Vinyl Sound on Rebound

Some things never change.

It seems that for the past few years, vinyl has seen a rebound of sorts, especially with the younger generation discovering the wonderful medium of the record. This trend seems to only be speeding up instead of stopping anytime soon, as a recent nytimes article will attest.

The article: “Vinyl Records and Turntables Are Gaining Sales”

In the article:

“Rachelle Friedman, the co-owner of J&R, said the store is selling more vinyl and turntables than it has in at least a decade, fueled largely by growing demand from members of the iPod generation.

“It’s all these kids that are really ramping up their vinyl collections,” Ms. Friedman said. “New customers are discovering the quality of the sound. They’re discovering liner notes and graphics.” In many instances, the vinyl album of today is thicker and sounds better than those during vinyl’s heyday in the 1960s and 1970s.

Sales of vinyl albums have been climbing steadily for several years, tromping on the notion that the rebound was just a fad. Through late November, more than 2.1 million vinyl records had been sold in 2009, an increase of more than 35 percent in a year, according to Nielsen Soundscan. That total, though it represents less than 1 percent of all album sales, including CDs and digital downloads, is the highest for vinyl records in any year since Nielsen began tracking them in 1991.”

So vinyl may be surviving more than it is truly thriving (which I don’t think I could ever see happening again), but at least it seems it won’t go the way of the 8-track and disappear altogether. And vinyl is surviving with good reason– you simply cannot beat the sound, especially with record-cutting technology today, nor can you beat the large piece of art with liner notes– night and day compared to the stamp-sized digital piece of art that comes with mp3 downloads, like on itunes. Records are more tangible. From a tactile perspective, you can actually hold them in your hand and appreciate them– especially in the throwaway culture of today. Sonically, the warm sound of analog is unmatched and it seems that more and more people are forgetting what music is meant to sound like. People’s ears are getting dumbed down by over-compressed digital audio files and it is nice to see that people– especially young people are realizing this. It’s a crazy thing to think that some of the children of the current generation of children may also inherit record collections one day. It almost carries a sense of romanticism, as I can recall when I inherited my father’s record collection in vivid detail. My music listening habits were ingrained in stone right there and I can’t help but smile at the thought of a new generation being able to enjoy the same thing.

Vinyl fan or posessed, tormented soul?

So this past week, I decided to see for myself the music purchasing trends of random groups of people at two different record stores that I had not yet visited in the South Jersey area. I visited Tunes in both Marlton and Turnersville, NJ. Tunes offers new and used CDs, cassettes, vinyl, DVDs and video games. I was only concerned with people who were purchasing music. I did this just to get a taste of what music and what format people were shopping for at the time, and on a regular basis. It was difficult to get a considerable amount of people to participate (holiday shopping rush), however the results were compelling. This was done with their consent, although for reasons of anonymity at the request of most of the people I presented with my brief survey, I changed their names while retaining their ages and their respective towns of residence. So without further ado, here are my findings:

Firstly, here is what my little survey looked like:

All in all, 20 different people participated. I capped it at ten surveys per store. Here is what I found at the two Tunes stores:

TUNES IN TURNERSVILLE

• Steve McGlinchey, 22 of Pine Hill tends to buy rock and alternative CDs once a month. He has never bought a vinyl record. On 12/7/09, he purchased Wilco, Self-titled on CD.
• Jane Anderson, 43 of Turnersville tends to buy rock and jazz CDs once every few months. She has not purchased a vinyl record in decades. On 12/7/09, she purchased Bob Dylan, Christmas in the Heart on CD.
  
• David Jenkins, 35 of Turnersville tends to buy rock and blues CDs once a month. He has purchased a vinyl record as recently as a year ago. On 12/7/09, he purchased Norah Jones, The Fall on CD.
• James Morrissey, 16 of Blackwood tends to buy rock and alternative CDs and MP3s once a week. He has never bought a vinyl record. On 12/7/09, he purchased The Dead Weather, Horehound on CD.
• Stacey Smith, 28 of Turnersville tends to buy rock, rap and alternative CDs and MP3s once a month. She has never bought a vinyl record. On 12/7/09, she purchased Lady Gaga, The Fame on CD.
• Ben Harrison, 46 of Williamstown tends to buy rock, jazz, alternative and classical CDs and cassettes once a month. He hasn’t bought a vinyl record in years. On 12/7/09, he purchased Bruce Springsteen, Tracks on CD.
• Bill Harley, 25 of Woodbury tends to buy rock, rap and alternative CDs and MP3s once a month. He has never bought a vinyl record. On 12/7/09, he purchased The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute on CD.
• Lucy Hayes, 32 of Pine Hill tends to buy rock, jazz and country CDs, MP3s and vinyl records once a month. She has purchased a vinyl record as recently as a month ago. On 12/7/09, she purchased Josh Groban, Noel on CD.
• Mary Langley, 22 of Mullica Hill tends to buy rock and rap CDs and MP3s once a week. She has never bought a vinyl record. On 12/7/09, she purchased Cage the Elephant, Self-titled on CD.
• Mike Ross, 52 of Berlin tends to buy rock, jazz, classical and blues CDs once a year. He hasn’t bought a vinyl record in years. On 12/7/09, he purchased Susan Boyle, I Dreamed A Dream on CD.

