Then snipe with my highest bid with 6[/b] seconds left.
Nah, when I really dig I just get my tape player, some tapes, throw on the headphones and get my scooter. Catch the bus to the spots and just dig. There are ways of really digging on eBay but they are time consuming for certain things but very well worth it.
I don't have a ritual technique, but it's how I do things.
When I go into somewhere new, I'll take it in, and see where I need to go. I always look for rock, soul/R&B, jazz, children's, and world music. I will go through all of that first, because the dollar/cheapy bins, no one is going to do too much damage for the time being.
Looking at records long enough, I can already go through records fairly fast and know what label it's on. Always go one by one, and if it catches my eye, I'll pull it out and put it on top. I will generally take my time with jazz, because while I love jazz, I don't know all of the session musicians or who played with whom (or on whom) so it's always worth it to take time. Or if I like a certain producer, I'll want to hear how he did things.
With world music, I've never been lucky in finding any Indian albums, most likely because everyone else has tapped into it.
I have a thing for the crappy records. If it has a reputation for being crappy, I want to know why. I may laugh at it, and like it for its crappy qualities, and I will sometimes buy it and play it. Sometimes I've used it for my songs, other times I just like accumulating it for a rainy day. Or I'll surprise myself and go for something completely unknown.
While doing all of that, I'm always looking for "the goods", whether it's stuff I want to have in my collection or things that may have good resale value. I look for things that might have good beats and samples too, but I'll take it home and get into the record. I want to listen and absorb. Samples and chopping come later.
EDIT[/b]: After reading that over, I guess that is my ritual technique. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I find the refuse pile of the digger before me. Or I ask the clerk what kind of breakz hes got behind the counter. If none of those work, I skim through the new arrivals and buy the three most expensive things.
On the rills for me, no lists or tehcnique, just make sure I get out there at least three times a week.
What about the "i'm not sure about this one. I'll hide it in the wrong bin and make my mind up for my next visit" move?
Record stores owners: feel free to hate, I only do that here in Argentina
This is why I always check the last records in the Original Cast section.
at a santa cruz spot my friends and I used to stash shit in a secret spot (below the bins, in between a surplus of live moby grape records) for each other when we came across something that we already had. eventually there was a sign put up about the bin that said "GOOD PLACE TO HIDE YOUR RECORDS...IF YOU WANT TO GET BANNED."
i look thru all sections, the best psych is sometimes under country, electronic stuff is mixed with classical, found garage in with polka & spiritual jazz under world
i look thru all sections, the best psych is sometimes under country, electronic stuff is mixed with classical, found garage in with polka & spiritual jazz under world
A-Z section- start at the z's and work down- people are lazy and never finish looking and people hide stuff
Bring hot chick to distract other record nerd while you dig. have her spark up conversation with other record nerd to find out what they're looking for. dudes are more open to talking to a woman than another record dork.
Start on furthest corner from entrance- people are lazy and never finish looking.
start on opposite section of records if dude is where you really wanna be.
make a decoy stack and hushed "yes"-es so dude thinks you're pulling heat and moves from the section you really wanna check out
if dude is in middle section start at beginning and dig fast to where he becomes unsettled and makes errors by digging fast. pass him to dig in the next bin and watch him get annoyed.
Bottom bins... do sporadic check through each one and guage it it's really worth it to kneel down and dig from the end up to the one closest to the entrance. If you have time go ahead and look through em all.
dress down..don't wear your nice watch or gear. you'll get profiled as a mark who will buy at a high price
respect the store clerk when you enter and leave even if he's a dick. mess with his mind by smiling and being cheerful...he will be cool or even more miserable after you leave. either way, you win.
check both sides of the record for condition.
put leo sayers up front to let others know SPECIAL FRIENDS CLUB WAS HERE!
have wet naps or hand sanitizer in car to cleanse hands after dig
dress down..don't wear your nice watch or gear. you'll get profiled as a mark who will buy at a high price
I'm not into the bling or anything, but a tip: if you're mistaken for Poison Idea's Pig Champion, grin and bear it, then buy what you want, walk out of the store, and curse those mufalakas.
put leo sayers up front to let others know SPECIAL FRIENDS CLUB WAS HERE!
I've done something similar. I'll leave the little dudes records (Lee Michales, Deodato, Procol Harum) or anything a poptart would believe is "funky" all together in a stack in the front.
