Richie Ramone Drops His New LP, Cellophane With Rusty Knuckles Music In Conjunction via DC Jam Records

Richie Ramone Drops His New LP, Cellophane With Rusty Knuckles Music

RICHIE RAMONE DROPS HIS NEW LP, CELLOPHANE

Collectible Album Release Features Unique Black On Black Jacket — With Clear Cellophane Vinyl. This is sure to be a collectible for punk rock fans everywhere.

Order your copy today 

In Just 7 Years, Vinyl Records Have Gone from ‘Fad’ to ‘Billion Dollar Industry’

 

That’s right: vinyl records are about to become a billion dollar industry.  That’s the latest prediction from Deloitte, who exclusively shared their data with Digital Music News.

Looks like those beard-growing, wine-sipping hipsters were on to something.  That is, a billion dollars worth of something.   According to a game-smashing prediction released this morning, sales of vinyl records are set to become a billion dollar industry.  That is, in 2017 after just seven years.
Specifically, sales of records themselves will reach the $800-900 million-mark, with turntables and other accessories likely throwing things into 9-figures.

+ Still a Fad? Vinyl Records Return to 1991 Sales Levels

After that, who knows how big this can go.  The prediction was outlined in Deloitte’s just-issued ‘TMT Predictions’ report.  “Music industry vinyl is expected to continue its remarkable resurgence, approaching US $1 billion globally in revenues for the first time this millennium,” the report declares.

“New vinyl revenues and units are likely to enjoy a seventh consecutive year of double-digit growth in 2017.”

+ 12 Things That Won’t Happen In 2017 (My Music Industry Anti-Predictions)

Actually, music industry groups like the IFPI have been counting ten straight years of growth.  But hey, let’s not squabble: this is a growth spurt that keeps going, and bringing new users into the mix.

And reshaping an entire music industry in the process.

Now There Are Real, Playable Vinyl Business Cards

We celebrated Record Store Day last month, with vinyl enthusiasts from all over the country checking out their local record establishments. There was live music and special edition releases on sale in stores all around; in honor of a day that celebrates all things vinyl.

Meet Ryan Almighty, The Man Behind The Blood Portraits On The Brand New 7" Record From Antiseen and He Who Cannot Be Named

Ryan Almighty Blood Portraits On The Brand New 7" Record From Antiseen and He Who Cannot Be Named

Order your copy of the 7" Record now

1. Give us a quick view about why you enjoy doing the blood portraits?

Ive always been drawn to portraiture, and years ago when I was a performer (Viktor 44) It wasn't uncommon to incorporate blood into the act. It all just sort of evolved into what I am doing now. I am all about the aesthetics, symbolism, and dynamics of painting in human blood, Its without a doubt a passion and perhaps even a calling.

2. How does punk rock influence your art?

I was an outcast in a small town growing up, never fit in, nor did I want to, I found punk rock and art at an early age and used both as coping tools to get me through a fairly miserable hand I was dealt in the card-game of life. Kind of developed the philosophy: "If you cant join 'em, beat 'em" and developed a taste for provocation. Ive learned to stay true to myself and not worry about if my decisions in art are provocative or offensive to the status quo, and if that aint punk rock I dont know what is. Because of that it has become a goal to paint a lot of punk rock portraits utilizing the performers blood. Lets face it, life is temporary and in 20-50 years when my subjects and I are only a memory the fact that the paintings remain will be leaving relics of our little slice of time/(sub)culture.

Antiseen and He Who Cannot Be Named Launch Pre-Sale of New Split 7" Record

Antiseen and He Who Cannot Be Named Launch Pre-Sale of New Split 7" Record

Brand new split 7" vinyl record from the the destructo punks in Antiseen and He Who Cannot Be Named, of the Dwarves! The 7" also comes with digital download card.

Order your copies today!


This 7" vinyl record will be shipping in Late April 2016.

Music On Vinyl Records Is More Valuable Than Money, Find Out Why A Laser Vinyl Player Could Change Your Life

Crafting the perfect laser angle to play within the grooves of a vinyl record

Sound purists and vinyl auteur's flock to discussions about sound quality within analog recordings. The big difference is the depth and warm of sound on a vinyl record compared to that of a cd due to the compression of the sound wave as a flat file, compared to following the cut grooves of the actual song wave into the vinyl lacquer. 