TUNES IN MARLTON

• Jennifer Ross, 33 of Chery Hill tends to buy rock CDs once a month. She hasn’t  bought a vinyl record in years. On 12/11/09, she purchased Kings of Leon, Only by the Night on CD.
• Andrew Newman, 20 of Marlton tends to buy rock, rap and jazz CDs and vinyl records once every few months. He has purchased a vinyl record as recently as a month ago. On 12/11/09, he purchased Yes, Tales of Topographic Oceans on vinyl.
• Peter Griffin, 46 of Somerdale tends to buy rock and rap CDs once a year. He hasn’t purchased a vinyl record in decades. On 12/11/09, he purchased Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti on CD.
• Annette Montgomery, 55 of Haddonfield tends to buy rock, jazz, classical and country CDs once a year. She hasn’t bought a vinyl record in decades. On 12/11/09, she purchased Miles Davis, Quiet Nights on CD.
• Fred Morris, 29 of Lindenwold tends to buy rock, rap, alternative and blues CDs and MP3s once a month. He has never bought a vinyl record. On 12/11/09, he purchased Queens of the Stoneage, Era Vulgaris on CD.
• Patty Mayonnaise, 45 of Belmawr tends to buy rock, jazz, alternative, classical and blues CDs  once a month. She hasn’t bought a vinyl record in years. On 12/11/09, she purchased Taylor Swift, Fearless on CD.
• Dave Fox, 33 of Runnemede tends to buy rap CDs and MP3s once a month. He has purchased a vinyl record as recently as a year ago. On 12/11/09, he purchased 50 Cent, Before I Self-Destruct on CD.
• Andrew Lester, 18 of Marlton tends to buy rock, jazz, classical and blues CDs, MP3s and vinyl records once a month. He has purchased a vinyl record as recently as a month ago. On 12/11/09, he purchased Neil Young, Live Rust on vinyl.
• Jim Pierce, 23 of Collingswood tends to buy rock and rap CDs once a month. He has never bought a vinyl record. On 12/11/09, he purchased Logos, Atlas Sound on CD.
• Denise Mulligan, 16 of Ashland tends to buy rock and rap CDs once a month. She has never bought a vinyl record. On 12/11/09, she purchased Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavillion on CD.

RESULTS

This was obviously not a legitimate scientific study, nor was it done with a large enough cross section of customers over a wide enough geographic area to find any real patterns or trends, however it was great for getting an idea of what demographic seems to be buying what.

It seems that those who are more inclined to buy vinyl are are members of the younger generation (late teens to early twenties) and it is this same demographic that is more inclined to purchase Mp3s as well. Perhaps being a target demographic of Apple’s itunes and other similar services has led to many of them branching off to vinyl in search of better sound, and as I said earlier, music that is more “tangible.” The nytimes article seems to allude to this and I think there is some truth there. One person (Dave Fox) purchases hip-hop on vinyl in order to scratch on his turntable, something which is far from dead in the DJing world.

Members of the older generation (40-55) were more likely to have owned vinyl in the past, although it seems that most of them have sold their turntables or given them away and moved on to other mediums. Many were even surprised to hear about the slight resurgence of vinyl. One man I talked to said that he, “knew he should have held onto all those records.”

As I assumed, the medium of cassettes is pretty much dead and the one person (Ben Harrison) who buys cassettes only does so because his car lacks a CD player. There are also not many country fans in South Jersey– at least ones who shop at Tunes.

I’d like to graph some of this information, but I haven’t yet had time, so stay posted, for the record

Panasonic Won’t Nix Technics

Clearing up the confusion…

Panasonic have released an official statement that claims they have no current plans to discontinue the Technics brand of turntables.

If you’ve been browsing the vinyl blogs lately, you’ll most likely have heard a few people commenting that Technics would be discontinuing their trademark 1200 and 1210 turntables. The story first emerged at the DMCWorld site, where we were informed that:

“We have just heard the sad news from Panasonic (the manufacturer of Technics) that production of the world famous Technics SL-1200 and SL-1210 DJ turntables will stop at the end of February 2010. This marks the end of an era – Technics have been the industry standard for over 35 years with this turntable and the SL-1200 is synonymous with the DJ culture.”

The alleged statement was later repeated on sites such as Future Music and the Global Hardstyle forums, before quickly spreading across the internet.

