Los Angeles, CA | Rainbo Records Is Officially Shutting Down After 80 Years — Here’s a Message from the President: Just as vinyl records are taking off, one of the format’s largest pressing plants — Rainbo Records in Los Angeles — is shutting down. “Dear Valued Customers, After well over a year of trying to negotiate an agreement with our Landlord to keep Rainbo on Eton Street, I am sorry to say that unfortunately we have been unsuccessful. Our Landlord apparently has other plans for this building and has demanded that we vacate the space. It is with incredible sadness that I must announce to you that as of January 31, 2020 we must be out of the building and Rainbo after eighty years will no longer be in business. Rainbo will continue to operate through December to complete all orders that we have in house now. We will cease to take any new orders immediately…”
Bridport, UK | Take a look back at the 45 years of Bridport as it prepares to close its doors: The origins of the current day Bridport Music shop go back to the Easter holidays in 1974, when Andy Bell opened Bridport Record Centre at 96 South Street in what was previously a disused store room adjoining his father’s shop. HE Bell was an ‘open all hours’ confectioner/bakers shop run by the elderly ‘Pops’ Bell who was nearing retirement age. Andy left the navy to take over the family business, along with his new wife Tory. Disappointed that the local record department of Boots (Boots Audio) didn’t stock anything by his favourite band, Family, he decided that the town needed a ‘proper’ record shop run by music fans, i.e. himself. The storeroom was kitted out with homemade record racks, shelving for cassettes and a smattering of eight-track cartridges. Helping Andy get the shop ready was Piers Garner, Tory’s younger brother, who came down from Kent to visit the couple during the school holidays. During the summer holidays he came back to help run the shop.
Dublin, IE | Vinyl revival sees Golden Discs open: The return of the popularity of vinyl has resulted in a record shop opening in Sligo this week. Golden Discs has officially confirmed it will open a store Johnston Court Shopping Centre on Saturday. The store will employ six staff, increasing that number for the festive trading period. From the Coleman Traditional Irish Music Centre to the Baroque Festival to Sligo Live, there is a vibrant and varied music scene in Sligo, and Golden Discs is looking forward to becoming an integral part of this. The Sligo store will carry the full range of Golden Discs audio and visual products, from CDs and DVDs to vinyl and accessories. A spokesperson said locals can expect to find gems just in time for Christmas such as limited-edition releases, the newly-launched ‘Golden Discs presents…’ vinyl compilation series, and headphones and speakers to suit all budgets.
Rochester, NY | Rochester area record stores explain why vinyl sales are booming: All the experts say: Experience is king with vinyl: The Recording Industry Association of America is reporting that vinyl sales are “poised” to possibly take over CDs sales for the first time since 1986. To Tom Kohn at Bop Shop Records, this comes as no surprise. “I’ve been predicting it for years,” Kohn said. “It’s become an activity for families. I see so many parents coming in with their kids, and they shop together, they’re buying records together. It’s an inherent thing to most humans, they like to collect something. It became this wonderful tactile thing that you could hold in your hands, and be one with, just like a book.” For Margaret Storms at Record Archive, she recognizes the community and tactile aspect of both the popular used and new vinyl as well. “Now that portability isn’t an issue, CDs loses a little bit of pastiche, records are this giant great big visual thing,” Storms. “You get to be play with it, you have this whole ritual of putting the record on the platform, I think it makes you more mindful of the music as you’re listening to it…”
Phil Collins’ …But Seriously set for 30th anniversary reissue: Phil Collins’ 1989 solo album …But Seriously is set for a limited release later this year to mark its 30th anniversary. Phil Collins’ fourth solo studio album …But Seriously from 1989 is to be reissued next month to mark its 30th anniversary. The new version will be released on November 22 through Rhino Records and will be limited to just 1000 double LP sets, with the 12-track follow-up to 1985’s No Jacket Required pressed on turquoise vinyl. The album hit the no.1 spot in 16 countries, spending 15 weeks at the top of the UK charts and four in the US. It spawned the singles Something Happened On The Way To Heaven, Another Day In Paradise, I Wish It Would Rain Down, Do You Remember, Hang In Long Enough and That’s Just The Way It Is. Over the last few years, Collins has reissued his solo back catalogue with expanded tracklists, remastered audio and new album artwork. The turquoise vinyl version features the same audio and artwork as the 2016 release.
DJ Muggs’ personal record collection is up for sale: The Cypress Hill producer is selling thousands of records. DJ Muggs, aka Lawrence Muggerud, is selling records from his personal collection at LA record shop Rappcats, this November. Highlights of the sale include a DJ Muggs’ annotated copy of Phil Ranelin’s Vibes From The Tribe, as well as out of print vinyl rarities from his Soul Assassins label. A key figure in the West Coast’s hip-hop scene, DJ Muggs led hip-hop collective Soul Assassins, as well as producing Cypress Hill albums and working with Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA on 2005’s Grandmasters. As well DJ Muggs’ records, Rappcats will also display his old notes, schedules, and the gig flyers he handed out. Due to the size of his collection, Rappcats plans to hold three events over the coming year. Last year DJ Shadow returned to Rappcats to sell his records for the third year in a row. DJ Muggs’ record sale will run Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th of November from 12-6pm – at Rappcats, 5636 York Blvd, Los Angeles, California.
