September is Blues Month at Hoodlums.  That means that all Blues CDs, DVDs, and LPs are 10% off the regular price throughout the month. New and used.  Special orders too.

It also means we are going to have some fun with the Blues.  In addition to a free live show with J.J. Grey (of J.J. Grey and Mofro), we will be featuring great blues titles in most of our listening posts.

Last but not least, we are going to talk about the Blues.  As a Blues lover myself, I wrote a little blog called Blues for Rockers, which you are of course encouraged to check out.  I’ve been hanging around for a while, and I’ve learned about some really classic, cheap CDs… so I’m mildly qualified for such a task.

On the other hand, THIS blog is from perhaps the most qualified Bluesman in Phoenix: Mr. Bob Corritore.

That’s right… the guy that does Those Lowdown Blues on KJZZ.  The guy who owns the Rhythm Room.  The guy who’s played the harp with everyone on either side of the muddy water.  Here’s a couple more relevant links:

Bob’s Webpage

Bob’s Allmusic.com Page

See what I mean?  I am but a mere Blues fan. This guy lives the Blues.

We asked him – but we didn’t think he’d have time to do it.  He did it.  He submitted his list of Essential Chicago Blues CDs. Check it out and see what you think.  We used it to fills some little holes in our blues section.  (That means that Bob is going to cost me some money personally too).

Anyway, check ‘em out.  Don’t forget, they are all on sale throughout September.  In addition, we’ve got Bob’s new CD (pictured), as well as a whole bunch of other great Phoenix Blues CDs… provided by, you guessed it, Bob himself.

Thanks again, amigo.

We’ve decided to make September “Blues Month” here at Hoodlums. That’s because we can pretty much make up whatever we want – and we love the Blues.  That means all Blues CDs, DVDs, and LPs are 10% off regular price.

Now, just like all the other genres, all the hoodlums at Hoodlums have different tastes and specialties within the genre. Kristian loves that Delta, acoustic-sounding stuff more than I do (although I have my share of Delta Blues). Joe and the pups (Andy, Becky, Mandel) don’t play the blues very much… so I’m not sure about where they stand (except if there is such thing as avant-garde blues, Joe probably has a big collection).

Which bring us to our blog author, yours geekly.  I tend to play, love, and promote stuff that’s a little quicker, a little more electric. OK… that’s probably an understatement (I hear some of my former colleagues out there saying, “Steve played three kinds of music: Rock, Blues, and Blues/Rock”).  Although over the past fifteen years I have been responsible for plenty of jazz, soul, and world in-store play, for the first ten years of my Record Store Geekdom that description was pretty close to being right on. Either way, for close to 25 years, I have been listening to the blues and peddling blues to customers.

Those are the qualifications I bring to this table: Love and experience.  So using that love and experience, combined with my desire to spread the blues (in a good way), I have decided to make up a little guide entitled,Blues for Rockers. (NOTE: If you want to read another list, from a man who’s way more qualified than I am, check out “Essential Chicago Blues Albums” by Valley Blues legend and guest blogger Bob Corritore.)

Just like I did with the How to Build Your Jazz Collection blog, I’ll clarify a bit of the logic that went into the list of amazing albums you see below you.  That way, I won’t get harassed by blues purists out there because there’s no Robert Johnson or Son House on the list (I can hear Kristian talking about Leadbelly now). You see, those artists are all in my collection, and I do like, understand, and appreciate their foundational contributions, this isn’t a blog on starting a well-rounded blues collection… it’s a blog to help rockers (like all the goofs I hung with in High School) diversify into another genre.  The genre that gave rock and roll it’s start.

Here’s are the factors that contributed to the list:

Smokin’ Price. It’s a lot easier to turn someone on to something new if the price is right… and every one of these classic titles is under $10 on CD.  I would like to make a list of ten great new blues releases too, but the damn things are all priced in the fifteen dollar zone.  Do we stock them? Yes (or we can special order for nothin’). Am I going to use them to promote blues-conversion? No.

Tempo. Most of these CDs kick a little ass.  You don’t get to be a blues/rock/blues junkie like me without craving the sound of a wailin’ guitar, and these are some of the greatest guitar players (I’m listening to Albert King as I write… the man just kicks) of all time.  There’s more than a few tunes to which you can drink a glass of wine (see Simone, Nina), but don’t expect a ton of puppy stuff.

Love. Amazingly, considering the same idiots still run the music industry, there were so many great blues classics under $10 that I had to really narrow it down to stuff that I know and love the most.  As it is, I wanted to at least get to twenty, but I couldn’t do it.  If you click on the allmusic reviews (linked on each title) you’ll see that most of the albums are critical darlings, but a few aren’t.  I pay that no matter… I love each and every one.  Hell, I wrote down the titles before I started writing anything else.

So if you love the Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, or Eric Clapton… if you dig the Black Keys or Kings of Leon… and you’re ready to take a step back on the chain of rock and roll evolution, here we go.

