Run to the Record Dump

Made my annual pilgrimage down to the south side to dig through records.  Almost 6 years since I went down there.  I just created a new tag to combine all my visits into one easy link so click away down below.  I have documented 5 trips but I can think of at least one other one where I drove and didn't post about it.  So this is #5 or 6.

Been having serious problems with anxiety lately and decided that maybe I could distract myself enough by doing an all consuming task.  And guess what - it helped.  Big time.  When I got home I was soaked from the rain, I changed my clothes and took a crazy nap, something I have not been able to do in a while.

It took me about 7 hours to get there and back and that is because the schedule on the way home just worked out.  I don't try to make a schedule on the way home because I am not going to rush my record shopping.  When I am done, and when I eat and I feel like going home, then I check the schedule.  And I only waited about 25 minutes at the station which was great.  But it is for sure a long day.  I did make a schedule on the way down there.

As usual, I kind of wandered around in there, totally overwhelmed and unsure what to get.  I came across two huge boxes of polka 7" that were clearly raided from Bel Aire.  I wrote about this on my last visit - clearly Beverly Records bought up all the remaining inventory when Bel Aire shut down.  I knew this a year ago, but I did not know about the 7".

It was pretty insane because there were a number of 7" and artists in general that I had no idea ever released anything on the label.  I photographed a bunch to add to discogs.  I never get phone reception in there, I wanted to check to see if stuff was documented already or not, but had no way to check.

I ended up with a small stack and when I got to the counter the guy gave me the usual Record Dump price treatment:

"How much were these marked for?"

"They weren't marked"

[pause]

"They are $2 each".

If you were going to just make up arbitrary prices, you just do it to begin with.  The only reason I tolerate it is because I do want to see the place remain in business.

Lorraine And The Sonatones - Making Memories / Can't Take My Eyes Off You

Glad to grab the other 7" (see below).  Still want Making Memories really bad, hope to score that one day somehow.

Paliga Polja Dots* - Oom Pah Pah Oberek / Please Come Back Polka

Paliga Polka Dots* - Polish Picnic Polka

One of the more obscure Bel Aire acts, these guys were from Hammond Indiana and backed up Richie Gomulka on a rare album I hope to find one day.

Eddy Bell And The Versatones - Twinkletoes

It is pretty crazy to think that even if this was repressed, this has to be 50 years old.  But not just that - this was either manufactured prior to Bel Aire existing, or in the very early days (notice it has the same McKinley Park address).  So this then got moved to Bridgeview many years later with the rest of the inventory, and now it sits in Beverly.  And I thought my journey today was a long one! Glad to own this.  The guy behind the counter even knew this was Eddie Blazonczyk which is even more impressive than knowing who that is, period!

Lorraine And The Sonatones - Release Me 

I also bought not one but two copies of this.  Which is especially stupid since I already own it.  I foudn this and the 'Making Memories' 7" I mentioned above.  I thought I had one but I couldn't remember which and had no cell reception to check discogs.  So I figured to hell with it, I'll just buy both.  But then in the wildness of two huge boxes of 7", I got the A and B side mixed up and thought I had two different records.  So in my mind, I found three records and I had one already at home.  So now I have two extra copies.  I'll leave one at work to listen to there, and maybe I'll gift one to someone one day.

Beverly Records SECRET GARAGE!

I don't know what people think that record collecting is all about.  Or being out and about and searching for records.  Probably seems very much 'on the surface', like just sticking my mitts in those crates is all that matters.  But the real peak experiences come when you supersede that stuff and hit into something more, and talk to people and forge relationships.

On a Sunday morning I filled my thermos with coffee and drove down to Hegewisch.  I parked on Baltimore around 134th and just relaxed.  I sat there and drank my coffee in a light rain and watched people go about their business.  A time for reflection.  As I designed my day, I figured I ought to head over to Beverly Records and have a look around.  I knew at minimum I could raid the Tom Jones and Englebert 45 bins for promos, something I've been meaning to do for a while.

