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4 Independent Record Stores Across The U.S. Weigh In On Their Struggle To Survive During COVID-19

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We talked to four fan favorite stores in Austin, Brooklyn, Indianapolis and Los Angeles about their harsh reality during the coronavirus crisis
Jeffrey Silverstein
GRAMMYs
Apr 7, 2020 - 2:09 pm

At over 18 million LPs sold, 2019 marked 14 consecutive years of rising vinyl record sales. As COVID-19 continues to bludgeon the music industry, independent record stores are left particularly vulnerable. The indefinite closure of these small businesses comes poorly timed with Record Store Day, the annual shopping event often noted for record breaking sales now postponed until June. For store owners, everyday their sign reads "closed" adds uncertainty to the livelihood of their shops, employees, and community at large.

As vinyl collectors lament the current loss of their safe havens, record stores are working tirelessly to find short-term solutions to what appears to be growing into a long-term problem. Hopeful that crate-digging will commence, we spoke to four record shops across the country to hear more about the toll the pandemic has taken, the implications of store closures, and what strategies and revenue streams are currently keeping them afloat.

Permanent Records (Los Angeles, CA)

How many days have you been closed? What’s the longest you’ve ever shut down at one period of time prior to this?

We were forced to close the Roadhouse on 3/15 and we closed the shop on York on 3/17. Since we opened in 2006, we've never shut down before aside from holidays. Never.

When did the reality of having to close indefinitely sink in? What were your initial thoughts?

I still don't know if it has set in fully, but the hardest part of the closure has been informing my staff that all of their scheduled shifts have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. My initial thoughts were that we'll do whatever we have to do to weather this storm and hit the ground running as soon as things get back to normal.

How would you describe the overall mood/attitude in your city at the moment?

Overall, people seem to be positive, even though we're all suffering greatly.

To what degree have sales been impacted by COVID-19?

Sales have been decimated. Our Roadhouse location is shuttered completely and the only business we have going is online, which is a fraction of what we normally do when we're open to the public.

How many people does the store employ? What are the current implications of a closure for them?

There are ten full- and part-time employees. I've suggested that they all look into temporary unemployment claims. Customers and the community can support them by supporting Permanent, so they all have a place to come back to work when this all blows over. I've also offered my support to my supervisors if they feel inclined to start a fundraiser, but they, like I do, feel a bit uncomfortable with it considering how many people are all in a similar situation.

Are you offering any kind of special promotions right now?

We did everything we could at first, but the demand for curbside pick-up wasn't where we needed it to be to support it. We're offering free shipping on the rare records we're posting on Instagram. We have gift certificates and other merch available on our web store (PermanentRecordsLA.com). Before the "safer at home" ordinance, I offered a private shopping experience at Permanent to people who bought $100 gift certificates, but we've been forced to postpone that offer.

Were you already in a position where customers could access your titles online or via Discogs?

Yes, but it's especially crucial now. It went from being a supplemental necessary evil to being a necessity overnight.

What are your most immediate concerns?

Earning enough to pay our monthly bills and rent are my most immediate concerns. I'm hopeful that things will get back to normal soon enough to not worry about the long-term, but the economy at-large and the unemployment rate are my biggest concerns currently.

What might be a way record stores in your city could ban together right now?

Los Angeles has the best record stores in the country. We generally do a pretty good job of supporting each other and I think the best thing we can all do is to stay positive, stay healthy, and stay productive during these unprecedented times while remembering that there is a

End of an Ear (Austin, Texas)

​How many days have you been closed?

We reduced our hours starting March 16th. We were only doing mail order, online and curbside. Since this Tuesday (the 24th) we are just doing mail order and online.

How would you describe the overall mood/attitude in your city at the moment?

I think like everywhere, it seems like we woke up into an episode of "Twilight Zone" and trying just to take it day by day. We've had lots of support from customers and other Austin businesses as well.

To what degree have sales been impacted by COVID19?

It's too early to tell, but we've seen a drop in business somewhere between 60 to 90 percent.

How many people does the store employ? What are the current implications of a closure for them?

Including the owners (myself and Blake), there are 13 of us. We have a small staff, so no one was laid off. The mail order and curbside helped get cash still coming in. We have a small reserve. Customers have been very supportive.

How will Record Store Day being postponed affect your shop?

We already had SXSW cancel, and then there would have been Record Store Day in April and then our 15th year anniversary in May. So now of course it will all be pushed back. Once we all crawl out of this mess we can make new plans.

What are your most immediate concerns?

That my customers will have jobs they can go back to and places to live. And above all. healthy friends that run bars, clubs, restaurants, etc... There are a lot of mutual supporters and champions of the shop.

LUNA Music (Indianapolis, IN)

How many days have you been closed? What’s the longest you’ve ever shut down at one period of time prior to this?

LUNA music has been closed, as a storefront, for 12 days—but, we are still shipping worldwide mail order. We've never experienced a closure like this before, in terms of a protracted period of time—where our public space was closed.

When did the reality of having to close indefinitely sink in? What were your initial thoughts/feelings?

Honestly, I just wanted my crew and clientele to be safe—so as soon as it became obvious that we should cease contact with folks, we started using a drop box, at the front of the shop—for customers to pick their orders up and began dropping orders off, on folks' front porches.

Since then, we have a "shelter in place" order and are doing business over the phone and online—shipping packages out worldwide, with no local pick-up or drop-off.

How would you describe the overall mood/attitude in your city at the moment?

One of hope and one of help!

To what degree have sales been impacted by Covid-19?

Dramatically; from a flow to drips.

How many people does the store employ? What are the current implications of a closure for them?

Two full-time and four part-time. Currently both full-time co-workers are working from home, on a variety of store projects. The part-time crew has been put on stand-by, waiting for a re-open date. The best way folks can support is continue to shop with us online or give the shop a ring for assistance!

