The Vinyl Frontier

Caught In The Net is very much liking the look of Sound It Out, a microbudget documentary about the last surviving vinyl emporium in Middlesbrough and environs.

The titular shop is staffed and frequented by a cast of characters infinitely stranger than those in High Fidelity or any other work of fiction – which, in case you’re wondering, is meant as a compliment.
“Over the last five years an independent record shop has closed in the UK every three days,” is the frightening statistic that greets you at sounditoutdoc.com. The site also explains how its young director, producer, camera/soundwoman and tea lady Jeanie Finlay found the film’s 427 backers on the ‘net, and operates a scheme whereby anybody able to guarantee a modest audience can request a screening. She’s particularly keen on it being shown in other independent record stores sandwiched between live bands.
There’s a limited-edition 7” gatefold DVD version coming out in the New Year, so one way or t’other you’ll get to see it.
Sticking with music, and strummerville.com has details of all the events taking place next month to commemorate the ninth anniversary of Joe Strummer’s death. The keepers of his flame have also produced a Forever Strummer: 10th Anniversary Calendar 2012, which features a score of previously unseen images and such classic Joe-isms as “Punk rock means exemplary manners to your fellow human beings”; “Be mythic and prolific”; “Ignore alien orders”; and “The way you get a better world is, you don’t put up with sub-standard anything.” Visit bit.ly/s34gmf for the video preview.
On the homefront, Dublin funnyman Jarlath Regan has produced a range of rather different Christmas cards – “Santa’s recruitment policies were tough… But racist” is a particular CIN fave – which are available from jigser.com.
Which just leaves time for quick visits to youtube.com/watch?v=gmPta19GSFU (transvestite metallers update ‘Together In Electric Dreams’); tabloidmovie.com/pb1 (‘Mormon sex in chains’ documentary); bit.ly/uXpdBI (meet Lillie The Vomit Painter); and liveleak.com/view?i=540_1320623134 (seven year-old Ghanaian gives Beardyman a serious run for his beatbox).