Seven Shows You Need to Check Out This Weekend

Nothing is better than seeing a live show. When you have a crowd of people at a venue who are there for the same cause, something special happens. Combine that with good music from a good artist that is there to put on a good show and you have what could very well be the best night of your life.

Vinyl Bay 777 loves live music and wants to help you find the right show for you to rock out to this weekend.  Here are seven hot shows going on this weekend, hand-picked just for you. Whatever your musical tastes are, there is something going on that we know you will enjoy.

1.       Rock Carnival: Ready for one of the biggest rock shows of the year? Rock Carnival is three days of top-headlining bands, hard-rocking new-comers and amazing cover bands. Headliners this year include Alice Cooper and Blue Oyster Cult on Friday, Twisted Sister, Daughtry and Fuel on Saturday and Halestorm, Sabastian Bach and The Used on Sunday. If good music wasn’t enough, there will be wrestling shows, pig racing and lots of food trucks.   (Friday, Saturday and Sunday; First Energy Park)

2.       The Band Perry: If you’re into country music, The Band Perry will be taking over the Theatre At Westbury on Friday night. The band recently released a new single, “Comeback Kid,” which is their first on Interscope Records. They are also currently working on their third album. (Friday)

3.       Taking Back Sunday: Earlier this month, local legends Taking Back Sunday released their fantastic new album, ‘Tidal Wave,’ and are currently on a small club tour to promote it. The tour hits Irving Plaza Friday night with You Blew It! as support. Unfortunately, the show is sold out, as is their show at Revolution in Amityville on Tuesday. But who knows, maybe more tickets will be released at the last minute (one can hope).  (Friday, Irving Plaza)

4.       Roots Picnic: This weekend, The Roots will be bringing their Roots Picnic festival to New York for two days combining the best of hip-hop and indie rock. Saturday’s show with The Roots, John Mayer and D’Angelo  is already sold out, but there is still a chance to catch Wu-Tang Clan, David Byrne, Nile Rogers (all backed by The Roots) and more at Bryant Park on Sunday. And if you still want more, there is also an official after party at Irving Plaza on Saturday night with Kevin Gates. (Saturday and Sunday, Bryant Park)

5.       Opeth: The Swedish Metal band’s new album, ‘Sorceress,’ comes out today. To promote the album, the band is going on tour, which kicks off today in Maryland and hits New York on Saturday at the famed Radio City Music Hall. Support is coming from The Sword, who released a reworked version of their 2014 album, ‘High Country,’ earlier this month. (Saturday)

6.       Buzzcocks: Seminole New York punk band Buzzcocks will be ending the North American leg of their Buzzcocks40 tour on Saturday at Irving Plaza, celebrating the band’s 40^th anniversary. The band released their latest album, ‘The Way,’ in 2014 and guitarist Steve Diggle is currently crowd-funding his new solo album. (Saturday, Irving Plaza)

7.       The Violent Femmes: On March 4, Violent Femmes released their first studio album in 16 years, which is of course reason to celebrate. Presented by WFUV, the band will be playing two shows this weekend; one at the Wellmont Theatre in New Jersey and the other at The Paramount on Long Island. (Saturday at Wellmont Theatre, Sunday at The Paramount)

Bonus:

8.       The inaugural The Meadows Festival will be happening on Saturday and Sunday at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. Put on by the same people who do Coachella, the festival’s line-up is diverse. Saturday’s headliners include J. Cole, The Weeknd and Empire of the Sun, while Sunday will feature Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, Kygo, The 1975 and Bryce Tiller on the mainstage.

With all of this great music going on this weekend, there is sure to be something for everyone. There is nothing like seeing your favorite band live. The memories last for a lifetime.

Whoever you are seeing, drop by Vinyl Bay 777 this weekend to find music from these artists and more, or shop thousands of titles online at vinylbay777.com.

