Happy Birthday Les Paul: How His Guitar Innovations Changed Music Forever

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, takes a look back at how Les Paul’s solid-body electric guitar became a rock music standard

Les Paul Live @ Iridium Jazz Club in New
York City in October 2008. Taken by
Thomas Faivre-Duboz, Paris, France. Found
on Wikimedia Commons

Today marks what would have been musician Les Paul’s 102^nd birthday. Known for practically inventing the solid-body electric guitar, his innovations have left a lasting impression on the music world forever.

A musician himself, Les Paul started his career playing jazz, blues and country music live and on the radio. From 1945 to 1961, he released several hit singles, many of which peaked in the top 10 on the singles charts. Paul continued to perform live solo and with his trio up until his death in 2009 at the age of 94.

Though he may have had a very successful music career, Les Paul is still best known for his electric guitar. A pioneer in the creation of the solid-body electric guitar, he put together his first design, dubbed “The Log,” in 1940. Built on a four-by-four piece of pine wood, The Log included strings and a pickup, which he would later add the “wings” of an acoustic guitar to for a more traditional guitar look. It would take 10 years for his design to officially be made, having been turned down originally by Epiphone and Gibson. But by 1952, the Gibson Les Paul was the most popular solid-body electric guitar in the world.

Les Paul’s talent for tinkering and innovation went much further than just guitars. As a young boy, he attached a coat hanger to a piece of wood and his harmonica, making the first known harmonica holder. His design has been in use for decades, its most iconic users being Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Paul also made strides in the worlds of recording and amplification. He was one of the first to come up with a way to record multiple tracks on top of each other, what he called “sound on sound,” and, along with Ampex, developed the first eight-track recorder in the mid-1950s.  Interested in achieving different effects with his guitar, he developed ways to incorporate delay, reverb and phasing into his sound. Paul was even one of the first people to use a coil and magnet to create pickup to amplify his guitar.

Les Paul’s namesake guitars are still some of the most popular designs to date. Guitarists spanning all genres of music, including Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page,  Slash, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Kiss’ Ace Frehley, Reggae legend Bob Marley, The Who’s Pete Townshend and the Allman Brothers Band’s Duane Allman, have used his signature design to make music history.

Artists have been benefiting from Les Paul’s innovations for more than six decades. From his iconic guitars to his work developing new recording and amplification technology and techniques, his many musical innovations have had a monumental impact on how we hear music and will continue to shape the way we hear music for a long time to come.

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Find music from iconic artists like Les Paul, as well as artists that have been touched by his innovations, at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has thousands of  titles in a plethora of genres to choose from. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store and online. With more titles being added all the time, it’s always a great time to see what’s new at Vinyl Bay 777.

Happy Birthday Prince: Seven Ways People around the Country are celebrating the Legendary Musician

Prince Performing at Coachella 2008.
Found on Wikipedia. By Micahmedia

On this day in 1958, legendary singer/musician Prince was born. An innovator best known for hits “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain” and “1999,” Prince blended R&B with rock and pop to create a sound all his own. He would have been 59.

With Prince’s death still fresh in people’s minds, the Purple One’s life is still being celebrated. Particularly with his birthday being today, a lot has been happening all over the country in the last week and into the coming weeks and months to commemorate his life and work.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has been scouring the news to find what people are doing to celebrate Prince. Here are seven events taking place around the country in the next week remembering his legacy.

1.       Prince: A Tribute To His Royal Badness: Starting off locally, on Friday, Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey will be filled with the sounds of Prince as the singer’s ‘Purple Rain’ album will be performed in its entirety. The event, ‘Prince: A Tribute To His Royal Badness,’ is being organized by Sylvana Joyce & The Moment guitarist C. Robert Smith and will feature several local musicians, both male and female, taking turns singing lead vocals on the album’s classic songs.

2.       Hoboken Spring Arts & Music Festival: Later this weekend, Hoboken, New Jersey  will be hosting another tribute, this time during their annual Spring Arts & Music festival. Jazz-fusion band Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber will be playing a full set of Prince’s hits, a set they are already quite familiar with. The group did a similar show at New York’s Lincoln Center last year.

3.       Prince Double Feature: On Saturday, The Little Theatre in Rochester, New York, will be celebrating Prince’s film work. The theater is planning a double feature that includes screenings of both ‘Purple Rain’ and ‘Under the Cherry Moon.’ Tickets are $5 per movie, or $8 to see both.

4.       Princess: Across the country, female Prince cover band Princess will be playing a sold out show tonight in Los Angeles, California. The band features comedienne Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum and have brought their act all over the country, as well as television. Prince was even a fan of theirs, so this tribute would be approved by the man himself.

5.       Let’s Go Crazy: A Prince Dance Party: If you’re in Cleveland, Ohio, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is hosting a dance party tonight to commemorate his birthday, although they make clear that this is not a birthday party. The free event will include DJs spinning Prince’s greatest hits and will feature both an air guitar and dance contest. This is the second year the Rock Hall is putting on this event.

6.       LoVeSEXY: New Jersey isn’t the only state that will get to hear ‘Purple Rain’ in its entirety. Tonight in Boston, Massachusetts, Prince tribute band LoVeSEXY will be taking the stage at the Supper Club to perform the classic album from front to back, as well as some of the Purple One’s other hits.

