12/5 Unknown Hinson at New Vintage

The Unknown Hinson, also known as Stuart Daniel Baker, also known as the voice of Early Cuyler of the Squidbillies, and also known infamously as the short term guitarist for Billy Bob Thornton's Box Masters Band (before Thornton was run out of Canada for being a dick. see video below) will be at New Vintage on Dec. 5th and promises to be a worthwhile venture.

Editorial: The Problem With Record Store Day

   

       Record Store Day (RSD), the 2nd Record Store Day of the year, is this friday; Black Friday- named so as it is the day retail stores have the opportunity to move from the red into the black column financially. I have mixed feelings about RSD (aside from calling it 'Day' when it is actually twice annually). It began in 2008, on the 3rd Friday of April, and still is, with the addition of a 2nd RSD the day after Thanksgiving, as a way to help and celebrate independent record stores, and now has over 1,000 stores participating. The oddity of RSD is that while it works to support Independent record stores, it says nothing in it's mission for supporting independent record labels and bands. This was noticeable at the very first RSD with Metallica being picked as RSD ambassadors.
        There is no denying that RSD has been a godsend to local record shops, with many store owners saying that without RSD they may not be in business,  but in recent years, it has become apparent that the choices of the RSD organization is having major negative effects on the industry as a whole.
While RSD helps bring attention to record stores, it's official releases are generally over priced major label reissues and live recordings, that has effectively commandeered the few record pressing plants that exist globally (with less than 20 in the U.S.), which has pushed out the small labels that have always maintained a vinyl presence. The major labels who gave up on vinyl years ago are now wanting to monopolize the game with overpriced vinyl releases, and can do so by ordering large quantities which has forced pressing plants to push back small orders to astronomical wait times (6 months or more) or to quit taking small batch orders altogether.
Over the last 20 years it was independent labels that kept the vinyl torch burning, and in return gave independent record stores a product they could sell that couldn't be found at the corporate locations.
With RSD's giant success, small shops are faced with an impossible situation. They cannot turn away from RSD, which brings sales that keeps their doors open, but they are seeing the small labels they have worked with for years break under the monopoly RSD has given the major labels.
     Jack White, who was the RSD Ambassador in 2013, has apparently seen the effects of RSD and is working to counter the effects. He will be opening his 2nd Third Man Records Store on Black Friday in Detroit, but none of the press information lists anything to do with Record Store Day. Furthermore, he plans to open a record pressing plant in that location in 2016, citing the increasing difficulty of small labels and bands to get records pressed as a motivator.
        Ben Blackwell, head of production at Third Man Records said of the opening of the Detroit location "Part of the concern in this world is that vinyl can very easily turn into an exclusionary thing, but this is going to make it easier for a little punk band to make 300 copies of a 7-inch'."
Personally, I had a lot of trouble finding a pressing plant for the new 2016 Louisville Is For Lovers release, with my normal pressing plants saying they are no longer accepting new clients, or that I would have to wait a minimum of half a year to get my order; which is a far cry from a few years ago with waits times around 6 weeks not 6 months.
    I am not saying Boycott RSD, the idea of celebrating vinyl as well as Independent record stores is great; what I am suggesting is that as consumers  we can send a message that we love vinyl and don't want to see it monopolized and turned into a high priced gimmick by major labels. The small shops need our support, and so do the small labels and bands. So this Black Friday, head down to your favorite neighborhood record store, but maybe pick up vinyl releases from your favorite indie labels instead. The folks at RSD will only work with Independent record stores, maybe we can encourage them to do the same with Independent record labels and bands.
Here is a small list of Independent record labels that have been pressing vinyl for 10-20 years or more that could use your support:
Merge records 
Secretly Canadian 
Temporary Residence
Drag City

11/27 Cropped Out: Phantom Familiar Jaylebyrds at Kaiju

 

This Friday Cropped Out presents State Champion, Mazozma Theatre Duo and a mixture of Phantom Family Halo and Jaye Jayle (billed as Phantom Familiar Jaylebyrds) at Kaiju. $5 21+

Could be the only time you will ever get to see Phantom Familiar Jaylebyrds. 

Louisville Is For Lovers 15 Year Anniversary celebration & 2016 Line-Up Posted

The triumphant return of Louisville Is For Lovers massively popular Valentine's comp (annually from 2001-2010) is set to be released on Feb.5th (with showcase at Zanzabar Louisville on Feb.12th) and the 15th anniversary edition of this series is loaded with some of the city's finest bands:

Adventure,  Brother Wolves, Cereal Gylphs, Crush (with Tory Fisher & Cheyenne Mize), The Cut Family Foundation,  CZAR, The Deloreans, Eyeball (former The Mack frontman Jeff Shelton),  The Fervor, The Gallery Singers, Gritty Pearl, The Hot Wires, Houses In Motion, J. Brent Stewart,  Jaye Jayle,  Regan Layman (of Black Birds of Paradise),  Daphne Luster, Lydia Burrell, Maximón,  Pleasure Boys,  Plastic Bubble,   Quiet Hollers,  Remote Observer, Sandpaper Dolls, Second Story Man, Super Rowboat (Carrie Neumeyer of Julie of the Wolves), Tender Mercy,  Twin Limb, Twin Pigeon,  White Reaper, & The Winger Brothers.

Louisville is for Lovers has also announced plans to digitize and remaster all 10 previous editions of the Valentine's series and release one a month during 2016. All of this doesn't come cheap so they are asking for donations to help with the project via a crowdfunding campaign. Included in the campaign are options to pre-order the 2016 comp (digital and vinyl), as well as getting a download of never before released live recordings of Louisville Is For Lovers songs by artists such as Bonnie 'prince' Billy and Jim James of My Morning Jacket for a donation of just $5. for such a good cause as well as getting great albums this feels more like getting great music for a great price than mere charity:

11/25 Seven Sense Thanksgiving Tribute

The Seven Sense Festival is throwing a Thanksgiving tribute at The New Vintage and Zanzabar on Nov.25th; 7PM, 21+, $10. price includes admission to both venues. Proceeds to benefit the Boy's and Girl's Haven.

bands include White Crosses, All the Little Pieces, The Instruction and Lou Dog.

11/20 Quiet Hollers & Gallery Singers at Haymarket

Hot off tour for their new self titled album The Quiet Hollers are playing Friday 11/20 at Haymarket with The Gallery Singers and 2 Cincinnati bands; Alone at 3 am & Arlo McKinley and the Lonesome Sound. 8pm. $7 All Ages.

11/19 Rossonian and The Trouts at Kaiju

Last year at this time Denver band Rossonian spent Thanksgiving with Macaulay Culkin opening for his Pizza Underground band (that play renditions of Velvet Underground songs reworked with pizza lyrics), watched Culkin make-out with Har-Mar Superstar and then watched him kick  Rossonian's lead singer out of the Marquis Theater in Denver. This year Rossonian would rather spend Thanksgiving with you. They will be bringing their pop/garage rock to Kaiju with Louisville bands The Trouts, Little Gem, and Jettison Highwater on 11/19. Music at 8pm.

Free Ticket Give-A-Way: Highly Suspect at Zanzabar 11/13

Brooklyn rockers Highly Suspect will be playing at Zanzabar on Nov.13th as part of the Communion series while on tour for their debut album Mister Asylum and We are giving away 2 tickets for the show! just leave your name as a comment, or send an email to Louisvilleisforlovers@gmail.com and we will pick a winner and post it on the 8th!