummer-percussionist Airto Moreira’s debut from 1970, his first of two for the Buddha label, and now here’s its follow-up in a pressing of 1,000 reproducing the original gatefold sleeve and on ocean blue vinyl. I remain impressed by Natural Feelings, and this set largely extends the blend of Música popular brasileira, bossa nova, folk, proto-world music and jazz elements, including fusion (as Airto was a member of Weather Report, Miles Davis’ electric band, and Return to Forever). The whole of this one is as pleasing as his first, bringing back the same players (including his vocalist wife Flora Purim and bassist Ron Carter). Reviewing Natural Feelings last year, I speculated that it was a distinct item in Airto’s discography; Seeds on the Ground clarifies that the two Buddha LPs are of a piece, though this one’s a bit more psychedelic and takes a definite turn toward fusion on side two. ‘tis OK. A-
Milwaukee, WI | Two friends just opened a vintage clothing and mid-century decor shop in South Milwaukee with an in-house record store: …One room of the shop, with a listening station, is dedicated to Swing Boogie Stomp, Natalie Gajewski’s husband Joe Gajewski’s vinyl and DJ business. “It’s always been kind of 
Glasgow, UK | Divine! Inspiration: We speak to the man behind Glasgow’s longest running club night as it turns 30. Divine! was established in July 1990 by DJ Andrew Divine ‘as an excuse to play my favourite records up loud’, and it’s been anything but a heartache ever since… Glasgow’s longest running club night, Divine!, is hosting a special live stream DJ set to celebrate it’s 30th birthday this weekend – and everyone is invited to roll up the rug and join the party. Divine! was established in July 1990 by DJ Andrew Divine “as an excuse to play my favourite records up loud” in the Victoria Café at Glasgow School of Art while he was studying there. Since then it has established a solid-gold reputation via its unique 60s & 70s vinyl soundtrack, featuring a mix of northern soul, deep funk, dynamite ska, garage punk, psychedelia, latin beats, funky soundtracks – with the nights akin to ten retro club nights rolled into one. The night has since shifted online to keep the tunes sounding and the party going amid the coronavirus pandemic, with ‘Divine!-at-a-Distance’ being broadcasting live from Andrew’s attic in Glasgow’s southside twice a month to new fans and old regulars 