In essence the bigger argument also resides within the constructs of portability and atmosphere. CD's became so prominent due to their ease of use and means of getting out to the masses compared to the fragility of a vinyl record. Pop the cd in the player and off you go, generally devoid of skips or scratches until used heavily over time or that drunk friend of yours who always leaves them out of their cases to be scratched up (yes, most of my friends). 

Vinyl records require a bit of a mood to be set. It can be very ritualistic as you become physically involved with the album. Whether it be knowing just when side A finishes and you should flip over to side B or that distinct warmth and humidity that seems to be when a needle finds the first few notes of your favorite album. 

Knowing all these things about the nuances of sound quality and why vinyl will never fully go away, dive into a great video about a laser device for vinyl records that will never destroy your most valued records and keep those grooves sounding perfectly for a long time to come.

View the original post on Decoded Magazine for the quote below

“The Laser Turntable employs patented technology that produces phenomenal fidelity while never physically touching the record, thus eliminating the deterioration to the album’s surface inflicted by conventional turntables. The laser’s precision allows you to pick up audio information that has never been touched or damaged by a needle. This virgin audio information is then reproduced without digitization maintaining true analog sound as close as possible to when the master tape was recorded. The Laser Turntable even allows you to play records that have been severely warped or damaged over years of wear and tear.” – EIP

Are Music Sales Really Dead? CD Sales Are Still Huge and Digital Streaming Points To The Future

 

Are Music Sales Really Dead? photo - Lucas Jackson/Reuters

Vinyl records might be the next wave in the minds of diehard music fans, but as a label, I can tell you that we still sell more cd's overall. Even for one of our biggest selling albums, we still have not sold out of the original run of vinyl that was pressed, purchase here. Vinyl is ultimately the better medium relating to album art, sound, presentation and overall vibe, but is only for the true audiophile collectors. Hopefully these buying audiences will grow in volume as more of the bands within our music group, gain a larger foot hold and appreciate the superior packaging.

X-Ray's Ignited Russia's Love Affair With Vinyl Records, How Bone Records Helped To Keep Rock N' Roll Alive

Photos via Jozsef Hajdu and Ksenia Vytuleva

Music as a medium permeates all cultures on earth and we definitely consider it to be the heartbeat of the soul. Watch the transformation of an audience when witnessing their favorite band taking the stage or to be lost in the middle of a song. It's a transformative moment and something to which our actions during that exact time period can be quite hard to define. 

Now imagine if your government forbade you to listen to certain types of music. Would this bring out a form of rebellion within you? Would this make a certain music genre more interesting to seek out? These few ideas could be thought about as a huge amount of what if's, but this is where things get interesting. Read on below to find out exactly how young Russians only a few decades ago were listening to forbidden music from the west. 

Pirates Press and GZ Media Unveil Brand New Vinyl Record Pressing Machine

Pirates Press and GZ Media Unveil Brand New Vinyl Record Pressing Machine

Getting vinyl records made can be a game called, hurry up and wait. When we are producing vinyl records we do our best to keep bands, fans and customers all up to date on when an exact arrival time might be and it can be quite daunting. Crazy to think, but at one time the exact color we were needing was out of stock far and wide and red vinyl was on hold until more pellets could be produced. Another time, we got so far behind as the manufacturer put our project behind another larger one, causing a full month delay. 

The headaches can go on and on as vinyl records are a tedious process, so it is great news to hear about Pirates Press doubling down and further developing their production process. We can thank them for the stupendous work on our picture disc on the GG Allin / Antiseen record. They are great to work with and have very competitive pricing.

