Rochester record store embraces the sound of vinyl: ROCHESTER — In an age where many people now get their music from digital downloads and streaming music services, Skele-Tone Records in downtown Rochester is defying the music industry trend and remaining a viable source for music with both a local and worldwide audience. Owners Todd Radict and Rebecca Maloney are celebrating their fifth anniversary this month at their North Main Street location. They offer music lovers and collectors rows upon rows of new and used vinyl albums, CDs, cassette tapes… even rare 8-track and reel to reel recordings.
Entrepreneur finds groove in vinyl records: CAMBRIDGE — Paul Fortune cleaned the hardwood floors, painted the brick walls, hung vintage concert posters, set up a listening lounge, built pine bins and racks, stocked them with 5,000 records and then opened for a business one year ago. Welcome to Forch’s Record Store on Main Street in the historic, limestone heart of Galt. As the digital economy expands, Fortune is going the other way. He never traded in his personal collection of 2,500 albums for CDs, and watched with growing interest as the demand for old vinyl records, and new ones, steadily increased.
Back to their reggae roots: Photographer recreates classic vinyl covers in their original London locations: An inventive photographer has retaken famous record covers in their original London locations. Alex Bartsch studied reggae record sleeves photographed in the capital city between 1967 and 1987. He then reshot more than 40 in their original locations, holding them so they blend in with their surroundings. The re-imagined sleeves include John Holt’s 2000 Volts of Holt taken in Holland Park, 40 years after its release. All the resulting snaps will be published in his book, Covers: Retracing Reggae Record Sleeves in London.
Phoenix Records and Tapes livening up Springfield’s Mason Square with 20 years of Caribbean culture: With a mix of music, apparel, and other items, Phoenix Records and Tapes has brought a slice of the Caribbean to the City of Springfield and has been doing so for the last 20 years. Located in Mason Square at 811 State St., Kirby “Phoenix” Carter and his wife Donna opened their store in 1996 and have continued to evolve to keep customers coming back for more. “We have been here serving the community for over 20 years, and we carry the kind of stuff you would look for as a gift for your friend or relative, and a lot of cultural history.”
Wax Tailor’s Mini-Doc Dives Deep Into the Soul of America’s Rare Indie Record Stores: Those who collect vinyl may be few, but each wax-head knows there’s something sacred about that rich, warm tones, those physical bibles of sound. It’s cool because you can’t just ADD your way through the track list; you’ve got to really pay attention to the music, and the artist has to really care about what goes into each release. The dance music scene was revolutionized by electronics, and while it’s great to fit your tracks onto a USB and hit the road, there are still those DJs among us who worship at the altar of that rare and beautiful bird known as the independent record store.
‘He Bollocked Me For Buying A Clash Single’ – Twitter Remembers When Pete Burns Worked In A Liverpool Record Shop: Last night, the news broke that Dead Or Alive singer Pete Burns had died following a heart attack, aged 57. Tributes from fellow ‘80s icons including Boy George, Sinitta poured in, as did fond memories from fans of the musician. Many, in particular, recalled personal encounters with Pete during his stint working behind the counter at Probe Records in Liverpool, back when Dead or Alive were in their formative stages. His customer service technique hinged on the kind of sharp put-downs that later made him an in-demand TV personality.
Record Store Day’s Black Friday releases include a Prince picture disc and Lil Yachty’s Lil Boat: There are also 2000 copies of Blue Man Group’s Blue LP. Erm. Record Store Day has revealed its annual set of exclusive releases for Black Friday on November 25 and there are a few bits of wax worth saving your money for (alongside a fair few that probably aren’t). Some of this year’s highlights include a 12″ picture disc of Prince and the New Power Generation’s ‘Sexy M.F’, Lil Yachty’s debut mixtape Lil Boat, Erykah Badu’s But You Cain’t Use My Phone and a 7″ picture disc of ‘Broccoli’ by D.R.A.M. There’s also 1400 copies of Timothy Leary and Ralph Metzer’s The Psychedelic Experience, a Death Grips’ ‘Fashion Week/Interview 2016’ 2xLP and an Angel Olsen live album up for grabs. See the full list below and visit the RSD site to check participating stores.
