Interviews

The first time I went to some record shops I was 9 or 10 and chaperoned by my mortified grandmother. One was a quasi record spot in downtown Philadelphia, it also had black light posters, a memorable one called “The Afro-nomical ways” which featured a rendered black couple copulating in a different position for each zodiac sign, there were what I later found out were bongs for sale, and the heavy scents of patchouli and nag champa. Overwhelmed a bit by it all and embarrassed by my grandmothers obvious unease, I nevertheless got a copy of Ronnie Laws Pressure Sensitive, produced by Wayne Henderson of the Crusaders it contained “Always There” which was already being played as the TV theme for the Philadelphia 76’ers. Taking it to the register I got a “nice choice young man” from a very tall clerk wearing an Ankh (key of the Nile) pendant. Leaving the shop feeling elated and with my grandmother dazed we shuffled to the somewhat more normative Sam Goody store nearby.

Well I thought it would be, we were greeted there by a giant cutout of Raquel Welch in a white bikini and the Farrah Fawcett poster. I got a copy of the Beatles Revolver and ushered my by then catatonic grandmother out into the sunlight. (“Denny do you think that guy who was helping you was a queer? You mean the guy with the cool moustache?”)

Cultural trauma for her, but I had that “schools out” euphoria, I had found a place, an escape from the horrors of working class Irish misery and a violent dysfunctional home and neighborhood.

So began what’s been a lifetime of digging and looking for records, and always finding out how little I know, and how much amazing music is out there if you look for it. I started doing a song a day on twitter 3+ years ago, just a way to put out a jam I remembered, or was in my head, some positive juju in the acrid twitter stream. I had no other thought, no best this or that, just some songs. I’ve moved the daily posts to Bluesky (because F Musk) and post them every month on instagram, not sure how long I wanna be there, so I’m happy to place them here on DC. Props to Ryan and all who contribute to this great community/site.

In the coming months I’ll check in with some people about their early record trips and some of their impactful finds. Below is this months list, enjoy.

- DK