Where the Music Used to Live

Here's an entry I've long-threatened to post, but it was always such a time-suck to put together that I never got around to it. But I'm about to go away for a week (more about that later), so figured I'd leave you with something robust to mull over in my absence.

My only regret about this post (well, along with not having more photographs to include in it) is that I wasn't quite as scrupulous as I'd have liked to have been in terms of crediting the photographs that I didn't take myself (which are most of them). I've cited the proper credits where I can. In other instances, however, I merely stumbled upon the photograph on Tumblr or in the wilds of the Internet somewhere and either didn't notice a photographer's name or didn't find one listed. Suffice it to say, I am extremely grateful and respectful to be able to include all of these photos in this post, and I complement the photographers in question for their work and insight. I certainly wish I'd taken the time to capture more of these places with my camera. If you are one of the shutterbugs responsible, I tip my hat to you.

On another front, those of you who aren't quite as maniacally obsessed with music and New York City minutia as I apparently am might find this post to be a ridiculous waste of time. Fair enough. Maybe I'm a bit fetishistic about old record stores. There are certainly worse vices. Anyway, please enjoy.

Some time ago, a regular reader pointed out that Dan Weeks' Streetview blogs are, for one reason or another, dead. You may remember I spoke about Weeks' remarkable project back on this post. Essentially, he tried to capture as much of the topography of Manhattan circa 1982 (pre-internet, pre-digital photography) as he could. Viewing his long, panoramic shots of once-familiar Manhattan avenues was like going back in time. Hopefully they'll reappear at some point.

In any case, this reminded me of a project I'd started several months back and never brought to fruition. Way back in 2007, I'd penned a post that culled together a handful of some of my favorite record and disc shops that had closed. Since then, unsurprisingly, several more have sadly joined their ranks. 

Being that I'm constantly scouring the Internet for photographs of these vanished place, I thought I'd aggregate the ones I found. The list of record stores and compact disc shops below is by no means complete or authoritative. There are still scores of spots I simply couldn't find images of. But for those of you who used to frequent, patronize, cherish and revere New York City's now-crippled network of music outlets, please enjoy this trip down memory lane. 

Bleecker Bob's:
I've written a ton about Bleecker Bob's in the past, so I won't bother drumming all that up again.  Suffice to say, as grubby a reputation as it might have garnered over the years, it remained one of the first truly important record shops I ever discovered. And now it's a frozen yogurt emporium. Music I remember buying here: The "Halloween" 7" single by the Misfits, The Act is Done bootleg 12" by Killing Joke and the Now We Are Six e.p. by Happy Flowers.

Crazy Eddie on East 57th:
Sure, it was part of a big chain, but ask any native New Yorker about Crazy Eddie and you'll doubtlessly be treated with an impresison of their signature commercials (as NYC as Tom Carvel). This particular spot had a truly amazing import section.
Music I remember buying here: The Flogging a Dead Horse compilation by the Sex Pistols, the 12" single of "The Walk" by The Cure, the 12" single of "O Superman" by Laurie Anderson.

Crazy Eddie's on East 86th:
The original Crazy Eddie in this neighborhood was down a couple of blocks on Third Avenue, which was actually kind of a better spot. I befriended a clerk there named Brian who was a total hardcore kid who used to hold records for me. Then they moved to East 86th.  
Music I remember buying here: Nighttime by Killing Joke, Stukas Over Disneyland by The Dickies, The Big Express by XTC and My Beach by the Surf Punks 

 

Ear Wax in Williamsburg:
I didn't get to this spot very much back in the day, but it was a nice little find, tucked away in the wilds of Williamsburg (before the entire hipster occupation). I remember that they didn't have a telephone, which was slightly odd for a business. Not sure when they closed. Music I remember buying here: I vaguely remember picking up a disc by an indie band called The PeeChees here (which I've since parted with).

Etherea on Avenue A: 
This was a great if comparatiely short-lived spot on Avenue A. The staff was knowledgable and the vibe was very mellow and the selection was suitably ecclectic. Was very sorry to see it go. Music I remember buying here:  Minimum-Maximum by Kraftwerk and Freaks, Faggots, Drunks & Junkies by GG Allin. 