7.       Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: While this is not happening this weekend, it is still a good time to plan ahead for this. It was announced yesterday that the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will be performing Windborne’s ‘The Music of Prince’ on January 26, 2018. The show will feature classical arrangements of Prince’s greatest hits. Tickets go on sale Friday.

On the anniversary of his birth, many are taking the opportunity to continue celebrating the life and work of Prince. As evidenced by the many tributes taking place this weekend, Prince and his incomparable music will never be forgotten.

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Celebrate the music of Prince and other legendary artists at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from ranging in genre from R&B, pop and hip-hop to rock, metal, jazz, classical and more. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more both in store and online. With new titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you will find at Vinyl Bay 777.

International Day of Slayer 2017: Top Seven Best Selling Slayer Albums

Today, June 6, marks the 12^th annual International Day of Slayer. The holiday was made official on June 6, 2006 to celebrate Slayer and the importance of metal to the music industry in general. It marks a day where metal fans are encouraged to play the band’s music at full blast all day, regardless of who may be around.

There are a number of things going on for the International Day of Slayer. Ticket prices for the band’s upcoming tour with Lamb of God and Behemoth are being slashed for today only, which means you can pick up a ticket for their appearance at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on July 27 for just 46.66. SiriusXM’s Liquid Metal station is also getting in on the festivities, playing a Slayer song every hour, plus a chance to win tickets to see them on tour this August. Nuclear Blast Records and Metal Blade Records are also both having one-day-only sales on the band’s music and merchandise.

In celebration of this year’s event, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look back at Slayer’s most successful albums. Here are the band’s seven highest US chart toppers that prove metal is an important genre.

1.       ‘Repentless’: Slayer’s popularity has only gotten stronger since the band formed in 1981. Their most recent album, 2015’s ‘Repentless,’ for example, has been one of their best-selling to date. The album debuted at number four in the US, the best showing they ever had in their home country. It also marked another couple of firsts for the band; it was their first album in nearly two decades that wasn’t produced by Rick Rubin, their first on the Nuclear Blast label and their first since the untimely passing of Jeff Hanneman, which nearly broke up the band.

2.       ‘Christ Illusion’: The band’s 2006 album did almost as well as ‘Repentless,’ peaking at number five in the US. That’s not a total shock; the band hadn’t released an album in five years at that point and when the album was announced, its release date got set back twice, making it highly anticipated. Its intended release was supposed to be on June 6, 2006 (making it the inspiration for International Day of Slayer) and all of the album’s press and hype came from that “satanic” date, so promotion was key for this album’s success too.

3.       ‘Divine Intervention’: Boasting some of the band’s best first-week sales, ‘Divine Intervention’ peaked at Number 8, selling approximately 93,000 copies. This is also the band’s first album to do better on the main US chart than it did in the rest of the world.

4.       ‘World Painted Blood’: If we are going by the Billboard 200, 2009’s ‘World Painted Blood’ comes in at number four on this list, as it peaked at number 12. However, this album charted extremely well elsewhere on the US charts. It earned the number four spot on the Top Rock Albums chart, number two on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart and number one on the Top Tastemaker Albums chart.

5.       ‘God Hates Us All’: Even though the album had the rather unfortunate released date of September 11, 2001, ‘God Hates Us All’ still peaked at 28 on the Billboard 200. There were connections drawn between that release date and the record’s content, but in all, this was one of the band’s most critically acclaimed albums.

6.       ‘Diabolus In Musica’: For the amount ‘Diabolus In Musica’ was panned by fans who felt it leaned too much towards the nu metal trend of the late 1990s, the album still peaked at number 31. The band also seems not to be too fond of the album; with the exception of one song, they don’t play anything from it live anymore.

7.       ‘Undisputed Attitude’: Surprisingly, one of the band’s highest charting albums only features one original song. Slayer showed their punk rock roots in 1996 with ‘Undisputed Attitude,’ an album that covered classic 70s and 80s bands like The Stooges, Minor Threat, TSOL and more. The album peaked at number 34, even though it seemed to get panned by just about everyone.

Slayer has been one of the most influential and prolific metal bands of the last 30 years. The band’s popularity has only grown stronger with time, proving that metal still holds an important space in the musical landscape. Such is why and event such as the International Day of Slayer is so apt, set up to honor a form of music that is not always seen in the best light.

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Celebrate International Day of Slayer by picking up music from Slayer and other metal bands at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. At Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles in a wide variety of genres, so whether you are looking for metal or classical, we have you covered. Browse our growing selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store and online. With more titles being added every week, there is always a reason to rock out with Vinyl Bay 777.

Week in Review: New Songs/Music Videos You Need to Check Out (May 28 – June 3, 2017)

It’s the end of another long week. Now’s the time to take a break, relax and catch up on all the new music you may have missed.

This week saw a lot of new music from some of our favorite 1990s and 2000s artists, as well as some great tracks from talented up-and-comers. Oasis’ Liam Gallagher made his solo debut this week with his single “Wall Of Glass.” Radiohead is also back, this time with a previously unreleased track from the 20^th anniversary edition of ‘OK Computer.’ The big surprise of the week was the Foo Fighters, who unexpectedly released a new track from a new album that hasn’t been officially announced yet. We also saw new music from the likes of Lorde, Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Hot Water Music and Phoenix. In terms of up-and-coming bands, rock band Hey Violet and indie-pop singer Molly Kate Kestner both released excellent new songs.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has been keeping track of the hottest new songs and music videos released throughout the week. Here are eight of our favorites from the past seven days that we think you should take a listen to this weekend.

