London, UK | Richard Prince’s record cover artwork featured in new pop up: Including his work for A Tribe Called Quest and Sonic Youth. American artist Richard Prince’s record cover artwork is featured in his new takeover of the Gagosian Shop in London’s Burlington Arcade. The shop includes Prince’s work for A Tribe Called Quest and Sonic Youth, as well as his series of custom 12” sleeves housing second hand records. The store also includes his books, posters, prints, and upcycled furniture, alongside a special selection from his Katz + Dogg line created in collaboration with Darren Romanelli. A grouping of High Times drawings (2019) will also be exhibited for the first time. The takeover coincides with the opening of Prince’s Hoods show at Gagosian’s West 21st Street gallery in NYC, which runs until the 25th June. As part of this year’s London Gallery Weekend, Gagosian is hosting a drinks reception at the shop, complete with a vinyl-only set from Kirollus, on Saturday 14th May from 4pm — 6pm. The shop takeover will run until May 28th.
London, UK | Inside the forgotten Piccadilly Circus Tower Records store that was once the coolest place to buy music: Many Londoners lost hours of their lives browsing the shelves at Tower Records. For many of us, a trip to Piccadilly Circus meant only one thing: a chance to head straight for the absolutely fabulous Aladdin’s cave that was Tower Records and spend hours lost in a daydream of sounds. The iconic store was a music-lovers paradise. The 25,000 square-foot flagship outlet at 1 Piccadilly Circus was jammed full of everything from the latest hits to the most obscure items from a barely known folk singer’s back catalogue. You could feast on vinyl LPs, rare seven-inch singles and hard-to-find box sets. There were sought-after posters and music videos, and rows and rows of cassettes – and later CDs. That’s not to mention the t-shirts, books and posters on offer. Depending on your taste in music this place meant the world to many people for different reasons. I can remember trawling the shelves and being dumbstruck when I uncovered an obscure cassette from a Scottish band’s back catalogue which I literally could not get anywhere else. Those moments of discovery really gave you a buzz.
Become a Vinyl Cutting Expert By Following These Useful Guidelines: …When deciding which type of vinyl cutting machine to purchase, it’s important to consider the size and quality of the machine. According to the incredible team at thebestvinylcutters.com, when choosing the right vinyl cutter, a good rule of thumb is to choose a machine that’s at least twice the width of the largest vinyl roll you plan to use. They also recommend considering a machine’s cutting speed and power, as well as its compatibility with your computer. On the other hand, a larger cutter is generally more suitable for creating large designs, while a smaller one can be used for more intricate and detailed work. Additionally, you should look for a vinyl cutter that produces high-quality cuts and has a good track record for reliability. If you want your vinyl cutter to last for many years, then it’s important to take care of it properly. First and foremost, you should always make sure to clean and lubricate the cutting blade after each use. Additionally, you should regularly check the machine for any signs of wear and tear.
Washington, DC | Home Rule Music Festival: Join us for amazing performances by Black Fire artist, Plunky & Oneness of JuJu, legendary progressive jazz artists Doug Carn and David Murray. The Home Rule Music Festival features the best Food Trucks, Craft Beverages, and a Record Fair with the finest local vinyl shops and record dealers. This year the festival gathers around the story and legacy of Black Fire Records, the legendary distribution service turned label, magazine, and cultural movement that served to define the soundtrack of 1970s DC. Guests will be able to purchase a limited-edition Festival Magazine that will include original reporting and vintage images. The Home Rule Music Festival will end with a screening of a new Documentary Short Film on Black Fire Records. The mission of the festival is simple: to promote, support, and preserve DC music and film through performance, education, and advocacy.
How to Maintain Vinyl Records: 9 Tips: Vinyl Records Are High-Maintenance… It’s unfortunate, but true. While vinyl records provide the sweetest sounds, they won’t for very long if you do not maintain them properly. Vinyl records are victims to many of the same ailments as CDs, particularly scratches, and exposure to sunlight and heat. Vinyl records also suffer from various other problems as well. Here are 9 tips that will keep your vinyl in great shape. Maintenance Tip #1: Store Vinyl Records Vertically: The first thing to consider when storing your vinyl is the direction. You should always store your vinyl records vertically. By storing them vertically, there is significantly less stress put on the record, ensuring that they don’t bend or deform over time. Maintenance Tip #2: Don’t Store Vinyl Records Horizontally: Vinyl should never be stored horizontally, especially under a pile of other records, or other heavy object(s). The weight causes damage to the grooves over time, degrading the sound quality over time.
Third Eye Blind announces double vinyl collection: A Collection is available July 15th. In celebration of 25 years as a band, Third Eye Blind is releasing the band’s 2006 greatest hits compilation, A Collection, as a double 180-gram LP vinyl on July 15th and will tour throughout the summer. Available on vinyl for the first time, the set’s 19-tracks were selected from the alt-rocker’s first three studio albums that were released between 1997-2003, and include their biggest singles mixed with a few rarities and fan favorites. A special orange-vinyl version will also be available exclusively at select brick-and-mortar retailers. Also, this summer, the group announced it would tour North America with Taking Back Sunday and Hockey Dad to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Third Eye Blind, the band’s multi-platinum 1997 debut. The band’s debut was certified platinum six times in the US, where it spent more than 100 weeks on the Billboard 200. The first side of A Collection brings together all five singles from the album, including “How’s It Going To Be,” “Graduate,” and “Semi-Charmed Life,” the band’s highest-charting single.
