How...

6-26-09 Yesterday was where – Today is “How”

I have always suspected that San Francisco and Las Vegas record stores went to L.A. to source inventory. 40 years ago, there was a formidable record industry presence in San Francisco, but I’m not so sure it exists there anymore. As a youngster, I remember cruising the San Francisco telephone book, in search of record stores – and seeing that there was an office for Apple Records in S.F.!

And these days, I believe I am starting to see the phenomena – particularly in Las Vegas – of people obviously buying stuff off of the internet, but fencing it at a local store, once they’ve put it on their iPod. It’s one thing to see some progressive rock in a used CD bin – but where did it come from? If nowhere in L.V. is selling prog rock…did somebody mail-order it and not like it? Or did they mail-order it and just load it onto a digital music device and jettison the artifact?

Loads of cool music turn up at amoeba Hollywood because it’s in Hollywood – what’s left of the music business is nearby. ‘Reps’ fence promos, publishers fence promos, low-lifes fence their collections when rent is due – or when they need a drink / fix.

Once upon a time, there was cool stuff in L.A. record stores because there were people who knew what they were doing – doing the ordering. Much love to Dana Madore (Moby Disc, Aron’s etc.), and Tom Recchion (Poo Bah Record Shop, Pasadena). These days? IO think it’s just the sheer numbers – there are so many people in L.A., the stuff just flows into Amoeba Hollywood. I can see that it is obvious to me that there isn’t a buyer there stocking the store with the expertise of Dana or Tom. I guess you do end up with some cool stuff, when you buy “one of everything”.

I really hate that on-line music sales (both mail-order and downloads) have cut into the brick and mortar record store business – at least on the west coast. But if I want to see a really well-done comprehensive list of new releases these days, I must rely on internet retailers – or Japanese websites! And I ‘read’ Japanese magazines (“Strange Days” and “Record Collector”)

Dang, I sure have a lot of stuff. I can sometimes wander in my own collection for days, weeks…but that ‘force of nature’ always seems to encourage me to go look for more. What don’t I already have? What am I interested in today? I will always love going out and looking through record stores – yet, I also do sometimes buy via internet (Wayside Music, eBay, Amazon.co.uk etc.)

I wish everyone a peaceful summer weekend looking for records / CD’s. I am also attending the Los Angeles Film Festival on Saturday. At the Hammer Museum, I’m going to see an old favorite of mine: “Hot Rods To Hell” starring Dana Andrews. Ever seen it? It’s a groovy slice of 1967 big screen hot rod buffoonery – with lot of unlikely characters, some amazing dialogue and some ‘groovy chicks’.