I remember during my stay in Wa. State, I really wanted to take a flight/train down to SF and visit Groove Merchant. I found out about the shop in 2000 after reading an article about GM in The Fader. I never made it to GM, so I'm definitely trying to hit it up sometime next year.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
And at least Groove Merchant is in the MoeLower Haight[/b].
But I'd rather my funk source be able to cook up a batch a succulent ribs, or know where we can drag-net some shrimp for a replenishment of live bait, or know where we can successfully hunt for some magic mushrooms, or know which house the girl down the road lives in....
And you know Cool Chris well enough to be able to state that he can do none of these things?
No one's knocking Cool Chris.
Please try to get past the petty I-earn-stripes-protecting-my-buddy shit and move on to the greater ideals at work here.
And where does the Moe officially end? 2 doors down from GM? I'd rather grant the benefit of the doubt on that one.
And at least Groove Merchant is in the MoeLower Haight[/b].
But I'd rather my funk source be able to cook up a batch a succulent ribs, or know where we can drag-net some shrimp for a replenishment of live bait, or know where we can successfully hunt for some magic mushrooms, or know which house the girl down the road lives in....
And you know Cool Chris well enough to be able to state that he can do none of these things?
No one's knocking Cool Chris.
Please try to get past the petty I-earn-stripes-protecting-my-buddy shit and move on to the greater ideals at work here.
Yes, Ross, please step up to the I-earn-stripes-searching-for-schrooms level or the I-earn-stripes-hollering-at-the-girl-down-the-road level.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
One question, though. Isn't the following more of a frat guy type of activity than the pastime of an authentic funk source?
successfully hunt for some magic mushrooms
In your part of the world, I suppose.
I guess I can't expect everyone to see a difference between a Dr. John and a Justin Timberlake.
One one hand, nice piece on a great record store. On another, when answering the timeless question - where do you get your funk from? Groove Merchant is far from the most righteous response.
Where should we be getting our funk from, oh righteous one?
All better answers:
at a barbeque at a fish fry at a crawfish boil at church at a parade in a pirough from the spattered blood of an interrupted mosquito bite from a perfect cast on a basketball court from a sexual partner from a dirty diaper from doing manual labor etc.
Oh jeez--people like you are the reason why the word "funk" has acquired an embarassing connotation.
Invest yourself or fall back.
Not your money and your trainspotting skills...but your life.
Damned straight that plunging lung-deep into some old dusty warehouse is an exercise de funk.
Even garage sales cut the mustard.
But to me, there is something lacking de funk from being able to stop into a Groove Merchant and as long as you've got the dough you can indulge yourself practically devoid of any earthy funk experience.
I wouldn't even say that a Cool Chris is to blame for such a predicament. He's obviously doing a great job of digging for others.
And at least Groove Merchant is in the Moe.
But I'd rather my funk source be able to cook up a batch a succulent ribs, or know where we can drag-net some shrimp for a replenishment of live bait, or know where we can successfully hunt for some magic mushrooms, or know which house the girl down the road lives in...than be able to sell me records at Northern Soul prices.
No class. O Dub writes a nice little ode to a shop that he liked & gives props to nice folks and this is what you can come up with? How cheap and petty.
Harvey, What number is your table ar the ARC?? I expect to find some dollar bin raers since you would never pander to the "as long as you've got the dough you can indulge yourself practically devoid of any earthy funk experience.[/b] " crowd. What's the most expensive record at your booth....$3.00....maybe $4.00
Very cool, I'm looking forward to scoring big!!
There is a big difference between the Lower Haight and just plain ol' Hate
Once he figures out what kind of records you're into, Cool Chris is a freakin' master at letting you flip through the racks for a bit, then slyly throwing on some record he knows you'll go apeshit over so that you are powerless to resist and must buy it. Damn you, Cool Chris, for taking paycheck after paycheck from me with your fantastic records!
Of course, big ups must be given to Josh & Vinnie as well--always holdin' it down real proper-like.
No class. O Dub writes a nice little ode to a shop that he liked & gives props to nice folks and this is what you can come up with? How cheap and petty.
Seriously. Chris has always been more than fair with me, and get this, I've never even met the guy in person.
How about if groove merchant made you crawl through a pit of BBQ sauce while throwing shrip and chitlins at you, then at the end you had 10 seconds to use a pricing gun to tag as many records with $1 stickers as possible?
Would that be authentic fonnnnkaaaayyy experience enough?
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
I'll just pop in to add that Chris, Josh and Vinnie, collectively, know way too much about records and music, yet are all incredibly personable and not-at-all pricks about it. I wish the same could be said of people with a tenth of their knowledge.
