Dubai, UAE | Where to buy vinyl records in Dubai: Sales of vinyl are outstripping that of CDs. Gone all hipster and got yourself a turntable but not sure where to get vinyl to play on it? We hear you. But with news that records are outselling CDs in the USA for the first time since the 1980s it’s getting easier to find records everywhere. Here in Dubai it’s no different, with more and more places selling the 12-inch discs of joy. …Raw Music Store: A real treasure trove of music – with everything from Turkish folk music of the 1950s to the latest Radiohead release available, and loads in between. There are second hand and new vinyl available, as well as turntables and all kinds of accessories. The Flip Side: Perhaps the only true record shop on this list – this Alserkal Avenue hangout is where the cool kids go to get their music. The focus is mainly on electronic, world and funk music, with a side order of jazz and rock thrown in. There are often live sets here, too…
Winnipeg, CA | The vinyl countdown… Planet of Sound is in its own orbit around the world of music: Planet of Sound owner Dave Wright holds the Pixies album Trompe le Monde that has the Henderson Highway store’s namesake song on it. Wright says ‘vinyl is definitely on the upswing and has been for a while.’ According to a press release issued last week by the Recording Industry Association of America, for the first time since 1986 — the year songs such as Madonna’s Papa Don’t Preach, Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer and Falco’s Rock Me Amadeus were topping charts all over the globe — sales of vinyl records outstripped sales of compact discs for the initial six months of the year. Hey, Mr. Mister, it wasn’t even close. The RIAA report stated that between January and June, audiophiles doled out US$232.1 million on vinyl albums as compared with just less than US$130 million on their digital counterparts. And while that bit of news was music to the ears of Planet of Sound owner Dave Wright, it certainly didn’t come as some big surprise. “Vinyl is definitely on the upswing and has been for a while…”
Edinburgh, UK | Taylor Swift helps out Edinburgh record store with exclusive signed CDs: Edinburgh record store sells out of exclusive signed copies of Taylor Swift’s new album in less than two hours. An Edinburgh record store received a helping hand from global superstar Taylor Swift after a limited number of signed CDs showed up at their shop on Thursday. Assai Records on Grindlay Street received a surprise when they got a ‘very finite’ amount of the singer’s latest chart-topper Folklore, which was a surprise release from the artist during lockdown. After announcing the shop had stock of the limited signed CD, copies of the album had sold out in less than two hours. The ‘Record Store Folklore’ deliveries have been sent to various independent record shops, notably in the United States but more recently the UK, reportedly to help local music shops who have lost business due to the coronavirus pandemic. The album, signed by Taylor Swift herself, retailed for £16.99 and those lucky enough to grab a copy could not reserve it or order it by paying over the phone or online and had to physically visit Assai Records to purchase.
Edinburgh, UK | ‘It just went absolutely crazy’: Dundee record store ‘blown away’ after Taylor Swift sends signed albums: A Dundee record store has received a shock delivery of signed album sleeves from one of the world’s biggest pop stars. …Assai owner Keith Ingram said the delivery came as a complete shock. “We were not expecting it at all. We heard about signed CDs being sent to independent record stores in America but didn’t give it much thought. “On Wednesday morning a woman phoned us — I’m not even sure who she was — and she asked if we wanted any. Assai, which specialises in vinyl, does not usually cell CDs, let alone pop albums. Keith praised multi-Grammy award winner Swift for the “amazing” gesture. “For such a huge star to do something like this is really amazing. “She’s made a point of supporting stores like ours which is really nice. The response has blown me away. “We’ve had messages from across the world saying they wish they lived in the UK to come in and buy one.” “I’m still not sure why we were chosen by her team — maybe they chose the first store in the alphabet!”
Bradford, UK | Our Trader of the Week: The Record Cafe: Living the dream” is an over-used phrase but there must be many music lovers for whom running a record shop would be just that. Combine that record shop with a bar selling cask beer and serving charcuterie and cheeses and the dream is surely elevated to fantasy level! It wasn’t exactly what Keith Wildman, owner of Bradford BID’s Trader of the Week, the Record Café, had in mind when he opened his business in North Parade in 2014. But he doesn’t seem to be complaining… “The original idea was more of a vinyl record shop that sold bottles and cans,” he recalls. “However, with my passion for cask beer and pubs, and love of food, it evolved. “Selling cask and keg alongside bottles and cans made it far more of a bar than I ever intended, but you’ve just got to go with where an idea takes you. It’s part of the journey and learning curve. “Cheese and charcuterie made sense from a practice point of view, and it’s the perfect food to graze whilst having a few beers.
Dundee, UK | Groucho’s: Tell us your memories of the legendary record shop: When it was revealed last week that famed record store Groucho’s had shut for good, music fans lamented the loss. It marked a sad end to a turbulent period for the shop after its owner Alastair “Breeks” Brodie died last year. The long-term future of Groucho’s had been further jeopardised by Covid-19. In the week that has passed since the news came to light, it has become increasingly obvious that so many of you have your own treasured memories of the shop so we’d love to hear your memories for an upcoming article. In particular we’d like to know what record you bought from Groucho’s that changed your life. We’re also keen to hear tales of people that you met there and what the store meant to you. Drop an email to digital@eveningtelegraph.co.uk, including your memory, name, email address and phone number. Alternatively, send us a message on Facebook. We look forward to hearing from you.