I have been to Beverly Records a handful of times.  My first time was way back in '13.  I should start off by saying that I was sad to see the St. Vincent on 99th is closed.  So is the Beverly Woods resturant next door which I had always wanted to check out.  Looks like it has been about three years since my last visit!

Beverly hasn't changed really at all.  Same old record dump.  I had a nice dig.  I dug out a total of five Parrot promos, none of which I had and a few of which I had to add to discogs myself.  So that was nice. [When There's No You, The Young New Mexican Puppeteer, Till, Memories Don't Leave Like People Do, Ain't No Love].

They have things organized by some odd genres, like 'male vocals' (as soon as you walk in) and 'female vocals' (way the hell in the back).  I ventured back there as I have before, the lights were off.  I don't know where the switch is so I just dug around using my phone as a flashlight.  What do I care.

I was looking for Joni Mitchell back there and finally found it.  I found a copy of the live album I paid $20 for (or was it $25?), then again that was a promo and quite mint.  Still for $5 I'm cheap enough to have considered the option, if somehow in another dimension I have the choices side by side.  But that fantasy aside, I found what I was looking for.  There were two copies actually - I grabbed the one that was still shrinked, the original gatefold still never opened.  And yes - the vinyl and even inner sleeve look to never have seen oxygen before.  Well done.

I was back there digging and looking for polka.  I know they stash all their odd genres back here but I couldn't find it even in the dark.  Then I was truly taken aback, even more so as it was in the pitchblack and viewed with a flashlight.  This looked way too familiar, not just the rack but even the individual records.

I knew at a glance I had everything there I wanted.  But odd they had that there.  Why? I'd soon find out.

I kept figuring they would see me back there and turn the lights on.  Or at least come to see what the hell I was doing creeping around in the dark.  I eventually gave up and came to the counter to ask where the polka was.  The old timer told me that (with a laugh) that they don't get many requests for polka.  He said they were 'in the garage'.  I was probably trembling and imagining where the garage might be.  Was it nearby? Far away? How much polka was in there? What else was in there?

The other fella behind the counter said 'come with me' and I followed him outside.  He led me through the 'parking lot' (the empty lot north of the building) and towards the alley.  This was ironic because this was the first time I had ever come from that direction.  We went around back and he unlocked a padlock on the back gate and took me literally to the garage.  He unlocked it and....



The backyard was filled with spare milk crates piled up high and some other junk.  As soon as the door opened I think I gasped when I saw all that vinyl.  We both stepped inside to take a look around for the polka section but it was just inside the door!

BANG! I was deep in the game!  The selection was out of control.  It was a 'polka' section but might have been labeled 'Chicago polka' because 90% was from Chicago.

I saw so many rarities and classics that I began to lose count and my eyes swam.  I started making a pile but knew before long I'd have to return at least a couple to the shelf lest I need a milk crate to cart the stuff home.

Lorraine And The Sonatones- Chicago's Famous Polkas

I picked up a 45 from Bel Aire a while back and I love it.  I know there are two LPs and Bel Aire had one (don't remember which), glad to score this one.  And guess what else??? AUTOGRAPHED!

The Versatile Versatones* - Something New Just For You

There were numerous Versatones records and a few (including doubles!) of some of the really early stuff.  This would be their third.  I saw two copies of their fourth and I was going to grab it until I saw there was a different record inside.  Then I started to play that weird game where you track down that jacket, but there is yet ANOTHER wrong record in there.  After a short time I decided to call it quits.

The Tones (6) - 200 Years Of Polka Music

Positively love The Tones, grabbed their other two LPs at Bel Aire on separate trips.  They never had this one, in fact I've only seen this on ebay one time (they guy wanted $15).  Took me forever just to find photos and a track listing.  Delighted to finally pick this up.

Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones - Award Winning Polkas

This is a real piece of crap but I couldn't resist.  It is a 2xLP compilation that I've never seen before.  It is really low quality jacket and the records themselves inexplicably skip like crazy even though the vinyl looks ok.  It looks like they forgot to put the artist name on the jacket so they applied stickers after the jackets were already printed.  Real professional stuff!

There were a couple full aisles filled with fully stacked shelves.  Mostly classical and other useless genres.  Back to the polka - nearly every Marion Lush album were there, saw a ton of Lenny Gomulka including one I had never seen before, which I photographed for the db.  It was just balls out insane! And all through this I am left alone in this quiet, cold and amazing garage with the keys and the place to myself.  What a privilege!

I locked everything up and made my way back to the store to check out.  As I made that short trek I couldn't believe I was sitting here with a stack of vinyl and the keys to the place all on the honor system.  Again, not something I take lightly or casually.  What a feeling that was!

When I got back to the counter and had a chat with my finds with the guy who had brought me out there, he did divulge that the Bel Aire store in Bridgeview had closed on October 1st.  That really hit me hard.  First thought was that I am really glad I got in there, bought stuff, took pics, chatted with people and saw the history.  But the larger looming thought is that Bel Aire was a place that will never be replaced.  It is kind of like an old relative who has been sick for a long time.  When they pass away you aren't surprised, but you know that void will never be filled.  No one is going to open another polka record store, ever.  That was the last vestige of Eddie's legacy.  Thank god I have crates of old vinyl to really relish the times gone by.  But this explains the familiar rack in the back of the store, he bought the whole damn thing for probably $20 or something crazy.

So I got taken a bit with the price but that is to be expected.  And having just discussed the closing of Bel Aire it makes you realize that while you can buy your vinyl on the internet for super cheap, because the sellers have no overhead, keeping a giant building (and garage!) like this open - taxes, electric bill, etc. - costs some serious coin.  So I'm glad to contribute to keeping a place like this open as long as I can.  I couldn't be happier with the stash I walked out of there with and it is a memorable day I will hang onto for a long time.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

The journey down south is a long one- 8 hrs via public transportation.  But worth it.  This video chronicles my journey.  Some other artifacts are below.  Enjoy.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL, 93RD AND WESTERN

Roger Miller - Golden Hits - already had the stereo version, picked up at a flea market on a hot day - now I have the mono as well

Engelbert Humperdinck - Release Me - mono version #2.  wish i had patience as i just broke down and bought one on ebay a few weeks ago

Dan Fogelberg - Greatest Hits - been listening to dan since i was a little kid, my mom was a big fan.  between that and being native to my state, i feel like i know him.  RIP.  great, great record

if you see charles, please tell him he has good taste

walter....you should have picked up the s/t debut....though this one is worth it for 'think of laura'

BEVERLY RECORDS, 116TH AND WESTERN

Engelbert* - A Man Without Love - german version.  same tracks but slightly different cover (and different credit as he cannot be referred to by him full nom de plume back in germany.  besides the typically super cheap jacket material, both seams were totally unglued (but not ripped).  now reglued, it relaxes in its bin with its friends.

Tom Jones - A-tom-ic Jones - mono version

Tom Jones - A-Tom-ic Jones - ...and stereo version, both in mint condition!

Tom Jones - Green, Green Grass Of Home - stereo version, to go with the mono version i grabbed a while back

Anne Murray / Glen Campbell - Anne Murray / Glen Campbell - been looking everywhere for this (i do not say that with any reference to rarity).  i was unable to access my want list as cell reception in the dump is nil but had i been able to, i would have seen this right away.  so glad to finally have it in the collection, i want to hang a huge poster size version of that cover on my wall. so happy.

Ray Price - Danny Boy - came across this many times before and passed.  the ray price section was insane, at least 18" across (horizontally stored).  great cover, still in the (tattered and now discarded) original shrink

when your 45 adaptors take up a number of huge boxes, you may have a decent size collection

a relic stuck to the wall in the back of beverly records.

