Seven Albums Coming Out in November 2016

November is right around the corner. So, naturally, it’s time to check out the new music being released in the coming month.

A lot of good music is on the way in the next month, from albums by rock staples like Bon Jovi and Metallica, to pop debuts and hip-hop farewells from DNCE and A Tribe Called Quest (respectively) and more. Here are Vinyl Bay777’s top picks for albums coming out in November that we think you need to check out.

1.       Bon Jovi, ‘This House is Not for Sale’: This is the 13^th album from the New Jersey rock band. It will be the first album the band has released without guitarist Richie Sambora, who had been with the band almost from the start, as well as the first with Phil X and Hugh McDonald as official members of the band. In another first, it is also their first album on Island Records after 32 years with Mercury Records. (November 4)

2.       A Tribe Called Quest, Title TBA: On October 28, it was announced that pioneering New York rap group A Tribe Called Quest would be releasing their final album on November 11. It still doesn’t have a title yet, but it does feature all of the group’s members, including Phife Dawg, who passed away in March. (November 11)

3.       Sleigh Bells, ‘Jessica Rabbit’: The noise-pop duo’s fourth studio album, ‘Jessica Rabbit’ will be the first album they release on their Torn Clean label. You can watch videos for two of the album’s four singles, “It’s Just Us Now” and “I Can Only Stare.” (November 11)

4.       Metallica, ‘Hardwired… to Self-Destruct’: Metallica’s 10^th studio album, ‘Hardwired’ comes eight years after their last official studio album, 2008’s ‘Death Magnetic,’ and five after the universally panned Lou Reed collaboration ‘Lulu.’ You can still pre-order the album on vinyl (regular and deluxe) at vinylbay777.com!(November 18)

5.       DNCE, ‘DNCE’: Though DNCE released their first single, “Cake by the Ocean,” a little more than a year ago, the band, fronted by Joe Jonas of Jonas Brothers fame, are finally releasing their debut, self-titled album on November 18. It will include the three singles from their ‘Swaay’ EP, as well as 11 new tracks. (November 18)

6.       Bruno Mars, ‘24K Magic’: One of Rolling Stone’s most anticipated albums of the year, ‘24K Magic’ was supposed to come out in March, but was pushed back due to Mars’ involvement with the Super Bowl Halftime Show earlier this year. He has been promoting the album heavily over the last month, appearing on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and announcing a residency at Las Vegas’ Park Theater at Monte Carlo. (November 18)

7.       Kate Bush, ‘Before the Dawn’: Bush’s first album in five years, ‘Before the Dawn’ was recorded live during her 22-date residency at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, her first set of shows in more than 35 years. The album will be available as a three-CD set and as a four-record pressing. (November 25)

8.       Bonus: Miranda Lambert, ‘The Weight of These Wings’: A lot has happened in Lambert’s life since the release of her last album, ‘Platinum,’ in 2014, including her divorce from Blake Shelton, that will probably influence her new album, ‘The Weight of These Wings.’ The album will be broken up into two discs, titled “The Nerve” and “The Heart.” (November 18)

November’s music offerings are looking pretty good. There is something coming out for every taste in music, from pop to metal and hip-hop to country.

Check out new titles, as well as old favorites in store at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. With thousands of titles to choose from, there is something for everyone. Now open seven days a week!

Seven Off-Beat Songs for your Halloween Playlist

Halloween is almost here! It’s that time of year where everyone dresses up and candy is consumed by the pillowcase.

It’s also a prime time for spooky holiday parties. You’re probably looking to finalize the perfect soundtrack for your ghoulish get-together right now. But why spin the same old songs over and over again?

Vinyl Bay 777 has you covered. Here are seven off-beat songs for your Halloween playlist that go beyond the “Monster Mash” and keep your guests rocking out.

1.       Ramones, “Pet Sematary”: “Pet Sematary” sounds like a lot of the Ramones’ songs, but listen to the lyrics and you’ll find its one creepy song. It talks about ghouls, skeletons and vampires, as well as someone named “Victor,” who one can only assume is Victor Frankenstein.

2.       Ludo, “The Horror of Our Love”: If you’re looking for upbeat songs for your party, this isn’t it, but the lyrics are so detailed, beautiful and very graphic. Ludo has a flair for the dramatic and this is as dramatic as it gets. Bonus song: The band released a short rock opera EP called ‘Broken Bride,’ which is pretty creepy as well, mixing horror and science fiction.

3.       Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, “Science Fiction Double Feature”: Me First is an amazing cover band that truly makes every song they attempt their own. Here they are doing one of the most recognizable songs from a cult film ever and speeding it up to punk levels. It’s the perfect addition to your group “Time Warp”!

4.       Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Heads Will Roll”: Who doesn’t love a good dance track that keeps repeating “off with your head?” Written from the perspective of ‘Alice in Wonderland’s” Red Queen, the song repeats said verse along with choruses of “dance ‘til your dead” and “heads will roll.” Angry stuff for a dance song, but it works and has become a classic track from the band.

5.       Patent Pending, “Dance Till We Die”: Off Long Island pop-punk band Patent Pending’s ‘Second Family’ album, “Dance Till We Die” is highly energetic. So much so that your guests really won’t “leave this place alive.”

6.       Marilyn Manson, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”: This is one of the creepiest songs that they played constantly on the radio. Originally a hit for Eurhythmics, Manson’s slow as molasses delivery and throaty vocal build suspense, particularly when you get to the breakdown before the final chorus.

7.       Tim Timebomb, “Misconceptions of Hell”: ‘Rock N’ Roll Theater’ was a very short-lived horror series started by Tim Armstrong, of Operation Ivy and Rancid fame, that put a musical spin on classic horror literature. The first musical they did was ‘Dante,’ starring Lars Frederiksen and Davey Havok. “Misconceptions” is sung by Havok, who plays the devil, who is talking about people’s misconceptions about what hell is. Check out the rest of the musical too, as it’s all really good.