1.       Hey Violet, “O.D.D.”: An ode to being different, “O.D.D.” describes how hard it is to be yourself when others make fun of you for the way you are. It’s a universal theme and the band does a decent job at conveying how it is to be misunderstood. Singer Rena Lovelis’ Lorde-like vocals mixed with the song’s very trendy (go figure) indie-pop melody sound good together and hold the listener’s attention. (video)

2.       Molly Kate Kestner, “I Don’t Know”: There are a lot of songs from the male perspective of a fight, making women seem like the crazy ones for not letting the guy know what he did wrong. With “I Don’t Know,” Kestner shows the female perspective; how when she says “I don’t know,” she means that she doesn’t want to get into it because the guy already knows what he did and she doesn’t want to get emotional. The song is worded very eloquently, an eloquence enhanced by the solemn-ness of the melody. (video)

3.       Liam Gallagher, “Wall Of Glass”: This song reminds me of an Oasis track in its spacey vocal and 90s Brit-pop beat, but adds in enough blues-rock guitar to make it its own unique entity. The song’s melody is upbeat and memorable, though the lyrics feel a bit hokey at times. I like the video as well, even though it is even hokier than the lyrics, including just about every 90s trope and not executing any of them particularly well. (video)

4.       Radiohead, “I Promise”: “I Promise” is a melancholy song recently unearthed for the 20^th anniversary of ‘OK Computer.’ Upon watching the video, it transported me back to 1997 both sonically and visually. While not as catchy as “Karma Police,” the song does have a bit of a hook to grab on. The video has the same color scheme and movement of the band’s early videos. What’s disconcerting about the video though is when you realize the head on the bus is not connected to a body. (video)

5.       All Time Low featuring Tegan and Sara, “Ground Control”: “Ground Control” departs from All Time Low’s typical pop-punk sound and ventures more into Tegan and Sara indie-rock territory. It is a nice sound though and delightfully unexpected. (video)

6.       Foo Fighters, “Run”: The Foo Fighters surprised everyone this week when the band released the Dave Grohl-directed video for new single “Run.” The band switches things up a bit with this song, following a different beat than the typical Foo Fighters song, keeping things interesting. It’s a bit tribal, but definitely conveys a sense of running and movement. The video is up there with some of the band’s more tongue-in-cheek, seeing the band dress up as old people and performing in a nursing home while the residents go crazy…literally. It’s a must watch until the very end. (video)

7.       Hot Water Music, “Never Going Back”: I don’t know if I’ve ever really given Hot Water Music a real chance, but this song is a really good piece of Americana punk. The song’s upbeat melody, bolstered by swinging guitar lines, is a perfect setting for the positive message of moving forward in life and never looking back. (video)

8.       Broken Social Scene, “Skyline”: “Skyline” feels more upbeat and accessible to me than a lot of other Broken Social Scene songs. It’s a bit alt-country and a bit gospel-y, which mix really well here. (video)

These are just some of our favorite new songs and music videos of the week that we think deserve your attention. Check these out and let us know what new songs you enjoyed this week.

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Start your path to music discovery at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a wide array of genres. Whether you’re into rock, pop, metal, R&B, blues, jazz, classical or dance, we have you covered. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia both in store and online. With new titles being added to our collection all the time, you’ll always discover something new at Vinyl Bay 777.

‘Sgt. Pepper’ at 50: Seven Quick Facts about the Beatles' Most Popular Album

This week marks the 50^th anniversary of the Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,’ their eighth and most popular album. The album was released on June 1, 1967 in the UK and June 2 in the US.

One of the best-selling albums of all time, ‘Sgt. Pepper’ is often credited as being the musical embodiment of 1960s culture. Meant to be a work of art as much as a collection of songs, the album gave way to progressive and art rock, which would gain in popularity within 10 years of its release.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is celebrating 50 years of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ by taking a look back at the album and its recording. Here are seven quick facts about the band’s most popular album, from its many firsts to its inspirations and more.

1.       The album didn’t actually come out on June 1 in the UK: It was supposed to come out on June 1, but the release date got moved up a week, so the album actually came out on May 26. In my research, I could not find a reason for this. The album did, however, come out on June 2 in the US, so it is still cool to celebrate now.

2.       It was the first Beatles album to be the same in the UK and US: When the Beatles’ music first came over to the United States, Capitol Records (at the time a subsidiary of EMI) was hesitant to release their albums. The first Beatles album in the states was actually a compilation called ‘Introducing…The Beatles,’ which featured most of the songs from the band’s first album, ‘Please Please Me.’ The label continued to either release compilations or take songs out entirely until the release of ‘Sgt. Pepper.’

3.       It was the first album to ever have lyrics included in packaging: In another, more universal first, this was the first album to have lyrics included with its packaging. It sounds like a small feat, but it is just another way the album made history. It proved that packaging is important and not meant to be tossed aside. Besides, who doesn’t like reading the lyrics while listening to the music?

4.       Elvis was supposed to be on the cover, but was omitted: The ‘Sgt. Pepper’ album cover features a lot of famous faces: Bob Dylan, Marilyn Monroe, etc. But one face seemingly omitted from the collage is Elvis Presley’s. Paul McCartney has said that even though the singer was an inspiration to the entire group, Presley was “too important and too far above the rest even to mention.”