I've never gotten that "Oh, you don't know about this?" attitude at GM, ever (and there are endless records about which I know nothing).
Lil' story: Last year, I mentioned to Chris that I was looking for a copy of "People Hold On" [SOUL STRUT FACTOR]. Three days later, I get a voice mail from him saying that he snagged a copy for me (at the nicest of prices) and that it'd be at the store with my name on it.
He also broke down the Gin & Super Socco science for me.
I've only ever visited GM the one time, when I was in SF a couple of Decembers ago. I dunno if Chris was the guy who served me that day, but I do remember being hugely relieved that whoever was behind the counter didn't make me feel like a dick for being unable to remember either the title of James Brown's "Shhh (For A Little While)" or the album it's on, and very courteously humoured me during my vain and fruitless efforts to describe it (which fell short of attempting to sing the damn thing). I also managed to pick up a few pieces I'd been after for a long, long time at very reasonable prices, including "People Hold On", as well as a Sergio Mendes joint that only a half-hour earlier had been described by a member of staff at a nearby spot as "a $40 record which doesn't turn up that often", and which I copped at GM for less than twenty bucks.
How about if groove merchant made you crawl through a pit of BBQ sauce while throwing shrip and chitlins at you, then at the end you had 10 seconds to use a pricing gun to tag as many records with $1 stickers as possible?
Seriously... way to hijack this appreciative thread and make it about your "realness" Harvey. Sweet.
Cosign on all that's been said... great place. Makes me miss living in the city for my Saturday morning routine trip to the store, although I don't live that far away now so there's really no excuse.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
No class. O Dub writes a nice little ode to a shop that he liked & gives props to nice folks and this is what you can come up with? How cheap and petty.
Why are y'all so damned senitive all the time? Yes, the given is that it's a feel-good article. You think it and I think it as well.
But I also see it as a good chance to talk about disconnectedness and how some think that they can simply buy their way into anything.
Sorry to bring my spanking paddle to the circle jerk.
And yeah, GM is the bees knees. Chris (and Josh & Vin) are the dudes and it's a fantastic record store. Last time I was in there a few weeks ago I ended up spending a good amount on records that I never even saw before, all choice.
No class. O Dub writes a nice little ode to a shop that he liked & gives props to nice folks and this is what you can come up with? How cheap and petty.
Why are y'all so damned senitive all the time? Yes, the given is that it's a feel-good article. You think it and I think it as well.
But I also see it as a good chance to talk about disconnectedness and how some think that they can simply buy their way into anything.
Sorry to bring my spanking paddle to the circle jerk.
Please try to get past the petty I-earn-stripes-protecting-my-buddy shit and move on to the greater ideals at work here.
here is a greater ideal, why don't you man up & intro yourself to strutters at the arc show this fall lurking around undercover & then jumping in with "dude wasn't smiling when i was flipping thru his crates" weak sauce
we all want to learn from you where the funks @
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
How about if groove merchant made you crawl through a pit of BBQ sauce while throwing shrip and chitlins at you, then at the end you had 10 seconds to use a pricing gun to tag as many records with $1 stickers as possible?
Would that be authentic fonnnnkaaaayyy experience enough?
See, now that is funny.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Please try to get past the petty I-earn-stripes-protecting-my-buddy shit and move on to the greater ideals at work here.
here is a greater ideal, why don't you man up & intro yourself to strutters at the arc show this fall lurking around undercover & then jumping in with "dude wasn't smiling when i was flipping thru his crates" weak sauce
we all want to learn from you where the funks @
I hang out with "strutters" at every ARC.
I'm just not trying to hook up with the hotel contingent.
Plus how the fuck do I know who is a "strutter" or not?
I didn't know Dave was a "strutter" when I bought records from his table. It was only when I saw his photo posted on here after the fact that it occured to me.
And while you're still thinking you're fighting a fellow strutter's battle, Dave and I have since met several times and are completely cool with each other.
I have also known Oliver for a long time and while I'm sure he's not grinning from ear to ear about what I have posted here, I doubt he's trying to pick a fight with me at the next record convention either.
One one hand, nice piece on a great record store. On another, when answering the timeless question - where do you get your funk from? Groove Merchant is far from the most righteous response.
Where should we be getting our funk from, oh righteous one?
All better answers:
at a barbeque at a fish fry at a crawfish boil at church at a parade in a pirough from the spattered blood of an interrupted mosquito bite from a perfect cast on a basketball court from a sexual partner from a dirty diaper from doing manual labor etc.
Oh jeez--people like you are the reason why the word "funk" has acquired an embarassing connotation.
