Celebrating Sydney’s Independent Record Shops
April 16 2016
SHOP PROFILES:
Where: 11/181 Church St, Parramatta
The team: Myself, Peter Curnovic (owner), Tom Houlahan (drums in Burlap/Ted Danson With Wolves) and Mark Mihos (the new guy).
The history:Beatdisc opened in August 1995. Last year we celebrated 20 years of business from the same location in the Queensland Arcade, Parramatta. We’ve seen many record shops close over the years but we’ve stood the test of time, so far. A friend of ours made a short film for our 20-year anniversary and it’s available to watch online.
What’s playing in store right now? American Football – American Football (1999, Polyvinyl Records)
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? A lot of vinyl! We’ll have an excellent swag of RSD exclusive releases, hundreds of pre-owned vinyl hitting the racks from the archives, heavily discounted vinyl buckets, giveaways, possibly a limited edition Beatdisc T-shirt, and if we get time, a heap of pre-owned seven-inch singles hitting the racks.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? Almost every day we make the best discovery; if it’s not a rare Aussie prog record from the ’70s, it’s on a new release sheet and we’re always super excited to get it out in the racks for sale.
What’s the one record you argue over most? We don’t really argue over their records, but one of the most discussed bands and their many releases are King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard. They already have a huge discography and each album has numerous pressings.
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? At Beatdisc we’re seeing more and more people reconnecting to music with physical media and especially vinyl records. We also have a great community around the store and with our all-ages in-store shows and punters supporting new local bands. In our community there is huge support for smaller independent artists and there are a lot of passionate and dedicated musicians, promoters, indie label owners, record stores, venue owners and fans out there. It’s something we’re very proud to be a part of.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment?Beatdisc tote bags, Bowie – Blackstar, Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly, Violent Soho – Waco, Ted Danson With Wolves – DTMWWWY… and Royal Headache – High.
Where: 3 Wilson St, Newtown
The team: Baz (me) the head egg, Stephen our fountain of knowledge, Nic the all-round legend.
The history: My brother-in-law Ric and I started Egg back in 2000. We have gone through many changes but we’re still here and coming up on our sweet 16th year.
What’s playing in store right now? Wade Jackson – Whiskey Alpha Delta Echo, an excellent Australian album of great songs. And Ego, a great young Sydney dream-pop band.
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? Hopefully some of the RSD goodies will arrive in time! Also we will be having bands on in store. At 2:15pm it’s Wade Jackson; 3pm Bible Studies; and 4pm Chewee – legend Nic Dalton’s new psychedelic masterpiece.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? Finding a copy of Extradition, which is a rare Australian folk-psych LP.
What’s the one record you argue over most? The Velvet Underground & Nico.
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? I don’t know about ‘dig’, but there needs to be more live music venues.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? I can never get enough copies of The Velvet Underground & Nico.
Where: 73 York St, Sydney
The team: As of January this year it’s just myself (Daniel) running the store. We’ve also got Neal covering Saturdays. Neal was here before me working part-time, but otherwise it’s a clean slate for Mojo this year.
The history: The store has changed owners and managers a few times over the past year or two – I’m not sure of the exact history but I’m here to stay hopefully!
What’s playing in store right now? Right this moment I’m playing Chelsea Wolfe; she’s an American artist who does pretty dark electric folky music. I’ve been playing a lot of the new album by Melbourne band The Murlocs this week though.
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? We’re going to have a heap of limited RSD items, of course! We’re also doing a big sale on the day too – ten per cent off any new vinyl and 25 per cent off the second-hand stuff. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more details.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? Digging through crates turned out to be a great way to discover some of the more interesting areas of Japan, and I’m sure it’s a hobby that could take you around the world. As far as specific albums, finding an original copy of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures was a very exciting day – cliché I know, but I love that record all the same.
What’s the one record you argue over most? Music discussions with my friends always seem to boil down to a heated debate over Kanye West’s credibility as an artist and the quality of his latest album. But one album that also comes to mind is Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart – I still haven’t quite “got” that album yet.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? Bowie’s Blackstar is by far our best seller of the year so far, the demand has been insane. After that, probably the new albums by Kendrick Lamar and Grimes.
