Tag Archives: vinyl finds

Shangri-La Records Memphis Tennessee

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

One of the best stops in the December 2011 edition of Vinyl Road Rage was the Memphis Tennessee record store Shangri-La Records.

For those just joining us, Vinyl Road Rage is Turntabling’s annual cross-country road trip to find the coolest record stores in the USA. Shangri-La Records, at 1916 Madison Avenue in Memphis, was definitely a “mission accomplished” moment in that regard.

For some reason, most of the best record stores found during Vinyl Road Rage are basically converted houses. Maybe it’s the large number of rooms packed full of vinyl, plus the attention to detail that most of these stores pay to the whole record shopping experience….whatever the reason, Shangri-La Records is one of those stores that makes a road-weary traveler remember why an extended journey in search of cool vinyl records is a good thing to do.

Shangri-La Records has a very respectable 80s alternative/New Wave/Industrial section and the soundtrack selections were pretty excellent, too. There is a staggering amount of vinyl to look through here. Dedicated crate diggers, don’t bother coming in as a first-timer until you have an extended amount of time to marvel at all this.

And like all truly great record stores, it’s a friendly, chatty place. Shangri-La has a high pain threshold for vinyl geek chattiness–kudos to the poor soul running the show when the most socially awkward record shop denizens in the USA are firing non-stop questions at light speed. Maybe this store should be renamed “Patience Of A Saint Records” instead.

There were some excellent rarities, some common-but-collectible finds, and a great selection of new releases and re-issues. The Sun Ra spoken word titles on display there were of particular interest, and reasonably priced. All in all, a most satisfying stop indeed. Don’t pass up a chance to stop at Shangri-La, it’s aptly named.

–Joe Wallace

Sun Ra Plays the Batman Theme?

For Sale, WTF?, , , , , , , , ,

Of all the vinyl finds I’ve had lately, one of the most surreal has to be this French repressing of this Batman and Robin album, complete with the Batman theme.

Re-issued by Klimt Records years ago in France, this record brought in some serious firepower as session musicians, namely members of the Al Kooper Blues Project and the Sun Ra Arkestra including Sun Ra himself on the Hammond B3. The original album gives no clue to the super-session nature of the album, but Klimt sets the record straight with a complete roster of players on the back cover.

That roster included Sun Ra, Al Kooper, Steve Katz, Pat Patrick, Marshall Allan, Danny Kalb and others.

According to blogger Ryan Masteller at Critical Masses, at least one of those players truly hated doing the sessions. Maybe they were underpaid, or had an angry martinet type running the show, or perhaps they were forced to do the music wearing tights and cowls? We may never know.

I’d never heard of this until I spotted it in the bins a few weeks ago. I was so amazed that I had to grab one. The album is a cash-in, made during the Adam West Batman period.

What’s really funny about that to me, at least where the actual Batman theme song is concerned, is that when you watch the end credits of any Batman episode, when they get to the music portion, there is a LYRICS credit.

Yes, somebody actually got paid to come up with “Batmaaaan. Da-da da-da- da-da-da….(repeat until your face falls off)…BAT MAAAAAAANNNNNNN”

But back to the record. The musicians are credited on the cover as “Dan and Dale”. On the flip side, the French pressing reveals that it’s actually Sun Ra and various other names (something not found on the original, heh).

All things considered, this is one super-oddball find and while some uber-collectors are no doubt tapping their foot and clucking at me finding this only years after the fact, collectors be damned. You take the weirdness where you can find it. I was quite pleased to score this and nominate it for “most mind-bending vinyl find of the month”. Sun Ra and Batman. It doesn’t come any further out of left field than that.

(Side note–I do have a copy of the Sun Ra Plays Batman & Robin on auction at eBay. When it’s gone, it’s gone!)

–Joe Wallace

Join Turntabling at Cinema Wasteland April 1-3 Strongsville, Ohio

Events, Vinyl Finds, , ,

Join Turntabling at Cinema Wasteland, one of THE best movie-related conventions in the USA. The Turntabling booth will be running full steam ahead with a huge pile of vinyl and CD obscurities, rare titles, and lustworthy releases. Looking for Skinny Puppy’s Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse? There will be ONE COPY available at the show. Do you need some Boris Karloff on vinyl? How about Vincent Price? Peter Lorre? All there waiting for you in VERY limited quantities.

Cinema Wasteland is three days of cinema (non-stop screenings!) and nostalgia in a monster-sized show with some of the best vendors and collectibles you’ll find at any show, anywhere. This is Turntabling’s first appearance at the show as a vendor so we are very excited to be taking part and bringing the vinyl finds to you.

Once Wasteland is over, Turntabling resumes its online sales in a major way–stay tuned for more information on that and much more. See you at the show–which is at the Holiday Inn in Strongsville,  minutes from Cleveland. As the Cinema Wasteland site says, it’s located off the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/90) & I-71.

Back From HorrorHound Weekend 2011 Indianapolis

Events, Vinyl Finds, , , , ,

It was a crazy, fun-filled weekend at HorrorHound 2011 in Indianapolis. If you weren’t there you missed Dawn of the Dead’s Ken Foree, Sid “Captain Spaulding” Haig, Barbara Steele, and tons of other horror luminaries…and you also missed the Turntabling vinyl junkie heaven as pictured above. Many thanks to all who stopped by to chat, buy rarities on vinyl and trade war stories.

We had tons of great stuff flying off the table this time including rare Goblin, Keith Emerson soundtrack music, Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone and Peter Lorre on vinyl, plus soundtracks from a wide range of films including The Wraith, The Shining, Young Frankenstein, Beetlejuice and too many others to name. Congrats one and all for your vinyl finds…plenty of great feedback from people saying they loved the selection. You are all awesome!

Next Turntabling prepares for Cinema Wasteland April 1-3 in Strongsville Ohio. Turntabling will have a ton of awesome rarities and fun stuff on vinyl and CD including more Goblin, Morricone, Vincent Price, Karloff, Riz Ortolani, Pino Donaggio and tons of others. Do NOT miss it.

Once we’re back from Cinema Wasteland, Turntabling will be offering vinyl and CDs here once again with a new approach and possibly a new look for the site (going back and forth on changing the presentation a bit, still working on that.) We had put things on a hold for a bit pending some decisions and logistics but after Wasteland we’re back in business with a whole new way of doing things that should make for a more efficient ordering experience all around. Stay tuned.