Monthly Archives: June 2011

Electronic Sadism: A Chicago Compilation

For Sale, Media, Turntabling Records, , , , , , , , ,

Turntabling Records is at it again–this time with a brain-shreddingly unusual compilation of Chicago electronic music projects by Paisley Babylon, Savior Noise, Thelema USA, Satan’s Tea Boy and other acts featured on Electronic Sadism: A Chicago Compilation.

That link takes you to the 20-track iTunes download version of the album, but there is also a limited edition 12-song sampler available for sale on compact disc. The CD version is limited to a run of 500 and is completely hand-assembled. No more than 500 will be made and sold.

The 12 tracks available on the CD sampler are a strange mixture of Coil, Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire and Skinny Puppy textures. There are vintage-era industrial and ambient sounds combined with soundtrack-esque interludes, mellow meanderings, and nearly hallucinatory side-trips. But the ghost of the Marquis de Sade is always lurking nearby to bring you back to attention with a sonic blast of fury and chaos.

The packaging for this CD special edition is deceptively LP-sized, right down to a poly outer sleeve.  But make no mistake, this is a compact disc full of electronics, evil and doubt (as Brian Eno would say). Going from wildly chaotic to strangely danceable, Electronic Sadism is a great birthday gift for the old-school industrial music fan in your life. Anybody who wishes for the good old days of Throbbing Gristle and Test Department should have a listen to this.

Have a free listen to the download-only track “Speaker Damage Guaranteed” from the digital version of Electronic Sadism or listen to the final track on the limited-edition Electronic Sadism CD by Thelema USA, “Robes Off”

Chicago Urban Art Society Warehouse Junkies

Events, , ,

by Joe Wallace

I haven’t been to one of these events yet, but I am already in love with the Chicago Urban Art Society for doing their quarterly(?) Warehouse Junkies vinyl sale referenced in the video below. In Texas, I was involved with two bands who merged vinyl with art, Crevice and Pink Filth, and it’s always special when these two worlds collide.

The Chicago Urban Arts Society makes them collide on a regular basis, so these are people I definitely want to get to know.

The concept is awesome, and vids like this always put me in the mood to go crate digging. That’s me done writing for the day, I’m off to score some records! Blame the video.

Vintage Vinyl Record Show and Sale Dealer Special

Events, , ,

You’ve probably noticed by now the ads featuring the Vintage Vinyl Record Show and Sale in Grayslake, Illinois August 13 and 14, 2011. For record dealers, there’s a special offer for a limited time–reserve two dealer tables and get one free.

That’s a pretty good deal on table space, and if you’re a new dealer or someone tempted to get into record selling, that’s the sort of special that could really help. Especially if you’ve invested a lot in stock already and don’t have a lot of spare cash.

The Vintage Vinyl Show and Sale, August 13-14 in Grayslake, Illinois discount is available when you call (715) 526-9769 and request the discount when you reserve your space. Please be sure to mention Turntabling when you ask for the discount.

A lot of people I know have done tables at other types of conventions but have never ventured into a record show, or are used to selling online only. Aren’t you curious about what it’s like to get a rush of people carting off piles of vinyl? I’m here to tell you, there’s nothing like being in the middle of a run on your LPs like that–it’s awesome. So yes, I’m wholeheartedly endorsing the idea of your getting a table at a record show….selling online is fine, but there’s nothing like meeting your fellow vinyl junkies in person.

Roots Records, Columbus Ohio

Record Shops, vinyl road rage, , , , , , ,

Roots Records is one of those places I KNEW I had to hit on Vinyl Road Rage. Being a longtime fan of all things dub, stopping here was a no-brainer. But I wasn’t quite prepared for how awesome this shop would be.

Roots has a tough job, catering to an extremely specialized market in a place I personally wouldn’t have picked as having a following big enough to sustain a store devoted to such a small part of the larger music-buying public.

That just goes to show you what you get for making assumptions. Columbus Ohio seems very supportive of its music shops, Roots included. This shop seems to be thriving and doing well–and deservedly so.

How awesome is Roots? For a start, toss out any notions you might have about reggae being a “small” genre. There’s enough to stock an entire store and then some without that store feeling like it’s just…missing…something. The diversity of sounds and styles will keep you crate digging for ages.

And Roots is full of surprises. The people buying for this store don’t come off any music snob factor whatsoever–you’ll find plenty of related genres and groups influenced by reggae and dub, hence the presence of Massive Attack 12-inches and much more. I got the feeling a newcomer would walk out of Roots feeling like they’d just found the secret source.

Compare that with your typical “High Fidelity” indie rock snobbery and revel in the fresh air of Roots. No pretentions, no bullshit. Just people who seriously love this music. And tons of it, from the roots reggae and dub plates all the way to what I call Generation Next dub sounds of Ryan Moore and Twilight Circus Sound System, you can get your fix here easily.

Want to fill in the holes in your Blood and Fire catalog? Check. Need to turn some unsuspecting future fan on to I Roy or grab yourself some Super Ape action? Done. My own biases are on display here–there was plenty of new-to-me stuff there, too. I just need to go back with a large bankroll and a Santa Claus-sized sack.

Roots is efficiently laid out, fun to browse, and the source of my favorite WTF moment of the entire Vinyl Road Rage journey, the random visual shock of THIS little gem hanging on the wall for all to see:

Yes, Roots didn’t need to win me over at this point, but seeing a Black Sabbath disc on the wall of this awesomely stocked reggae record store surely cemented Roots in my mind as one of the coolest places on earth. Hands down, one of the best stops on Vinyl Road Rage. Columbus has plenty of amazing record stores, but Roots has a special place all its own on the scene. DO. NOT. MISS.

–-Joe Wallace