Latest news with #vinyl
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Buckingham Nicks' was a record store holy grail for decades. It's finally getting reissued
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — They were in love once. Four years before Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' became one of the best breakup records of the 1970s — and, many might say, all time — Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were relative unknowns, a young couple putting out their own album, posing nude on the cover like a Laurel Canyon version of Adam and Eve. Released as 'Buckingham Nicks,' the 1973 album has for decades maintained somewhat of a holy grail status in the dusty bins of record stores, selling for $20 to $90 depending on its condition. Now, in addition to new vinyl, it will be available on streaming and CD for the first time when it's reissued Sept. 19 on Rhino, Warner Music Group announced Wednesday. 'It's one of those records that everybody has heard of but not that many people have actually heard,' said Brian Mansfield, a music historian, journalist and record collector in Nashville, Tennessee. 'Especially before everything got put onto YouTube, very few people had heard it because it had never been on CD. But it had this iconic cover that everybody recognized.' 'Buckingham Nicks' featured the duo's iconic harmonies and Buckingham's distinct guitar sound, which later fueled Fleetwood Mac's ability to sell tens of millions of records. But 'Buckingham Nicks' bombed upon release and Polydor dropped them from the label, prompting Nicks' return to waitressing and Buckingham to briefly tour with Don Everly. The rest of the story is enshrined in lore: Drummer Mick Fleetwood heard 'Frozen Love' from the album when he visited the studio where it was recorded, Sound City. After guitarist Bob Welch left the band, Fleetwood invited Buckingham to Fleetwood Mac, with Buckingham insisting Nicks join too. The band also included the late Christine McVie on keyboards and John McVie on bass. Generations of avid Fleetwood Mac fans have tattooed their lyrics or analyzed them at a forensic level, enshrining the tumultuous relationship between Buckingham and Nicks in pop culture. The upcoming reissue of 'Buckingham Nicks' is a reminder of the couple's musical beginnings and the special status their only joint album has held among fans and record collectors. 'As soon as we put it out, it goes that day,' said Michael Bell, owner of Hunky Dory Records, which has locations in Raleigh, Durham and Cary, North Carolina. 'Joni Mitchell fronting the Eagles' Nicks and Buckingham met during high school at a local church in Northern California where young musicians gathered on a school night, according to Stephen Davis' 'Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks.' Buckingham played the Mamas & the Papas' 'California Dreamin'" on piano, prompting Nicks to chime in, singing Michelle Phillips' high harmony. 'They glanced at each other; she noticed his eyes, cold blue like lake ice," Davis wrote. "They sang the whole song while the room went quiet, everyone mesmerized.' After high school, Nicks joined the band Buckingham was in, Fritz, which would open for Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. They eventually split off as a duo, started dating and moved to Los Angeles. Nicks said she loved Buckingham before he was a millionaire, according to Davis' book, and 'washed his jeans and embroidered stupid moons and stars on the bottom of them.' The first track on 'Buckingham Nicks,' 'Crying in the Night," has 'a sense of Joni Mitchell fronting the Eagles,' Davis wrote. 'Frozen Love' closed out side two, with 'layers of strings and synthesizers and a major Lindsey Buckingham rock guitar symphony." 'No one seemed to like the record,' Davis wrote. 'Polydor executives hadn't even wanted to release it." A review that ran in The Pittsburgh Press said Nicks and Buckingham produced "a pleasant, albeit a whiny vocal blend on some pretty fair songs.' 'And if you don't like the record,' the review concluded, 'you might like the costumes they're wearing on the cover — a couple of those oh-so-chic birthday suits.' Interest in the record only grew following the new Fleetwood Mac lineup. That incarnation's first record in 1975, 'Fleetwood Mac,' contained the songs 'Landslide,' 'Rhiannon' and 'Monday Morning.' 'Rumours' came two years later. Record store rarity Bob Fuchs, retail manager of record store Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, said the shop gets in about two to four of the original vinyl a year. Those go on on its collectible wall that showcases hard-to-find titles. Depending on its condition, the album sells for between $40 to $90, he said. 'You put it up on a Saturday morning and it's gone by Saturday at noon. So it lasts about two hours,' he said. Fuchs never bought the album himself because, 'every time I came in, it was $60 or $80. ... So I'll probably end up picking up a reissue.' Across the river at the St. Paul, Minnesota, location of Cheapo Discs, though, worker Geoff Good said people rarely came in looking for the original. He does expect the reissue to juice sales. He has the original, which he bought in 1974 or 1975, in his own collection. 'The songwriting is really good, the harmonies are good, Lindsey Buckingham is an amazing guitar player,' he said. Mansfield, the Nashville historian, randomly found a copy two weeks ago in a neighborhood garage sale, just days prior to hints that a reissue was coming. He has no idea why 'Buckingham Nicks' hasn't been reissued more considering the steady demand. For him, it's a good album but not one that reached the heights of what was to come. 