SECOND SPIN OLD-FASHIONED LPS ARE HOLDING THEIR OWN IN A DIGITAL WORLD.

Byline: Candice Choi Staff Writer

Vinyl records may crackle with sounds from the past, but they're not fading anytime soon as music lovers preserve the nostalgic format.

The industry which gathers tonight to celebrate the best of 2004's music and artists has seen rapid changes in technology. But many bands - old and new - are luring consumers with an admittedly out-dated mode.

``It's the warmth of the sound,'' said Mike Strauss, a 25-year-old disc jockey who collects vinyl records and hasn't bought a CD in years.

The shiny black records are also rich mining ground for rare songs that were never transferred to CD, making them treasure troves for music aficionados.

``It's that one obscure B-side on that 12-inch that isn't on the CD. There will always be people who want that damn song,'' said Strauss, who works at The Basement, which specializes in hip-hop vinyls in Sherman Oaks.

CDs far and away rake in the lion's share of sales, but vinyl records have a dedicated following that have kept sales steady, said Michael Gartenberg, vice president of Jupiter Research.

In 2003, 746 million CDs were shipped, compared with 1.5 million LP/EPs. At the half-year mark in 2004, 329 million CDs were shipped compared with 700,000 LP/EPs, indicating the vinyl format is holding firm as CD sales could be experiencing declines, said RIAA spokesman Jonathan Lamy.

``Vinyl aficionados never went away,'' Gartenberg said.

DJs are greatly responsible for the survival of the vinyls, which are used for spinning at clubs despite the introduction of CD spin tables several years ago.

``DJ culture is bringing vinyls back,'' said Jim Rainwater, manager of Fingerprints in Long Beach. Just six years ago, the record shop only devoted two rows to vinyls; now half the store is set aside.

Vinyl plays a key role in hip-hop culture, said KC, a disc jockey who hosts an evening show called Love Zone on Inland Empire-based contemporary hits/rhythmic radio station KGGI-FM (99.1).

``It's a sound that's at the root of hip-hop,'' KC said. ``It allows the DJ to be pretty creative, to have control. They can put their hands on the record, stop it, slow it down and speed it up.''

Although the vast majority of music on the radio is digital, he said, hip-hop stations frequently air DJs mixing vinyl.

But other genres like acid jazz are putting a spotlight on vinyl too, KC said. The result is an influx of ``bedroom DJs'' who are trekking out to record stores in search of vinyl.

It's no wonder big-name bands like U2 and No Doubt release their albums on vinyl; it's a way to get DJs and college stations to play their records and get exposure, Strauss said.

The appeal of vinyls is reaching new markets too.

A diverse collection of customers comes into Groove Time in San Bernardino, which has specialized in vinyl records for the past 30 years.

``It's everyone from the older crowd who wants to hear the polka to the young kids who want the latest 12-inch to the Elvis collector,'' said David Bernal, an assistant manager who's worked at the shop for 25 years.

The interest in vinyl has surged in recent years; Bernal said the store recently bought a three-story building to open a warehouse-style shop for those who want to buy in bulk. Many travel miles and even fly in from overseas to track down a particular album, he said.

Part of the allure of vinyl is the large-format cover art and a ``softer, warmer sound,'' said James Agren, owner of Darla Records, an independent record label in the Bay Area.

Artists that are popular with older crowds often release new albums on vinyl to appeal to a certain sense of nostalgia, Agren said.

In recent years, however, Bernal said, a younger crowd has been coming into Groove Time. This type of customer is usually eager to discover the ``thousands and thousands of old music greats'' never found on CDs, he said.

Vinyl has always been a steady seller at the Rhino Records in Claremont, said manager Taylor Kingsbury.

Seeing a 13-year-old buy a vinyl album is nothing unusual these days, he said.

Vinyl lends an aura of authenticity and street cred that youth seems to crave, Bernal said. In fact, he said, many kids often don't ask for bags because they want to be seen walking down the street with their Miles Davis record under their arm.

``It's a novelty and retro thing,'' Bernal said.

Jessica Pearson, a 20-year-old North Hollywood DJ, said she can't exactly explain what makes vinyl so appealing. ``It's just so old-school,'' said Pearson, who began collecting vinyls six years ago. Among the more notable albums in her six-year collection are a rare Nine Inch Nails album and several imported albums.

``It's a specialized market - it's for the true audiophiles who care about collecting music,'' Kingsbury said.

Still, the music industry is evolving and the resurgence of interest in vinyl likely won't ever put a scratch in sales of other formats.

``Record stores aren't going to go back in time,'' Gartenberg said. ``The time (for vinyl) has come and for the most part gone.''

Candice Choi, [phone]

candice.choi(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Royce Bruner of La Verne looks through vinyl albums at Rhino Records in Claremont in December 2004.

(2 -- color) no caption (LP covers)

Will Lester/Staff Photographer