Christopher Long Show Biz Guru

Sunday, October 1, 2023

GARAGE SALE VINYL (THE BOOK): Pumpkin Spice Update

GARAGE SALE VINYL

(THE BOOK)

Pumpkin Spice Update

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FUN FACT: The biggest music industry trend in recent years has been the roaring resurgence of the vinyl record format. Fans of ALL AGES worldwide are rediscovering the magic of music — on cozy and (sometimes) crackly vintage LPs. While many traditional retail outlets are charging obscene prices these days for used records, timeless vinyl treasures CAN be found — for "a song."

An entertaining, expanded version of my popular weekly Ink19.com music column of the same name, GARAGE SALE VINYL: Rediscovering the Magic of Music... for "a Song" reveals my most notable vintage LP discoveries as I rummage through garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets on Florida’s sunny Space Coast — and beyond.

Having a blast record shopping in Charleston, SC with

the coolest chick ever, singer / guitarist Cat Strickland.

Each of the 50 chapters will be devoted to the lively analysis of a different classic album — enhanced by my personal feel-good stories and peppered with related commentary from an array of celebrated music artists, entertainment personalities, famed music photographers, and pop culture authors.

We've now confirmed that co-founding Foghat drummer Roger Earl will pen the book's foreword and ace guitar slinger Bella Perron from the rising arena rock band Plush will contribute the afterword. And last week we had a super-fun promo photoshoot with a few of my favorite fresh-faced Florida-based theatre friends.

More details will be rolling out in the weeks to come!

-Chris

MEDIA / PUBLISHER INQUIRIES

AuthorChristopherLong@yahoo.com

Friday, September 1, 2023

GARAGE SALE VINYL: The First Sneak Peek at My Upcoming New Book!

GARAGE SALE VINYL

The First Sneak Peek at

My Upcoming New Book!

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In the spirit of full disclosure, I gotta confess that I consume music primarily the way the good Lord intended: on warm and cozy, old and crackly LPs. Always on the lookout for a "score," I discovered a real gem at a neighborhood garage sale late last year — a pristine vinyl copy of Streetlights, the 1974 classic from my dreamgirl, Bonnie Raitt — for a quarter.

In short order, I reached out to Rose, my longtime editor at Ink19.com and asked if she had any interest in running a little squirty review of this 50-year-old record that I bought at a garage sale. She did. In fact, Rose liked the idea SO much, she encouraged me to run with it and turn the one-time piece into a weekly column — if I was up to the challenge. Challenge accepted! "So, what should we call a column about your garage sale vinyl discoveries?" Rose asked in a subsequent email. Hmm. I thought about it for a day or two. Then it came to me. "Hey! How about 'Garage Sale Vinyl?'"

More than eight months and nearly 40 weekly installments later, "Garage Sale Vinyl" is zinging along. But earlier this summer I was thwacked with a wacky notion. What about "Garage Sale Vinyl" — the book? I called up my writing partner, Bryan Dumas (aka Dingus), and we chewed on the idea for a bit. Then, we got to work, pronto.

The 1974 Bonnie Raitt record Streetlights was the

spark that ignited the "Garage Sale Vinyl" brand.

An entertaining, expanded version of my weekly column, GARAGE SALE VINYL: Rediscovering the Magic of Music... for a Song reveals my most notable vintage LP discoveries while visiting garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets throughout Florida’s sunny Space Coast; and beyond. As faithful readers of the column know already, I refuse to pick a musical stylistic lane, and I rarely pay more than a few bucks for these buried treasures.

The column contains content that won't be found in the book. And the book will contain content that won't be found in the column. Each of the 50 chapters will be devoted to a different classic album — enhanced by my personal feel-good stories and peppered with related commentary from, and interviews with, an array of famed music artists, as well as various entertainment personalities and pop culture authors. But wait, there's more! I've also bagged a couple of soopah-sah-weet peeps to pen the book's foreword and afterword.