Where: 1759A Pittwater Rd, Mona Vale
The team: It’s just me [Sven] and the invaluable help from my mate Grant.
The history: Opening and closing depending on my mood since 2001.
What’s playing in store right now? Thee Oh Sees. The barber and dentist next door get to enjoy it as well.
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? Just like every other day. Turn up late, sell a few records, drink beer and knock off early.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? A strip of LSD inside an original Frank Zappa record from 1969.
What’s the one record you argue over most? None. When I smell it coming I run away.
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? It’s getting better and better.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? The LSD I found in that Zappa record… just joking. A lot of the current psych and garage bands are doing great but Bowie tops everything at the moment.
Where: 294 King St, Newtown
The team: Resist is a small team consisting of Graham Nixon and Mel Kraljevic.
The history: Resist has been operating since 1996 and in that time we have been in three different locations in Newtown.
What’s playing in store right now? Blueline Medic – The Apology Wars
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? Other then stocking as many relevant RSD titles we can get our hands on, it will be business as usual for us.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? Face To Face – Don’t Turn Away LP on Dr Strange (it was later reissued on Fat).
What’s the one record you argue over most? If a customer asks my opinion on a title, I’ll give it, however I’m not going to argue with them about it. If they choose to spend their money on an album I don’t think is great, I’m not going to argue with them about it.
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? Sydney’s always had a strong music scene – like any city it has its ups and downs, but there’s a lot of good young bands coming through so that always keeps things exciting.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? Violent Soho – Waco
Where: 65 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville
The team: The Revolve team is small but a very close-knit family. Jon and Trish have been the shop owners since its opening and have shaped the store to what it is now, a fun place to shop! The fantastic range in both records and antiques comes down to their great taste.
The history: The store was launched close to 12 years ago by Jon and Trish when the Erskineville area was in its genesis of change. The store is now nestled around some of the Newtown region’s best cafés and eateries. Come check it out!
What’s playing in store right now? We’re a huge supporter of 2SER in the shop, so playing now in the shop is Mighty Reel.
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? We will have over 30 fresh ‘brand new second-hand’ albums coming in along with five crates of new imports and reissues. We have a stall outside in the courtyard (surrounded by two cafés) on the day, along with new stock inside the shop.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? The $2 crates outside are pretty sick, especially when they’ve been refreshed. I’ve found some super obscure exotica and funk outside over the years. Inside is just an Aladdin’s cave of epic proportions.
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? Its diversity. I like the fact that you’ll get someone who’s into punk buying a soul album from us, or a person into electronic who buys a jazz LP for the first time.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? Bowie sales have been going off since his untimely passing. The man was an absolute genius, so anyone discovering him for the first time or rediscovering him again gets a gold star from us. Long live great music!
RPM Records Posters Memorabilia
Where: 113 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville
The team:Owner Lizzie French is the latest newcomer to vinyl shop ownership but it was likely inevitable, being as she spent most of her high school years in Canada skipping school to hang out at the Bancroft Record and Game at the beginning of the ’80s! RPM sources new stock constantly from far and wide, making sure regular customers have rare new finds each visit. We pride ourselves in having great taste in artists and a variety of the classics in many genres.
The history:RPM Records started from a dream of one day opening a record shop to having an awesome opportunity presented in June 2015 to partner with a former major music promoter and represent his collection, made up of items as far back as the 1980s – many rare one-offs and signed collectables. We are the ultimate destination for music-lovers. We have a large amount of vinyl, CDs, DVDs, and also music posters, books, T-shirts, and an impressive collection of framed vintage music and sports memorabilia for sale. Something for every taste and budget.
What was the first record you sold?Bob Dylan, and he continues to be one of our biggest sellers.
What’s playing in store right now? A new unreleased songwriter called Steve Wernick from The Twisted Waltons (and formerly The Cleanskins). We should have his EP in stock by May/June but whenever we spin it, customers want to buy it, and so we are already taking pre-orders!
