Five Famous Winners of the Eurovision Song Contest

We are currently in the midst of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, the annual singing competition bringing together countries from around the European continent (plus Australia and Israel) to vie for the glass microphone trophy, bragging rights and the opportunity to host the contest next year. This year’s competition takes place in Tel Aviv, Israel following their win last year with Netta’s dance-pop entry “Toy.” The finale happens Saturday, May 18.

Over the last few years the popularity of the event has grown exponentially, catching the attention of curious onlookers around the world, including right here in the United States. A new version was adapted for the Asia-Pacific market and will take place sometime this year. An American version, dubbed the ‘American Song Contest’ is currently being discussed with a air date being eyed for 2021.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been an ongoing television event since its first broadcast in 1956. In such a long history, the competition has seen its fair share of successful artists come through. Artists as varied as Olivia Newton-John, Bonnie Tyler, Julio Iglesias, Justin Hawkins (The Darkness), Cliff Richard and t.A.T.u all graced the stage as competitors, though they did not win.

With the 2019 finale coming up this weekend, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look back at some of the Eurovision Song Contest’s most recognizable competitors. From those that gained notoriety from the competition to those whose fame was bolstered by their participation, here are five of the most well-known winners in Eurovision Song Contest history.

1.       Lulu (1969): With a role in James Bond film ‘To Sir, with Love,’ a stack of top 10 hits (including the film’s title track) and a handful of television series, British singer Lulu was already a popular singer by the time she represented the UK in the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest. In fact, her television audience was the one that chose the song she would sing during the competition. Lulu ended up winning along with entries from Spain, the Netherlands and France in the event’s first (and last) four-way tie.

2.       ABBA (1974): Undoubtedly one of the biggest names to come out of the Eurovision Song Contest, ABBA won the competition for their native Sweden in 1974. Not only did they win, but the song that they performed, “Waterloo,” became an international top 10 hit. The song was also voted the best Eurovision Song Contest entry ever during the event’s 50^th anniversary celebration in 2005. ABBA went on to sell millions of albums worldwide and have gone multiple-times platinum. The group recently reunited for a television special, for which they recorded their first new music together in nearly four decades.

3.       Celine Dion (1988): Already known in her native Canada for her French-language albums, Celine Dion made a name for herself globally when she competed for Switzerland in the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest. She won with the song “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi” (“Don’t Leave Without Me”), giving the country its first win in the competition. After learning English, she turned that recognition into a successful global career, one that has led her to perform all over the world, have one of the most successful Las Vegas Residencies in history and release many platinum-selling albums.

4.       Katrina & the Waves (1997): Katrina and the Waves already had a massive global hit with 1985’s “Walking On Sunshine” when the band competed for the UK in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. Their entry proved to be a comeback of sorts. The band won in a landslide against their closest competitor and gave them their biggest UK hit, “Love Shine a Light.”

5.       Lordi (2006): In a win for hard rock fans everywhere, Finnish metal band Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006 with their song “Hard Rock Hallelujah,” earning the highest amount of points a contestant had ever gotten at that point. The win was a first for Finland, who had been participating in the competition since 1961. It was also the first time a metal band won, as well as the first time a contestant won both the semi-final and the final.

The Eurovision Song Contest has played host to some truly talented artists, including many who have found fame prior to or following their appearance at the event. As more attention is paid toward the competitors the world over, there is no doubt that even more stars will be made in years to come.

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Find music from the Eurovision Song Contest’s highly successful past contestants and more at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a wide variety of genres. Browse our selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Albums Celebrating Milestone 10th, 20th and 30th Anniversaries in 2019

Some of culture’s most beloved albums are seeing milestone anniversaries in 2019. Whether they were released 10, 20 or even 50 years ago, these albums have left a lasting impression on music and culture that can still be felt as many years later.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look back at some of these influential albums celebrating milestone 10^th, 20^th and 30^th anniversaries in 2019. Here are just a few titles that have continued to leave their mark decades after their initial release.

Ten Years:

1.       Florence and the Machine, ‘Lungs’: Florence and the Machine burst out onto the rock scene in 2009 seemingly overnight with their debut album ‘Lungs.’ Single “Dog Days Are Over” became a runaway hit, nearly inescapable on rock and top 40 radio. The album paved the way for the band’s massive career, as well as for female-fronted radio rock bands in general.