If you’re tired of the same old Halloween songs, try out these seven song suggestions for the most unique Halloween soundtrack on the block. Your guests will be “dying” to come back for more.

Check out more haunting Halloween songs and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. We have thousands of titles to choose from on vinyl, CD and cassette!

Elvis’ Pelvis and America’s Changing Cultural Taboo

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in looking at how culture has changed over the years through the lens of music performance.

As Bob Dylan said, “the times, they are a-changin’.” Things that people once saw as taboo have now become a regular part of our society.

Never has this been more evident than in the way music and performance has progressed over the last 70 years. From the way singers tackle subjects like sex and drugs to the way an artist moves, dances and dresses on stage, it is the perfect lens through which to see just how much society has changed.

Take Amy Winehouse’s breakthrough album, ‘Back to Black,’ for instance, which celebrates its 10^th anniversary today. Through her music, she frankly discusses her alcoholism in language that is brutal and up-front. Even though artists in the 1960s had the same issues, it was highly unlikely that they would be writing such lyrics. Like Kenneth Partridge said in an October 27^th article on Billboard, “Social mores were such that you couldn’t sing about these things, or the nitty-gritty of romantic relationships, in 1965. But had it been a more permissive era, phrases like “likkle carpet burns” -- a Winehouse gem from “You Know I’m No Good” -- might have found their way into some of those classic Supremes breakup jams.”

Partridge goes on to name another taboo that Winehouse breaks, being a women in the music industry writing her own songs. That doesn’t seem like it should be a thing. Women write their own songs all the time nowadays. But go back 50 years and you had male’s running the music industry. The thought of a woman being a major player in that realm was laughable. Sure there were some, like Carole King, one of the most successful songwriters of the last 50 years, but they were few and far between. And even King didn’t have solo success with her own music until the 1970s.

Breaking taboos in music doesn’t only have to do with songwriting, but performance as well. When Elvis came out on stage in 1957, all he had to do was shake his hips (something he was once asked by police at a show in California not to do) and he was considered indecent. Flash forward to the 1980s and 90s when you had boy bands and female singers gyrating all over the place because, quite frankly, sex sells. We don’t bat an eye to this anymore. It’s a part of our culture now.

The same thing goes for on-stage fashion choices. Before the 1960s, ladies wearing pants was unheard of because it was “unladylike.” Before that it was even unladylike for a woman to wear a dress that showed off her ankles. Now, pants keep getting shorter and shorter. Not only young pop singers, but artists like Madonna, who broke many a mold with her music and art, as well, perform in outfits that leave little to the imagination.

As time goes on, culture begins to change. Things that were once taboo, like drugs and sex in song lyrics and risqué outfits and dance moves, have become part of the norm. This isn’t a bad thing, though. Culture should evolve and change. It’s how you grow as a society. Music is a great window into the changes that are occurring in our society and where we are heading because it is part of the media that we consume every day. It is a reflection of us and who we are.

See how music has changed over the years by coming down to Vinyl Bay 777 or shopping online at vinylbay777.com and browsing our selection of thousands of titles on vinyl, CD, and cassette. Find music from all the artists mentioned and more, spanning many decades of music and history.

Seven Record Store Day Black Friday 2016 Releases You Need to Check Out

The official list of releases for Record Store Day’s Black Friday event has been released, laying out hundreds of exclusive titles that will be available for purchase in stores on November 25.  Judging from the list, there is a lot to be excited for this holiday season.

For nearly a decade, Record Store Day has been the biggest occasion of the year for purchasing vinyl records. Celebrating physical music releases, independent record stores, artists and music fans, it has almost single-handedly been the cause of vinyl’s resurgence. The event’s organizers started Record Store Day Black Friday in 2010 to continue the momentum of the main date and make record stores a destination for any music lover’s holiday shopping needs.

As always, this year’s list consists of exclusives, first releases and limited runs. Here are seven of Vinyl Bay 777’s choices for this year’s most interesting Black Friday releases. 

1.       The Beach Boys, 'Becoming The Beach Boys': This LP brings forward some of The Beach Boys’ earliest recordings and demos, nine of which have never been released on vinyl before. This is a companion album to Jim Murphy’s book of the same name and includes liner notes written by the author as well.

2.       Amanda Palmer and Jherek Bischoff, 'Strung Out in Heaven': In homage to their frequent collaborator David Bowie after his passing, Amanda Palmer and Jherek Bischoff released a six-track digital EP of Bowie’s classics arranged for a string quartet. After Prince passed away, the duo gave “Purple Rain” the same treatment. This is the first time all tracks will have a physical release.

3.       Sesame Street, 'Sesame Road': The idea for this one is cute. The people behind ‘Sesame Street’ took classic rock tracks and changed them to be educational. There’s “I Want to Hold Your Ear,” “Grouch Girls Don’t Want To Have Fun,” “A Little Yelp From My Friends,” “Rebel L,” “It’s Just a Rock (But I Like It Fine),” “Hey Food” and more. It will come randomly distributed on four different colors of vinyl with green being the most obscure.

4.       Sugarhill Gang/Chic, 'Meet Your Maker': Perhaps due to the success of their Back-to-Back series, Rhino has created a new 7” series. Titled ‘Meet Your Maker,’ the concept takes a classic hip-hop song and backs it with the song that it samples from. The first entry is The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight,” which has Chic’s “Good Times” on the b-side of the single.

5.       Various Artists, 'Pop the Clutch: Obscure Rockabilly from the Vaults': If you are into rockabilly, this is the album for you! It features “rare and obscure” tracks from defunct labels that are hard to find anywhere in their original forms.

6.       Yardbirds, 'Birdland': This is the final official Yardbirds album, originally released in 2003 on CD and never on vinyl until now. While drummer Jim McCarty and guitarist Chris Dreja were the only members of the original 1960s band left, there are plenty of guest appearances on the album, including one by Jeff Beck. Other musicians who make appearences on the album include Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Slash, and Brian May.