Invest yourself or fall back.
Not your money and your trainspotting skills...but your life.
Damned straight that plunging lung-deep into some old dusty warehouse is an exercise de funk.
Even garage sales cut the mustard.
But to me, there is something lacking de funk from being able to stop into a Groove Merchant and as long as you've got the dough you can indulge yourself practically devoid of any earthy funk experience.
I wouldn't even say that a Cool Chris is to blame for such a predicament. He's obviously doing a great job of digging for others.
And at least Groove Merchant is in the Moe.
But I'd rather my funk source be able to cook up a batch a succulent ribs, or know where we can drag-net some shrimp for a replenishment of live bait, or know where we can successfully hunt for some magic mushrooms, or know which house the girl down the road lives in...than be able to sell me records at Northern Soul prices.
where does whining about petty shit on the internet fall into this?
i didn't want to respond to that sidebusting ass comment above because I thought it would detract from the point of the post.
Then I went away from the computer for a little while.
This sucks. Robert's not a source of authenticity on anything, whether it's the funk, the Merchant, or the 'Mo. Everyone should hit ignore and stop turning this well-intentioned thread into yet another episode of The Archaic Show. Embarassing, to say the least
i didn't want to respond to that sidebusting ass comment above because I thought it would detract from the point of the post.
Then I went away from the computer for a little while.
This sucks. Robert's not a source of authenticity on anything, whether it's the funk, the Merchant, or the 'Mo. Everyone should hit ignore and stop turning this well-intentioned thread into yet another episode of The Archaic Show. Embarassing, to say the least
nice article. i like GM and dude has mad records. he could step up his jamaican music game... you would be hard pressed to walk out of there with any rocksteady, ska (caltone, amalgamated, coxsone) or anything else jamaican for that matter. great store for the funk, jazz, hip hop digger though.
nice article. i like GM and dude has mad records. he could step up his jamaican music game... you would be hard pressed to walk out of there with any rocksteady, ska (caltone, amalgamated, coxsone) or anything else jamaican for that matter. great store for the funk, jazz, hip hop digger though.
Curious...Is the bay area just not that great a spot for jamaican music? i've seen jinx post on here that he's not interested in reggae finds posts, b/c he just never sees it out there.
RossHogg just snakes 'em all and leaves nothing for anybody else!
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Y'all are such friggin babies.
It ain't even about me. That's just how y'all see it because I don't walk lockstep the soulstrut-way every second of my life.
Oliver did a fluff piece on GM...which is great for all involved.
But even apart from funk considerations, I just find it queer to see someone going so gagga over a retail store. And that's coming from someone who frequents record stores every chance he gets. So while I certainly see the purpose and openly applaud such an article from Oliver...I also see underlying issues that might be worth discussion.
See, I also write articles for newspapers and magazines...and I think it's lame when feedback only comes in the form of "props, dude, way to go". I welcome it when people see things in a piece that I possibly didn't intend to put across, especially when they are negative...for that's what the writing should be about...not just a promo for some commercial endeavor, or a singular statement that warrants no further creative thinking or analysis...an article should always spark discussion (on top of encouraging people to actually visit GM...which I have already done many, many times).
Again, I doubt that Oliver is really bothered by my responses. But here y'all are, his non-appointed army, acting as if not a damned thing but an ass-kiss could ever be attached to the work of a soulstrut beloved son.
If you want to accept it or not, it is ironic to have people who seemingly ain't about the funk one iota in their regular lives (if soulstrut ain't conservative in its thinking, then I don't know what is), who put so much energy into acquiring relics of the funk lifestyle.
And of course I'm indicting myself with such a statement as well as any of y'all. There's definitely different degrees of this behavior. And I've never claimed to be more authentic than anyone here. I'm just apparently drawing a picture which y'all only seem to be able to handle with a bunch of avoidance and false bravado.
I know that as privileged American consumers feeding off of a culture practically diametrically opposed to your own that y'all very badly want to feel like you are beyond reproach, but that's just not the reality of the situation.
So rather than getting all huffy about it, try to loosen up and laugh at yourselves a little more. Because all of this defensive crap makes y'all look even more guilty.
nice article. i like GM and dude has mad records. he could step up his jamaican music game... you would be hard pressed to walk out of there with any rocksteady, ska (caltone, amalgamated, coxsone) or anything else jamaican for that matter. great store for the funk, jazz, hip hop digger though.