21 Blues Albums for Rockers (in no particular order)

1. Willie Dixon – I Am the Blues ($6.99) Why not start with Willie?  The dude wrote a truckload of the songs on many of these blues albums, and literally every single song on this CD has been famously covered by rock bands.  Don’t believe me?  How ’bout “Back Door Man” (Doors); “I Can’t Quit You, Baby” (Led Zep), and “Little Red Rooster” (Stones)… just to cite three.  He’s the one they call the seventh son.
2. Muddy Waters/Howlin’ Wolf – Muddy and the Wolf ($9.99).  Blues meet rock as the rock stars (who helped revive the blues in the first place) team up with my two favorite blues artist of all time (First Wolf, then Muddy).  This CD isn’t Wolf and Muddy together, it is a combo of the Muddy’s Fathers and Sons album, with Butterfield, Bloomfield, Sumlin and more, and Howlin’ Wolf London Sessions, featuring Clapton, Winwood, and the Stones rhythm section of Watts and Wyman.  I would have recommended both albums separately, but the actual Muddy CD is closer to fifteen bucks (the Wolf is $9.99).  I’d still truly recommend both.
3. Butterfield Blues Band – Butterfield Blues Band ($7.99)
4. Butterfield Blues Band – East-West ($7.99)  I could listen to these stinkin’ Butterfield CDs once a week.  They just never get old.  Let’s face it, Mike Bloomfield was one hell of a guitar player, and his impact is long considering his short life.  The self-titled album is my favorite thing he’s ever done, but East/West is a close second.
5. Albert Collins – Truckin’ with Albert Collins ($9.99)  I love Collins’ blistering style and gritty voice, and I had been digging back through his catalog, and I found his first recording at a sweet price, and I was sold.  He’s the master… of the telecaster (Don’t believe me? He’ll tell you himself. Over and over again).
6. Robert Cray Band – Strong Persuader ($9.99)  Along with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Couldn’t Stand the Weather, this is the first blues album I ever owned.  It helped me cross the bridge to the blues.  I had to pick one, and Stevie is in the rock and soul section at the store, so Cray was the choice. This album is smooth and sweet and Robert is a talented dude.  ”She was right next door… and I’m such a strong persuader”.
7. Lightin’ Hopkins – Lightnin’.  Like many of my favorite albums, this album was traded in by a customer.  That’s the great thing about used buying – you get to test all sorts of stuff you wouldn’t have thought to try otherwise.  I tried this and loved it.  Come down to the store and hear it in the listening post and see for yourself.
8. Howlin’ Wolf – Back Door Wolf ($6.99) Another “used buy find” for me (Michael, was that you?).  Once I discovered the price, I brought it right in.  When I play it; it sells.  You need a lot more Howlin’ Wolf than this (Moanin’ in the Moonlight, etc.), but this is a cheap way to start.  From the allmusic bio on Wolf: “no one could match him for the singular ability to rock the house down to the foundation while simultaneously scaring its patrons out of its wits”.  Wow.  Watching Wolf in his prime in a juke joint would be time-machine journey for me.
9. Albert King – Born Under a Bad Sign ($9.99)  Unquestionably, this is one of the greatest electric blues albums of all time.  Featuring Booker T. and the MGs as a band, Albert’s Stax debut lays down some blistering guitar licks on some of the most recognizable songs in blues history.  One of the most consistent “play it and sell it” albums in Hoodlums’ history.  Great cover too.
10. T-Bone Walker – T-Bone Blues ($9.99)  Even though I try to avoid greatest hits compilations when I’m recommending stuff… it’s hard to avoid comps when you are dealing with the Blues.  This comp is amazing.  The best way to get a dose of T-Bone, who is a blues-rockin’ fool, writing some of the most rock-covered blues songs ever (which this CD proudly sports).
11. Nina Simone – Nina Simone Sings the Blues ($9.99)  This is an album that you might want to play if you are hanging out with a wonderful girl and you want the mood be right (that’s not the way I would have put it in high school). If it doesn’t do the trick, I’d say that wonderful girl may not be that into you. Smart, sassy, sultry, snappy… if there’s an cool adjective that starts with “S”… Nina probably fits the description with this album.  It’s an Allmusic Album Pick – and the review is completely glowing.  ”Do I Move You?” asks Nina on the very first song.  You got that right, sister.
12. Muddy Waters – Hard Again ($9.99) From the opening growl of “Mannish Boy”, you know you are in the presence of awesome blues power.  That testosterone-laced masterpiece alone is worth twenty bucks, and there’s not a bad song behind it.  Johnny Winter leads a top-notch band as Muddy returns to form in all his cocky glory.
13. Freddie King – Burglar ($6.99)  As I type, I am listening to Freddie just tear it up in the wicked “Texas Flyer”, off this fine, inexpensive little masterpiece by one of the three Kings of the Blues.  Here’s a game to play: Try naming rock musicians that have made a living playing like Freddie King.  There’s more than a few riffs on this album to give you a hint or two.  By the way, saying Eric Clapton doesn’t count, since he’s playing on this album on “Sugar Sweet”. (Trivia: What song quotes this about Freddie: “I got to tell ya that poker’s his thing”?)
14. Johnny Winter - Second Winter ($9.99) Long before helping resurrect Muddy’s career, Johnny was tearin’ it up on his own.  Not exactly alone, he has brother Edgar and a great rhythm section behind him.  I still can’t believe all these unbelievable albums are so damn cheap.  That’s why both Johnny and Edgar’s CD still sell so well (that, and they are great).
15. John Lee Hooker – Endless Boogie ($6.99)  Even though allmusic beat this title up a bit, I don’t really care.  The exact reason they didn’t like it, the contributions from guest guitarists like Jesse Ed Davis, Mel Brown, and Steve Miler, is the exact reason I do like it.  Lotsa tasty guitar, lotsa that Hooker growl.
16. Taj Mahal – Taj Mahal ($9.99)  This could possibly be my number one fave of this whole list.  It’s like it just keeps getting better with age.  From the first strains of harmonica on “Leaving Trunk”, you just know this album is gonna be good.  Featuring Jesse Ed Davis and Ry Cooder on guitar, you absolutely need this CD.  (I had its successor, the five-star Natch’l Blues, on the list as well… but I had to include Johnny Winters).
17. Etta James – At Last ($9.99)  Honestly, I listen to Tell Mama a bit more, but it’s still more than ten bucks.  Oh well, including her Chess debut, At Last, wasn’t a tough task.  You gotta have some Etta.  Etta is a bad-ass.  Chicks dig Etta too.  High or low; fast or slow.  Etta can do it all.
18. Rising Sons - Featuring Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder ($6.99)  ”Want to see me sell this album?”.  I don’t revere High Infidelity or anything, but anyone who works in a record store knows that some CD just have power.  Add an “it’s only 6.99″ to the conversation, and you’ve got a sale. This Rising Sons album just walks that walk. It jumps right on the customer and makes them walk up and ask. This is the only compilation from the Rising Sons brief career, and it is top notch.
19. Big Mama Thornton – With The Muddy Waters Blues Band ($9.99)  The newest addition to the list.  Like many of the great albums in my collection, Kristian found it and turned me on.  The allmusic bio used phrases like “menacing growl” and “hefty belter”… and her name is Willie Mae… and this is Muddy’s band… so how can you not be curious?
20. BB King – Indianola Mississippi Seeds ($6.99)  Let me see… Kristian found the LP and listened to it.  Then we checked the CD, and it was only 6.99, so he bought it.  Then I listened to it and bought it.  Then we put it in a listening post and sold a bunch. Now we are telling you.  You just gotta have some B.B. King, and although this album is hardly enough to represent such a master, it’s a good one to have.
21. Buddy Guy – I Was Walking Through the Woods ($9.99)  Buddy is the new Muddy, the reigning king of the Chicago Blues.  I saw him at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert, and he is still tearing up. This a comp of Buddy’s early Chess recordings… another in a long line of beautiful albums discovered through a customer trade-in.

