Mr. Zero Vinyl Hero

“BUZZ” Newspaper Article; April- May 2013 (#26-Z)

Greetings Collector’s of Quadraphonic Polyvinyl chloride thermoplastic polymer flat disc with inscribed modulated spiral groove.

I bought my 1st Vinyl Record in 1973 The BEATLES “67- 70: Blue Album” when it 1st came out, if you do not know I sold my 1st “Used Record” in 1977 in Jackson, MS. while at Brandon Jr. High School, since then I have worked for many Music Stores starting in 1986: RecordShop, Archives, PatchWorx, Wherehouse, BestBuy, DiscJockey, fye, DiscLand & Now I own Mr. Zero’s for now 4 years (April 2009), so I feel I know I a thing or 2 about records. In this article (my 2nd year now) I am going to try to dis-spell all the misinformation about Vinyl.

> The Genesis:
It all started when; Thomas Edison (1847- 1931) on 18 July 1877 invented the first phonograph, originally playing Cylinder type recordings in production from 1988- 1915, with a 2 minute maximum for content. A man named Charles Tainter invented the usage of hard carnauba wax to replace the current medium of paraffin & beeswax that was used on cylinder records, this is where the slang “Wax” came from, in reference to Records. The 1st “Flat Disc” records were referred to as “Edisons” which ran at about 80 revolutions per minute, they were made of Bakelite (an early from of plastic) and had a recording only on 1 side, the other was blank or had the record labels logo engraved on it like “Victor”. However starting in 1950 most Records were made from Vinyl, not wax at all.
> 78rpm
Sometime around 1910, the 10-inch 78 rpm shellac disc had become the most commonly used format. The electric powered synchronous turntable motor invented in 1925, that ran at 3600 rpm with a 46:1 gear ratio, the result a rotation speed of 78 rpm, therefore 78rpm was chosen to be the standard. However this format was limited to 5 minutes of content per side.
> 45 Single
In Feb 1949 RCA introduced the 45 rpm record, 7″ in size, as they refused to license from a rival company. The 45 ran at a faster speed than the 33 1/3 so it had a better sound, in addition to a wider groove for better fidelity making them extremely durable, however a time limitation of about 4 minutes until in 1965 Bob Dylan wanted his “Like A Rolling-stone” a 6 minute song to fit on the “A” side of a 45. Most 45s were issued in Mono and often a very different mix than the Stereo LP, sometimes an entirely different version of the song like KISS: “Detroit Rock City” released in 1976. In the 50s you had to release many hit singles before you released a full length LP (Long Player) on into the 60s (read my articles on the Beatles, Kinks & WHO) how many Non-LP songs bands had back then. The band would release a 45 single between LPs & if neither song was a hit then the band would not put those songs on the next LP. Mono realistically ended in 1968, however AM radio only issue 45s continued in Mono until 1978.

> 16rpm
Were developed & introduced in 1926 by Western Electric. Used for soundtracks to films & Radio only transcription records from 1930- 1960 & Chrysler Automobile Records, (mainly Jazz music in the 1950s) ran16 revolutions per minute, & played from the inside out, as appose to the outside in. This format did not last long.
> EPs
Extended Plays were very popular in the UK; the 1st ones were put out by Grey Gull Records in 1919 & by RCA in 1952. An EP is classified as 4- 6 songs & less than 25 minutes for both sides total, they can run at 45 or 33 1/3rpm, usually in a cardboard sleeve, as appose to paper. Most British bands released EPs between LPs

> The LP:
In the USA, in 1921 record sales were about $105 million per year, but with the introduction of the home radio unit the 1st death knell was heard for records when sales dropped to $5 million per year in 1933. Then Columbia Records introduced the LP in 1948 developed by Peter Goldmark at CBS laboratories, 1st in Mono & then later in Stereo. At this time 78s were the predominate format for music until about 1952 when the 78 dropped to 50% of the market in sales. Interestingly enough in 1958 RCA passed on the opportunity to buy the exclusive to “Stereo” a true live separation of sound between 2 channels that was invented by Alan Blumlein at EMI In the1930s. In 1931 RCA- Victor introduced the “Victrolac” a new vinyl based compound.

While the composition of vinyl has changed since its inception, the preference is virgin vinyl (all colored vinyl is virgin vinyl) as it has less impurities, for example much of the vinyl produced in the 70s was recycled, recalled, unsold records, with impurities and all. Standard grade pressings were 130 grams until about 1971 when RCA introduced the “Dynaflex” record at 90 grams these did not sound as good nor did they last as long.