Go through every record in the place. If you examine anything for more than 20 seconds, BUY IT. Fuck a listening station. Put your shit in a pile, bring it up to the counter, and buy it. Make a judgement call on the clerk and perhaps request a discount. Hard cash payments will sometimes deter tax. Sort the biz later in the comfort of your own home. Remember that the record that you think sucks tonight will possibly bring magic a year from now. Things that don't eventually bring magic can easily be sold later for the price you paid or more. Relax knowing that you live for this crap.
Otherwise it's just shopping. This is what keeps it interesting for me and most of the above counts double if you are at a flea/swap. Don't treat the vendor as your adversary, buy in bulk, and buy shit that just looks bizarre as well as what you think you know. Before you know it, they got "a lotta records" in a lockup somewhere.
Bring hot chick to distract other record nerd while you dig. have her spark up conversation with other record nerd to find out what they're looking for. dudes are more open to talking to a woman than another record dork.
You should write for Vince McMahon - this sounds like a scenario from Monday Night RAW[/b].
Bring hot chick to distract other record nerd while you dig. have her spark up conversation with other record nerd to find out what they're looking for. dudes are more open to talking to a woman than another record dork.
You should write for Vince McMahon - this sounds like a scenario from Monday Night RAW[/b].
This is my digging spot brother!!!!!!!! You wouldn't know Leo Sayer from French rare!!!!!!! Go back to your little shopping cart you live in and listen to your Mickey Mouse plastic portable!!!! There is no room for psudo hipster little boys like you. This is the big diggers house and I'm the top dog!!!!!!!!!!
One day I'll spot a STARK REALITY copy in the children records section.javascript:void(0) I found hotness in wrong sections so many times that I look thru everything. Even the classical stuff had niceness squeezed in. Some prolly exaggerate the hiding game.
Say hi to my favorite "old,bitter,jaded ultimate psych collector" record store clerk.
Dig through half of the new arrivals,become a little sour 'cause I haven't found any prog or private press free jazz;at which point I take a short break to chat with "the ultimate psych collector"
Usually at this point,while I'm babbling away at the counter I'll watch someone pay for two underpriced Christian Vander records...
Resume digging,sleep on all soul and funk raers.
Leave store frustrated and hungry with no records
Get home still feeling grumpy only to realize I have nothing to smoke.
Say hi to my favorite "old,bitter,jaded ultimate psych collector" record store clerk.
Dig through half of the new arrivals,become a little sour 'cause I haven't found any prog or private press free jazz;at which point I take a short break to chat with "the ultimate psych collector"
Usually at this point,while I'm babbling away at the counter I'll watch someone pay for two underpriced Christian Vander records...
Resume digging,sleep on all soul and funk raers.
Leave store frustrated and hungry with no records
Get home still feeling grumpy only to realize I have nothing to smoke.
I found hotness in wrong sections so many times that I look thru everything.
I have too, but that was mainly because the record store clerks didn't know what the hell it was. Once I saw a Love album that was filed in the soul section (and this was before their 90's resurgence).
I found hotness in wrong sections so many times that I look thru everything.
I have too, but that was mainly because the record store clerks didn't know what the hell it was. Once I saw a Love album that was filed in the soul section (and this was before their 90's resurgence).
Well, duh, it has a "black guy" on the cover...
reminds me of my days working in record shops, how the owner would put Eminem & the Beastie Boys in the "pop/rock" section...I'd be like: "so...'Pop' means 'white' or what? Can we put Outkast in Pop too?" "oh, no, they're hip-hop!"
I found hotness in wrong sections so many times that I look thru everything.
I have too, but that was mainly because the record store clerks didn't know what the hell it was. Once I saw a Love album that was filed in the soul section (and this was before their 90's resurgence).
Well, duh, it has a "black guy" on the cover...
reminds me of my days working in record shops, how the owner would put Eminem & the Beastie Boys in the "pop/rock" section...I'd be like: "so...'Pop' means 'white' or what? Can we put Outkast in Pop too?" "oh, no, they're hip-hop!"
again, I say
Right! Anyone can miss file a record, no clerk knows every artists.
But when I see Nat Cole, Chubby Checkers, Chuck Berry, Harry Belafonte and the Bus Boys in the soul section it just burns me. Makes sense those same assholes would put Beasties, Eminem, Righteous Brothers and Wild Cherry in pop.
I found hotness in wrong sections so many times that I look thru everything.
I have too, but that was mainly because the record store clerks didn't know what the hell it was. Once I saw a Love album that was filed in the soul section (and this was before their 90's resurgence).
