Interview: Ric Addy, Owner of Chicago’s Shake, Rattle & Read, on Closing the Business: The term “throwback” is bantered about with such regularity these days that it loses its meaning. An authentic throwback, however, is the eclectic pop culture store “Shake, Rattle & Read,” which closes its doors at the end of business Saturday, May 21st, 2016. The outlet, an Uptown neighborhood mainstay, has been owned by the same family for 50 years. Current owner Ric Addy is ready to say goodbye to all that.
Independent record store to open ‘biggest branch yet’ in Derby: With vinyl making a resurgence, Derby’s only independent record shop is moving with the times – opening its biggest store yet in the city centre. BPM, which set up in Derby almost 30 years ago, has moved from Sadler Gate to the picturesque Blacksmith’s Yard. The new spacious store has second-hand records on offer on its ground floor and a room with CDs upstairs. Dave Hill, originally from East London, moved to Derby in the early 1980s to manage record shop R.E.Cords. But never left. In 1987, he set up BPM with business partner Lisa Woolley, which they ran from their premises in The Strand for 20 years.
One in six albums sold worldwide is by a UK star: In its annual yearbook, a guide to the UK recorded music industry, the BPI said YouTube and other ad-funded websites paid out a “meagre” £24.4m in 2015. This was despite fans streaming almost 27 billion music videos – an 88% increase from 2014. That was narrowly eclipsed by the £25.1m earned from the sale of 2.1 million vinyl LPs in 2015 (a figure that suggests the industry makes almost £12 from every vinyl album sold).
Vying for vinyl at the Glasgow Record Fair this June: Withvinyl sales increasing more and more these days, it’s not hard to see why record fairs and stores are reaping the benefits. 2015 saw a record twenty year high, with figures up by 55% on the previous year. Whether you’re looking for a modern classic or something a little more obscure, the Glasgow Record Fair at Bellahouston Leisure Centre has vinyl to suit all tastes and budgets. Taking place on Saturday June 4, this is one of the biggest record fairs in the UK, with a collection of stock that would put many of the international markets to shame.
Collecting Australia’s 21st century vinyl: Australian-produced vinyl records are back in the news, with the recent announcement of the establishment of Roundabout Records in the Adelaide Hills. This new local vinyl pressing plant joins Melbourne-based Zenith Records, and highlights the ongoing increase in vinyl sales over the last decade, with local bands and labels diversifying their offerings to include both digital and analogue.
Ramones Prep Massive 40th Anniversary Reissue With Demos, Mono Mix: The Ramones will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their self-titled punk masterpiece with a 3CD/1LP deluxe edition packed with unreleased demos, a pair of concerts and a new mono mix. Ramones: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, out July 29th via Rhino, houses the newly remastered original album on its first disc alongside the “40th Anniversary Mono Mix” overseen by the album’s original producer Craig Leon. “The earliest mixes of the album were virtually mono,” Leon said in a statement. “We had an idea to record at Abbey Road and do both a mono and stereo version of the album, which was unheard of at the time. I’m thrilled that now, 40 years later, we followed through on that original idea.”
Laura Jones Launches New Label Sensoramic Records: Jones is a firm believer in the value of vinyl, and Sensoramic will be almost entirely a vinyl-only label. “When you hear vinyl records, you know the quality is generally a few notches higher than what you hear digitally,” she says. “Obviously you can’t generalize, you can find some great digital music as well. But if people are prepared to invest the money in putting something out on vinyl, there is generally a reason for that.” “The proof is in the pudding a lot of the time,” she adds.