This photo originates here.

This photo originates here.

FreeBeing on 2nd Avenue:
I wrote a post about Freebeing not too long back. The thing I remember most is that it was always crazy loud inside, which -- of course -- only made it cooler. As I mentioned in that earlier post, we used to call Freebeing "Deafwreckastow," as it was the record store wherein you'd go deaf. Music I remember buying here: An Adjustment to Society by Kraut and Music for Pleasure by The Damned.

Future Legend in Hell's Kitchen:
This place was very sadly shortlived, and I wrote up a little post about it when it closed in 2008. I loved that there was a cool little indie record shop in Hell's Kitchen. To bad it couldn't last. Music I remember buying there: Colossal Youth by Young Marble Giants. 

This picture originates here.

Lunch for Your Ears in SoHo:
I wrote up a couple of pieces about the long-defunct Lunch for Your Ears, namely here and here. It was a very cool spot that fell on some hard times, if memory serves. Music I remember buying here: Dark Adapted Eye by Danielle Dax.

This picture originates here.

99 Records on MacDougal Street:
Oh my god, 99 Records was the coolest goddamn shop in the world, not least because they put out their own music by amazing bands like Liquid Liquid and ESG (check out this recent rumination on their history). They also stocked an amazing array of great hardcore singles and obscure vinyl. Music I remember buying here: The White E.P. by The Pop-0-Pies and Capitalism is Cannibalism by Anthrax..not the Queens thrash-metal band but the UK anarcho band.

Piers Platters in Hoboken:
I wrote about this shop not too long back. It was one of the only two reasons to ever visit Hoboken. It's gone. The other reason, Maxwell's, is recently gone too. There is no reason to ever go back to Hoboken. Music I remember buying here: Dial 'M' For Motherfucker by Pussy Galore and Bandwagonesque by Teenage Fanclub.

Rebel Rebel on Bleecker Street:
Oh, I love Rebel Rebel so much, even though they largely eschewed stocking British indie imports in favor of techno-dance-club music records a long while back. It's actually still there, of course, which gives it an awkward placement in this list, but I couldn't not include it. Dave behind the counter can be stand-offish to the point of sneery, but he's always been good to me (he knows a loyal customer when he sees one). Music I remember buying here: Almost too many to quantify, but notable ones include the CD-single of "Nothing Compares to You" by Sinad O'Connor, Strange Free World by Kitchens of Distinction and practically every slab of vinyl I own by the Mission U.K.

This picture originates here.

Record Factory on West 8th:
Truthfully, this place wasn't the greatest shop in the world, but I liked that it was there. They didn't stock anything you couldn't get anywhere else, but they were a sturdy standby. It's a nail salon today, of course. Music I remember buying here: About Face by David Gilmour

Record Hunter on Fifth Avenue:
Another not-especially-crucial spot, but one I vivdly remember (it was one three record stores that spanned Fifth Avenue between 43rd and 34th streets -- all gone today, of course). Music I remember buying here: Ironically enough, The Hunter by Blondie (a dreadful album, for what it's worth).

Rockit Scientist on St. Mark's Place:
Technically, the original Rockit Scientist was on Carmine Street, which was a much better place. At the same time, this space used to be the far-superior SMASH CD's. Either way, both incarnations featured a lovely array of estoteric-if-oft-pricey fare. Music I remember buying here: The Bestiality of the Bonzo Dog Band.

This picture originate here.

Rocks In Your Head in SoHo:
Oh, now I'm bound to get choked up. There are precious few spots I miss more than Rocks in Your Head. I've written about it a bunch of times. It was perfect in every way.  The space is now a fucking real estate agency, for cryin' out loud. May those responsible get a chronic case of irritable bowel syndrome. Music I remember buying here: Too many albums to cite, but off the top of my head...Ragin' Full On by fIREHOSE, On Fire by Galaxie 500, Make Them Die Slowly by White Zombie, Throb Throb by Naked Raygun...and countless, countless others.

