Turning the tables
By Eliot Sekuler
For the TODAY
There’s little doubt that an eclectic musical sensibility is at work at Output Records, the hot pink storefront in Lincoln City’s Oceanlake area that beckons to music lovers, analogue die-hards and vinyl record converts from all over the Oregon Coast and beyond.
On a recent wintery day, the store’s turntable featured virtuoso Billy Strings playing some lickety-split guitar while nearby record racks displayed collectible picture albums by Iron Maiden and Ozzy Osborne, a live LP by Ray Charles, classic rock LPs by Fleetwood Mac and Carole King and a brand-new pressing of the Leonard Cohen evergreen, “Songs of Love and Hate.” Since opening in May, 2020, Output Records has attracted a loyal and growing following by offering something — on vinyl — for just about every musical taste.
“We get some people who just stop in out of curiosity,” said Corrie Richardson, who owns Output Records with husband, Taj Richardson. “And then there are our regulars, people who I see every week. That’s the difference between a record shop selling CDs and our business: vinyl appeals to people who are more serious about music and more into collecting.”
Output’s collectors are part of a trend that has been growing for the past two decades and has seen a boost during this past year. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, sales of vinyl records were up 94 percent in 2021, to $497 million, and that figure represents only new pressings. Stores such as Output also do a healthy business in used recordings that don’t figure into the RIAA numbers. Corrie estimates that her store’s sales were about evenly split between new vinyl and used recordings. By contrast, sales of CDs, which, almost drove vinyl out of the market after their introduction in 1982, were down to $205 million in 2021.
Despite the medium’s growing popularity, vinyl records still represent a small fraction of the $6 billion-dollar music business, as streaming and downloads now account for the lion’s share of sales. But in the view of vinyl advocates like Corrie, the audience at the core of hit-driven digital music sales has a very different mindset. The experience of listening to LPs, Corrie said, differs from digital music listening in more ways than just the forms of hardware and software.
“When you listen to LPs, you’re really paying attention,” she said. “You’re going to sit and listen to the whole album, as opposed to listening to CDs or digital formats like Spotify, where you tend to skip the things you don’t like. Vinyl records encourage listeners to really pay attention to the music.”
Vinyl record aficionados point to other reasons for their attraction to the medium, which was introduced in 1952 and quickly took over from the fragile old `78 rpm shellac recordings. Many describe the comparative “warmth” of the analogue vinyl sound, a contrast to the clean but colder sound of digitally recorded music. And the artwork draws some collectors back to the classic format. Album covers, once an important component of a record’s appeal, never delivered the same impact in the smaller CD medium. And in digital formats, visuals, lyrics and personnel listings are non-existent.
For holiday gift-giving, Corrie suggests collectible discs, affordable turntables like a Bluetooth-equipped turntable available for $149, gift cards and a range of Output Records-branded apparel. Although there are no special holiday sales, there are bargains to be discovered in the racks and bins:
“I like to randomly go through the records and select items for temporary discounts” she said. “They’re hidden throughout the store.”
Taj is a musician who performs with the surf music band, Retroactive Gamma Rays, and the couple’s website proclaims their intention to function not just as a record shop, but also as a center for the Oregon Coast’s music community. A space within the store allows for acoustic music performances, and with a bit of re-arrangement, shows featuring full bands could be presented.
The pandemic has put some of those plans on hold.
“It’s been too crazy, “Corrie said. “But we want to present live music as soon as we can and serve as a center for the music community. We really believe that music is important.”
Output Records is located at 1747 NW Hwy. 101, Lincoln City, and is open daily from 11 am to 6 pm. For more information, go to shopoutput.com.