Twenty Years:

1.       Britney Spears, ‘…Baby One More Time’: It’s hard to believe, but 2019 marks 20 years of Britney Spears’ reign on pop music. With the release of ‘…Baby One More Time’ in 1999, a then-16 year old Spears was thrust into superstardom, helping to usher in the explosion of bubblegum pop that had been starting to come up over the previous couple of years.

2.       Backstreet Boys, ‘Millennium’: Earning them their biggest hit to date with the single “I Want It That Way,” ‘Millennium’ furthered the Backstreet Boys’ stronghold on the boy band boom of the late 1990s-early 2000s. It remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.

3.       Santana, ‘Supernatural’: ‘Supernatural’ was a come-out-of-nowhere resurgence for Santana, who previously had his biggest success in the 1960s and 1970s, including a slot during the original Woodstock festival. But in 1999, the guitarist decided to add a little youth into his art, collaborating with Matchbox 20’s Rob Thomas, Wyclef Jean, Dave Matthews, Lauryn Hill and more, which catapulted him back onto the charts and giving him his best-selling album ever. He made a similar album three years later with ‘Shamen,’ but even though it boasted the hit “Game of Love,” didn’t come anywhere near the same success.

Thirty Years:

1.       Beastie Boys, ‘Paul’s Boutique’: Though it didn’t produce the same kind of hits debut album ‘Licensed to Ill’ did, ‘Paul’s Boutique’ is still considered to be a highly influential release in hip-hop. The album reinvented the group, distancing itself from the party rock of its predecessor and laying down a formula for extended success. Its legendary usage of samples became part of the blueprint that would bring the hip-hop genre into the next decade.

2.       Pixies, ‘Doolittle’: Though debut full-length ‘Surfer Rosa’ introduced Pixies to the world, ‘Doolittle’ was arguably the album that put them on the map. The album’s mix of heavy guitars, pop-y vocals and dark subject matter has become iconic in indie rock and was a precursor to grunge’s heavier vibes.

From the 20^th anniversary of bubblegum pop’s heyday to some of rock and hip-hop’s most revered debuts and comeback’s, 2019 is seeing milestone anniversaries for some of music’s most beloved albums. Check out the list of iconic albums above and let us know what album anniversaries you’re excited for in the coming year.

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Rediscover some of music’s most iconic albums and more at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a wide array of genres. Browse our selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Woodstock at 49: Six Iconic Festival Performances

Woodstock poster. Found on Wikimedia
Commons.

It has been 49 years since the Woodstock Music & Art Fair took place on the grounds of Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, NY. For four days starting August 15, 1969, more than 30 bands and fans gathered together to connect on a greater level through music. The result became one of the most iconic shows in music history, exemplifying the “peace and love” vibes of the 1960s counterculture. And though many a festival has tried to replicate its success and vibe, few have come close.

Of course, within the bounds of the mud-soaked fields, Woodstock had its fair share of iconic performances. From artists who already had a huge following to artists who made their first big impact on that stage, these are the sets that helped make the festival what it was.

In honor of the festival’s 49^th anniversary, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look back at some of the most iconic performances from the original Woodstock festival. Here are six that left an impact on music forever.

1.       Richie Havens: The first artist to grace the Woodstock stage, Richie Havens’ nearly three-hour performance was one of the highlights of the entire festival. And it wasn’t even his main set list that got him there. According to the Woodstock website, his improvised performance of “Motherless Child,” which he later recorded as “Freedom,” during the final of his many encores stole the show. Havens career would become so entwined with the festival that upon his passing in 2013 his ashes were scattered at the original site.

2.       Santana: Another band that was taken from virtual unknown to overnight sensation by the festival was Santana. Now one of the best-selling bands of all time, the Latin-rock band had just released their debut album that month. But festival goers loved it and their local following became a global one with their song “Soul Sacrifice” becoming a hit.

3.       Joe Cocker: A virtual unknown when he hit the Woodstock Stage, Joe Cocker owes his success to the festival. His gritty, soulful performance of the Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends” became his signature hit and his performance of it the break-out moment of his career.

4.       Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Woodstock helped introduce the world to the collective known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Though they had each been performing for years, this was the second time David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young performed on stage together. Young didn’t play the entire set, electing only to play during the electronic portion and the encore.