Return to the Record Dump aka Beverly Records

No better way to spend a Saturday than the 6 hour round trip from River Grove down to Beverly Hills.  I visited Beverly Records for the first time a couple months ago and I can honestly say that I did give them a fair shake the first time around - the place is a dump.  Having more and more records - in poor condition, disorganized/cramped to the point of creating claustrophobia (in persons not generally prone to such maladies), random pricing....yeah, it's that good.  Ever seen an episode of 'Hoarders'? You. Just.Can't. Look. Away.

But despite this I returned, for it is at times not the destination but the journey.  And it is indeed an adventure.  I made an unplanned stopover at St. Vincent thrift store just a couple miles north on the way where I came up on some excellent scores.  What would the dump have for me on this day?

My first order of business was a record I had held in my paws during my previous visit but elected not to purchase.  Part of the CTI All Stars series (the initial offering, actually), the California Concert features George Benson (I found it mistakenly in his bin) and other of Creed Taylor's soldiers of the era.   I had recently picked up the first of three 'Live at the Hollywood Bowl' albums (via mail order) and I was planning on completing the collection.  I moved to the 'Misc Jazz C' bin and immediately found all three - including the one I already had.

While in the 'George Benson' bin, I looked for another album on my want list - The Shape of Things to Come.  A continuation of my current CTI fascination, this is one of a handful of albums that uses this same cover template.  The last three Wes Montgomery albums (of which I already had two) as well as Jobim's 'Wave' also share it.  The did have a copy of 'Shape' - but there was no vinyl inside the jacket!  The whole area was a mess, there was a random stack of A-B jazz albums, largely more Benson and also Count Basie just laying across the bin, apparently because there was no longer room in the bins they belonged in. For shame.

I checked the 'Misc Jazz J' bin for 'Wave' - I did find one older Jobim album, but not the one for which I searched.  So I moved onto the area housing the Wes Montgomery albums, on the hunt for 'Down Here on the Ground' - the last of the three albums I previous mentioned which I did not already own.  I not only found it, I found a couple copies.  First the standard issue, than the gatefold, then another gatefold in EXCELLENT condition.  Waiting for the other shoe to drop, I checked the inside.  Was the vinyl even there? How badly beat up was it? It was intact - its its original A&M plastic sleeve.  A keeper for certain!

I checked for any Azymuth records - they only had one, 'Telecommunication', which I already own.  Drat!  To conclude my jazz hunt for the day (before moving onto simpler pastures), I went to the Pat Metheny bin.  I recently picked up 'Still Life (Talking)' (via mail order) and was on the hunt for 'Letter from Home' to complete the so-called "Brazilian Trilogy" that includes those two albums plus the previous 'First Circle' which I picked up at Logan Hardware a while back.

After shaking my head at coming across multiple copies of 'Still Life' (which I had ordered via the internet after being frustrated at not finding it in any of my hunts), the last album in the bin was indeed a mint copy of 'Letter from Home'.  Success!

Now I moved onto a new project.  Beverly Records brags about its extensive 45 collection.
As far as quantity, I agree, they can't be beat.

But like everything else in the store, they are roughly organized and physically laid out in a way that requires that you basically lie on the floor to dig through the 100 records or so in each bin.  Of course the quality is low - these are BEAT.  Worst of all possibly, they 'start' at $4.  I am far from a 'snob' and I am ok with beat up records as long as they play (somewhat).  But these things are beat to hell.  But in my case, I didn't care.

I have been messing around with wall hanging vinyl for a few years.  I got three big frames that will easily hold a 12" sleeve (even with the vinyl still inside) and are easy to open/close so you can swap 'em out when you get tired of looking at the same thing.  I had my Brasil '66 Pickwick reissues of 'Equinox' and 'Ye-Me-Le' recently but I've started on more permanent projects that contain a larger amount of creativity.

