It’s gotten more rare that I stop by my local indie record store, Pure Pop. Makes me feel kinda bad.

It’s part laziness, part the fact that I already have too much music as it is. And eMusic/iTunes pretty much fills in a lot of blanks. Convenience kills!

But I’m actually psyched to check out Aquarius Records in San Francisco. Brooke and I will be in California at the end of June, and AQ is definitely gonna be one of our stops.

One of my favorite things to do every other week is to spend Saturday morning going through their new release list and listening to samples. I’ve found a lot of music that way, even when I was working at the Pop.

The AQ kids (well, they’re mostly my age) are almost like rock stars to me. I’ll tremble in the presence of Black Metal Andee, I’m sure.

Sucks that I’m probably going to be kind of broke, or else I’d buy a bunch of stuff. Maybe it’s better that way.

Casey Rea was the Seven Days music editor from 2004 until 2007. He won the 2005 John D. Donoghue award for arts criticism from the Vermont Press Association.

14 replies on “Record stores.”

  1. i buy way more stuff at AQ online then i ever do visiting the store. and even when i lived there i’d just go to get stuff i’d heard about online. the store is kinda small and way better with sound samples – i don’t really miss it that much, sad to say. what i do miss are huge piles of used records. ben h.

  3. You don’t go to Pure Pop anymore? You are a butt. No wonder they put those humiliating drawings of you all over the store. My favorite is the one of you with an elderly woman and a roll of quarters.

  4. uh its about the same size. they just don’t have much in terms of a used section. although it is cool to see the reviews hand written on cds, i wouldn’t worry about having a mess a skrilla on hand.if your going to sf you should check this place out, its kinda hokey but its antiquarian value remains completley unmatched: http://www.audium.org/

  5. I DO still go to Pure Pop, rumpus! Just not as often.Ben: That place looks neat. They should totally play Dark Side of the Moon!

  8. you should go to amoeba too while you are in SF.ben might tell you otherwise. i always find good stuff there. like every nonesuch explorer LP for like $2-3 each

  10. You should also visit Purepop in San Fran, cause it’s in San fran so it’s cooler. psh.:P

  12. Casey…AQ is like totally down the street from my house. Right next to one of the best Vegan restaurants in town…since you won’t have the dough, I suppose I could treat you to dinner and a record…You also have to check out Amoeba…just for the pure size and scope of the fucking place. Plus, lots and lots of used stuff…

  13. Yeah, man I can’t wait! But I dunno if I’ll be THAT broke. Buy me a muffin, or sumpthin.We shall eat the Vegan! Man, I’m still freaked out by flying. even though had more flights this year than in my life….

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