Pull out the old LPs

They’re popular again. Who would have thought that the cherished vinyl LP would be in vogue again? I know many people who have thrown out all their LPs when they replaced them with CDs and songs purchased from sites like iTunes. They’re kicking themselves now. There are a lot of folks out there that never gave them up and are happy to know their glory has come back around. Many large labels, such as Universal Music Group, are reissuing classic and contemporary records, some in small batches, but reissuing them nonetheless. Bands such as R.E.M. insist on issuing new albums in vinyl format as well as CD. There’s a new book due out in July called Old Rare New, about the joy of collecting LPs, and includes interviews with DJs, record shop owners and musicians.

The smell of vinyl, the artwork on the album cover and liner notes, the act of dropping the needle on the record, these are all reasons why the vinyl fan never abandoned the record. Even the hunt in search for that obscure album is exciting for fans of the LP. There are thousands of shops and websites to start, or continue, your search for that album. The iPod is great and has done great things for the music industry, but nothing can replace the warmth and fullness of the music you get from a record.

The Austin Public Library has a great collection of LPs, available at the Carver, Terrazas, and Central branches. When you do a search in the catalog make sure you select “Vinyl Record” as the material format. Just today I found a couple of great records, Greatest Dance Hits and Salt ‘N Pepa’s Hot Cool Vicious album…can’t wait to get home and groove down.