You Spin Me Right Round Baby

2 Comments

Comment by Adelita on November 18, 2007 at 2:26pm

the hand model wrote:
Let's not forget Bow Wow.
11/14/07 10:11:08
ajax wrote:
Re Natural Sound: don't go there anymore. I order online (half.com and amazon), if only because I can read 'Welcome Ajax' on my screen. Last few times I entered NS (store empty) the young gal didn't even look up from whatever she was doing. The days of the slightly older woman (late 40's?) with the grey curly hair and glasses are far behind us.

That is my oldest music hunting memory, Adelita. Kinda new in town here.
Albums/LP's: don't forget thrift stores. You have to plow through a lot of garbage, but there are 1 dollar gems to be found. And plowing is fun, still.
11/14/07 10:38:35
Pepeye wrote:
I too remember the record store days fondly. It seems so quaint now. Here's what I don't miss about vinyl and CD's now that I've gone 100% digital:

1. Dust, static and record cleaning kits;

2. Entire rooms consumed by shelves for LP's and CD's;

3. Shrink-wrapped CD's and jewel cases;

4. Making mix tapes on a cassette recorder (OK that was kinda fun, but the CD mixes I make from mp3's are a thousand times better);

5. Installing record player needles;

6. Scratched records and CD's.
11/14/07 10:40:24
andrew wrote:
I'd add to Pepeye's list: not having to deal with snobby record store hipsters.

iTunes doesn't judge.
11/14/07 10:57:23
once banned twice shy wrote:
Odyssey Records? The place that had listening booths? Now that's going WAY back in the Albq. time machine! My first music purchase ever was a 45 of Steve Miller's "The Joker." I actually loved the scratchy sound of LPs playing--there was something so real about it.

That being said, I really don't miss having to get up and change the LP all the time...
11/14/07 11:37:58
Benny the Icepick wrote:
Dark Side of the Moon on vinyl is probably one of the most memorable music experiences I've had. I'd listened to it on CD or MP3 hundreds of times, but digging it out of my parents' collection and throwing it onto the turntable, it was a completely new album.

Through all the pops, crackles and hisses, the album breathed to life. As much as I love the digital age, that alone scores a big, big point for the Luddites.
11/14/07 11:48:46
Raul wrote:
We have a few independent record stores here in Sacramento, and for the most part they keep a hefty supply of vinyl records. I never venture in that area, mainly because I'm of the i-pod generation (I love my i-pod)

However I can appreciate the value of vinyl and how long they have come, my oldest sister used to play 45's in the morning as she got ready for school. I fondly remember hearing Marvin Gaye in the backgroun - sexual healing on heavy rotation.

I can also attest that of the many clubs that I've been to. Most or all of the DJ's still use vinyl when they are mixing it up. It's great to see that something as treasured as vinyl is still being used to this day. Much like yourself big sista I like reading the liner notes.

I get annoyed at times when I buy a CD and there are no liner notes...c'mon high paid musicians spend the extra buck on a few more pages of satisfaction for the consumer!!
11/14/07 11:50:28
El James wrote:
What DID happen to Cristy Records? It was there less than a year ago on 4th Street. I suddenly became interested in New Mexico music and when I went to visit the place it was gone. What happened to their inventory? Did it end up at another shop in town I hope?
11/14/07 12:00:10
patreecia wrote:
Anyone remember Planet Waves on the westside? That was the best place to get imports and bootlegs they called imports... PS wouldn't it be awesome if we had an Amoeba Records here? (They sell vinyl too!)
11/14/07 12:04:43
Pepeye wrote:
Benny:

I agree that many LP's have a certain extra sound component that's had to get in digital. Its not impossible though to get great sound from digital too. The key (sorry techno-phobes) is to use only high sampling-rate files. iTunes medium sample-rate files sound flat to me. 192k files should be the minimum used, but I go even higher (200+ VBR). Files sizes are not relevant since hard disk space is cheap these days. Rich data = rich sound.
11/14/07 12:04:52
Phydeaux wrote:
Vinyl, CD, digital - I love it all. But, yea, I miss the days of great album notes and art large enough to appreciate without putting on my cheaters. Plus, album covers made a great surface for cleaning out the seeds. Oh wow. Try doing that on your ipod. I recently bought a pristine vinyl copy of Herb Alpert's "Whipped Cream & Other Delights" for twenty-five cents. I know some of you remember that cover. For Christmas, I want one of the new turntables that plugs into your computer.
11/14/07 12:31:15
Valley Girl wrote:
The place in Winrock was Record Rendevous or Record Roundup I think. Every week you could pick up a copy of the top ten list from KQEO. There were pics of all the DJ's. My fave was Don Lincoln and Bobby Box. It's amazing to me that Bobby Box is still around. I remember my sister buying Meet The Beatles there.
When I was 13 or so my sis and our friend used to hang out at the Bellas Hess record dept. The clerks, Edwin and Maria were so nice. Looking back, I think that we must have driven them crazy!
11/14/07 12:32:02
buggs wrote:
"Where can I find Tiny Morrie, Baby Gaby, Al Hurricane, Little Joe Y La Familia, Vicente Fernandez and Lydia Mendoza? Cucurrucucú Palmona..."

