Michael (@poetryonplastic) and Jim (@recordcollectornews) visited one of the most infamous record stores in Los Angeles. / @poetryonplastic / @recordcollectornews recordcollecto...
Life is WAY too short to deal with a business owner who treats some of his potential customers in such an aggressively poor manner. Great video, and thanks for the heads up regarding which record store to avoid when I'm in Los Angeles.
Michael, if he knew about your background, you would have been given the grand tour. He is a classical trained violinist. At least that is what he told me. Henry, the "archivists" is a gentle soul. Not sure how he handles it. All records will be over priced, you are paying for the experience. Once he learned I was a retired professor, I got his life story ( it was a slow day). He also wanted to know all about starting a low powered FM station as he hates KUSC (they compress for the car drivers who are in fact the majority of their listeners), Terry
I was there in February, passed the sniff test and got to actually browse in the high end jazz section for an hour or so. Went home with an OG Eric Dolphy Outward Bound on New Jazz for a fair price. ~Jason
The soup nazi of vinyl, love it. These kind of shops fascinate me. The idea that he's been building up that collection for so many years and has all this knowledge in his head is amazing. And probably had the same assistant the entire time. But funny how he seemed to charge $50 for like everything. Seems like that could definitely work in your favor sometimes. Would love to browse that place. Good one!
From your description, I would never go into that store. I want to enjoy the experience of a record store and look for whatever comes to mind without worrying about some egotistical douche judging me. I’ve been in those types of stores and it ruins the entire experience. Thanks for the heads up.
I’ve been there 3x. The owner wasn’t a total tyrant to me bc I knew what I was there for and knew enough to be dangerous. Others that came in didn’t get the same experience. And the assistant is literally cast out of a black & white timely film 😬
It’s impossible to “browse” because all the good rare records are inaccessible and in the upper stacks. That’s why they want a list. It’s annoying but it makes sense.
That was a great video: three people talking about their record pickups and who clearly love the music on the records they grabbed. I'd be hard-pressed not to turn around and leave immediately if I walked into a record store and there were no prices. That has to be tough for a lot of people, but if you know roughly what things should go for - and all of you did - it can be okay. Glad you all had a good experience there. Cheers, Tom
Great video guys. I used to go into his store in the early 2000's- about 20+ years ago -and he was very helpful to me. I was allowed to browse - even the shelves - and occasionally I would ask about some LPs that had eluded me for a long time and he would go to some shelves in the back of the store, down narrow hallways, and pull out remarkable finds. I haven't lived in LA for a long time but am visiting this fall so you have motivated me to go back. I am so happy to hear he is still there.
Same experience here, except going way back to the Seventies. Henry knew where everything was, and was very helpful. If you ever go to there, tell Sandy that Jim Miller -- friend of Don Hodgeman's sent you. You'll be 'in like Flynn'.
I went there once. He was watching the store remotely and had his assistant Henery hold up the record and he would tell him a price on speaker phone. He started screaming at Henry and berating him over and over. I had to leave. NO RECORDS FOR ME!
Last time I went was when the store was still on Highland, so over 20 years ago. Not a pleasant experience. You are brave souls to enter the lion's den!!! But you got some great records - Michael, major score on the Walton!
There was a failed documentary about him that fell apart for unknown reasons. I was contacted because they asked to use my Yelp review for the project. I followed up some time later and they said the project was shelved. Wonder why! 🧐
You went! You did great Waxed. And yes the Ahmad sounds amazing. Have one on the wall rn. Arnoldo and I actually listened today actually. Totally agree with you about Chico on Impulse. And Jim, I recently sold a copy of that Howard McGhee record and I kinda feel the burn. It’s really really good. Hot and classy.
Nice, enjoyable outing for The Three Amigos...I would have said The 3 Musketeers, but Jim is the only one who looks the part, though Michael might be passable as D'Artagnan, and let's face it, people, Rob could only be cast as Cardinal Richelieu.😇
Yea. I wandered in there once killing time, and wasn’t prepared for that guy. Lol. There’s no prices on anything and it’s amazing if anyone actually gets to buy anything. It’s like he’s trying to place the records in the right collection. You really have to negotiate a price and let him know you’re the right person to buy that record. Incredible jazz collection those. Best I’ve ever seen in one place in person. Good video guys. Reminded me of that one time 5 years ago. Lol. I walked away empty handed, but had an amazing experience anyway.
