It is easy on t’internet to find out about total UK, US or World sales of ‘product’ released on vinyl and CD. However, what I would like to know is how many albums have never been released on CD and, indeed, how many albums have never been released/re-released on vinyl? Examples of albums that have never been released in one format or another would be most welcome. I can’t e.g. locate an official CD release of Soft Machine’s “Land of Cockayne” or Kevin Coyne’s “Beautiful Extremes etc”, originally on Cherry Red.
Down In the Groove: A Vinyl Documentary (2021) on Amazon Prime
Solid amateur documentary about an interesting subject.
From IMDB: A Documentary film exploring the history and evolution of vinyl records. Featuring Interviews with the experts, musicians and fans alike, ‘Stuck in the Groove’ takes you on a journey of vinyl-mania, music and nostalgia.
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Also Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis (2023) on Netflix: Competent and enjoyable documentary that told me nothing I didn’t already know.
The Post-Vinyl LP
Well, I never…we’ll have to find a new “witty” mis-spelling.
Records, records, records.
Just watched this on Talking Pictures, I certainly recognise, if not the people, the traits they exhibit.
Record Fairs – any point nowadays?
Having visited two record fairs in Leeds over the past few weekends, I have come to the realisation that they are fairly pointless these days. My belief was always that the entire point of record fairs was to pick up a bargain or something rare. Nowadays, fairs are just expensive record shops. Just about every record I picked out over the last few weeks, I could get cheaper online. The cheap records are usually in absolute rubbish condition, the decent stuff in good condition is basically the Discogs med price and the rare stuff is ultra-expensive. I had a chat with one of the regular sellers and, to be fair to him, he said that his margins are so tight that when he gives a small discount to people buying more than four records at one time, it often wipes out his profit. The only positive is one seller, who has a big collection of new, non-mainstream records. He clearly picks up bulk stock – presumably excess stock from HMV or record labels needing warehouse space. He sells his new records at between £12 and £20, so if you do find anything you didn’t pick up when released, you can » Continue Reading.
Dusted Off: My STD 305D Turntable.
A couple of months ago I dusted off my old late ’70s turntable, which I got s/h sometime in the later ’80s. I gave it a bit of an overhaul (cartridge alignment, tracking weight, anti-skid, levelling etc) and played a couple of albums. It was reluctant to start up at first (unresponsive control touch pads – see photo) but then it decided that it was going to work after all. I’d not used it at all since then but yesterday, having moved it and the rest of my audio stuff to a new position in the room I thought I’d play an album or two. Once again it would not start up unless the relevant touch pad was repeatedly tapped until it responded. Unresponsive touch pads seem to be a common fault on these decks as they get old. After it had been playing for a bit however, the touchpad response was fine. It sounds pretty good, within the limitations of the rest of my fairly inferior setup. These decks seem to be pretty well-regarded by turntable enthusiasts. It doesn’t have the original tonearm, as the previous owner fitted a Stax UA-7 with what looks like a carbon fibre pipe » Continue Reading.
Vinyl Appreciation in Notts
Long time lurker, first time poster klaxon!
I co-run a monthly vinyl appreciation event in Nottingham. We’ve been going for almost a year now but our next event on March 8th is the first in our new home of the Lord Roberts pub on Broad Street in Nottingham city centre. If you know Nottingham the pub is situated near Rough Trade Records and the Broadway cinema in the Hockley area of the city. Admission is completely free and everyone is welcome. Our featured LP will be Paul Simon’s Graceland.
In April we’ll be celebrating forty years of 1980 when our featured album is David Bowie’s Scary Monsters which will tie us in to our first anniversary as the featured LP at session 1 was Hunky Dory.
We welcome people from 2pm downstairs in the Prohibition Bar. It would be great to finally meet some AWers. There’s a link here with more detail, to the event page on Faceberk.
Ace vinyl bargain
The double album “Horn Rock and Funky Guitar Grooves 1968-1974” is currently available from Ace Records via their Amazon marketplace outlet for just £4 plus £1.26 p+p. As opposed to 18 quid on their own site.
It’s great, especially disc 2.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Horn-Funky-Guitar-Grooves-1968-1974/dp/B07SWKBRBV
vinyl cleaners
The internet: bringing together lovers specialist interest hardware.
