I’ve probably spent the equivalent of what it would cost to put an 18 year old through a fairly well respected preparatory school on records in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I regret nothing, but sometimes I look at my shelves and think what possibilities that wax could have held elsewhere. Ultimately I take one down, fire it up and enjoy the fact that my collection only talks back to me when I want it to.
Boise is a unique hub in what can be an otherwise deflating state. I know, I know. The outdoors stuff, though. The fishing, the hiking, the hunting, it goes on and on, ad infinitum. But for those of us with a more translucent complexion, who’d rather spin a King Diamond record and gather around the D&D table, there are many options as well. Most of them you don’t even have to fight your way to the bottom of a dungeon to explore. Most.
Ah yes, the very smell is enough to make me reach for my wallet, and get ready to delve deep into whatever boxes, crates, or wooden contraptions have been constructed to retain the musical medium. The “Why Vinyl?” question is a good one, and something I look forward to digging deep into at a later date. Online record shopping has certainly offered an alluring alternative for those who truly wish to stay out of the light, but nothing will ever match the feeling of flipping record after record toward yourself, to finally discover a gem.
And what gems there are! Probably 50% of my record purchases are made strictly on impulse based solely on three things: 1) Band name, 2) Band Logo 3) Cover art. Spending a few extra bucks on duds is well worth it when you discover something at the bottom of your stack like The Vindictives, the one diamond in the ruff in an otherwise unimpressive stack I hauled away. Probably my best find so far was a pristine copy of Iron Maiden’s much lauded 1985 live effort, Live After Death. I found it in between Carpenters records at my local Idaho Youth Ranch. This is an amazing feeling, but it doesn’t happen too often. And that’s a good thing.
So let’s talk options. The greater Boise area boasts many, many possibilities for record excavation, but today I’ll just mention the two I know best as the local haunts in the heart of the beast: The Record Exchange, and Record World. Both are first rate shops well above the size of the area in which we live, and should be taken advantage of at every opportunity. The Record Exchange has been a Boise institution for more than 40 years, and does its very best to stay plugged in to the local scenes in nearly every way. Whether it’s the periodic top 5 picks by staff, the live in store musical appearances, Record Store Day, or anything else. You can’t go wrong by just showing up randomly, buying a cup of coffee, and looking around. The staff is knowledgeable, and is made up of people from every taste in music imaginable, and they’re all excited to help you find your next favorite record.
What Record World lacks in the way of in store signings, performances, and other sponsored events, it more than makes up for in character, and sheer volume of offerings. Boxes and boxes of records litter the store, just waiting to be explored and discovered. In lieu of a team of music lovers, this is a sole proprietorship, but the service and knowledge is no less superb. Record World has a slightly more personal vibe to it, just a bit removed from the juggernaut of the Exchange.
But what really makes both stores shine is the palpable love of music that oozes from the walls and soaks into the very air. You can’t walk into either of these shops and not catch a little bit of that, and you most definitely will carry it out with you when you leave. It’s something akin to a time machine made possible through the passions of individuals dedicated to a lifestyle thought long dead. In a post iTunes/YouTube/Amazon world, the record shop is the equivalent of the guru you find in the depths of the swamp, on your go-go-go trek to find the treasure, slay the dragon, get that raise, all accompanied by the soundtrack of the fattest beats you can find at any given time, on short notice. He’ll tell you to slow down. He’ll tell you to take your hat off and stay a while. He’ll tell you The Budos Band records are over there. All you have to do is listen.
Record World Facebook Exchange