There it is… a place to start.  Come down to the store during September, and we can discuss it more.  If these albums aren’t already in a listening post, I will pull them from my personal play list and let you listen to whatever you want.  Thanks for reading.  Long live the Blues.

Five CDs I probably would have included, except they cost more than $10:

The video refers to our “Prospective Hoodlums Test”, which should be viewable as a PDF if you click the link below. If you decide to take it… no cheating. If you need an answer key, I’m at the store every day except Wednesday and Sunday.

What Laura Says (with guest sitarist Kristopher Rein).  Special Acoustic Show. Live on the Hoodstage. Thursday, September 2nd. 7-9PM. Free and open to the public. Tell a friend.

Prospective Hoodlum Test

Have a great day.  Steve, Kristian, and the hoodlums at Hoodlums

You see, I get so into the music… the music flows through me so much… that I get goosebumps.  I always have.  Spiritually, more often than not (back in my more dogmatic days as well as in my current state of “I don’t know anything for sure”), the times when I have felt the closest to whatever God may be, it has been because of music.

Let me clarify, every time I get goosebumps because of music, I’m not in some sort of meditative state.  Most of the times I just hear a great song, especially if the music is enveloping me (like in a car or on the headphones), and the feeling flows over me, and I get goosebumps. Sometimes more.  I never know exactly when the feeling will hit, but it is more likely to happen if it’s a song I know very well, or if it is an uplifting song about outstanding human traits, or a song that reminds me of a special person or time.

Anyway, on these occasions when someone else has happened to be with me (mainly in my younger, wilder days when I was with a more varied group of passengers), I usually showed them the effect by holding out my right forearm.  Just to let them know what music does for me.  On almost every instance, the person has been sort of blown away.  Like “Wow, really?”.  No big deal.  I just figured I was sort of a minority at this level of musical passion.  I had a few buddies that were into music, but not quite to my level. by that time I knew that most people enjoyed music in a different way than I did: Not as an integral part of their life, but as a soundtrack that was played by the radio, or MTV, or someone else.   It didn’t make me feel like a weirdo or anything.  I kind of enjoyed it.

But I’ve never really discussed the physical reaction with a whole lot of people.  Not since the puppy days.  Until about a month ago.

I was overwhelmed by a song on the way to work (Paul Pena’s mighty “Gonna Move”, which has gotten me before) and along came the goosebumps.  A little later in the day, I asked the my fellow employees about it.  It was shift change, so there just happened to be three of us hanging out (maybe four…Joe and Becky for sure, maybe Andy).  ”Do you guys ever get goosebumps listening to music?”  To my surprise, and later I realized not to my surprise, everyone immediately responded “Yes”.  Not just “yes”, but “yes” in a “of course, I can’t even believe you are asking me” way.