5.       Sly & the Family Stone: Coming at the height of their career, Sly & the Family Stone’s performance at the festival has been credited as one of the band’s best. Despite the early hour that they performed, Ultimate Classic Rock described it as “a bit sloppy, but the blurry-eyed delivery digs into the dirty, nasty pull of the music.”

6.       Jimi Hendrix: The final artist to play on what became the fourth day (rain delays had him playing at 9 AM on the 18^th) of the festival, Hendrix had what became the single-most iconic moment of the entire weekend. Towards the end of his set, the guitarist broke-out into a noodle-y and buzzed-out rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” His guitar work was said to have emulated the feel of bombs dropping and machine guns firing, an impassioned addition to the patriotism of our national anthem.

The Woodstock Music & Art Fair has been one of the most influential festivals in the history of music. Boasting many iconic performances, it helped to launch the careers of many artists who would become icons themselves, as well as served as an outlet for more well-known artists to reach a new audience. With “Peace & Music” as its premise, the festival defined the counterculture of the era, a shining example of what a little “peace and love” could do.

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Find music from Woodstock’s iconic performers and more at Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop has thousands of titles in a variety of genres to choose from. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CD, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

The Ramones and their Indelible Influence on Punk

Vinyl Bay 777, Your Music Outlet, takes a brief look at the legacy of the influential punk band

Today marks the fourth anniversary of Tommy Ramone’s (nee Thomas Erdelyi) passing. The former Ramones drummer was 65 when he passed away from bile duct cancer in 2014. As the last remaining original member of the band, his passing marked the end of an era.

The Ramones, (made up of Tommy, frontman Joey (Jeffrey Hyman), guitarist Johnny (John Cummings) and bassist Dee Dee (Douglas Colvin) Ramone) were the most influential band to come out of the New York punk scene. Best known for songs like “I Wanna Be Sedated,” “Blitzkrieg Bob,” “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” and “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” among others, the band popularizing the short, fast and loud sound and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) aesthetic that came to characterize New York punk.

When most people think of the Ramones, it’s their short, loud and fast sound that comes to mind. Playing at a quicker pace than most of the artists at the time, their songs often didn’t go past two minutes in length. The sound quickly came to define the scene surrounding New York clubs like CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City.

What also made the Ramones so special was how relatable the music was. Coming out of a period where rock was very polished and, as the band’s manager Danny Fields puts it in an article from The Guardian, “pretentious,” everything about the Ramones was DIY. As none of the band members had that much experience with their instruments, many of the songs were very simple, sticking to the same three chords throughout. The same thing went for their look. Their leather jacket, t-shirt, denim jeans and sneakers “street gang” style was very attainable and reproducible.

Many a band has tried to emulate the Ramones’ intensity. When the band’s self-titled debut came out, fellow CBGB regulars conceded that they had to “step up their game” to compete with the new sound. Hardcore punk bands, as well as the subsequent punk scene in California found inspiration in the Ramones’ pacing as well. This intensity even had a hand in influencing UK punk. Though the sound coming out of the UK was much rougher and angrier than its US counterpart, it was the Ramones’ fast pace that carried over across the pond and left its mark. According to The Stranglers’ Jean-Jacques Burnel in the same Guardian article, when ‘Ramones’ came out “A lot of British bands wanted to sound like that. Everyone sped up afterwards.” In the same article, Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook recalls that “Sid Vicious was a massive fan. He tried to imitate them with his playing, but they were a lot faster.”

And it wasn’t only punk bands that found inspiration in the Ramones’ work either. Indie rock, metal, grunge and alternative bands all counted them as an influence on their respective sounds.

Despite the band’s influence, the Ramones were never really popular in the mainstream. Even though their music can still be heard on rock radio today, most of their “hits” never charted or failed to chart high.

With a sound and style all their own, the Ramones became legends in the New York punk scene. Over the last four decades, their range of influence has come to span multiple countries and genres without the help of mainstream support. Even though the original band is no more, their legacy will continue to live on in rock history, being discovered by countless generations of kids looking to get something more from their music.

