Places – Page 7 – 7th Level Music

Wrecka Stow: PDQ Records – Tucson, AZ

Tucson’s PDQ Records (2342 North Dodge) bills itself as a “rock and roll museum,” and that description is accurate. The place is a treasure trove of rare vinyl, tapes, CD’s, 8 tracks, and probably more stuff that I missed. Seriously, look at the size of this place.

I walked in and immediately spotted racks of newly arrived prime vinyl records to my right.
Among them was this gem that I almost snagged, but I had to fly home after all and didn’t want to risk breaking any records in my luggage.

The place was full of cool, obscure records like this. You’ll spend an entire day here if you’re an obsessed collector of vinyl. I mean, look at some of this stuff.

I had no idea Elke Sommer had a singing career.

As I mentioned earlier, they have more than vinyl LP’s. They have a large collection of 78’s and 45’s, cassettes, and even stereo gear.

They even repair equipment.

Yes, those are VHS tapes and 8-tracks covering that wall.

I walked out of there with CD’s by INXS, Bill Withers, Big Audio Dynamite, and Blue Cheer. I could’ve walked out much poorer, but thankfully I don’t have a vinyl obsession (yet). You owe it to yourself to swing by here if you’re ever in Tucson. It really is a museum of music.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you leave.]

Record Store Day is April 22nd. Are you ready?

The annual Record Store Day will be here in just a few weeks, so get ready to support your local wrecka stow and grab some sweet exclusives.

Even a quick glimpse of the official special releases will leave you drooling. Here are just a few of the live albums I’d like to snag.

Cracked Actor – a live David Bowie album cut in 1974.

Post Pop Depression: Live at the Roxy – a live Iggy Pop record.

Perfect Night: Live in London – a live Lou Reed album.

Santana Live at Woodstock

And those are just from the exclusive RSD releases. That’s not even looking into the regional releases. Start saving your money. You’re gonna need it.

Keep your mind open.

Wrecka Stow: Satellite Records – Kalamazoo, MI

Located at 808 South Westnedge, Kalamazoo’s Satellite Records is worth a side trip when you’re in the city, especially if you’re a lover of vinyl or bagels (it happens to be next door to a good bagel / coffee shop).

I knew I was in a good wrecka stow when I walked in and saw this mural.

That’s Devo, Sun Ra, Kraftwerk, the Replacements, and three others I can’t place. The man in the top hat might be Marc Bolan of T. Rex, but that’s just a guess. Regardless, the people who work here know their stuff.

As I mentioned earlier, the place is a vinyl lover’s dream with plenty of LP’s, 45’s, collector editions, and 12-inch singles.

They have CD’s, cassettes, DVD’s, and even 8-tracks as well.

I scored a pair of groovy used CD’s there – The Kills‘ Blood Pressures and Lorelle Meets the Obsolete‘s On Welfare, which I didn’t know existed until I found it there for only eight bucks. Look for reviews soon, and look for Satellite Records when you’re in Kalamazoo.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe to us before you go.]

Wrecka Stow: Neat Neat Neat Records – Fort Wayne, IN

Located at 1836 South Calhoun in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Neat Neat Neat Records is a groovy place to pick up vinyl, CDs, or turntables. I went there between a couple sets during the Middle Waves Festival and discovered plenty of vintage and new vinyl.

There was a wide variety of genres, and plenty of 45’s and cassettes as well if you were looking for them.

Their used CDs are a bargain. All of them are $3.99, and they have another rack of shelves with 99-cent CD’s. Another impressive part of the store is their selection of turntables and other stereo gear.

I walked out with used CDs from Dead Meadow, Seal, and The Flaming Lips. I’d like to get back there the next time in town when I have more than 45 minutes to browse. Don’t skip it if you’re downtown.

Keep your mind open.

[It would be neat, neat, neat if you subscribed to us.]

Wrecka Stow: Irvington Vinyl / Bookmama’s – Indianapolis, IN

Located in the Irvington area of Indianapolis, Irvington Vinyl / Bookmama’s (9 Johnson Avenue) is an impressive store on a winding side street that is easy to miss but worth your time to seek.

The place is two store fronts full of books and music. The books range from new fiction to classics, naturally, but they have plenty of collectibles and manager / owner Kathleen Angelone was knowledgable about new titles and what to read if you liked certain books. She and a customer were having a lively discussion on new fiction when I was in the store.

I was there for the music, and I had limited time, so I didn’t get to browse the books as much as I’d like. There was plenty of music to buy. The majority of it is on vinyl (go figure with a name like Irvington Vinyl), and includes collectible stuff from obscure Indiana bands.

As if all this stuff isn’t enough for you, just head down these stairs…

…and you’ll find a basement full of vinyl records, 8-track tapes, and cassettes.