5.       The cover was expensive to produce: Because the album had so many famous people on its cover, there was a lot of money spent on just getting people to let the Beatles use their likeness. Each cover cost about 3,000 pounds to make, roughly 60 times the going rate to make an album cover in those days. The packaging must have been really expensive too, as it featured cut-outs and special inserts to make it “a more interactive experience.”

6.       The album was inspired by the ‘Pet Sounds’: Unknown to either band, the Beatles and the Beach Boys had a big effect on each other. When Brian Wilson was writing the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds,’ he was inspired by the Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul,’ claiming that he wanted to write something just as good. Then, when it came time for the Beatles to follow up ‘Rubber Soul,’ the band took inspiration from ‘Pet Sounds,’ playing the album on heavy rotation in the studio during the recording process for ‘Sgt. Pepper.’ Sir George Martin, producer on ‘Sgt. Pepper,’ even said that album would not have happened if it weren’t for ‘Pet Sounds.’

7.       The title is a play on “salt and pepper”: In Barry Miles’ book ‘Beatles: A Diary: An Intimate Day by Day History,’ Paul McCartney relates a story where the band was on a plane and they were thinking of names for the album. During a conversation with the band’s tour manager, McCartney was looking at packets of salt and pepper and decided to play with the sound of the words. Get it, “salt and pepper”… “Sergeant Pepper.” “Lonely Hearts Club” followed the exchange and the two thought that together it formed a great band name.

 ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ has remained one of the most popular and talked about Beatles albums of the last 50 years. The album was, and still is, both a characterization of its time and a look into the direction music would be heading. With newer generations discovering ‘Sgt. Pepper,’ the album will continue to influence and inspire for years to come.

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Find music from the Beatles and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has a wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more, including new and rare pressings of some of the Beatles’ best works. We have thousands of titles in store and online to choose from with more being added all the time. 

Albums Coming Out in June 2017 to Watch Out For

Tomorrow is the first day of June, which means summer album season is now upon us. This is a very popular time for artists to release new albums, as we will be seeing a lot of popular artists and up-and-comers vying for your attention and hard-earned money.

June will be packed with new music from all over the music spectrum. Bleachers, Katy Perry, Lorde, and Imagine Dragons will all be putting out highly anticipated albums in the coming month. Roger Waters will be releasing his first album in nearly 25 years. This month will also see posthumous albums from the legendary Chuck Berry and YouTuber Christina Grimmie, as well as final albums from country singer Glen Campbell and R&B group TLC. In reissues, Radiohead will be celebrating the 20^th anniversary of ‘OK Computer with a new album.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has been taking a look at all the new albums coming out in the month of June. Here are 13 albums that we think will be worth your attention.

1.       All Time Low, ‘Last Young Renegade’: Hearing the new singles from ‘Last Young Renegade,’ I’m really excited to hear what All Time Low has in store. The album’s, the band’s first on Fueled By Ramen, sound builds off their pop punk roots, adding in a sense of maturity I don’t think we’ve seen from the band until now. (June 2)

2.       Bleachers, ‘Gone Now’: When Bleachers released their first album in 2014, it was one of my favorite albums of the year. So I have high expectations for ‘Gone Now.’ I am impressed with the singles I have heard thus far, especially “Don’t Take The Money,” but I’m not sure yet whether any of the songs will top “I Wanna Get Better.” (June 2)

3.       Roger Waters, ‘Is This the Life We Really Want?’: This is Waters’ first album of new music in nearly 25 years, so there are a lot of expectations for it. From what I can tell, this is going to be a bit of a political album, saying in a press release that it is an “unflinching commentary on the modern world and uncertain times.” (June 2)

4.       Christina Grimmie, ‘All Is Vanity’: The family of Christina Grimmie will be releasing her final album on June 2, which also happens to be National Gun Violence Awareness Day. The album will feature songs from her ‘Side A’ and ‘Side B’ EPs. Grimmie, who was a contestant on The Voice in 2014, was shot to death last June while signing autographs after a show in Florida. (June 2)

5.       Chuck Berry, ‘Chuck’: Before passing away in March, Berry announced that he was going to release a new album for his 90^th birthday, his first since 1979. A couple of singles have already been released and they are fantastic. The new songs swing just as hard as his classics. (June 9)

6.       Glen Campbell, ‘Adios’: Ever since his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Campbell has been doing everything to make sure he got out to see his public one last time. Earlier this year, the country singer announced that he would be releasing one last album, aptly titled ‘Adios.’ The album is made up of songs from his last recording sessions in 2012 and 23013. (June 9)

7.       Rancid, ‘Trouble Maker’: As a big fan of Bay Area punk, I am very excited for Rancid’s new album, ‘Trouble Maker.’ From the singles I’ve heard so far, the songs are pretty classic Rancid with a little more age and simplicity. Tim Armstrong’s vocals might be a bit more raspy than in the past, but that doesn’t really seem to matter. (June 9)

8.       Lorde, ‘Melodrama’: This is one of the year’s most anticipated albums. Lorde’s first album, released in 2013, shot the singer to instant pop stardom. “Green Light” has already proven to be popular with fans and critics, so we’ll see if the rest of the album will be just as popular. (June 16)