'It's definitely not there yet,' he said. 'I don't know that there's anything on this album that would have made a Fleetwood album.' The romantic relationship between Buckingham and Nicks would end around the making of 'Rumours.' Nicks and Buckingham would shoot eye daggers at each other onstage in packed stadiums, while Buckingham would roll his eyes during Nicks' MusiCares speech in 2018, according to the Los Angeles Times. Buckingham would eventually be kicked off the band's tour in 2018 , prompting a lawsuit that was later settled. But this month, Buckingham and Nicks seemed to be operating in perfect symmetry — at least on Instagram. Each posted half a line from 'Frozen Love,' — with Nicks writing "And if you go forward…' and Buckingham responding, 'I'll meet you there.' On Wednesday, they shared the same video of a billboard being put up to advertise the reissue of 'Buckingham Nicks.' They may have made the album more than 50 years ago, Buckingham said in announcing its reissue, 'but it stands up in a way you hope it would, by these two kids who were pretty young to be doing that work.' ___ Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia. AP Business Writer Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this report. Ben Finley And Kristin M. Hall, The Associated Press
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
5 best record players, reviewed by an audio expert
There's something mesmerising about lowering a needle onto a spinning record. Vinyl record sales are booming, and if you're looking to start your vinyl journey, or you're thinking about upgrading an old turntable, I've found the best record players that won't break the bank. There's a plethora of budget-friendly record players available that don't feel like compromises – decks that blend classic appeal with just enough modern convenience to make everyday use a doddle. I've been spinning my way through a selection of the latest relatively affordable record players from a range of brands. They may differ in design, features, and finish, but all share one thing in common: they make listening to records straightforward and joyful. Some have fully automatic operation – just press 'start' and let the deck do the rest – which is ideal for those wary of tonearm technicalities. Others come equipped with Bluetooth, enabling you to wirelessly stream to compatible speakers or headphones, if that's more convenient than a traditional wired setup. You'll even find models with a USB output, making it possible to digitise your collection. I think the Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT is by far the best option for most people, offering brilliant sound quality at a reasonable price. However, l've tested lots of other great options. Whether you're rekindling your love of vinyl or lighting the spark for the first time, I've taken a close listen to help you find the best record player for your needs. How we tested Each of the turntables on test was carefully assembled and connected to my trusted reference audio system, ensuring a consistent setup for every model. To get a true sense of musicality and character, I spun a wide range of vinyl: the atmospheric layers and vocal nuances of Björk, the sweeping dynamics of Strauss's orchestral works, and the brassy, chaotic joy of Stan Kenton's big band jazz. I used these records to assess these players by several criteria: Sound quality: The most important test of all. It's perhaps a little subjective, but my varied playlist helped reveal how each deck handled detail, rhythm, dynamics and stereo imaging – all qualities that matter whether you're a casual listener or a long-time collector. Resonance: Reasonance is any vibration that impacts sound quality, whether from the turntable itself or from the tone arm. I wanted record players that reduced this resonance. Tone arms: A tonearm holds the stylus, or the needle. I wanted a smooth, lightweight tone arm that was easy to place onto a vinyl without damaging the record. Cartridge: The cartridge houses the needle, also known as a stylus. It's how a record player reads a record. These can often be swapped between different turntables, but I wanted to check the quality of the included cartridges and ensure that they didn't skip. Tracking force: This is the amount of pressure a stylus needle puts onto the groove. I measured the tracking force of each deck and whether or not it could be adjusted to ensure perfect playback. Anti-skate settings: These settings stop the stylus from creating too much inward force as it moves towards the centre of the record, so I both looked out for and tested these settings Connection types: All the turntables included in our tried-and-tested lineup come with a built-in phono preamp, as well as the option of a traditional line out. Vinyl records produce a very low-level signal that needs special amplification and equalisation before it can be heard properly through speakers. Traditionally, this job was handled by a dedicated phono stage in a hi-fi amplifier, or a separate external unit, but a built-in phono preamp takes care of that for you. I wanted record players with as many ways to connect as possible. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Steve May is a technology journalist with more than 30 years' experience, specialising in home audio, home cinema, TV, soundbars and personal audio. He writes for a variety of popular audio websites and publications. His reviews are based on real-world testing, and he will only recommend the handful of products he believes are worth your money. The best record players for 2025 are:
Hype Malaysia
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Spice Up Your Accessory Game With New Malaysian Brand pokédots!
