March into Laurel Canyon

Laurel Canyon Music Scene

Laurel Canyon is a mountainous neighborhood/canyon located in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Hollywood Hills West district of Los Angeles. In the mid-sixties and early seventies, the vibe of this neighborhood was inspiration for many artists.  It was a chill environment where musicians hung out together at each other’s houses and collaborated, jamming on their acoustic guitars. The music created during this time was melodic and featured some of the best harmonies ever recorded.

Here are a couple of great albums that convey the spirit of those times.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Déjà vu (1970) – Déjà vu was the second album by CSN and their first as a quartet with Neil Young.  It features the song “Our House” which was written by Graham Nash while he was living with Joni Mitchell in Laurel Canyon. It’s an account of their day – simple and beautiful.

John Mayall – Blues from Laurel Canyon (1968) – Mayall lived in the Laurel Canyon area from 1969-1979. This album forms a record of his visit there and it was innovative for its time, especially by the standards of blues recordings. Fun fact – there were no visible track divisions on the vinyl album.

The Mamas and the Papas – The Mamas and the Papas (1966) – There was some drama in the group during the release of their second record.  Michelle Phillips was kicked out of the group, was replaced and then rejoined.  In the meantime, the album cover art which featured Michelle was re-shot with a new lineup and a new title, Crashon Screamon All Fall Down.  Some advance pressings with the new cover and title were released but once Michelle returned to the group, the original cover and title were reinstated.  Copies of Crashon are now very collectible.

Funky February Featured Titles

Growing up, we always listened to records in my house (no big surprise there).  My Mom wasn’t into the crooners or soft rock/singer-songwriters.  She loved something funky so I always had a steady stream of music that made you want to get up offa that thing.  So for February, in honor of her, here are some funky featured titles you might like to add to your collection:

Parliament – The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein (1976) – The album is notable for featuring horn arrangements by ex-James Brown band member, Fred Wesley.

Prince – Around the World in a Day (1985) – Prince’s seventh studio album features his backing band The Revolution. Psychedelically funky, it features the hit, “Raspberry Beret.”

War – The World is a Ghetto (1972) – War’s fifth album was number one on Billboard and was Billboard magazine’s Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973.

A Look Back at 2019

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 6 years since we opened!  We’re so grateful for the support of our customers and because of you, we had a great 2019. We thank you for allowing us to bring music into your homes and hearts!

As 2019 comes to a close, we look back at some of the in-store events we planned for YOU this past year.  As we continue to cultivate a community of music and movie lovers, we look forward to hosting up-and-coming bands, indie filmmakers and artists in 2020 too!

Music

Georgia-based singer/songwriter and troubadour, Adam Klein

Record Store Day celebration in association with WPHL-dB URock Radio Philadelphia featuring live performances by Three Fourteen, Eddie Everett & Kevin Tarzanin

Open Mic Events with host Peter Kardas

Band Fan Nights on the Big Screen

Movies

Remember the 27 Crusaders – Produced by Character Driven Productions and Thistle Dew Studio

Show Us Ur Shorts in Association with FirstGlance Films

More

Colors of Life and Love Book Signing

Play it Loud – The Art of the Instrument

I recently checked out the “Play it Loud” exhibition at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Co-organized with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the exhibition primarily features various instruments from some of rock and roll’s greatest and most influential musicians. It’s the first time that a major museum has had an exhibition of this nature.

Some might think this exhibit is just like viewing rock instruments at a Hard Rock Café but I think the exhibition gives a little more insight into the construction of some of the instruments and the desired sounds that the artists were looking to achieve.

Not only does the exhibit convey the importance of the instruments’ sound, it also highlights the significance of the instruments’ visual appearance. Some rock and roll legends used colorful imagery and graphics on their instruments that were representative of their unique styles.

I enjoyed the artfulness of the instruments and I’d like to highlight a few of my “artsy” favorites.

Jimi Hendrix’s Flying V

Hendrix used nail polish to paint the designs on this famous guitar that was used between 1967 and 1969.

Paul McCartney’s Bass

McCartney played this violin bass adorned with a Union Jack design during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration concert in 2012.

Keith Moon’s “Pictures of Lily” Drum Kit

The custom made drums feature nude pictures of Lily Langtry, British flags and Who logos.