7.       Various Artists, 'The Smart Studios Story' and 'American Noise Volume One': Butch Vig was one of the most sought-after producers in the late-1980s and 1990s, having a heavy hand in the sound and production of some of the era’s most iconic alternative albums. ‘The Smart Studios Story’ is a documentary detailing the story of his and Steve Marker’s legendary Smart Studios. ‘American Noise Volume One: Smart Studio Era 1’ is a companion soundtrack to the documentary and features some of Butch Vig’s earliest productions.

There are, of course, many more amazing titles being released for Record Store Day’s Black Friday 2016 event. From exclusive re-issues to limited edition albums and first releases, there is bound to be something to satisfy every music lover’s holiday wish list. The full list of exclusive releases is available on the Record Store Day website right now.

What better way to spend the biggest shopping day of the year than at your local record store, Vinyl Bay 777! We have thousands of titles to choose from on vinyl, CD, cassette tape and more. Shop in-store during our newly extended hours and online at vinylbay777.com any time. 

Seven Classic Bands Touring in 2016/2017

As 2016 starts to wind down and 2017 inches closer and closer, artists are starting to announce their touring plans for the late fall, winter and the New Year. So far, there are quite a few classic bands who are already on tour and who have announced their intentions to tour in 2017.

Vinyl Bay 777 is just as excited to see our favorite artists tour as you are. Here are seven 70s and 80s bands who will be touring this fall/winter and into the new year!

1.       Stevie Nicks and The Pretenders (Oct.-Dec): Nicks released her latest album ’24 Karat Gold-Songs from the Vault’ in 2014 and has been touring behind it ever since. In September, she announced a string of fall dates with classic punk/new wave band; The Pretenders, who just released their first album together in eight years, ‘Alone,’ on October 21. The “24-Karat Gold” Tour will run from October through December of 2016.

2.       ZZ Top (Oct.-March): After 45 years, ZZ Top released their first official live album this past August, ‘Tonite at Midnight.’ Now, the band has announced the Tonnage Tour, which will take the band across the US from February through March. The band is currently on tour as well through early November.

3.       Bon Jovi (Feb.-March): On November 4, Bon Jovi will release their 13^th studio album, ‘This House is Not for Sale,’ their first without guitarist Richie Sambora. The band will be kicking off a 2017 US tour behind the album in February that is set to run through March.

4.       The Damned (Apr.-May): The Damned has just announced that they are working on a new album set to come out next year. It will be the punk band’s first together since 2008. The band has also just announced that they will be embarking on a full North American tour in the spring, running from April through May 2017.

5.       Depeche Mode (Europe: May-July; US: ?): Depeche Mode have two upcoming releases on the horizon. The ‘Video Singles Collection,’ a greatest hits DVD of all their video singles, will be released on November 18. Then, the band will be releasing an album of new material, titled ‘Spirit’ sometime this spring. In May, they will be kicking off the ‘Global Spirit’ Tour in Europe, which will last through July with US tour dates yet to be announced.

6.       Roger Waters (May-Oct.): Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters has a new show up his sleeve for 2017. Titled ‘Us + Them,’ after the song on ‘Dark Side of the Moon,’ the 44-date North American tour will kick off in May and run through October (and is one of the first tours to be announced for the New Nassau Coliseum). Waters is keeping the concept very secretive, but has revealed that it will be a mix of new and classic songs.

7.       Poison and Def Leopard (?): This tour hasn’t technically been announced yet, but was confirmed by Bret Michaels in July. The two classic metal bands last toured together in 2012, which was the last time Poison toured together as well.

It’s always nice to see bands continue to tour and work together, particularly the ones who have been together for decades. These seven tours are just the beginning of what looks like an amazing fall/winter season and New Year packed with amazing music to look forward to.

Check out music from all of these touring artists and more in-store at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. With thousands of titles to choose from on vinyl, CD, and cassette with more being added all the time, there is always something new to find!

Seven Strange Places Bands Have Performed

Sometimes, the lengths artists go to bring their music to the masses is outstanding. Artists have played in some pretty odd places in order to please fans or just to say they did.

On Friday, Lady Gaga played an intimate show at The Bitter End in promotion of her new album, ‘Joanne.’ While it is not unusual for an artist with that much fame to test music out at a small show, it is a bit of a spectacle when they finish their gig and play another on the roof of the venue right after. But that is exactly what she did, treating the crowd below to a free, impromptu set of new music. While playing out of a window or on a roof has been done before (i.e. The Beatles’ infamous gig on top of Apple Headquarters), it is still a wild scene when it happens.

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in looking back at some of the oddest places artists have plugged in and played a show. From tall towers and elevators to abandoned buildings and continents filled with penguins, here are seven of the strangest gigs ever.

1.       Spiritualized, Toronto’s CN Tower: Earning them the Guinness World Record for “highest concert performed in a man-made structure” in 1997, Spiritualized performed on the 144^th story Toronto’s CN Tower, 114 stories in the air. According to an interview with MTV, lead singer Jason Pierce said they played that show “Because it was there. Nobody has done a show there before, we’ll be making our own venue.”

2.       Kanye West, Airplane: On a flight to New York in 2010, Kanye West decided to commandeer the plane’s intercom and gave passengers an impromptu show. Really, it was only one song medley, a mash-up of “Gold Digger” and “Good Life.” Other artists have also performed on planes, including Jamiroquai, who did it to promote their greatest hits album, ‘High Times,’ The Black Eyed Peas and James Blunt.

3.       The Sex Pistols, Chelmsford Top Security Prison / On a boat: When the Sex Pistols were together, they played some pretty interesting gigs. One such gig occurred at the Chelmsford Top Security Prison, where Johnny Rotten urged the inmates to rage when they (the inmates) were not allowed to. Another was their infamous boat gig on the Thames during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, where they played “God Save the Queen” while passing the House of Parliament.