It's all dying, the only place now is KANW station on Coal.
11/14/07 13:12:46
Pete wrote:
I miss the sratches. I miss thumbing thru albums. I miss licorie pizza in california with the "why the hell you buying that" I'm way too cool salespersons. I miss the smell of vinyl on a friday night. Smells like my allownce blown again.
11/14/07 13:12:57
Diego wrote:
My favorite was Bow Wow records in Nob Hill. They had the best LP imports from England and 12" mini lps with extended versions of songs they played at the gay clubs. They carried the best in New Wave, Punk, Alternative and Electronic music. Nob Hill was more trendy and less snooty back then. You could buy an Album at Bow Wow records get an outfit at In Crowd and eat at the Central Deli and still have money to go out that night. HEE HEE
11/14/07 13:26:46
akoolstik wrote:
yeh, vinyl is/was thrilling you name checkers. but now i have my PC shuffling 10M mp3s. i love random playlists. whens the last time you heard back to back piazolla - X - chet baker - nels cline - cibo matto anywhere but in your own home ?? i do need to add that East/West Work Song to the collection...

ps. you can by conversion units to connect your old turntable to your pc.
you could also d.i.y.

http://www.google.com/searc...
11/14/07 13:32:38
magoo wrote:
I remember having to unbox new turntables, install the phono cartridge and properly balance the tonearm for customers purchasing new stereo systems back in the day at West Coast Sound. (those were the days.....)
11/14/07 13:50:33
Phydeaux wrote:
Thanks for the link, stik...
11/14/07 13:56:04
once banned twice shy wrote:
Benny: digging "Dark Side of the Moon" out of your PARENTS' collection? Ouch! You really know how to hurt an old lady...

Also, technically speaking, a Luddite would also shun a turntable.
11/14/07 14:58:41
40-something wrote:
I wouldn't give up the digital age in exchange for a return to vinyl days, but (unlike the first item in Pepeye's post) I remember with fondness the ritual of cleaning the record: 3 drops of fluid on the pad, checking to make sure you got the correct leading edge--either by looking for the arrow or by feeling which way the fibers brushed, smearing the drops into a line and applying it with just the right amount of pressure onto the record, then rolling the pad to the opposite edge to dry...yeah, it was a pain in the ass, but in my circle of friends, it was NEVER skipped.
11/14/07 15:16:02
Roadrunner Gal wrote:
Ya all are forgettin' Merlin's Record Workshop up on Menaul.
11/14/07 15:30:43
Spartacus wrote:
Ah memories...

I'd LOVE to see pics of ABQ from the '60s, '70s and '80s, just to see how much things have changed since.
11/14/07 15:52:44
Satanic Hispanic wrote:
I remember Odyssey Records and Tapes on Menaul and San Pedro. I worked at the Hot Dog place (Der weiner-whatever) which was paved over to move the Arby's 100 feet to the other side of the parking lot. On night we had a closer's party and one of the grill guys walked over to look in the window and pulled on the door. They forgot to lock it! They cam back and we watched in drunken amusement as a couple of squad car and police dogs appeared on the scene. A Police officer came over and questioned us and we claimed we were innocent (we didn't take anything) and the police warned us that if were wern't on private property he would arrest us for underage drinking....

Oh those were the days
11/14/07 16:12:16
ajax wrote:
Bow Wow was great and the staff was kind. Krazy Kat is worth a visit. They sell some laserdiscs too, this for the older kids among you. This excludes Benny - My parents listened to Sophie Tucker and Edith Piaf for C'sake. Wild!
Update re Adelita's previous post: Blanket Lady calls herself Cherokee. Confirmed, this afternoon.
11/14/07 16:32:34
Drexler McStyles wrote:
yeah, I miss my vinyl collection. I sold it to a record shop in New Orleans before leaving for an extended trip to S.E. Asia. Now its 4 years later and I finally have put some roots down, I wish I had them still, but to start from scratch would be kind of..... impossible/expensive.