Have online/phone sales helped soften the blow?

Absolutely—it's also a great way to have a bit of interaction with folks!

What are your most immediate and long-term concerns?

The health of my friends and family.

What are three LPs helping you stay hopeful?

Ben Watt-Storm Damage
Nat Russell-Sunlight (LIVE at the Warfleigh Labs)
Hiss Golden Messenger-LIVE at LUNA music's 25th anniversary show (private reel...)light at the end of this dark tunnel.

Human Head Records (Brooklyn, New York)

How many days have you been closed? What’s the longest you’ve ever shut down at one period of time prior to this?

We closed the doors as of Sunday March 15th 8:00 pm.  We had been open everyday for 5.5 years at that point. I used to tell people on the phone all the time, "Christmas Day, Chinese New Year, Mother's Day."  Everyday. Before that we closed half a day when I got married so employees could be there. In the first year, my partner suggested I have a break and we had  the store "closed on Wednesdays," but then I was always working on records so I'd just left the door open. We really never close. It's very rare.

When did the reality of having to close indefinitely sink in? What were your initial thoughts?

These were things that you were hearing as the potential oncoming issue for months, but I had gotten back from a four-day trip to Brasil the Tuesday before we closed March 10th. If I thought everything was going to be shut down to this degree I would've never extended those kind of resources to do that.  It was pretty apparent in the airports that this was an inevitability not a possibility. The only proactive measures that we saw at the airport was the private sector shutting their staff down from travel. Latin America had been significantly behind the curve of the spread at that point so we weren't overly concerned. Population on the planes that I flew on anyway was already down to max 20 percent capacity. I think we understood a virus was coming, but until Italy I'm not sure how many of us appreciated the real issue which was the overwhelming of the healthcare system.

How would you describe the overall mood/attitude in your city at the moment?

It's obviously very tense. How do you describe an insanely dense population where it's tumbleweeds everywhere in the city and what appears to be the exact opposite at hospitals around the city? People know they are in for the long haul. To be able to turn this to a level where we have some confidence on when we would be able to begin to grow out of this would be a major accomplishment. Regardless of how far out it is, the uncertainty is far worse than a dependable but distant target.

How many people does the store employ? What are the current implications of a closure for them?

There are six employees. They were all immediately laid off due to the closure for not only business but health and safety reasons. That doesn't mean we've stopped moving. To create something dependable for all of us to look forward to, and hopefully help the employees a bit, we mobilized an online radio show everyday at 4:20 pm. It's comprised of the six guys playing records for an hour once a week and one guest DJ steaming on Instagram Live all playing from their homes. We've also added a donation link to the broadcast and linked at our Instagram home page. 100 percent of the proceeds is split between the six employees without work during the pandemic. We already have two days in the books and we'll be doing it everyday during the shutdown. Our mixes from the board can be heard also on our mixcloud which is all linked in our homepage on Instagram. We are working on adding to it everyday. The responses so far have been really invigorating and positive.

Are you offering any kind of special promotions right now?

We are doing a promotion for our online store. Go to humanheadnyc.com to find our discogs page of 27,000+ items. With an order of $20 or more and the word "Modelo" in the info gets you free shipping.

If there's something in the storefront that someone remembers and they want I'm happy to take the call and ship it to them as well.

What are three LPs helping you stay hopeful?

União Black-Eponymous
Any/All Mizell Brothers Productions
Any/All Tim Maia

What might be a way record stores in your city could ban together right now?

I think multimedia streaming is so wide open and moved to the forefront, I'm sure it would be something within that platform. What that entails, who knows. It's so difficult to say because every record store has a different framework and situation. If we're able to come back after this and people feel comfortable to be out and together I think we'll see everyone win. We've seen a lot of love and positivity expressed not only toward us personally but to many record stores across the country. I think people will be leaping at the chance. I will also.

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares. 

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Photo: Courtesy of Allie X

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Why Music May Be More Important Now Than Ever Before

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Music therapist Tim Ringgold and breakout alt-pop artist Allie X unpack why music connects with us so deeply and how to empower that connection during the coronavirus crisis
Ariela Kozin
MusiCares
May 21, 2020 - 10:33 am

There is no denying that music has a power over us. A simple melody can make us laugh or cry. A harmony from a familiar song can trigger memories of good times and bad times. A catchy line can make our feet tap or heads bob without even knowing it. 

All we have to do is allow the sound waves to hit the ear for a swift journey to the brain and, just like that, rhythms, tones and lyrics translate into an emotional reaction that can feel as tender as a hug. In an era when suffering and uncertainty is plaguing our community, nurturing that special, easy relationship between artistic sounds, our bodies and our minds may be more important than ever before. 

In a new poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 45 percent of respondents identified a decline in mental health as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The added stress of social distancing, devastating unemployment rates, telecommuting, childcare, death rates and overall looming uncertainty is leading to what the World Health Organization deems a “health shock” when "unpredictable illnesses” trigger a diminishing of the general population’s health, exacerbating feelings of loneliness and anxiety similar to the way the Vietnam War and the AIDS epidemic did. 

45 percent of survey respondents identified a decline in mental health as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

But trauma of the 20th century didn’t have the technology we have today. Even as depression plagues this uncertain time when we’re stuck at home, most of us have the ability to participate in proven restorative activities like telecommunicative behavioral therapy, calming YouTube videos or mental wellness apps. At the same time, a seemingly endless catalogue of music is just a click away, and its therapeutic capabilities may be more important than ever before. 