4.       Nunatak, Antarctica: When the global music and social action event Live Earth occurred in 2007, its organizers wanted to make sure that there was music on all continents, even Antarctica. A band made up of research scientists at the Rothera Research Station, known as Nunatak, was the only performer.

5.       Pink Floyd, Pompeii: In 1971, Pink Floyd filmed themselves playing to an audience of none at the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Pompeii. The gig was released as a concert film in 1972.

6.       Sigur Rós, Abandoned Herring Factory: Abandoned buildings are a great place for an impromptu gig. Just ask Sigur Rós, who in 2006 played a free gig at an abandoned herring factory in Djúpavík, Iceland. The gig was part of a DVD the band recorded of them playing a two-week tour of unusual locations in Iceland.

7.       Arcade Fire, Elevator: While in France promoting their album ‘Neon Bible’ in 2007, Arcade Fire did an intimate session for La Blogotheque. That session ended up taking place in the freight elevator of the Olympia, where they were scheduled to play a show a few hours later.

It might be seem a little odd when artists play gigs in unexpected places. However, it can also be a one-of-a-kind, special moment for a fan to catch a show like that. A stunt such as playing in an airplane or one of the highest free-standing structures in the world can grab an artist a lot of attention from people who may not even know who they are. When Lady Gaga performed atop The Bitter End on Friday, she made one of these moments, not only for her fans, but for the people on the streets of New York that night as well.

Pick up music from all these artists and more in-store at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. We have thousands of titles to choose from on vinyl, CD, cassette and more!

Seven Artists Who Have Made Fun of Themselves in Their Videos

Blink-182 recently released a video for their song “She’s Out of Her Mind” as part of Spotify’s new ‘Flash Frame’ series. The video is an almost shot-for-shot parody of their “What’s My Age Again” clip, only this time three female Instagram models are running around instead of the band’s members.

Just like Blink-182, there are many other artists that don’t take themselves seriously either. There are many artists who have parodied themselves in their videos as well. Whether it is getting someone else to imitate them or poking fun at their own actions, these bands are not afraid to make fun of their mannerisms or image.

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in looking at seven of these music videos, where artists.

1.       Elton John, “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore”: There was a certain point in the early 2000s when Elton John didn’t want to appear in his music videos. Instead, for his 2002 single “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore,” he recruited *NSYNC member Justin Timberlake to dress up as the 1970s version of John and walk around backstage at his show.

2.       Mumford and Sons, “Hopeless Wanderer”: Sometimes Mumford and Sons’ music can be a bit on the serious and liturgical side. So it was a real pleasure when the band released the video for “Hopeless Wanderer,” which featured comedians Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Ed Helms and Will Forte pretending to be the band. Hilarity ensues, particularly when the “band members” relieve a little bit of “sexual tension.”

3.       Bowling for Soup, “Punk Rock 101”: The whole song is a parody of how punk rock has become formulaic, but it is also a parody of them, as they are a pop-punk band.  In the video, they are getting lessons on how to act “punk,” from jumping while playing to what they should be wearing.

4.       Eminem, “The Real Slim Shady”: Eminem has released many videos where he plays variations on himself. But in “The Real Slim Shady,” he has extras dress up like him.

5.       Beastie Boys, “Make Some Noise”: “Make Some Noise” was a short film the surviving members of the Beastie Boys released to pay homage to how they started. They did not play themselves in the video though. They enlisted the talents of Seth Rogan, Elijah Wood and Danny McBride to play the trio as they meet up the many famous faces who make hilarious cameos.

6.       Foo Fighters, “Learning How To Fly”: “Learning How To Fly” is one of the Foo Fighters’ most tongue-in-cheek music videos. Not only do they play themselves, but they play almost every other character as well.

7.       Blink-182, “All the Small Things”: It is worth mentioning that “She’s Out of Her Mind” is not the first time that Blink-182 parodied themselves in one of their videos. In “All the Small Things,” included within the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and 98 Degrees spoofs, they also remade parts of “What’s My Age Again” with little people.

When artists are too serious, their music can often suffer for being too boring. However, these artists inject life into their music and fandoms by not taking themselves seriously at all. They are able to look inward and parody themselves.

Serious or not, you can find music from all of these artists at in-store at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. Search through thousands of titles on vinyl, CD and cassette from artists of all genres.

Phil Chess and the Importance of Chess Records

On Tuesday, October 18, Phil Chess, co-founder of Chess Records, passed away at the age of 95. Together with his brother Leonard, he helped pioneer blues music in the 1950s and 1960s, bringing unknown black musicians to public consciousness at a time when these artists might not have gotten heard.

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in remembering Phil Chess’ effect on music and just why he and his brother’s label was so important.

The Chess brothers’ experience in the music scene proceeded label work. In the 1940s, they owned a club, called the Macomba Lounge, in Chicago. The club frequently featured jazz, bebop and blues musicians performing late-night sets.

Even before the club closed its doors, the Chess brothers began working with Aristocrat Records in 1947. Within the next three years, they would gain complete control of the label and in 1950, they renamed it Chess Records.

Blues musician Buddy Guy, who recorded his first album for Chess Records in 1967, told the Chicago Sun Times on the occasion of Phil Chess’ death, “Phil and Leonard Chess were cuttin’ the type of music nobody else was paying attention to.” The two were responsible for making blues and R&B artists such as Guy, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, Etta James, John Lee Hooker and Chuck Berry household names and gave chances to young, budding musicians like Ike Turner. Guy continued, “They started Chess Records and made Chicago what it is today – the blues capital of the world.”

