Technoir Records [Park Ridge IL]

Upon discovering the unfortunate demise of Raffe's, I simultaneous discovered the birth of Technoir.  As you can see in the store front above, it truly is the spiritual successor.

It was a quick dual bus jaunt to take myself from my door step to Technoir's which was nice on a bit of a blustery day.  I could tell from the outside that this place was well put together.  The inside followed suit, perhaps even upped the ante.

Extremely tidy, clean around every corner, this place is clearly curated carefully.  Brand new bins, simple but effective tables and nice well decor all around.  Again, more Raffe's memorabilia hangs on the west wall which is a very nice touch.

I tore through the jazz section, A to Z.  Everything is bagged, a small sampling of new vinyl was mixed in but mostly old stock (which I prefer).  Next I glanced at the 'new arrivals' bins, three of them nearest the counter.  I was the only customer and it was quite peaceful and the clerk (owner) was spinning an interesting array of genres.  I found three possibilities swiftly in these bins.  I let a Walter Wanderley release go, which I regret pretty shortly after and still do now.  That was dumb.  I grabbed a Shadowfax promo 12" single which I still have not listened to.  I hope I enjoy it but I worry I will not as I see now that it is truly a different era from the one I know best.  I found Lani Hall's 8th - I swore a while ago to a moratorium on her discography as I have the first four already.  For sentimental reasons (her's and my own), it was hard to leave this one behind as it recalls the Chicago neighborhood she hails from in it's title.  In my warped brain I thought I ought to save $3 by getting the Shadowfax over the WW album, but it isn't much savings at all when you consider it is a single vs an LP.  But these are the bizarre rationalizations that record collectors, drug addicts and other obsessives make about their sinful trades.

I've actually been listening to tapes lately, as if I need another type of media to collect.  But before I could explore that I started thinking about how much I've been listening to this Squeeze tape and I wondered if they had it in vinyl.  They did - no brainer, could not resist.  It was only $3.99, probably because it has some water damage to the jacket, but somehow the inner sleeve (original) and vinyl look clean. Next I did indeed dig the wall of cassettes and scooped a Judas Priest album (which I must say has amazing fidelity for it's age, already ran through side B).

Definitely was impressed by this shop and glad to know I can get there easily via Pace.  I shall return!

Goodwill, Downers Grove

I swore I had never been to this place.  I was tooling around and had to make a run to Trader Joe's.  The local grocery stopped carrying the coffee that my girlfriend likes and Trader Joe's is is other favorite.  I don't mind going as I drink the coffee as well and I also like to buy myself some random stuff there.  I normally go to the Trader Joe's in Glen Elyn but due to my aforementioned 'tooling around', the Downers Grove store was closer.  As I pull up I was shocked to see a Goodwill in the same strip mall.  How could this be? Turns out I have been there before, but it has been over three years!

The wall of records I saw back then was gone, replaced by the standard issue LP bin.  I found a load of Engelbert I haven't seen in a while and some other gems.  Largest of all (which I walked away with) was another Marion Lush album.  Great condition too! I have spotted the mono version of the Brasil 66 debut a few times, I got my own a while ago, but it is always temping to just pile 'em up.  I passed.

Two soundtracks - both with great title cuts, did a catch and release on both, though it was difficult.  Up at the counter, they even had a couple REO albums hidden back there.  I've seen Goodwill do this before, but then when I asked to see they were labeled quite cheap.  Who knows.  A worthwhile stop!

Estate Sale, Wood Dale

Been a solid minute since I hit up an estate sale.  I got a tip from a coworker that there was not only one down the street, but that they also had records! I was swamped at work and didn't think I could get away when I decided - you only live once! So I dropped everything and sped over on my bike.

The best part was that I just had gotten my new GoPro camera about an hour before.  So I took it with and even wore it inside! The bad news is that someone came through and scooped all the vinyl a half an hour before I got there! Damn!

                                           

Salvation Army, Franklin Park

The old Savers space back behind what was once known as Jewel 'Grand Bazaar' finally has a new tenant.  I don't know how many (any?) vinyls I've pulled out of SAs in the past, but it is few, that's for sure.  So I wasn't excited to check this out but as it is in my backyard, there was no way I could forego it completely.

Nothing more to see here, folks.  Though I must admit, I don't know if I've ever come across that TJ Brass comp before.  Still, I did decide to do a 'catch and release' on that one.  I'll stop in again sometime later this year with my fingers crossed.

 10205 W Grand Ave Suite 300, Franklin Park, IL 60131

Oakton Street Antique Centre, Arlington Heights

It's the places in your backyard that you miss the most easily sometimes.  I was headed out to Niles and took a different route than usual, and went right by this place.  I immediately checked the clock and quickly calculated what time I thought I might be headed back then checked if I could make it in.  Eureka! It was definitely feasible.  So I got it done in Niles and headed back west for a nice dig.