Malaysian shoppers looking to add a dose of fun and self-expression to their daily routines now have a new brand to discover. Enter pokédots, a fresh lifestyle label that's all about bold energy, creativity, and customisation. Officially launched in 1 Utama, pokédots. offers a playful approach to accessories and fashion with its unique concept: users can 'poke' interchangeable patches, pins, and charms into specially designed holes—or 'dots'—on their bags and accessories, creating endlessly personalised looks. At the centre of the brand's debut is the Carry All bag, made from durable, water-resistant EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate), a material that's lightweight, easy to clean, and certified under the Global Recycled Standard 4.0. Designed for versatility, the spacious bag transitions effortlessly from office companion to gym tote or even a stylish diaper bag for busy parents. Adding to the fun, pokédots. introduces the Café de Pokédots pin collection, a whimsical capsule of food-themed charms ranging from breakfast favourites to fast food delights, with charming nods to Japanese cuisine and patisseries. Customers can choose from statement singles or curated 6-piece sets. Matching accessories include notebook purses, coin pouches, and phone cases, all crafted in the brand's signature style. The pokédots experience extends to fashion with a range of fluid-sized apparel for both men and women. The T-shirt collection comes in slim and oversized fits, with colourways including classic black, navy, and white, alongside soft pastels like blush pink and sky blue. Made for Malaysia's tropical heat, the shirts are crafted from high-performance Sorona® fabric, offering antibacterial properties, cooling technology, and UV protection. To celebrate its launch, pokédots. is offering an in-store exclusive promotion throughout its first month: with every purchase, customers can spin the gashapon machine for a chance to win a carabiner or pin. Those who purchase a Carry All bag will also receive a complimentary 6-piece pin set. Shoppers can explore pokédots. at its physical store in 1 Utama (Second Floor, SK3D), online at or via Shopee (POKEDOTS.). Follow them on Instagram (@ and Facebook (@Pokédots.) for the latest updates and collection drops. Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Why ‘twisted' Lou Reed hated his fans
Reed's 1975 album Metal Machine Music, there's one moment that is undeniably sweeter, more memorable, more perfect than any other. It's when you turn it off. You'll never regret that moment. Not today. Not tomorrow. And not for the rest of your life. The LP was released 50 years ago this week. Its cover is a backlit shot of the former Velvet Underground guitarist and singer on stage; he exudes New York street cool in leather and shades. Only for the first 10 seconds of the actual record, though, is there even a hint that this might be the start of a rock album, picking up perhaps from the howling feedback and distortion that closes European Son, the final track on 1967's The Velvet Underground & Nico. That hope is soon dashed. Metal Machine Music's vinyl grooves contain 65 minutes and three seconds of dissonant noise, screaming in your ear like a hell's-mouth chorus. There's no discernible melody, very little progression, and only at minute 62 and 46 seconds does the suggestion of a rhythm occur. Music magazine Creem reviewed it in a box that simply said, in capital letters, 'NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO…' (plus a lot more 'NOs'). So many fans returned it immediately after purchase that Reed's record company, RCA, withdrew the original vinyl LP within weeks. Review of Lou Reed's 'Metal Machine Music", 1975. 50 years this month — Bill Pourquoimec (@BillPourquoimec) July 17, 2025 Remarkably, the album landed less than three years on from the release of Transformer (1972) – the masterful David Bowie and Mick Ronson-produced solo album, which included Vicious, Walk on the Wild Side and Perfect Day (on which Reed was beautifully accompanied by Ronson on piano). That album confirmed Reed as one of the great songwriters of his generation; audiences adored it. But for the surly Brooklynite, that was the problem. 'I put out Metal Machine Music precisely to put a stop to all of it,' he declared in Victor Bockris's 1994 biography Transformer: The Lou Reed Story. 