Turn Your Ashes Into A Vinyl Record

Add your ashes to a vinyl record

Check out the article on Bloomberg Businessweek

"Jason Leach is just 41 and in good health, but he’s already made arrangements for his cremains. Part of it has to do with his family history. “I’ve heard stories about my father trying to scatter his grandfather’s ashes from a boat,” Leach says. “It went terribly wrong, and they ended up sweeping him off the deck.” Things didn’t turn out much better at his own grandfather’s memorial service. “There was a strong breeze,” he remembers, grimacing. “And the ashes blew right into my face.” When his time comes, Leach, who lives in Scarborough, on the northeast coast of England, wants a more dignified ending. So he’s having his ashes pressed into a vinyl record.

It’s not the most conventional final resting place, but for Leach—a 20-year veteran of the U.K. music business, as a producer, performer, and co-founder of such independent labels as Subhead and House of Fix—it was the only logical choice. And he’s not alone. In 2009, Leach founded And Vinyly (rhymes with “And Finally”), an online service for people who, like him, want their earthly remains to live on as an analog recording. At first, the site was mostly ignored. “I didn’t expect much from it,” Leach says. “It was just for fun.” But word slowly began to spread, and over the past six months he’s been inundated with requests. He’s only processed four records so far—including one with the ashes of a DJ whose parents wanted their late son “to be played at his favorite clubs a few more times”—but Leach has had hundreds of inquiries. “I’m sometimes up 24 hours a day just answering calls,” he says.

The process itself is fairly simple: Ashes are delivered to a pressing plant in London and sprinkled into the raw vinyl. But the cost can be exorbitant. The basic And Vinyly package starts at £3,000 ($4,600) for 30 copies of a record, each containing a bit of ash. It’s a fraction of the cost of a typical burial, which the National Funeral Directors Association ballparks at around $6,560. But then there are the add-ons. If you don’t want to provide your own audio, a team of musicians from Leach’s labels will write and record a song (or songs) about you for £500 per track. James Hague of the National Portrait Gallery in London will create an original painting for the record sleeve for around £3,500. You can also choose which specific body part is put into the vinyl and have your record distributed at “reputable vinyl stores worldwide,” Leach says, although there’s no guarantee you’ll ever be bought. By the time a final bill is tallied, an old-fashioned casket funeral might seem like a bargain.

But the price tag isn’t the biggest concern for the majority of And Vinyly’s customers. According to Leach, it’s the content that gets most of the hand-wringing. “People over-think it,” he says. “This tends to become a very long process with people changing their minds constantly.” Each record has just 24 minutes of available audio, with 12 minutes on each side. Not much to sum up a lifetime. And it gets even more complicated when Leach explains the infinite possibilities. “Just because it’s a record doesn’t mean it has to contain music,” Leach says. “It might be nice to have your own voice on there. I’d like nothing more than to listen to my great-great-grandfather say something on a record.” He’s recorded people telling jokes and talking about their family history, and even confessing their biggest regrets. One of his favorite And Vinyly records, he says, ends with laughter on a closed loop. “It just repeats over and over until you remove the needle.”

As for what he plans on putting on his ash record—he’s very serious about it, even including special instructions in his will—he’s as indecisive as any of his clients. “I’m working constantly on my soundtrack,” he says. “I make music, so that makes it difficult and complicated.” He names a few songs that will likely make the final cut, with titles such as Bust Rucket and Spaz ‘n Rave”. But lately, he says, he’s been more interested in what he calls “aural photographs,” which could include anything from a dog barking to the creaking of feet on floorboards to a muffled conversation in the distance. “Whenever I’m listening to field recordings, I’m always fascinated by the surrounding sounds we usually tune out,” he says. “Those things in the background that create an atmosphere, that’s what takes me back to a specific time and place.”

He’s also considered the idea of not recording anything at all and letting the only sound on his final LP be the pop and crackle of his ashes vibrating against the needle. “I quite like that idea,” he says. And then, after a thoughtful pause, he laughs at the impossibleness of his task. “Don’t hold me to any of this,” he says. “I’m sure I’ll change my mind tomorrow.”"

Whole Foods Is Now Selling Vinyl Records?

Does it come as a shock to you that a grocery store chain would start to sell a selection of vinyl records? In all honesty, it is not surprising at all. As the small record stores die a painful death and more music is streamed online, fans are still listening to just as much music, but just digesting it another way. 