“People have a direct experience with music throughout their lives and humans throughout human history have had a very close personal relationship with music,” explains Tim Ringgold, an Orange County, CA-based board-certified music therapist. “The first sound we hear is our mom’s heartbeat in the womb. Our hearing is the sense that is used first. We hear the world we enter before we see it.” Ringgold hypothesizes that because we’ve been organically trained to trust music, it may be easier to consciously incorporate it into our lives rather than traditional talk therapy, which only works when we have the right words to express our feelings and the right listener to interpret those words.  

Even more so, it’s inevitable to face confrontation with another person—to be scolded, or rejected, or betrayed. Music never betrays us. Music doesn’t judge us, which is why someone can feel more connected to a person performing through their headphones rather than the person they share a bed with. During the unprecedented era of COVID-19, when we’re being ordered to self-isolate, our instinctual craving for human connection doesn’t disappear, so we can listen to an artist who “can give language to some of the most intense experiences and thoughts we've ever had without meeting them” then in that moment, Ringgold says, “we know we’re not alone.”

In order to tap into the power of music listening while also adhering to current stay-at-home orders, Ringgold mentions an option that involves gathering music we already know we enjoy, compiling it in a playlist and then physically engaging with the music—clapping, stomping, swaying, and so on—to the beat of the music.  While this active music listening is simply fun, if we want to successfully adhere to the time-based beat, it will require our uninterrupted presence in the moment. “People who struggle with anxiety are consumed with the future and they’re focused on the past when they’re depressed, but we don’t have control over the past or future. We only have control over our bodies in the present moment.”  If we’re ready to engage with the music, the brain will trigger a dopamine release—the pleasure chemical—that’s linked to reward and motivation. 

We already create playlists for a number of reasons: to help get over heartache, to motivate us when we exercise, to relax us during our commute. “We intuitively know that music helps us perform better as humans,” Ringgold notes. What we may not realize, however, is that our connection to music is directly tied to rhythm. “Rhythm is the organizing principle of the body, so we are wired to be musical because we are organized by rhythm,” he continues, pointing to the rhythm that conducts the heartbeat, the respiratory system, the reproductive system, the digestive system and on and on. 

“We don't ever talk about what music does to our brain and body, we always think about what it does to our emotions and our spirit,” Ringgold observes, further suggesting that if hours-long playlists feel overwhelming, a compilation of three familiar and empowering songs can also make an impact. Simply have the mini-collection cued and the next time negative thoughts take over, grab your headphones and walk to the beat for a few minutes. By the time the exercise is over, the nervous system will reset, decreasing the key stress hormone known as cortisol. 

Of course, RInggold isn’t the first person to endorse music for trying times. The connection between music and the body was first recorded by Plato (428-347 BC) when he said that, ”Music gives wings to the mind,” but the origin of modern music meets medicine dates back to post-world war II, when musicians visited hospitals across the country to play for those suffering from post-war physical and emotional traumas. Since then, medical studies have recorded music’s ability to tap into final fears, reduce seizures, encourage better communication, boost our immune systems, increase intelligence and even help repair brain damage. 

Still, no matter how undeniably powerful music is, the industry is not immune to the havoc coronavirus is wreaking on the world. Any and all in-person music events have been affected, forcing talent— including everyone from The 1975 to Snoop Dogg to Rage Against the Machine—to indefinitely postpone or cancel their tours. The seemingly infallible music global festival circuit shattered and without that promised marketing—without the ability to reach out and touch fans—many artists have also postponed their planned album releases and are waiting out the stay-at-home orders like the rest of us.

Allie X, for example—who confirms she hasn’t stopped working her entire adult life—is now on standstill. “It's weird to talk about because I know that there's so much suffering happening in the world right now. As a global community, it's a very difficult time, but for me personally, I’ve really settled in to having time and space,” says the Los Angeles-based performer, born Allie Hughes. “I think I needed the world to stop to have permission to stop this marathon I’ve been in.”

Since 2015, Hughes has released five studio albums, earned a co-sign from Katy Perry, collaborated with Troye Sivan and BTS, and toured with names like Sivan, Charli XCX and Marina. Each of her projects showcase her signature nostalgia-drenched catchy melodies combined with her honey-like expert vocals, matched during live shows by a string of decadent onstage personas. Her latest work, Cape God (2020), is inarguably her most realized. The artist chooses to abandon her dramatic characters in exchange for depictions of inner turmoil tied up in synth-play so heavy it could comfort even the most melancholy of suburban teenagers.

This March, Hughes was set to travel across North America on a headline tour in support of Cape God. And at the time of our interview in May, she is meant to be singing around Europe, but instead she is in Los Angeles at home and just performed on Sessions, an ongoing live series on Twitch meant to benefit MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. “I hope that they get something similar to what they would get at a live show, which is community and liberation,” she says of the stripped down performance.  

Hughes also hopes that her fans are using this time to explore their relationships with music in new ways. “I’ve always done music, from my earliest memories. I make music for a living, but I feel like I haven’t been listening to music the way I’ve been listening to music lately,” the artists muses. “I’m letting myself feel music as opposed to analyze it and think of it in a business sense.”

“I think I needed the world to stop to have permission to stop this marathon I’ve been in.” -Allie X

For the music makers themselves, creating music during this time—without the distraction of competition or a paycheck—have an even stronger ability than listeners to hack the system and change our state because playing requires total focus. “We’ve become sedentary creatures who are not present and we need to have reliable evidence-based tools that can get us reconnected to our bodies and the present moment,” explains Ringgold, who has been performing during this forced down time and later releasing the calming sounds on his weekly podcast, “Reduce Your Stress with Tim Ringgold.” 

So the next time the looming panic of uncertainty takes over, revisit an old favorite album, clap to the beat and see what happens. Maybe, even for a moment, we’ll forget we’re in the middle of global pandemic for a turn at self-discovery. One day the fatal feeling in the air will subside, we’ll be able to go outside and, thanks to music, our minds and bodies could be stronger than ever before. 