7 Artists Who Changed Genres and Succeeded

Hard rock head-banger Andrew W.K. recently released his first-ever EDM single. The song, “Party Til We Die,” was written by MAKJ and Timmy Trumpet, who, according to Billboard, had been working for more than two years to find the right vocalist.

Best known for his hard-rocking party anthems, especially the 2001 hit “Party Hard,” “Party Til We Die” is a big shift for Andrew W.K. sonically. Rather than screaming the lyrics, he sings them under a heavy auto-tune while being backed up by buzzing synths and a pulsing beat. The lyrics, however, are unmistakably Andrew W.K., which makes this song fit in a bit more with his discography.

Andrew W.K. is not the only artist to venture into new genres over the course of their career. Many have even done it quite successfully.

Here are Vinyl Bay 777’s seven favorite artists who started out with one genre and ended up finding success with a completely different one.

1.       Beastie Boys: Most people know the Beastie Boys as a hip hop group. But did you also know that the trio started out playing punk music? In 1978, the band formed as young Aborigines and put out one EP before a line-up shift and the release of an experimental  hip hop 12” in 1983 led them to a complete sound overhaul. Now dubbed the Beastie Boys, they released ‘Licensed to Ill’ in 1986 and the rest is history.

2.       Gwen Stefani: Rising to fame as the lead singer for ska band No Doubt, Stefani branched off in 2004 to release a solo album. ‘Love. Angel. Music. Baby.’ leaned heavily towards pop rather than rock, propelling Stefani’s music career to new heights. She hasn’t given up her ska roots though; she still plays with No Doubt from time to time.

3.       Darius Rucker: In 1995, Darius Rucker was doing well with his band Hootie and the Blowfish, releasing numerous successful singles, such as “Let Her Cry” and “Only Wanna Be With You.” But in the early 2000s, Rucker decided to go solo as a country artist. While his previous work might have been seen as a success, it paled in comparison to what he has done in country music, scoring four number one albums on the country music charts in the United States.

4.       Skrillex: At this point, most people know Skrillex for his innovative EDM mixes. But before he was a master behind the turntable, he went by his given name, Sonny Moore, and performed as the lead singer of hardcore band From First to Last. While it was a drastic jump in genres, it was probably the best thing that happened to his career.

5.       Katy Perry: It’s almost hard to believe that at one time the provocatively dressed Katy Perry was anything but over the top. But before she became the pop superstar she is today, she was Christian singer Katy Hudson. She pretty much broke that good-girl image when she released the controversial single “I Kissed A Girl” in 2008.

6.       Taylor Swift: Swift started her career out as a country singer until her country hits started to turn into crossover hits. Once that happened, she became a different performer. Her music slowly became more poppy, ultimately culminating in the non-country album ‘1989’ in 2014.

7.       David Johansen: Most people know Johansen as the lead singer of famed New York glam punk band The New York Dolls. But in the 1980s, he took on the pseudonym Buster Poindexter and became a Latin Jazz singer. He had a wildly popular hit with the song “Hot Hot Hot,” Johansen’s only hit with any of his bands.

It takes a lot of work to become successful in the music industry. Sometimes it takes a change in genre to get someone’s career going. Other times an artist’s fame will support a change in genre.

Visit Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com to find music from all of these artists’ projects and more. New titles are being added all the time, so stop by and shop!

Seven Music-Inspired Films That Get it Right

A scene from the new film ‘London Town’ premiered Monday on Billboard.com, giving movie goers and British punk fans their first taste of the semi-biopic starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as The Clash’s Joe Strummer.

While not a true biopic, the film centers around a boy (Shay) and his punk rock love interest growing up in late 1970s London with Strummer as a supporting character rather than leading the cast in a story about the man himself, the film looks to be a fairly accurate portrayal of the London punk scene. Meyers does a good job of filling the legendary frontman’s shoes, not overplaying the part too much. The film’s soundtrack also represents the time well, not only featuring Meyers handily singing Clash classics, but also including tracks from across the British punk and reggae scenes.