Surprise, shock and disbelief were the common reactions to the rumours, and this was only compounded when Australia’s In The Mix site issued another statement from Panasonic spokesperson Ian North on November 27th. North was reported to have said that, “It is a sad day today, but due to low sales globally in analogue turntables a decision to stop production has been made on Technics Turntables. For Australia this means we will receive our last shipment in March.”

However– just three days later, North spoke to the Australian branch of Cnet, stating that his comments to In The Mix were “premature.” North talked about the “decline in the analog market,” before adding, “We are still supplying our dealers and we still have stock coming in.” That said, in the same article, Ryan Hochkins of Australian DJ equipment retailer DJ Warehouse has commented on ongoing distribution issues in his territory. “There’s always people who come in and want to buy Technics whether they’re at the price they are at now or the price they were at two years ago, but it was never easy for us to get them,” Hochkins states.

While all this was going on elsewhere, the DMCUpdate page where the story first originated was altered, now informing readers that: “Our latest update on the subject of the continued production of Technics turntables is that Panasonic NZ have now been advised by Panasonic Japan that there has not been an official decision made either way at this time. It may be some time before there is an official announcement from Panasonic Japan but we will keep you updated.” In The Mix was also finding it difficult to get a straight answer from Panasonic, with the Australian branch of the multi-national offering a closing statement that said, “In regard to the discontinuation of Technics analogue turntables, Panasonic Corp. has made no official global announcement with regard to this matter. Panasonic Australia is unable to provide any further comment.”

All this speculation and the lack of clear facts emerging led many to question whether this was all a clever stunt by Panasonic to increase demand in the short-term leading up to Christmas, with the Inverted Audio blog asking, “is this a mean viral marketing stratergy to boost global sales of their turntables?”

Well, we can now reveal that all talk of production stopping on Technics turntables has been untrue, as Panasonic have issued us with the following:

“As a major global business, Panasonic keeps all of its operations under constant review. However, there are no current plans to discontinue the Technics brand and the production of Technics turntables.”

Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! Box Set Details

November 27th and 28th marked the 40th anniversary of the Rolling Stones concerts at Madison Square Garden that yielded the Rolling Stones’ breakthrough live album, Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! Reviewing the original album in the November 12th, 1970 issue of Rolling Stone, they wrote, “It’s still too soon to tell, but I’m beginning to think Ya-Ya’s just might be the best album they ever made. I have no doubt that it’s the best rock concert ever put on record.”

It’s 40 years later and that statement remains as true as ever. In recognition of this historic occasion, ABKCO Records released Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones In Concert: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set and Super Deluxe Box Set in the U.S. and Canada on November 3rd. Both Box Sets were released internationally by ABKCO and Universal Music Group on November 30th.

The Deluxe Box Set gives you three audio CDs including a remastered disc of the original Ya-Ya’s repertoire as well as a disc of five previously unreleased Stones tracks recorded at the MSG shows. The third CD encompasses unreleased performances by the shows’ stellar openers: B.B. King and Ike & Tina Turner, five songs from the former and seven songs from the latter. The Box Set also includes a 56-page Collector’s book featuring photos and an essay by Ethan Russell, the acclaimed photographer who accompanied the Stones on the ’69 tour, whose book Let It Bleed: The Rolling Stones, Altamont, and the End of the Sixties was also released on November 2nd. The package also includes the original review by Lester Bangs, a series of recollections from a cross-section of fans who attended the concerts and a postcard size replica of the original Stones ’69 tour poster by David Edward Byrd. It comes with a code enabling fans to download “I’m Free (Live)” for Guitar Hero 5 in a limited number of Box Sets.

Included as well is a bonus 27 minute DVD presented in 5.1 surround by legendary filmmakers Albert and David Maysles, also entitled Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The film includes brilliantly shot full-length performances of the five previously unreleased Stones songs — “Prodigal Son, ” “You Gotta Move,” “Under My Thumb,” “I’m Free” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Beyond the song performances, the film includes a sequence with Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Jack the Donkey during the cover shoot for the Ya-Ya’s album, and backstage meetings between the Stones and some of rock music’s most legendary artists.

The Super Deluxe edition of Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert is the same as the Deluxe with the addition of three vinyl LPs, one of which has etched images featuring the cover art and the Rolling Stones’ signatures.

Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out Here:

• Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones In Concert [40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Box Set] [3 LPs, 3 CDs + 1 DVD]

• Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones In Concert [40th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set] [3 CDs + 1 DVD]

Freshly Cut- New Music Releases: November 17th, 2009

From my friends over at Collecting Vinyl Records:

Some amazing music this week including the Paul McCartney, Good Evening New York City (2-CDs & DVD)release, Fall Out Boy’s Believers Never Die, Greatest Hits (CD & DVD), Morrissey , with Swords (2-CD deluxe edition) Rod Stewart ‘s Storyteller (4-CD box set), Rush, Working Men, the band’s first “best-of” live performance compilation, the Doors – Live in New York (6-CD box set), and Sheryl Crow’s Tuesday Night Music Club (remastered 2-CD & DVD edition). Also look for new albums by Norah Jones (The Fall), John Mayer (Battle Studies), American Idol’s Kris Allen debut, new music from Leona Lewis (ECHO), Vic Chesnutt (Skitter on Take Off), Alexandre Desplat – The Twilight Saga New Moon – The Score and the debut self-titled album by Them Crooked Vultures.

Alejandro Escovedo checks in with a double LP reissue of A Man Under The Influence, 70’s rockers Yes reissues their LP Relayer on vinyl, Janet Jackson releases Number Ones (Greatest Hits), look for David Bowie’s Space Oddity on vinyl (remastered with bonus CD), four reissues by the Blood Brothers, Sun Ra – New Steps (remastered), some early Spandau Ballet – Heart Like A Sky/Through The Barricades as well as Atlantic Records-The Time Capsule (11-disc box set), Charisma Records Anthology 1969-1978 (3-CDs) and Score 20 Years of Merge Records – The Remixes. Look for lots of Christmas music next week and the weeks to come!

Buy New Music Here

13th Chime – The Lost Album
A Fine Frenzy – Oh Blue Christmas
A Grave With No Name – Mountain Debris
Alejandro Escovedo – A Man Under The Influence- Deluxe Bourbonitis Edition (2-LP vinyl reissue with bonus tracks)
Alexandre Desplat – The Twilight Saga New Moon – The Score
Anberlin – Anberlin – The Anthology
Annie – Don’t Stop
Anthony Narvaez – Light Show & Audio
Bad Lieutenant – Never Cry Another Tear (vinyl)
Baroness – Blue Record (vinyl)
Beak> – Beak>
Bell Orchestre – As Seen Through Windows (vinyl)
Bellflur – Last Quarter Of The 20th Century Blues
Blood Brothers – Burn, Piano Island, Burn (reissue with bonus CD)
Blood Brothers – Crimes (reissue with bonus CD)
Blood Brothers – March on Electric Children (reissue)
Blood Brothers – Young Machetes (reissue with bonus CD)
Boyz II Men – Love
Casting Crowns – Until the Whole World Hears
Chairs – Nine Ways
Chief – Mighty Proud
Corey Smith – Keeping Up With The Jones
Dan Zanes – 76 Trombones
Dave Rawlings Machine – A Friend of a Friend
David Bowie – Space Oddity (remastered with bonus CD) (vinyl)
Devin Townsend – Addicted
Doors – Live in New York (6-CD box set)
Fall Out Boy – Believers Never Die – Greatest Hits (CD & DVD)
Felt – Felt 3 A Tribute to Rosie Perez
Forever the Sickest Kids – The Weekend Friday
Hawksley Workman – For Him And The Girl
Horrors – Whole New Way (vinyl)
Janet Jackson – Number Ones (Greatest Hits)
John Entwistle – Rigor Mortis Sets In (reissue with bonus tracks)
John Mayer – Battle Studies
Justin Bieber – My World
Keane – Hopes and Fears (with bonus CD)

Buy New Vinyl Here

Kid Harpoon – Once
Kid Sister – Ultraviolet
Kris Allen – Kris Allen
Leona Lewis – ECHO
Les Claypool Frog Brigade – Purple Onion (vinyl reissue)
Lissie – Why You Runnin’ EP (vinyl)
Lovely Feathers – Fantasy Of The Lot (vinyl)
Lovvers – Think EP
Matt and Kim – Matt and Kim (vinyl reissue)
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Summer of Fear (vinyl)
Miles Davis – Live In Vienna 1973
Morrissey – Swords (2-CD deluxe edition)
Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
Norah Jones – The Fall
Nurse With Wound – Space Music (vinyl)
OneRepublic – Waking Up
Patrick Watson – Just Another Ordinary Day (reissue)
Paul McCartney – Good Evening New York City (2-CDs & DVD)
Rakim – The Seventh Seal
Real Estate – Real Estate
Robin Guthrie – Songs to Help My Children Sleep EP
Rod Stewart – Storyteller (4-CD box set)
Rush – Working Men (first “best-of” live performance compilation)
Ryan Trevor – Introducing Ryan Trevor (vinyl)
Sheryl Crow – Tuesday Night Music Club (remastered 2-CD & DVD edition)
Spandau Ballet – Heart Like A Sky/Through The Barricades
Spiritualized – Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (reissue)
Steve Martin – The Crow New Songs for the Five-String Banjo (vinyl)
Sun Ra – New Steps (remastered)
Tape Deck Mountain – Ghost