It’s a crate digger’s dream. I scored a Nine Inch Nails EP, L7’s Smell the Magic, and an excellent double-CD compilation of early Indiana new wave and punk bands (review coming soon) there. Give yourself plenty of time to browse when you go there. You won’t regret it.

Keep your mind open.

[You won’t regret subscribing to us either.]

Wrecka Stow: Michiana Used Music & Media – Mishawaka, IN

Located in a shopping center at 4615 Grape Road, Michiana Used Music & Media is exactly what you expect it to be from a name like that – a single storefront with a good selection of used CDs, DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, LPs, and video games.

There aren’t as many cult films as I’d like to find, but there rarely are in such places. The mix of CDs and vinyl is mostly newer stuff, but there are some fun gems if you dig through enough bins.

It’s worth a stop if you’re on Grape Road, and don’t miss the fine comic book store next door either.

Keep your mind open.

The Motown Museum: Small, but worth the trip.

If you’re ever in Detroit, and you’re a music fan, you really should check out the Motown Museum. It’s located in two houses, one of which houses the famous Studio A where nearly every early Motown hit you’ve heard was recorded.

You can only visit the museum via guided tour. The tours last a little over an hour, and there isn’t as much time to gawk at things as I’d like – mainly because they are packed with tour groups every day and need to get people through the place. The first building houses a lot of memorabilia including famous album covers, photos, and ephemera from various artists. The basketball uniforms worn by the Jackson 5 on a TV special were on display when my wife and I were there.

The second building is the famous “Hitsville, U.S.A.” building where many came to seek their dreams of music stardom.

They’ve preserved the original receptionist’s office, Berry Gordy’s apartment, the tape storage room, and Studio A. I loved seeing the old tape boxes and the recording studio in Studio A. I liked seeing the mixing board and the holes worn in the floor from producers stomping their feet to the killer beats Motown artists were dropping all those years.

You can’t take photographs in the museum, and the CDs at the gift shop are far too pricey for today’s consumers, but the opportunity to stand in the studio where the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, and so many others recorded some of the best songs in history is something you shouldn’t miss.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to exit through our subscription box.]

Wrecka Stow: Karma East – Indianapolis, IN

Karma East is one of three Karma wrecka stows in Indianapolis. This one is located in a shopping plaza that also houses a good Chinese / Thai / Japanese restaurant. They pack a lot of stuff into the single storefront.

They have plenty of vinyl, of course…and hats.

The mix of CDs is excellent as well. I scored a live EP by TV on the Radio and copy of Harry Nilsson’s Nilsson Schmilsson there.

It’s small but worth the stop, so get some sushi at the corner of the plaza and then get your wrecka stow fix.

Keep your mind open.

Wrecka Stow: Superfly’s Lone Star Music Emporium – San Marcos, TX

Superfly’s Lone Star Music Emporium is a fine wrecka stow in San Marcos, Texas. My wife and I discovered it when we went to San Marcos for MR Fest during the cancelled Levitation festival in Austin. Superfly’s was hosting live music that day, so we got to see Sloe Your Roll there (who put on a great blues-rock set).

The place is decorated by people with a sense of humor. The restrooms are lined with LP covers.

The men’s room had this over the toilet…

…and this next to the sink.

The selection at Superfly’s is great. It’s about half LP’s and half CD’s. They had a great selection of Record Store Day material there when we visited.

The LP selection was particularly good, with a lot of different genres available.

It’s a fine place and well worth the stop if you’re in the Austin – San Marcos area.

Keep your mind open.

[It would be super if you subscribed to us.]

Wrecka Stow: Waterlood Records – Austin, TX

I knew I was going to spend a lot of money as soon as I stepped into Austin, Texas’ Waterloo Records (600 North Lamar). This massive store is legendary in the area and it takes up two large storefronts.

I walked in and saw a large selection of new albums and store-exclusive DVD’s and Blu-Ray discs. I grabbed a Blu-Ray of Razorback, but ended up putting it back on the shelf because I hadn’t even explored a sixth of the store yet.

The CD selection is this place is massive, and they have seemingly every genre you can imagine.

They also sell T-shirts, odd toys, and art, and they had plenty of stuff from Record Store Day still available. Don’t worry, vinyl lovers, they sell plenty of vinyl.

The north half of the store is nothing but records. The above photo is just a tiny part of their selection. They even sell record players.

Not to be outdone is their DVD / Blu-Ray alcove. The number of cult and B-films alone was stunning. I could drop hundreds of dollars in this alcove alone.

I walked out of there with CD’s from Eric B. & Rakim, Bayonne, and Oingo Boingo, and the Rough Guide to a World of Psychedelia.

Waterloo Records is a must-visit spot if you’re a music and / or film lover and visiting Austin. Bring a fat wallet.

Keep your mind open.

[Get a fat e-mail inbox by subscribing to us.]