I present the Pro-ject VC-S Mk. II record cleaner.
(I am considering buying one s/h).
In other news: he’s got the same record player as me.
£10 vinlys!
Finders Keepers Records have a sale on at the moment, with lots of weird and wonderful LPs up for grabs at a tenner, including the Moomins one. CD versions are just £3.
Er, that’s it.
Test Songs
I was changing a few things around on my hi fi yesterday and to test it was all working properly I needed a CD to play
I chose Young Americans, title track and I realised I usually pick something from the 70s and invariably it’s this or Golden Years or something off The Kick Inside
What’s your go-to hi fi test song?
ATM – Ikea vinyl storage
I’m off to sunny Milton Keynes for two days, with an overnight stay, in a couple of weeks.
There’s a gig on the Stables and I’m staying near the Bowl, around the corner from Ikea.
Mrs F keeps muttering about tidying up my vinyl. What are the storage units called?
Is there anywhere else to go on a night out in MK?
Jazz vinyl bargain
The cover image has come on for a bit* of stick since it was first announced (and rightly so – the utter state of them), but the Martin Freeman/Eddie Piller-compilled Jazz On The Corner comp looks very good, and the double vinyl version is currently up for pre-order for £9.99 on you know where, as opposed to the CD version at over £15, which only boasts an additional three tracks.
As you were.
How much music have you got?
I’m specifically interested in your physical collection – albums and singles
I’m at the stage now where I probably have enough but I can’t stop snapping up bargains especially cds and I was curious about where I stand in comparison to other Afterworders
I have 485 Lps, 675 7″‘singles, 160 12″ singles 600 cd albums 115 cd singles 40 cassette albums
How about you?
God help me I’m enjoying Elbow
Behind an old shoe rack, hidden underneath a rail of clothing, and at the very back of a box of the usual Bygraves et al, yesterday in a charity shop I found three modern records on vinyl; something by a guy going under the name Sohn (sparse indie electronica I believe, although I haven’t heard it yet), the debut album by Glasvegas (destined for eBay, ker-ching!), and lastly The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow.
Maybe it’s my new system, perhaps it’s because the Elbow album is spread over two 45rpm LPs, maybe I’m just coming down with something, but I’m really, really enjoying it, despite being very Elbow-averse until now. I always had them down as bland pap at best, annoying anthem writers at best. Too bad I’ve promised it to my brother in law.
Has anyone here experienced such an instant turnabout in their opinion of an artist by y’know, actually listening to them? I’m sure we’d all love to hear about it.
What´s Tom Waits doing all day?
Last week I received an e-mail from the official Tom Waits thingy informing me all (I think) his albums are soon to be reissued on vinyl. Surely that´s good news for anyone who waits (see? clever, right? I´ll be here all week, no that´s not my coat, etc).
But it´s been six years since Bad As Me, his latest studio album. Has he retired? After all, he turns 68 next month. Should we hope for new music?
Invest in Vinyl folks, they’re not making any more of it
Daughter moles has risen to the top of volunteering at her local Oxfam shop, and is now responsible for pricing up all vinyl. She came home today with the staggering fact that Rod Stewarts’ Greatest Hits (the pink satin jacket one, you know the photo of Rodders) was now averagely priced on ebay at £12.00. A little cross-googling largely corroborated her story, that you could pick up a copy for £4.00, but others thought that a good copy might be worth north of a tenner. So, what gives? In my mind this is near the top of the chazza shop least wanted. (Yes she’s seen more than one copy of No Parlez). Is the vinly lifestyle madness now inflating even the last likely artists. And, pity her, any copy which might be above £8.00 they have to listen all the way through to check for pops and scratches.
HMV Vinyl Week and the like.
It’s getting to that time of year again where news of the now-familiar vinyl promotions from HMV, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are starting to appear, presumably partly with Fathers Day in mind. As well as the predictable Quo, Clash and Iggy Pop offerings, one of HMV’s titles this year is Bill Wyman’s 1982 self titled LP – on purple wax, naturally. An odd choice, or is it just me?
