Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

[i!!ustrious]

Since it's much more convenient and accessible to order vinyl electronically, via established companies nowadays, I was wondering if some of us still go digging in the crates for rare dusty vinyl.

All these little record shops seem to be closing left and right man... my main spot just auctioned off everything not to long ago, after having been in buisness forever. I only know of a select few good places in the area; very few that carry EDM and 4/4 business though. :/

FAO LA people: are there any legendary spots you frequent that carry a good amount of dance music? I cruise up to Amoeba every once and awhile, but are there any left beyond that?

FAO everyone else: are there any good shops in your area that you like to frequent? If we're ever in each others city or town, I'm sure it would come in handy when cooperatively adding to our collections.

Always loved this clip, it really embodies the "art of digging."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gpKYnRdf0A[/youtube]

Regards, and best of wishes.

[Jenks]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

we no longer have a decent vinyl shop in stl, have to fill the urge when travelling. gramaphone in chicago is the closest and best.

that clip from shadow is fantastic btw. i'm going to repost the crap out of that.

[Weizy]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

Since it's much more convenient and accessible to order vinyl electronically, via established companies nowadays, I was wondering if some of us still go digging in the crates for rare dusty vinyl.

All these little record shops seem to be closing left and right man... my main spot just auctioned off everything not to long ago, after having been in buisness forever. I only know of a select few good places in the area; very few that carry EDM and 4/4 business though. :/

FAO LA people: are there any legendary spots you frequent that carry a good amount of dance music? I cruise up to Amoeba every once and awhile, but are there any left beyond that?

FAO everyone else: are there any good shops in your area that you like to frequent? If we're ever in each others city or town, I'm sure it would come in handy when cooperatively adding to our collections.

Always loved this clip, it really embodies the "art of digging."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gpKYnRdf0A[/youtube]

Regards, and best of wishes.

Hey Lucky, I still dig through the black crack as much as I can. I have also begun making it a habit to buy vinyl in bulk from ebay...great way to build up that collection.

Oh and to the DJ Shadow bit, he says one thing in that movie that I never forget, "Each one of these records is someone's broken dream." He goes on to say how because of this he has great respect for every little single he uses. Kind of a spiritual thing if you ask me...just all about loving the music!

[Miroslav]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

Hell. Yes.

I don't have a real record shop around where I am now (Wichita, KS ), but whenever I will always prefer to dig through the crates at a good record shop than to sit in my room and stare at my screen and click away with the mouse so that I can download a file onto my computer. I'm moving to San Francisco soon, and I hope to be able to re-live some of that.

Going to the record shop always engaged the senses so much more. And it starts on a holistic level from the moment I decide to get in my car and go until well afterwards when I get home. The anticipation as you drive there and listen to beats on the way...getting there and just seeing the place and the people in it...digging with your hands through the records, looking at the covers...feeling the record...even the smell of the musty crates...setting the record on the turntable and hearing it right there...and then afterwards maybe just hanging out around town with friends or by myself. When I lived in Indianapolis, I'd sometimes make a weekend of going up to Chicago, listening to great tunes on the way, just to visit some friends, maybe catch a show and then devote most of the next day to Gramaphone and the whole Wicker Park area. You just don't get all of that from an online experience.

There was more of a sense of adventure to me when I go to an actual record shop. You never know what you're going to find, and there was the promise of finding something valuable in those record stacks, something scarce... And it really added beauty to the whole experience. It wasn't efficient, but that wasn't the point; the experience felt more valuable. Nowadays, nothing is scarce anymore; everyone pretty much has instant access to the same collection of mp3s, and it feels more like a commodity. Something has been lost along the way.

And then there are the friends. When I lived in Indianapolis, there was a record shop there that I'd visit weekly. I learned so much there, met people, got opportunities to play out... And even though I'm gone now and the shop isn't in that same location anymore, the owner is still one of my best friends. These are people I've ended up partying with for years at WMC and DEMF...great memories.

Don't get me wrong, the music can still be good today and I still enjoy getting it and listening to it. But the beauty of the art surrounding how you got that music - and what you experienced when you got that music - is to some degree gone, probably for good... and it seems that not many people even get that. Maybe I'm older and got to experience something they didn't. I miss it.

Sorry. I get nostalgic. And DJ Shadow is the man - someone who truly understands and is motivated by the beauty of his art. Endtroducing is still one of the best beat-based masterpieces ever created.

[progressive420]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

^^^ Right on. They used to have two record stores(well 3 actually) in Louisiana, but now zero. They have some stores in New Orleans that sell records, but not dance music. I order records(and mp3s) now and have been for a while,as its the best way to get the new and rarer tracks. But I always did love driving to the record store and picking up a couple of tracks. Always a surprise.

