LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE
AND THE BEAT GOES ROUND – JOE’S ALBUMS JENNIFER RUSSO Think about what goes into listening to a record. It requires some steps– taking it out of the sleeve, placing it on a turntable, turning the turntable on, maybe adjusting the speed to 33 or 45 revolutions per minute, placing the needle just so…just to listen to a song. Let’s get nerdy for a moment. Think about the science behind the creation of an album, how the song was recorded within the grooves of a vinyl disc, and how the sound then goes from those grooves through the needle and into your speaker so that you can hear it, to output a sound that is like nothing else, with its own unique characteristics that cannot be matched by any high-tech player or streaming service. The first micro-groove record album was created by Columbia in 1948, and at that time records cost around $2.00 or less. Today, that would be in the $10-$15 range. People would save their pennies to be able to listen to music this way, and today those in the know still do. Enter Joe’s Albums. This store, now located in the historic Mechanic’s Hall performance venue, has been thriving since 2010. It began when owner, Joe Demers, dusted off his old turntable and some records he had in the basement and took a trip down a musical memory lane. “I was instantly struck by the sound quality compared to what I had been listening to,” says Joe. “The tangible experience, combined with better sound quality, really makes you an active listener. Streaming music or loading thousands of songs on your device is convenient, but often just turns into background noise that you aren’t actually engaged with. Records are completely different experience.” Because, at the time, there really weren’t many record stores to fuel Joe’s rekindled love for old albums, he purchased some collections and then moved to build a website on which to sell them, so that passion could be shared with others. As the website grew, he found himself able to open a brick and mortar store. Though big online stores and department stores offer records, many people prefer to see what they are going to buy first, especially collectible records, and with his competitive pricing, it is worth the trip. Joe gets new records from various distributors and record companies and some smaller vendors, but he also has a great stock of used records, which he shares have been easier and easier to come by due to the store being well known throughout New England.
“People bring their records to sell from farther away than I would expect. My effort level to acquire used records is extremely low. Luckily, they find their way to us,” Joe tells us. One rare find he came across was a test pressing of Janis Joplin’s Pearl, which was one of very few that exist. He’s also had sealed original pressings and some autographed albums come through the store. In addition to what they have on the shelves, Joe also does plenty of special orders and does his best to help collectors or enthusiasts find what they are looking for. Requests touch on every genre and era of music, from Pink Floyd to Taylor Swift. He shares that part of the fun of record collecting is the thrill of the search and the happiness it gives people to find that unique item. This genuine passion for records and music and the personalized touch the business provides has contributed greatly to being able to get through the difficulties of 2020, along with people being at home more of the time and Joe’s having a well put together website for over 10 years that lists all of their inventory, which they always keep current. “When stores were closed throughout the country, the ecommerce portion of our business exploded. There aren’t many record store sites that have the quantity of new and used records that ours has. Many record stores throughout the country were scrambling to list their inventory in online marketplaces like eBay and Discogs. We didn’t need to do anything like that,” says Joe. Though some might wonder what the draw is about listening to a form of music that requires a bit more effort, Joe sums it up really well when he states that “listening to records is the most expensive and inconvenient way to consume music. But like most things, you get what you pay for.” To own a piece of band history, to listen to them the way they were intended to be heard at that time, to collect for the sake of collecting, whatever the reason may be…records are still valuable to music lovers everywhere. This year, Record Store Day will be split into two days – June 12 and July 17. Joe’s plans to open at 8:00 AM and expects there will be a line. There will be special album released that will be available on those dates and will be posted on their website a week prior. Visit Joe’s Albums at 317 Main St. in Worcester or online at joesalbums.com
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