9.       Royal Blood, ‘How Did We Get So Dark’: I haven’t been that big a fan of Royal Blood in the past, but after listening to the singles released from ‘How Did We Get So Dark,’ I might change my tune. The songs have a hard rock edge to them while still remaining  catchy enough to you’re your attention. (June 16)

10.   Oh Wonder, ‘Ultralife’: Oh Wonder really hasn’t broken out until now. With their sophomore album coming out in June, the duo is poised to do just that. The album’s title track in particular is catchy and light. It’s perfect for a sunny, outdoor day. (June 16)

11.   Imagine Dragons, ‘Evolve’: Imagine Dragons have a lot to live up to with their upcoming album, ‘Evolve.’ The band’s first two albums did amazingly well, producing very popular and hard-rocking singles. However, I don’t think these guys will have any trouble meeting these high expectations. The two big singles from the new album have already been doing well on the rock charts. (June 23)

12.   Radiohead, ‘OKNOTOK’: This year marks the 20^th anniversary of Radiohead’s breakthrough third album ‘OK Computer.’ In celebration, the band will be remastering and reissuing the album with eight b-sides and three new songs, calling the project ‘OKNOTOK.’(June 23)

13.   TLC, ‘TLC’: This self-titled album is being billed as TLC’s fifth and final album. Their first new music since 2002, this is the now-duo’s second album without Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez and the first not to feature her at all. The album was funded through a Kickstarter campaign, reaching its $150,000 goal in less than two days, making it the “fastest and most funded” project in the site’s history. (June 30)

These are just some of the albums coming out in June that we think will be worth checking out. Keep an eye out for these albums and let us know what releases you’re excited for in June.

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Discover music new and old at Vinyl Bay 777. We have thousands of titles to choose from spanning a wide array of genres. Check out our selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store, as well as online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added all the time, there is a lot to discover at Vinyl Bay 777.

Remembering Gregg Allman: Five Facts about the Late Singer

Gregg Allman, 1975

On Saturday, musician Gregg Allman passed away at his home in Savannah, Georgia. The singer had been sick in recent years, fighting an on-going battle with liver cancer. He was 69.

Best known for his work as lead singer of the Allman Brothers Band and the namesake Gregg Allman Band, Gregg Allman has been hailed a pioneer of the southern rock genre. Blending rock, country and blues into one unique mix, his music has had a lasting effect on the musical landscape. His unique, slight rasp has earned him a spot as one of Rolling Stone’s top 100 ‘Greatest Singers of All Time,’ as well as a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and several Grammys.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, would like to take this time to remember Gregg Allman. Here are five facts about the singer and his music.

1.       He wasn’t done releasing music: That’s right. Gregg Allman has a new album in the works. ‘Southern Blood’ was supposed to be released in January, but is now set to come out in September. The album is currently up for preorder on Allman’s website.

2.       ‘Almost Famous’ was about him: When Cameron Crowe was just a young music journalist, he wrote a cover story for Rolling Stone featuring an interview with Allman around the time ‘Brothers And Sisters’ came out. That story would become one of Crowe’s most successful movies, ‘Almost Famous,’ achieving cult status over the last two decades.

3.       Three of his children followed in his footsteps: It’s not unusual for a musician’s offspring to follow in their parents’ footsteps. In Allman’s case, three of his five children did just that. Devon Allman has had a number of bands, including Honeytribe, Royal Southern Brotherhood and The Devon Allman Band, and has played back-up for his father on several occasions. Elijah Blue Allman used to sing for a metal band called Deadsy and used to play guitar for his famous mother, Cher. Layla Brooklyn Allman has been releasing music under the name Picture Me Broken since 2009 and has opened for the likes of Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson and Orianthi.

4.       He has had rolls in a couple of films: Allman’s first acting roll came in 1989 with a bit part in the B-rate slasher flick ‘Rush Week.’ He followed that up with a couple of other small parts and a more substantial one in the 1991 film ‘Rush.’ Of course, his acting roles pale in comparison to all the times his music has been used in movies and television.

5.       He almost had a docudrama released about him: Following the release of his autobiography in 2012, the rights to it were picked up by Open Road Films and a docudrama was conceived. The filming of ‘Midnight Rider’ lasted all of one day as a crew member was killed by an oncoming train while shooting a scene. The incident resulted in the arrests of director Randall Miller, producer Jody Savin, executive producer Jay Sedrish and assistant director Hillary Schwartz.

Gregg Allman’s music has inspired countless other bands and fans the world over. Along with his brother Duane and the Allman Brothers Band, he helped to create a new genre of music that would reach far beyond what anyone could have expected. His life and music will never be forgotten.

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Find music from Gregg Allman, The Allman Brothers Band and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has thousands of titles in store and online in a wide range of genres, including rock, pop, blues, country, metal, R&B, hip hop, classical and more. Browse through our ever-growing collection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia. With new titles being added to our stock every day, it’s always a great time to drop by.

Seven Musicals Coming to Television for the 2017-2018 Season

Over the last few days, television networks have started announcing their plans for the 2017-2018 television season. Reports on which shows are being renewed and which are being cancelled are starting to come out, as are new shows and specials being added to their line-ups. This includes announcements for live musical events scheduled to happen this season.