'It was a giant f--- you. I wanted to clear the air and get rid of all those f---ing a--holes who show up and yell Vicious and Walk on the Wild Side.' It's the sort of truculence that Reed was famous for; his former Velvet Underground bandmate John Cale called him 'a twisted, scary monster'. And that 'S' word crops up a lot. Bockris later noted that 'it wasn't easy to make Lou a famous pop figure. He was a hard figure to market because the edges were so hard, and he was kind of scary, you know, a scary figure.' That extended to fans and friends alike. In Dylan Jones's oral biography David Bowie: A Life, the rock journalist Allan Jones describes seeing Reed's 1979 concert at London's Hammersmith Odeon, at which the crowd kept 'calling out for his old songs… Lou eventually told us all to f--- off, so lo and behold a lot of people did.' When most of the audience had left, Jones added, 'he started playing [the Velvet Underground's] Heroin, Waiting for the Man, and all the songs they'd been screaming for'. It was after the concert, though, that the writer was told by a press officer that Reed had left with Bowie, and he was invited to join them for dinner. Jones was seated at an adjacent table, he recalled, 'and suddenly there was this kind of explosion, smashing glasses and Lou was dragging Bowie across the table and b---h-slapping him across the face'. He reported Reed screaming, 'Don't you ever say that to me!' Eventually they were separated – and soon hugged and made up. But five minutes later, 'David was being dragged across the table again, with far more ferocity this time, with Lou screaming, 'I told you not to say that!' This time he really went for it and was raining blows on Bowie's head.' Reed was hustled out of the restaurant, and Bowie left sitting at the table, 'head in his hands… sobbing.' Jones suggested that Bowie had offered to produce another album for Reed, 'as long as he got himself clean and straightened himself out. Which Lou obviously didn't like.' This for the man who had helped Reed to his only significant chart success – a Top 30 album and a Top 10 hit, for a song about transgenderism, fellatio and casual prostitution, no less. We'll put it down to coincidence that Bowie went into a studio less than six months later to begin recording Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). (He said he'd got the title from a Cornflakes packet.) Others, though, would go further. When writer Howard Sounes approached the former Velvets' manager Paul Morrissey for his biography of Reed, the director of Andy Warhol's Flesh and Trash suggested that the book should be titled 'The Hateful B—h' or 'The Worst Person Who Ever Lived', if it were to reflect its subject truly. As for Jones, who got into a scuffle with Bowie that same evening, when the singer realised he was a 'f---ing journalist', he was at least spared the sort of scorn that Reed regularly directed towards the press, usually delivered in a bored monotone that was at least in part borrowed from Andy Warhol, especially when responding to inane questions. 'Would it be right to call your music gutter rock?' he was asked by an Australian journalist on arrival in Sydney in 1974. 'Gutter rock?' Reed responds. 'Oh yeah.' In the infamous Lester Bangs interview for Creem in 1975, though, it is the writer who appears both rude and petulant, and further takes advantage of having the last (printed) word by launching a tirade of (written) abuse at the artist and his work after the fact. On his 1978 album, Live: Take No Prisoners, recorded at the Bottom Line in New York, Reed let the press have it with both barrels. After giving a shout-out to Bruce Springsteen in the audience, who'd added his voice to the album cut of Street Hassle eight months earlier, Reed turns on critics Robert Christgau of the Village Voice and John Rockwell of the New York Times, mocking the venerable New York newspapers' tradition of calling him 'Mr Reed' – 'F--- you, I don't need you to tell me that I'm good.' Christgau, meanwhile, was an 'anal retentive… nice little boxes, B-plus. Imagine working for a f---in' year and you got a B-plus from an a---hole on the Village Voice? You don't have to take this s---. You don't have to f---ing talk to these f---ing journalists. They're negative for free, in the best seats.' Elsewhere, he gave an insight into his psyche before playing Street Hassle, launching into a burst of guitar feedback in response to heckling from the audience. 'That's how Metal Machine was born by the way,' he says. 'I can drown you out. Go on, leave if you don't like it.' Some did like it, even Metal Machine Music. Paul Morley launched a defence of it in The Observer in 2010, calling it an 'intense collision of surreal object, hate letter, emotional outburst, poetic assault, bubblegum serialism, artistic bombshell' and more, suggesting that if it had inspired bands like Throbbing Gristle and Sonic Youth, it must be doing something right. Reed himself suggested that one could hear aspects of Beethoven in it and pronounced that 'It's the only record I know that attacks the listener.' Of course, Reed's uncompromising approach to his career ultimately proved to be a lucrative decision – with income from publishing royalties ensuring his estate was worth more than $30m after his death, aged 71, in 2013. We're not sure quite how much of that was for Metal Machine Music, but perhaps it would be wise to bear in mind something else that Reed said to the crowd on Take No Prisoners. 'I do Lou Reed better than anybody. Enough attitude to kill every person in Jersey.'
