Wow – it’s been 2 months
I just realized that I have written nothing in the past 2 months. During that time I managed to buy a stack of CDs at FNAC in Valencia and Alicante (Spain), went to record store day in Belfast (at the wonderful Head Music), and have accumulated piles of excellent vinyl from various sources.
To keep things brief: “When I left Home” by Buddy Guy – I listened to this on audiobook and it is, by far, the best book on the blues that I have ever encountered. It gives you a really good picture of how a young bluesman made his way from share cropping in the deep south to arriving in Chicago in the 1950s during the hayday of the Chicago Blues. His descriptions of Big Mama, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Guitar Slim, BB King etc. is fantastic. He provides us with an accurate insight into the workings of Chess records and is generous with his praise and honest in his criticisms. My only complaint was that the book ended too soon. Once he had his 1990s renaissance he zoomed to the end – he must have some great anecdotes up his sleeve that we have not heard (yet). I have also been really enjoying a book that came out a couple of years ago: “record store days.” It was good to find out the background story of several great stores that I have been to over the years: in particular the Jazz Record Mart in Chicago (they could spend a few dollars updating the website – very 1997!).
I was in Belfast in April with my family, and after a nostalgic trip to HMV (great to see it still open there – still a crap shop). But low and behold –
Head records – a real (and really good record shop) had re-opened (read here). So in I went with my two boys on record store Saturday at 9am. The place was full of vinyl heads – looking over each others’ shoulders to see what booty they had picked up. I bought loads – in particular the Beta Band’s 3 EPs, a Nick Drake compilation (with a 24 bit flac download code) and, at last, I am Kloot’s Natural History. Record store day is a great idea – a way of promoting both record shops and vinyl, but I can’t help feeling that a lot of the product is over priced and of marginal collectability. In fact, venturing into Tower Records in Dublin several weeks later (great shop but I am beginning to find the price creep for vinyl a little annoying), much of the “exclusive record store day” material still available. Still overpriced.
Kudos to the National – new vinyl album at a reasonable price with both mp3 and flac downloads. Double kudos to Vampire Weekend – vinyl plus CD in one package. Speaking of which – Ron Sexsmiths’s most recent album, which you can get on vinyl from his own website, also includes the CD gratis.
FNAC is a pan European store that appears to be a combination of Waterstones, HMV and Best Buy – under 1 roof. I have never been in one (and I have been in many, from Paris to Nice to Canne to Barcelona to Verona to Malaga, Valencia, Alicante, Brussels) that hasn’t been packed with people. They are all great. Lots of CDs and vinyl. Good selection of books. Usually a good cafe. I am begging here – please please please FNAC owners – please come to Ireland – I promise to keep at least 1 store open on my own. Anyhow, this is always a good place to pick up 1970s Italian or German Prog or discounted ECM recordings.
audioexchange 