What Are They LP or Vinyl?

Polymorphia wrote: If I'm being anal, it seems that "vinyl record" would be the most accurate term for the thing described. "LP" specifies the length and "vinyl" specifies material. Neither completely specifies format. "Record" specifies a grouping of tracks that can be recorded onto multiple kinds of material and as such is too general. But, really, who cares? As far as my favorite place to get records, there's only one record store in town and it's very much like how Steve described Criminal Records. When I do buy vinyl records (of which there's not too much), I get them there, if I don't borrow them from the jazz dept. at the local university.

To be totally anal. A 'record' is in my mind, and certainly in the teenage record buying version of me, a vinyl record and not a tape or cassette or later a CD.  A record is not short for a recording at least it became the actual thing rather than the music recorded on it.  But, really who cares?

Edited by Polymorphia - April 27 2014 at 14:33

akamaisondufromage wrote: http://www.everydaymusic.com/

that was it! My oh my that place had the goods.

Catcher10 wrote: Back in the day for me it was Warehouse Records & Tapes, Peaches and Tower Records.....Tower had a huge import section. Today it is local stores in Tacoma, Hi-Voltage Records, House of Records...In Seattle too many to name.

i went to one in Seattle a few weeks ago when I was visiting my friend. It was huge, and had everything i wanted but could never find elsewhere. Forgot the name but it was something like "Everyday Records". I had to actually quit looking around because i was in danger of buying more than i could fit in my carry on luggage home.

I miss Tower. Used to be one in Atlanta across the street from where I work. It was a tough loss. It is nice having the internet though. I can pretty much find anything if i want it enough and can afford it.

Edited by HolyMoly - April 27 2014 at 13:40

In the UK the main local record stores in my area were Harlequin, Our Price, Andy's Records and Revolver records, but that's not going to mean much to most people. The major chains of HMV and Virgin came much later. The last LP I bought from a brick'n'mortar store was Kveikur by Sigur Rós... and that was from a HMV located in a local shopping mall.

I love Wax n Facts for LPs but the CD selection is small. Criminal Records is great for new (especially "indie") releases, but once an album is a couple of years old they don't stock it unless it's hipster friendly. Wuxtry is a great one too, they seem to have everything BUT new releases. Decatur CD is good but cramped and sometimes hard to find stuff, plus they lean a bit more towards Americana/folk which isn't really my area of interest. The Book Nook (N Druid) and CD Warehouse (Roswell, near where i live) nearly always have cheap used stuff i didn't know i wanted.

Thing is, a lot of people use the word "record" interchangeably with "album", i.e. a group of songs compiled and sequenced by the artist to be consumed as a package. This now includes mp3 albums and other digital formats. This makes it harder to use the word "record" if you really do mean the plastic slab with grooves on it. So "vinyl" or "LP" is more informative in these cases. Of course, to most people, the physicality of the format is trivial or secondary at best, so pointing it out as a source of pride (which i am guilty of on a daily basis) just might be seen as pretentious. I do try to stop myself, but I'm a goofball and often can't help it.

akamaisondufromage wrote: What's the question? Um I think 'records' are the answer. Or 'album' if you wanted to make it clear that you wern't talking about a single or EP or 12" .  Never use the word Vinyl unless its a discussion about vinyl

What's the question?

Um I think 'records' are the answer. Or 'album' if you wanted to make it clear that you wern't talking about a single or EP or 12" .  Never use the word Vinyl unless its a discussion about vinyl

Rick Robson wrote: ^Thanks Dean for your interesting explanations.    About that phrase i already imagined more or less its meaning. I also make mine your words about the gatefold covers (now I know the correct name), I turn out having nostalgic feelings about that times. Anyway, now I have Internet which allows me knowing much better the world of music at the click of a mouse, although without that much better clicks and scratches you meant of course.

Edited by Rick Robson - April 27 2014 at 07:43