I've been there many times, dating back to the days in the 80s when he was in another location on Highland. We always have a good conversation. He likes talking to classical musicians, especially those who know L.A. classical history. He does seem to have EVERYTHING; it's uncanny. And yes you generally pay full price. You go there when you want specific things and you know it's going to cost you. He's a "different" guy, but he has always been nice to me.
This bloke sounds like the one who used to run Haggle Vinyl in Islington in the early 2000s. I would often take record covers up to him to buy the record and then he would pretend he couldn’t find the record because he didn’t like the look of me. However, he had some great stuff in that shop. In a way, shame it isn’t there anymore.
Crikey....that store owner sounds like a barrel of laughs !!! I'd probably walk into his store,say hello,look at him and have a shotgun pointed at me 😁 $100 for a classical LP 😮😮😮 you generally can't give them away over here !!!
Hi Rob. I saw a clip from Fox 11 News which was posted on RU-vid yesterday. The Record Collector shop on Melrose is up for sale. The asking price for the building is $4,995,000. The 500,000 records in the shop are not included in that price.
There was a jerk who ran a junk store in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania called "Atomic Warehouse". He was just like that! Thankfully he and his over-priced junk records (and everything else) are now belly-up!
What condition do your jackets have to be in before you add it to your collection? Does spine condition matter? Always curious to what makes it into larger collections
Must be the place I went. Looked like some kind of tax dodge or 'running joke'. I asked him about a price and he called someone, who appeared to be no one, and had a one way phone converation. The price was only about 10$ over the market rate, but as a dealer I offered 30% of the market rate. I asked him why he was selling 10cent Lp's for 15$, forget his response. Left empty handed, fascinating experience.
Just read about the owner putting the shop and collection up for sale, searched to see if anyone I knew had visited, and there you are! Fun vid! And These are the kinds of characters that are too good to miss out on meeting if you get the chance!
After he played the 78s through his JBL floor speakers from '62, I wept; then Sandy charged me a hundred bucks for the Schnabel & Dobrowen Concerto 4 Beethoven HMV and I believe I have found at least 2 copies since at around ten to twenty bucks a piece. Also, a prize should be given out to Sandy's helper, Harry or Henry, I can't remember, but he's the perfect sidekick for their chicanery of mind control.
Very interesting record store, awesome you all got some rare things. How is his selection of rock, hard rock or metal (80’s metal, not extreme stuff) Ed
Gees! Did this posting ever bring back mems from a long-ago past! Good going guys but, there was (is) another side to The Record Collector and Sanders Chase about which I posted just a moment ago as an answer to another's comment, this following, which a wider audience I think might enjor (or NOT?) Ha! Good old Sandy Chase! I bought classical 78s from he and Henry (knew where 'everything' was!) beginning sometime in the later Seventies. He and Music Man Murray and his wife were my other destination for some really nice finds. (Classical piano, Arthur Lyman exotica and George Wright pipe organ.) Sandy played (or plays) some instrument (cello, brass?) in the L.A. Philharmonic. His Mom, forgot her name, had been a student of the mighty Joseph Lhevinne's (not Rosina's) at Julliard in New York, and later a teacher of piano in the Hollywood area. Funny story attending: Once, after Sandy having heard the news that Music Man Murray had taken me to lunch somewhere, Sandy inquired thus of myself: "Murry took YOU to lunch?" To which I answered innocently in the affirmative plus opined that MMM was really nice guy and seller. Not long then, after GUESS WHAT? It was off to Musso & Franks on the Boulevard (famous eatery in Hollywood started back in the Teens) for . . . LUNCH! They were competitors of a sort and each was not going to be bested by the other. I only came to realize this dynamic until much later. Yeah, Sandy is a prickly character at times but respect and knowledge of what you're doing are KEY to getting along with him. The GOOD old days of shellac Chase-ing and collecting.
Sounds like the place hasn’t changed since my last visit years ago. If Henry told you about Hugh Laurie and Michael Jackson shopping there, bonus points. Did Sandy remember + recognize Jim from back in the day?