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Find music from the Ramones and more at Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop. From punk, metal, rock and pop to dance, R&B, rap and more, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Gibson Could be going into Bankruptcy: A Brief History of the Iconic Guitar Manufacturer

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, takes a brief look at Gibson’s financial predicament and musical history

 News broke yesterday that guitar manufacturer Gibson is potentially headed for bankruptcy. According to a report in The Nashville Post, the company has $375 million in senior secured notes that are set to mature with another $145 million that will become due if the previous notes aren’t refinanced by July 23. This means that if the deadline to refinance is not met, CEO Henry Juszkiewicz could face losing his company.

One of the largest names in guitars, Gibson was started by Orville Gibson in the late 1890s as a manufacturer of single-piece mandolin-family instruments. Their first guitars, circa the 1910s and 1920s featured a more durable violin-like shape. In the mid-1930s, the company made their first electric guitars, a Spanish-style lap guitar with a hexagonal pick-up referred to as the ES-150. Since those first designs more than a century ago, Gibson has produced several highly popular guitar models, including the Les Paul (solid-body), the SG, the ES, the Flying V, the Firebird and the Explorer, and continue to be innovators within the industry.

Gibson guitars have been a standard with rock, jazz, country and blues musicians for decades. Going back to the beginning, the ES-150 was endorsed by jazz musician Charlie Christian. Les Paul designed his groundbreaking solid-body electric guitar in the 1950s, which continue to be their most popular models. B.B. King’s “Lucille” was a custom ES-355. Other famous Gibson players include Beatles John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Guns ‘N’ Roses’ Slash (the company’s current ambassador), Eric Clapton, Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, both Arlo and Woodie Guthrie, Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, Bob Marley, Jimmy Page, Elvis Presley and The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, just to name a few.

This isn’t the first time Gibson has been in hot water financially. In 1986, current CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and company president David Berryman bought the company from the Norlin Corporation, who had been slowly driving it into financial turmoil since 1969. At the time, sales were dropping, as was the quality of the product and the company’s reputation. Juszkiewicz and Berryman were able to salvage and repair the reputation of Gibson, as well as expand the company’s hold on the music industry, which includes the acquisition of many other instrument and technology companies. Some of their current holdings include Epiphone (guitars), Baldwin (pianos), Philips (audio equipment), KRK Systems (audio equipment), TEAC Corporation (audio equipment) and Cakewalk (audio software).

Unfortunately, things haven’t been going well for Gibson’s electronics acquisitions in recent years. Sales have been slumping, which has led to stakeholders fearing for their investments. It also doesn’t help that their CFO, Bill Lawrence, left in the midst of the financial issues less than a year after taking on the position.

Gibson doesn’t seem to be too worried about the bankruptcy issue though. In a statement made by the company today (reported by Billboard), they "fully expect the bonds to be refinanced in the ordinary course of business" and are "concluding a thorough strategic and budget planning process to identify those areas where it can maximize its investments, and pare back areas where investments have not been performing to expectation." The company has already sold a couple of their underperforming warehouses and is looking to streamline underperforming acquisitions, like Philips, to “focus on brands with optimal growth potential.” Gibson has already hired a new CFO, Benson Woo, to lead the company’s recovery efforts.

Whether or not the company finds a way to restructure their finances and holdings before the July 23 deadline, Gibson’s reputation for high-quality instruments to will likely remain untouched. The iconic company has been deeply rooted in music culture for more than a century with countless artists using their guitars to make history.

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Delve into music history by finding music from iconic Gibson players and more at Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop has thousands of titles to choose from in an array of genres ranging from rock, pop, rap and R&B to dance, classical, reggae and everything in between. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store at our Plainview location and online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

40 Years Later: How Elvis Presley Changed Music Culture Forever

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, takes a brief look back at “The King’s” cultural impact

 Today marks the 40^th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s untimely passing. It was on this day in 1977 that Presley was found in his Graceland home after having died from a heart attack presumably caused by a drug overdose. He was just 42 years old.

Presley led a remarkable career in the music industry, becoming one of the most popular singers in music history. He had 18 number one singles in the US and countless others place in the top 100. During his lifetime, he had nine number one albums. Even after his death his popularity continued, earning another number one album in 2002.

