Category Archives: Record Shops

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Record Stores: Eide’s Entertainment

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The Pittsburgh Pennsylvania record store Eide’s Entertainment is an institution. The shop, at 1121 Penn Avenue in the downtown part of Pittsburgh, got its start in 1972 as a comic book shop. Today it’s a massive storehouse of albums, memorabilia, DVDs, books, and the comics that gave the store its start back in the day.

Newcomers might overlook the stairs which lead up to the vinyl paradise…but once you know you have to go to the second floor to find the good stuff, don’t make the mistake of bypassing the first floor where the CDs are located–there is a nice collection of music-related books and mags that is definitely worth a look. Yes, there are more books on the second floor, but make sure you see that collection of titles on the first level–very cool indeed.

Yes, those are Re/Search titles you spotted in that not-so sharp photo above. Nice selection! But once you get upstairs, the real challenge begins.

Eides does have an emphasis on the collectibles, it’s true. In fact, it’s totally obvious that the people who make buying decisions for the store know their stuff and love the music. It’s unfortunate that some of the staff isn’t as well-rounded.

Queries about Robyn Hitchcock titles were met with a blank stare…I don’t expect everyone in the whole world to love or even pay attention to Hitchcock, the Soft Boys or the Egyptians, but anybody who works in a record store might be tempted to learn a LITTLE something about recent music history…or is that my inner curmudgeon manifesting itself? No matter–don’t go into the shop with questions, just do your crate digging and brace yourself for the total. There’s a LOT here to help you part ways with your hard earned cash, especially serious collectors.

Regardless, Eide’s is a worthy stop on any vinyl hunt, and cinema buffs will have plenty to distract them from the stacks as there’s a massive collection of DVDs for sale across a variety of genres.


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Youngstown Ohio Record Stores: Indiewax Records

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Indiewax Records, at 6961 Market Street in Youngstown, Ohio, has a collection of hard-to-find vinyl titles (see the albums on the wall first if you’re looking for the collector’s stuff) and a giant pile of for-cheap sale vinyl.

Collectors of punk and post-punk 45s should be pleased, and there’s a selection of the usual used vinyl titles alongside the new releases. Indiewax also has gear, so a new collector could do some one-stop shopping here. They sell Audio-Technica turntables, cartridges and preamps, along with the usual slipmats and cleaning gear.

I’m not a seven-inch collector, but looking at the Indiewax selection it’s easy to see why people get lured into it. There are new seven inches coming out left and right, and the old stuff seems just as fun to seek and find as full length albums.

The sale bin is probably the most important spot for the noob collector, and there’s a doozy here at Indiewax. Youngstown Ohio doesn’t know what its got in the “five for a buck” bin…this is priceless for some of us crate-digging mashup artists who like to mix and match on the fly with the turntables.

Indiewax Records is friendly, fun, and I’d definitely come back. I say that practically anytime I have a pleasant experience in an indie record shop, but I really mean it–especially in light of the store’s support of local and regional artists.

Did I mention that any fan of The Dwarves should have a look in here? Behold this selection of Dwarves seven inches:


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More Random Pics From Vinyl Road Rage 2

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Vinyl Road Rage has been a crazy journey but definitely fun. There are TONS of record store reviews from the road yet to come…I have stores in Allentown, Toledo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York City and elsewhere to write up yet…the final leg of the trip begins Thursday (Aug 19 2010) with Toledo, and finally the drive back to Chicago where I’ll do my very last vinyl store of Vinyl Road Rage 2 at Laurie’s Planet of Sound.

All in all, I’ve hit 22 record stores on the trip so far and there are three more left. It’s been great and I am already thinking about Vinyl Road Rage Part Three…but I’ll save THAT discussion for another day. Now, enjoy some random images from the Chicago to New York City vinyl spree:

Saucy Silvia? I cannot WAIT to hear this one. Sex is the thing that started it all, indeed! Does she mean her recording career or what?

IndieWax Records had a tiny little dog that falls in love with each and every person that walks in the door. It was cute. But I was more interested in that pile of vinyl. Does that make me heartless? Or just obsessed?

I remember Not My Son from my days in San Antonio, Texas. Carol Steele, one of the members, got me hooked up with a massive interview (as in, there were five or six guys all talking at once) with the members of Voodoo Glow Skulls during a show at Emo’s in Austin back in the 90s. Then she sort of vanished off the face of the earth and I never saw her again. Always wondered what happened to the band and I was taken down memory lane here seeing this single.

Akron Ohio Record Stores: Square Records

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The Akron Ohio record store Square Records is a cozy, fun place to buy vinyl and CDs. It’s at 824 W. Market in Akron and when I stopped there on the Ohio leg of Vinyl Road Rage, I had one thing on my mind–a copy of the new DEVO album, Something For Everyone.

Naturally, that’s not ALL I got, but it was a MUST. Visit an Akron indie record shop and NOT buy DEVO? That’s crazy talk.

There is plenty to love about Square Records. There is vinyl aplenty there–I scored some reggae on the Pressure Sounds label, an amusing bit of strangeness by one Saucy Silvia, and for only a dollar, a Space 1999 LP. Oh yes, I do love me some weirdness on vinyl and especially stuff I can throw into a live Paisley Babylon show to mash up with Coil, Aphex Twin and other space travelers.

You can’t see it from the photo here, but against the far back wall is a small performance space, so Square Records is definitely a place that supports the indie musician beyond just tossing the tunes on the rack. Did I mention this is an art space and not just a performance space? One of the reasons they have survived since 2003, no doubt in my mind.

I enjoyed the visit at this Akron Ohio record store and plan on making a return visit. Honestly, I’d love to arrange a Paisley Babylon live vinyl mashup performance there one of these days…no matter what, if you’re in the area you owe yourself a visit to Square Records. I’m loving this one. Indie rock, dub and reggae, the vinyl oddities I love, and yeah, DEVO love. This is one awesome shop. RECOMMENDED.

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