|
Podcasts | Community | Create a Podcast |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soul TravelingDope Record stores and the records in them |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Episode 33: Kailua, HI
April 14, 2012 11:09 AM PDT
Destination: Kailua, HI
Even when in Hawaii to unwind, relax and mellow out, after a few days I'm ready to find a record store - and as I mention in the audio when I was doing the research I had little idea that the store I wanted to visit the most - Hungry Ear Records - was in the town I was staying in! I walked smack into it before I even had to track it down, which was great. It's good enough where any trip to Oahu is worth heading out there, though the strength of the store lies in its Reggae/Island Music and its Tahitian / Hawaiian/Island folk music (not sure if that's even what it's called, but think Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole). For me that's perfect - my favorite record stores are the ones that strongly represent their location musically. Lots of good stuff, lots of music for the listening and the owners are super-nice. Er, as for surrounding things to do - it's Hawaii fool! You're not there for the records anyway! However some good places to track own on Oahu for food are Giovanni's Garlic Shrimp Truck, Matsumoto Water Ice, Rainbow Drive-in (my personal favorite) and Zippy's (local fast food chain). Track Listing:
December 11, 2011 09:28 PM PST
Location: Buffalo, New York
As mentioned in the podcast, you could do a lot worse than spending a long weekend by renting a car and hitting up Buffalo / Niagara Falls / Toronto (so long as your passport's current and you don't mind driving a rental. Oh and you're not there in the winter). Unfortunately Buffalo lost a few record stores over the past couple years, but a survivor is the Record Theatre, a spacious store with a good rock section, a decent jazz section and a fun (and very good) bargain bin area. I worked the store in as part of a day trip that visited Niagara Falls (picture). As for a good place to eat, the store is only a few miles from the birthplace of Buffalo Wings, Anchor Bar. Worth a stop to soak in the good wings, some beers and culinary history! Track Listing:
October 11, 2011 07:31 PM PDT
Location: San Diego, CA
As I mention in the audio of the podcast, I sought this place out, found it and enjoyed it without even realizing it's one of two stores (the other of which is in Las Vegas and was featured in a previous Soul Traveling). D'oh! That being said this is a nice store, with strengths in rock, huge searchable bargain bins and decent Soul/Funk/Jazz selections (albeit heavy on reissues). I enjoyed the trip there even more, using it as a break from Comic Con San Diego delirium and a way to recharge for more Comic Con activity. There are also enough variations from its Las Vegas sister to warrant its own episode anyway - I just tend to not play much rock as part of the podcasts. Track Listing:
July 06, 2011 09:22 PM PDT
Location: Records LA
Not too far from where the 10 meets the 405 is Records LA, on Adams Ave. It is not the biggest record store in the world, but it more than makes up for it - I mean, damn - in terms of the overall quality of the stock there. We are talking about really good records in the house, people! I've gotten to know Scott (owner) of the place and he is a cool dude - and a knowledgeable dude. If you're lacking a lot of the hard-core record knowledge out there (like me) a trip to Records LA is very educational, just by listening to other people talk about music, records, the business, etc.... and if you really know your stuff, well you can fit right in. There are lots of goodies to be had - this will be one of those record spots where you're probably gonna spend whatever cash you came in there with (cash-only by the way) and you'll have to make some tough decisions to boot. Look, just go there okay? One other note: when I was there Record Guru Danny Holloway was there and I was able to grab a copy of a super-limited 45 he's putting out with another dude, I put one of the two sides on this podcast. When I was there this store was the only place you could get this 45 and it's well worth the price of purchase. Tracks:
April 20, 2011 09:25 PM PDT
Location: Encinitas, CA
Driving an hour south with the pacific ocean on your right, coming from Orange County gets you to Lou's Records in Encinitas - easily the best drive I've ever taken to a record store. Water, rolling hills and lots of palm trees gets you in a laid-back mood for what could be the most laid-back place I've ever been, at least the area where Lou's Records lies. Lou's Records itself is a good indie rock/pop store - not really my genres but that being said I did find some good records there among the sparse R&B / Jazz / International sections. No reason to completely front on the place though, right? There are plenty of good record stores that don't specialize in Soul and Jazz, and there is plenty of good new and used rock, indie rock and 80s records to be found there. I consider Encinitas 'San Diego' even though it's a bit outside of San Diego, so when I go to Lou's I eat there. A great place to eat in San Diego is El Zarape - super good Mexican food in a town with plenty of great Mexican food joints. What sets them apart is some of the more unusual items like a scallop burrito (didn't order it), lobster burrito (did and it's super-dope) and potato taco (slammin!). Check it out if you can! Track Listing:
March 01, 2011 08:36 PM PST
Location: Memphis, TN
As I mention in the podcast, the cool thing about Memphis as a town is it doesn't care what you think about it. It's a great town, a laid back town, and a rich town in terms of the things Soul Traveling likes (mainly food and music) - for such a small town it's given us a lot of great music and food. I mean, for Sun Records, Stax records and tons of blues to come out of one place? Incredible. Shangri-La Records anchors on those types of music (there are sections for all three) and delivers plenty of quality records in other genres too. There is plenty of stuff there you just don't see anywhere else because of how well it draws on musical heritage of Memphis. An easy way to kill a half day. Places to check out for Memphis BBQ: while there are tons of them, I went to Rendezvous and Germantown Komissary and both were awesome. Track Listing:
January 16, 2011 12:39 PM PST
Destination: Other Music
While not having as much space as a lot of other locations visited so far on Soul Traveling Other Music does make the most of it. You will find all kinds of genres of music through the clean, wood-fixture layout, from funk to jazz to international music of all sorts of genres. Like a lot of good stores there are a lot of CDs there though rarely do you see something represented with multiple copies. Odds are they *have* multiple copies somewhere but for the purposes of floor space it's not there as you flip through music. Plus, that makes for cleaner browsing right? Again, there are all sorts of genres and subgenres represented there (Turkish folk-funk included) and it's the kind of store you could visit once a week and always find something interesting. Track listing:
November 07, 2010 10:01 AM PST
Destination: Peacock's Record Bar
Tucked along the California Coast just an hour north of LA, in a town right next to Ventura is where we're headed this episode. Despite being just an hour drive from LA, the area feels more remote than that, partially due to the omnipresent mist that rolls in from the water frequently. Peacock's Record Bar bills itself as 'Your Old School Connection' and it does not disappoint. The thing that strikes me about this store (and I mention this in the podcast) is it is Old school music. Period. Don't go there looking for rock (though there is some), hip-hop or anything else. It's an old school record store - old school being that period from around 1979-1984 that had elements of disco and funk to provide for a party experience on the dance floor. From well-known commodities like Cameo, Michael Jackson and Prince to obscure rarities this place has the goods. Track listing:
September 06, 2010 02:29 PM PDT
Destination:L Toronto, Ontario, Canada
It is not easy for a store to pull off being a go-to place for more than one thing, but it seems like Slinky Music has managed to do it. Not just a nice selection of audio / production equipment, Slinky Music also has a grip of records (and CDs of course). I personally think it's tough for a record store to compete along the lines of volume/size - there are only a few places that can do what the Jerry's and Amoeba Musics do, just like there are only a few places that can compete with Wal-Mart on price. So what do you do? You pride yourself on selection and make sure the people that run the spot know their music. The quantity of records at Slinky Music may not blow you away, but whoever is stocking the bins knows their stuff, as they're loaded with the goods. As with any store like this there isn't a whole lot of used vinyl, but the new vinyl / represses are really good and I was able to find plenty of interesting stuff there. The next time I'm in Toronto I will definitely spend more time on Queen Street, which has a huge concentration of record stores in a very small area. And oh by the way there's plenty of DJ and Music Production equipment to drool over while you're there. Track Listing:
July 25, 2010 09:57 PM PDT
Not much else to say - to celebrate the 24th episode we're doing double-duty here, this part is just some good ol' cookout funk. Hope you dig it, and even more so I hope you cook up some dope food on the grill to it! Episode 24: Las Vegas, NevadaJuly 25, 2010 09:23 PM PDT
Destination: Record City
Standing in the shadow of the Stratosphere at the end of the Las Vegas strip, just a little off the strip itself, is Record City - a building that sure looks like it was an XXX store in its past life. Almost no windows, concrete exterior... but hey maybe that's just me. The podcast mentions the music selection: strong on rock and good jazz and soul sections (though it is heavy on reissues for you purists out there). The soul is more of the modern variety, say 1975 and up but there's still plenty to look at there. In terms of what to do in Vegas - well something tells me you know about the strip already. There are some good spots to get food that aren't part of casinos, though. There's the Pepper Mill, a neon-blasted diner with a back room bar that has a sunken, bubbling pit with an open flame (aka a love pit). The omelettes and hash browns there are sick. As in good. There are also multiple locations around Vegas of Fausto's, which serves one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. And Noodle Palace is in an area of really good asian restaurants - they serve cantonese food and the wonton shrimp soup was dope. And those are just some of the places! Oh, and I should shout out one other thing: I was in town for NBA Summer League - if you're an NBA fan you should really consider going if you haven't already. You get to see a bunch of players in (essentially) a high school gym. Track listing:
June 16, 2010 06:42 AM PDT
Destination: Pittsburgh, PA
Located in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh, Jerry's Records is an almost-overwhelming store of vinyl (and when I was there, vinyl-only). It's not the largest store I've been in, yet it felt that way as I looked over the massive expanse of records in front of me! This is old-school record store at its best, just tons of records to search through including a lot of 45s and a definite all-day experience if you're up for it. Something that doesn't make its way to the podcasts from these stores is when the "genres the store is really strong in" are outside of the funk/soul/jazz realm. Jerry's has deep stock in rock, as well as my favorite genres featured on these podcasts and I also had a good time finding all kinds of Prince-related stuff (Madhouse, Mazarati, etc) when I was there. Most of it won't make its way to a podcast, but it's still good. Track listing:
May 20, 2010 07:52 PM PDT
Location: Hollywood, CA
I made this reference before I think: when you walk in this store you almost feel like Willy Wonka is going to start singing "come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination". No it doesn't have a chocolate river, but it does have lots of records, and not just any records either. Holy grail - type records. Records you've been looking for, for a long long time records. You will see a lot of things you usually don't see at record stores. That's the good part. The bad part is they are priced to market - so don't go expecting any deals or anything. I would almost equate it to a "Gentleman's Club" - looking is free but if you want to have time alone with anything you gotta pay (and pay a lot). I've read that lots of people don't like the place because of the high prices, but hey - you're in a record collector's town which happens to be one of the largest cities in the world, so it kinda goes with the territory! Sometimes it's nice to browse and maybe walk out with one or two gems as opposed to a crate full of potential treasures. Track Listing:
April 18, 2010 11:45 AM PDT
Location: Kannapolis, NC
Tucked innocently in an area known for stock car racing - and with a somewhat deceptive name - Collector's Choice has a much lower profile than almost any record store I've ever been in. But if you find it - you'll be greeted with massive amounts of vinyl, sitting there waiting for you to sift through with minimal sorting - there is no cataloging by genre so it is definitely digger-friendly. Even better the philosophy of the owner (Clyde) is to price low and encourage you to walk out with lots of records (which I did). You will need plenty of time to work your way through the records, so make sure you set aside at least a day - you won't be disappointed. When I first walked in the store I kind of sat there dumbstruck, saying there were so many records I didn't know where to start. His response - "Well start where you're standing and go from there!" Done. Track Listing:
March 04, 2010 08:37 PM PST
Destination: Chicago, IL
Dusty groove is not only a cool place to visit in person, you can enjoy the coolness online at any time - and what massive online coolness it is - the site is huge, chock full of elaborate descriptions on records, and always an interesting read if you're into music. In person, it packs a lot of wallop into a smallish space - not a lot of inventory doubles, very well laid-out, and the genres they represent there are much more esoteric than you're going to find at any old record store. I have a bit of an ongoing thing when I visit record stores - what stores have I made my single largest purcahses at in one day? It's not the kind of thing you can try for, I mean anyone can walk in a store and spend a lot of coin - it has to be the kind of thing that comes naturally, where you're holding this massive stack of records and you just can't put any back because they're ALL that dope. Well, Dusty Groove holds my top spot, if that's any indication. You may not be able to find that old Grand Funk Railroad record you're looking for, but you'll find Italian Music Library compilations, discs by Serge Gainsbourg, lots of killer funk, and plenty of sweet soul... among other plentiful genres there. More than worth a look online, and absolutely worth a visit in person. Track Listing:
February 09, 2010 09:29 PM PST
Location: Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake neighborhood)
Located in the Silverlake neighborhood in LA, Rockaway Records has been doing its thing for a while and has survived a few record store contractions as well. It's a pretty straightforward store, with some interesting memorabilia in the back - the rock section is the biggest section and there are enough CDs to warrant your interest if that were all you're looking for. Since I lean more toward the Soul/Jazz vein, I can say that even though these sections aren't huge they do pack a lot of punch - one of my guidelines is 'do I see records that I don't see anywhere else?' and the answer is yes. In addition, they have 'pop-up clearance' sales where they use some vacated space next year to get rid of overstock product... cheap. You're going to find some good stuff and you're not going to have your wallet obliterated either, always a good combination. In terms of where you can eat around there, you can get good food at just about any corner spot there, but if you want to spend a few extra bucks be sure to check out Cliff's Edge, a cool little spot with a huge tree as a centerpiece, cut into a hill. The food is decent though not great, but the setting is flat-out dope. Come on, like you couldn't use a break after digging for records for a couple hours! Track listing:
December 26, 2009 11:01 AM PST
While I'm not a big fan of theme podcasts, I've gotten into the Beatles more recently and have sought out covers of theirs though I'm not actually a huge Beatles fan (I think I own one Beatles record). But this isn't about being a fan, it's about respecting the group that pretty much set it off for everyone. They are the most influential group ever - what was going to be a two or three song segment kept growing, to the point where I had to CUT it to get to ten! I talk about it in the podcast but they've spawned covers like no other group or artist I can think of - bands really stretch out and aren't afraid to take chances. In some cases they don't work (and are not on this podcast) and in plenty of cases they do, evidenced here. I liked what I heard so much putting this together I decided to not wait the standard 2-3 weeks between podcasts. The Great Escape: Is where I worked a little bit during college, thinking I would actually pay for food and important things with it. Instead, my salary just went toward buying records and comics, something the Great Escape has plenty of. It's a really aptly named store, there are multiple locations but the one I'm familiar with is on 21st Street near Vanderbilt University. It's a very aptly named store - it doesn't just have one section of collectibles to flip through, it has three (records, comics and action figures), and unlike some stores that try to do too much and succeed at nothing, Great Escape represents well across all three - you're able to find really good records, really good collectible comics, and hard-to-find action figures, not just this year's releases. You can lose track of time easier than just about any other store I've visited - one hour becomes four in a snap. Recently they opened an outlet as well (maybe not recently, but still), so there is plenty to be found. And if you go to the location on 21st, a quick walk up the street yields a great place for soft tacos called SATCO (San Antonio Taco Company). I can't go to one without going to the other. Track Listing:
December 22, 2009 09:15 PM PST
Destination: Rockville, MD (between Baltimore and Washington DC)
Maybe it's the ultra-funky pink-walled interior. Maybe it's the organized-yet-non-organized vibe of the store. Maybe it's the velvet rope-esque 'high-priced' record section near the front counter. But whatever it is, Joe's Record Paradise has a special vibe to it that makes it memorable where lots of other record stores become forgettable. Like a lot of record stores the strength here seems to be the rock section, but other sections still bring the goods. The vibe I got in the soul section was a lot more of the 'rare disco/dance funk' vibe, but that was almost two years ago and it could have changed by then. The bottom line is Joe's Record Paradise is dope - it can easily occupy you for 3 hours without even blinking, there are plenty of good records to be found, and the owner is a super-nice guy. If you see him, see if they've printed up t-shirts yet too - the logo on the front door is ill and very t-shirt worthy. Track Listing:
December 07, 2009 11:23 PM PST
Destination: New York, NY
It's no secret that most of the stores profiled on Soul Traveling fit a very similar profile: wall-to-wall used vinyl. Sure, there are some new records in stores but in general they load up on the used stuff - which is what makes Turntable Lab stand out. Just about every record they stock was stocked new, even if it's been sitting around a while. What's more, records aren't the only thing Turntable Lab are experts on - they have significant followings on the clothing side, graphic design, equipment, graffiti... all kinds of things. I suppose purists may scoff at a store like Turntable Lab, but it's one of my favorite places - despite only stocking new stuff (including reissues), they do a lot of the searching for you and select the jawns they stock, so a lot of the questionable-quality stuff never even gets sold there. They're also knowledgeable across multiple genres: although their primary audience is DJs themselves (and therefore you see a lot of club bangers getting attention), their hip-hop, dance and funk sections are high quality. If you want some cheap, lowbrow eats you can walk about 10 minutes Gray's Papaya around 6th Ave and 8th St (I think) - they have a $2.75 recession special that gets you 2 hot dogs and a drink. And there's a good walk-in pizza spot in between 5th and 6th on Avenue A (the name escapes me though, sorry!) TRACK LISTING:
Soul Traveling Episode 15 (Pasadena, CA)
October 28, 2009 08:37 AM PDT
Destination: Pasadena, CA