[phuck'm-up]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

They still make records? I think I saw one in a museum.

[i!!ustrious]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

Good stuff fellas.

Been using Discogs for a bit now, but I'm gunna give the Ebay thing a try soon. bet I'd have better luck lookin' for specific gems there.

Ahh yeah, the thing about digging and vinyl that I cherish most about it -- is that deeply interactive feeling with the sound, and the divine experience. And even more so, I begin to appreciate it all in a stranger way -- since my digital archive has become so vast now -- that record shopping has become more than just a refreshing hobby. I think both formats, digital and vinyl, compliment each other in a augmentive fashion, what with all these wonders that technology can do to establish a sound synthesis between various modes now.

Well as far as digging goes for me in the near future, I'll be visiting my sister and brother inlaw up in Seattle pretty soon. He is a Rare Groove/Soul Deejay, and he will be taking me to some golden spots up there. So stoked for that.

True that. Ain't that segment from the movie Scratch the best or what. DJ Shadow has always served as a profound inspiration to me, might as well post some more vid's for goodness sake.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQxIexegatM[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Uo-R1Cu0g[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ld_tF1AXqs[/youtube]

[Steve Graham]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

I miss the weekend record store trips
used to spend hours between Tuesday when the new releases would come in and then Friday and Saturday afternoons

Ebay was also a daily stop for me, always found amazing deals and gems there.
two of my most memorable purchases from ebay are a box of Hybrid/Distinctive records, double and triple album sets including finished symphony, theme from wide angle, if i survive.. etc
And a box of about 20 or so Hooj releases including sacred cycles, cafe del mar, distant voices, everytime, change me, gamemaster.. sooo many.. and all in plastic sleeves

each of those auction i "won" cost me under $30.00 including shipping.. won? more like stole.. lol

[hambino21]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

I said it before and I will say it again... Neptune records in tampa was a huge reason I developed sucha a love for this music. I used to love unwinding in that joint after work or school just listening to a million records. I miss that place. It was like a clubhouse. Those were the good ole days!

After that it was satellite records, primal, 3 beat, and i think that was about the extent of the vinyl shopping for me. I did find some hard to find stuff on gemm.com. They're pretty cool.

[Steve Graham]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

^^^ yup Neptune Records was my haven =)
Muggles always had a stack for me to check out

[BureOne]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

I looooooved digging in the crates back in the day... Hit up Melrose every weekend and spent a good 5 hours or so in various shops. I do believe their all gone now.

I had a couple others closer to home.. but also.. gone.

about 4 years ago I noticed a decline in "quality" of stock. I always came up empty handed or got out with 1 good record... and I always said to myself.. "I have to continue purchasing records online instead of my local shops".

So that's what I did. I exclusively shopped at Juno, Replay, Street Sounds, Ebay, etc for vinyl.. and once it started gettting pricey for me.. I went digital for my mass purchases.

I still do grab me some vinyls though. the gems, the collectables and rarities. That will certainly never stop.

[kassios]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

^^man i remember going to melrose on the weekends too..back in 98 -99 when i was a student there....it was the best feeling

Two summers ago i went for holidays and most of them closed down i went searching recordshops round melrose area but it was only hip hop rnb .....the only place i found some records was Amoeba ....i got my copy of decepticons - eastern promise from there

London still has some really good record shops that are worth checking imo

You still live in l.a BureOne?

[WilDFire]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

Oh how I miss digging through the crates at Aron's Records in LA. I LOVED that shop. I'll never forget when I found the Northern Exposure 4 pack in mint condition. I lifted it above my head and stood there for about a minute. I actually contemplated saying "I have the POWAAA!!! Just like He-Man. No, not really. But I definitely stood there holding it above my head saying YES YES YESSS!!! And it was 20 bucks. I was so sad to see it go.

[Miroslav]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

DJ Shadow has always served as a profound inspiration to me, might as well post some more vid's for goodness sake.

word. DJ Shadow was the first guy who opened my eyes to a whole different world of music than the mainstream world most people know through their radios, stores like Borders, MTV... I heard that "Number Song" track and it was just like a bolt of lightning. And I never looked back.

[i!!ustrious]

Re: Digging in the crates, and looking for hole in the wall record shops

fuck yeah.

word. DJ Shadow was the first guy who opened my eyes to a whole different world of music than the mainstream world most people know through their radios, stores like Borders, MTV... I heard that "Number Song" track and it was just like a bolt of lightning. And I never looked back.