The FOOL Guitars

The FOOL was a group of psychedelic artists who painted instruments for Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker as well as a mural on the Beatles’ Apple store in London.

Overall, I found the exhibition informative and very enjoyable.  It was great to get an up-close look at the instruments that make the music. I highly recommend seeing it if you’re in New York City. If you go, be sure to check out the live performance clips of the musicians and their instruments in action too.

The exhibition runs through October 1st.

https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2019/play-it-loud

 

Record Store Day 2019 – April 13th

Vinyl Revival Parties on Record Store Day with

Live Music, Exclusive Releases, Swag and Snacks

Vinyl Revival is proud to be participating in Record Store Day, an international day to celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store, on April 13, 2019.  Vinyl Revival will stock a selection of titles that are Record Store Day exclusive, limited edition and first releases.  As part of the Record Store Day celebration, there will be free in-store performances in association with WPHL-dB URock Radio Philadelphia featuring musicians Kevin Tarzanin and Eddie Everett.  There will also be a performance by Vinyl Revival favorites, Three Fourteen. Vinyl Revival will give out free Record Store Day promotional materials with purchases and provide light refreshments and drinks for shoppers during extended store hours from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Vinyl Revival and WPHL-dB URock Radio Philadelphia have programmed live entertainment for customers’ shopping enjoyment which will be broadcast live to the net during store hours on Record Store Day. Performing is vocalist and bass player Kevin Tarzanin from the reggae/ska band Bullbuckers, drummer Eddie Everett from Eddie Everett’s Academy of the Sweet Beats and the reggae and blues-influenced rock jam band, Three Fourteen.  Along with their originals, Three Fourteen plays songs by their favorite artists such as The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, and many other rock groups.

Three Fourteen will play at 1 p.m. and Eddie and Kevin will play at 2:30 p.m. Music and merchandise by the performing bands will be available for sale at Vinyl Revival.

Additionally, Vinyl Revival will host a book signing with T.L. Wahid, creator of Colors of Life and Love.  Featuring real people and real photos, the adult coloring books promote well-being and living well.

For a complete list of titles being released for Record Store Day 2019, visit http://recordstoreday.com/.

 

2018 in Review

2018 in Review

Thanks to all of our customers for a great 2018!

In addition to selling new and vintage vinyl, we’re trying to create a community where customers can have conversations centered on music, movies and more.

Here’s a look back at some of the in-store events we planned for YOU this past year. Hope to see you talking music at one of our special events soon!

Music

Just Roses

Record Store Day celebration in association with WPHL-dB URock Radio Philadelphia featuring live performances by Fred Masherino, Anthony Caserta and The Transmission NOW

The Transmission NOW

Jon Shain

Peter Kardas

Peter Kardas

Open Mic Events

Movies

The History of Philadelphia’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Show Us Ur Shorts

DEATH by MetaL

DEATH by MetaL

More

FirstGlance Film Festival Preview Party

Jimi Hendrix Celebration

Thanks for supporting our indie record store!

Make it a Very Vinyl Christmas!

Shopping for a music lover this year? Here are some of our top picks for those on your gift list.

  1. Record player – A portable record player makes a great first turntable. With built in speakers, 3 speeds and RCA output, just plug it in and play.
  2. Record Store Day Black Friday Exclusive record releases – Buying for a record collector? Record Store Day Black Friday exclusive, limited edition, picture discs, and colored vinyl records are a welcome addition to any collection.
  3. Music-themed jewelry – Accessorize your outfit with treble clef and eighth note earrings or necklaces and pins with trumpets, pianos, drums and more.
  4. Art & Books – Shop a large selection of art and books from local artists and authors including autographed books by Charlie Gracie and T. Morgan. 
  5. Gift Certificates – Give the gift of music with a Vinyl Revival gift certificate and let your music loving friends and family do their own shopping.

Concert Queen Strikes Again…and Again…and Again…

For me, summertime means concert time! One of my favorite things to do is see live music and I recently had two weeks of one great show after the other.  It started with U2 and ended with Dr. Dog.  Here are a few highlights and my most loved moments from each show.