Man, I love antique malls.  They are probably the best record digging spots in my opinion.  I also do collect some old Pyrex, and I like to look at books and other stuff sometimes as well.  I guess I just like 'old' things, maybe that's part of the reason I love records so much.  This place is a solid antique mall, very clean and organized and quite large.  Many cubicles to dig through.  As far as records, I started out slow but eventually found more and more and of course found one or two booths that sort of specialized in vinyl and had multiple bins, alphabetized, etc.  I didn't end up buying anything so I'll just have to let the pictures do the talking.

I don't often photo album covers, but I also don't often find
ones this outrageous.

2430 E Oakton St, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

 (847) 437-2514

Goodwill, Skokie

Not sure how I never hit this place even once before over the years.  Granted I don't get out there that often but it isn't very far from my standard stomping grounds.

Just a singular, clean bin with a handful of interesting finds as displayed here.  The Paul Young album is one shy of his big hit which followed up.  This one is notable for a Joy Division cover at a time that surely no one in the pop realm could have been familiar.  The Al Dimeola record...oh man, I'd be all over that.  But (did you guess it yet?) the jacket was empty with the wax nowhere to be found.  Damn!

At lower left you see some 60s garage rock.  I already have this (and mine is mono).  I was shocked to just see that it was almost a year and a half ago that I copped it, I swore that had to be this last summer.  Time flies... 

Last up is an electro-funk 12" not to be confused with the delightfully cute female garage rock group from decades before.  Interesting enough for me to have put it up front for the photo but it ends there.  As did my visit to Goodwill.  I have actually been back to the area twice since, in just a few weeks.  I'll swing back through before long in search of hot new warez...

Estate Sale, Bensenville

I believe this is something called 'work life balance' that entails not working yourself until your mental and physical health suffers, not attempting to do the work of more than one person, working off hours voluntarily, etc... I think this is part of a science fiction novel or something because it is laughable to think I could incorporate this into my life.  But on a Friday, I just sped away from the shop for a while and hit up an estate sale with the promise of vinyl, on a warm summer morning just a few miles from the shop.

Estate sales always kind of bug me out, I don't have a problem digging through someone's personal possessions when they have decided to share them for their own profit, but when it is someone else's possessions being sold because they are dead, it is a bit morally questionable I feel, for me to profit off of their death.  Not profiting in terms of money of course, but by my own personal gain.  Then again, I suppose these events earn money for the family to defer the costs of burial and what have you.

I have lived and worked in the area my whole life more or less and while I felt I had a firm grasp of the boundaries of Bensenville, I was shocked to find this small pocket off of 83 which felt very much like a rural area from another state.  The roads were very narrow, especially so for my large truck and of course it was garbage day.  So I was challenged by even more mammoth vehicles.  At one point I watched one just reverse down a long and winding side street as it was a dead end and there were no possible way for a tank that large to spin around.

                                       

                       

In a very cluttered basement with just enough room to maneuver down the stairs, I came across a 16-cube bookshelf which had about 4 1/2 cubes filled with records.  I also located an old wooden crate on the floor.  The crate was loaded with filler of the worst kind; the bookshelf initially did not prove to be at all superior.  But soon after I did start to dig up some country.  I gasped audibly when I located the alternate cover to Roger Miller's debut.  I have never seen one in the wild and I was even happier to see it was the mono version.  Shortly after that I found two copies of Dwight Yoakum's second album AND a copy of his first.  I already own the debut but I was very tempted to buy it again as I so rarely see it.  I did eventually return it to it's bin but I did not walk away from the follow up.  Most regrettably, I also did a catch-and-release on the Del Fuegos debut, a band I know almost nothing about except for the mention in a song of my teenage years, some 90s alternative gold.  But as I walked away with two new vinyls and a Pyrex for my girl, I couldn't help but to be satisfied.  They weren't going to give me a receipt (they kept them for their records) so I had to ask the cashier to let me take a photo.  They indulged me, thankfully.

'Vinyl Day' at Goodwill Elmhurst

                 

Even Goodwill celebrates their vinyl culture and wants to get in on the RSD madness and I have no problem with that.  Or maybe I only feel that way when they load their bins with rare Chicago polka vinyl prior to my visit.

The Naturals album is a no brainer: great condition and it is a mono version, which I did not know exists.  I already know a stereo version exists, so this opens the door to two versions of many Chicago Polkas albums and is worthy of further research.  The Lil Wally albums I can pass on but the Eddie Zima stuff is a revelation.  Eddie has plenty of LPs on Dana, but I was not aware he had more than one on Jay Jay.  The second one had to be added to the db (I did this from Goodwill, waiting while my girlfriend shopped.  I'd had just bought it but side B had a pretty big, deep scratch).

I dug and dug for the jacket to this Ampol album but to no avail.  Very sad.