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? We are offering a ten per cent discount store-wide, and when you spend more than $100 we are giving you a free RPM T-shirt! We would love to show you our shop, next to The Gasoline Pony.
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? The scene where we are is really happening – we’re right next door to a fantastic pub that has live music five nights so we stay open later than our normal 11am-7pm until 10pm on the weekends. Local and international musicians are often in the shop and there’s such an explosion of new vinyl buyers due to the popularity over the last few years.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? David Bowie – Aladdin Sane
What’s the one record you argue over most? What’s to argue about music? Now which pressing or country of origin one is, perhaps…
Where: 870 Pittwater Rd, Dee Why
The team: Sandy’s Music is a family business run by Nigel and Jenny Fry.
The history: Nigel has been selling music on the Northern Beaches since 1973. His first business was Narrabeen Record Bar, which he sold in 1982. In 1976 we purchased Sandy’s Music at 870 Pittwater Road, Dee Why, and we are still here today. It has always been a family business.
What’s playing in store right now? At this very moment we are playing Valerie June’s Pushin’ Against A Stone. Otherwise we are playing the new Mayer Hawthorne, triple j’s 40 Years Of Music, Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue or anything the customers request.
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? We will be open at 8am and have RSD releases for the customers.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? Music!
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? Is there one? I thought it disappeared with the pokies!
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? Vinyl of all genres.
Where: 116A Queen St, St Marys
The team: A husband-and-wife team of Steven and me (Cherrie).
The history: This store has been here for 45 years. We have owned it for 16 years from when CDs and DVDs were all the rage, through until now with the resurgence of vinyl. Everything old is new again, as they say. We pride ourselves on our customer service. We have worked hard to ensure we have something for everyone. From live performances in store (advertised through our St Marys Sound Centre Facebook page), CDs, DVDs and vinyl through to music memorabilia. We also sell items online via our website, smscountry.com.au.
What’s playing in store right now? I am rotating between Nickelback’s Dark Horse and Carrie Underwood’s Storyteller, depending on what I’m working on in the shop.
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? At 11am, William Crighton will be in store performing and signing copies of his new CD. At 12pm, Kaylens Rain will be in store performing and signing copies of their new CD. We’re also doing 50 per cent off second-hand vinyl. Buy any blues or jazz album and receive a free Eric Bibb T-shirt, and buy any classical CD/DVD to get a free promotional classical DVD.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? Pat Drummond’s deleted vinyl Skool Daze.
What’s the one record you argue over most? All David Bowie albums. Steven and the family love Bowie while I like only a few of his songs.
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? The variation of music types playing. You can go see blues, country, rock, pop, hip hop et cetera throughout the city. But I would love to see more live music brought back to the pubs and clubs, as this is where the artists’ talents grow. If you can survive the Australian pub scene you can survive anywhere.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? Charlie Puth – Nine Track Mind. Ray Hadley – Those Were The Days. Jason Aldean – Old Boots, New Dirt. It depends on the genre. We stock all music types, from hip hop and R&B to metal and country.
Where: 31A Parramatta Rd, Annandale
The team: Well, there’s me (Phil), my wife Michelle, Tom (ex-Good Groove owner back in the day) and Dom (does all our digital stuff).
The history: I bought the shop 11 years ago, we’re still here – amazing.
What’s playing in store right now? Creedence Clearwater Revival – Cosmo’s Factory
How are you celebrating Record Store Day on April 16? By releasing our first LP, Reloaded – ten unsigned Sydney bands doing The Velvet Underground’s Loaded LP. We will also be putting out ten crates of US vinyl bought on our most recent record buying trip. There will be a few other things but you will have to be in store to find out.
What’s the best discovery you’ve ever made while digging through record crates? Kind Of Blue mono original – been looking for that one for years.
What’s the one record you argue over most? Led Zeppelin I. It gets five stars in most reviews, I’m still to be convinced.
What is it you dig about the Sydney music scene? It’s trying to reignite but certain regulations are making it harder than it should be.
What’s selling like hotcakes at the moment? Aussie bands from the late ’70s to the late ’80s.
[Main image: Freeimages.com:eurok]