Not only did Chess Records’ artists inspire the future of blues and jazz, but rock ‘n’ roll as well. While these records were originally meant to be sold to a predominantly lower-class black audience in Chicago, more middle-class jazz and folk-oriented listeners in the U.S. and U.K. began to take notice of blues artists. Bands such as The Rolling Stones were inspired to create because of these records and artists.

In 2008, two films about Chess Records were released. ‘Cadillac Records,’ which saw a wide release and a star-studded cast, and ‘Who Do You Love’ both tell the story of Leonard and Phil Chess and how Chess Records came to be. In particular, ‘Cadillac Records’ brought a renewed interest back to the label and its recordings.

Phil and Leonard Chess helped bring overlooked black musicians to the forefront of popular music. Chess Records released some of the most iconic blues and jazz recordings of the 1950s and 1960s. The music they produced inspired countless other musicians of all genres to create.

Celebrate the life of Phil Chess by coming down to Vinyl Bay 777 or shopping online at vinylbay777.com and picking up titles from Chess Records’ iconic artists.

Seven Odd Album Promotional Items

Most of the time, if a band includes an exclusive extra with their new album, chances are it will be something benign like a sticker or patch. On October 18, experimental rock group Negativland turned this on its head when they announced that their new album, ‘The Cutting Edge Vol. 9: The Chopping Channel,’ would be released with a two-ounce bag of deceased band member Don Joyce’s cremated remains.

While this is one of the weirdest (and grossest) promotional items a band has included with an album, they are not the first to use shock value to get the word out. Many artists have been known to make some odd merchandise to sell to fans or create a public display that will get people to remember their name or album.

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in looking at seven of the oddest items artists have produced in order to promote their music.

1.       John Freese’s Car: In 2009, drummer Josh Freese was getting ready to release his latest solo album, ‘Since 1972,’ with a Kickstarter campaign. One of the perks he included in his campaign was for a lucky $10000 donor, who would not only get the album, but a day at Disneyland with Freese and ultimately the musician’s car.

2.       Flaming Lips Chocolate Skull: In 2014, Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne went on a record store tour, bringing with him copies of the Flaming Lips’ first vinyl EP. That wouldn’t be weird, except that the 12” green vinyl was encased inside a white chocolate skull. The band had done something similar in 2011 when they released ‘Gummy Skull Song,’ a four-song EP on a USB encased in a gummy skull.

3.       Katy Perry Panties: For her breakthrough second album, ‘One of the Boys,’ Perry released a pair of panties with her name on the front the title of the album on the back. A T-Shirt is one thing, underwear is another.

4.       Rammstein’s 2009 Box Set: In December 2009, German metal band Rammstein released a deluxe box set edition of their album ‘Liebe ist fur alle da,’ which was released earlier that year. Included in that box set, besides a special edition of the album with four extra songs, were 12 dildos, a pair of handcuffs and lube. Yeah…

5.       The Dead Milkmen’s Methodist Coloring Book: The Dead Milkmen released their album ‘Metaphysical Graffiti’ in 1990, which included the song “Methodist Coloring Book.” So the band made a Methodist coloring book, complete with images of the band dressed as priests and doing some unsavory actions in the guise of religion.

6.       Weezer’s Snuggie: When Weezer released their album ‘Raditude’ in 2009, the band was at the height of their pop culture appropriation period. In keeping with that, the band included a Snuggie emblazoned with their logo for early purchasers of the album.

7.       Iceage’s Hair: Danish metal band Iceage released their debut full length ‘New Brigade’ in 2011 and sold two very odd items to promote it. The first is a knife, which they sold at shows (G-d knows why) with the symbol from the album on the side. The second was locks of hair from their members, which could be purchased online. So while shopping for the album online, you can buy some hair to remember the band by.

In a musical landscape where it can be hard to stand out on music alone, some artists have put out some really crazy items to promote themselves. Between human remains, human hair, sex toys, cars and albums encased in chocolate, there have been some pretty interesting and odd ideas for promotion thrown around.

Check out music from many of these artists (sans human remains) and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. We have thousands of titles on vinyl, CD and cassette, and more are being added all the time. Visit during our newly extended business hours

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Announces Nominee List for 2017

On October 18, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame came out with their list of nominees being considered for induction in 2017. The long list of nominees this year spans many genres within rock and pop, from funk and electronic to punk and traditional rock to hip-hop and R&B.

The list includes many first-time names, such as Pearl Jam, Jane’s Addiction and Tupac, as well as artists who have been passed over in years before, such as MC5, Chic, The Cars, Yes and Chaka Khan.

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in looking at the nominees by genre and why these artists deserve to be nominated.

·         Punk: There are two bands nominated this year in the punk subcategory of rock: Bad Brains and MC5. MC5 is an original. Their debut album, ‘Kick Out the Jams,’ has become a classic for punk music fans. They were loud and obnoxious and didn’t care what people thought about their music. They would fit in beautifully with the other punk bands already in the hall. Bad Brains, on the other hand, is an interesting choice. Where punk music suffers from a severe lack of diversity, Bad Brains fills that gap being a predominantly black hardcore band out of the D.C. underground scene. Their self-titled debut album is iconic for both its music and artwork. The band is still making waves today and would be an outside, but deserved pick to be inducted.

·         R&B and Soul: There are some iconic names up for consideration this year for R&B. Joe Tex, who’s style blended country, gospel and R&B elements, had four huge hits that sold millions of singles in the 60s and 70s. However, his accomplishments could get overshadowed by the two iconic female R&B singers on the list: Chaka Khan and Janet Jackson. Chaka Khan has been blowing people away with her big voice since the early 70s, first as a member of Rufus, then as a solo artist. Her music has earned her gold and platinum albums. She was also the first singer to collaborate with hip-hop artists on her music. Janet Jackson has consistently been putting out music since the mid 1980s and is one of the best-selling singers of all time. She helped open the door for many other female singers in the pop and R&B genres, being one of the first to include choreographed dancing as a main part of her live performances.