It was another of those many times when I knew why I do it… why I own a record store in 2010.

I do it for people like us.  People who are so into it that it literally and uncontrollably moves us… physically, emotionally, spiritually.  People that break it down, collect it, analyze it, read about it.  People that recognize that life would be terrible without it.  People that embrace the song, the album, the instruments, and most of all… its amazing creators.  I think I speak for Kristian if I say he feels the same way.

Will we gladly take care of people that are casually into it?  Of course. If we can spread music in any way, it’s all good.  But for me, the driving force is connecting with people that know that the full, goose-bump-inducing power of music cannot be experienced by downloading a single song, or by only listening to it with half-ass sound quality, or by only sitting in front of their computer.

If you are one of those types, come down and see me.

A dozen songs with the ability to “goosebump” this particular Record Store Geek:

1. Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – “It’s Your World”
2. Stevie Wonder – “As” and “Another Star” (See “I’m Not a Conductor, But I Play One on the Treadmill“)
3. Stevie Wonder – “That Girl”
4. Triumph – “Fight the Good Fight” (The all-time ‘bump champion for me. Lyrically and musically… I simply cannot stop and feel the overwhelming power of Ric’s voice and not one, but two, of the greatest guitar solos ever).
5. Incognito – “I Love What You Do For Me” (After I typed this song on the list, I dialed it up on the iTunes and it emotionally messed me up in the best possible way. I hadn’t heard it in so long, I was brought to posi-tears by Maysa’s unbeatable vocals and the lyrical significance of the song as it relates to my wife/best friend).
6. Michael Franti and Spearhead – “Crazy, Crazy, Crazy” (The first song they played at our ASU in-store… it reminds of my son while presenting a philosophy I wish all of mankind could embrace.)
7. Michael Franti and Spearhead – “Soulshine” (Both Michael and Stevie could have five songs on this list, as they reach deep into the soul.)
8. The Cars – “All Mixed Up”
9. Whiskeytown – “Turn Around” (One of those reminder songs… reminding me what it was like to be scrapped by someone)
10. Derek and the Dominoes – Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?
11. Boston – “Peace of Mind” (First album. First concert in 8th grade.  First love. First real friends.  Simple message that has rung true to me for 30 years.)
12. Alison Krauss and Union Station – “The Lucky One” (Although the lyrics pertain to a happy-go-lucky man, the song reminds me of my youngest daughter – who is simply the most inspirational person in my life).

There’s many, many more – these are just the ones that popped up into my head.

Here’s a quick recap of how a “parenting” blog showed up on a record store website:

1. I’m jamming AC/DC; I think about my kid in the next room as I’m listening to Bon’s “rebellious” lyrics on Let There Be Rock; Since the topic is music-related… I decide to make this little video sarcastically rambling about my thoughts on the subject.  It’s from my old computer (just like all other Record Store Geek videos), so it’s purely a one-take deal.  I played AC/DC in the background on my iTunes.  Here’s the result:

2.  A couple of days later, I find a book at our store entitled “Rock: For Those Who Listen to the Words and Don’t Like What They Hear“.  Turns out our friend Buddha, from Changing Hands, brought it over.  I’ve seen this book before…when I was a kid.  My mom gave it to me to warn me about the evils of rock and roll.  Obviously, since I now own a record store… it’s a parental tactic that probably didn’t work.  Since subject matter was similar, I recorded another Record Store Geek video.  This one is on my new computer, so even though it’s still one-take, I can edit some rambling and really have some fun with the bells and whistles (although the picture quality is a lot higher, so looking at myself is even scarier).

Anyway, it’s just my opinion… and really, it’s all just for discussion and fun.  Feel free to join us on Facebook,  and you can leave a comment (or come down and we can talk in person).  We appreciate your business and your time.

Why?  a) Because making my lists takes forever, and as you can see, once I get going… I get going;  2) because I am the webmaster (I love saying that) and “poster” of the store lists, so I can push it; and 3) because it gives me a chance to peruse others lists and see if I missed anything.

If you are reading this, it’s possible you keep an eye on things at Hoodlums, so you may have noticed that I have been doing video recommendations about once a week. I love giving my opinion on great albums.  The process of making out “best of” lists is another great way to spread the word about good albums, so I take it seriously.  If it’s on the lists, I really do dig it.

I teased Joe in his list intro.  If Joe were to give me shit (and he does) about my list, he would probably say that I am predictable and safe, which is true.   I tend to gravitate towards groove and melody, regardless of genre… and I shy away from things that get to electronic (only actual drummers, please) or “scronky” (love “Kind of Blue”; don’t get “Bitches Brew”… although I’ve tried).  There would also be some sort of comment about my excessive love of vintage music.

My ultimate goal is to introduce people to good music.  Sure, I am a shopkeeper, and my favorite scenario would be for you to buy one of our recommendations at Hoodlums (or the indie record store nearest you) or on our digital store, but I assure you that I would still take a good bit of pleasure in thinking that your interested was piqued as a result of my list (or those of my comrades)… regardless of your method of acquisition.