Curious...Is the bay area just not that great a spot for jamaican music? i've seen jinx post on here that he's not interested in reggae finds posts, b/c he just never sees it out there.
i dont know who rosshog or jinx are but i have a few people up there that i deal with and they come thru like a motherfucker, yeah jamaican music in general may be heard to come accross in the bay area or even in the u.s but there is the one store out in the outer mission that i won't drop the name of, dont wanna take away from the shine that GM is getting in this thread. there are good 7" up there you just got to have the right contacts.
he could step up his jamaican music game... you would be hard pressed to walk out of there with any rocksteady, ska (caltone, amalgamated, coxsone) or anything else jamaican for that matter.
Dude. SHUT UP!
This thread epitomizes my love/hate relationship with the strut. I picture dudes with cheeto fuzz all over their fingers furiously typing away, telling moms HOLD ON! I'll take the trash out in a second...god MOM!
Anyways, the GM is the truth and an absolute godsend to SF. The reason a LOT of cats have dope records, including myself. Theres' nothing else even remotely fuckin with it in the bay area. You can even trace a lot of classic early 90's samples and beats back to the shop. I've spent many an afternoon in there and don't ever plan on stopping my weekly routine. GM por vida!
nice article. i like GM and dude has mad records. he could step up his jamaican music game... you would be hard pressed to walk out of there with any rocksteady, ska (caltone, amalgamated, coxsone) or anything else jamaican for that matter. great store for the funk, jazz, hip hop digger though.
Curious...Is the bay area just not that great a spot for jamaican music? i've seen jinx post on here that he's not interested in reggae finds posts, b/c he just never sees it out there.
i dont know who rosshog or jinx are but i have a few people up there that i deal with and they come thru like a motherfucker, yeah jamaican music in general may be heard to come accross in the bay area or even in the u.s but there is the one store out in the outer mission that i won't drop the name of, dont wanna take away from the shine that GM is getting in this thread. there are good 7" up there you just got to have the right contacts.
I was just curious. I'm not the biggest jamaican guy (and that is an understatement) but, I find the travel patterns of records fascinating. Worth an ask...
Comments
I remember during my stay in Wa. State, I really wanted to take a flight/train down to SF and visit Groove Merchant.
I found out about the shop in 2000 after reading an article about GM in The Fader.
I never made it to GM, so I'm definitely trying to hit it up sometime next year.
No one's knocking Cool Chris.
Please try to get past the petty I-earn-stripes-protecting-my-buddy shit and move on to the greater ideals at work here.
And where does the Moe officially end? 2 doors down from GM? I'd rather grant the benefit of the doubt on that one.
Yes, Ross, please step up to the I-earn-stripes-searching-for-schrooms level or the I-earn-stripes-hollering-at-the-girl-down-the-road level.
In your part of the world, I suppose.
I guess I can't expect everyone to see a difference between a Dr. John and a Justin Timberlake.
FIVE MAGGOTS
No class. O Dub writes a nice little ode to a shop that he liked & gives props to nice folks and this is what you can come up with? How cheap and petty.
What number is your table ar the ARC?? I expect to find some dollar bin raers since you would never pander to the "as long as you've got the dough you can indulge yourself practically devoid of any earthy funk experience.[/b] " crowd. What's the most expensive record at your booth....$3.00....maybe $4.00
Very cool, I'm looking forward to scoring big!!
There is a big difference between the Lower Haight and just plain ol' Hate
Of course, big ups must be given to Josh & Vinnie as well--always holdin' it down real proper-like.
Seriously. Chris has always been more than fair with me, and get this, I've never even met the guy in person.
How about if groove merchant made you crawl through a pit of BBQ sauce while throwing shrip and chitlins at you, then at the end you had 10 seconds to use a pricing gun to tag as many records with $1 stickers as possible?
Would that be authentic fonnnnkaaaayyy experience enough?
I've only ever visited GM the one time, when I was in SF a couple of Decembers ago. I dunno if Chris was the guy who served me that day, but I do remember being hugely relieved that whoever was behind the counter didn't make me feel like a dick for being unable to remember either the title of James Brown's "Shhh (For A Little While)" or the album it's on, and very courteously humoured me during my vain and fruitless efforts to describe it (which fell short of attempting to sing the damn thing). I also managed to pick up a few pieces I'd been after for a long, long time at very reasonable prices, including "People Hold On", as well as a Sergio Mendes joint that only a half-hour earlier had been described by a member of staff at a nearby spot as "a $40 record which doesn't turn up that often", and which I copped at GM for less than twenty bucks.
Thursdays this Fall on the Game Show Network!
Cosign on all that's been said... great place. Makes me miss living in the city for my Saturday morning routine trip to the store, although I don't live that far away now so there's really no excuse.
Why are y'all so damned senitive all the time? Yes, the given is that it's a feel-good article. You think it and I think it as well.
