| The vinyl groove |
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| Wednesday, 30 May 2007 | |||
Back before you bought Nirvana's “Nevermind” or Michael Jackson's “Bad” on cassette, people used to buy big vinyl discs and play them on record players, aka turntables. They scratched easily, and kids were yelled at when they ran through the house and made these albums “skip.” But the album covers were huge, and when you bought one, you really felt like you owned a work of art. In an age when downloading is beginning to overtake CDs as the preferred method of music delivery, you might be surprised at the number of stores that still sell vinyl — new and used. Here's the short list of local shops. 180 GRAMS
180 Grams covers all of the bases with its used collection — country, jazz, Latin, indie, reggae, soul and rock. But owner Jesse Garcia also stocks lots of new vinyl records from contemporary artists such as Stephen Malkmus, Battles and Simian and a wide variety of electronic and dance music. The selection isn't huge, but there probably isn't a bad record in the place. ALAMO RECORDS & SHEET MUSIC Owner Will Day claims to have the largest vinyl collection south of Dallas. He has 80,000 LPs, 45s and 78s that cover rock, jazz, soul, Tejano, conjunto, show tunes, old country and just about every other type of music. There isn't much contemporary stuff, but the store is a true vinyl junky's paradise. DIRT CHEAP DISTRO 600 E. Amber Place; (210) 921-0222; dirtcheapdistro.com The only records (LPs, EPs, 45s) you will find here are of the punk and hardcore variety. The store carries the UK Subs, The Misfits and The Clash but also has a lot of records by newer bands you probably never heard of. It's a small selection, but if you're looking for punk music, this place is a must. FLIP SIDE RECORDS 1445 SW Military Dr.; (210) 923-7811 Flip Side has been around for decades and is a welcome throwback to when record stores were havens for rock fans who sought incense, loud music and spiked wristbands. The vinyl collection ranges from Charlie Rich and Dean Martin to Matisyahu and OutKast. But metal and hard rock, such as Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult and Pearl Jam, rules here, and there are plenty of records to prove it. HALF PRICE BOOKS It has lots of books, but the store also offers a large selection of affordable vinyl. Most albums cost less than $5 and range from classical music to easy listening and jazz such as Peggy Lee, Bing Crosby, Count Basie and Stan Getz. There's also rock and pop such as Van Morrison, Gloria Estafan and the Rolling Stones. HOG WILD RECORDS This record store is a San Antonio favorite, and its vinyl collection includes the $1 bargain bin that features artists such as The Eagles, Barbara Streisand and Atlantic Starr. But the main vinyl attraction is the new and used indie, metal, punk, hardcore, dance and drum and bass LPs, EPs and 45s that you won't find anywhere else in the city. THE YARD 1502 S. Flores; (210) 365-7230 |
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