Here at Vinyl Bay 777, we love rock and roll films, particularly ones that get the time period right. Here are our seven choices for some of the best rock period pieces.

1.       ‘Almost Famous’: A classic by any means, ‘Almost Famous’ follows a young music journalist shadowing a touring rock band in the 1970s.  On the surface, the film is full of rock and roll stereotypes, namely drugs and groupies, but the attire and music are pretty accurate.

2.       ‘The Pianist’: ‘The Pianist’ is a bit different than the other films on this list, as it is about the time period more than it is about the music. A fantastic and moving film about a Jewish pianist in Warsaw, Poland in 1939, at the height of the Nazi invasion. Though constantly on the run or in hiding, Adrien Brody’s character continues to play where he can, including for Nazis who hide him because of his talents. It’s not a rock film, but it’s definitely worth watching.

3.       ‘8 Mile’: Eminem’s semi-autobiographical film depicting an up-and-coming white rapper in Detroit and his struggles to make a life for himself and his family, ‘8 Mile’ is a gritty depiction of what it takes to get to the top. It’s written by the person who lived it, an artist that doesn’t usually sugarcoat what he is saying, so one can assume it is a pretty accurate portrayal of the time.

4.       ‘Sid and Nancy’: There is no doubt that Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen were the classic punk rock couple. Their relationship and demise were the stuff of legend and this film tries to accurately represent that, even if there are still questions as to what happened between the time Spungen was murdered and Sid Vicious overdosed. What is depicted well is the couple’s rocky relationship and penchant for heroin.

5.       ‘Rock and Roll High School’: Sure, this film stars the Ramones, who’s music it is based off in the first place, but it also maintains a certain all-encompassing grasp on the music of the time as well. Other artists whose music appears in the film include Brian Eno, Alice Cooper, The Velvet Underground, the MC5, Todd Rundgren , Fleetwood Mac and more. It encapsulates a particular time in music, wrapped in the guise of a messed up punk teen fantasy.

6.       ‘American Hardcore’: More a documentary of the 1980s hardcore scene than anything else, ‘American Hardcore’ shines a light on a genre that perhaps gets overshadowed by punk in the mainstream alternative music lexicon. The approach taken is thorough, using interviews with the actual bands, as well as a soundtrack highlighting the actual music of the scene. It’s highly effective at what it does.

7.       ‘Straight Outta Compton’: Like ‘8 Mile,’ ‘Straight Outta Compton’ was written by the people who actually lived it. Unlike ‘8 Mile,’ this film depicts the actual band members and their struggle to be heard, their rise to fame and ultimate demise. What this film also did well was the time period. The film included major events, such as the LA riots and the beating of Rodney King, which were pivotal in the creation of many of NWA’s biggest hits.

What makes a good music film is accurately depicting the time period that it represents. These seven choices do exactly that, mixing an excellent and accurate story with excellent music, bringing the film to another level.

Music from many of the artists depicted in these films can be found at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. With thousands of titles and more added all the time, let us help you find the soundtrack to your life.

Vinyl Bay 777 Quickly Becoming Best New Independent Record Shop on Long Island

Plainview shop has one of the largest selections of new and used vinyl records and more in the area

Over the last year, Vinyl Bay 777 has become one of the hottest new record shops on Long Island. Featuring a wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassette tapes, DVDs, memorabilia and more, plus friendly staff to help you make the perfect selection, it’s easy to see why in under a year this store is set to be a big player in the long island music market.

Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com are an extension of local businessman Frank Napoli’s successful eBay shop. Opening at 101-14 Dupont Street in Plainview, NY in November 2015, the shop is filled wall-to wall with vinyl records, CDs, cassettes and music memorabilia. Its dim lighting adds to the vintage ambience, making it a cozy spot for browsing their ample music selection, one of the largest collections of physical music releases on Long Island.

