UK | Record Store Day 2022: What’s On in Scotland: With Record Store Day back in its rightful place in the calendar, we take a closer look at what some of Scotland’s record shops have in store on Saturday 23 April. Barring a couple of years, due to the pandemic, Record Store Day has been taking place on a Saturday in April since 2008. An idea formed among independent record shop owners in Baltimore, Maryland in 2007, the day is now a worldwide phenomenon. The return of Record Store Day to its rightful place in the April calendar this year sees international superstar Taylor Swift take the helm as the event’s first ever global ambassador for what will surely be the biggest day record shops have seen since 2019. In Scotland, due to the continued easing of restrictions, the return of Record Store Day to April also means a return to in-store events; community is such a big part of what Record Store Day is all about – as well as the music and the record sales, of course – so ahead of the big day we’ve pulled together a handy guide of what’s going on across Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee on 23 April.
Detroit, MI | Record Store Day makes music April 23: Dig out your treasured Beatles albums and dust off those Led Zeppelin vinyl LPs — it’s time to rock ‘n’ roll. Local record store employees are gearing up for their big biannual event, Record Store Day, on April 23. Held internationally, Record Store Day began in 2007 as a chance for staff, customers and artists to come together and celebrate the independent record store culture. It’s a special time in which music fans visit their local record stores to stock up on new releases, check out sales and promotions, view album artwork, and more. Record Store Day is held twice a year, in April and every November on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. “It started during the Recession when a lot of stores were going out of business,” said Dan Zieja, who owns Melodies & Memories in Eastpointe with his wife, Denise. “It gets a lot of interest in vinyl records. Vinyl has had a resurgence over the last few years. I never thought records would come back. I’ve been here 35 years. It was a real surprise when the records came back.”
Nashville, TN | Sales cause vinyl record business in Nashville to expand: A Nashville business that makes vinyl records is expanding its operations and hiring more people. Technology demands progress and a sense of moving forward in most industries. But in Nashville, music’s growth keeps looking to the past. Polyvinyl chloride never looked so good, the critical ingredient to vinyl records, and it’s oh so hot record sales. “Vinyl’s a hot commodity right now,” Jeri-Ann Mills, VP Client Services & Front End Operations at United Record Pressing, LLC., said. “Everything’s come full circle; where did we start with vinyl. And now we are back with vinyl.” At United Record Pressing in Nashville, they turned out 40,000 vinyl records a day and 40 Million sales last year. The sound and the cool colors make them so wantable. “Vinyl’s cool, it’s romantic, the technology is right at your fingertips,” Mills said. “Nothing better than dropping that needle.”
Bartlett, TN | Memphis Record Pressing plans $30M expansion in Bartlett: Memphis Record Pressing is spinning quite the expansion tune right now. On Thursday, the Bartlett-based company announced plans for a $30 million expansion that will double the company’s workforce and effectively make it the largest vinyl record manufacturer in North America, according to a news release. “This expansion will provide much-needed relief to the enormous backlog in the vinyl industry that’s been driven by historic and unprecedented consumer demand,” co-founder and CEO Brandon Seavers said in a statement. The investment will include a $21.3 million facility expansion at its headquarters at 3015 Brother Boulevard in Bartlett. The expansion will add 33,000 square feet of manufacturing space and the addition of 36 record presses. The new facility is expected to open in late September. Memphis Record Pressing will also begin $7.5 million worth of renovations on a warehouse site at 7625 Appling Center Drive in Bartlett. The 100,000-sq. ft. building will operate as a packaging warehouse. The site is expected to open in June.
Greenfield, WI | Exclusive Company employees raise money in hopes of purchasing Greenfield location: The Exclusive Company announced last week that it would be closing all of its stores including the one in Greenfield. However, some employees are hoping to buy it. According to a GoFundMe, current and former employees at the Greenfield location want to buy the store and turn it into a new record store called “That Girl Records.” The name is in reference to a running joke between staff members and also has two media references: the 1966 show “That Girl” and the song “That Girl” by Beat Happening, which was released in 1987. The name, according to the GoFundMe, is a tentative name. If the employees raise enough money, they hope to make updates and improvements to the facility while still providing long-time customers with the entertainment they know and love. To open That Girl Records, current and former employees are hoping to raise $100,000 on their GoFundMe. As of Thursday afternoon, they had raised over $2,000. The page said the closing process is happening fast, so it is a time-sensitive fundraiser.
