Wrecka Stows – Page 3 – 7th Level Music

Wrecka Stow: Landlocked Music – Bloomington, Indiana

Located at 115 South Walnut on the downtown Bloomington square, Landlocked Music is a must-visit place if you’re looking for a record store in the college town, or even just touring the downtown area. It’s a neat shop with plenty of stuff to dig through and discover, and there are many bargains to be had.

I mean, you walk in and see this? You know you’re walking off at least twenty bucks lighter, especially when you see stuff like this.

I would’ve snagged that Oingo Boingo record if I were a vinyl collector.

Throbbing Gristle next to 13th Floor Elevators! How cool is that?

As I mentioned, there are plenty of bargains – new and used CDs, cassettes, and crates of cheap LPs.

I walked out of there after spending close to fifty bucks on used CDs, the most expensive of which was a Buck Owens CD and DVD of him performing on Austin City Limits – and that was only eight dollars.

I could easily have spent two hours in there, and they were playing a cool Ian Drury live album while I was there to boot. Be sure to check it out.

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Ernest Tubb Record Shop – Nashville, TN

Located at 417 Broadway in Nashville, Ernest Tubb Record Shop is a must-visit place if you’re a fan of record stores, classic country music, or music history. It’s been in business since 1947 and has hosted a long-running live music program that has featured classic and modern artists for decades.

The place is a gold mine of country vinyl, CDs, and books covering classic country and modern country artists. You’re in the wrong place if you can’t find your favorite country artists here.

The place is also a museum of Ernest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, and other stars’ memorabilia, including stage-worn outfits, instruments, and the original stage where Tubb’s live radio program was broadcast.

I scored an Ernest Tubb album and a Wanda Jackson anthology while I was there. There’s plenty more I would’ve bought if I’d had more money and time. Be prepared to spend some cash and wonder while you’re there.

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Third Man Records – Nashville, TN

I was in Nashville, Tennessee in early September and swung by Third Man Records – a record store (623 7th Avenue South) and production studio run by and owned by Jack White. The place is a small White Stripes and Raconteurs museum, not to mention all the special edition records and singles released by Third Man Records for other artists over the years.

It turned out that there was a record fair happening in the parking lot on the day I arrived. My wife, knowing I’d be a while, took a nap in our car while I plunged into bins of CDs.

Yep, all CDs were just five bucks each. That included box CD sets. I scored box sets from Scientists, Hüsker Dü, tropical lounge music, and a CD of Indian disco for dirt cheap.

Inside, of course, is a ton of stuff ranging from vinyl records to books, shirts, and postcards.

It’s a nifty place, and a must-stop location if you’re a fan of Jack White’s work or a serious record hound.

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Wooden Nickel Records & Tapes Budget and Collectors – Ft. Wayne, Indiana

The “Budget and Collectors” location of Wooden Nickel Records & Tapes in Ft. Wayne, Indiana (3422 N. Anthony) is one of the first record stores I went to way back in high school when I finally had access to a car. I bought many records there and hadn’t been there in decades. It was nice to see the place still in business and still offering a lot of good stuff.

They pack a lot of stuff into the space, and one thing that hadn’t changed was them offering a lot of good stuff at low prices – new and used.

The collector and limited edition stuff is still there. There are plenty of box sets, rare records, and, yes, tapes – cassettes and eight-tracks.

They sell records, of course. They have a whole section of 45 records, all kinds of LPs, and even some picture discs on hand.

Check it out if you’re in town. There’s a lot there and you can get a good amount of it for cheap. I scored a live Buzzcocks album and Donald Fagen‘s classic The Nightfly for barely over ten bucks.

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Shake It Records – Cincinnati, Ohio

Be prepared to spend two things when you go to Cincinnati’s Shake It Records (4156 Hamilton Avenue) – time and money…A lot of both.

This place is deep with stuff and is two floors – the ground floor and the basement. Both are stocked with everything from LPs to action figures.

Yes, action figures.

So, yeah, this place is amazing. I could spend an entire afternoon here. The back of the front counter looked like this when I was there.

Plus, there’s funky art everywhere.

This thing alone is probably worth five figures, and I don’t mean the “Cat Ballou” DVD.

I debated getting that DC Comics 45-record case, not to mention that “High School Hellcats” poster.

Oh yeah, there are records…Boy, are there records.

Several of these would’ve fit in that DC Comics record case.

Some of the coolest records are special signed editions you can get there.

Those Screaming Females and Lydia Loveless records are well worth the purchase price.

They also have CDs and cassettes, of course.

By the way, this is just some of the stuff upstairs. As I mentioned earlier, there’s an entire basement with more records and books in it.

Most of their jazz, blues, classical, country, and soul records (and soundtracks) are down here.

They also have a big section each of books, graphic novels, and zines.

“Conan Saga” *and* “Love and Rockets” in the same place!

I walked out of here with CDs by My Bloody Valentine (a three-disc EP set), a double Ennio Morricone album, the new TV Priest album, and the soundtrack to the weird cult film Forbidden Zone. I could’ve spent more time and money there, but we had limited time on the parking meter.

Don’t miss this place if you’re in town. You won’t regret it.

