Yes, we too are unsure how long we’ll repeat this refrain, however as we noted upon the launch of our first of 9 weeks of vinyl giveaways, it’s easy to forget that going on 8 years now when TVD was in its year one (as was Record Store Day), the vinyl medium wasn’t “back,” sales weren’t stellar, and indeed record stores were a fading lot. No, worse actually. Shops we’re closing at such a clip, their disappearance literally informed the launch of the site you’re reading at present.
And as we’ll repeat for 9 weeks—vinyl and record stores go hand in hand. Their shared intrinsic value is the cultural commodity and the bedrock of any local music scene. Don’t believe us though… hit up your locals and the marriage becomes crystal clear.
But we too have been overwhelmed with the resounding popular and prevalent headlines as to vinyl’s big resurgence, yet they also arrive in tandem with far less rosy headlines such as “Starbucks to Open in Former Bleecker Street Records Space”—and worse, some very bad ideas when one advocates for record shops have, of late, become internet fodder. (Seriously, vinyl subscription clubs are the Carson Daly of record collecting.)
As such, picking up with an old TVD favorite, we’ve lined up 9 (count ’em, 9) weeks of vinyl giveaways as we count down to Record Store Day 2015 to redouble our efforts to underscore the viability and the inherent need for your local brick and mortar record shops to remain the vibrant community touchstone that they intrinsically are. And while we kinda hate hanging out by the mailbox waiting for a record to show up (unless you’ve ordered it from a mom and pop or directly from a label!) we’re shipping out records for 9 weeks straight as sweet reminders that record stores are literally where it’s at.
For week 4 of 9 in our giveaway series, a new slab of vinyl from Hanni El Khatib who played our own SXSW showcase 4 years ago.
“With a Black Keys-ish, authentic rock and roll vibe, San Francisco-based Hanni El Khatib is a one-man band that’s been selling out smoky bars and filling them full of bluesy electric guitar, drums and fuzzy amps. El Khatib is joined live by a drummer, but he writes, records and produces all songs on his own. One recent single, “You Rascal You,” is a masterful reinterpretation of a ’30s jazz standard.” —Gibson
“Hanni El-Khatib is one of the most talented acts in L.A. right now, a one-man band, singing, songwriting, and producing all on his own and synthesizing 50s and 60s garage rock, soul, blues, and even a bit of folk. El-Khatib’s attitude is his greatest attribute; anyone who strives to write songs for “anyone who’s ever been shot or hit by a train” and brings with him the rawness of Phil Spector, Jack White, the Shangri-Las, and the Black Keys.” —LA Weekly
Enter to win Hanni El Katib’s Moonlight by citing in the comments below one artist who could easily be described as a “one man” or “one woman band.”
We’ll choose one enthusiastic brick and mortar supporter with a North American mailing address for the LP on March 16. Our winner will be notified directly via email.
