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Sorry about the incredibly late post, guys - my job has had me running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Regardless...
In honor of Record Store Day (it's tomorrow, guys - go pick up a few albums at your favorite shop and support your local record stores!), I decided to drop by a few of my favorite spots in New York City.
I arose early Tuesday morning with a bit of pep in my step and the intention of capturing the energy found in these shops, all of which happen to be located in New York City's Greenwich Village. Coming from Tampa, where the most legitimate record store was an hour drive away from my home, I have been eager since the first day I moved here to find really great stores with even greater selections. These are the only three I've really ventured around, but they haven't disappointed me yet.
Other Music
15 E. 4th Street, NYC, 10003
(212) 477-8150
Other Music, located on 4th Street, is a relatively small shop (that still manages to have in-store performances, by the way), specializing in the latest and greatest indie releases. Want Sonic Youth on vinyl? They got it. Jay Reatard? Yep, him, too. They also have a fine selection of varied genres, and - with their classy, yet mom and pop shop vibe - is a shop you could certainly feel comfortable in.
Kim's Video and Music
124 First Avenue, NYC, 10009
(212) 533-7390
Kim's is an establishment quite well-known throughout the artistic community in New York City. Recently moving location to First Avenue, between 7th and 8th streets after donating much of their video stock to a public library in Sicily, Kim's is a great mixture of both film and music. This was the first record store in New York City that I'd ever been to, and was amazed by the fact that both King Khan and the Shrines and the Lyres were in stock (note: I have since gotten over this shock, realizing that in a city of millions, there are going to be many people who share my same love for semi-obscure garage rock).
While on my journalistic venture to the store, I came across a nice young fellow who was more than happy to help me out. I found out he used to work at my favorite store in Tampa, Vinyl Fever, back in the 90s. He also recommended the Back from the Grave comp put out by Crypt Records. Very cool.
Kim's will always be a famed local establishment, starting out as a small corner of Mr. Kim's dry cleaning shop, quickly growing in to the entity it is now. I'll never let any tourist I know leave New York City without a quick browse through the stock at Kim's.
Rockit Scientist
33 Saint Marks Place, NYC, 10009
(212) 242-0066
Located in the East Village on Saint Marks, Rockit Scientist is sort of a gem I stumbled across. The first time I visited the shop, I wasn't really looking for it, although I'd heard of it through word of mouth - specifically the mouths of Mick Collins and Ben Blackwell. A vinyl copy of Raw Power in the window caught my eye, so I shimmied on in. After leaving my cup of Mud at the counter, as instructed by the proprietor, John, I immediately got lost. The CD section is fabulous on its own - I eyeballed a disc by the Dictators, and seriously considered replacing If You Don't Already Have a Look by the Dirtbombs - but the real treasure is the vinyl in the back. The $1 bin is fabulous in and of itself, but there was not a single record I would have turned down. On the wall was a copy of Fire of Love by the Gun Club that I practically drooled over - $80. Crazy. Shenanigans, as we say. But god damn, if I had $80 to drop, I probably would have bought it without a second thought.
The walls and ceiling are lined with enough music zines (on a side note: as a music blogger, these are going to become the new comic book, in my world) to stretch the length of Saint Marks Place if lined up end-to-end. Special box sets and spectacular DVD documentaries lay encased in cellophane behind the counter, where Tony and John act as captains.
This is the sort of place where magic happens.
Now, if I had all the time in the world, I would have had the same chat with all three record stores, but with my work schedule, it would have been virtually impossible. I chose to chat with John and Tony of Rockit Scientist because - although all three stores are fabulous - I think they embody the epitome of what a local record store is supposed to be. But I went in with hopes that they would sit and talk with me for a while without any prior notice, and they were happy to oblige. Below is the conversation I held with both John and Tony - be warned that this is my second in-person interview ever (anyone remember my Dirtbombs failure?).
Tony on the brief history of Rockit Scientist:
John was the manager at Venus, which was down the block. Rockit Scientist was opened about ten years ago, but has only been at this location for about five years.
John why he loves doing what he does:
I love music, I love turning people on to music. I really love talking about artists that have been forgotten about for a long time. Fifteen years ago, the only people that cared about jazz were Japanese collectors, now Blue Note is the label everybody is in to, so things have gotten a lot more coverage. There's room for everything, and I certainly don't buy the idea that there's no good music coming out today. You may have to search harder for it, because the record labels are still pummeling you with average stuff, but it's out there.
Tony lets us in on why dedicated customers, including celebrities, frequent Rockit Scientist:
Most people who come in to the store know what they're looking for. They're usually seeking stuff they can't find anywhere else. Every day, I leave knowing more than what I did when I came in. Every day, I am going to tell someone something they didn't know was out, or an artist they didn't know about.
Tony's opinion as to why the local record store is declining in popularity:
I had a store uptown and [popular music] killed it. The audience up there just likes music - they're thrilled to go in to a chain store or go on the Internet to find their Sarah McLachlan CD without being judged. I prefer the classic method: it might take five stores to find what I was looking for, but at least I had it. The thrill of that is fun on its own. At the same time, young people are buying more vinyl now. They want something physical., as well as the music, and I think that's really great.
John on shaking the stereotypical record store clerk image:
A lot of people have accused me of being the guy in High Fidelity. I don't sit there and make my top ten list of Stax singles. People think that, because of the name of the store, I am a Rockit Scientist. I'm not. I'm not going to say “You don't know who Bobby Womack is, get out of my store!” If you came in here with a budget of $100, I can't imagine you'd leave unsatisfied.
There are a couple of things I need to tweak with this (formatting and part of my interview with John and Tony included), and will do so after work. Thanks for reading, and again - GO BUY SOME DAMN RECORDS!