Anyway, my Top Ten lists deal with 2009 and the Decade… with both new and vintage discoveries.  They are in no particular order.  I tried to avoid stuff I had used for my High Fidelity lists from Fall 2008.

Top Picks of 2009

Ten 2009 records that I really think will last for me

Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears
Monsters of Folk
David Bazan
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Live)
God Help the Girl
Pete Yorn/Scarlett Johannson
Black Crowes
Devendra Banhart
Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetics

Ten 2009 records I liked in the store, but haven’t listened to at home

Built to Spill
Silversun Pickups
Phoenix
Neko Case
Bruce Springsteen
Decemberists
M. Ward
Pearl Jam
Bon Iver
Dark Was the Night

Ten 2009 records I’m going to keep working on in 2010

Todd Snider
XX
Tegan and Sara
Dave Alvin and Guilty Women
Lucero
Wilco
Avett Brothers
Andrew Bird
Phish
Dinosaur Jr.

Five 2009 critically-acclaimed records I’ll probably never listen to again

Animal Collective
Grizzly Bear
Dead Weather
U2 (Boner and the boys lost me ages ago)
Bob Dylan (ditto with new Bob… it doesn’t do much for me)

Ten Movies/TV Shows I Enjoyed in 2009

Star Trek
Inglorious Basterds
Up
The Hangover
Real Time with Bill Maher
Arrested Development – Season 3
Frank Zappa – Making of Apostrophe
Curb Your Enthusiasm – Seinfeld Season
30 Rock – Season 3
NFL Football

Ten Things I’d like To see from the Entertainment Industry in 2010

The end of label/studio financed loss-leading for corporate retail (devaluing music since 1995).
The end of all things “exclusive” (the most confusing word in music retail).
The end of all CD list prices over $13 (even $13 is too high, but we’d take it).
The end of all DVD list prices over $20 (Blu Ray is ridiculous as well).
Reasonable list prices on new jazz & blues (so we can play and sell them).
A fantastic 800 – 1000 capacity venue for music in Tempe (w/no shoe removal necessary).
More Music Performance DVDs from the 60s and 70s (w/the essential lineups).
The end of Reality TV forever (although I literally watch none).
An instant stop to the escalation of New LP/Vinyl pricing (only labels can kill off a great trend).
A dynamic, diverse, cool radio FM station in the Valley (most people listen to many genres).

Top Picks of The Decade

Twenty of My Favorite Albums Released During the Decade

Michael Franti and Sprearhead – Everyone Deserves Music
Pete Yorn – Music for the Morning After
Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
My Morning Jacket – Z
Shins – Chutes Too Narrow
John Legend – Get Lifted
India.Arie – Acoustic Soul
Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Village Green – Feeling the Fall
Ryan Adams – Gold
Budos Band – II
Belle and Sebastian – Life Pursuit
Breakestra – Hit the Floor
Drive By Truckers – Blessing and a Curse
James Hunter – People Gonna Talk
Alison Krauss and Union Station – New Favorite
Roy Hargrove – Earfood
Minus the Bear – Menos El Oso
Peter Bjorn and John – Writer’s Block
Josh Rouse – 1972
Bob Schneider – The Californian

Twenty of My Favorites Movies Released During the Decade

Up
Incredibles
Finding Nemo
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Star Trek
Lucky Number Slevin
Batman Begins
Star Wars 3: Revenge of Sith (that’s right, I like both trilogies)
40 Year Old Virgin
Sin City
Boondock Saints
The Hangover
Old School
The Departed
Almost Famous
Wall-E
Garden State
Open Range
Juno
Thank You For Smoking

In case my occupation wasn’t enough evidence that I’m an overgrown teenager… my movie list should leave no doubt.

Seven favorite “non” movie films from the Decade

What the Bleep Do We Know?
Led Zeppelin (2 DVD set)
30 Rock
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Religulous
Ladies and Gentleman…The Rolling Stones.
Midnight Special videos on YouTube

The Vintage Stuff of 2009

10 vintage rock records I’ve discovered and played heavily this year

Savoy Brown – Raw Sienna
James Gang – Yer Album
Dave Mason – Alone Together
Wishbone Ash – Argus
Guess Who – Canned Wheat
Kinks – Lola vs. Powerman
Bonnie Raitt – Give It Up
Tim Buckley – Greetings from L.A.
Rory Gallagher – Calling Card
Steven Stills – Manassas

10 Vintage Jazz and Blues albums I’ve discovered and played heavily this year

Howlin’ Wolf – Backdoor Man
Paul Desmond – Take Ten
Astrud Gilberto – Astrud Gilberto album
Paul Butterfield Blues Band – Adventures of Pigboy Crabshaw
Rising Sons (w/Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder)
John Mayall – Crusade (w/Mick Taylor)
Lamberts, Hendricks, and Ross – Everybody’s Boppin’
Cal Tjader – Primo
Baby Face Willette – Stop and Listen
Captain Beefheart – Safe as Milk

10 Vintage Records my fellow record store geeks harass me for… that I still play frequently at home

Head East – Flat as a Pancake
Bob Seger – Night Moves
Eagles – Desperado
REO Speedwagon – Live: You Get What You Play For
April Wine – First Glance
Atlanta Rhythm Section – Champagne Jam
ZZ Top – Deguello
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Second Helping
Journey – Infinity
ELO – Greatest Hits

Note: This list is endless, as I still love many of the “critical dogs” I loved growing up.