A big draw for broadcast television over the last four years has come from their attempts at bringing live theater to the small screen. Starting with NBC’s ‘The Sound of Music’ in 2013 and Fox’s ‘Grease: Live’ in 2016, both networks have both been adding one night, “must-see TV” specials to their line-ups around the holidays to boost viewership. Now other stations are looking to cash in, revealing their plans for their own musical events.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, loves a good live musical. That is why we’ve gathered seven of the newly announced (and not-so newly announced) one-night musical events happening during the 2017-2018 season.

1.       ‘Dirty Dancing’ (ABC): Announced way back in 2015, ABC will be airing their first musical, ‘Dirty Dancing,’ tonight. A pre-taped film, a la Fox’s ‘Rocky Horror,’ the new ‘Dirty Dancing’ will star Abigail Breslin in the role of Baby (originally played by Jennifer Grey) and newcomer Colt Prattes as Johnny (originally played by Patrick Swayze).

2.        ‘Rent’ (Fox): The production team behind Fox’s last live event, ‘Grease: Live,’ has announced that they will be taking on rock musical ‘Rent’ this year. While I have my reservations about such a right-leaning station taking on a very left-leaning play, the fact that the estate of late ‘Rent’ writer/composer Jonathan Larson is on board and executive producing alleviates some of that. The news of this production is still brand new, so there are no actors attached to it or an air-date yet.

3.       ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ (NBC): NBC has announced that they will once again create a live event for Easter. This time around, the network will be taking on the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic ‘Jesus Christ Superstar.’ Webber is set to executive produce the event, along with NBC live programming stalwarts Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and Marc Platt, who is also working on the above-mentioned ‘Rent.’ NBC previously produced a live event of ‘The Passion’ for Easter 2015. Again, this is an early announcement, so there are no actors attached to it yet.

4.       ‘A Christmas Story’ (Fox): From next Easter to this Christmas, Fox has announced that they will be producing a live television event of the cult classic ‘A Christmas Story.’ The production will be in partnership with Warner Horizon and will, once again, be produced by Marc Platt (he’s apparently everywhere). Special for this event, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who scored the original Broadway production and have now signed on to score Fox’s, will be writing a number of new songs for the occasion. No actors are associated with this production yet.

5.       ‘The Little Mermaid’ (ABC): ABC will be bringing back the ‘Wonderful World of Disney’ moniker for their first live musical event (‘Dirty Dancing’ will not be live), ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Yes, the beloved tale of a mermaid longing to be human and falling in love will be making its way back to television screens for one night only on October 3. But this isn’t going to be like the live events that Fox and NBC have been producing, as it will not be live action. Instead, ABC will be airing the animated film with a live musical soundtrack that will most likely feature a who’s who of top musical talent. However, if you are looking for a live action ‘Little Mermaid,’ it is in the works, but for the big screen.

6.       ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ (NBC): The only one of these musicals that has any names attached to it (besides ‘Dirty Dancing’), NBC will be doing an updated remake of ‘Bye Bye Birdie,’ set to air in December. Actor Harvey Fierstein, who is helming the project, made significant changes to the original script, including to the main characters’ occupations. Jennifer Lopez will be starring in the show as Rosie, who will now be a music teacher instead of a secretary.

7.       ‘Rolling Stone 50’ (ABC): Technically not a “musical” in the truest sense; ABC has announced that they will be airing a special on February 7, 2018 celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Rolling Stone Magazine. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the special will feature musical performances, short films and iconic moments from throughout the magazine’s tenure. The special will be produced by Wenner Media, Rolling Stone’s parent company.

Live musical events on network television have been seeing a rise in popularity over the last four years.  Fox and NBC have seen ratings boosts from their previous specials and will be continuing to bank on such must-see TV live events into the 2017-2018 season. ABC is also looking to get in on the action this season with its own take on the live musical format. Whether this season’s shows will go off without a hitch or fall flat remains to be seen, but seen they will be.

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Find movie soundtracks, musical scores and more at Long Island’s top new independent record shop, Vinyl Bay 777. We have thousands of titles to choose from spanning a variety of genres, including soundtracks, rock, pop, hip-hop, R&B, classical, jazz and more. Check out our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store, as well as online at vinylbay777.com. More titles are being added all the time, so stop by and see what’s new.

‘Tommy’ at 48: How The Who’s First Rock Opera Changed Rock Forever

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, takes a look back at the album that put “rock operas” on the map

 Today marks the 48^th anniversary of the release of ‘Tommy,’ The Who’s groundbreaking fourth album that would become one of the most beloved and influential of all time. The album helped give rise to the “rock opera” format, as well as influenced many other bands to attempt writing their own rock operas.

 Released in 1969, ‘Tommy’ was Pete Townshend’s attempt at breaking away from the restraints of writing single-propelled rock music. No longer satisfied with 3-minute songs, he decided to explore the idea of writing a “rock opera”: a concept album with songs arranged in such a way that they follow a storyline. After an abandoned attempt and several “mini-operas,” Townshend began working on the concept for ‘Tommy,’ which focused on telling the story of a boy who is deaf, dumb and blind and how he sees the world.

While not the first rock opera to be recorded (British band Nirvana and The Pretty Things both released concept albums that have been referred to as such), ‘Tommy’ was by far the most popular. The album debuted at number four and number two on the Billboard Pop Albums and UK Albums charts respectively and was lauded by critics as “innovative” and a “masterpiece.”