Well, duh, it has a "black guy" on the cover...
Ha, ha! I knew that, I just decided not to state the obvious. (And it was actually two black dudes - out of seven - on that cover, but I still see your point!) Even so, since this was a store whose bread & butter is alt-rock, you'd think they would have known the godfathers (and godmothers) of the genre, but not in this case...
reminds me of my days working in record shops, how the owner would put Eminem & the Beastie Boys in the "pop/rock" section...I'd be like:
"so...'Pop' means 'white' or what? Can we put Outkast in Pop too?"
"oh, no, they're hip-hop!"
In my used record store days, I once caught heat for filing an album by Pete Wingfield (white guy) in the soul section. He asked me why, and I'm like: "whaddaya mean 'why?' You're old enough to remember 'Eighteen With A Bullet,' aren't ya?"
Right! Anyone can miss file a record, no clerk knows every artists.
But when I see Nat Cole, Chubby Checkers, Chuck Berry, Harry Belafonte and the Bus Boys in the soul section it just burns me.
Right now Dusty Grooves has an O.B. McClinton album in the soul section. He was a black dude who recorded for a Stax subsidiary, but he was a straight-ahead country singer. For some reason, DG is trying to falsely hype him as a Ray Charles-ish country-soul guy, but this may be the only way that store could sell it to their customers - I mean, Dusty Grooves isn't the first place you'd turn to for classic country...
In my used record store days, I once caught heat for filing an album by Pete Wingfield (white guy) in the soul section. He asked me why, and I'm like: "whaddaya mean 'why?' You're old enough to remember 'Eighteen With A Bullet,' aren't ya?"
Noteables
don't be too busy to say hello to any old people digging there too
some old dudes ive said hello to will start chatting, and respect your lil dude appearance mixed with ancient wisdom, and hand you some nice raers beacause they are cool like that...
request a discount
works every time...80 dollars worth of records for 45, yes please...helps to get familiar with the clerk at your usual spots
Comments
Put the money you make from selling your rackords into a seperate account (paypal works well)
after you accumulate $300 dollars. Let the money you saved work for you by using it to buy new rackords
rinse & repeat
Nah, when I really dig I just get my tape player, some tapes, throw on the headphones and get my scooter. Catch the bus to the spots and just dig. There are ways of really digging on eBay but they are time consuming for certain things but very well worth it.
When I go into somewhere new, I'll take it in, and see where I need to go. I always look for rock, soul/R&B, jazz, children's, and world music. I will go through all of that first, because the dollar/cheapy bins, no one is going to do too much damage for the time being.
Looking at records long enough, I can already go through records fairly fast and know what label it's on. Always go one by one, and if it catches my eye, I'll pull it out and put it on top. I will generally take my time with jazz, because while I love jazz, I don't know all of the session musicians or who played with whom (or on whom) so it's always worth it to take time. Or if I like a certain producer, I'll want to hear how he did things.
With world music, I've never been lucky in finding any Indian albums, most likely because everyone else has tapped into it.
I have a thing for the crappy records. If it has a reputation for being crappy, I want to know why. I may laugh at it, and like it for its crappy qualities, and I will sometimes buy it and play it. Sometimes I've used it for my songs, other times I just like accumulating it for a rainy day. Or I'll surprise myself and go for something completely unknown.
While doing all of that, I'm always looking for "the goods", whether it's stuff I want to have in my collection or things that may have good resale value. I look for things that might have good beats and samples too, but I'll take it home and get into the record. I want to listen and absorb. Samples and chopping come later.
EDIT[/b]: After reading that over, I guess that is my ritual technique. Lather, rinse, repeat.
On the rills for me, no lists or tehcnique, just make sure I get out there at least three times a week.
at a santa cruz spot my friends and I used to stash shit in a secret spot (below the bins, in between a surplus of live moby grape records) for each other when we came across something that we already had. eventually there was a sign put up about the bin that said "GOOD PLACE TO HIDE YOUR RECORDS...IF YOU WANT TO GET BANNED."
the best psych is sometimes under country,
electronic stuff is mixed with classical,
found garage in with polka & spiritual jazz under world
new age in electronic and vice versa
Bring hot chick to distract other record nerd while you dig. have her spark up conversation with other record nerd to find out what they're looking for. dudes are more open to talking to a woman than another record dork.