I took the shot above. Wheeee!

This picture originates here.

Second Coming on Sullivan Steet:
Oh, another great spot. DAMN, do I miss this place. With amazing posters all over the ceiling and a ridiculous selection of bootleg live tapes (something that would come back to haunt them severely), Second Coming was a MANDATORY stop whenever doing the downtown circuit. One of the dudes behind the counter was this crazy tattooed mohican guy who was obsessed with The Stranglers. While he looked like an extra from "The Road Warrior," he was actually incredibly cool and used to put stuff aside for me that he knew I'd like. Such an amazing, amazing space. In later years, it spawned an off-shoot disc oulet two doors down. Today, it's a Mexican restaurant and a tattoo parlour. Music I remember buying here: Again, too many to mention, but I do vividly remember picking up Reign in Blood by Slayer here.

Stooz Records in the East Village:
Not a crucial spot, but a decent outlet for used CD's. It's gone. Don't know what's there now. I took this picture, though, and I love it. Music that I remember buying here:  Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man by Guadalcanal Diary and Total Destruction by The Unsane.

Subterranean Records on Cornelia Street:
Walking down into this spot really felt like "going underground," literally, it being a cramped little basement hideway, furtively stocked with musical treasures. I love every sqaure inch of this tiny little place. Music I remember buying here: The 12" single of "Eighties" by Killing Joke and My War by Black Flag. 

The picture originates here.

This picture originate here.

I actually took this picture above. Yay.

Tower Records on East 4th & Broadway:
I loved Tower. I did. And I dearly miss it.. especially since now it's a douchebag haven ESPN mancave or something like that. Burn it down. Music I remember buying here: Too many to cite. 

Tower Records on West 66th:
I love this outlet of Tower too. Sue me. There's no reason to go back to the Upper West Side now that it's gone. You know I'm right. Fuck Zabar's. Music I remember buying here: The 12" of "Ball of Confusion" by Love & Rockets, The Crew by 7 Seconds, Singles: 45's and Under by Squeeze and about a bajillion other things.

This picture originates here.

Venus Records on St. Marks Place:
 I prefererd their West 8th Steet location (see below), but Venus' second haunt was pefectly alright. Music I remember buying here: Ripped To the Tits by The Plesasure Fuckers, Apocalypse Dudes by Turbonegro and countless others.

Venus Records' original spot on West 8th just off 6th Avenue:
I loved this incarnation of Venus. One flight up off West 8th Street, they packed so much vinyl into such a relatively tiny space, but the presentation was impeccable and the selection drool-worthy. Music I remember buying here: The 12" of "Adorations" by Killing Joke.

Vinyl Mania on Carmine Street:
There were a few of Vinyl Mania outlets, actually. There were a couple on Carmine Street (one concentrating on dance music, the other rock) and one on the Upper West Side somewhere. Music I remember buying here: Floodland by the Sisters of Mercy and Omen by Mysterious Art.

This picture originates here.

The Virgin Megastore on Times Sqaure:
Sure, it was a big glossy mega-outlet, but I certainly preferred it to whatever's there now. Music I remember buying there: No Way Out But Forward Go by Killing Joke. 

This picture originates here.

 And last but not least....

Woolworth's on East 86th and Third Avenue:
Sure, it sounds ridiculous, but Woolworth's had a music section, and as a nascent music fan in my pre-teens (before I'd slipped the leash and explored downtown), it supplied me with a few choice LPs. Music I remember buying here: Both It's Alive and Rocket to Russia by The Ramones, Caress of Steel by Rush, Some Enchanted Evening by Blue Oyster Cult and Vol.4 by Black Sabbath.
 

 Anyway, like I said....this is by no means complete. There several crucial shops I didn't manage to cite. Which ones do YOU miss?

And for more supercool pictures I didn't take of stuff I hold dear, check out my FAVORITES section from my Flickr page.

 ADDENDUM: More forgotten record stores from previous posts!!!

Comments

[Kevinkray]

St. Marks Sounds

[Megan O'Connor]

I remember all of these. It's Jammyland that I miss...mostly because I worked there. We would occasionally mock (with affection) Dance Trax which was just down the block.