Buy New Vinyl Here

The Company Band – The Company Band
The Fall – Hex Enduction Hour (remastered with bonus CD)
Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
tUnE-yArDs – BiRd-BrAiNs
Various Artists – Atlantic Records-The Time Capsule (11-disc box set)
Various Artists – Forge Your Own Chains, Vol. 1 Psychedelic Ballads And Dirges 1968-1974
Various Artists – Hoodwinked Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Various Artists – Psychedelic States – Mississippi In The 60’s
Various Artists – Refugees Charisma Records Anthology 1969-1978 (3-CDs)
Various Artists – Score 20 Years of Merge Records – The Remixes
Various Artists – Trapped in a Scene UK Hardcore 1985-89
Vermillion Sands – Miss My Gun EP
Vic Chesnutt – Skitter on Take Off (vinyl)
We Shot the Moon – A Silver Lining
Wingdale Community Singers – Spirit Duplicator
Yello – Touch Yello
Yes – Relayer (vinyl reissue)

Buy New Vinyl Here

New Jersey Record Stores – Interactive Map

Vinylography lesson.

Here is a little work-in-progress. This will be a definitive map of all of New Jersey’s record stores when it is completed. As of now, about 90% of the stores are up, as I am still trying to track them all down. This may also become a tab on the main page for added convenience. If you have any information on a record store that I may have missed, just drop me a comment.

Record Store

Record Store Reviewed

Thanks to Tim over at RecodShopCity.co.uk for emailing me his vinyl record icons.

Here’s a less definitive alphabetical list from the Record Store Day website:

Bus Stop Music Cafe’

Pitman, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

CD Exchange

Northfield, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Curmudgeon Records

Somerville, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Eyeconik Records & Apparel

Franklin, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Eyeconik records and apparel

Franklin, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

ez2collect

Fair Lawn, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Grooveground

Collingswood, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Jack’s Music Shoppe

Red Bank, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Princeton Record Exchange

Princeton, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

RECORD CITY

PATERSON, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

RECORD KING

HACKENSACK, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Scotti’s Record Shop

Morristown, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Scotti’s Record Shop

Morristown, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Scotti’s Record Shops (3)

Summit, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Sound City

Bayonne, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Sound of Trenton

TRENTON, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Sound Station

Westfield, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

The Record Collector

Bordentown, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

The Record Store

Howell, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Tunes

Marlton , NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Tunes

Hoboken, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Tunes

Voorhees, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Tunes

Turnersville, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

Vintage Vinyl

Fords, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

yesterday’s treasures

union, NJ

VISIT WEBSITE

ZIG ZAG

Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Wall-Mounted Record Rack

Nice rack.

Your favorite records, sturdily-kept and ready to go.

We came across this interesting vinyl record rack over at Hard to Find Records. The metal unit attaches to your wall and keeps 80 records within reach. We like it as a secondary storage unit for keeping your favorites nearby. Here’s a bit about it from the HTFR site:

This innovative vinyl set holder fixes to any flat wall and provides a perfect, and very stylish, storage solution for around 80 vinyl records. Six of the seven vertical tiers will hold approximately 10 records each, while the dual function top tier has adequate spacing for around 10 records in each of it’s two spaces. This vinyl set holder is a very attractive storage method that will help protect your records while keeping them in perfect grasp for your mixing sessions.

HTFR is based in the UK but they can ship worldwide. Exchange rates put this unit at $49.85 in the US and it is available here.

From my friends at analog apartment

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales – Week End

Week Ending 11/14/2009

1. 45 – Mixed Feeling “Sha La La” / “Love Will Find A Way” United – $4,950.00

2. LP – The Beatles “Yesterday And Today” Butcher 2nd State Mono Paste-Over Sealed – $2,900.00

3. 10″ – Syd Barrett “Octopus” one-sided acetate – $2,500.00

4. 10″ – Charlie Parker self-titled Dial 203 – $2,210.00

5. LP – Hank Mobley self titled Blue Note 1568 – $1,999.99

Thanks to http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great info.

Second Saturday Record & CD Collector’s Expo – Coming up on 11/14

This Saturday, Wayne NJ is hosting the Second Saturday Record & CD Collectors Expo which will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Firemen’s Hall, Parish Drive at routes 23 and 202 South in Wayne.

(North of Route 80/46 Interchange)

Records * CDs * 12″ * 45’s * Tapes

Memorabilia * Posters * T-Shirts

More!

Rock – Metal – Jazz – Soul – Punk – R & B – Folk

Industrial – Pop – Alternative – Sound Tracks – Show Tunes

Comedy – Classical – Country – Imports – Promos

New Releases – Rarities – Out of Print – More!!!

Admission is $6.