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares. 

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Photo: Edwin Remsberg/VWPics/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

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How Musicians Are Staying Positive & Productive Amidst A Pandemic

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The inside scoop on how stay-at-home livestreams, being in nature, trying new things and simply surviving are keeping music people going...
Jordan Blum
MusiCares
May 20, 2020 - 10:14 am

Inarguably, COVID-19 has had devastating effects on the music industry. With dozens of album releases and live music gatherings indefinitely postponed, the ultimate ramifications may be as unfavorable as they are unforeseeable. Despite those fears and doubts, however, there are plenty of reasons to feel reassured, too. After all, countless artists are finding optimism not only by enhancing their creative and personal lives, but also by building deeper relationships with fans, promoting awareness of those in need, and much more. As such, they demonstrate endearing levels resilience and resourcefulness that signify how we’re sure to bounce back from this crisis even more in tune with ourselves and each other.

Here are a few inventive ways musicians are staying focused, positive, and productive during these trying times

Promoting Positivity Through Online Presence

One of the most immediate and widespread ways musicians are overcoming the pandemic is through their virtual platforms. Specifically, many of them are becoming more invested in using social media to interact with their followers. Katatonia drummer Daniel Moilanen views such tactics as equally necessary and beneficial, saying, “I see this as something that will be a new standard for ways to reach out to fans... I’ve seen many artists going further with that idea by doing regular podcasts.”

Case in point: six-string virtuoso Steve Hackett, who’s frequently been recording videos in which he plays a bit of music and/or discusses a fan favorite Genesis or solo tune.

Some of these creators are pushing themselves to adapt to previously unfamiliar mediums. “Before the lockdown began, I wasn’t even aware of platforms like Twitch, but over the last couple months I’ve noticed an influx of bands using it as a way of staying engaged with fans,” Haken guitarist Richard Henshall observes. Rock supergroup Flying Colors held a four-day “Backstage Summit” at the start of May via Zoom, wherein they offered Q&A sessions with each member, discussions of songwriting and production techniques, critiques of fan-submitted original music, and more. Clearly, they, like so many others, are keen to reciprocate the love and appreciation that their admirers have always shown them.

Elsewhere, numerous groups have uploaded either music videos, achieved stage shows, or collaborative tributes to those affected by the virus. Naturally, Queen + Adam Lambert recently issued “You Are the Champions,” a touching tribute that sees them reworking the beloved “We Are the Champions” over footage of people all over the world sustaining joy and togetherness amidst the turmoil.

Alternative rock trio The Used just put out a similar video for their track “The Lighthouse (feat. Mark Hoppus),” while OK GO—whose lead guitarist, Damian Kulash, recovered from the illness—produced a video while self-quarantining to raise donations for Partners in Health. Beyond that, greats such as Bruce Springsteen, Wilco, and Radiohead have posted older concerts in their entirety to comfort fans stuck at home. On May 9th, The Prog Report hosted “Prog from Home,” a three-hour YouTube hodgepodge in which over twenty artists came together to raise money for a few charities and bring viewers together.

Obviously, those prerecorded placations and interactive conversations are wonderful. But what about the thing that people seem to miss most: live music? Well, innumerable musicians working tirelessly to replicate the concertgoing experience through the internet. Dozens of bands, brands, organizations, and publications—such as As I Lay Dying, Magic Giant, Alanis Morrissette, Phish, and Katy Perry—are participating in digital festivals and formal performance streams within the next couple of weeks alone. Likewise, there are just as many musicians doing less official stints, like Ben Folds’ “Saturday Apartment Requests” series and Devin Townsend’s multimodal “Quarantine Project” (which has already garnered nearly $200,000 for hospitals). In fact, Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess just finished his 60th consecutive day streaming casual recitals on Facebook, and The Pineapple Thief frontman Bruce Soord “did an acoustic show recently and was amazed how many people tuned in and enjoyed it.” He adds, “When I finished and turned off the stream, it felt very similar to walking off stage after a ‘real’ show. I was buzzing.”

Whether at-home variations like those previous discussed or the fledgling yet promising notion of drive-in gigs, artists are visibly keen to put a positive spin on whatever options are available for concerts. Marjana Semkina—vocalist of Russian art rock duo iamthemorning—sees these alternatives as a permanent part of our lives: "More people will turn to live streaming and platforms like Patreon. . . . I’m sure a lot of [creators] will embrace the powers of community that they can build [that way]. It almost has a family feeling to it.” Correspondingly, Alter Bridge singer/guitarist Myles Kennedy says, “For me, the silver lining has been seeing how this has forced artists to think outside the box in order to perform and engage with their fanbase, as well raise money for those in need.” Atreyu guitarist Dan Jacobs concurs, relishing how such new tactics “will make all bands a little bit smarter and stronger . . . to survive.”

“When I finished and turned off the stream, it felt very similar to walking off stage after a ‘real’ show. I was buzzing.” -Bruce Soord

For Gazpacho keyboardist Thomas Andersen, online shows actually “make more sense that an actual concert in many ways.” He continues, “We get lots of requests from places that we have no chance of touring, and there is always a sense that we’re letting those people down.” Doing sets virtually would be a clear solution in that respect, and “an online ‘tour’ makes more financial sense, too, as you eliminate the cost of travel, so you can sink that money into production on site,” he explains. As already evidenced by the aforementioned examples, online shows can also bring a more personalized flavor to the experience. “Instead of getting a haggard group of guys on your local stage who have been travelling for the last month, you can get into their actual living rooms and get a better sense of who they actually are and what they are like,” Andersen concludes.