In November 1957, the small independent Audio Fidelity Records label started releasing stereo LPs & invented the “Half Speed Masters” developed from trying to capture nature sounds on vinyl. The “Half Speed Master” were cut at a slower speed with deeper grooves for a better sound reproduction. In Japan the standard has been 160 grams so most imports are sought after for the superior sound quality, which is why the current re-issue grade is 180 grams to sound better and last longer. Did you know the average LP contains about 1500 feet of grooves?

Records in the 60s ran about 18 minutes per side, then in the 70s about 20 minutes per side. Then in 1976 Led Zeppelin had a 27min song on “Song Remains The Same” then in 1987 Def Leppard put out ‘Hysteria” with about 30min per side, but in 1987 it was all over for the vinyl format.

> Acetates
Sometimes known as “Demonstration Records” are an aluminum disc, earlier versions were cardboard with a coating of nitrocellulose lacquer (they have a very unique smell to them). This production process ran from the 1930s to late 1960s. In the 40s there were recording booths for military men to record messages home to their loved ones before they went off to war. A famous recording booth record was made by The Quarrymen (The Beatles) as Lennon, McCartney & Harrison stuffed themselves into a booth to record “Hallelujah, I Love Her So”

> Sound Sheet/ Flexi Discs
A thin plastic sheet usually 1 sided, & not very durable. Usually magazine inserts from about 1965-1985, 2 of the most famous flexis are; The Monkees: Davy Jones had 1 in 1968 which was a spoken word with music for the film “Head” a 2 sided clear blue sheet. The Who had 1 in a book from 1985, demos for “My Generation & Pinball Wizard” When the Beatles re-released the “Red” & “Blue” & “White” albums in 1981 after Lennon died, Musiccland released a Flexi for each LP. One conversation I had with Glen Buxton of the Alice Cooper Group in 1991, he was planning to release a Flexi of 2 songs he & Alice had recorder before The Alice Cooper Group as “The Spiders” in 1965, however I had to inform him, Felxis had gone by the wayside some years earlier.
> Cereal Box Records:
Usually found on Post Cereals from 1970- 1972. A piece of cardboard with a thin vinyl coating applied, again not very durable. The most famous artists found on these are: Monkees, Archies, Jackson 5 (with Michael), Bobby Sherman & children’s music.

> Quad:
Sometime about 1972 quadraphonic was introduced (the equivalent of 5.1 today) instead of sound being separated into 2 channels, quad is separated into 4, however you need a special quad amp and 4 of the same speakers. Very few titles were released in quad as this medium did not catch on.

> 12″ Singles:
About 1977 the 12″ Single was introduced for the Disco Clubs to keep people on the dance floors longer. Most ran at 45rpm with wider grooves so they had better fidelity. Almost all 12″ had remix or alternate versions making them very collectible.

> Cut-Outs/ Promotional:
Were recalled overstock that was actually cut or drilled, to show they could neither be sold or ‘returned’ for full value. Some “Promotional copies were marked in the same fashion. Promotion copies were made by the record labels for the record stores or radio stations, usually 1st runs off the plates they were better pressings, with cleaner & better sound some like CBS & WB had “White Labels” some covers bore a gold stamp or sticker indicating “promo” status. The 2nd death knell for records came about this time with the readily accessible home cassette recording deck, so much so that EMI put this slogan on their inner sleeves “Home taping is killing the music industry” with a skull & crossbones made from a Cassette shell.

> Record Collecting Blues:
One current trend is original blues records, which are very high in demand but very scarce in supply. For example the Chess label out of Chicago, Illinois considered 1000 copies sold good selling title, & 2000 copies sold a really good selling title & 5000 copies sold, a smash hit. The other thing to consider is until the early 90s the East & West Coast were very separate in development, & way ahead of the Mid-West, & blues primarily sold from Chicago to New Orleans. Another example to consider about blues, take Robert Johnson (1911- 1938) who is considered the Father of Blues, Johnson released only 78s in his lifetime, 11 total, NO LPs, 1 was released 25 years after his death and a 2nd LP 10 years after that.