Hampstead, NC | Records on wheels: Hampstead music lover bringing mobile vinyl store to Wilmington area: Kevin Siegel is a huge fan of classic rock legends like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and The Who. “I also like a lot of new artists,” he said. “I like Phoebe Bridgers and there’s a new album that just came out by a band called Wet Leg that I really like. There are so many groups and artists that I truly enjoy.” The Hampstead resident loves music and enjoys listening the classic way — on vinyl. With his new business, Black Wax, he’s looking forward to meeting other record enthusiasts at events in Pender, New Hanover and Brunswick counties through a mobile shop similar to area food trucks. Starting in May, Siegel would like to bring records and music to customers on a 16-foot trailer in the Wilmington area. He’s planning to sell new and used vinyl records, music merchandise and offer an all-vinyl DJ service. “There are so many different venues and events that go on, rather it’s in the historic district, or the Brooklyn Arts District,” he said. “Those areas definitely have a lot of people that are very interested in vinyl records. Giving them them the opportunities to find some of those records they’re really looking for is something I would like to offer.”
A guide to record storage and alternatives to IKEA: Solid stacks for your wax. Ah, the journey of a record collector… Whether you’re just starting to buy vinyl, or a seasoned aficionado, maintaining proper record shelves is essential. Inevitably, a quick web search for record storage solutions, or home set-ups, will soon lead you to an ubiquitous fan favourite – the IKEA Kallax, previously known as ‘Expedit’. The Kallax has its perks; it’s easy to set up, able to hold a decent quantity of records, and is easily expandable. It can also function as a serviceable stand for your turntable, mixer, speaker, or amplifier. In short, the Kallax is versatile without breaking the bank, though it likely won’t stand the test of time. Depending on how many records you have, a Kallax may not be sturdy enough to keep your collection stored vertically, which means your vinyl will be at risk of warping and permanent damage. Depending on what your hi-fi set-up is, a Kallax may not be spacious enough to properly configure your tech without interference and vibrations. And, depending on what your tastes are, a Kallax may not be to your aesthetic liking.
Your Vinyl Record Is Scratched, Not Just Dusty. Is There Any Way to Repair the Damage? Several DIY methods claim to fix scratches on vinyl records. To see if any actually work, we called upon an expert. If you collect vinyl records, you know how exciting it can be when you come across a rare find in a secondhand shop or antique store. But just because you score something valuable, doesn’t mean it’s going to work when you bring it home and try it out on your record player. Since vinyl has been around for decades, it’s not uncommon to find a disc that has some wear and tear, which can affect the sound quality of the album if the damage is bad enough. While dust and debris are often easily removed, scratches are a different story. Although there are several DIY methods out there that claim to fix this issue, it’s still unclear whether or not you can actually repair a vinyl record once it’s been officially scratched. To answer this question, we turned to Nathon Raine, the director of Norman Records, who set the record (pun intended!) straight.
Technics brings the colours for a 50th anniversary SL1200: Technics has been making record players for 50 years, and as such, it has a special edition on the way out, though numbers are limited for Australia. Fans of vinyl may well know the Technics name from its use by DJs over the years, with its record players used by mixers for some of the longest time. If you’ve seen a DJ cue and spin vinyl before, there’s a good chance you’ve seen them do it on the SL1200, a record player that has been ticking away since 1972, making it one of the older gadgets to do so. The SL1200 has seen numerous versions since the 70s including recent revivals, not to mention plenty of competitors both in the listening and mixing space, though with what is now a 50 year history, Technics and its owners in Panasonic are celebrating the record player in a way that probably makes sense: a limited edition model. And given how the model is called the “SL1200”, it’s probably only fitting that Technics makes 12,000 of the things, making it a little difficult to buy.
