Grinnell, IA | The Vinyl Stop revival rolls into Grinnell: A renewed interest in vinyl records by music lovers all across this nation has led to a Grinnell man opening The Vinyl Stop. Located at 831 Broad St. in the former Music Shop location, the business opened Feb. three and owner Steve Fenske said the vinyl revival, as he calls it, has come to Grinnell. The business is stocked with hundreds of used and new vinyl records from rock to country and about every music style in between. There are CDs, cassettes, 45 records, used audio equipment, speakers and even 8-track tapes. There are also music books and vinyl cleaning and storage supplies such as record sleeves and crates. “I think people like something they can hold on to, read and look at,” said Fenske, who has been involved in the music scene most of his life. Fenske had been tossing around the idea of opening a vinyl record business for some time and last summer he stopped at the Music Shop and was talking with then owner Dave Elliott. “I was explaining to Dave about what I wanted to do and he suggested I buy the Music Shop from him,” recalled Fenske.
South Canterbury, NZ | Vinyl revival: Music’s new spin as two record shops open in South Canterbury: Records across the country are being pulled out of boxes and off shelves where they’ve been gathering dust to be played once again. And the revival has not been lost on South Cantabrians, with two new businesses dedicated to all things vinyl opening in the past few months, and one aficionado is welcoming the comeback. Senior reporter Rachael Comer reports. It was a VIP ticket to a Def Leppard concert that started it all for Rebecca Emmerson. While she would listen to her parents’ vinyl collection when she was younger, Emmerson did not own a record until she attended the English rock band’s Hysteria concert in Auckland in 2018. “Part of the [VIP] package was a blue limited edition LP of Hysteria which I just had to listen to,’’ Emmerson said. But this meant she needed to buy something to play it on and after spending $3000 on a sound system, the rest is history, she said. “Instant love. I then went and purchased my first record, Pink Floyd Pulse.’’
Manchester, UK | Loved and lost Manchester shops we’d love to browse one more time: Many will have fond memories of these much-missed stores. Manchester is famous for being a shopping city but our high streets once looked very different with many much-loved shops now lost forever. The MEN has looked back at some of the stores which once proudly stood in our city, with many Manchester shoppers missing them dearly. If only we could step through their iconic doors one more time and browse the shelves and aisles piled high with their offerings. From iconic department stores that were around for decades, to smaller stores that offered specific items, this list includes six of the shops that people miss the most. Some sold one type of product, such as clothing or records but others were treasure troves where shoppers could lose hours perusing what was on offer. We asked MEN readers in our Greater Manchester history, memories and people Facebook page to let us know which shops they would love to browse one more time, with some sharing their memories of the store they miss the most. Be sure to let us know in the comments section below which Manchester shop you miss the most.
Boss of iconic music store tells how record revival has put it back into the groove: I took on streaming giants and saved HMV – with old style vinyl: When Doug Putman rescued the iconic HMV chain in 2019, the odds were stacked against him. The chain was bankrupt and sales of its mainstays, DVDs and CDs, were in freefall. Thousands of films were available at the press of a button on Amazon and Netflix, and music streaming was king. Many thought the self-proclaimed music lover with the dream of a revival of vinyl had lost the plot. Four years later, Putman could not seem more relaxed about battling some of the biggest companies in the world. ‘Life is good. Everything is good,’ he says. ‘HMV is something I always thought was just a great brand. I felt like, if it had an owner who loved it and was about the future, it would be successful.’ Since he took control, HMV has shrugged off its seemingly terminal decline. The chain is profitable again and sales are growing. Anyone who has entered an HMV recently could be forgiven for thinking they’d taken a step back in time. The shops are like a flashback to the 1970s when music was all about racks of wax.
Record Store Day 2023: Jazz rarities and reissues to add to your vinyl collection: The 16th edition of Record Store Day will take place April 22, 2023, featuring more than 300 special releases. Taking place annually since 2008, Record Store Day encourages collectors to head over to their local independent record shop to browse a lineup of special vinyl releases, including rarities, reissues and box sets. Here’s a list of some of the special releases that jazz enthusiasts and collectors can find in the 2023 edition of Record Store Day. Your local shop can tell you if they have the one you want.
Siouxsie and the Banshees announce special marble-vinyl release for Record Store Day: Siouxsie and the Banshees’ fifth studio album, 1982’s A Kiss in the Dreamhouse, will receive a new vinyl pressing — on clear and gold marbled vinyl — for Record Store Day in the U.K., a slightly belated 40th anniversary tribute to the record that features the singles “Slowdive” and “Melt!” Universal/Polydor will release the new limited-edition pressing, which has been overseen by Siouxsie and Banshees’ bassist Steven Severin and comes with a 24-inch by 12-inch poster, on April 22 at participating independent record stores in the U.K. It is not, however, on the U.S. list of Record Store Day releases. The new pressing will be on 180-gram vinyl and it was mastered and cut at half-speed at Abbey Road Studios.
Thin Lizzy’s ‘Live And Dangerous’ Hammersmith Set To Get Vinyl Release On Record Store Day: Thin Lizzy have will release the second night of their trilogy of shows from London’s Hammersmith Odeon as a single vinyl record, as part of Record Store Day. Arriving on April 22, Live And Dangerous’ will be limited to just 1600 copies, and will be pressed on a 180g, with a gatefold sleeve. All three shows took place on 13, 14 and 15 November 1976, and are also included in the super deluxe edition of the album, which was released last month (January 10). Despite being referred to as ‘Live And Dangerous at Hammersmith 14 Nov 1976’ by the Record Store Day, the vinyl release website will feature artwork reading Live and Dangerous – Hammersmith 15/11/1986. …“There isn’t a damn thing I’d change about it”, [Gorham] said. “It’s not perfect, but it’s us. It’s a piece of history.” He also added, “You make a live album to prove how good you are as a live band’ – and Lizzy was a great live band.”