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Reckless Records – Chicago, IL

There are multiple Reckless Records locations in Chicago, Illinois. This one is at 929 West Belmont Avenue, and it’s a must-stop if you’re in that part of town and looking to do some music shopping.

Check out that album of Shel Silverstein poems – *A Light in the Attic*.

That Ray Charles Atlantic Records box set is well worth your money.

The place is full of bins and shelves jammed with stuff like this, and the store is deep.

Shirts, bargain bin DVDS, and plenty of vinyl for the record collectors.

I mean, just look at that small sample of soundtrack and lounge vinyl records. They have entire sections for Dean Martin, Ennio Morricone, John Carpenter, and Goblin. A copy of the Thank God It’s Friday score next to John Barry‘s for Thunderball is a win-win.

Are you looking for CDs or DVDs? No worries. They have you covered.

They even have two shelving units full of cassettes, for heaven’s sake.

I walked out of there with used CDs by Pat Dinizio, The Stooges, Chrome, The Who, and The Rolling Stones. The most expensive one was nine bucks. You can’t beat that. Go spend some cash and a few hours there.

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Vintage Vinyl – St. Louis, MO

I was in St. Louis, Missouri a couple months ago in my first trip outside my home state in many months. I was staying not terribly far from a college campus, so I figured there’d be at least one good record store nearby. Sure enough, Vintage Vinyl was about a fifteen-minute drive from the hotel.

Unfortunately for me, I got there with only about fifteen minutes to shop before they closed. The place is open 11am – 6pm during the week. 6pm seems like an odd time to close a record store located in a busy campus shopping area, but the hours were probably altered due to COVID-19 restrictions – as the store’s website says they’re typically open until at least 8pm. I’d love to go back because I could’ve spent over an hour in this place.

As you can imagine, with a name like that the store is heavy on new and old vinyl records. This is just a small sampling of their large and eclectic collection.

A spoken word record featuring Aleister Crowley sandwiched between a record about baseball and another about stenography. Stuff like this alone makes the place worth a visit. They also had DVDs, shirts, and, of course, CDs.

That $1.00 bargain bin is where I decided to do my ten minutes of shopping. I scored albums by The D4 and Soulwax…for $2.21 total. I’m sure I would’ve dropped at least ten times that if I’d had more time to shop.

Take extra money for parking when you go. Finding a spot in the area can be difficult, and most of the spots have parking meters that will only let you pay for up to an hour at a time.

Take even more money for the store.

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Feels So Good Records – Austin, TX

Located at 609 East 7th Street in Austin, Texas (right next door to the Barracuda live music venue), Feels So Good Records is a cool little shop that sells vinyl, vintage clothing, and other neat stuff. They also have their own print shop and support local bands and artists with art sales and music events they sponsor around town.

They have plenty of fine vinyl, as you can see. The woman working there, Tate, was spinning an old Spooky Tooth record while I was in the store. Those are vintage Easy Rider magazines near that crate of records, and dig that retro nude painting!

Need more cool stuff? How about cassettes, rare singles, Roky Erickson shirts, vintage jeans, and Richie Rich comics? They have a lot of fun stuff in a little space. Be sure to stop by there the next time you’re in Austin.

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Square Cat Vinyl – Indianapolis, IN

Located in a hip neighborhood full of good restaurants, a comic book store, and live music venues, Indianapolis’ Square Cat Vinyl (1054 Virginia Avenue) offers live music of its own on a small stage in the midpoint of the store. They also offer craft beer, coffee, tea, chai (extra spicy!), and, of course, vinyl records.

They have a wide variety of genres. I saw everything from thrash metal to prog rock to the soundtrack for the third season of Stranger Things there. Their live shows range from solo acoustic sets to electronic acts.

Plus, how can you resist a place with this in it?

Keep your mind open.

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Wrecka Stow: Smash! Records – Washington D.C.

The slogan on that shirt you see in the window of Smash! Records (2314 18th Street Northwest) sums up the attitude of the store, the neighborhood, and D.C. in general toward the out-of-towners who work at the Capital and the White House. President Trump didn’t even get 5% of the vote in Washington D.C. in the 2016 election. He isn’t liked in town. Most politicians aren’t really. The nation’s capital is full of working class people trying to get by without having a voice in government. The license plate slogan there is “Taxation without representation.”

So it’s fitting to have a record store that focuses on punk rock, metal, goth, and hardcore in the midst of a gay nightclub district a short drive (by D.C. traffic standards, at least) from the National Mall. The town, any town, needs places where you can find stuff like this.

Check out all those cool books on cool music, zines, CD’s, comics, and other weird goodies. They even have shoes.

Don’t worry, they have plenty of music, especially if you dig vinyl.

That’s a rack of 45’s and 7″ singles there in front, plus some 8-track tapes to boot.

Those Bikini Kill, Bad Brains, and Capt. Beefheart records alone could be worth the trip.

I walked out of Smash! Records with CD’s by Captain Beefheart, Sons and Daughters, and Public Image, Ltd. Be sure to check this place out (and the neighborhood, which is pretty cool) if you need a break from packed tourist attractions or to stick it to the Man by keeping punk rock alive.

Keep your mind open.

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