> R.I.P. 1989:
“National Recall” Letter issued by NARM in December 1987 that essentially read: “All 6 major labels: CBS (Sony), WEA (Warner Bros), MCA (Universal), BMG (RCA), EMI (Capitol) & PGD (Polygram) have decided to stop shipping Vinyl record LPs to retail stores, effective 2 January 1988. In order to receive full credit for Vinyl on hand, have all stock returned to vendor by 30 December 1987. The list price of a vinyl record LP was on average $9.98 & the cost of a vinyl record was about $7.25 per item. At that same time the list price of a CD was on average $16.98 & the cost per item was about $12.75 (these are facts, folks .. as I was there)> No music retail chain was about to lose any money on dead stock & the chance to flip credit on vinyl to CD. At that time in 1987 Cassettes were about 60% of the retail market leaving CDs about 35% with vinyl trailing at a mere 5%, albeit not an entirely dead format, which is why NARM & the Labels decided to put an end to vinyl. In this same letter it did also state that stores would be able to “Special Order” most vinyl titles until 30 October 1989, but after this date “There Will Be NO More Vinyl Pressed in the USA” So music fans roughly there was no vinyl manufactured from late 1989 to 2003 If it was NEVER made on Vinyl originally then the “New” 180gram vinyl Is the Original press.

There was however some limited pressings of major artists such as: KISS, Metallica, Guns N Roses, Pearl Jam & Nirvana usually colored vinyl or picture discs released 1 week before the CD & Cassette, as well as many smaller independent releases. There are literally millions of titles only on vinyl LP; however the same rings true for Cassette as well as CD. It was simply not cost effective to re-release many titles on CD or even Cassette, in addition to many master recordings had been lost over the years, to make proper transfers of vinyl titles to CD, the same rings true today, for those titles only on cassette or CD, it’s just not worth the time or money to put many of those titles on vinyl.

> A Hundred Dollars:
As far as availability for some artists records we must take into consideration; how many were made, how many were sold, how many were recycled as CBS nor Capitol would not reduce overstock to “Cut Out” Status. A very important thing to consider, today Not all records have the same value, condition & quality are 1st & foremost, also it seems most people are looking for the same titles, therefore a higher demand warrants a higher price in re-sale.
Another thing to consider is how many survived due just to whether conditions, example: in California earthquakes & fires, Southwest intense heat, Deep South humidity, Midwest humidity & floods, Northeast overpopulation & a small living area people would tend leave luxuries behind, like their record collection, or people simply unaware of what they had and threw their LPs into the garbage.

What’s selling today in 2013, well after 4 years of selling “Used” vinyl, we have proven, it’s essentially the exact same artists that sold 10, 20, 30 & 40 years ago. Here’s the “Top 11”
1. The Beatles: 1962- 1970 (14 Albums)
2. Pink Floyd: 1967- 1994 (14 Albums)
3. Led Zeppelin: 1969- 1978 (8 Albums)
4. Jimi Hendrix: 1967- 1968 (3 Albums)
5. Frank Zappa: 1966- 1993 (62 Albums)
6. Grateful Dead: 1967- 1990 (22 Albums)
7. Bob Dylan: 1962- 2012 (35 Albums)
8. Doors: 1967- 1978 (9 Albums)
9. Neil Young: 1968-2000 (37 Albums)
10. Black Sabbath: 1970- 1978 (8 Albums)
11. Metallica: 1983- 1991 (5 Albums on Vinyl)

> Come Back:
On Vinyl making a comeback. In 2008 record labels shipped out some 3 million units of vinyl, keep in mind “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” sold over 5 million copies on vinyl in America alone. So 3 million is not a major come back. In 2012 Vinyl sales were up 16% on $4 million is only $64,000.oo up in sales.

The precious Internet has cost the USA billions in music sales, jobs, retail taxes, retail stores, retail jobs, Record Label jobs in promotion, production, art department. With Amazon sales 40% up in Oct 2009 & Ebay $59 Billion in 2008, & absolutely TAX Free. The internet does not create jobs it eliminates jobs and offers no real replacement. In the 60s through the early 2000s the music industry generated billions of dollars for not only the USA but other countries as well. As of today only 1 national music store chain exists, and that would be “fye” out of New York (fye: purchased Musicland/ Sam Goody in 2006 & closed it in 2007).

As of 2008 most cellphones can access the internet, making it possible for almost everyone to look up items on Gemm.Com & Discogs.com & Popsike.Com & Ebay & Amazon, so the days of finding hidden gem that someone over looked, are realistically over, especially in any shop/store establishment (they can use the internet too, isn’t that weird?). If you would like a local list of our peers who also sell used records you can contact us at www.MrZeros.Com, And, so happy hunting….. Mr. Zero Since 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21ultWh4lgw