Poole, UK | Music distributor announces ‘challenging decision’ to close: A music distributor based in Poole has announced “with a heavy heart” it is to cease trading at the end of the month. Unearthed Sounds, in Factory Road, Upton, has decided to close its premises from July 31, blaming Covid, Brexit and the cost of living crisis for the downfall. Bosses spoke of the “difficulties” facing the music industry and businesses as a whole during what it described as “turbulent times.” They added it was not a decision taken lightly and that over the past few months, numerous discussions and planning meetings had been held but this was to no success. A spokesman for Unearthed Sounds said in a statement online: “Unfortunately, given the current financial climate and the lasting impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and the cost of living crisis, it has become apparent that continuing our operations is simply not viable.
Alexandria, VA | Business Owner Helps Crooked Beat Records Find New Del Ray Location: When pending redevelopment forced Crooked Beat Records out of Old Town North, the business is back selling records in a new location. Crooked Beat Records is no stranger to being relocated over its 26 years. Owner Bill Daly told Patch “health hazards” forced the record store out of DC’s Adams Morgan in 2016. It had been in Alexandria’s Old Town North for seven years until this year, when it relocated due to pending redevelopment — a tip from a fellow business owner helped find the next home for the shop. Now Crooked Beat Records is open in a new location at 2417 Mount Vernon Ave. in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood. The Del Ray Business Association held a ribbon cutting Friday for the relocated store. Crooked Beat Records was formerly located at Montgomery Place, a building with various business tenants. In the spring, developer Carr Companies received approval for a redevelopment of Montgomery Place into a mixed-use development. That left Crooked Beat Records scrambling to find a location.
Annapolis, MD | ‘Love and Vinyl’ spins a fascinating and funny story in a real record shop: Playwright Bob Bartlet creates a believable and realistic scenario and gives us three likable characters who probably remind us of someone we know. Once upon a time, predict-y sorts of folk predicted that ebooks would replace physical books. Bibliophiles dictated otherwise. Likewise, CDs, MP3s, and direct digital downloads threatened to make bulky, delicate, warpable, scratchable vinyl records as dead as dinosaurs. Even Napster, Spotify, and Pandora, however, have failed to make vinyl obsolete. Here’s where our story begins. I first heard of Love and Vinyl when my editor at DCTA described it as potentially a “cool, unique event” and felt that I as a reviewer “would like this kind of thing,” an amusing way to spell “you seem fond of the weird ones,” but she’s not wrong. I am fond of the weird ones. My fondness is rewarded: Love and Vinyl is weird in a wonderful way.
Cleveland, OH | Record plant finds its groove during LP revival: Gotta Groove Records Production Manager Heath Gmucs grew up on vintage records, listening to his dad’s collection, but he hadn’t listened to their distinctive sound in several years. “We really have to thank the younger generations for picking up vinyls. That’s why the resurgence happens,” he said. Gmucs also played in a band that had a record pressed at Gotta Groove Records in 2009. At the time, Gmucs was also looking for a job. “Took me awhile, but I was persistent, and I just kind of put my band career on the back-burner and got back into something that I love to do, which is manufacturing,” Gmucs explained about how he got the job at Gotta Groove Records. Gotta Groove Records of Cleveland is the only vinyl pressing plant in Ohio, and one of about three dozen operating in the United States. Gmucs said he didn’t anticipate the rebirth of vinyl more than a decade ago, but more record stores and fan-friendly record-store days continue to pop up—keeping demand high and his future bright.
La Crosse, WI | Vinyl finding new fans, more sales: For the first time since 1987, sales of vinyl records surpassed those of compact discs. According to the end of year report from the recording industry association, record sales have been going up in numbers for the last 16 years. “I think what happened is during the pandemic, younger buyers spurred interest in it,” said Kelly Wilde, Program Director at WKBH. “Wandering around your house during quarantine and you find your dad’s box of LP’s and are like…what are these?” The vinyl sound is also something different for listeners using a turntable for the first time. “The sound of it,” said Wilde. “It sounds different, it sounds fuller and I think that’s what attracts people to it.” It also offers an experience that CD’s or streaming services cannot…a physical presence. “People like the tactile stuff,” said Keith Carr of Classic Hits 94.7. “They like being able to cue up a record.” It’s also nostalgic. “I love vinyl, I grew up on vinyl,” said Ezra Wall, Regional Director for Wisconsin Public Radio. “I used to get up early on Saturday mornings and my parents said the only rule is if you don’t wake us up you can play your records.”
A $60,000 vinyl player from a former Apple chief designer. Jony Quince has created an exclusive Sondek LP12-50 for Linn: Former Apple design chief Jonathan Paul “Jony” Ive has returned to designing devices with his LoveFrom company. And Quince’s first such work was a vinyl player. LoveFrom helped Linn create a special edition of the Sondek LP12 to celebrate the manufacturer’s 50th anniversary. Interestingly, LoveFrom worked for free, as Ive admires the Linn team. Reportedly, both teams studied the Sondek LP12 together and ended up not being able to drastically change the model for fear of the impact of such changes on sound quality. So the special version of the player as a whole looks about the same as the regular one, but, of course, there are a lot of changes in the little things. The resulting Sondek LP12-50 costs a hefty $60,000 and will only be made in 250 units.
Third Man Records reissues Syd Barrett’s solo albums with new artwork: Third Man Records presents Syd Barrett’s solo albums — The Madcap Laughs, Barrett, and Opel — as the 57th installment of its Vault subscription series. Third Man Records (in conjunction with Sony Music Entertainment) presents Syd Barrett’s solo albums — The Madcap Laughs, Barrett, and Opel — as the 57th installment of its Vault subscription series. Individually out of print for almost 10 years, and never previously available together on vinyl, Barrett’s complete solo works are featured in this set on stunning 180-gram vinyl, pressed at Third Man Pressing in Detroit and packaged together in a custom slipcase with new exclusive artwork. As an added bonus that is sure to entice any Pink Floyd completist, the set includes a 7-inch single by David Gilmour covering two Barrett compositions, “Dominoes” and “Dark Globe.” Sign up is open now through July 31 at midnight CST. “Well, that’s the last we’ll ever hear of Pink Floyd.”
Are your old CDs worth anything to collectors? Your old CD collection — once the centerpiece of your media center and perhaps even a physical manifestation of your personality — is now collecting dust somewhere in your basement. But it’s still possible that someone, somewhere, is willing to pay big bucks for a few of your (formerly) beloved compact discs. Just as soon as everyone chills out on vinyl. “Collecting is gaining and gaining and gaining, and with CDs, I know it’s going to gain,” Garry Shrum, the director of Entertainment & Music Memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, told Nexstar. Shrum formerly operated Blue Meanie Records, a record shop in San Diego County specializing in imports, bootlegs and other hard-to-find rarities. He also maintains a massive collection of rare recordings himself, embracing pretty much every format imaginable. Shrum and his wife are currently looking to “cut down” their collection — and right now, they’re finding plenty of buyers for older CDs on the internet.