Mr. Napoli is no stranger to the Long Island music scene. For the last three years, he has successfully organized the Freeport Blues and Jazz Festival, which brings nationally touring blues musicians to the Nautical Mile every summer. The 2016 festival included performances by Christine Sweeney Band, Jim Koleman, John Judd Band, Two Finger Jake, Lady Laura, Blue Ruin and Killer Joe & the Lido Soul Review. Mr. Napoli also briefly owned a blues lounge, which was recently shut down due to zoning issues.  

At a time where the demand for vinyl records is growing, now is the perfect time for a record store to open on the island. As more people are searching out the medium, record companies are producing more of it. According to Fortune, RIAA-documented sales of vinyl are at their highest since 1988, while CDs have been at a steady decline for years. Record Store Day, which Vinyl Bay 777 participates in yearly, has helped strengthen this trend by promoting limited release titles from artists of all genres and supporting the small record shops that sell these releases.

Vinyl Bay 777 continues to thrive in its Plainview location, attracting music lovers and audiophiles locally, statewide and nationally. Open Monday and Wednesday from 4PM to 10PM, Saturday from 11AM to 2AM and Sunday from 11AM to 10PM, the store’s late night hours make it the perfect place to go after work or on the weekends for a late-night browsing session. The store also sells music from their website, vinylbay777.com, making it convenient to shop online during off hours.

Going from eBay to physical location, Vinyl Bay 777 has been doing well for itself. As the Plainview location continues to thrive approaching its second year, there is no telling how big the store will get. With thousands of titles in store and online and more people finding out about the store’s unique finds and ambience all the time, there’s no limit to where Vinyl Bay 777’s popularity might go.

For more information and to browse Vinyl Bay 777's enormous selection of vinyl, CDs, cassettes and more, please visit vinylbay777.com.

Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Looking at the 2016 Presidential Campaign by Music Choice

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will be heading intothe first debate of
the 2016 season on Monday, September 26. Photo modified from thumbnail
for  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXEofB_G7Sc                               

The 2016 presidential election has been one of the most contentious in recent history, and quite frankly, it’s still only getting started. The field has been narrowed down to four, with only two anywhere close to having enough support to be elected into the White House in November. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have wildly different opinions on how the country should be run, as well as how to run a presidential campaign. Such can be seen in the way they present themselves to the public, from what they deem important enough to talk about in their speeches to what music they walk out to.

When Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump engage in their first debate on Monday night at Hofstra University, voters will not only be listening to what policies the candidates will be advocating, but also paying attention to who came off looking better. It’s something that has plagued our democracy since televised debates began in the mid-1960s, when a healthy, young John F. Kennedy won voters’ hearts against a sickly, old-looking Richard Nixon. At that moment, politics became as much about looks and personality as it did about policy and action.

Both candidates have strong personalities. Depending on your circle, you either like one, the other or neither of them, and with good reason. The two are polarizing figures with good and bad points.

At Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com, we like to look at things through a musical lens. How is each of the candidates using music to further promote themselves and how does the music community perceive the candidates?

If you look at the list of artists who support Hillary Clinton, it would seem as if much of the community is behind her. It’s a list that includes many of today’s young, popular artists: Kanye West, Beyonce, Pharrell, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Ellie Goulding, Demi Lovato and Justin Timberlake. She also has the support of a number of even more established artists: Tony Bennet, Jon Bon Jovi, Ice-T, Quincy Jones and Morrissey. Many of these artists feel that voting for Mrs. Clinton would be voting on the right side of history, with a number of them also saying that they trust her more.

But that doesn’t discount the amount of support Donald Trump has from right-leaning musicians. Loretta Lynn, Ted Nugent, Wayne Newton, Kenny Rogers, Gene Simmons, Aaron Carter and Kid Rock are all squarely in his court. The consensus seems to be that Mr. Trump speaks his mind, and that is something that we need as a country.