10 Vintage Records I could sell you by playing them

Bebel Gilberto – Tanto Tempo
Rory Gallagher – Rory Gallagher
Taj Mahal – Taj Mahal
Shuggie Otis – Shuggie’s Blues
Stanley Turrentine – Rough and Tumble
Nina Simone – Sings the Blues
Steely Dan – Countdown to Ecstacy
Kashmere Stage Band
Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die
Dusty Springfield – Dusty in Memphis

10 Vintage Albums I would never part with…

Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
Cars – Cars
Dave Brubeck – Time Out
Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – It’s Your World
Paul Butterfield Blues Band – S/T
Beatles – Revolver
Widespread Panic – Everyday
Various Artists – The Roots of Acid Jazz
Frank Zappa – Apostrophe/Overnight Sensation
Elvis Costello – Armed Forces

Ten CDs I’m going to buy from the new batch of 6.99 classics we just ordered*

Journey – Journey (pre Steve Perry)
Dr. Seuss – Fox in Socks (to see if they read it faster than me)
Idrid Muhammad – Power of Soul
Staple Singers – Freedom Highway
Delaney and Bonnie – D&B Together
Spirit – The Family That Plays Together
Dave Brubeck – Jazz Goes to College
Harry Nilsson – Nilsson Sings Newman
Paul Desmond – Desmond Blue
Allman Brothers – An Evening With, 1st Set

* That means you can come in and listen to them whenever you want!

Hoodlums Music Junkies (Customers) Top Picks of 2009

Hoodlums Staff Picks of 2008

Hoodlums “High Fidelity” Top Fives (Fall 2008)

Steve Wiley here, co-owner of Hoodlums, and official Record Store Geek.

For a long time now, I’ve been sending videos to my friends in lieu of email.  I don’ t profess to be cute enough for video (yes, it pains me to have to look my goofy hair, etc), and the lighting isn’t exactly studio-quality, but it allows me to inject a bit more personality than when I am strictly writing (which I like to do as well).

In these videos, the topic often moved to music, which is natural… since I’m a rambling toad and talking about music and movies is what I do.  So a while back I thought “Wow geekboy, maybe you should put these things on the Hoodlums’ Facebook page, since you do recommend and sell music for a living” (the actual thought was longer… that’s a recap).

So that’s what I did.  If you are a fan on Facebook, you can stop here.

If you’re not, I’m adding the vids to the website/blog… in case you need some new music (and because we just can’t “social network” enough).   Hopefully they aren’t too annoying, because after twenty-two years in this wacky industry, I have thousands of albums that I can passionately recommend.

Some of the videos are directly to the clowns I grew up with (Nodak cats with names like Slo, Ratch, Seif, Lenny, and Rubberhead).  Some are to family members.  Some are just to the customers in general.  They all have a bit more of a written description on the Facebook video page (along with links, etc.), in case you want the full impact.  They are all one takes , so there are plenty of gaffes.  Wanna talk more about the album?  Comment here or on our Facebook page… or better yet, come down to the store.

And now, the Record Store Geek recommends…

Bebel Gilberto.  “Tanto Tempo” &  “All in One”. 

This is about the supreme Brazilian wondergirl.  I still listen to “Tanto Tempo” twice a month… from beginning to end (which isn’t the case with lots of albums).

Big John Patton.  “Let ‘Em Roll”.

Amazing Blue note album of smokin’ hardbop jazz with an organ/guitar/vibe/drum combo that really moves.  I was listening to it on the ‘pod while walking, and I had to spew posi for someone to hear.

Michael Franti “Everyone Deserves Music”

This one is for Ratch’s kids.  They’ve been listening to T-Pain, and I felt the need to intervene with some positive hip hop recommendations.  It all starts with the mighty Franti… but the Facebook recap on this one has a bunch of links to other hip-hop.

Whiskeytown “Stranger’s Almanac”

Ryan Adams way back when he was David Ryan Adams.  This album, somehow, just keeps getting better for me.  Just typing this makes me want to listen to it.

Frank Zappa.  Making of Apostrophe/Overnite Sensation DVD.

This one is for Seif, the Nodak boy who turned me on to Zappa.  This Zappa DVD is amazing… simply loaded with all those closest to the man and the process.

Allman Brothers “Brothers and Sisters”

The one and only Allman Brothers… a pure rock and roll recommendation for my fellow “early 80’s” HS grads who may have missed it.

The Faces “Ooh La La”

This one is for my sister, to help her understand why I dog Rod Stewart about recording four albums full of standards.  This band is rock at it’s cocky best.

That’s everything.  Any new video recommendations will be posted first on our Facebook Page (it’s a great place for recommendations… because the non-video hoodlums weigh in there as well)

Hello fellow music biz geeks,

Are we still in this crazy business?  Man, it seems like forever since we talked.  Back in the old days, back in the time when we thought we understood the phrase “uncharted waters”, we used to send charts out every week.