Using Downtime for Development

Offline, musicians are staying just as busy and adventurous with their artistic endeavors. In addition to completing already established projects, people are finding time to try new things and work with new people. For instance,  singer/songwriter Ben Lee mentions that the present conditions allowed him to “reach out to people [he’s] wanted to work with for a long time to make some magic with no rules or expectations.” So far, those collaborators include Sarah Silverman and Shamir, whereas his Radnor & Lee partner in crime—actor Josh Radnor—has remotely produced material with Molly Tuttle in-between meditating and “doing the daily dance party at @FORWARD_Space on IG Live.” On the technical end, Neverending White Lights mastermind Daniel Victor has been working on his latest sequence, Act IV, by “trying to mix the album entirely alone while testing plug-ins and recording software.”

For Phideaux Xavier, the past few weeks have been all about revising material that he’s either forgotten about or never released. He clarifies: “The process of going into the past has been cathartic and helped me realize how to go forward.” For sure, they’ve found fresh ways to keep active creatively.

“Anything culinary is just as creative as the music process. It allows flexibility and experimenetation.” -Daniel Victor

Outside of that, they’re pressing on by staying in touch with loved ones, relishing nature, instructing others, and discovering new talents. Renaissance singer Annie Haslam reveals that painting and surrounding herself with “Canadian geese, foxes, raccoons, squirrels, and lots of bird varieties” has furthered her well-being, while Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson is enjoying “walking, bike riding, shooting, and photography” as he stays “very busy with desk projects.”

Read More: How To Use Music Techniques To Prepare Healthy Food

Fascinatingly, Victor has taken up “an online Masterclass in mixology” because “anything culinary is just as creative as the music process. It allows flexibility and experimenetation.” Jacobs has gone a more pedagogical route by “talking with School Of Rock about teaching some lessons, as well as taking lessons [himself] during the quarantine.” He expounds: “It’s important to inspire our next generation of musicians so we have some great music to look forward.”

Security and Solace

As these musicians prove, there’s hope, empathy, perseverance, and courage in simply making time for yourself and others.

Haslam surmises, “The future holds promise, with a new understanding and compassion for people,” which is a sentiment that Andersen echoes: “We should use this situation to right societal wrongs.”

As for Bowling for Soup vocalist Jaret Reddick, he reminds us that “human beings are survivors and music is a staple in all things,” whereas Semkina urges us to “not push ourselves too hard. If you feel uninspired and stressed and sad, let yourself feel those things. All you have to do is keep yourself and your family safe, sane, and happy.”

“It’s about progress, not perfection. When you get irritable and overwhelmed, do something positive ASAP." -Scott Stapp

Lastly, Creed lead singer Scott Stapp—who’s certainly overcome a lot in recent years—has a comparable take: “It’s about progress, not perfection. When you get irritable and overwhelmed, do something positive ASAP. The smallest things can help you overcome any obstacle, so stay focused on growth even when things feel stagnant.” Indeed, if we can just concentrate on the welfare of ourselves and those we love, then—as Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson once sang—all of the rest will flow.

Jordan Blum resides in Philadelphia, holds an MFA in Fiction, and teaches at several colleges and universities around the area. He’s also the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Bookends Review, an independent online creative arts journal. He’s the author of two books—Jethro Tull: Every Album, Every Song and Dream Theater: Every Album, Every Song­—that are a part of Sonicbond Publishing’s On Track series. Beyond that, he’s an Associate Editor at PopMatters and a contributor to PROG, Kerrang!, Consequence of Sound, Metal Injection, and more.

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares. 

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Desert Hearts co-founders (L-R): Lee Reynolds, Porky, Marbs and Mickey Lion
Photo: Connor Lee

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Desert Hearts TV: How The San Diego DJ Crew Are Tuning In During The COVID-19 Crisis

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The dance collective on cultivating community, wellness, weirdness, service worker appreciation and a rump-shaking good time in the age of a global crisis
Jaime Sloane
MusiCares
May 18, 2020 - 12:03 pm

Saturday, April 25 was supposed to be the day when 4,000 house and techno aficionados caroused on a dusty Indian reservation just south of San Diego at Desert Hearts Festival.

Instead, the California dance music collective’s co-founder Mikey Lion is headlining the first ever "Desert Hearts Digital Festival," and broadcasting a 10-hour, rip-roaring set of underground tunes via Twitch from the comfort of his home. Even in the absence of shared wine bags and warm embraces at the off-the-grid bacchanal, the party rages on digitally thanks to the newly-minted Desert Hearts TV.

Watch Desert Hearts Digital Festival: Mikey Lion from desertheartsrecords on www.twitch.tv

Meanwhile in an unaffiliated, fan-founded Zoom room hosted by AllDayIStream.com called ‘QuarantineHearts,’ 500 isolated fans from around the world have congregated to watch the stream together. While Desert Hearts’ Twitch provides an audiovisual portal into Mikey’s set, the online conferencing platform empowers viewers to approximate communal clubbing by streaming their own housebound dance parties.

In the midst of digital toasts and rump-shaking mayhem, respiratory therapist Eric Ogada — otherwise known by his nickname, Easy — appears on-screen donning full protective gear, hospital scrubs, a bouffant cap, a medical face mask and all. He’s tuning in from a New Jersey hospital, where he’s working the night shift and waiting to assess his next patient.

In a few moments, Easy will be taking strangers’ temperatures, checking their lung capacity, and making the decision about what department they’ll be routed to. But for now, during a brief break, he’s with the people of Desert Hearts. It doesn’t take long for his presence to prompt a deluge of supportive messages in the chat room from his fellow Zoom revelers.

“With DHTV, it’s people just relaxing and having fun, and people actually saying thank you for your service,” Ogada says. “That's therapeutic, because these patients can't say thank you, they’re dying so quick. You're just so busy and overwhelmed, it really helps when somebody actually says thank you.”