Also, will anyone here be grabbing any of these “exclusive” records from either HMV or the canny bandwagonning supermarkets?
http://www.hmv.com/music/hmv-vinyl-week-exclusive-vinyl-editions-second-reveal
Vinly sale
Recordstore.co.uk are having a sale at the moment, including loads of LPs for £8 and vinyl box sets from £20. I just got the beautiful Georgie Fame 4LP box which also comes with over 100 download tracks including b-sides, outtakes and demos. Twenty quid!
A String Of Pearls
My first sighting of Roxy Music was on Top Of The Pops in Autumn 1972. I recall being impressed with Paul Thompson’s beefy muscles, Bryan Ferry’s small microphone and unusually perfect teeth and Andy MacKay’s oboe. What a glorious noise they made! They didn’t look like normal human beings and they didn’t make normal human sounds. I didn’t buy the single because I bought the LP. Virginia Plain wasn’t even on it. It marked my final purchase of 1972, following on from Electric Warrior, Telegram Sam, Metal Guru, Slade Alive!!, Rock And Roll Parts 1 & 2, Sylvia’s Mother, School’s Out, Hunky Dory and All The Young Dudes, most of which were acquired second-hand from deals with friends or acquaintances. I felt I was becoming sophisticated.
Roxy Music, simply, got better. Over the years, they released sixteen singles in the UK, every one of which is pearl, all very different, yet recognisably Roxy Music. The quality never wavers below superb. Even the cover version, Jealous Guy, their only number one, exudes class, a fitting tribute to a fallen hero, with amazing whistling.
Virginia Plain Pyjamarama Street Life All I Want You Love Is The Drug Both Ends Burning Trash Dance » Continue Reading.
“UK vinyl sales reach 25-year high”
I don’t know who’s buying all this new vinly, but it ain’t me. Is you?
And yes, yes, the figure is a drop in the ocean compared to streaming, CDs, etc.
What does it mean if a vinyl is warped?!
I keep reading about warped, and just this week I sold some vinyls on eBay and somebody has informed me the record they bought from me is warped. The record in question had never been played or left the sleeve in 20 years, so I don’t know if that is what caused it. What does warped mean and how can you tell when your record is indeed, warped?!
Classic Rock Anthems on vinyl
This 2LP set is to hit supermarkets (and online stores) later this month, no doubt aimed at the “What-can-I-get-Dad-for-Christmas?” market. It’s full of the usual suspects that fill Fathers Day CDs and will apparently retail at around £15-20 (or perhaps a fiver come Boxing Day). I don’t know whether this ad is to appear on TV, but I wouldn’t be surprised. I thought we’d reached Peak Vinyl with classic albums being sold at Sainsburys, but it appears there’s some way to go yet. What next?
Wicker Man inspired music
I’ve just discovered the existence of a fourth Blood Ceremony album. The vinyl version (with MP3) is currently £10.70 on Amazon for the next two hours as a lightening deal. If I did vinyl I would have bought it. I haven’t heard a note so I have no idea how good or bad it is, but the previous albums are truly excellent. In the past they sounded like Black Sabbath meets Jethro Tull, but in a good way.
From the Amazon product description:
Taking it’s title from this fascinating slice of religious history, Blood Ceremony’s fourth album evokes pagan rites and the bizarre mystical underbelly of rural Britain. Embracing the psychedelic and progressive in their indelible songcraft, guitarist Sean Kennedy, bassist Lucas Gadke, drummer Michael Carrillo and triple threat vocalist/flautist/organist Alia O’Brien have created what Kennedy calls “a very English album,” despite the band’s very Canadian heritage. Recorded to analogue tape with producer Liam Watson at Toe Rag Studios in London, Lord Of Misrule possesses a timeless quality within the rock epoch: It could stand alongside a Shocking Blue or Deep Purple record as easily as it will take it’s place among 2016’s finest albums. Lord Of Misrule conjures a » Continue Reading.
Bowie At The Beeb vinyl bargain
The 4-disc Bowie Radio Sessions vinyl box set is currently at the bargain price of just £29.99 on Amazon UK. I snagged one a couple of hours ago with a gift voucher, and have just checked and it’s still the same price, so probably not a mistake, just a good bargain. It’s £75 on HMV!