I also came across three Norteno albums, none in their jackets.  Maybe they were kidnapped and tortured by a cartel? One was by LTDN and I'd have grabbed it, I even searched.  What a shame.  I just grabbed the US version of one of theirs after waiting for months for a good price on discogs.

Record Wonderland, Roselle (RECORD STORE DAY 2017!)

I don't celebrate Record Store Day as perhaps people feel I should, given my work on this blog.  But I also don't celebrate record stores, an opinion I unabashedly hold, I much prefer the grime and total gamble of thrift stores and garage sales.  But when I found that a new record store had opened not 1/8th mile from my parent's house (where I was dogsitting/housesitting for a few days) - and when I realized it was Record Store Day (yes, I had no idea), I couldn't say no to that.

Record Wonderland is at the end of a pretty crappy strip mall that contains an array of crappy stores, besides a pizza place I went to once (and it was good) which no longer is a resident.  This must be a new store as they only have a couple Google reviews.  The store was filled moderately or more and the RSD crowd was evident.  As usual, I had no idea where to start and had a 'record store blackout', as the well organized bins forced me to remember what I wanted/needed, lest I search the entire place.

I fooled around for a bit in a couple boxes of picture sleeve 45s and found nothing except a feeling of awkwardness as I stumbled around the place.  Then I decided to just dig through the entire jazz section as it was totally neglected and is a place I feel relatively at home.  I still have a couple CTI 3000 series vinyls I need and thought maybe I could find one.

I did come across a $20 copy of the other Paul Desmond LP I still need but even with the 20% RSD discount the store was offering, it was too rich for my blood ($20) - I know I can get it for half that (though this one did appear to be time-capsule style mint condition).  I came across a Cal Tjader album that looked good and I found a couple Bob James albums but none I needed.  I found a reissue of a Verve classic with what I thought was a novelty fake OBI strip that I couldn't bring myself to pay for even though the price was fair.  Later found out while it was a reissue, it was legitimately Japaense.  Still, I'd rather wait on my own beat up US copy.

I could not believe the price on this one - it did not look like a reissue at first glance.  If this wasn't so 'ugly' (I couldn't bring myself to view the horror first hand), it would be worth 10x their price).  Too good to be true, as always.

I glanced at the country section and was getting ready to just grab the Desmond LP when as a last ditch I figured I'd check for Joni Mitchell's live album that I've been looking for for so long.  I've never actually seen a copy in person.  Well I found one...it's MINT, and its a promo! It was only $25 which comes down to $20 with the discount.  This is beyond a deal!

At the counter I glanced at a $50 presumably first press of Kill 'Em All and a copy of Ride The Lightning autographed by the whole band including Cliff for $250.  I did ask them to unlock the case so I can check out a weird RATM 7" then I had a very pleasant chat with the clerk about the record.  He told me that he personally brought it into the store, and that it was his uncle's record! He also told me (I did not know this) that it qualifies as an audiophile example to test your hi-fi with (I was aware of this rep for even my non-mono version of Casino Royale which I inherited from my Aunt Betty [RIP] so long ago).

I heard at least two people qualify for the shirt just in the short time I was in the store.  RSD mania overtakes even the level headed! (or maybe just novelty fans).

Savers, Franklin Park [RIP]

Very sad news which I luckily caught in time to make one last trip to a shop that has been particularly kind to me.  It was pretty remarkable to have a legit thrift store in my hood and I'm proud to say I took good advantage of it.  I documented more than a couple trips there but there were many others that didn't turn up much.

I first visited almost exactly three years before they closed.  I scooped a garage sale type find which I don't regret because track B2 is such a classic.  It is funny that back then I wasn't even clear on what 'Savers' was and went in totally on a whim.

Made a very brief post about a visit just a few months later when I grabbed a pretty beat but important vinyl that I'm still glad to own (especially for the price).

That fall I am very grateful that I did not pass on a bizarre disco record.  Even if not totally listenable, an important collection piece to have in the inventory.

Early the next year is when things really started to pay off for me.  I hit pay dirt with a duplicate of my barbershop quartet magna carta and grabbed two Chicago polka records that I still hold dear.

Just when I thought things couldn't get anymore outrageous, I found a bevy of rare vinyls, too many to buy all at once, so I grabbed what I could.  Still can't believe these scores.

So that is eight whopping records from one shop, even if the first couple are pretty minimal in terms of rarity, etc.

When I found out about the close and read the story above, I made plans to get in there that last week.  So I rode down there one day after work.

Then I got inside and saw that they had modified hours, it was about 7pm but they had closed at 6pm.  So my last shot was to get in there on Good Friday.

I wish this epic had an exciting ending.  I had to elbow my way into the bins with a lady digging through the DVDs.  Besides a mint copy (still in shrink, original inner sleeve) of Roger's third (if it had been mono I'd have bought a duplicate) and a weird promo (there were actually two copies), the place had been picked through pretty good.  Rest In Peace, Savers FP.  You'll will be missed.