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Lee Reynolds

Ogada has worked at hospitals for 14 years, and has been serving as a respiratory therapist for the last six. His "work hard, play hard" lifestyle has seen him visit 19 countries across the world, including annual pilgrimages to electronic music meccas like Ibiza and Tulum. Like many other music enthusiasts who’ve been left heartbroken by the shutdown of the concert and festival industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ogada has turned to DHTV’s weekly programming to fill the void of human connection and camaraderie.

“This community has been here before COVID-19, and I love seeing everyone vibing together,” he says. “It’s a tight-knit community, and as a transplant [from Boston] I already feel welcomed with open arms.”

The Heart In Desert Hearts

Desert Hearts began as a renegade desert party in the Mojave, but it’s since ballooned into a kaleidoscopic world of international initiatives: the annual sold-out festival, a respected record label, and a globe-trotting showcase series that’s touched down at festivals and clubs from Berlin to Sydney.

Built on the mantra “House, Techno, Love – We Are All Desert Hearts,” the festival was founded in 2012 by four San Diego DJs who wanted to create a judgment-free playground for their friends to let loose while coalescing over a shared love of underground sounds.

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Marbs

As opposed to typical electronic music festivals, which reliably offer up a medley of stages to careen between and sonic styles to hear, Desert Hearts Festival programs more than 100 uninterrupted hours of house and techno on one sole stage. Attendees bask in a singular, shared communal experience, and effortlessly connect with friends and strangers alike, all united under the “One Stage, One Vibe” ethos. 

“We've met so many people that have said, ‘When I got introduced to this community, I really didn't even listen to house music,’” Desert Hearts co-founder Marbs says. “People come to our parties not necessarily for the music, but just because of the environment, how comfortable they feel with the people that are at that event, and then associating the music with that feeling of belonging.”

Beyond the jacking basslines and pulsating decibels wafting from the festival speakers, Desert Hearts is regarded as a bastion of creativity and unabashed self-expression where weirdos of all stripes can let their freak flags fly. Attendees are encouraged to rock avant-garde outfits, paint psychedelic art pieces, or host pop-up wine and cheese parties — whatever tickles their fancy.

For many Desert Hearts devotees, the accepting, open-minded environment is what keeps them coming back year after year; it’s the same quality that made its four founders — Mikey Lion, Marbs, Porky, and Lee Reynolds — hustle to migrate its palpable sense of community online.

“Our focus is on the people, and how to keep the people connected,” Marbs explains. “The people are the most important piece of the puzzle through the whole thing. And it's so cool to see that when we think we're about to go through a time that's going to rock us, the community somehow grows.”

Marbs and his fellow ringleaders were forced to cancel the 12th edition of Desert Hearts Festival on March 16. Just a week later, they launched DHTV. The online extension of Desert Hearts serves up varying content each week, ranging from marathon DJ sets mixed by its architects and cohorts, to the recurring "Wellness Wednesday’s" series which features yoga, meditation, and sound baths. The Desert Hearts Digital Festival was a tour de force of underground soundscapes designed to simulate the nonstop nature of the originally-planned festival; more than 25 international artists performed (nearly) around the clock for four days straight.

“The people are the most important piece of the puzzle through the whole thing. And it's so cool to see that when we think we're about to go through a time that's going to rock us, the community somehow grows.” -Marbs

In addition to DJing, the Desert Hearts founders also personally lead interactive specialty programming, like crate-digging with Lee Reynolds and Dutch pour painting with Marbs. Porky, Mikey Lion’s younger brother, kicked off DHTV by hosting a "Tubby Tuesdays" cooking lesson, where he guided viewers through making their own sushi-burritos. Marbs said the personalized offerings aim to give people a glimpse into their everyday lives and passions outside of music.

“The whole idea is to close the gap of distance between us all,” Marbs says. “And the more intimate and interactive we can make it, the more that it feels like we're actually hanging out, even though we're on screens.”

READ MORE: Marbs Talks New Techno Sublabel Desert Hearts Black, L.A.'s City Hearts, Looking Up To Dubfire & More

Welcome To The Lions Den

Every Saturday evening, comedy buff Mikey Lion hosts ‘The Lions Den,’ a 10-hour hybrid DJ-stream-meets-variety-show. When the clock strikes midnight, he blasts Olivia Newton-John’s anthem “Let’s Get Physical” as he and his wife Cookie lift free weights with grins plastered across their faces. Cookie has become a staple in the skits on ‘The Lions Den’. One of the more memorable entries saw her take on the role of Maxine, a sassy publicist who sports oversized sunglasses and struts across the camera’s frame with audacious panache. It’s all a part of the master plan to help fans mentally escape the Coronavirus epoch, if only for the weekend.

“Giving people an outlet to release during such a tough time is super important,” Mikey Lion says. “Our community is rooted in spreading as much love and positive energy as possible, and people are willing to roll with the punches, even in such a horrible time in history for all of us -  but we're not going to let that stop us from having a good time, creating love, and pushing positivity to one another.”

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Mikey Lion

Fans have turned Desert Hearts’ Twitch channel chat forum into an endless source of cheeky messages, inside jokes, and general musings on isolation insanity. Whether it’s festival veterans bonding over their favorite Desert Hearts memories, or newcomers forging relationships with internet friends miles away, DHTV mirrors the festival’s authentic innervation of belonging and togetherness.

“Just like with any kind of underground music scene, if you're going to shows consistently, you start to recognize the same people,” Garrett James, who handles Desert Hearts marketing, says. “Eventually, you're going to talk to them and become friends with them. And that's how these Twitch chats are; every time, without fail, the same people are there.”