My Engelbert Humperdinck obsession is in full swing - the first piece I have created (with help) is a copy of the 'We Made It Happen' jukebox 45 (33 1/3rd 7" that contains 6 songs), along with the jukebox strip and custom matting made from the classic London/Parrot paper sleeves that outline upcoming and existing releases.  The frame is bigger than 12" so I used more than one and realigned the grid and its basically flawless.  

Big thanks to my far more crafty friend Jen for her help with this project (and purchasing the 45 for me as a gift!).

Not too long ago I had a Discogs seller screw up and ship me a copy of 'Release Me' inside of 'A Man Without Love' jacket (the latter being the record that I wanted).  I got a refund and the 'Release Me' was actually the mono version so I swapped that out with the existing copy already in my bin and and framed the useless vinyl and jacket, separately.  Not much to do with the jacket (besides get some blue matting, already in progress).  And then we come to my diabolical plans for the 'Release Me' LP...

I initially just centered the 12" in the frame - looked pretty cool, but a lot of dead space.  I grabbed a tape measure and saw that if I got four 7" singles I could put them in the corners and while the vinyl would overlap, the labels would not.  So I started on my hunt for four unique versions of the 'Release Me' single.  Not an especially difficult task given the millions of copies that were pressed for that classic single.  I found two quickly on Discogs for minimal loot and already had two more lined up on eBay.  But what better place to get a couple relatively common 45s when you don't care about the condition (as they will never be played)? The record dump - that's where!

Eng' filled not one but two huge 18" long boxes.  The first revealed nothing new, only many copies of the two I already had in my possession back at home.  But the second gifted me two excellent specimens! First a London reissue, likely from the mid-late 70s with an alternate B-side ('There Goes My Everything', replacing 'Ten Guitars').  But it was the second - which was in the very back of the last bin - that really made me nearly sqeeeeeeee out loud.

It was the ridiculous version of the Parrot label that has like a desert/beach/I don't know scene instead of the famous black (or tan) background with the humanoid Parrot.  But better yet - it was a double stamp mispress!

At the plant where it was manufactured two labels had been placed on it, one overlapping the other. Score! After that I sorted through to grab two of the best condition Parrot paper sleeves I could find.  All were beat up - it took some time in a heavy encyclopedia once they got home to flatten them out.  Here is the frame laid out, but not yet put together (still have to secure some colorful matting):

I was pretty satisfied with the day's finds but still could not understand why I couldn't find a section for Eng' in the 'male vocal' bins.  So I asked at the counter.  The old timer told me 'oh, those are in the back' and explained that there were simply too many LPs to put in the normal section.  My skin bristled with delight as I "excuse me"d back through the aisles to the rear of the shop.  And oh, what did I find?!

IT'S AN ENGELBERT FIRE SALE!!!!!!

At this point I am at least temporarily satisfied with my Eng collection - I have the first 6 LPs plus 'After the Lovin'.  I have a fleeting interest in his remaining three Parrot LPs but the rest of the Epic stuff (of the 'mustache years' in the following decade) pretty much turn me off.  But I had to look.

The first thing I found (the two black bars on the left) definitely interested me.  I balked at what they would dare to try and charge me for a 5-LP set so I didn't even ask but as I am pretty sure these will sit here a while, one day I may return to the dump and pick them up.

I went through the rest of the LPs and found what I can only consider a 'holy grail'.  Pardon me - a holy FUCKING grail.  A SEALED COPY OF 'WE MADE IT HAPPEN'! This is the record that sparked by obsession.  Previously I had only known his famous single 'After the Lovin' of which admittedly, I was a fan.  It was given to me as a gift and I continue to play the hell out of it but to have a sealed copy - oh my goodness!  Convinced that it could get no better, I added it to my stack of four other 12 & 7 inch records and returned to the counter.  Where in fact, I was told that it was a $20/5 LP sale.  How they can do a blanket price on everything in the store is typical of their disorganization but no matter.  I had in fact seen something else in the rear of the store that interested me.  It wouldn't be until I got home that I really realized how interesting an item it really was.

