Last night, a crowd of vinyl nerds, fledgling record labels and artists looking to self-produce packed the Grammy Museum for a free panel discussion called From Vision to Vinyl: A Step-by-Step Look At Album Production hosted by Dublab. The panel, selected by Origami Vinyl owner Neil Shield, was composed of people who helped him put out his first record. They included Pete Lyman of Infrasonic Sound, a recording studio and CD/vinyl mastering suite, Kevin Smith of Bill Smith Custom Records, a pressing plant in El Segundo, Jennifer Freund of Dorado Press, that specializes in album covers and jackets, and Peanut Butter Wolf, a DJ and founder of Stones Throw Records. From the mastering to the pressing to the album art, these were the people to turn to if you wanted to put out a record, and they offered a comprehensive, step by step instruction on how to do it yourself. Each of them was very passionate about their part of the process lovingly describing each step in jargon that I had never heard of. However, from what I did glean I comprised this list. more ›

They’re watching you! Two years after Yahoo! pledged to protect its users privacy, the company is now backpedaling. Rather than dumping search records after just 90 days, Yahoo! will keep tabs on your browser’s tabs for six times as long, according to the Daily News. more ›

Family Bookstore holds the launch of the book, Touchable Sound: 7" Records from America, tonight at 7 pm. There will be a slide show of 7"s with commentary and discussion by all three book editors--Mike Treff, Brian Roettinger, Diego Hadis, plus Britt Brown of Not Not Fun Records and Justin Pearson of Three One G Records. more ›

Tuesday Night Cafe is a hodgepodge of art, music and literature and happens each first and third Tuesdays of the month in Downtown LA. Going strong since 1999, the shows are held at 120 Judge John Aiso in Little Tokyo (an outdoor courtyard next to the Little Tokyo Cafe) from 7-9:30 pm. Tonight features DJ Pomade, live painting by Mark Canto and Alex Chiu, and numerous other performers. There's even an open mic session, too. more ›

Remember last October when the LAPD's union busted the department for storing confidential files in common spaces like hallways and parking garages with no security (see photos here)? Documents with social security numbers, serial numbers, search warrants, arrestee booking information and more was there for the taking. Even some boxes were marked “Evidence” and “Analyzed Evidence." more ›

Social security numbers, evidence, witness information and more are stored in a parking structure accessible by civilian employees and some visitors at the LAPD's Southwest Division. Over at the Northeast Division, more of the same near the employee main entrance. more ›

Wednesday was day one of Third Man Records and Novelties, a downtown three-day-long pop-up store from Jack White in promotion of Horehound, the latest album from his band The Dead Weather. More than 500 people packed the Regent Theatre for the free afternoon six-song show, reported blogdowntown. more ›

Vinyl collectors, spinners pro or amateur, or the just plain curious should head down to the DJ Academy today for R.E.H.A.B. LA's Recordpalooza. more ›

As 2007 winds down to its close, local law enforcement agencies anticipate the year's homicide numbers to be lower than the low set in 1970. The Daily News is reporting that "As of Dec. 15, 379 people had been killed in Los Angeles this year, with about 200 of those incidents gang-related. The overall homicide rate is down 17 percent from last year." In 1970, 394 people were killed in Los Angeles. more ›

A new documentary by the always innovative, if lowercase, dublab, entitled Secondhand Sureshots: an experiment in creative sound recycling, will be pre-screened at the USC Annenberg Auditorium on November 14th, at 6pm. Presented by The Norman Lear Center's Popular Music Project, the documentary centers around four L.A. djs (Daedelus, J.Rocc, Nobody and Ras G) who are given a mission: to use their expertise at finding obscure album treasures in four different Out of the Closet Thrift stores and make new songs out of their finds: more ›

This might be a good week to give your piggybank the ol' smasheroo and excavate your couch cushions for awol monies. The CD player NEEDS your donations. Don't delay. Rush out now in a buying frenzy. Here's a glanceable list of new noteables and rightous reissues being handed down today. Ten octzillion more after the jump... Arbouretum - Rites Of Uncovering (Thrill Jockey) The Bird & The Bee - Bird And The Bee (Blue... more ›

You know how it is... rockin' and rollin' and whatnot... Below is this week's hearty list of new releases. Try to consume at least two servings of new music a week as part of balanced diet. Please send all thank-you notes, fruit baskets and cookie platters to the fine people at AllMusic for providing such wonderous data. Blues Roger "Hurricane" Wilson - Way I Am Celtic Iona - Circling Hour (Open Sky UK) Childrens’... more ›