For the most part, music choices are reflected in who supports the candidate. For example, Hillary Clinton’s campaign playlist is full of newer artists, including American Authors, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Pharrell Williams, Gym Class Heroes, Bon Jovi and, most importantly, Rachael Platten, who’s runaway hit single “Fight Song” has become one of her rally themes. She has even gone as far as hiring an indie music agency, Marmoset, to soundtrack her campaign ads with up-and-coming artists’ music. According to a poll on YouGov, Mrs. Clinton’s supporters favor new artists, as well as a well of diversity, both in race and gender. She wants people to like her; she wants the young vote, so the music she plays is diverse like the people voting for her.

Donald Trump, on the other hand, takes a different approach with his music. While in the same YouGov poll Mr. Trump’s supporters lean more towards classic rock headed by white males, his campaign playlist does not reflect this. His playlist is diverse; it includes Adele, Elton John, Beatles, R.E.M., Neil Young and Twisted Sister. However, out of all of these artists, only one gave him permission to use his music: Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider. It’s a bold move, to use music without the artist’s consent, and not something that a political candidate would usually do, but Mr. Trump is not the usual candidate. He doesn’t care if you like him, he doesn’t like you, that’s just how he rolls.

Sure, people care about policy, it would be a pity if they didn’t. But in today’s political climate, a candidate’s personality is just as important to the average voter as what they have to offer as president. When Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton face off on Monday, how they look and perform have just as much weight as what they say. It’s evident from the music libraries of each candidate, as well as their approach to picking songs, what they each want to accomplish with their candidacy. Mrs. Clinton wants the progressive youth vote, so she appeals to young voters with young music. Mr. Trump’s choices don’t necessarily reflect who his policies appeal to, but makes bold choices, just like he makes bold choices on the campaign trail. Whichever way the first debate goes, we know that it will be a tight race between formidable adversaries with a unique approach to running the country.

Despite your political leanings, stop by Vinyl Bay 777, or visit us at vinylbay777.com, and pick up music from either candidate's playlist, or shop from our selection of new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes and more. With thousands of titles and more being added daily, you're sure to find a gem to be proud of.

Seven Live Shows to See This Weekend in the Tri-State Area

Happy first weekend of Fall! The autumnal equinox is upon us and that means the weather is finally getting cooler.

 It’s also a great time to see a live show!  Many of your favorite bands and artists are gearing up to head out on Fall tours.

Many big name artists are in the Tri-State area, making this an excellent weekend to kick off the season right with a live show. From Adele to Weird Al to Puff Daddy, there is something for everyone.

Here are seven of this weekend’s biggest shows:

1.       Adele: Last year, Adele released a new album, ’25,’ setting the world ablaze once again with her jazzy, effortless voice. This weekend, she will be supporting the album by bringing her tour to Madison Square Garden for three nights of what is sure to be full of sing-alongs and crying, lots and lots of crying, from super fans. (Friday, Sunday and Monday)

2.       Global Citizen Festival: Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Demi Lovato, Major Laser and Metallica all on one stage? Special appearances by Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Usher, Ellie Goulding, Yandel and Cat Stevens? Yes! And it’s for a good cause too! It might still be possible to get tickets to this show at Central Park if you act fast. (Saturday)

3.       Weird Al: Weird Al is still on his Mandatory World Tour, which stops at Radio City Music Hall on Saturday. You don’t want to miss classic parodies from this groundbreaking comedy artist, or the new hits that made ‘Mandatory Fun’ his best-elling album ever. (Saturday)

4.       Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds: It’s been 50 years since the release of the essential Beach Boys album ‘Pet Sounds.’ Now, Wilson is taking the album on tour, which hits the Beacon Theatre on Saturday. Classic album, classic sound… Can’t go wrong with that! (Saturday)

5.       Kenny Rogers: The Country legend will be in New York this weekend at Staten Island’s St. George Theatre on his Gambler’s Last Deal tour. This will be his final world tour, so if you like country music, you might want to see this. (Sunday)