So I went back to the Engelbert section and grabbed this gem.  I had come across it before, but somehow this one was different.  I knew it was a compilation of early Eng tracks, despite the reference in the title and the (zoomed in) cover photo, this is not a variant of his debut.  I also noticed that it was labeled Decca - not Parrot - so I was sure it was a European release.  When I looked more closely I saw that I was right - it was from Greece! The versions of this compilation already listed on Discogs have a slightly different track selection - this Greek version was all new and I added it to the database.  However, it is one of the worst sounding records I have ever heard, and I don't mean the record is dirty.  It just sounds tinny and horrible, I don't know if this was mastered differently or what.  The vinyl is definitely not in great shape but my actual copies of the albums these songs were taken from are of similar age/wear and sound warm and wonderful.  This sounds like it should be in a horror movie.

The clerk acted like he was doing me a favor by only charging me $5 for the sealed vinyl (even though there is no signage anywhere in sight explaining that it should be more) and then pointed out that the 'Release Me' comp should have been $10 (it was pencil written on the back of the jacket - along with some other scribbles which I am confident were NOT put on by this store.  They looked ancient.

All in all, a wonderful afternoon and one of those things that you have to laugh at its just so messed up.  I came away with what I needed though I paid a bit of a premium for it.  Oh well, there are worse habits I suppose.

Beverly Records, Morgan Park

Yikes - what a mess!

I became familiar with this place long before I got serious about traveling to visit record stores.  Their website is similar to the physical space in many ways: cluttered, overwhelming and anger inducing.  I remember watching this video on their website and thinking that it seemed like a cool place that I really wanted to check out:

I took an extremely convoluted route to get there on the day (November 9th 2013) I finally decided to make the journey.  Normally it would be two train rides for me: one to the loop, then a second one on a different line straight south.  However I kind of made the decision in an impromptu fashion when I had only been casually considering a trip.  I was already in Kenwood (just blocks from Hyde Park Records, though I did not realize it at the time) but while Kenwood and Hyde Park may be on the way to Beverly, its a different line entirely.

So I rode a Divvy bike from Kenwood to Comiskey Park, then got on the Rock Island line south.  It was a good mile walk from the Morgan Park (115th I believe) stop to the store but it was a good one, on a brisk fall day.

This place is so jam packed with shit, they should run a few rolls of duct tape around the perimeter of the building to prevent it from exploding.  They seem to have positively zero discretion when purchasing vinyl, I would found 10+ copies of the same album often during my hunt.  And even then, half of the 10 would be so dog eared and tattered, I wouldn't put one in my collection for even a buck.

So many of the bins were so overstuffed that you could see the intense signs of wear from less considerate patrons who just bent away to see the next record inline.  And who needs 11 copies of 'Tormato'? I am working on the Yes discography and even I am disinterested in that release - Rick Wakeman himself said it was a piece of shit.

As I always say - be flexible when you set out to dig, so you don't go home empty handed.  Well I was open minded as always but I could not find a single release that wasn't stomped on half to death and I started to laugh at the thought that I might have come a very long way for nothing.

I tried to stay in the jazz section and I remember finding only one or two crappy (and of course, super beat up) Coltrane releases, then finding more - without any kind of jacket or dust cover at all - stuck in the 'Misc C' section.  Sacrilege on so many levels!

I did eventually walk away with a release I am very happy with and one I had my eye on for some time - Benson & Farrell.  You've got to love that cover - and I already have a handful of George Benson releases.  I became familliar with Joe Farrell from the early work he did with RTF and his list of session work is staggering.  Ironically, one of the albums I was looking for that day - "Abandoned Luncheonette"   - has some work on the oboe and sax (not the flute, ironically).  I just found this out while looking for the previous RTF link I used.  And most of all - Joe was from Chicago.  Rest in peace, my friend.

I will not soon forget the day I visited Beverly Records but I will no sooner return.  Call in the wrecking ball, its a total loss.