There were two things in particular that made Elvis Presley stand out in American culture: his music and his stage presence. Much of his music was influenced by the black artists he grew up listening to. A fan of early blues singers like B.B. King and Arthur “Big Boy Crudup, Presley wanted to share that music with the world. And he did. His first single was a cover of Crudup’s “That’s All Right,” which he had recorded after starting to sing it during a break at his first recording session for Sun Records. Much of his original songs were also written with those same blues progressions in mind. This bothered people because of race relations at the time. Black DJs didn’t want to play Presley’s music because he was white and when DJs did play his music, people often thought he was black.

Elvis was also known for his trademark dance moves, most importantly the way he shook his hips. Debuting his infamous pelvic moves during his performance of “Hound Dog” on ‘The Milton Berle Show,’ Presley made young girls swoon and adults wag their fingers. Many found his performance to be over-sexualized and obscene. Following television performances were quick to censor his pelvic thrusts by filming him from the waist up.

Despite his critics, who called him the “dangerous” embodiment of rock and roll and rebellion, Presley’s popularity exceeded the hate. His combination of “black music” and lively performances were crucial in helping to start a new counter-cultural revolution, one that attempted to break down color barriers and awaken the youth to influences outside of what was deemed “safe.” Presley’s status as a cultural icon grew, leading to a rabid fan base that would only be rivaled by Beatlemania five years later.

Presley’s cultural influence can still be felt to this day. His music is still highly respected and popular, with new compilations flying off the shelves, one of which is currently vying for the top spot on the UK album charts. He currently ranks number five in artists with the most singles on the Billboard 100 even though he has not released new music in four decades. Presley’s Graceland home continues to be a tourist destination with fans of all ages coming to pay respects to the singer.

Elvis Presley’s iconic music and presence made him a cultural phenomenon with a legacy that remains unmatched. A symbol of the counter-culture, his music helped bring what was traditionally considered “black music” to the masses in the form of rock and roll. His hip-shaking, though seemingly harmless now, was a symbol of rebellion. Now 40 years after his passing, new generations are continuing to discover his music, letting “the King’s” legacy live on.

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Find music from Elvis Presley and more iconic artists at Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has thousands of titles to choose from spanning a wide array of genres. Browse our selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store and online at vinylbay777.com. More titles are being added all the time, so there’s always something new to find.

MTV at 36: How “Music Television” Shaped Popular Music

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, looks back at MTV’s legacy and if it will ever reclaim its glory days

MTV Logo. Found on Wikimedia Commons.

Thirty-six years ago today, MTV made its debut, filling a niche in the television schedule that no one ever knew was necessary: a 24-hour music channel. Through the airing of music videos and other music-related programming, the channel has become a juggernaut, launching the careers of countless new artists and giving rise to the term “Video Jockey.” And while the channel may have lost its musical direction nearly a decade ago, the channel’s legacy of cutting edge cultural programming remains.

MTV wasn’t always as popular as it is today. In fact, when the channel first launched in 1981, cable carriers were weary of picking it up. There were very few instances of channels completely devoted to music before and providers weren’t sold on whether people would actually watch something like that. Even carriers in the channel’s home market of New York didn’t start carrying it until two years later, after proving that it was going somewhere.

With that being said, when MTV took off, it took off. The channel’s Top 40 format proved to be a success amongst teens and young adults. It gave new life to the music video, which, while existing prior to the 1980s, was not an overly popular means of promoting an artist in the United States at the time. With the popularity of the music video, MTV was able to launch the careers of artists that were not getting the kind of radio airplay other popular artists had been. Michael Jackson, Guns N’ Roses, Madonna, Prince and more all saw spikes in popularity from having their music in MTV’s rotation.

Particularly in the last decade, MTV has drifted away from music programming in favor of reality-based and scripted shows. The shift prompted the channel to drop the words “Music Television” from its name in 2009, officially ending the channel’s hold on the music industry. Though you will still hear new music on the channel, it’s usually embedded in television shows with just a short prompt in the lower eighth of the screen telling you to visit the MTV website. The only music-influenced programming currently airing new episodes is Nick Cannon’s ‘Wild ‘N’ Out,’ which gives rappers and comedians a chanced to roast each other through rap battles.

MTV has tried to bring back some of their past music programming in some form or another over the last few years. ‘Unplugged’ and ‘120 Minutes’ were both revived in the early 2010s, but ended up either being relegated to specials on the MTV website. Attempts at bringing back music videos in the early hours of the morning failed. This week, it was announced that ‘Total Request Live,’ the music video countdown show that premiered in 1998 and gave rise to boy bands like The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC and 98 Degrees, and bubblegum pop princesses like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, would be making a return in October.