But I also see it as a good chance to talk about disconnectedness and how some think that they can simply buy their way into anything.
Sorry to bring my spanking paddle to the circle jerk.
And yeah, GM is the bees knees. Chris (and Josh & Vin) are the dudes and it's a fantastic record store. Last time I was in there a few weeks ago I ended up spending a good amount on records that I never even saw before, all choice.
Puttin lame in the game. Start you own thread.
here is a greater ideal,
why don't you man up & intro yourself to strutters
at the arc show this fall
lurking around undercover & then jumping in with
"dude wasn't smiling when i was flipping thru his crates"
weak sauce
we all want to learn from you
where the funks @
See, now that is funny.
I hang out with "strutters" at every ARC.
I'm just not trying to hook up with the hotel contingent.
Plus how the fuck do I know who is a "strutter" or not?
I didn't know Dave was a "strutter" when I bought records from his table. It was only when I saw his photo posted on here after the fact that it occured to me.
And while you're still thinking you're fighting a fellow strutter's battle, Dave and I have since met several times and are completely cool with each other.
I have also known Oliver for a long time and while I'm sure he's not grinning from ear to ear about what I have posted here, I doubt he's trying to pick a fight with me at the next record convention either.
where does whining about petty shit on the internet fall into this?
Then I went away from the computer for a little while.
This sucks. Robert's not a source of authenticity on anything, whether it's the funk, the Merchant, or the 'Mo. Everyone should hit ignore and stop turning this well-intentioned thread into yet another episode of The Archaic Show. Embarassing, to say the least
Who is that wanker?
K.
Curious...Is the bay area just not that great a spot for jamaican music? i've seen jinx post on here that he's not interested in reggae finds posts, b/c he just never sees it out there.
It ain't even about me. That's just how y'all see it because I don't walk lockstep the soulstrut-way every second of my life.
Oliver did a fluff piece on GM...which is great for all involved.
But even apart from funk considerations, I just find it queer to see someone going so gagga over a retail store. And that's coming from someone who frequents record stores every chance he gets. So while I certainly see the purpose and openly applaud such an article from Oliver...I also see underlying issues that might be worth discussion.
See, I also write articles for newspapers and magazines...and I think it's lame when feedback only comes in the form of "props, dude, way to go". I welcome it when people see things in a piece that I possibly didn't intend to put across, especially when they are negative...for that's what the writing should be about...not just a promo for some commercial endeavor, or a singular statement that warrants no further creative thinking or analysis...an article should always spark discussion (on top of encouraging people to actually visit GM...which I have already done many, many times).
Again, I doubt that Oliver is really bothered by my responses. But here y'all are, his non-appointed army, acting as if not a damned thing but an ass-kiss could ever be attached to the work of a soulstrut beloved son.
If you want to accept it or not, it is ironic to have people who seemingly ain't about the funk one iota in their regular lives (if soulstrut ain't conservative in its thinking, then I don't know what is), who put so much energy into acquiring relics of the funk lifestyle.
And of course I'm indicting myself with such a statement as well as any of y'all. There's definitely different degrees of this behavior. And I've never claimed to be more authentic than anyone here. I'm just apparently drawing a picture which y'all only seem to be able to handle with a bunch of avoidance and false bravado.
I know that as privileged American consumers feeding off of a culture practically diametrically opposed to your own that y'all very badly want to feel like you are beyond reproach, but that's just not the reality of the situation.
So rather than getting all huffy about it, try to loosen up and laugh at yourselves a little more. Because all of this defensive crap makes y'all look even more guilty.
i dont know who rosshog or jinx are but i have a few people up there that i deal with and they come thru like a motherfucker, yeah jamaican music in general may be heard to come accross in the bay area or even in the u.s but there is the one store out in the outer mission that i won't drop the name of, dont wanna take away from the shine that GM is getting in this thread. there are good 7" up there you just got to have the right contacts.
Dude. SHUT UP!
This thread epitomizes my love/hate relationship with the strut. I picture dudes with cheeto fuzz all over their fingers furiously typing away, telling moms HOLD ON! I'll take the trash out in a second...god MOM!
Anyways, the GM is the truth and an absolute godsend to SF. The reason a LOT of cats have dope records, including myself. Theres' nothing else even remotely fuckin with it in the bay area. You can even trace a lot of classic early 90's samples and beats back to the shop. I've spent many an afternoon in there and don't ever plan on stopping my weekly routine. GM por vida!
I was just curious. I'm not the biggest jamaican guy (and that is an understatement) but, I find the travel patterns of records fascinating. Worth an ask...