London, UK | Rough Trade to open record shop in Denmark Street, home of the British music industry: Denmark Street in central London will welcome its first-ever record store when Rough Trade opens its doors this October. The street is famed for its connections to the UK music scene including the birth of Britpop and has been called the perfect location for the new vinyl store. It has long been known as Tin Pan Alley and has been associated with an eclectic mix of musicians, songwriters, artists and publishers, and has links to anyone from David Bowie to Jimi Hendrix. The street is home to multiple guitar shops and music venues, and from mid-October, music fans can visit the two-storey store and pick up vinyl, clothing, books, band merchandise and even attend signings. It’s the fourth Rough Trade location to open in the capital, alongside Rough Trade East, Rough Trade West and Soho.
San Antonio, TX | Friends of Sound Records: Texas small businesses grappling with increased rent. Owning a record store was George Mendoza’s dream come true. “The space is an extension of my bedroom as a teenager. Some of the posters that are up on the wall are the posters I had as a teenager,” Mendoza said. He co-own’s Friends of Sound Records in the heart of San Antonio. “We have rock records, gospel records, soul records, jazz, blues, funk,” Mendoza said. “Also 45s, which is something you don’t really see too often with most record stores. They are not going to have this type of selection.” Since 2016, the store has been a mainstay in San Antonio, but it’s relocating in October. His business partner, David Haffner, says rent skyrocketed when new ownership took over the strip. “They came in and they didn’t want to double the rent, but almost double. It increased about 85%,” Haffner said. Rent went up more than $1,500 a month.
Swindon, UK | When Oasis’ album Be Here Now hit Swindon record stores: Back in the late 1990s, Oasis was at the height of their fame, and their third album, Be Here Now, was one of the most eagerly anticipated releases in music history. Fans across the world queued for hours to grab their copies on release day, and for some, the memories of that day have stuck with them ever since. For one fan in particular, it was an especially unforgettable moment—Michael Elmes from Wroughton was the first person to buy the album in his town, proudly holding up his copy outside HMV on August 21, 1997. He even received a special certificate from the store for being the first in line. This nostalgic snapshot of ‘90s Britpop glory has stirred up memories among Oasis fans. Jenny Bowley recalled her own experience of pre-ordering the album from Sound Knowledge in Marlborough, and rushing straight home to immerse herself in it.
Ho Chi Minh City, VN | Vinyl cafe: a vintage escape in Ho Chi Minh City. Blending nostalgia with a love for music, a vinyl-themed café in District 10 has become a hotspot for Ho Chi Minh City’s youth, offering a retro ambiance perfect for relaxation. Located at Y12 Hong Linh Street, Giang Café opened in early August with a nostalgic style, focusing on vinyl records as the central theme. The records are displayed on shelves near the entrance, around record players, and in other spots throughout the café. Although vinyl record cafés are not new to Ho Chi Minh City, the owners took years to collect records for both playing music and decoration. Currently, the café has over 100 records for music, while the number used for decoration is still uncounted. “We want to introduce more people to this type of music and offer them a relaxing experience,” said the café’s manager. The café spans about 300 square meters and can accommodate over 200 guests. Besides vinyl records, thousands of books are available for customers to enjoy.
‘Multi-sensory experience’: Malachy Tallack releases album to accompany new novel: …“It was hugely exciting to be able to bring part of the fictional world of this novel to life, to take the words of this character and put them to music. “Previously, writing books and writing songs have been completely separate for me but I couldn’t resist the chance to bring them together on this album. Having the opportunity to work with these incredible musicians made it all the more special for me. “That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz is a multi-sensory experience for literature and music lovers alike and its release is a landmark moment in my career as an artist.” …That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz will be available to purchase as a limited-edition vinyl record and to stream and download on all major platforms from October 24.
Keeping an Ever Growing Record Collection Organized: Exit to Vintage Street: Tips and advice for storing, cataloging and sorting a very large vinyl record collection. …The way my listening room has evolved, I have three main storage areas. First, there’s the central record and audio cabinet built by my friend Scott of Audio Acoustic Engineering (he also built the record display shelves above the cabinet, and yes, I get asked about the cabinet and displays a lot too). A 6-foot row of records, with storage space for in- and out-of-rotation audio equipment, and built like a tank. Second, on the left is an adjustable MCM wall cabinet (built by my dad in the early ‘60s) that my mom gave me when she downsized. She’s still using part of the whole unit, so I only got two risers, two dedicated record cases and a couple of shelves. By spacing the record cases just right I’ve got space for four rows of records. And third, on the right is an alcove into which I built a simple plywood unit with two more rows of records (plus one row on top). I’m not a handyman, so there’s a few millimeters of sag to that unit which bugs me, but it does the job.
Cincinnati, OH | Michael Wilson is Nonesuch Records’s nonpareil photographer: The beloved Cincinnati photog discusses his long-running “conversation” with the New York record label … and many, many other artists and musicians. Michael Wilson isn’t signed to Nonesuch Records, but the Cincinnati photographer has been making pictures for the expansive and adventurous New York label since 1998—gorgeously definitive black-and-white portraits of such artists as jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, Akron rock duo The Black Keys, and the late opera singer Lorraine Hunt Leiberson. As part of its 60th anniversary year, the label gave Wilson his own boxed set, featuring 20 signed and numbered prints: Michael Wilson / 25 Years: A Nonesuch Collection. It’s both limited (100 copies) and expensive ($600), a true objet d’art, though you can still get a taste of it online. “Michael Wilson approaches a portrait session as a conversation,” composer Timo Andres writes in his notes for the set. “His pictures become mementos of mutual trust between photographer and subject…”
UK | Tiny detail on dusty old vinyl forgotten in my attic made it worth £21k – I never batted an eyelid, but I’m glad I did. She needed the cash to pay for her daughter’s wedding. A tiny detail on a vinyl disc which had been collecting dust in a woman’s attic meant the record was worth a huge £21,000. Paul Fairweather, an expert in rare records and music memorabilia, got called to value the items belonging to a woman who was the granddaughter of Paul McCartney’s housekeeper. The woman, who has not been identified, wanted to sell her collection of signed letters and Christmas and birthday cards from the former Beatle so she could pay for her daughter’s wedding. Mr Fairweather, who owns Omega Auctions, took a look and estimated it to be worth around £5,000, which fell short of the £15,000 the mum needed. While he was still there, the woman remembered she had some records stored away in the attic and asked if he would mind taking a look. Mr Fairweather told The Telegraph: “I am always happy to go through somebody’s records.”
East Hampton, NY | Vinyl Record Swap: Have extra vinyl records you don’t listen to? Looking for new music to add to your collection? Join us in the Baldwin room for a vinyl swap! Bring in records to exchange for something new. Max 12 vinyl records per patron. Please make sure vinyl records are clean and in good condition.
Stockport, UK | Stockport’s Vinyl Record Fair—22nd September: Don’t miss Stockport’s fantastic Vinyl Record Fair for music fans and collectors, with vinyl records and CDs in abundance! On Sunday 22nd September at Stockport Masonic Guildhall, Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK1 3UA. Open from 10.00am until 4.00pm £1 per person at the door, or £5 for early entry from 9am