“Giving people an outlet to release during such a tough time is super important.” -Mikey Lion

When COVID-19 struck, James pivoted Desert Hearts’ marketing focus online. Now, he and Brooke Sousa — a longtime friend and resident party conductor among the crew — have been tapped to serve as moderators within DHTV’s chat room. The pair work to foster the good vibes and make all participants feel welcome, while ensuring the chat’s ridiculousness never gets too out of hand. James notes how Desert Hearts Festival’s infectious spirit of friendship permeates the digital realm.

“I feel like that aspect of connecting with people, even in a virtual space, is still happening, just in a very different way,” he says.

On the unofficial Zoom video chat, newfound friends bask in a raucous free-for-all, with nearly 500 fans simultaneously cutting rugs, taking shots, flashing some skin and trying to outweird one another. One couple coordinates dance moves for their ferrets. Another pair, who broadcast under the username ‘Legohearts,’ shows off a full-blown lego replica of the Desert Hearts stage and speakers, with their child play-dancing his Lego characters across the imaginary dance floor.

“Desert Hearts is where I get to be my realest, truest self, and everyone is being weird, and it invites you to not be afraid to be weird too, and I think that's the part that people love the most,” Sousa explains. “You get on screen and get to wave your freak flag just like at the festival, where you get to be whatever crazy version of yourself that you decide you want to be. Not only that, but you have everyone cheering you on and encouraging you; nobody is judging, everyone is just thinking ‘What can I do next that’s even crazier?’”

Desert Hearts’ Digital Future

While DHTV provides fans with a welcomed distraction from the uncertainty of life under quarantine, it’s also a much needed creative outlet for the Desert Hearts impresarios. For artists who are used to breakneck tour schedules with firm performance times, DHTV encourages them to fluidly experiment with extended sets, test out new material, and push themselves technically.

“Streaming has helped me tremendously to get out of my comfort zone,” Porky explains. “I've always personally hated staring directly into the camera — and I cringe when hearing my voice — so it's really rad to use this opportunity to try something new. It's still extremely stressful every single time, especially when you're playing a 12-hour livestream and have to dodge all kinds of obstacles, like internet speed and a place to stream without noise complaints. But, the show must go on and we work as a team to find the solution.”

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Porky

DHTV has become a restorative wellspring of communal hope, and will remain a permanent facet of the Desert Hearts network long after quarantine ends. Since launching DHTV mid-March, the Twitch channel has already amassed more than 628,000 live views from more than 18,000 subscribers. DHTV continues to innovate, and will host the inaugural ‘City Hearts Digital Festival’ on May 28 - 31, replicating the brand’s one-day mini-festival series that’s sold out previous installments in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.

“Waking up to messages everyday saying "DHTV saving my life during this quarantine," will never get old, because everyone needs to tune out of the bullshit and get a boogie in,” Porky says. “We hold a special, comfortable space where people can express themselves without any judgement, and that's where all the magic happens.”

“We hold a special, comfortable space where people can express themselves without any judgement, and that's where all the magic happens.” -Porky

Music lovers around the world have been in isolation for more than two months. That’s hundreds of festivals canceled, thousands of deaths per day, and countless, chaotic nights in the hospital for Easy. But even though the respiratory therapist won't get his summer reprieve of dance floor-fueled travel, he’s still grateful to get lost in the music alongside the new friends he’s made within the Desert Hearts community.

“If you need an escape, go on DHTV and the Zoom just vibe,” Ogada says. “You just imagine you’re somewhere else, and you can relax. Because you just need to get past that day, and everything will be alright.”

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares. 

Claudia Saenz, Chulita Vinyl Club founder

Claudia Saenz, Chulita Vinyl Club founder

Photo: Mariana Gonzalez

News

Record Store Recs: Chulita Vinyl Club On The Best Music Stores In L.A., Oakland, Austin & Beyond

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In the latest edition of our crate-digging interview series, two reinas from the all-vinyl Latinx DJ collective reveal their favorite vinyl haunts across California and Texas
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
May 18, 2020 - 11:46 am

With the unprecedented global disruption of 2020, it's important to support the music community however we can. With our series Record Store Recs, the Recording Academy checks in with vinyl-loving artists to learn more about their favorite record stores and the gems they've found there.

Texas-born, San Jose, Calif.-based Claudia Saenz originally founded Chulita Vinyl Club to share her love of records—especially Tejano, ranchero, Motown and soul—in a fun, tangible way. The collective, a crew of female-identifying Latinx vinyl-spinning DJs, has grown to seven chapters across California and Texas, including the (Northern California) Bay Area Chapter, which Saenz, a.k.a. Chulita Tear Drop lives.

The fabulous record-spinning DJs of Chulita Vinyl Club have brought their joyful, soulful music to parties around the country, including Coachella 2018! Twice a month, they release all-vinyl mixes from the squad on their SoundCloud, the most recent (listen below) coming from la jefa Saenz herself.

We caught up with Saenz and one of her fellow Bay Area cohorts, Los Angeles-born, Oakland-based Mar Velez, a.k.a. DJ Marvelouz, for the latest edition of our Record Store Recs interview series. Read on to find out where they get all their great vinyl gems from, and learn about some of the indie labels, artists and new records they have their eyes on.

Read: Record Store Recs: Jean Pierre Takes Us To Chicago, Brooklyn, Frankfurt, Amsterdam & London

Please pick three to five record stores you love. (The links below have online shopping options.)

Saenz:

Breakaway Records in Austin, Texas

Janie's Record Shop in San Antonio, Texas

Needle to the Groove in San Jose, Calif.

Velez:

Amoeba Music in Hollywood, Calif. 

Record Jungle in East Los Angeles

VAMP in Oakland, Calif. 