The one thing that MTV never lost throughout its entire run is its ability to push the envelope with its programming. They put black artists into their rotation when it didn’t seem popular to do so. They gave comedians a shot at getting their material out there, no matter how racy. Their news and documentary broadcasts were cutting edge and showed real life problems that people in the channel’s demographic were dealing with. Even now, MTV’s unscripted programming is some of the most inclusive in terms of portraying people of all races, religions and sexual orientations.

MTV has been a pioneer in music television and cultural programming. Early on, the channel was a force in the music industry, popularizing the music video and launching the careers of many artists along the way. Though it has gotten away from the music programming it was once known for, its ability to break boundaries has continued to guide the channel’s current programming. MTV might not be the musical influencer that it once was and probably never will be again, but it will always be remembered for what it has done, no matter what comes next.

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Find music from MTV’s hottest artists at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has thousands of titles to choose from in an array of genres ranging from pop, rock and R&B to hip-hop, dance, classical and more. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more. Stop by our Plainview, NY location or shop online from the comfort of your own home. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, there is always something new to find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Webster Hall Closing for Renovations – A Brief History of One of the City’s Last Iconic Venues

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, takes a look back at Webster Hall’s impact on the NYC music scene

 

Webster Hall. Taken April 23, 2017 by Elise Yablon

News broke Monday that the legendary Webster Hall venue and nightclub would be closing its doors in August for renovations. The venue was recently purchased by AEG and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, who have decided to demolish and renovate the space, which would have it closed for an “undisclosed period of time.”

There are two reasons people are freaking out over Webster Hall’s closing. One is this “undisclosed period of time” language. The venue has been around for more than 100 years and to see it shut its doors for any period of time seems like blasphemy. The other reason, and the one being discussed in this article, is that by shutting down and demolishing the venue, another piece of New York’s history will be gone as well, regardless of whether a new venue is placed there or not.

Webster Hall was first built in 1886 and was originally used as a forum, holding meetings by anarchist groups, labor unions and other left-leaning political factions. The space took on more of an entertainment tone in the 1920s when it first started holding masquerade balls and eventually became a speakeasy during prohibition. In the 1950s, Webster Hall got into live music, first becoming a hot spot for Latin and folk music, then opening up as a recording studio for RCA where numerous Broadway cast recordings, as well as tracks from Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and many more, were put on tape. It wasn’t until the 1980s that live music really took a hold of the space, changing its name to The Ritz and becoming one of the city’s biggest rock venues. A who’s who of artists played early shows there, including Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses, Beastie Boys, U2, Iggy Pop, Frank Zappa and many, many more. Even after its sale and renovation by the Ballinger Brothers (who held on to the space until with was sold to AEG last year) in 1989, the venue continued its legacy of popular club nights and legendary live shows. Since changing its name back to Webster Hall in 1992, the likes of Green Day, Metallica, Buzzcocks, Sonic Youth, Modest Mouse, John Mayer and more have graced the venue’s stages.

As it stands today, Webster Hall was and is a staple of New York’s music and party scenes. With three stages of various capacities, the venue has given bands both established and up-and-coming a place to get their music heard. Late-night revelers have had one of the longest-running, wildest and weirdest parties to look forward to every weekend. When Webster Hall closes down next month, it will be going out on the top of its game as one of the best clubs and venues in the city.

The venue’s legendary status was recognized in 2007 when the building was declared a landmark by the state’s Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Many people consider Webster Hall to be one of (if not THE) last remnants of the city’s historic music scene. Venues like Max’s Kansas City, The Fillmore East and the Palladium all closed down decades ago. CBGB, which closed in 2006, is now a John Varvatos clothing store. The places that housed the city’s rich music scene of the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s have been disappearing little by little over the years. Whether that’s due to gentrification or money issues, these changes can be a shock to the system, a sign that an era has come to a close.

Webster Hall’s final show will take place on August 9 with Marateck, Grid and Kraus in the Studio. Club goers say their goodbyes four days earlier with the final Gotham nightclub show happening in the Grand Ballroom on August 5. A full listing of the venue’s remaining shows can be found on the Webster Hall website. While it’s too late to do anything about the Webster Hall’s impending close, there is still an effort being made to maintain its legacy. A number of the venue’s stagehands are trying to raise money for a documentary to be made about its final month. Fans of the venue can help fund the project through Kickstarter.