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Why 'Obsolete' Technologies Often Survive And Thrive In Business
Tamsin Gable is the head of PR at Municorn. Walk into any record store today, and what do you see? Vinyl everywhere. An obsolete medium that was supposed to have been replaced by cassettes and then CDs back in the 1980s and 1990s has bounced back. Not only are classic recordings issued on high-quality vinyl, but new artists make sure that they have vinyl copies of their latest recordings on offer. Why do people still listen to records when they can get almost any song they want on Spotify? There are reasons for this, ranging from nostalgia to the experience of owning a physical record. But the No. 1 reason people are buying vinyl records in 2025 is that they sound better. They offer a unique listening experience that cannot be easily replaced. If you catch yourself wondering what records have to do with business and marketing, the answer is simple. Other technologies that people thought had been rendered obsolete are in fashion for similar reasons. Just like compact discs and digital streaming providers were supposed to kill off the LP, people anticipated similar deaths for pagers, the fax machine and even email. But rather than being seen as outdated, these tools are still being used and are even experiencing a renaissance as businesses rediscover their strong points. For communications and marketing leaders, this is a fact that is impossible to ignore. The community has always been chasing the next best technology, whether it's a new social media channel or how to best implement AI. But what gets lost in the shuffle is this: Some existing technologies work better. Those who ignore that fact stand to lose out in the market. Tried And True Much of the reason for this salience is that these technologies were designed to address specific needs. Pagers have long battery lives and are unaffected if a mobile phone network goes down. That's why the U.K.'s National Health Service continues to use them, in addition to smartphones. Some rescue services in the U.K. also use pagers. And the market for this technology, which seemed like the state-of-the-art communication platform 35 years ago, is poised to grow. An April 2024 report by Cognitive Market Research predicted annual growth of 5.9% from 2023 to 2030 in the market for pagers. The same report said that pager sales generate revenues of $528 million in North America and $496 million in Europe. This brings us to fax machines, since we are on the subject of obsolete technologies that won't die. Maybe 30 years ago, they were seen as standard technology. The move to the internet seemed as if it had signed the death warrant for the fax. Instead, the technology is thriving, particularly in sectors that continue to rely on it as a workhorse for different reasons, from security and compliance measures to basic ease of use. Faxing As A Case Study As the head of PR at a company that develops fax applications, I'm intrinsically aware of the benefits fax still offers to business leaders. Interoperability is one factor driving the continued use of fax machines. International standards for faxing have been in place since 1968. That means that a fax machine produced today can receive and send faxes to a machine built in the 1980s because they adhere to the same standards. This is different from the smartphone market, where models from just a few years ago can already be rendered obsolete. Faxing also benefits from having a massive worldwide installed base. In some countries, faxing remains incredibly popular. A plan to phase out the fax in Japan in 2021, for instance, was abandoned, as most Japanese businesses rely on faxing. Germany is perhaps the best example of a country where more than 80% of businesses use fax machines. With faxing, there are also regulatory factors at work that champion its prevalence. Some regulations call for the secure transmission of documents. These include the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the U.S., the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) in Canada, the ISO/IEC 27001 international standard for information security, and the Systems and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) security framework for financial data developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Faxing is ideal to maintain adherence to these regulations. Obsolescence Doesn't Mean Irrelevance Just because faxing is still a go-to technology, though, doesn't mean you need to run out and invest in your own machine. Hybrid technology usage has also flourished. There are many online fax service providers that are available. Users receive incoming faxes as email attachments and can send them in a similar manner. Providers can also give you a fax number if you would rather not get another landline installed. If your business requires physical signatures, or is active in regulated industries such as healthcare or the insurance industry, these online fax services might be a safe bet for you. For any marketing or communications professional assessing their current tech investments, my advice has been to be thoughtful when it comes to reviewing one's tech stack and adopting these new technologies. Take a look at what tools your team uses today and audit them. If it's working, then maybe there is no need to replace it. And make sure the front-line teams are in the loop. Ask them what tools they prefer. Always check your compliance needs while doing so, and if you do decide to go for a new technology, test it out before switching. Finally, map for redundancy and keep at least one low-tech or offline option available. While the paperless office remains a dream, the reality is that printers and copy machines are still buzzing away around the world. Most businesses have landlines, and medical workers rely on pagers. Loads of documents still get sent by regular mail, too. And people are still buying vinyl. Just because a technology has been around forever doesn't mean that it's automatically passe. What it means is that it has been around the block and works like a charm. Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