I must say that Natural Sounds was a bit of a disappointment, as mentioned before, the staff is rude/disinterested unless you where all black (hair included) also, the prices are usually 2-3 dollars above suggested retail for whatever reason. If they expect to compete with Amazon/Bestbuy, etc. they have to at least get it down to MSRP. Especially when those other retailers are usually a few dollars below that.

Thats being said, I miss record shops; midnight releases, clerks who were just as excited as you about a new album, almost getting in a wreck trying to get to the store when a new album came out, browsing through the bins and finding new stuff...not quite the same as going to circuit city is it?
11/14/07 16:56:54
ajax wrote:
Drex: you mean 'WEAR all black', I guess?
So true!
11/14/07 17:17:53
Ade lita wrote:
El James,
I'm just as curious as you as to what happened to Christy records. I was excited when they moved to my side of Fourth Street. They just vanished. Since I am going through a serious 'ranchera' phase, I need a good source.

Benny the Icepick,
Dark Side of the Moon - the standard make out album of my high school days!

Phydeaux,
Herb Alpert's Whipped Cream...One of my dad's favorites and on many of my crazy compilation cds! I was always fascinated with the cover as a kid.

Both Merlins and Bow Wow were great. I honestly haven't had a bad experience at Natural Sound, but then again, it has been a while since I went in there. Maybe the staff needs a lesson in the history of Natural Sound. Many decades ago I worked retail and I would have been ecstatic to work in a place that didn't have Muzak!!!

What I don't like about the digital music age is that I can't satisfy my curiosity for all the details that used to be on albums.
11/14/07 17:24:25
Jerry wrote:
Mecca (1404 Central Ave SW) sells an excellent selection of new and used vinyl (not to mention books and CDs), with a heavy emphasis on new electronic, jazz, hip hop and lounge. Rocky, the proprietor, has a skewed personality, but nothing you can't get used to.
11/14/07 17:37:39
ajax wrote:
Jerry, comes a time you don't want to get used to the skewed personality of a twentysomething who should be happy to see you come into his/her/the store, glad to make a sale and ring the stuff up with a smile and/or a kind word.
11/14/07 17:52:52
a3ot wrote:
I have a place in my heart for when Page One sold import CDs. Once they had a release poster hanging in the front that I looked at every day until they finally gave it to me after months of asking.
11/14/07 20:53:40
hettie wrote:
I dig natural sound, although I'm willing to ignore the hipster behind the counter. I'm glad enough to be able to shop in a place where I can sit and listen to a few cd's all the way through if I like. and I place a fair amount of value on supporting a local business over border's, amazon, etc., so the counter guys don't bug me much. besides, when I take the time to chat, those guys frequently have an amazing knowledge of music that I might never otherwise know. and nat. sound carries small label/indie/foreign stuff that I can never find at borders, hastings, et al. I'm disappointed by the generic atmosphere of corporate places where the person who says hi is spitting it out because it's a required part of the job. but then, natural sound lets me bring my (well-behaved) dog into the shop when it's not busy, so I'm heavily biased. :) I dig mecca too, though I rarely seem to make it over to the other side of downtown.
11/14/07 23:13:29
Barelas Babe wrote:
Hi - I can see Christy Records from my house. AFAIK, it is now M.E.L. records -different name, same ownership, at least that is what the sign said when the name changed. I haven't gone in to the store to check if the inventory is the same since the name change. Guess I'll need to do that this weekend.
11/15/07 00:38:33
Ade lita wrote:
Barelas Babe,
Where exactly is it? This makes me happy!
11/15/07 06:18:03
Michelle Meaders wrote:
According to Google, MEL records is at: 900 4th St SW # A
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 247-8484

So that would be south of downtown in Barelas. By the way, the NHCC at 4th and Bridge is at 1701 4th Street SW.
11/15/07 07:43:29
akoolstik wrote:
"What I don't like about the digital music age is that I can't satisfy my curiosity for all the details that used to be on albums."

While the tactile thrill cannot be replaced, this problem of details is actually quite absurd. A cd can contain all kinds of info, lyrics, chord charts, pictures, video, graphics, related stories... I think this is something that most artists are missing. They could include all kinds of extra content. Shops could easily display the content too.
11/15/07 09:40:51
Disc Delights wrote:
Yeah, nothing like cleaning out the seeds on the album cover, especially those two-record sets. The problem was the candle wax that dripped onto the discs as the night wore on, and the scratches from skipping songs or playing one song over and over, which required a lot of up and down off the couch.

