West Chester, PA | The Mad Platter set to close: A borough staple since 1976, The Mad Platter will shutter its doors within the next couple of months. Owner John Harton, 65, said business has always been good, but he doesn’t want to sign a five-year lease and sell vinyl LPs into his 70s. “We’re not leaving because of business reasons,” Harton said. “We’ve had good business all along. “The comments posted online are overwhelming and let us feel appreciated. The town has been very supportive.” Harton enjoys the job. “Who wouldn’t want to work in a record store? You basically watch all kinds of life flow in and out of the door and get to interact with a variety of people. It makes you feel young, seeing all of the younger people.”
Edwardsville, IL | Elvis knows vinyl records: After years of touring as an Elvis Presley tribute artist, Collinsville native Bill Cherry has opened a store in his hometown that reflects his interests. Monster Vinyl, a record and collectible shop that combines music with horror, is located in downtown Collinsville at 107 East Main St. The store has been open since April 13. Cherry will have a grand opening and ribbon cutting during the Horseradish Festival, on June 2 at 1 in the afternoon. “I’m looking forward to having a few special guests and a few monsters walking around,” he said. The store sells used records and CDs. It also has and sells a large collection of horror movie memorabilia, including posters, masks, and books. “This store is my hobbies brought to the public,” Cherry said. “There’s a lot more to the story than Elvis Presley. I like music, monsters and horror movies.”
Warminster, UK | Shop is first to sell tokens to keep vinyl alive: A music shop in Warminster are the first shop in the country to sell one of the new Record Token gift cards which were launched earlier this week. Raves from the Graves in Weymouth Street are proud to be the first independent record shop to sell one of the tokens which can be used to purchase vinyl, CD or cassette music. Business owner, Richard Churchyard said: “We would like to thank our customers for their continued support and whilst we have definitely seen an increase in vinyl sales over the last five years, the people of Wiltshire have always demonstrated a true appreciation of music. “We are proud to have recently celebrated our 20th anniversary proving that in Wiltshire vinyl never died.”
The fastest-selling vinyl albums of the last 25 years: Dating back to when modern Official Chart records began, what other albums have seen strong opening vinyl sales? Last Friday, Arctic Monkeys claimed their sixth UK Number 1 album with Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino. TBH + C was the sixth AM album in a row to debut at the top spot of the Official Albums Chart, keeping their 100% record of Number 1 studio albums alive. Available on black, clear, silver and gold LP variants, the album was the fastest-selling vinyl of the last 25 years, shifting 24,500 copies in just seven days. According to Official Charts Company data, dating back to when modern Official Chart records began in 1994, what other albums have seen strong opening sales of their wax press alternatives? We rundown the Top 10 vinyl albums of modern times.
There’s a bunch of new David Bowie records coming out next month, Some tracks will be on vinyl for the first time in 30 years: Three previously unreleased records from the late singer will surface next month. The limited-edition ‘Welcome To The Blackout’, ‘Christiane F. – Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof Zoo’ and ‘David Bowie In Bertolt Brecht’s Baal’ will be released on June 29, the latter two being exclusively available at brick and mortar record shops. ‘Welcome To The Blackout (Live London ’78)’, which was originally released on Record Store Day in April, will now be available as a 2xCD set. ‘Christiane F. – Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof Zoo’ is a soundtrack album comprised of various Bowie songs that will be available on vinyl for the first time in 30 years and pressed on red vinyl made exclusively at brick and mortar stores. ‘David Bowie In Bertolt Brecht’s Baal’ is a five-song collection of songs that were written for ‘Baal’, a German play.
Book review: ‘The Vinyl Dialogues, Volume IV’: “Volume IV” continues the legacy of journalistic excellence that has come to characterize Morsch’s career. In this exquisite postscript to the annals of music history, he provides an insider’s perspective on the making of 27 classic albums from what many consider to be the most fertile and creative period in our nation’s never-ending musical journey. Among the other artists highlighted in this edition are The Shirelles, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Association, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, the 1910 Fruitgum Company, the 5th Dimension, Three Dog Night, Poco, The Beach Boys, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Starland Vocal Band, The Stanky Brown Group, Mary Kay Place, the Marshall Tucker Band, the Captain & Tennille and The Stylistics. Those of a certain age will immediately recognize these artists as some of the greatest performers of all time; many of my peers will no doubt have cherished memories of important moments in their lives accentuated by their songs playing in the background.