Anyway, down there you will find a chart.  It’s our top 99 of our first full year at the new store.  Although the old store has a totally new personality, mine is still the same (insert smart-ass comment here), so I figured I’d comment on some of the industry-related things we noticed in our 1st year at the new joint.  If you want to scroll down and skip the babble… we’ll never know.

So what’s been going on at Hoodlums, you ask?  How’s biz and all that?

Well, we are officially a year old.  If you remember, we soft-opened on Saturday, September 20th, and our grand opening was in early October.  Two days later the stock market dove, officially signaling the start of the freakshow economy.

Since then we’ve had our first real holiday season, six art shows, and Hoodstock.  We’ve stirred up conservative radio hosts, interacted with our community, learned how to buy used vinyl, and watched another unbelievable year’s worth of changes in the music industry.  Joey Kramer used our bathroom.  So did Peter Yarrow.

We haven’t sent you charts because we’ve been focused on the customers and building up the store.  It isn’t cause we haven’t been paying attention to this crazy $#%& (I haven’t turned anti-vulgarity, I have to do that in case customers are on the list) industry.  As usual, we can’t speak for other stores, or any of you cats, but we can tell you how the music biz looks from our tiny little vantage point.

1. Prices are getting better on catalog.

Let’s start positive.  Those WEA 7.99 titles (Talking Heads, ZZ Top, Bonnie Raitt, Faith No More, etc.) and those Sony 6.99 (Ten Years After, Mike Bloomfield, Milt Jackson, etc) titles have been huge sellers.  We brought a bunch in around February and they have been moving along better than we had hoped.  For 6.99 new, people will buy that David Bromberg album they used to love.  Now, with most of those great Sony 11.99 titles selling at 9.99 (don’t give me that “we don’t have a list price” bullshit, we still base price on cost, not the margin Sony decides we should lose), we are sporting a pretty mean selection of classic CDs at ten or less.  That’s what we’ve been talking about for eleven years: Cheaper prices = More sales.

2. Prices are still too high on catalog.

In the meantime, I shudder to think of how many CSN, Radiohead, or Led Zeppelin CDs we could sell at a realistic list.  18.98?  17.98?  In this day and age?  I can’t even believe those are still a price points.  Is there an economist in the house over in those Ivory Towers?  There must be someone who understands supply and demand.  Call me crazy, but since I’ve been lobbying lower prices to the industry for years to little avail, I’ve decided to make a plea to the artist.  Read the “Robert Plant – A Story and Video Plea” blog here.

3. High list prices more or less kill plans to develop and sell newer jazz, blues, and world.

While the catalog pricing offers some reasonable options in these genres, when it comes to new releases, who can afford it?  Note to the Ivory Tower: After years of watching the way you market these genres, we assume that you don’t ever want to target any young adults at all… but we should at least mention that baby boomers are price conscious too, and pricing every artist on every adult genre at 17.98 or 18.98 list is a bad idea.  I’d love to turn someone, young or old, on to a new Joe Lovano or Roy Hargrove CD, but why bother trying when you can turn them on to a classic Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, or Sonny Rollins CD for under ten bucks?

4. Hang on to your obscure, and not so obscure, CDs.

We are starting to see a lot of CDs go out of print.  Speaking of supply and demand, you want LeRoy Hutson’s Greatest Hits?  It’s gonna cost you no less than $150 on Amazon (pretty much the same price they wanted for the Beatles boxes, isn’t it?).  That plays right into our little hands, because when it comes to finding special orders… a scrappy little joint like ours is the place to go.

5. Label reps that set up records are a dying breed.

It may be because we are just a little joint – but we rarely see a label rep set up new releases any more.  There’s still a few out there that can be counted on to consistently do so (Jay from Sony/now Nettwerk, Melissa from Epitaph/Anti, and the gang at Fearless come to mind), and some that are starting to come on board, but for the most part it feels like we are on our own when it comes to deciding what it worthy of promoting or not.

That’s not all bad, and we aren’t necessarily upset.  After all, we are more than capable of finding stuff for the posts.  But for sure on the right releases a great set-up makes a huge difference… and for sure a great rep that know what to push at your store (or in this day and age, one that pushes at all) can make all the difference.  Look at all the Sony and Epitaph stuff that made the chart.  There’s no way that NASA makes this chart without support.  Would we have brought it in?  Sure.  One copy.  Would we have put it in the post?  Probably not.

How does the lack of set-up hurt?  If someone would have worked with us on the recent Noisettes or Raveonettes CDs, we probably would have quadrupled sales so far.  Do we react once we see demand?  Sure, but it hurts at first, when it matters most.  In this economy, in this industry, we do our new release buying with caution.  Often, we aren’t quite sure what customers are going to want (since the internet has given every customer the ability to find out their own street dates, we don’t quite get the “pre-buzz” like the old days).  People just sorta show up on street date and buy.  It’s easy with proven champs like Flaming Lips or Built to Spill, but since we don’t listen to the radio or monitor internet activity, its tough to judge whether those mid-level groups still have interested fans.  If we don’t hear from anyone at the label, we assume the label isn’t really behind them anymore.  If we buy the CD at all, we buy one.