Starbucks has been hip to this trend for many a year and had varying experiments with music in their stores. Vinyl is great for Whole Foods, as it carves out an experience being such a methodical process and in a way relates to preparing a meal. Does this sound like a first world problem, why yes indeed. The other comparison it feels akin to is choosing a wine based upon a meal. 

Do I think they will carry any bands on Rusty Knuckles Music? Well, that will be decided in the future, but if they would enjoy stocking some of their shelves with our vinyl, I sure as hell won't say no. 

Pass me a Coors Light and the paté hombre, time to put on some Antiseen vinyl.

Link to the article on the LA Weekly

Whole foods is now selling vinyl records?

""Pile on that kale salad," sings Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes from the Whole Foods parking lot. The ad-libbed riff on his song "It's A Little Bit of Everything" draws a mannered whoop from the weekend afternoon crowd, who have come to politely welcome Whole Foods into the music curation business.

Indeed, over the weekend the grocery store chain debuted vinyl-heavy music dispensaries in five of its 340 stores, including this one in West Hollywood. The event is swarmed. Valets scurry to park cars while those in attendance slurp oysters and crunch gluten-free pita chips. Two Mercedes get into a honking match and the sound-guy shouts: "Shit just got real in the Whole Foods parking lot." Soon, many in attendance go inside and dutifully buy Arcade Fire records. Such is the state of the industry in 2013, where folks are increasingly less likely to buy music at an actual music store.

Whole Foods has good reason to get into the music game: Starbucks, of course, has been selling music for white people and those who love them for years. And concerning vinyl, 2012 saw a 19% upswing in wax sales, a trend that has been consistent for the last half decade. Urban Outfitters, a master of disseminating and commodifying alternative culture, has had success with vinyl as well. 

Still, Whole Foods knows that even if they corner a significant portion of the market, the revenue would be relatively paltry. (Their sales, after all, were $11.7 billion last year.)

So why bother? One suspects suspect the real motivation behind this move is to further cultivate a sophisticated bohemian image. They are in the "culture business" -- if Urban Outfitters is the Best Coast of retail music crossovers, Whole Foods wants to be the Mumford and Sons. The hipsters are going to mature into middle age and some of them are going to find high paying jobs. It's telling that the first five Whole Foods locations to sell music -- West Hollywood, Fairfax, Arroyo, Santa Barbara, and Venice -- all have one foot on either side of the hip/affluent line. Be cool; spend money. 

And let's not forget the baby boomers, who may not represent the future but definitely have the money now. Why else would Whole Foods be selling Eric Clapton? 

Beyond that, their selection is an, um, mixed bag. They've got about 150 different records available, including those from Daft Punk, CCR, Paramore, Bob Marley, Tegan and Sara, and handful of Pitchfork's best new music picks. Hip hop is notably underrepresented, as is any kind of metal. (Surprise!) Jason Isbell hiding out among the hordes of indie rock. 

Our assessment?
 As curators, at least in this fledgling stage, they're doing a better job than Starbucks, which really has the no-taste-with-disposable-income crowd on lock. But, obviously, they're not in the discussion as places like Vacation Vinyl, Origami Vinyl, or Permanent Records. 

No one will confuse Whole Foods with a destination for music buffs, or even those with a more than a casual interest in music. This is music to be paired with wine, to play in the background while you discuss the pros and cons of gentrification. It's white bread, although perhaps artisanal white bread.

The effort isn't a complete wash, though. They say they're committed to stocking shelves and live lineups with local talent. David Lynch is scheduled to appear at the parking lot in West Hollywood on Saturday. (Hey, he's local, right?) And they devote a surprising amount of real estate to the record shop; it has its own separate building, which is kinda cool.

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the project is their partnership with LSTN Headphones. The L.A.-based company works to help restore hearing to those who have lost it, and sales from the headphones go toward the project. This week founders Bridget Hilton and Joe Huff are traveling to Peru with the Starkey Foundation, where they hope to restore hearing to 10,000 people. 

Our idealist Wendell Berry-toting college dorm room specter wants to scream that big companies should keep their hands off our precious records. But perhaps that's not the best way to look at it. Slinging vinyl these days? That's a noble pursuit in and of itself."