Call Fred Falk at (973) 209-6067 for additional info or e-mail him at fred@nji.com.

Visit www.showsandexpos.com.

Going to contact Fred myself, as general info on this show seems to be scarce. Stay posted.

Freshly Cut– New Music Releases: November 10, 2009

From my friends over at Collecting Vinyl Records:

Lots of great stuff this week including the Pixies Minotaur (Deluxe Edition) (17-disc box set), pre-orders for the Miles Davis The Complete Columbia Album Collection, AC/DC ‘s Backtracks (2CD & DVD box set), Billie Holiday’s The Complete Commodore and Decca Masters (3-CD box set), Ella Fitzgerald’s Twelve Nights in Hollywood (remastered 4-CD box set) and R.E.M. ‘s Live At The Olympia (4-LP 2-CD DVD limited edition).

Look for new music by 50 Cent, Bon Jovi, Tori Amos, Switchfoot, Wilco, Rickie Lee Jones, Dashboard Confessional, Snow Patrol, Robbie Williams, Robyn Hitchcock and Michelle Branch (just to name a few). Additionally, there are some awesome reissues including: King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King (remastered with bonus disc), Echo & The Bunnymen – Live at the Royal Albert Hall, Grant Lee Phillips, the Yardbirds, Stephen Stills and Porcupine Tree. Also look for remastered Rolling Stones albums, a release from Jerry Garcia, Jackson 5 – I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters and music from the 2012 Soundtrack.

Buy New Vinyl Here!

50 Cent – Before I Self Destruct
AC/DC – Backtracks (2CD & DVD box set)
Anne Hills – Points of View
Apse – Climb Up
Asobi Seksu – Rewolf (vinyl)
Bad Lieutenant – Never Cry Another Tear
Bellwether – Seven And Six
Ben Frost – By the Throat (vinyl)
Biffy Clyro – Only Revolutions
Big Kenny – The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy
Bill Frisell – Good Dog, Happy Man (2-LP vinyl & CD)
Billie Holiday – The Complete Commodore and Decca Masters (3-CD box set)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Live (live CD/DVD)
Bobby Birdman – New Moods (vinyl)
Bon Jovi – The Circle
Brant Bjork – Somera Sol (reissue)
Brazos – Phosphorescent Blues (vinyl)
Britney Spears – Britney Spears The Singles Collection
Caroline Herring – Golden Apples of the Sun
Cave In – EP
Chris Robinson – Chris Robinson and His Many Hand Band
Cindytalk – The Crackle of My Soul
Cobra Skulls – American Rubicon (vinyl)
Cribs – Ignore the Ignorant
D. Boon – D. Boon and Friends (reissue)
Dashboard Confessional – Alter the Ending (2-CDs) (vinyl)
Dead Meadow – David Peel Sessions
Detroit Cobras – The Original Recordings (reissue)
Devendra Banhart – What Will We Be (2-LP vinyl with bonus tracks)
DJ Rupture & Matt Shadetek – Solar Life Raft
Echo & The Bunnymen – Live at the Royal Albert Hall (reissue)
Echo & the Bunnymen – The Fountain
Ella Fitzgerald – Twelve Nights in Hollywood (remastered 4-CD box set)
Flyleaf – Memento Mori
Fray – The Fray
Fun – Aim and Ignite (vinyl)
Gabriel Yared – Amelia (soundtrack)
Gary Myrick – Language (reissue with bonus tracks)
Gary Myrick – Living in a Movie (reissue with bonus tracks)
Githead – Landing
Grant Lee Phillips – Ladies’ Love Oracle (reissue)
Heather Masse – Bird Song
Hurricane Bells – Tonight Is the Ghost
Hyperstory – Hyperstory
J. Tillman – Year in the Kingdom (vinyl)
Jackson 5 – I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters
Jamie Cullum – The Pursuit
Jason Mraz – Jason Mraz’s Beautiful Mess – Live On Earth (CD & DVD)
Javelin – Javelin (vinyl)
Jerry Garcia – The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2 Let It Rock
Katatonia – Night Is the New Day
Kevn Kinney’s S.T.A.R. – Comin’ Round Again (reissue)
Killers – Live at the Royal Albert Hall CD/DVD
King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King (remastered with bonus disc)
King Diamond – House of God (remastered)
King Diamond – Voodoo (remastered)
Lady Dottie And The Diamonds – Lady Dottie And The Diamonds (reissue)
Ladytron – Light & Magic (reissue)
Les Paul – The Inventor Great Guitar Instrumentals
Lissie – Why You Running EP
Little Girls – Concepts
Loch Lomond – Night Bats
Lupe Fiasco – Super Fiasco Bros
Luther Dickinson – Onward and Upward
Madison Violet – No Fool for Trying
Manu Chao – Baionarena (2-CD & DVD)
Melody Gardot – My One And Only Thrill (with bonus tracks)
Merzbow – 13 Japanese Birds Volume Eleven
Michelle Branch – Everything Comes and Goes
Midnight Masses – Rapture Ready, I Gazed at the Body
Miles Davis – The Complete Columbia Album Collection
Mr.Gnome – Heave Yer Skeleton
Nada Surf – Karmic EP (reissue with bonus tracks)
Nadja – Thaumogenesis (vinyl)
Neal Morse – So Many Roads
Nebula / Lowrider – Nebula / Lowrider Double EP (reissue)
New Monuments – New Monuments (vinyl)
Ola Podrida – Belly of the Lion
Omar Rodriguez Lopez – Xenophanes
Pants Yell! – Received Pronunciation (vinyl)
Pete Seeger – Live in 65
Philip Glass – Glass A Madrigal Opera
Pieta Brown – Shimmer
Pixies – Minotaur (Deluxe Edition) (17-disc box set)
Porcupine Tree – Up the Downstair (reissue)
Puscifier – C Is For (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference Here)
Queen – Absolute Greatest (remastered)
R.E.M. – Live At The Olympia (4-LP 2-CD DVD limited edition)
Radian – Chimeric (vinyl)
Ray Davies – The Kinks Choral Collection
Rickie Lee Jones – Balm in Gilead
Robbie Williams – Reality Killed The Video Star
Robin Crutchfield – The Hidden Folk
Robyn Hitchcock – I Often Dream of Trains in New York (CD & DVD)
Rolling Stones – Flashpoint (remastered)
Rolling Stones – Live Licks (remastered)
Rolling Stones – Love You Live (remastered)
Rolling Stones – Still Life (remastered)
Rolling Stones – Stripped (remastered)
Saudade – Lookouts’ Journal
Shirley Bassey – Performance
Sleep Whale – Houseboat
Snow Patrol – Up To Now
Stan Ridgway – Barbeque Babylon (reissue)
Stan Ridgway – Blood (Mark Ryden Piece) (reissue)
Stephen Stills – Stephen Stills (vinyl reissue)
Sunset – Gold Dissolves to Gray (vinyl)
Switchfoot – Hello Hurricane
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than the Stars EP (vinyl)
Tori Amos – Midwinter Graces (CD & DVD)
Tubes – Mondo Birthmark
Various Artists – 2012 Soundtrack
Various Artists – Ghana Special Modern High Life, Afro-Sounds & Ghanaian Blues, 1968-81
Various Artists – Pirate Radio (soundtrack)
Various Artists – Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Guns N’ Roses
Various artists – Saint Etienne Presents Songs for The Dog & Duck
Various Artists – Thai Beat A Go-Go, Vol. 1 (vinyl reissue)
Various Artists – The Harmonic Series A Compilation of Music Works in Just Intonation
Wale – Attention Deficit (vinyl)
Wilco – Being There (2-LP vinyl & CD)
Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture Vol. 2- Enter the Dubstep
Wyclef Jean – From The Hut To The Projects To The Mansion [EP]
Yardbirds – Roger the Engineer (vinyl reissue)