My whirlwind of concerts started with U2.  It was a nice treat to see them at the Wells Fargo Center after seeing them outdoors last year for the Joshua Tree tour.  Their outdoor shows are epic but I prefer the intimateness of their indoor shows.  The production, as always, was incredible.  The band was tight and Bono’s voice was beautiful. They played a lot of new material from Songs of Experience which I happen to love, especially the danceable “The Blackout” and the rockin’ “American Soul,” but they threw in a few gems like “I Will Follow” and “Gloria” for the old-timers too.  Overall, it was an incredible show especially for long-time fans like me who continue to follow them and keep up with their latest releases.

Two days later, I made the trek up to Toronto to see one of my all-time favorites – Robert Plant. He didn’t stop in Philly this tour so I planned a road trip to see him at the outdoor waterfront Budweiser Stage. Sheryl Crow opened the show with lots of energy and many of her hits then Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters hit the ground running, opening with “The Lemon Song.”  It was a Zep fan-heavy crowd, so this song was a huge hit with everyone. They went on to play a really nice mix of new songs from Carry Fire, some Zeppelin songs and even “In the Mood” from The Principle of Moments, which pleasantly surprised me.  He rarely plays 80’s material so it was a real treat to hear that one.

A few days later I was back in Philly and at the Mann Music Center to see Roger Daltrey perform Tommy with the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra.  Tommy has always been one of my favorite Who albums so I was happy to see Roger perform these great songs once again.  I felt that the rock opera really came alive with the addition of the orchestra.  The overall sound was so rich and the violinist who played at the end of the “Baba O’Riley” finale was amazing! Roger was pretty amazing too!

Capping off this stretch of concerts was hometown rockers, Dr. Dog.  This is one band that gives an incredible live performance!  I never tire of seeing them live. Touring in support of their new album, Critical Equation, the guys performed a nice mix of old and new songs and kicked off the set with a crowd favorite, “Shadow People.” Festival Pier was a nice venue choice for the group too as their music has a cool party vibe.

Next up, I’ll be seeing Foo Fighters then I’m sure I’ll hit a few more shows over the summer – Xponential Festival, possibly Jethro Tull at the Mann in September, maybe a 104.5 Summer Block Party.  There are so many good concerts.  I hope that my pocketbook can handle it!

Brooklyn Bound for David Bowie is

I finally got a chance to head up to Brooklyn to catch the David Bowie is exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum.  It’s been touring around the world for the past five years and the Brooklyn Museum is the last stop.  There are over 400 items in the exhibit and most of them are from Bowie’s Archive.  There are costumes, handwritten lyrics, photographs, drawings, etc., plus lots of wonderful video clips of performance footage.  The audio tour automatically plays Bowie’s music and voice as you walk through the exhibition, making you feel as if he’s giving you a personal tour of the collection.  You don’t need to be a Bowie super fan to enjoy this exhibit. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys his music or enjoys studying music in a cultural context.

A few of my favorites from the exhibition were:

The Costumes – Bowie had a keen sense of style and his wardrobe gave life to the characters he created. He could easily go from one style to the next; wearing especially artful jumpsuits for Aladdin Sane to tailored, sharp suits in the 80’s.  He worked with many notable fashion designers to constantly reinvent himself.  The exhibition features many of his famous costumes plus video clips of him performing in the costumes which I particularly liked.

Insights on his Creative Process – Having studied art, Bowie was very involved in developing the concepts and artwork for many of his album covers, concert props and imagery, and he would also sketch out images to correspond with his song lyrics. The exhibition features many of his small sketch books and drawings which allowed you to see how his ideas developed.

Stage & Screen Highlights – I also enjoyed the small section that highlighted Bowie’s acting career. In addition to his popular roles in Labyrinth and The Man Who Fell to Earth, he performed mime, starred in the Elephant Man on Broadway and entertained in countless music videos. The exhibition features a Broadway playbill, a handwritten letter to Bowie from Jim Henson, clips of Bowie from various portrayals, and more.

David Bowie is runs through July 15th.  If you plan on going, give yourself plenty of time to navigate the exhibition.  It took me about 3 hours but I read almost everything.  I recommend going during the week if possible as it was very crowded on Sunday when I was there. Photos were not permitted so I don’t have any from inside the exhibit to post except for a couple from inside/outside of the gift shop.  You’ll have to go see all of Bowie’s fantastic collectibles in person!

For more information on the exhibition, visit https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/davidbowieis.