Seattle, WA | Vinyl paradise: Seattle record store is worth a summer vacation drop-in. Summer is about to pop off, and so is the vacation season. Vinyl records have made quite the comeback in recent years, especially during COVID-19. In the Quad-Cities, we have places like Revolver in Moscow, Dreg’s in Pullman, Skalicky’s in Lewiston and Greenfield Glass & Goods in Clarkston to do some digging for sweet records, but flipping through records in a big city is very exciting. When I lived in Seattle I would, at least once a week, stop by a small, independent punk record store called Singles Going Steady. It’s located in the Belltown neighborhood and carries records, cassettes, CDs, books, patches, pins, etc. The gentleman working the place when I would go in, Byron Wilson, was a fun guy to chat with. …With the possibility of some of you record connoisseurs making your way to the Seattle area this summer, I thought I’d have a chat with Wilson about the store so you would have the lowdown on the place.
Denver, CO | Indie Record Store Profile: Twist & Shout in Denver, Colorado: In a new series on independent record stores, Billboard explores the Mile High City’s signature shop and speaks to owner Patrick Brown on its past, present and future. Sometime in 2000, Patrick Brown nudged Paul Epstein, then-owner of Twist & Shout in Denver. “Hey,” the record store manager told his boss, “I think Eric Clapton‘s out there shopping.” “What should I do?” Epstein said. “How about you say, ‘I’m Paul, I own the store, how can I help you?’” Epstein helped Clapton search for an obscure Bing Crosby soundtrack from the ’40s, and the two bonded over blues and jazz records. Epstein learned Clapton was waiting for his clothes to dry at the laundromat across the street from Twist & Shout’s then-location. And Brown listened quietly. “It’s not my thing so much,” he recalls. “I said hello and that was it.” Today, Brown is the owner of this music community capital on the west side of Denver, a soothing gallery of colorful rectangles, from the Madonna and Pete Townshend portraits facing off at the top of a west wall to the rows of books, CDs and LPs that seem to go on forever.
Glasgow, UK | Glasgow’s vintage and vinyl hideaways: Places to shop distinctive finds: Glasgow, Scotland’s most populous city, is celebrated for its dynamic culture and deep historical roots. Beyond its well-known landmarks, the city harbors a wealth of hidden treasures, especially appealing to those with a fondness for vintage items and vinyl records. These secret spots offer distinctive finds and a trip down memory lane, positioning them as essential visits for both collectors and enthusiasts. …For vinyl enthusiasts, Glasgow is a treasure trove with its hidden record shops. These gems allow for endless crate digging, offering everything from rare jazz records to classic rock albums and indie exclusives. No matter your taste, the knowledgeable staff are eager to assist, helping you uncover that elusive record or suggesting new music that aligns with your preferences.
Kelowna, BC | Tuning into the record collection community of Kelowna: Kelowna record collector organizes upcoming record sale event June 22 at Rutland Community Hall. My passion for vinyl began when he was a teenager and continues to this day. Over the years, I have collected 6000+ records in my vinyl collection journey and that number continues to grow every week. I started off selling lots of different items at the flea market with only one box of records. Once I sold that box, I bought a second and then another box. Before I knew it, I had over 20 boxes of records I was selling each week. Now I’m happy to say it’s my full-time job. Every week I’m buying a new collection and bringing it to the weekly flea market at Centennial Hall in Rutland. I love my job and wouldn’t change it for anything It’s always interesting what has value these days and what doesn’t. Normally the older something is the more valuable it is, but this isn’t always the case with records.
Little Rock, AR | The cassette tape is making a comeback thanks to a family-run company in Missouri: …It might be a surprise to hear that cassette tapes are even around anymore. Formats like CDs, MP3s and downloading and streaming audio have drastically changed the way we consume music. But similar to vinyl records, there’s been a resurgence in analog cassette tapes. According to Billboard magazine, sales have grown more than 440% in the past decade. One of the drivers behind this trend is National Audio Company, a staple in the industry for over 50 years. And one of its signature cassette releases is a well-known Disney classic. …”Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is among the thousands of tapes the company has produced. National Audio got its start in 1968, just a few years after the cassette tape was invented. Vice President Phil Stepp, whose late grandfather was the founder, says their business has stood by the cassette through all the industry ups and downs.
Washington, DC | A Brazilian Caipirinha and Record Bar Is Opening in Adams Morgan: At Cana, try variations on Brazil’s national drink to the tune of Brazilian funk and soul. …The 44-seat bar aims to have a classic, retro look with wood paneling, green corduroy banquettes, vintage mirrors, and other design elements imported from Brazil. The space has an open kitchen, and Jankovic says they drew inspiration from bottecos, small bars all over Rio and São Paulo where you get your food and drinks from the same counter. …Jankovic’s favorite part of the space, though, is the “hi-fi corner” with bookshelves showcasing his extensive Brazilian vinyl collection and an analogue turntable. While in Rio, he says he bought more than a thousand vintage records, which he shipped back to the US. Cana will have near-daily DJs playing Brazilian funk, soul, samba, and more focused on the 1960s through early ’80s. (Stay tuned for a Bossa Nova brunch.)
Audio-Technica’s flagship MC cartridge promises “unparalleled” vinyl performance: The high-end MC cartridge features hand-wound rectangular coils and takes “sonic excellence to new heights.” If you’re on the hunt for a new high-end cartridge to fit on to your high-end record player, then we have good news: Audio-Technica has just launched a new flagship reference-level AT-ART1000X moving coil cartridge. Audio-Technica has over 60 years of experience in making turntables and turntable-related components, and the new AT-ART1000X is billed as the brand’s “most advanced cartridge to date.” Manufactured in Japan, the AT-ART1000X is the next-generation model following on from the previous flagship, the AT-ART1000 (which was launched at 2016’s High End Munich). With eight years of development since then, the new cartridge aims to take the brand’s “pursuit of sonic excellence to new heights, with a more refined direct power system for improved efficiency and enhanced bass reproduction.”
Paul Weller’s ‘Fly On The Wall’ Rarities Collection To Return In Triple Vinyl Edition: The acclaimed collection, featuring B-sides, remixes and rarities will be back in circulation on August 9. Paul Weller’s 2003 compilation Fly On The Wall—a collection of B-sides, remixes and rarities is being given the reissue treatment on August 9. A triple vinyl compilation, it brings together rarities from Weller’s first solo phase with Go! Discs and then subsequently Island Records. Spanning the period 1991 – 2001, the set hasn’t been available since its original release in 2003. Additionally, this release will also be made available digitally for the first time. Chronicling a period when Weller was incredibly prolific and on the top of his game—so much so, he could throw some of this material onto B sides when it could so easily sit side by side on any of the 3 albums released around this period.