Sounds like the guy has a few issues. He wouldn't get a satoshi out of me, but I'd go in there just to mess with him if he's got a reputation like that. Some strange cats around in this wacky world of record collecting
CLASSICAL 🙄 i was thinking he would be into New Wave, Punk 80s Stuff. Talking Heads, Ramones, Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode that sorta stuff. well he really shocked me there.
Interesting video Wax, what would bother me would be if he had several copies of the same title and the guy picks one out and gives it to you i want to look for the best copy myself. i wonder if you went in and handed him a 50 and said i want to shop what would he say.
Went there several times over my years in LA, first time was around 1980. Henry worked there then. Show Sanders some respect and he’s not a bad dude. Certainly no worse than some of the guys at Rhino or Aaron’s. But don’t go there for deals go there to find things that don’t often pop up. Great video Rob.
Ha! Good old Sandy Chase! I bought classical 78s from he and Henry (knew where 'everything' was!) beginning sometime in the later Seventies. He and Music Man Murray and his wife were my other destination for some really nice finds. (Classical piano, Arthur Lyman exotica and George Wright pipe organ.) Sandy played (or plays) some instrument (cello, brass?) in the L.A. Philharmonic. His Mom, forgot her name, had been a student of the mighty Joseph Lhevinne's (not Rosina's) at Julliard in New York, and later a teacher of piano in the Hollywood area. Funny story attending: Once, after Sandy having heard the news that Music Man Murray had taken me to lunch somewhere, Sandy inquired thus of myself: "Murry took YOU to lunch?" To which I answered innocently in the affirmative plus opined that MMM was really nice guy and seller. Not long then, after GUESS WHAT? It was off to Musso & Franks on the Boulevard (famous eatery in Hollywood started back in the Teens) for . . . LUNCH! They were competitors of a sort and each was not going to be bested by the other. I only came to realize this dynamic until much later. Yeah, Sandy is a prickly character at times but respect and knowledge of what you're doing are KEY to getting along with him. The GOOD old days of collecting shellac.
Was this store formerly Ray Avery’s Rare Records in the sixties? Ray Avery was the famous jazz photographer. I use to shop there in the sixties. Anyone know?
I went into the Highland location once in the early 1990s. Not a shopper-friendly store in any sense, and the one record I asked for, yes it was there, but the price was WAY out of line. I hope he still has the same copy 30 or more years later. He can keep it. He's a major dick.
@@theboomerscalper the NYC art band. Godzundheit has unforgettable cover and an unforgivable cover of whiffenpoof song. Baa baa baa for minutes on end. Other godz is Cleveland metal band for bikers
@theboomerscalpe I have not seen you this subdued in like never!!! Sanders has record collectors on their very best behavior or they leave empty handed. Sounds like a vinyl goldmine in there, but I have zero patience to “Billy Goat Gruff” my way into this store.
10:57 Pronounced FINE-AS ....Newborn. Finian s Rainbow = an early Coppola film, that s not FI-NE ... Suggest do a similar on DISCONTINUED RECORDS. Burbank or G dale. When did it go out of biz ? Just a narrow counter on where you laid down your wantlist - real cramped quarters 4 customer. The warehouse in the back was hangar-size, but off-limits COSTomers. Also on Melrose was a similar store in 86,,there,, you could browse but all genres were mixed in alpahbetically. That was idiotic. Who was the owner of DISCONT ? Then do another 1 on LEON LEAVITT.
Some bookshop owners do this in the UK. I am guessing they don't want to deal with what they think are people who are "time wasters or people scoffing at prices and ask for discounts. I know a number of record shop owners who do the same. Interesting video. Thanks.
...I walked in cold knowing absolutely nothing about this shop. I had a great time joking with the owner of the store, and the assistant was funny as hell. No prices? Doesn't scare me. I'm well aware of the market. From our banter he could tell I knew what I was talking about. He charged me what I thought were fair prices for the condition of the records I wanted and there is so much stuff there I wish I had more time to dig. Go in with a positive attitude as opposed to being a stuck up audiophile snot nose and it might be a better experience.
@poetryonplastic I told you he would have the SAX, It's such a great shop. Now that you are in LA , If you want to go to some places that have an even better selection I can take you. Generally the good classical is private and not out on the shelves.
