Also, you wrote with poor grammar Brian...you ment say  "to " what I wrote...pls be sure to use spell chek

Actually, Bri, it completely negated everything you've ever written here. At least, that was my take.

Um hello, it also confirms what I was saying?

An interesting article about vinyl which kind of confirms a bit of what both you and Stu are saying, Mike.

Also, it seems Toronto is getting an indie music station very soon.

I don't think that this is a trend back to a previous format per se.  I think this is a trend away from mainstream record stores toward speciality record stores targetting serious listeners and collectors.  The mainstream music business is, I believe, firmly shifting to the downloading/streaming digital formats with a continuing struggle to control and monetize the consumption of music.  Physical record stores have to provide something that appeals to the more serious consumers, and vinyl is a great fit.  They'll probably also focus on  offering services to chase down rare and obscure music for their customers.  But they'll have to build their businesses around a much smaller customer base. 

Interesting post, Stu.  If I am any bellwether for the current trend, things are definitely changing, or more accurately, changing back.  I buy more vinyl (say 30-40 records a year) than I do CDs by far these days.   Any digitized music I get comes via download.   And vinyl has re-assumed its place in my heart as the most (or only) exciting media for listening to music.

Death to the CD, long live the groove!

Over the last year i am noticing an interesting subtle shift when on my music purchasing rounds in used disc stores...... About 6 months ago pandemonium a good west end junction used disc shop moved location down the block and when they reopened, their used CDs had gone to the back of the store in reduced numbers, whereas the vinyl had moved to the front and had increased in volume.... Since they I have noticed this trend at a few other places.... Also, i have noticed the extreme volume of customers at the few record only places such as sonic boom in kensington (their bathurst street location still has cds out front but the vinyl is no longer in the basement and it is also a larger part of the ground floor space then in the old bloor location).... On top of this there has been a significant increase ion volume of new 180g reisuues and bew releases ibn pretty much all stores selling new product like Soundscapes, HMV etc....
Upon reflection, this trend makes sence since, why buy cds when you have shit album art in these stupid plastic cases , when you can buy (or steal) mp3 files much more cheaperly or buy the real deal being records and get the physical art component, arguably better warmer sound (and you can still relatively easily burn it at home onto mp3).... Perhaps the cd really is ending sooner rather than latter, but as one who has a passion for vinyl, I am heartily glad and a bit surtprised to see cds being replaced by.........vinyl....
perhaps onl;y record nuts will buy them and perhaps the colume will only be a fraction of what it was 20 years ago, but it will be interesting to see how far they come back into mainstream circulation...

Don't know how long it will last but I'm loving the soundz of Angus & Julia Stone.  Highly derivative folkpop, but nontheless, very pleasant to listen to.  If you listen to only one track, the go-to is Big Jet Plane.

I know that you lot keep an eye out for who's touring and if you happen to see that Godspeed You! Black Emperor is playing in or around TO, let me know cause i'd love to see them.  I'm diggin' the new album ...as much as one can dig something so epic, dark and moodful.

Gents, any interest in seeing Aimee Mann November 6th at the Danforth Music Hall?   I'm going with a neighbour friend (named Derek, but don't let that confuse you).  Her new record sounds good.

Couple of pre-weekend nuggets for you:

1-An interview with Klaus Heymann, Naxos label founder. 

2-If you're still using Grooveshark, the non-paying version of Rdio, they now have a mobile version for your phone.

Enjoy!

Living in Ottawa, I didn't get all that many chances to shop at Sam's.  To me, that sign with it's huge albums was the most exciting symbol of downtown Toronto.  It was the best part about being in the big city.  We had some good record shops in Ottawa, but we had nothing like that!