Although Webster Hall has gone through many changes over the last century, its legacy as one of New York City’s most important venues lives on. The venue has been home to historic political rallies, recording sessions, decades of late night parties and countless legendary performances. Ultimately, a new venue will open with new ownership and more great memories to be had. But when Webster Hall shuts its doors on August 9, even though a new chapter for the venue will be starting, it will be the end of an era for New York’s music and club scenes.

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Vinyl Bay 777 is your outlet for everything music. Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia at our store in Plainview, as well as online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added all the time, you never know what gems you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Monterey International Pop Festival - Remembering the Iconic Festival 50 Years Later

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, takes a look back at the festival’s history, career-launching performances and lasting legacy

It has been 50 years since the Monterey International Pop Festival took over the Monterey County Fairgrounds, bringing together more than 30 bands and artists for three days of “music, love and flowers.” The event, which ran from June 16 through June 18, 1967, would become one of the most influential and iconic cultural events in history, kicking off what would be deemed the “summer of love” and laying the groundwork for countless music festivals to be created in its wake.

 Spearheaded by Mamas and the Papas singer John Phillips and producer Lou Adler, Monterey Pop was created to give validity to the emerging rock scene of the time. Phillips and Adler, along with the help of Alan Pariser and Derek Taylor, saw the way the Monterey Jazz Festival succeeded in bringing together the jazz community and decided that such an event could do the same for rock. In just seven weeks, the team put together a massive, three-day festival that attracted nearly 8,500 people.

The event would lead to some very iconic, career-launching performances. A then-unknown Janis Joplin would rocket to fame after her performance with Big Brother and the Holding Company led to the band getting signed to Columbia Records. Ravi Shankar made his US debut at the festival, playing for four hours and introducing the US to the sitar and raga music. Otis Redding’s performance, one of his first outside of the black community, opened his music and appeal up to a wider audience. The Who, bringing their wild UK stage show to the US, stunned everyone when Pete Townshend infamously smashed his guitar on stage during “My Generation.” The destruction didn’t end there as Jimi Hendrix, who was still relatively unknown in the US, ended his Sunday set with a performance of “Wild Thing” in which he lit his guitar on fire.

The festival also resulted in a critically acclaimed concert film. Directed by D.A. Pennebaker, ‘Monterey Pop’ documented the event for the world to see, capturing every iconic moment for posterity. Released a year-and-a-half after the festival, the film reignited the appeal and excitement of the concert. ‘Monterey Pop’ ended up becoming the standard by which concert documentaries would be compared going forward.

In its wake, the Monterey Pop Festival set the framework for other music festivals to take place. Two years after Monterey, the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival would bring the large-scale music festival concept to the east coast, with the disastrous Altamont Festival following shortly after. Today, the large-scale multi-day festival has become commonplace with several occurring annually and new ones springing up every year.

There are two official ways fans and revelers can celebrate the 50^th anniversary of this groundbreaking festival. In an effort to preserve the legacy of the Monterey Pop Festival and further extend its message of music and peace to a new generation, the ‘Monterey International Pop Festival - Celebrates 50 Years’ festival is happening this weekend. The event features current artists who embody the same spirit that the festival was founded on, as well as a few artists who played the original festival. Revelers not looking to spend hundreds of dollars on tickets to go to California can celebrate the festival’s anniversary by seeing the ‘Monterey Pop’ film on the big screen. For one-week-only, the film, which was recently given a 4K restoration, is back in select theaters around the country (including the IFC Center in New York City).

The Monterey International Pop Festival has remained a stunning example of the power of music for five decades. It launched the careers of some of rock’s most influential artists and gave rise to a new counterculture based on the tenets of music, peace and love. As the first large-scale multi-day festival of its kind, it paved the way for the massive festival culture we know today. After 50 years, the festival continues to hold a special place in music culture that can and will never be replicated.

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Find music from Monterey Pop Festival’s most iconic artists and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles from classic and new rock and pop artists, as well as heavy-hitters and newcomers from the worlds of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, classical, dance and more. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store and online. More titles are being added all the time, so it’s always a great time to see what’s new.