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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