Digital can't touch top notch analog recordings and playback. People used to spend a fortune on great stereo systems with massive speakers and they sounded unbelievably good if done right. Now there's that irritatingly cold and tinny quality to digital, and those earplugs and speakers that produce sound almost as bad as old mono record players - which I had in college.

Another fun aspect of records was that if you got tired of one or found you didn't like it you could fly it into the wall like a frisbee and break it into pieces. Almost as much fun as tossing light bulbs against outside walls.
11/15/07 10:01:40
Gangsta B**** Barbie wrote:
I went to my dad's house for a visit a few months back and I saw a box of really old vinyl sitting on their kitchen counter. When I asked what they were doing with the records, his fiance proudly announced that they were earmarked for a trip to Goodwill. I immediately snatched the box up and put it in my trunk. I couldn't believe they were going to give them away!

There are some really cool gems in there, like an original Beatles Sgt. Pepper's with the pop out dools sheet still intact. There was also some Stevie Wonder, U2, and even Pink Floyd's The Wall.

Only problem...no turntable to put them on. I went huknting for one and they were all in the $1000+ range.

ANYONE KNOW WHERE TO GET A CONSERVATIVELY PRICED TURNTABLE?????????
11/15/07 10:45:41
hettie wrote:
GBB:

check out the flea market at the state fair grounds. I bought a &25 cd player in good condition from a guy who was also hawking a nice looking turntable. you have to be willing to wander around for a while and then haggle about price, but it's the flea market, so that's part of the experience! you can go sat. or sun., though I don't know if they're year round or will be wrapping up as the weather cools off.
11/15/07 10:56:25
ajax wrote:
At Goodwill...Barbie. We bought a NEW Pioneer there not too long ago.
Or on Ebay.
11/15/07 10:57:03
hettie wrote:
oops, that should be $, not &. damn ampersand.
11/15/07 10:57:32
ajax wrote:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ION-iTT...
11/15/07 11:00:10
Pepeye wrote:
Disc Delights:

re: Digital can't touch top notch analog recordings and playback.

I disagree with that conclusion (although recordings from the analog days like Benny's parents Pink Floyd do sound a bit better on analog gear). People who want to make digital sound great can do so, just like those who cared in the analog days could do so. Its taken me a while to get there, but my home digital-based system sounds fantastic. My guests are amazed that the sound coming from the speakers is originating from the computer plugged into my receiver.

There were a lot of crappy analog systems back in those days along with those expensive systems that sounded great. The reality is that most people don't care that much, don't want to spend the money, or are intimidated by the technology.

Digital sound being relatively new, there just isn't a wide understanding of how to make digital work. It's still pretty "geeky" stuff. That'll change with time.
11/15/07 12:19:18
Disc Delights wrote:
I'm sure you're right in most respects but I still think digital recording leaves something to be desired even if the playback system is top notch.

For many years you could get a very good stereo system for a reasonable price. Then there were the geeky superlative systems, just like now.

I get your system sounds great!

Most of it's relative anyway. When mono record players were the reasonable choice, they sounded terrific if you weren't used to anything better! Even the little transistor radios were cool for blasting music at the beach or under your bed pillow at night....
11/15/07 13:13:57
Disc Delights wrote:
I meant to type I BET your system sounds great!
11/15/07 13:14:49
Pepeye wrote:
Disc Delights:

You're right. Much of it is subjective and what sounds good in one situation might not sound so good in another and vice versa. My only point is that it would be wrong to discard digital as exclusively low fidelity. Digital is here to stay, so we might as well get on with the business of learning how to make it sound good.
11/15/07 15:25:31
to old to work in a record store wrote:
hate to break to you folks, but if you think record staffs are rude, it only means one thing. you've gotten old. its always been true. i actually like being that age, i just smile and think "yeah i was you once, and soon you will be me."
11/15/07 17:47:54
ajax wrote:
too old: your post made me smile.

CD sales are down 17% this year so far (i.e. the big box retailers; they make up 65% of the market).
11/15/07 18:43:40
andrewtwebb wrote:
@ too old - Even when I was young, I can't imagine being so aggressively, and comically, unfriendly in a retail position as the folks at natural sound.
11/15/07 22:40:45

Comment by jason argus zermeno on November 20, 2007 at 8:39pm

Damn Lita, you sure got a lotta people commenting on your stuff now! Charley's is by far the best record store still around for that old skool feel. You can sit at the long case and listen to cd's all day while you suck down a sweet ice cream float. Its cool as all get out!

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