‘Tommy’ led the way for other artists to express themselves in a similar fashion. Pink Floyd released ‘The Wall’ in 1979, a concept album that became one of the band’s most highly-regarded albums. Green Day took a lot of inspiration from The Who when they put out their rock operas, ‘American Idiot,’ which effectively helped them re-emerge as one of rock’s biggest and most important bands, and ‘21^st Century Breakdown.’ From My Chemical Romance’s ‘The Black Parade’ to Ludo’s ‘Broken Bride,’ releasing a rock opera has proven to continually be a popular move with fans.

The Who even followed up the success of ‘Tommy’ with another rock opera. ‘Quadrophenia’ was even more popular and critically acclaimed than ‘Tommy.’

Even today, 'Tommy' still finds itself an important piece of art, not only for rock music, but for theater in general. The original productions of the show in the 1990s won several awards and brought rock music to the stage at a time where it wasn't necessarily accepted. A revival of the stage show created from the album is currently touring the UK. This new production, which features a new song by Townshend, is being made accessible to those with special needs.

The popularity of ‘Tommy’ showed that rock fans, just like Townshend, wanted more from their music. By writing a rock opera, The Who were able to provide fans with a substantial work that went beyond the three-minute song structure. The album changed what it means to listen to an album the entire way through. Since its release, other bands have followed suit in releasing rock operas and concept albums.

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Find The Who’s ‘Tommy,’ other rock operas and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store and online to choose from. Whether you’re into rock operas or classical operas, we have thousands of titles spanning a vast array of genres that will have you covered. With more titles being added all the time, it’s always pays to stop by and see what’s new.

Week in Review: New Songs/Music Videos You Need to Check Out (May 14-May 20, 2017)

A lot has been going on in the world of music this week. And though not all of it was very happy (R.I.P. Chris Cornell), we are keeping our heads up with all of the great new music that has come out over the last seven days.

This week saw a lot of new music from across the pop and rock spectrum. In pop music, Katy Perry released another new single, a disjointed diss track featuring Nicki Minaj called “Swish Swish,” while Lana Del Rey released the second single from her upcoming album, the beautifully ethereal ode to summer festivals, “Coachella – Woodstock In My Mind.” DJ Robin Schulz made his return with the James Blunt fronted “OK.” In rock and alternative, we got new videos from Muse, COIN, AFI, Royal Blood, Rancid and All Time Low. Courtney Barnett also released a new one-off song, her first single in two years.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has once again been keeping track of all the new songs and music videos that came out this week. Here are some of our favorites that we think you need to add to your weekend playlist.

1.       Robin Schulz feat. James Blunt, “OK”: Hearing James Blunt’s distinctive voice mixed into a dance track seems a little odd, but by the chorus it seems to work. If anything can make him popular (or relevant) again, it could be this track. I enjoyed the video too. While I don’t think Blunt is the best actor in the world, I love the play on ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ for this song.  When the song gets hectic, so do Blunt’s visions, but in the end, it all turns out “okay.” (video)

2.       COIN, “I Don’t Wanna Dance”: “I Don’t Wanna Dance” is a catchy song made even more memorable by the video the band released to go with it. Much of the lyrical content of the song is about not knowing how to dance, sung over a simple synth melody. Then, the video brings another layer to the song, having the band on a honky-tonk cruise where scenes of them line dancing by themselves are spliced with scenes of others on the boat line dancing around them. None of the dancing is good, but that’s most likely the point. I personally think it is very well done. (video)

3.       Muse, “Dig Down”: The video for “Dig Down” stands out a bit more than the song does. Set in a dystopian world where the human body becomes obsolete, the female lead must fight off those that are trying to kill her. The song plays as Matt Bellemy and the rest of the band, projected on television screens and dressed in 80’s-inspired garb reminiscent of Max Headroom, are giving the bad guys the command to attack. (video)

4.       Courtney Barnett, “How To Boil An Egg”: I love the blues-rock vibe of this song. It feels easy and effortless, something you can listen to while relaxing. (video)

5.       Sparks, “What The Hell Is It This Time?”: The latest single from Sparks’ first album in eight years, “What The Hell Is It This Time” is both comical and intimidating. Taking on a militant tone, the song comes from the perspective of G-d, who is enraged at people who pray for everything. The topic seems to fit really well with this over-the-top new wave/synth-pop style. Not to mention the video is hilarious. These guys still have it. (video)

6.       Rancid, “Telegraph Avenue”: Rancid get a bit nostalgic on “Telegraph Aveneue,” the latest single from their upcoming album, ‘Trouble Maker.’ Slower and bit less garbled than “Ghost of a Chance,” Tim Armstrong waxes poetic about everything that has happened on this one street in the Bay Area. (video)

7.       AFI, “Hidden Knives”: AFI has always had a flair for the dramatic, and “Hidden Knives” is no different. The song is seemingly about betrayal and the sharp words (knives) one can use to hurt someone. The video is a quite literal and even more dramatic interpretation of the song. The three minute black and white film finds singer Davey Havok in on a heist with his female accomplice who sets up an elaborate hoax to get rid of him. (video)

8.       Royal Blood, “Hook, Line & Sinker”: “Hook, Line & Sinker” is a heavy, blues rock song mired in sludgy, distorted bass. The lyrical melody is jilted, mirroring the bass lines. (video)

These are some of our favorite new songs and music videos from the past week. Give these a listen/watch and use them as a starting point in your music discovery.