·         Electronic: At a time where electronic music continues to evolve and EDM is gaining in popularity, the RNRHoF is perhaps starting to look at the bands that pioneered some of its main tropes. Nominated this year are Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk, who were both influential in the use of synths in rock and pop music. Kraftwerk’s music is unique because much of it after 1975 contains no guitar whatsoever. That is a bold move for a rock band, but it sold well around the world. Depeche Mode came out in the 1980s and has influenced countless other artists in many different genres. The band has never left the public eye, as their music continues to be played on radio stations all over the world. They continue to release ground-breaking synth-pop music to this day.

·         Alternative: After Nirvana’s induction in 2014, the fairly new subgenres of alternative and grunge continue to see its most popular and influential bands get nods . This year’s grunge nominees include Pearl Jam and Jane’s Addiction in each of their first year of eligibility. A win would be a great way for Pearl Jam to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of ‘Ten,’ the band’s much lauded debut album. Eddie Vedder remains one of the most emulated frontmen in current rock music. Jane’s Addiction helped coin the term “alternative” and frontman Perry Farrell became its spokesman. He created Lollapalooza and has continued to run it for 25 years.

·         Folk: It’s hard to believe that Joan Baez has never been nominated to the RNRHoF before. She has been a pioneer and staple in folk music since the late 1950s. She has written countless protest songs and inspired other artists to fight for what they believe in with their music. Baez continues to be a force for positive change in the world.

·         Hip-Hop: Tupac Shakur is one of the most revered names in East Coast rap and one we have continually been talking about as a culture since his death in 1996. There is no denying that his work has been influential on today’s hip-hop scene as people try to recreate his work (and likeness) all the time.

·         Rock: While there are a lot of different genres represented in the RNRHoF, its main focus has always been and continues to be rock. This year’s classically rock contenders include Electric Light Orchestra, J. Geils Band, Journey, Steppenwolf, The Cars, The Zombies and Yes. ELO’s influence can be found in artists of many genres and are still touring around with singer Jeff Lynne as Jeff Lynne’s ELO. J. Geils Band’s sound was ahead of its time and their big hit, “Centerfold,” is proof of that. Journey is an iconic band with so many hits that it is impossible to get away from their music to this day (evidenced by the karaoke power of “Don’t Stop Believing”). Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” has soundtracked every cool moment in a movie since it was first used in ‘Easy Rider,’ and the epitome of the 70s rock sound. The Cars’ sound continues to be a heavy influence on many new synth-pop and indie artists.  The Zombies’ hit “Time of the Season” has been ranked as one of the best songs of the 1960s. Yes has sold millions of albums all over the world.

Inductees for 2017 will be announced in December of 2016 and the induction ceremony will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York in April.

Find music from all of these bands and more in-store at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com.

Is Music Poetry? On Bob Dylan’s Historic Awarding of the Nobel Prize

By now you’ve heard that Bob Dylan is the 2016 recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, a highly coveted honor usually reserved for career writers. Over the last few days, the music and literary communities have been showering the singer with congratulatory words, even if the singer has not acknowledged the honor himself.

Dylan is the first American to earn the award in 23 years, since Toni Morrison received it back in 1993. But that’s not the point…

Bob Dylan’s receipt of the prize has sparked a sort of controversy as to whether or not his work actually warrants such an award. Even deeper, it sparks a debate as to what constitutes literature. Can music be poetry or is it exclusively its own thing?

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in exploring this question of whether music deserves to be treated like literature or as an “other.”

There have been many opinion pieces saying that Dylan, while deserving to be honored for his work, does not deserve to be recognized with a literary award. An op-ed article in The New York Times says that with giving the prize to Dylan, the committee fails to honor a “writer” in a world where reading and book sales are in decline, that they missed an opportunity to give a boost to literature in general. Another article in Pitchfork claims that since you cannot separate Dylan’s words from his music to stand on their own, that it is not poetry.  An op-ed in Vice makes the same claim, backing it up with words from respected music critics on the subject.

Each of these articles surmises that there is something inherently different between music and prose. Music cannot be literature because it is so intertwined in melody that it is completely different. It is not the “high-brow” type of art that people see prose and poetry as, but as an “other” with its own awards and accolades.

On the other hand, it can be argued that a musical artist can be deserved of a literature award for their storytelling ability. The Swedish Academy’s (who hands out the Nobel Prize awards) gave Dylan the award because he “created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” This is the backbone of Rolling Stone’s argument as to why Dylan deserves the honor. Writer Rob Sheffield compares his style to that of Shakespeare, who changed playwriting and poetry (also once considered “low-brow” entertainment) by drawing inspiration from others and turning it on its ear, making it accessible to everyone and, essentially, making it his own. Musician Tom Waits says it best in a Tweet he posted Thursday: "Before epic tales and poems were ever written down, they migrated on the winds of the human voice and no voice is greater than Dylan's."

So if the definition of literature is considered to be storytelling, Dylan deserves the honor on his merits as a songwriter and storyteller alone. By effectively relating a story and getting a point across through words and phrasing, a song becomes poetry.

A lot of musicians write music and lyrics simply because they must get their stories out, the same thing many authors feel about writing prose and poetry. It comes from the same place, that same urge to create. Whether or not you believe that a musician such as Bob Dylan, who has been challenging normal music conventions for decades, deserves a literature accolade, let’s remember that music and prose are both about creativity. Dylan did not choose to be awarded a prize for literature, but if the committee decided to give him one, than his creativity in songwriting and storytelling must deserve it on some level.

Decide for yourself whether Bob Dylan deserves the Nobel Prize for Literature by dropping by Vinyl Bay 777 or shopping online at vinylbay777.com and picking up titles from Bob Dylan’s catalog, as well as thousands of titles from more artists! With newly extended store hours, there are even more opportunities to browse one of the largest collections of new and used vinyl, CDs and cassettes on Long Island!

