How vinyl has captured listeners during COVID-19: Despite the closure of many physical stores, 2020 has seen record sales increase by 4% in the US, while CDs are down 48%. Vinyl records started to decline in popularity in the 70s as compact formats started to take over due to convenience. With cheap access to over 50 million songs available through streaming, this has lead CDs on a sharp decline, with vinyl seeing an increase in the past ten years. This shift in record sales has seen vinyl surpass CDs for the first time since the 80s. Why is vinyl on the up all these years later? Music on vinyl is stored in analogue, this sound characteristic is unique and can’t be replicated by digital formats. There’s also a sense of nostalgia from the older generation, with many introducing their children to the format and passing down record collections. Physically owning music certainly has a different feel over the 1s and 0s stored in a playlist. As lockdown orders came into place earlier this year, many music lovers stuck at home have delved into the world of vinyl. With many record stores opening their doors once more, some shops are seeing record breaking sales.
Glasgow, UK | Finnieston’s Strip Joint launches new record store: A pint, pizza and a fine selection of vinyl seems like a pretty good combo! Glasgow’s latest record store has arrived in popular pizza and beer venue Strip Joint. The Finnieston food spot, based on Argyle Street, has started selling vinyl from it’s ‘wee’ record store to music fans from the west end and further afield. Owner Paul Bright told Glasgow Live : “We felt that with our love of music and the fact that many of the staff are vinyl fans it would be a cool thing to do. “Recently we have taken things to the next level and now have new releases and indie store exclusives. “We are really excited to see where Strip Joint Records can take us.” To find out more and to see what sorts of vinyl are on offer, you can visit the Strip Joint website, here, where you can also order records online.
Wales, UK | The legendary independent high street shops that you are still missing: From Kavern Records to Sammys Sports these stores hold a special place in people’s memories. …There were some big brands like Woolworths – which closed in 2009 and whose pick and mix is still missed by many. But for most people our unique independents are the stores that bring back a true feeling of nostalgia. The stores that seem to attract the greatest affection were the record shops where many of us spent happy Saturday afternoons, taking hours browsing before splashing out, or sometimes not. n Llandudno, Kavern Records and Videos was that place. Andrew Morris said: “Used to visit Kavern Records Llandudno between lessons in Llandrillo College and flick through the CDs. “Remember taking a punt on the new band that Dave Grohl had set up. Still have that CD but not sure if Foo Fighters ever amounted to anything.”
Birmingham, UK | Birmingham’s secret shopping street with rock gods, tattoos and Airfix kits: Even if you’ve lived in Birmingham city centre for years, you might never have heard of Dalton Street – but there you will find a female tattooist next door to a book and Airfix model shop and a vinyl record store now 40 years old. …Gareth Owen has been standing behind the counter at Swordfish since 1979. That was year when Maggie Thatcher became Britain’s first woman Prime Minister, while Jimmy Carter was still the US President before Ronald Reagan would follow him into the White House in January, 1981. After starting out as Rockers on Hurst Street (1979-89), the business moved to Needless Alley where it became Swordfish (1989-96) and then relocated again to Temple Street (1996-2013). Its current location – tucked away in between The Crown public house on Corporation Street and the NCP Londonderry House car park close to the Elizabeth Law Courts – is much cheaper to rent than Temple Street. Which is just as well given the ever-changing world of retailing records. Over the years trends have changed from singles to albums and from vinyl to CDs, downloads, streaming and back to vinyl again.
Kingston, JM | Canadian company teams-up with Tuff Gong International: Canada’s High Commissioner Laurie Peters and Jamaica’s minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, Olivia Grange, on October 14, toured the world-renowned Tuff Gong International Studio to learn more about the cutting edge technology that will modernize the vinyl record press system. The Toronto-based Canadian company, Vinyl Technologies, will complete a major upgrade at the legendary recording studio. ‘I was delighted to learn that this legendary Studio will soon boast a fully automated vinyl record press system thanks to the innovation and entrepreneurism of Canada-based Viryl Technologies. The upgrade will ensure Tuff Gong’s vinyl record production capabilities leveraged by Viryl’s state of the art, cutting edge technology will manufacture more efficient and high-quality vinyl records,’ remarked High Commissioner Peters. ‘This is yet another international business relationship brokered by the trade commissioner team at the High Commission that demonstrates excellence in the technology sector.’
Specialist UK Record Label Arrives In Australia: Chasing the Dragon, the specialist UK recording label known for producing audiophile recordings in a wide range of formats is now available in Australia. The label run by Mike and Françoise Valentine has appointed Melbourne-based Fundamental Audio its exclusive Australian distributor. Mike Valentine is an ex-BBC sound engineer and is passionate about high-quality audio recording. If his name sounds familiar, he is also an internationally-renowned underwater cameraman. He has filmed underwater sequences for over 90 films, including 5 James Bond movies (check out the credits at the end of Skyfall where he is listed as the Director of Photography of the Underwater Unit). His record label is one of very few that make direct-cut vinyl recordings of classical, jazz and big band music. …In addition to vinyl, Chasing the Dragon produce copy-master professional half-track stereo 15IPS open reel tapes, 7.5IPS open reel tapes, cassettes, CDs and digital downloads in studio-master quality 24/192 PCM and double DSD formats. Recordings are made using high-quality audio and equipment throughout the audio chain.
Siouxsie & The Banshees’ ‘Once Upon A Time’ Singles Collection Set For Vinyl Reissue: Eight of the tracks charted in the British Top 50 and the album itself spent six months in the UK album chart, going gold. Siouxsie and the Banshees presents the long-awaited vinyl re-issue of Once Upon A Time/The Singles – 1978 to 1981 on December 4. This much-acclaimed compilation album features several songs such as “Hong Kong Garden”, “Mirage”, “Love In A Void” and “Israel” that had been released either as singles or B-sides of but had not yet appeared on any of the Banshees’ four albums at the time of release. Described as “an essential and cohesive overview of the band’s edgy, influential peak”, Once Upon A Time has continued to attract critical praise since its initial release in December 1981. More recently, it also chosen by Q Magazine the 7th Greatest Album of All-Time by a Female Artist in 2002, while In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album 44th on its “Women Who Rock: The 50 Greatest Albums of All Time” list. The record also proved accessible enough for the mainstream listener. Eight of the singles from Once Upon a Time charted in the British Top 50 and the album itself spent six months in the UK album chart, as a result sales went gold.