Start on furthest corner from entrance- people are lazy and never finish looking.
start on opposite section of records if dude is where you really wanna be.
make a decoy stack and hushed "yes"-es so dude thinks you're pulling heat and moves from the section you really wanna check out
if dude is in middle section start at beginning and dig fast to where he becomes unsettled and makes errors by digging fast. pass him to dig in the next bin and watch him get annoyed.
Bottom bins... do sporadic check through each one and guage it it's really worth it to kneel down and dig from the end up to the one closest to the entrance. If you have time go ahead and look through em all.
dress down..don't wear your nice watch or gear. you'll get profiled as a mark who will buy at a high price
respect the store clerk when you enter and leave even if he's a dick. mess with his mind by smiling and being cheerful...he will be cool or even more miserable after you leave. either way, you win.
check both sides of the record for condition.
put leo sayers up front to let others know SPECIAL FRIENDS CLUB WAS HERE!
have wet naps or hand sanitizer in car to cleanse hands after dig
RINSE AND REPEAT!
I'm not into the bling or anything, but a tip: if you're mistaken for Poison Idea's Pig Champion, grin and bear it, then buy what you want, walk out of the store, and curse those mufalakas.
I've done something similar. I'll leave the little dudes records (Lee Michales, Deodato, Procol Harum) or anything a poptart would believe is "funky" all together in a stack in the front.
.......be vinyl my friend.
You should write for Vince McMahon - this sounds like a scenario from Monday Night RAW[/b].
This is my digging spot brother!!!!!!!! You wouldn't know Leo Sayer from French rare!!!!!!! Go back to your little shopping cart you live in and listen to your Mickey Mouse plastic portable!!!! There is no room for psudo hipster little boys like you. This is the big diggers house and I'm the top dog!!!!!!!!!!
(to be screamed like Macho Man Randy Savage)
I found hotness in wrong sections so many times that I look thru everything.
Even the classical stuff had niceness squeezed in.
Some prolly exaggerate the hiding game.
Take a train into town,walk 6 blocks to the spot.
Say hi to my favorite "old,bitter,jaded ultimate psych collector" record store clerk.
Dig through half of the new arrivals,become a little sour 'cause I haven't found any prog or private press free jazz;at which point I take a short break to chat with "the ultimate psych collector"
Usually at this point,while I'm babbling away at the counter I'll watch someone pay for two underpriced Christian Vander records...
Resume digging,sleep on all soul and funk raers.
Leave store frustrated and hungry with no records
Get home still feeling grumpy only to realize I have nothing to smoke.
I've got this shit down to a science.
Real Talk. Take that shit to recordraptor.co.uk
?????????????????????
I have too, but that was mainly because the record store clerks didn't know what the hell it was. Once I saw a Love album that was filed in the soul section (and this was before their 90's resurgence).
Well, duh, it has a "black guy" on the cover...
reminds me of my days working in record shops, how the owner would put Eminem & the Beastie Boys in the "pop/rock" section...I'd be like:
"so...'Pop' means 'white' or what? Can we put Outkast in Pop too?"
"oh, no, they're hip-hop!"
again, I say
I mean, it's Chick Corea man, never heard of him?
Right! Anyone can miss file a record, no clerk knows every artists.
But when I see Nat Cole, Chubby Checkers, Chuck Berry, Harry Belafonte and the Bus Boys in the soul section it just burns me. Makes sense those same assholes would put Beasties, Eminem, Righteous Brothers and Wild Cherry in pop.
Ha, ha! I knew that, I just decided not to state the obvious. (And it was actually two black dudes - out of seven - on that cover, but I still see your point!) Even so, since this was a store whose bread & butter is alt-rock, you'd think they would have known the godfathers (and godmothers) of the genre, but not in this case...
In my used record store days, I once caught heat for filing an album by Pete Wingfield (white guy) in the soul section. He asked me why, and I'm like: "whaddaya mean 'why?' You're old enough to remember 'Eighteen With A Bullet,' aren't ya?"
Right now Dusty Grooves has an O.B. McClinton album in the soul section. He was a black dude who recorded for a Stax subsidiary, but he was a straight-ahead country singer. For some reason, DG is trying to falsely hype him as a Ray Charles-ish country-soul guy, but this may be the only way that store could sell it to their customers - I mean, Dusty Grooves isn't the first place you'd turn to for classic country...
Noteables
some old dudes ive said hello to will start chatting, and respect your lil dude appearance mixed with ancient wisdom, and hand you some nice raers beacause they are cool like that...
works every time...80 dollars worth of records for 45, yes please...helps to get familiar with the clerk at your usual spots