Like I said, our little store may not rate the coverage… and we can live with that, but I don’t think that’s it.  We seem to be on the radar still.  We still get visits from out-of-town Music Biz Bigshots.  We still get stuff in the mail.  It seems more likely that either: a) there aren’t enough label reps (Phoenix doesn’t have a WEA, Sony, or EMD sales rep – and our UNI sales rep is covering like 32 states or something);  b) many of the labels out there aren’t focused on on physical product at the indie stores; or c) lack of accountability and direction are at an all time high.  Probably a little of everything.

6. Everything is still free on the Internet.

Somehow in spite of those FBI stickers… in spite of the lawsuits… in spite of the “switched” street dates, the branded play copies, and the Congressional testimony… every release is still out there for a grand total of nothing.   I know because we have to get a lot of our play copies, the ones we need to help sell your CDs, the same way that a huge portion of the rest of the world has been getting their music for twelve years now.

Can you guys finally relent and monetize the file-sharing?  Maybe that way CD prices will continue to fall and those who want to collect and peddle the hard copies can do so – while those that are content with files can do their thing legally.  While we are on the subject: A buck a song is still too much.

7. Labels, in true form, are already stifling the vinyl resurgence with ridiculous prices.

It was totally predictable.  Customers find value in LPs… so labels jack prices until the value goes away.  It’s the same Ivory Tower game plan that has helped kill CDs sales over the past twelve years.

It’s simple, anything over $20 is TOO MUCH for an LP.  Even if the digital file in included.  Each week, as we decide what to bring in… we simply look at the list price. These days, instead of 18.98, which is fine (with the digital info), we see lots of 24.98.  If the price is over twenty, unless it is something we can’t live without (like the Wilco releases), we don’t bring it in.  The biggest recent example is the Muse reissues.  Four releases from a very powerful band at Hoodlums, yet only one (Black Holes..) is priced under twenty.  We brought in Black Holes, and it is nearing double digit sales.  The other three have become special orders.

There is it: Our take on how the music biz decision-making is looking at this little store.  As always, we appreciate your support… and your taking the time to read our opinions.  Have a great day.

Steve, Kristian, and the hoodlums at Hoodlums.

The Top 99 of Hoodlums’ 1st year (September 2008 – September 2009)

The album is the latest release by the artist, unless specified.

1. Kings of Leon
2. Neko Case
3. Animal Collective
4. Black Carl
5. Darren Mahoney
6. Fleet Foxes
7. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
8. Phoenix
9. Wilco
10. Bon Iver
11. What Laura Says
12. Andrew Bird
13. Dead Weather
14. Green Day
15. Ray Lamontagne
16. Neil Young
17. TV on the Radio
18. Bruce Springsteen
19. Catfish Groove Farm
20. Calexico
21. Regina Spektor
22. U2
23. Kinch
24. Iron and Wine
25. Ben Harper & Relentless 7
26. Leonard Cohen
27. Bob Dylan
28. VA – Thank You, Goodnight
29. Fleet Foxes – EP
30. Iron & Wine
31. Decemberists
32. Lucinda Williams
33. Grizzly Bear
34. Silversun Pickups
35. Manchester Orchestra
36. She & Him
37. Sonic Youth
38. Jack Johnson/D. Frankenreiter/G. Love
39. Steve Earle
40. Vampire Weekend
41. Camera Obscura
42. St. Vincent
43. Adele
44. Kanye West
45. Fun
46. Dan Auerbach
47. Bloc Party
48. Beatles – Abbey
49. Of Montreal
50. Dinosaur Jr.
51. Arctic Monkeys
52. Ben Folds
53. Bob Dylan – Telltale Signs/Boot 8
54. Dave Matthews
55. Elvis Costello
56. Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
57. Abba – Gold
58. Jolie Holland
59. Jenny Lewis
60. Beatles – Sgt. Peppers
61. Ryan Adams and Cardinals
62. Jeff Beck
63. Q-Tip
64. Death Cab for Cutie
65. Damien Rice – Live at Fingerprints
66. NASA
67. Bonnie Raitt – Give it Up
68. Mars Volta – Octahedron
69. Killers
70. Radiohead
71. Mgmt
72. Franz Ferdinand
73. Derek Trucks – Already Live
74. Milt Jackson – Sunflower
75. Ben Harper – Live at Twist and Shout
76. Interpol – Live
77. Son Volt
78. Peter Bjorn and John
79. Bob Marley & Wailers – Legend
80. Taj Mahal – Taj Mahal
81. Slumdog Millionaire OST
82. Byrne/Eno
83. Eminem
84. Robert Plant/Allison Krauss
85. Michael Franti
86. Black Keys
87. Talking Heads – Remain in Light
88. Clapton/Winwood – Madison Square
89. Coldplay
90. Lily Allen
91. Mark Olson/Gary Louris
92. Uncle Tupelo – No Depression
93. Kings of Leon – Youth and Young Manhood
94. John Mayer – Village Sessions
95. Chet Atkins/Les Paul – Chester and Lester
96. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
97. Pearl Jam – Live at Easy Street
98. VA – Vintage Verve (I love this, as I was on the panel that selected it)
99. Alejandro Escovedo