6.       Concert Across America: This Sunday, venues all over the United States will be holding shows to raise awareness and end gun violence. The biggest of which will be held at the Beacon Theatre on Sunday with Jackson Brown, Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn, Vy Higginsen’s Gospel Choir of Harlem, Eddie Vedder and a surprise guest that hasn’t been named yet. With all the artists around this weekend, it could be huge! (Sunday)

7.       Bad Boy Family Reunion: The Bad Boy Family Reunion tour is coming back around, this time to New Jersey’s Prudential Center. Featuring Puff Daddy, Faith Evans, Lil Kim, Mase, 112, DMX and more, it’s going to be a big night of nostalgia for 90s hip hop fans. (Sunday)

Before the shows, come down to Vinyl Bay 777, or visit vinylbay777.com this weekend to pick up music from all of these artists, as well as thousands more. With one of the largest selections of new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes and more, you’re sure to find something you’ll like!

Seven Trippy Beck Videos

On Wednesday, Beck Hansen (better known as “Beck”) announced that, with the exception of his latest album, 2014’s ‘Morning Phase,’ he will be giving his entire discography the reissue treatment. The first three albums, ‘Odelay,’ ‘Sea Change’ and ‘Guero,’ will be released on October 28, with the others to follow soon after.

For more than two decades, Beck has been putting out groundbreaking albums combining singer-songwriter vibes with electronic production effects. Though he had been releasing albums since 1993, it wasn’t until his fifth album, 1996’s ‘Odelay,’ and its first single “Where It’s At,” that he would find mainstream success. Over the course of his career, he has released 12 albums and received several awards and nominations, including Grammy Awards for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for “Where It’s At” in 1997 and Album of the Year for ‘Morning Phase’ in 2015.

Not only does Beck make unique music, he also makes interesting music videos to go with it. Some of his videos are downright trippy and light years ahead of their time.

In honor of the rerelease of Beck’s albums, here are seven of the most “trippy” and interesting music videos he has ever released.

1.       “Where It’s At”: This video doesn’t really start off that weird. It’s when you get to the part where he’s singing on a stage at a used car lot that things turn. There are robots, people fighting, Beck singing in a tux in the style of awful prom photos, and line dancing. It doesn’t need to make sense, but it is an iconic song. (video)

2.       “Girl”: Remember ‘Mad Magazine’ and those pages that you had to fold to find a new picture? That’s what this video tries to imitate. It starts with a piece of paper, then it turns into walls and streets folding over, all depicting beautiful things turning into harsh truths. (video)

3.       “Hell Yes”: Make way for the dancing robots! Back when this video came out in 2005, it was such an odd yet innovative idea to have robots dancing around on a stage. It also features Beck and others joining them in hologram-form. (video)

4.       “Wow”: This is Beck’s latest video and it definitely ranks up there with some of his most random. It features a lot of dancing; in the middle of the street, with his kids, by a troupe of young girls in East-Asian inspired outfits… It also has roses with eyes, a man doing yoga in the middle of an intersection and fuzzy balls with eyes. (video)

5.       “E-Pro”: This video is all green screen and computer graphics. Beck is in a black field where everything is made of colored, moving lines. At a certain point he gets decapitated and a bird flies off with his head. Yeah… (video)

6.       “Cellphone’s Dead”: In this video, Beck’s backing band is made up of a 1770s diplomat, a cowboy, a guy in a Mexican poncho and a bear. The video, presented partially in oversaturated color, also has a little girl looking directly into the camera while dancing, a Rambo-like gunslinger and an exercise girl. (video)

7.       “Sexx Laws”: It starts out innocently enough with a group of guys having some sort of support group meeting. However, things quickly go haywire when football players bust in. It’s at this point that appliances become possessed, aliens fight other aliens, rugby players start to dance in a parking lot and his band gets lost in a mob of people. Also, what is going on with his backing band!? (video)

      Beck has had some weird music videos, but that only adds to the value of his work. For more than 20 years, he has been entertaining and inspiring fans with his art and his music. Even after all those years, his music sounds just as innovative as it did when he released it, which makes this the perfect time to reissue his classic albums.