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Mar Velez & her vinyl collection | Photo: courtesy of artist

What do you love about these shops? What kind of goodies have you've found there?

Saenz: I started devotedly collecting records while living in Austin, in about 2014. I was living on my own, working my first big "real" job, a post-grad trying to make ends meet. I had my own place for the first time ever, but I couldn't afford wi-fi and didn't want it either. Collecting records and surrounding myself with music became my new obsession. Breakaway Records, a cherished record shop in my neighborhood, became my second home.

They have records for sale on their website now to help their sales and keep the shop afloat during these times. They have a 45 grab bag that I would totally get if you were looking to start your collection or add to it. I would trust Gabe and Josh's hand-picked selection.

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If you're looking for a historic West Side San Antonio establishment for tejano, norteno or conjunto jams, Janie's Record Shop is the place to go. You walk in there and you're surrounded with tejano history in the form of records, tapes and CDs and, not to mention, say hi to the legendary owner Juanita Gonzales, aka Janie all while tejano jams are playing on the shop speakers. I have shopped there many times and felt giddy with joy with all the records they have in stock.

Needle to the Groove is one of my favorite records shops in the Bay Area. I got the Leonor Gonzalez Cantos De Mi Tierra Y De Mi Raza record there and it's been one of my favorite buys. The record shop has a wide selection of all carefully selected genres and the owners and clerks are super helpful with finding what you need. They've also got a great shop online with the same great collection.

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Claudia Saenz selects a record | Photo: Arabela Espinoza

Velez: This might be an obvious favorite for a lot of music lovers, but I grew in South Central Los Angeles and every time I took the bus or got a ride from friends to get to Hollywood, a trip to Amoeba was an entire adventure for me. The hour and a half journey was worth it because what awaited me was rows and rows and rows of music to discover. Amoeba has just about any possible genre you could be looking for and of course your mainstream standards. 

One of my most treasured finds is the El Gusano record that I got at the Amoeba in Hollywood about ten years ago. The band is from San Antonio. I liked the name of the [1975] album, Fantasia del Barrio, and loved the story behind the album. The album was inspired by one of the member's deployments to Vietnam and him fantasizing about returning to Texas and his Chicano upbringing. At the time, I don't know where I could have found this album that opened me to a Chicano experience out in Texas. The album is a dreamy psychedelic treat.  

Record Jungle is a community treasure in the east part of Los Angeles. I love how quickly the records change in the store. I could dig there one weekend and literally the next weekend they have a whole new stock of albums. The owner is super dedicated to keeping records rotating in the store.

VAMP is a groovy little store in Oakland run by Fernando and Misty. The store specializes in vintage clothing and vinyl from soul to reggae to rap. Fernando and Misty have both been collecting records for a long time. They themselves are DJs and spin at some of the local bars and music venues in Oakland and the Bay Area. I particularly love how they carry a great independent record label out of the Bay Area called Discos Mas.

Discos Mas is pushing out vinyl from some of the greatest names in today's Latinx music scene, including cumbia sonidera giants Los Daddys and local [San Jose] artists like Philthy Dronez and his quebradita, "Vamos a la Playa." The music and artists that Discos Mas is featuring and releasing really capture the nostalgic sounds of timeless Latinx music genres like cumbia, salsa, rancheras and put a contemporary twist that is a stamp by today's generations. It's an incredible label and VAMP is the place where you can get the latest. 

For at least one of your favorite shops, share a recent record you bought there and what you love about the record/artist.

Saenz: At Janie's Record Shop, I got a 45 record of Los Aguilares on the Joey record label. The Aguilares are a legendary conjunto group from San Antonio. I also unabashedly got the record because one of the sides of the record was titled "Claudia." It is a really nice tune to dance to and I am so glad I picked it up.

Velez: I've picked up several Discos Mas records from VAMP recently [see photo below], including Los Daddys' "You Soy Cumbiambero," Philthy Dronez's "Baila Mi Vida" and Los Guapos Sensibles' "Cumbia del Amanacer."

Discos Mas

Discos Mas scores from VAMP | Photo: Mar Velez

What's an upcoming or recent release you have your eye on?

Saenz: Lido Pimienta's Miss Colombia was recently released and it was a bright sound that was even stimulating to hear during these quarantine times. Miss Colombia is a beautiful collection of songs of resisting and dealing with healing all through Lido Pimienta's angelic voice. I have of course already heard the album through streaming platforms, but I can't wait to get the record to add to my collection.

Velez: A release that I am looking forward to is one by a longstanding cumbia sonidera group out of Mexico City, Grupo Kual?, "Amor Regresa Ya." Musica sonidera originated out of cumbia Colombiana. Mexican sonideros made their own style of cumbia by slowing down the RPM when they played the vinyl records, many from Colombia. Over the years, the genre has expanded.

One of the most notable groups is Grupo Kual, that came from the lineage of one of the greatest architects of the sound, Alberto Pedraza. Nearly all of cumbia sonidera music is on CD. They're the kind that you buy in the flea markets or swap meets where there's like one hundred songs on a CD. However, thanks to labels like Discos Mas and a new label called Discos Rolas, whose releasing it, Grupo Kual is releasing their first-ever 7" album [via Discos Rolas]. 

What were the first CDs and first vinyl you remember purchasing when you were younger?

Saenz: Early on, and full disclosure, CDs were shared amongst my siblings, but I remember having Selena's "Ven Conmigo" and the [GRAMMY-winning] Selena Live! album as my first CDs.

Velez: My first-ever CD I purchased was Britney Spears' …Baby One More Time. My dad took me to Best Buy to get it when I was like in fifth grade. Surprisingly enough, I still have it. And I recently bought it on vinyl as well! Beautiful clear vinyl for this amazing pop album. 

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