Happy Listening!

An Evening with Bob Dylan

The poet laureate of rock & roll

~Nov 9, 2009

Philadelphia, PA

Temple University – Liacouras Center~

Yesterday morning, as I rolled out of bed and groggily wiped my eyes clear of the night’s sleep, I was asked if I’d like to go see a Bob Dylan concert. For a second, I thought I may still be asleep and simply dreaming of this amazing opportunity to see one of the founding members of modern folk and the man who electrified it and brought it mainstream, changing the game forever. This was the man who wrote Like a Rolling Stone, the anthem of an entire generation, many years before my time. This was a man who was covered by Jimi Hendrix. This was Bob Dylan.

So I pinched myself and yeah, it hurt. This was no joke, but a bonafide, no-turning-down opportunity here. Plus the tickets were being given to us for free. Another check on the bucket list.

I have heard many conflicting things in terms of Bob Dylan’s live show and I was ready for anything. Sometimes I hear that live, Bob Dylan (now 68 years old) decides to change songs up entirely and sometimes he stays at his little corner of the stage, out of the spotlight and behind his keyboard instead of picking a guitar or playing his harmonica. He may stick with the lyrics, or he may foray into indecipherable drunk-sounding mumbles behind the microphone. It’s hit or miss with Bob, or so I was told. And hey, it’s Bob Dylan– the man can do whatever he wants.