Who says all the Soul Travelings have to be in stores? Pasadena CC has a flea market the first Sunday of every month, and a few levels above the ground in a parking garage is (pretty much) an entire floor of Record Vendors. I've been trying to get there for a while but the schedule hasn't quit worked out and this time it did... and there are good records to be found there. I would suggest shopping around a little among dealers - you can find a lot of similar records cheaper if you have the time - it might save you a few bucks. And remember, in almost every case the prices can be negotiated down, or if you throw a bunch of records together you can get a nice deal. And if you don't have a portable turntable of your own, some dealers even have them for you to listen to your prospective purchases. Oh and by the way it's Sunny and 82 damn near every day! Track listing:
Soul Traveling Episode 14 (Houston, TX)
October 09, 2009 07:23 PM PDT
Destination: Houston, TX
While not large compared to a lot of the record stores previously visited via Soul Traveling, Black Dog Records still has more than enough to hold your interest. The strength of the store is the Rock section, though large sections of Soul, Blues and Country (it is Houston, after all) are there too. The thing that stands out about this store is the condition and cleanliness - not only of the store but the records themselves. They are in NICE condition, and I believe all of them are cleaned by Cliff (owner). The selection is also not your standard records you find everywhere - probably due to the absence of dollar bins. While the podcast doesnt reflect it, I found a bunch of records there but did not include them because they don't fit the soul/jazz mold at all. The weirdest record of the trip was a country record by a group from Singapore - and the music is so authentic you wouldn't know by listening! In terms of good ol' cheap grub in the city, there are Whataburgers everywhere (local fast food chain). They make pretty good burgers, but the real gem is their breakfast taquitos with your choice of ingredients. I've had a lot of breakfast burritos / tacos, and these are on par with the best. If you want to take a long drive for a great chicken fried steak, drive to Goodson's in Tomball. And another local chain - Pappasito's - makes what I think are the best fajitas. Track Listing:
Soul Traveling Episode 13 (Richmond, VA)
September 12, 2009 09:49 AM PDT
Destination: Richmond, VA
"What you are looking at right now is the tip of Iceberg". If you've ever been in the Record Finders, you'll hear that phrase more than a few times - The Record Finders is primarily an auction site, with other records available to the public at the front of what are two large warehouses with the wall torn down. Why do you hear it so much? Because people stream in every few minutes to sell records and collections and wonder why they aren't bought considering the records they're looking at - which are a couple thousand records. That's when you get the line, and the door opens to warehouse, where four MILLION records are. When the door opened for me, it was a quasi-religious experience. You really have to see four million records to appreciate it! Despite only being able to browse through a few thousand of those records, the Record Finders delivers the goods, though its location is in a business park with other like warehouses. Still, it's worth your time. Just make sure they let you see the rest of the iceberg when you visit. Tracks:
Soul Traveling: Episode 12 (Allentown, PA)
July 28, 2009 06:06 PM PDT
Destination: Allentown, PA
One of the things I enjoy about great record stores is the true democratic nature of their greatness. They're not all concentrated in big cities, they're not all around Universities, and just when you think you can draw a conclusion you find out you really can't. Great record stores are just great. In the case of Double Decker Records it sits in the relatively small town of Allentown PA (at least compared to nearby Metropolis Philadelphia) but is 99% vinyl and jam-packed with good stuff. The specialty of the store is definitely punk/hardcore but unlike other stores the stores really round out the other sections. The jazz and soul record sections are not particularly huge, but they're stocked full of good records, a lot of which I had never seen before (the more record stores you go to the less likely it is for this to happen). The store also had its share of tougher-to-find breakbeat classics. And the dollar section yielded some strong results, which is something I can't say is true in many places I go. I'll be going back soon, as a matter of fact! Tracklist:
December 25, 2009 08:58 AM PST
December 25, 2009 08:49 AM PST
Next Page |
About Keith FosterThis podcast is focused on looking for rekkids and the stores that have those rekkids. For a long time, whenever I travel anywhere (business, personal, to see friends) one of the first things I do is look up the record stores in town. I've even taken a few trips where the sole purpose was hitting up record stores, staying in motels for the evening after a day of flipping through record bins. Whenever I do research for record stores in an area I usually end up relying on some web site done back in 2001 that hasn't been taken down yet and references long-extinct record havens... So I'm going to do my best to talk about record stores all over the U.S., the records in them and whatever else is along the way. Starting with episode 16 I'll be moving to the West Coast, but the podcasts themselves won't change - I've visited a lot of great record stores East of the Mississippi so let's see what the West has to offer. Followers
Keith foster's Friends
Contact MeSubscribe to this Podcast |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
