With the advent of digital music downloads, and big record chains either closing down (Sam's, I'll always miss you) or turning to other non-music items (HMV i'm looking at you) to make a buck, there's one thing that still brings joy to my heart. The little indie records stores. I know that someday they will go the way of the dodo bird or for kids in this age, the Sony Walkman/Discman, but still love em nonetheless.
Checked out Reckless Records in Bucktown (there's actually 3 of them in chi-town) this past weekend and it brought up great memories of walking into old record shops and just hanging around to see what the record store guy was spinning on the record player or what weird CD import they got in (the japanese seem to get the best album versions don't they?).
Walking into the store, we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of LPs from golden oldies to the latest releases. Not just that, it's the smell. I don't know what it is, maybe it's the records, the dank musty smell of old stuff, poster glue, fanzines or the music nerd checking out if there was any scratches on the LP he was looking at. I loved it! It was a blast from the past and made me think about the old music indie shops still in Toronto.
They're not all gone. Some are (Edward's record world? Record Peddler?), but some still exist that you might want to check out:
Vortex Records - used to hang out here every once in a while. It's a weird place given the location is the heart of Yonge and inEligible (you see the yoga mom's around, look, but don't touch)
Penguin Music - these guys used to be on Queen West and McCaul (cool little space), but have since moved to Queen and John in the Black Market
Sonic Boom - across from Honest Ed's, get some tunes, 12 pairs of socks for a buck, and then hit some good korean food.
Rotate This - uhm Ibid!!! just west of Honest Ed's
Soundscapes - music and italian food in Little Italy (i'm getting a sense i could get a travel guide for getting tunes and then eating good food)
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