Seven Shows to See in New York This Weekend (10/14-10/16)

It’s the weekend once more! Time to have some fun! What better way to let off some steam than to get out to a show!

Vinyl Bay 777 has your back with these seven live show suggestions for the Tri-State Area. From metal to alt-rock and folk to hip-hop, there is something out there for everyone this weekend.

1.       Megadeth: Megadeth released their 15^th studio album, ‘Dystopia,’ in January to much critical acclaim. The band is currently touring behind the album with Suicidal Tendencies, Amon Amarth, Metal Church and Havok providing support. The band is also getting ready to launch its own beer next week. (Friday, Prudential Center)

2.       Bob Weir: In September, Weir released his first new solo album in more than a decade, ‘Blue Mountain.’ The ex-Grateful Dead guitarist and RatDog frontman will be playing two shows in Brooklyn this weekend as part of his US tour behind the album. He will be accompanied by friends Bryan and Scott Devendorf, Josh Kaufman and Steve Kimock, who all helped in the recording of ‘Blue Mountain.’ (Friday and Saturday, Kings Theater)

3.       Switchfoot & Relient K: Two of the late 90s/early 2000s’ most popular Christian alt-rock bands, Switchfoot and Relient K, have joined forces to embark on the ‘Looking for America’ tour this fall. Both bands released new albums in July. If you’re not able to see them tonight in Connecticut or Saturday on Long Island, you can still catch them Monday when they play the Playstation Theater. (Friday, Oakdale Theatre; Saturday, Paramount; Monday, Playstation Theater)

4.       Joan Baez: The legendary folk singer is currently celebrating her 75^th birthday with a PBS Special and tour. If you missed her show at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury earlier this week, Baez will be in New Jersey on Saturday. (Saturday, Welmont)

5.       Kongos: The South African band of brothers released their sophomore album, ‘Egomaniac,’ in June, hoping to continue the immense success of their 2012 debut, ‘Lunatic.’ Kongos is currently on the US leg of their Egomaniac world tour, which stops in New York on Saturday. (Saturday, Playstation Theater)

6.       Tidal X: Barclays Center will be buzzing on Saturday when streaming music platform Tidal hosts the star-studded event Tidal X:1015. Artists on the bill include Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Common, DNCE, Robin Thicke, emili Sande, Prince Royce and more. There will also be a showcase of up-and-coming artists, including Bebe Rexha, Lil Yachty and more. In addition, Tidal will be working with anti-poverty group Robin Hood on the event to honor teachers and raise awareness. (Saturday, Barclays Center)

7.       Jerry Lewis: The King of Comedy is still going strong at 90. Lewis is still acting and performing to this day. He will be bringing his old-world style of comedy to Staten Island this Sunday in what is sure to be a special performance. (Sunday, St. George Theatre)

There is nothing like seeing an artist live to celebrate the weekend right (besides visiting a record store). It is a great way to have fun, let off some steam and support the music scene directly.

Before you head down to the show, visit Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com to pick up music from all of these artists and more! We have thousands of titles on vinyl, CD and cassette in a range of genres to choose from.  We have also recently extended our hours, giving you new opportunities to shop in store.

Seven Songs About Forgiveness

Jews all over the world celebrated the New Year over the last two weeks. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are a time of self-reflection and repentance for sins committed throughout the year.

Forgiveness is a topic many secular artists have written about in their music. Whether it is hoping that one’s love will forgive them for something that they have done or rationalizing life’s struggles, there is no shortage of people seeking to be forgiven for something they have done.

Vinyl Bay 777 knows that music has the power to help one heal, apologize and forgive. With that being said, here are seven rock and pop songs that deal with apologizing and forgiving one’s transgressions to another:

1.       Buckcherry, “Sorry”: This song finds its narrator profusely apologizing to the woman he loves and hoping that she forgives him. He loves her too much to let their love die for something he did.

2.       Don Henley, “Heart of the Matter”: This song starts out about ex-lovers getting over each other, but quickly comes to the realization that to do that, one must be able to forgive. As the lyrics go, “There are people in your life who’ve come and gone/they let you down and hurt your pride/ better put it all behind you; life goes on/You keep carryin’ that anger, it’ll eat you up inside.”

3.       John Mellencamp, “Forgiveness”: In what seems like a strained relationship, the narrator of this song is glad that there is forgiveness in the world and hopes that his love feels the same. He hopes that his love will accept his apology for all that he has done wrong before it is too late with the hope that she will apologize too.

4.       Daniel Johnston, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Grievances”: We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t go to bed angry.” That is the premise of this jazz song, which begs the listener to “start each day with a clean slate” and “don’t forget to forgive and forget.”

5.       Mumford & Sons, “Ghosts That We Knew”: The narrator of this song is looking for some sort of hope through a dark period in his relationship. He knows that the ghost of what he has done will linger on, but is willing to take as much time as his love needs to be forgiven.

6.       Bowling for Soup, “When We Die”: This is a strangely solemn song for a band that doesn’t take anything seriously, but also one of their best. It details the singer’s strained relationship with his father (if you are to believe the video) and the hope that one day they can reconcile their differences and have a relationship again. Sure, you won’t get back the past moments, but through forgiveness, they can move on with their lives in a positive way.

7.       Human League, “Human”: The premise of this song is that “to err is human.” We all make mistakes, we all feel guilty for them and all we want is to be forgiven for those mistakes. The narrator of this song wants his love to know that he forgives her for all her errors and is looking for them to forgive his.

It is easy to forget that no one is perfect and that we all need a little forgiveness in our lives. These songs perfectly sum that up. Whether it is with a love or in life in general, one must always look inward and find some way to forgive themselves and others.

You can find music from these artists and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. 

Cassette Store Day is Today! Seven Things to Know About the Event

The day is finally here! Cassette Store Day 2016 is taking place at record shops all over the world today with exclusive releases celebrating the medium that is the cassette tape.

