Category Archives: vinyl road rage

Vinyl Road Rage: The Trip So Far

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I’m writing this update from Newark, New Jersey. Vinyl Road Rage 2 has been one hell of a crazy trip. How crazy? Try 17 record stores in five days between Chicago and NYC. And it’s not quite done yet.

I am still writing record store reviews on the Cleveland stop alone–there are many more reviews to come for wonderful indie record stores from Akron, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Philadelphia and Greenwich Village. I have purchased more than 45 titles on this trip and am afraid that the total will be much higher before it’s all said and done.

Highlights of the journey so far: the crew behind the counter at Music Saves in Cleveland telling me about the record shops I didn’t know about there and helping me round out the list somewhat. Ditto for the gentleman working at Allentown’s delicious Double Decker Records, which had some of my favorite finds of the entire trip. Double Decker is a crazy mish-mash of old and new and you’ll find plenty to surprise you there. Do NOT pass by this store. More on that in my full review, complete with lots of pics.

Favorite goofy moments of the trip so far–a guy at Bleeker Bob’s Records in NYC asking me in a seemingly nervous way if the images I was taking were “for publication”. Not to worry, Bleeker Bob, no images I take with my iPhone are being used in a book or magazine. Ditto for the guy behind the counter of Rebel Rebel who confronted me about leaving Turntabling business cards behind. “WHAT are those CARDS?” It was funny to hear his reply to me telling him about Turntabling. “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t one of those carpet cleaning guys.” No worries, matey.

I keep seeing the same album covers on the walls of some of the stores. It’s funny to be haunted by Wendy O. Williams, but even funnier was the posters I saw side by side of Madonna and Henry Rollins. For once, Madonna’s nipples were covered, while Henry Rollins’s were exposed. What a reversal!

I’ll have much more on Vinyl Road Rage 2, Chicago to NYC over the remainder of the trip and beyond. Tomorrow is another day of vinyl record shopping and obsessing in New York City.
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Cleveland, Ohio Record Stores: Blue Arrow Records

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Cleveland, Ohio used record store Blue Arrow Records is at 16001 Waterloo Road and WELL worth the trip. It’s literally about half a block away from the equally impressive Music Saves record store, and these two shops complement each other so well they really could just combine into one awesome super store…

Where Music Saves has the new releases covered, Blue Arrow is an amazing place to find used vinyl. The first thing you notice when you walk into Blue Arrow?

The FLOOR. Have a look at this amazing work of art–album cover artwork on every square inch of record store floor, safely sealed under a transparent veneer. I wasn’t doing so well with the digital pictures on this one, but you get the idea. Click the photo for a larger version.

The vinyl here runs the gamut, from the fun finds:



To the ultra-drool worthy artifacts inscribed with autographs and all:

Blue Arrow has a nice selection of music books and other ephemera, too. All in all, this is NOT the place you want to rush into 45 minutes before closing time. You’ll devour this stuff, collected here by savvy record buyers who know how to put a shop together. When I strut into a used record shop and find an Easy Tempo vinyl record in the first ten minutes, I know I’ve got a shop worth shouting about. Blue Arrow IS that shop in Cleveland. Well done!

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Random Images from Vinyl Road Rage 2: Cleveland Ohio

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Here’s a selection of random images from the Cleveland Ohio leg of Vinyl Road Rage 2. Locations here include Record Revolution in Cleveland Heights, Blue Arrow Records, and a few other tasty spots along the way. I’ll be posting a selection of random shots from the entire trip between Chicago and New York City. Vinyl Road Rage 2 continues until we drop! Stay tuned for more record store reviews between Chicago and NYC…


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Cleveland Ohio Record Stores: Music Saves

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Music Saves, at 15801 Waterloo Road in Cleveland is a great place for new vinyl. I was also pleased to find a used remix album for Depeche Mode’s Policy of Truth (I’m a sucker for DM remixes ever since the Eno and Helmet mixes I heard back in 1993) and actually purchased some CDs (for play in the Dreadmobile) by Stereolab and Spiritualized. The used section–as I’ll describe in a moment, isn’t nearly as large as the new vinyl but I had some good finds regardless.

There is plenty to sift through at Music Saves–I spotted a new vinyl copy of God’s Money by Gang Gang Dance–something that would sound SPECTACULAR on a turntable. At the time of my visit, there was a generous vinyl sale bin–the NEW stuff, that is…very nice.

The staff is very friendly and happy to point out money-saving sale items. I brought my CD copy of a Stereolab album and was quickly steered to the sealed sale vinyl titles–but sadly that one was sold before I arrived. Yeah–this is a store that knows its customers aren’t made of money and doesn’t mind pointing out a bargain. My definition of cool.

Music Saves embodies my favorite kind of vinyl shopping experience when it comes to indie record stores specializing in new releases. They are big enough to carry all your current obsessions while being cozy and friendly and fun to shop in.

The CDs–obviously not my primary interest by any stretch–are diverse and I was happy to find plenty of old school favorites like Stereolab alongside The Arcade Fire, Dangermouse and plenty of other comparatively new kids on the block. True that the used vinyl selection is dwarfed by new titles–but I suspect that the presence of an equally cool record store just half a block a way (which specializes in awesome used titles) could have something to do with that. But Music Saves has carved out a GREAT niche with the new stuff.

Music saves has been celebrating its six year anniversary at the time of this post–I hope they go a LOT longer. This is a shop that deserves to succeed. I will DEFINITELY be coming back here.

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