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Discover your new favorite artists at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has a wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia available in store and online. Browse thousands of titles spanning an array of genres, including rock, metal, pop, R&B, hip-hop, dance, disco, classical and more. With more titles being added all the time, it is always the perfect time to come down to Vinyl Bay 777 and discover something new.

Ten New York Music Festivals to Get Excited About in 2017

It may still be spring for another month, but it is never too early to think about the upcoming summer music festival season that will soon be upon us.

The selection of summer music festivals in New York have only been getting better over the last few years. Between the Panorama and The Meadows, which are returning after their debuts last year, to the tried and true favorites like Governor’s Ball and Central Park Summerstage, music will be flowing through all parts of New York all summer long.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, wants to help you get excited for festival season. Here are 10 music festivals happening around New York and Long Island that are sure to be a great time.

1.       Governor’s Ball (June 2-June 4): Governor’s Ball has been bringing the hottest artists to New York’s Randall’s Island for seven years now. The first of the big three-day festivals (both time-wise and history-wise) in the area, it has become a top seller considering its indie roots. Headliners for this year’s three-day festival include of the moment rappers Chance The Rapper and Childish Gambino, pop darling Lorde, “newer” rock bands Phoenix and Cage The Elephant and veteran artists Tool and Wu-Tang Clan.

2.       Central Park Summerstage (June-October): Sponsored by the City Parks Foundation, Summerstage brings an eclectic mix of live music to parks all over the city (though most of them are in Central Park) throughout the summer. There are a lot of big names that come through as part of the festival, including Mavis Staples (June 3), George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (June 11), Elvis Costello (June 15), KRS-One (June 25), Ginuwine (June 30), Yo La Tengo (July 17), PJ Harvey (July 19), Regina Spektor (July 27), All Time Low (July 31), Dashboard Confessional and All-American Rejects (August 3), Jadakiss (August 6), Young The Giant (September 13), and The War On Drugs (September 22) and many more. Though many of these are ticketed shows, a lot of them are free, which is even better.

3.       Celebrate Brooklyn (June-August): Similar to Summerstage, Celebrate Brooklyn takes over Prospect Park’s bandshell all summer, bring out some of the best music and culture the borough has to offer. Highlights this year include The Shins (June 15), Yeasayer (June 22), Musiq Soulchild (July 7), Robert Randolph & the Family Band (July 13), Conor Oberst (July 20), Andrew Bird and Esperanza Spalding (July 28), Fleet Foxes (August 1&2) and many more. Like Summerstage, a lot of these shows are free, so you won’t want to miss out.

4.       River to River (June 14-June 25): River To River brings a much needed helping of culture to the financial district every summer. This week-long event is more than just music, but encompasses performance art and dance as well. All performances are free.

5.       Make Music NYC (June 21): Every summer solstice (first day of summer), Make Music New York sponsors an event that brings music to every square inch of New York city’s streets and parks. Specific events include Porch Stomp (Americana, bluegrass), Punk Island (although that will happen three days earlier on June 18), The Gauntlet (a large choral performance) and more. The full schedule of events won’t be out until later this month, so stay tuned.

6.       Warped Tour (July  8 at Jones Beach): This is a national tour, but I still like to think it counts. The all-day festival that has been providing a place for outstanding up-and-coming punk and hardcore bands to be discovered and allowing established bands to promote their latest work is back for a 22^nd year. This year’s line-up includes Gwar, Hatebreed, Anti-Flag, American Authors, The Ataris, Big D and the Kids Table, Emmure, Dance Gavin Dance, Hawthorne Heights, Silverstein and more.

7.       Great South Bay Music Festival (July 13-July 16): The annual four-day Long Island festival returns this July with one of its best line-ups ever. Artists playing this year include Taking Back Sunday, New Found Glory and Saves The Day on the 13^th, 311 and The Wailers on the 14^th, Gov’t Mule on the 15^th and Zombies and Eddie Money on July 16.

8.       Panorama (July 28-July 30): Created by Goldenvoice, the same people behind the wildly successful Coachella Festival, Panorama will be back for a second year at Randall’s Island. Like Governor’s Ball, this festival brings new and established artists together for three days of non-stop music. This year’s headliners include Frank Ocean, Solange, Tame Impala, Alt-J, Nine Inch Nails and A Tribe Called Quest.

9.       Afropunk (August 26 and 27): The Afropunk festival is not just about punk. It’s about celebrating the music of many cultures in all forms. Big name artists playing this year include guitarist Gary Clark, Jr., rapper Sampha and soul singer Macy Gray.

10.   The Meadows (September 15-September 17): The Meadows will also be returning for a second year this September. Taking place at Citi Field, the line-up is arguably even bigger than Governor’s Ball or Panorama. This year’s festival includes Gorillaz’s only announced New York appearance, as well as sets from Jay-Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Future, Nas, Weezer, Run The Jewels, and many more top-name artists. And because this is being done in September, the weather will be starting to cool down, even though it is still technically summer.

With all of these top notch festivals happening in New York in the coming months, there is a lot to look forward to this summer. From massive multi-genre weekend festivals to more curated months-long affairs, there will surely be no shortage of great outdoor live music.

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Get ready for summer festival season by picking up music from many of the bands coming through New York this summer at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has a wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia to choose from. Browse thousands of titles in store and online. With more titles being added all the time, there is always something new to discover at Vinyl Bay 777.