So many memmories...truly it was my favorite place in toronto while it was around... i mean, more imnportant then any other real estate in the city, restaurant, girlfriends homes , bars, etc....
I recall arriving late one night after too many drinks that were in celebration of a new job i just landed and was to start the next day...I never made it to the job that next day and i dont remember what i bought that particular time....but it was a part of the celebration....
...I spent every boxing day at that store from 1975 to closing.....I can still feel that anticipation waiting in thet god forasaken line up that snagged up past A and M ....
....scoring a old Phil ochs lp that had obviousl;y been in that rack for a decade or more... deciding I couldnt afford it......leaving the store and returning an hour later after I had come to my sences and seeing it gone...never to repeat that mistake...
...on and on....
hears to Sam!

Any memories of Sam's to share? I certainly loved seeing the iconic spinning signs whenever I'd take the subway downtown with my parents. God knows how many hours I spent flipping through albums for different artists. Ah, youth.

Also, most depressing pop music facts.

Glad you're enjoying. Bri. It's certainly one that continues to get more enjoyable for me with each listen. Sorry I wasn't able to join you all for last night's festivities at Lees. Wondering, though, if any of you were interested in either:

-Dinosaur Jr. on the 25th or 26th
-Latitia Sadier on the 20th

Realize both are signs that I'm wallowing in the 90s but decided tonight that I really want to see both of these and, more importantly, both fit in my sched. Who's in?

Spooky

Hey Kyle just gave the Spooky Action album a listen, and thoroughly enjoyed the retro-esque jangle.  Good variety and lots of skill in the arranging and song-writing.    Merci for the heads up.

Rodriguez has arisen from obscurity and is playing the MOD club Oct 25...thanks to the recent documentary on him... I( am going to this show w John my neighbour.... anyone else interested let me know if you need a ticket...

Great band , but only for a short potent time....from inception (1969ish) until, Duane Allmans death from a motor cycle accident ( I think) around 1972ish...Mike check Wiki if you need the precise details....
Duane did the lead guitar dualing on Derek and the Dominos (Eric Clapton) Layla, on top of all his sterling work on the first 2 albums and half of third album eat a peach.... All 3 albums favorites of mine..... After thatv they had a few good singles under brother Greg Allman's (the singer) guidance..... Dicky Betts was the other lead guitar player , and he can write a good siong or 2 as well.... I prefer them to LYnurd Skynyd , whom some may claim to be the better souther rock act...  Bith bands had great songs along with guitar work...For me , the guitar licks woulf not have been so powerfull , had they not ben wrapped around beautiful songs like Midnight Rider and Sweet mellissa, Blue sky ....etc....   Also a warning...sometimes the jamming can be great and some times it can be noodlin boring, but the first 2 albums in partticular are well worth getting...

On another note Hal David died over the weekend... He wrote the lyrics to Burt bacharacks greates hits..... Walk On by, This girls In love, Raindrops keep fasllin on my head, Alfie, All never fall in love again, Do you know the way to San Jose....etc......etc.... (in short , he owned the charts for a decade)...and if none of that matters to you, listen to I say a little prayer for you and you will hear a great anti war song frong the point of view of the wife left behind......I can only think of Bernie Taupin (Elton john)n as a lyric writer who had the same kind of impact on music from the last half of the sixties through 70's.... Caral king and other tin pan alley teams had scores of hits collectively , but hard to top this guy...Current Commercial radio suffers heavily from artists who think they can right interesting lyrics but sadly cant....maybe the art of a lryracist is gone but I would argue we are worse off for it....heres to you Hal!
s

Allman Brothers Band

I just finished Gregory Allman's autobiography (which I received as a gift), and I'm curious if any of you are fans of the band.  The author comes across as extremely superficial and self indulgent, so I'm taking everything he says with plenty of skepticism.  But based on the musicians who have played with them, and also on third party sources such as AMG, they do appear to have been a highly respected band.  People generally cite their blending of blues, soul, gospel and jazz stylings into a distinctively southern sound as a significant influence on many ensuing bands.  And their line up, which included 2 drummers and 2 lead guitars that played a lot of harmonized lines was somewhat innovative I think.  Their style of 20-30 minute jam songs isn't my cup of tea, so I've only listened to them a bit, but I thought I'd throw this out to the group.  Great band, or self-important claptrap?