      Find music from Beck, as well as titles from thousands more artists at Vinyl Bay 777 and at vinylbay777.com.

Streaming Might Be Helping the Music Industry, but Vinyl is Here to Stay

It’s easy to be cynical about the way the music industry is going. Since the mid-2000s, there has been a decline in the purchase of music, leaving record companies at a financial loss. Although downloads have become a preferred method of  music sales for many, they never caught on financially the way CDs had in the 1990s, and continue to be a loss for the industry.

However, for the first time in nearly two decades, the music industry is earning a profit. In the first half of 2016, record company profits were up 8.1 percent from the same time last year.

This boost is due to the growth of paid streaming services, which also saw a bump in the first half of the year. Revenue from Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Pandora and more has now reached over 1 billion dollars.

Though sales of physical mediums are down in the first half of the year, including vinyl, which had been seeing a significant resurgence over the last decade, it’s also not stopping record companies and artists from producing the physical medium and fans from buying it. There are more titles being released on vinyl than there have been in years as contemporary artists are beginning to press their music. Many are even creating exclusive deluxe editions of their albums that make them a must-have for any fan or collector.

While streaming is good for music discovery, nothing feels like having the album in your hands. That’s what has made the vinyl resurgence grow so rapidly. There will always be a demand for physical music, old and new.

And there will always be a demand for record shops. Parents are sharing the experience of going to the store and looking through the shelves with their children, helping to instill a love for music early and to let them know that music isn’t just a file on a computer.

It’s great that the record industry is finally making money again. As the way people listen to music has changed, the music industry has begun to embrace it and reap its benefits. However, that doesn’t mean that physical mediums are dead. Far from it, there will always be a need for physical albums and record stores. The vinyl resurgence isn’t going away any time soon.

Come see why vinyl will never go out of style at Vinyl Bay777. With new and classic titles from your favorite artists of all genres, Vinyl Bay has one of the largest selections of vinyl, CDs, cassettes and more on Long Island.

Long live vinyl!

Seven Music Videos Staring A-List Celebrities

We’ve all seen it. An artist picks out a pretty face to star in their music video. Most of the time, they choose an unknown, someone they think will make their video stand out. Sometimes they turn into stars that we talk about years down the road.

Other times, a band will go for star power directly. If a celebrity likes their music, you might possibly like it too.

Perhaps this was the process behind the new video from British singer-songwriter Tom Odell, who released his video for “Here I Am” on Monday. The video stars Kevin Spacey walking up a never-ending winding staircase and playing witness to a number of odd scenes.

As stated, Odell is not the only indie artist to take the celebrity root when casting their video. Here are seven who were lucky enough to get A-List celebrities to star in their videos.

1.       Fat Boy Slim, “Weapon of Choice,” Christopher Walken: When this video came out in 2000, it seemed so odd that Christopher Walken would be in such an odd video. He’s so straight-laced that it doesn’t seem possible that he would dance around a hotel lobby. But it works and has become an iconic video for music producer Fatboy Slim. (Video)

2.       Vampire Weekend, “Giving Up the Gun,” Jake Gyllenhaal: There are a lot of cameos in this video, not just Jake Gyllenhaal. Featuring a little girl playing and winning at rounds of tennis against people much older than her, the video also stars a post-Jonas Brothers Joe Jonas, RZA and Lil Jon. That’s pretty star-studded for an indie band. (Video)

3.       Dashboard Confessional, “Stolen,” Olivia Wilde: Just before taking on a role in ‘House’ and kick-starting her acting career, Wilde starred in Dashboard Confessional’s video for the uncharacteristically happy single “Stolen.” In the video’s story, she plays the future girl from the tarot cards. (Video)

4.       Less Than Jake, “She’s Gonna Break Soon,” Alexis Bledel: At the height of ‘Gilmore Girls’ popularity, Alexis Bledel took a minute to star in the video for ska-punk band Less Than Jake’s video for “She’s Gonna Break Soon.” In it, she gets to have a massive freakout, pretty much destroying everything in her pretty pink room while the band plays, and watches, on. (Video)

