Oxford, UK | Happy music memories a year on from HMV reopening: Here we feature some happy musical memories from the Oxford Mail archive to mark HMV’s return to Cornmarket just over a year ago. Since then, the music store has been busy with customers buying vinyl, CDs, record players, T-shirts, books and other items. HMV closed its Cornmarket branch in 2014 and made a comback last September. Former Boyzone star Ronan Keating was one of the first stars to visit and meet his fans. Today’s pop music fans probably haven’t heard of Brother Beyond. But the boy band had a strong following in the late 1980s and a number two hit with The Harder I Try. It was groups like these who would cause a stir when they turned up for in store signings in record stores like HMV in Cornmarket Street in Oxford. Jennifer Lafton, 18, was a big fan and she waited four hours to meet lead singer Nathan Moore back in 1986. There were lots of in store performances for fans over the years and local bands like Foals and Young Knives took the opportunity to turn up and play their latest singles.
Kingston, UK | Banquet Records passes one million online orders: Banquet Records is celebrating passing one million customer orders via its online shop. Banquet, a former Music Week Awards winner, reached the sales milestone for mail order at the weekend. It’s further positive news for physical music, following sales data for 2021 that showed the first year-on-year market increase in revenue terms for 20 years. The Kingston-based record store revealed that it hit seven figures with an order for a CD and ticket bundle for Michael Ball & Alfie Boe. The Banquet event takes place on November 2 at the Pryzm venue, which regularly hosts outstore gigs for the record shop. Orders at BanquetRecords.com have increased three-fold compared to four years ago, with part of that down to the impact of Covid changing how fans purchased physical music.
London, UK | The 1975 to hold signing session at London’s Rough Trade East: Matt Healy and co. will drop into the record store next month. The 1975 are set to make an appearance for a signing session at London’s Rough Trade East. The band will drop into the record store from midday on Sunday, October 16, two days after the release of their new album ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language.’ You can purchase tickets for the special signing here now. You can also pre-order/ pre-save their fifth studio album. The news comes after the band recently shared their new single, ‘All I Need To Hear.’ Speaking to Apple Music 1 about the track, frontman Matty Healy explained: “A lot of my songs require me to perform them, but I think that I’d love to hear Joe Cocker [sing this] – not that we could have that, but it feels like one of those songs where it’s like I’ve stepped out of the Matty-ness of everything.”
Long Beach, CA | VIP Records owner launches ‘Where’s the Whistler’ campaign to give the legendary sign a home: In January of 2018, the world-famous VIP Record sign was removed from the iconic record store on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. The sign and the attached store had become synonymous with launching the careers of Warren G, Snoop and Nate Dogg, but it was being removed after a 7-Eleven took over the building that housed VIP. Before the removal of the sign, a battle for the legacy the sign represents was underway. Kelvin Anderson, the owner of VIP, says he put the sign up for sale on eBay to help fund his retirement. The Long Beach City Council, who offered no assistance to keep the store in its original location, unanimously voted to make the sign a historic landmark as it attempted to block the sale. Since then, there has been no movement, no new location, and no answer on where the sign will be housed.
Ibiza, SP | Ibiza Global Radio launches record label with first vinyl release: The Ibiza Global Radio team is proud to announce the launch of Ibiza Global Records with the release of a first vinyl record. After a wildly successful first edition of the Ibiza Global Festival in July 2022, as well as the recent announcement of a new collaboration with Los40 Dance, another exciting chapter begins as the first compilation by the Ibiza Global family is released. Under the name “Ibiza Global Radio – The Soundtrack of Ibiza”, six carefully chosen tracks await electronic music lovers. Side A features “Mar Profundo” by Jose Maria Ramon, “Hidden” by Mihai Popoviciu, and Chromira by MA (Marc André Brandtner). On Side B, you will find sonic pleasures including “Volà” by Toni Moreno, “Saturday” by Reff and Ismaso, and “Happy Place” by Nima Gorji and Octave. The record is available to buy via a selection of international online retailers – you will find all the links at the bottom of this article. And that’s not all!
Frederick, MD | Joe Bussard, Record Collector Who Preserved Early American Blues and More, Dies at 86: His vast collection of several thousand 78 rpm records is revered as a one-of-a-kind archive. Joe Bussard, a record collector who helped preserve and celebrate early American blues, country, gospel, and folk music, has died. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2019. Bussard’s family announced the news in a Facebook post, writing that he had died “peacefully at home” on September 26. He was 86 years old. Through his collecting, Bussard developed one of the biggest, most rarefied stockpiles of music that otherwise would have been lost to history. Reports estimated his collection to be between 15,000 and 25,000 records, which are notably more fragile than their vinyl counterparts due to their interior makeup and shellac resin exterior. He maintained a focus on old-time music: material recorded and released before World War II.
Fela Kuti’s Afrodisiac set for 50th anniversary edition: Coming on December 2nd. Fela Kuti and the Africa ’70’s Afrodisiac is receiving a 50th-anniversary special vinyl release this December via Knitting Factory. Originally recorded on 45rpm, Afrodisiac was re-recorded in Abbey Road in 1971 and contains some of Fela Kuti’s early hits on the Nigerian music charts. This release will contain 2 green/red marble LPs and a gold fold OBI. You can pre-order Afrodisiac now. Check out the packaging and tracklist…
