FL | Say goodbye to $1 vintage records: Thrift store chains are cashing in on vinyl resurgence: These are sad days for thrift store record bin divers in South Florida. The region’s major thrift store chains are cashing in on the vinyl resurgence, leaving weekend collectors to pay more for used records through the chains’ online sites or find alternative marketplaces. For years, Gulfstream Goodwill, a division of Goodwill Industries International serving Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties, carried used records. Not anymore. Since March, records have been missing from the charity’s 25 thrift store locations. Instead, donations of records, books, CDs and DVDs are sent to an online distributor called ThriftBooks.com. The new arrangement helps Gulfstream Goodwill focus on its mission of providing job opportunities and training to members of the disabled community…
Bury, UK | Bury St Edmunds business Vinyl Hunter explores vinyl’s surge in popularity: Vinyl records once looked set to go the way of wind-up gramophones … spinning slowly but surely into the musical history books. Cassette tapes, CDs, then the digital download revolution did their best to bury the iconic format. But just like some of the stars whose vinyl albums are now prized by collectors, it was not destined to trudge wearily off the stage. Vinyl never went away and the comeback is now stronger than ever with devotees driving a growing surge in popularity. Vintage records as well as new issues are in demand … and not just with those who loved them in their youth. Whole new generations are learning to appreciate the sound and feel of the 12” disc and value the experience of getting their music from something tangible. They also get to own a work of art, with some historical covers now almost as iconic as the music inside.
Dorset, UK | Vinyl distributor and record store Unearthed Sounds will close this month: The Dorset-based electronic specialist has blamed Brexit, COVID and the Cost of Living crisis for its closure. Dorset-based vinyl distributor and record store, Unearthed Sounds, has announced it will be closing at the end of the month. In a statement sent to customers, the electronic music specialist cited Brexit, COVID and the Cost Of Living Crisis as contributing factors to its closure — noting that the challenges were “not unique” and that “various players in the music industry” are also affected by Brexit, COVID and the cost of living crisis. The statement continues that the cost of living crisis was “the final straw” as the distributor explains: “When the cost of living rises, individuals have less disposable income available for non-essential purchases like vinyl. Retailers and distributors alike face challenges in convincing consumers that the value and experience of physical media justify the price. Unfortunately, as shops feel the pinch so do we.”
Erskineville, AU | Revolve Record Fair owner Jon Ordon shares tips on what makes vinyl valuable: There’s something about playing and listening to a vinyl LP that’s hard to beat. It’s a feeling Jon Ordon has known ever since he first dropped a pin on a track as a boy. So much so that he has made a career of buying and selling records for more than three decades. His business, Revolve Records, has been operating since 1991, initially as Discovery Records on Sydney’s north shore before moving to Erskineville in the city’s inner west. Today Jon has a busy life selling records from his home in the Blue Mountains. He also takes vinyl to the people at record fairs he holds. His best-known is at Glenbrook, west of Sydney, but he also travels to cities like Orange, Bathurst and Newcastle, as well as Canberra, Queensland and SA. Jon said he enjoys “whole warm analog sound” of vinyl and having a good-quality player to amplify it.”
Wakefield, UK | Vinyl lovers flock as Wakefield Record Fair spins into town: Wakefield Record Fair returned with thousands of the very best new and used vinyl, CDs, and cassettes on offer. The events took place at the Ridings Shopping centre at the weekend with a range of exciting stalls on offer. And hundreds of people turned up to thumb through the rock, pop, metal, and rap offerings. Shoppers were also encouraged to pop along to Hellraiser Record and Hidden Treasures inside the The Ridings, or venture further into town to visit Wah Wah Records or Criminal Records near Kirkgate. Here are some of the pictures from the record fair.
Nairobi, ZA | The vinyl revival: This man is helping African millennials rediscover the groove: “One of the beautiful aspects of vinyl is its ability to preserve cultural heritage. In Africa, vinyl has become more than just a medium for music; it has transformed into a cultural artefact,” proclaims James ‘Jimmy’ Rugami, from amongst the hundreds of vinyl records on display in his market stall in Nairobi. “People are rediscovering old recordings of traditional music, reconnecting with their heritage, and finding a sense of pride in their identity.” Rugami should know; he has been selling vinyls to a mostly African audience for over 30 years. Located in the bustling Kenyatta Market in Nairobi, Rugami occupies a modest stall sandwiched between butchers, second-hand clothes vendors, and hairdressers clamouring for attention. Since he opened it in 1989, Rugami’s stall number B-15 has attracted both local buyers and tourists with its array of colourful vinyl record covers and analogue electronics. What hits differently about the music emanating from the store are the crackling notes and soulful melodies of “golden oldie” records that weave an enchanting spell over the young and old.
UK | Interview: ‘They found ways to do the impossible’: Hipgnosis, the designers who changed the record sleeve for ever. Control director Anton Corbijn’s new film tells the chaotic, tragic story of the creative duo behind some of the most recognisable covers of all time. Only at the end of our interview does it dawn on both of us that Anton Corbijn has been sitting in front of his huge vinyl record collection at his home in Amsterdam the whole time. It is fitting: not just because Corbijn, now 68, initially made his name by photographing Joy Division and went on to shoot and make music videos for the likes of Depeche Mode, U2, the Killers and REM, but also because he has just directed a documentary, Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis), about the celebrated record sleeves of Aubrey “Po” Powell and the late Storm Thorgerson. Hipgnosis was one of the trailblazers of album cover design during the golden age of the late 60s and 70s. It conceived the artwork for hundreds of bands and artists including juggernauts such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Peter Gabriel, 10cc and Paul McCartney, all of whom Corbijn has interviewed for this movie.
30 classic albums to help you catch the summertime vibe: These albums from the ’60s to the ’80s are sure to give musical inspiration to those who love to indulge in any summertime activity, no matter what hemisphere you are in. The summer seems to create magic. It conjures up images of gatherings with friends and family, vacations and outings, picnics or full-fledged BBQ cookouts at the local city park or beach. It puts people in the mood for spending the day galavanting in their cities local arts district, partaking in local events, and taking long Sunday drives up the coast, through the mountains or just cruising through town in their favorite car. One occurrence that all of these events have in common, is that you will more than likely always find that they are accompanied by music that exemplifies and heightens the the mood, the atmosphere, and realm of summertime.