Back in August, Vinyl Bay 777 gave you our preliminary take on some of the top Cassette Store Day releases coming out, citing rereleases from the likes of the Ramones, Death Cab for Cutie and Heavens to Betsy, as well as compilations from Burger Records and J Dilla. Now in its fourth year, Cassette Store Day has more than 160 releases available with stores in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France and Japan participating. A full list of releases can be found on the event’s website.

Now that it looks like Cassette Store Day has become the next big thing in celebrating physical music, let Vinyl Bay 777 tell you a little more about the event. Here are seven facts you should know about today’s event.

1.       It is NOT Record Store Day: The concept might sound similar, but they were started by different people for different reasons. Record Store Day came first to recognize small record shops and the music, artists and music fans that make the music scene so special. Cassette Store Day was modeled after RSD, and even named after it, but its initial intent was to help bring back the cassette tape.

2.       It is still about stores, sort of: While not really about stores, there is an element of wanting people to buy releases in person. In a 2013 interview with Billboard, CSD co-founder Steve Rose said of keeping the word “store” in the title: “Really, we kept the store part as we wanted the day to be more about shops and less about online.”

3.       You Can Buy Exclusives Online Too: When Cassette Store Day first began, like Record Store Day, a store couldn’t put a release on their website until a week after the event. Now, you can buy an exclusive release from your favorite record store’s online shop as well as in-store.

4.       It is working: Cassette Store Day really has helped, in some way, re-launch the popularity of cassette tapes. They are more widely available than they were four years ago. Cassettes still have a long way to go before they reach the level of return that vinyl has seen, but that is why there continues to be a need for Cassette Store Day.

5.       It started in the UK: Cassette Store Day was started by three labels in the UK: Sexbeat Records, Suplex Cassettes and Kissability. These were the ones that put out the first 50 releases in 2013.

6.       It wasn’t always this international: The first Cassette Store Day occurred only in the UK and US. Even in the US, CSD was limited to just two events; one at LA’s Burger Records and the other at Silent Barn in Brooklyn.

7.       It had big name artist support from the start: While mostly about indie labels and indie bands, there were still big name artists within 2013’s initial releases. Of the 50 exclusives put out, The Flaming Lips, Deerhunter, Haim and F***ed Up all had titles included. The next year included titles from artists such as The Gaslight Anthem, Julian Casablancas, Karen O and They Might Be Giants.

Cassette Store Day is on the brink of helping the physical medium of the cassette tape make the same return as vinyl has in the last 10 years. Through exclusive releases, it is making shopping for cassettes fun and interesting again. There will always be a market for physical, tangible music and events like CSD and Record Store Day prove that.

Celebrate Cassette Store Day with Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Pick up exclusives from your favorite new artists and reissues from more established artists. When you’re done, you can browse the store’s selection of new and used, vinyl records, CDs and cassette tapes.

Seven Live Shows to Check out This Weekend (October 7-9)

Bummed that Green Day’s Webster Hall show is sold out? Sad that Adventure in the Park was cancelled? Fear not, because Vinyl Bay 777 is here to help you find the perfect live show for you this weekend!

If you are looking for something to do this weekend (besides coming down to Vinyl Bay 777 on Saturday for Cassette Store Day), here are seven shows happening this weekend in the Tri-State Area

1.       The Monkees: It’s been more than four years since the death of Davey Jones, but that didn’t stop the remaining three Monkees from recording a new album, ‘Good Times!’ to celebrate their 50^th anniversary. Members Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork are currently touring behind the album on their 50^th Anniversary Tour.(Friday, Tilles Center)

2.       Blake Sheldon: The country superstar has been a fixture on primetime television for the last five years as one quarter of the judging panel on the hit show ‘The Voice.’ If you’re not content with just watching his face on the small screen, in May, he released a new album, ‘If I’m Honest,’ and is currently touring behind it. He’s bringing along one of his ‘Voice’ protégés, RaeLynn, as well. (Friday and Saturday, Barclays Center)

3.       RX Bandits: RX Bandits are currently on a 10 year anniversary tour for their album ‘…And The Battle Begun,’ and are playing two shows in the area this week. Support for the show comes from And So I Watch You From Afar. (Saturday, Mulcahy’s; Monday, Irving Plaza)

4.       R. Kelly: A major staple of the 90s R&B scene, R. Kelly released his latest album, ‘The Buffet,’ in September 2015 and just announced the release a Christmas album, ’12 Nights of Christmas,’ which will come out later this month. In the meantime, the singer will be playing The Prudential Center as part of his ‘Buffet’ Tour. (Saturday, Prudential Center)

5.       The O’Jays: The O’Jays and the Commodores will be making their way to the NYCB Theatre on Saturday for a night of 1960s and 1970s nostalgia. This is your chance to hear hits like “Love Train” and “For the Love of Money” live! (Saturday, NYCB Theatre at Westbury)

6.       Charlie Puth: One of the hottest new artists fresh off YouTube, Puth has had a whirlwind couple of years. Playing alongside artists such as Wiz Kalifa and Meghan Trainor, this is his chance to shine. Puth is touring behind his album, ‘Nine Track Mind,’ supported by Joel Adams and Hailey Knox. (Sunday, Beacon Theatre)

7.       Van Morrison: The legendary rock musician, best known for hits like “Moondance” and “Brown Eyed Girl,” released his 36^th studio album, ‘Keep Me Singing,’ in September. He’s currently on a six-date tour to promote the album. (Sunday, Forest Hills Stadium)

Seeing a live show is a great way to make amazing memories and support the artists you love. These seven shows are guaranteed to satisfy your live music craving no matter what genre you are into.

Before these shows, visit Vinyl Bay 777 in store and online at vinylbay777.com to pick up music from all of these artists and more! Saturday is Cassette Store Day, so you won’t want to miss the special releases we’ll have in store that day!