Shakopee, MN | Ramble On Records closes downtown Shakopee store: The Grateful Dead-inspired shop brought a classic records store to the south metro. Ramble on Records in downtown Shakopee closed this weekend as the business shifts to online-only sales. The store announced the July 29 closure earlier this month, stating the selection of new vinyl records will be expanded with the transition to online sales. Ramble on Records owner Steve Shanks opened the shop in downtown Shakopee in 2019 and moved the storefront to 113 Lewis Street South last year. “I would to thank all of my customers the last 5 years,” the store closing announcement reads. “You made this possible and I appreciate you all. Again more info coming about Ramble On Records moving forward.” Ramble On Records sells an array of new and used vinyl, turntables and gifts.
Wellington, UK | New independent record store set to spin up a storm in Wellington soon: A new record store will open soon in Wellington. Spinning Around Records is set to open soon at 31 New Street, Wellington. Formerly Blondie’s Cakery, the store will soon be the new premises of Emma Perks, a passionate Wellington-born vinyl collector. Having recently taken redundancy from BT, Emma, 43, seized the opportunity to fill a gap in the market. “I’ve been collecting vinyl myself since 2015,” Emma explained: “Being a female who likes pop music, I feel like there’s a gap in the market. “Most record stores are owned by men who like classic rock and things like that, I thought there was space for me here.” Having spent most of her life in Wellington, Emma couldn’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be.
South Tyneside, UK | Nine North East record shops music lovers may remember from years past: Music fans celebrated National Vinyl Record Day this week – but what was the best record you ever bought and which was your favourite shop? Sunderland, Hartlepool and South Shields has had plenty of choices over the years and we would love to know which was your go-to shop for the latest hits. Was it a small local business or a bigger store which had rows and rows of hits? Did you love to browse round for hours or get straight to that disc that you needed to have in your collection? Take a look at these shops from our North East archives and then get in touch with your own memories.
Burbank, CA | Run Out Groove Records Presents Art Gallery Exhibit Featuring Jill Emery, Former Bassist for Hole and Mazzy Star: Run Out Groove Records is proud to announce its latest art gallery exhibit showcasing the exceptional talent of Jill Emery, renowned former bassist for the iconic bands Hole and Mazzy Star. The show will feature Jill Emery’s original artwork, which revolves around musicians and highlights prominent musical artists such as Joy Division, Bob Dylan, X, and Aimee Mann. …While widely recognized for her significant contributions as a musician, Emery’s visual artistry has also garnered acclaim in artistic circles. Her unique style captures the essence of musicians and their music, presenting a powerful blend of emotions on canvas. Regarding her upcoming exhibit, Emery shared, “When Run Out Groove Records asked me to do a show, I was so excited to think about musicians I love and how I could capture them in my folkified style.”
Chattanooga, TN | Music lovers are setting the record straight about vinyl: For Lydia McWilliams, vinyl records are a family tradition. Her grandmother loved Frank Sinatra and played his records. Her dad loves Billy Joel, Elton John and hair metal bands from the 1980s and plays their records. McWilliams is more into 1970s stuff like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac and the Carpenters. Uh, the Carpenters? “Yeah,” McWilliams says with a laugh as she rifles through the vinyl LPs at McKay’s used book and record store. For the unfamiliar, the brother-sister Carpenter duo played soft, melodic, your-mom-would-like-them pop. At 28 years old, McWilliams stands on the younger end of the age spectrum of those who love vinyl albums and are buying them in droves these days. In 2022, for the first time since 1987, vinyl records outsold CDs, according to the Recording Association of America. “It’s just fun,” McWilliams says.
Tranent, UK | Scottish vinyl pressing plant Seabass Vinyl to start production this year: …For the business idea itself, there were two reasons why we decided to do this. We saw one of our friends who was in a band and getting shafted with split releases and delays to vinyl delivery. We could see they were sending out emails saying we’re sorry, and they had delay after delay after delay. But the real trigger was that the British government decided they were going to give a £2million grant to Liverpool to set up a museum for The Beatles. Simon Raymonde from Bella Union and Cocteau Twins replied on twitter saying what a load of nonsense. Why don’t you go and buy ten of these vinyl pressing plants from Newbilt machinery in Germany and you’ll create far more value to the music industry in the UK? So that triggered the idea to go and do some research. We started to look into pressing plants. I didn’t realise that there were still presses available that you could buy. It was the tweet from Simon that was the trigger that “I am actually going to go and investigate this.”
Ongoing History Daily: The return of quadraphonic sound? Today, we have 5.1 and 7.1 surround, Dolby ATMOS, and spatial audio in addition to the usual stereo recordings. But fifty years ago, the big thing for about twenty minutes was “quadraphonic sound.” These were vinyl records specially encoded to deliver four-channel sound: left-right front, left-right rear. Some bands like Pink Floyd even incorporated quadraphonic sound for their live shows. But quad died a quick death. You needed a special amplifier, two more speakers, and the system would only work with records that were made for the format. Plus there were at least two competing and incompatible quad formats. However, quad is making a slight return. Rhino Records has resurrected what they call “quadio” records from 50 years ago, releasing them on CD with a four-channel quad mix in high-resolution audio.
Manufacturer Transforms Plant ‘Voices’ Into Eco-Friendly Vinyl Record: STIGA, a brand renowned for garden care equipment, has crafted a one-of-a-kind instrumental album by using the “sounds” produced by plants. The company claims this unique endeavor marks the inaugural use of plant music in the creation of an album. The Garden Sounds, STIGA’s innovative album, is presented on an entirely eco-friendly vinyl record. The album comprises six tracks – Climbing Ivy, Blooming Tulip, Pale Iris, Night Lavender, Laurestine Dream, and Spontaneous Grass. STIGA stated: “Plants have a voice, which deserves to be heard today more than ever.” The company further elaborated, “Forests occupy only 37 per cent of all habitable land on Earth, with shrubs and grassland covering an additional 11 per cent. To highlight the worrying decline of green spaces and natural areas globally, STIGA took part in the Fuorisalone 2023 event in April, featuring the #MyPatchOfGreen installation.”