5.        Jenny Lewis, “Just One of the Guys,” Anne Hathaway: Another video with more than one famous face, Hathaway is joined by Kristen Stewart and Brie Larson, as well as Jenny Lewis (it is her video), playing in Lewis’ back-up band and dressing like guys in tracksuits. (Video)

6.       The Offspring, “She’s Got Issues,” Zoey Deschanel: Before introducing the world to her perky brand of “twee,” Deschanel dyed her hair bright red and starred in The Offspring’s video for “She’s Got Issues.” The video is pretty much her hallucinating disturbing cartoon forms while the band plays on in another room. (Video)

7.       Mumford & Sons, “Hopeless Wanderer,” Jason Bateman: Besides Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Ed Helms and Will Forte starred in this hilarious video that almost seems like a parody of Mumford & Sons, until you realize that it’s the band parodying themselves. This also isn’t the first time Mumford had looked to the A-list for video stars. In their previous video for “Lover of the Light,” the band got Idris Elba to co-direct and star in the video as a blind man. (Video)

It's not unusual for artists to want someone recognizable in their video, after all, they want it to be seen. Having a celebrity's mark of approval is not a bad way to do that for both unknown and well-known artists. 

Music from all these artists, sans actors, can be found at Vinyl Bay 777. Come down and check out one of the largest selections of new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes and more on Long Island!

Seven Taking Back Sunday Singles - Ranked

Taking Back Sunday released their latest album, ‘Tidal Wave,’ on Friday. This is the second album the band has released together since reuniting the classic ‘Tell All Your Friends’ line-up six years ago.

For the most part, ‘Tidal Wave’ is a low-key album, not necessarily something you expect from the pop-punk/”emo” band. The most impressive thing about the album on (my) first listen is the dynamics between the songs. It has its soft, intimate moments, then turns around and emotes in a controlled manor.

In honor of the album’s release, here is a ranking of Taking Back Sunday’s best singles.

1.       “Cute Without the ‘E’”: ‘Tell All Your Friends’ is a very iconic album and this song is one of the reasons why. “Cute Without the ‘E’” epitomized TBS in the early 2000s and has one of the catchiest choruses imaginable. The lyrics are dramatic and biting. It’s brilliant.

2.       “You’re So Last Summer”: The other very memorable single (and video) from ‘Tell All Your Friends,’ “You’re So Last Summer” is, again, very dramatic. It’s a break-up song and a love song, and has some of the most quotable lyrics in 2000s pop-rock/ “emo.” And they got Flava Flav to be in the video!

3.       “MakeDamnSure”: “MakeDamnSure” is more aggressive than the band’s previous singles. It was a new era for the band, one where the band would became more popular than ever. Part of it was Fred Mascherino’s influence, but it was also where the genre was heading and TBS were again at the forefront.

4.       “A Decade Under the Influence”: The tune is memorable, as are the words. It builds up to this incredible scream by the end, just all this emotion finally being released. Amazing.

5.       “Faith”: This is the first single after the band returned to their classic ‘TAYF’ line-up, and what a way to come back. This is classic Taking Back Sunday, except more grown up and less “whiney.”  

6.       “Liar”: This song is memorable for its melody and its video. It’s as self-deprecating as any of their other songs. When it gets to the chorus, the song takes off. Also, putting themselves in a lie detector machine for the video is a cute idea.

7.        “Flicker, Fade”: The first single from the band 2014’s ‘Happiness Is,’ this song continues the band’s forward momentum. It’s aggressive and contemplative at the same time. It’s the best of where they came from and where they are going.

‘Tidal Wave’ is out now.  Taking Back Sunday is currently on a small club tour with You Blew It!, which will hit Irving Plaza on September 29 and 30, and Long Island on October 4 at Revolution.

You can pick up the band’s back catalog of albums at VinylBay 777 right now!