Well let me tell you right off the bat that the man was on fire last night at Temple. He was introduced as “The Poet Laureate of Rock and Roll” to an immediate standing ovation. And last night, not only did he play guitar (and lead for that matter) on a solid third of the songs, but he dazzled the crowd with his brilliant and melodic harmonica solos which he burst into regularly when he wasn’t playing the keyboard. His voice was grungy, dirty and soaked in bourbon as he crooned and crackled his way through his poetic lyrics in classic Bob Dylan fashion, as his voice characteristically bent upward at the end of each line. Sure his voice may have frayed a bit since his younger days, but in many ways it added to the music instead of subtracted from it. The modern renditions of his songs were dirtier, folkier and harder hitting than any I’ve heard before. Tom Waits could have been Bob Dylan’s son– sorry Jakob.

And Dylan’s band were spot-on incredible.

Dylan’s artistic vision of the “Never-Ending Tour,” and “Never-Ending Tour Band,” have been in fruition since 1988, as he freed himself from the constraints of recording new material (Even though he has recorded new material since then) and although his band lineup has changed, it has retained the concept that the live show should be a venue for reinterpretation, experimentation and in essence, should be completely live in every facet that a live show could be live. That was Bob Dylan and his band last night at Temple’s Liacoras Theater.

And an old friend is back in the band. Arc Angels guitarist Charlie Sexton, who played with Dylan from 1999 to 2002, has rejoined his group. Earlier this month Sexton sat in with Dylan in Round Rock Texas, causing rumors that a reunion was imminent. “I love and respect Bob and am very happy to be reunited with my friend onstage,” Sexton tells Rolling Stone. “I’m starting up with him for the fall tour and will carry on with him from there.” He’s unwilling to say any more about what brought him back. “I’ve never given an interview about Bob,” he says. “Ultimately he is my friend, and it’s not my place to talk about his business.”

Sexton’s playing was incredible and I must admit that he actually took some of the spotlight away from Dylan as he got down on his knees on the stage, ebbing and flowing with the notes he made burst forth from his guitar as he pointed the guitar around like an automatic weapon. It wasn’t distracting, but rather fun to watch. And Dylan didn’t seem to mind. And Sexton’s playing was impeccable.

All of the music provided by the backing band was along the lines of a tastefully expanded and explored reinterpretation of the original versions ranging from the 60’s to the 80’s. The sharp, flowing keyboard notes retained their original and filling flow (especially when provided by Bob), while the addition of another two guitarists when Bob wasn’t playing (and when he was) brought a new dimension to the music, making it sound fuller as new life was breathed into an old beast. The bass lines were simple and appetizing as the bassist trotted up and down the fretboard, keeping meticulous timing as the very talented drummer tore things up from atop his little perch. This was a whole new side of Bob Dylan and what a pleaser at that. Nothing was lost but much was gained. The starstruck crowd easily found itself lost in new, little jams and hooks that never before came from any of their old Dylan LPs.

In line with the music, the band wore tasteful black slacks and jackets and two members wore hats that seemed to echo the deep south, now popular among the likes of contemporaries like Jack White. I’m no hat expert, so I will call them Zorro hats. Bob’s hat had a much wider brim and was gleaming white. You couldn’t miss the man, even when he receded to the back of his little keyboard.

The setlist was as follows:

1. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
2. Man In The Long Black Coat
3. I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
4. Beyond Here Lies Nothin’
5. Spirit On The Water
6. High Water (for Charlie Patton)
7. Tryin’ To Get To Heaven
8. Cold Irons Bound
9. Desolation Row
10. Po’ Boy
11. Highway 61 Revisited
12. Workingman’s Blues #2
13. Thunder On The Mountain
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man
15. Like A Rolling Stone
16. Jolene
17. All Along The Watchtower

The band moved swiftly from song to song like a well-oiled machine and classics like Highway 61 and rocker, Ballad of a Thin Man brought the crowd to insurmountable cheering. The last three songs were of the encore and needless to say, I found myself lost in wannabe nostalgia. There was no Hurricane, but I think I will survive.

I think I was on the same wavelength as most of the crowd at Temple University last night. Fans young and old were there to do much more than pay homage to a legend. They were there to bask in the musical brilliance of a man who has helped to define an era of music. Many had never even heard Bob Dylan before, but they were able to appreciate him. At last night’s concert, you had the feeling that at that place, at that time you weren’t simply watching and listening to a concert, but you were participating in the culmination of an already-established legend. We made it happen. In the air hung the feeling that you were truly part of something important that night and it was timeless and true. It was Bob Dylan and you had to be there to believe it. Rarely do I leave a show with such a feeling of deep satisfaction. Usually this satisfaction comes on mere grounds of well-played music, but last night it was something more. It was respect, it was awe. It was rock at it’s roots. It was Bob Dylan… for the record.

images from: http://www.bumpershine.com/wp-images/posts/bob_dylan_live.jpg, http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/images/dylan-unitedpalacetheater-hernanhernandez.jpg and http://www.subrosacafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dylan-live.jpg