[John Stavrianos]

seconding St. Marks sounds!

[Ivan]

I grew up in Jackson Heights, so for me it was Numbers Records and Tapes. I was a metal head, but I remember looking at the Sonic Youth records in the "indie" section. I wish I would have gotten into them back then (the '80s).

[Brian Prager]

Midnight Records on 23rd Street.

[Al Quaglieri]

This is wonderful, nice work. I'd have bought a lot more from Future Legend, but they only accepted cash.

[zev]

Downstairs Records - when they were in the subway @ 6th & 43rd st exit.

Zig Zag - Ave U in Brooklyn, also the short lived UES location was cool.

Titus Oaks.

Is Other Music still there?

Both branches of Sounds + Kims = empty wallet, usually.

Also fun to hang out at:
J&R Music - when Tim Warren worked there.
King Carol - on 42 st around the time Jahn Xavier worked there

[FBC!]

I think Ear Wax still exists in Williamsburg, but they moved. Been there a few times when they were on Bedford avenue, totally hated it (lots of CDs, not enough vinyl, too much attitude).

[tom]

somewhere on E7th st. there was a second hand record shop I knew as Max's. I bought a copy of red vinyl "Nazz Nazz" there. Max said "Wait a minute, that's rare" So I paid $3 for it...

[Ol Yella]

Anyone else remember Space Age Bachelor Pad on E. 10th?

[Jason]

st marks sounds is still there

[conortv]

Nice post! Enlightening. I only lived in New York from 2001-2010 so a lot of these places are foreign to me. What about Kim's on St. Mark's Place? That was my go-to spot along with Virgin Megastore Union Square.

[Steve Holtje]

Ear Wax closed the Bedford Ave. store in June or July this year but merely moved four blocks away, to North 9th St. That location is less visible and smaller, so I worry they may not last. Also, they are phasing out CDs and emphasizing vinyl.

Stuart Wexelbaum of Stooz' runs something out of his basement in Williamsburg on North 11th St.

Those of us who cared about classical music more than you (which is setting the bar pretty low) loved Record Hunter.

In the category of places you left out, besides the already mentioned places dear to me (Midnight, Sounds), there was Finyl Vinyl, Second Ave. in the Village if memory serves, and Sam Goody's, various locations, with their weird system of letters on the LPs with a big sign hanging from the ceiling that translated those letters into prices.

What was the name of the overpriced collectors LPs store across the street from Second Coming? Hated them, but couldn't resist some of the rarities.

[Mikey Chlanda]

I used to work at Second Coming, maybe a year or two after Andre opened. I was his 3rd employee...worked there about year or two off and on during college. His wife Gladys was a sweetheart. That tattooed guy must have been after my time. i have a story about his bootlegging...but that will have to wait for a pm or a later private comment :-)

[BabyDave]

I will always fondly remember the Musical Maze on Third Avenue just south of 23rd Street. There was a counter in the back called the Singles Bar, and it had all the latest, especially British stuff. I remember buying a version of “Wild in the Streets” by a band called the British Lions. It took me a listen or two to realize it didn’t hold a candle to the Garland Jeffreys original. Also, it’s where I bought the “No New York” album, no doubt influenced by the fact that the fellow behind the counter, George, played for the Contortions.

Earlier, E.J. Korvette’s at 34th Street and Sixth Avenue often had the cheapest prices around, offering Billboard’s Top 10 practically as loss-leaders. I got “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” there, and a double album called something like “Chuck Berry: 20 Golden Hits.”

P.S. That photo of the Record Hunter alongside Brew and Burger is awesome. A little fuzzy, but awesome.

[Peter Freeman]

I remember a lot of those places but had little love for them other than that they were places I could buy stuff I couldn't find anywhere else. They tended to employ guys with unwarranted, unpleasant attitude.

But I did LOVE Tower records on B'way. Everything about it. The smell of newness of it. The yellow bags. The great big windows. All the different sections. It was an exciting place that knew how to display records, so you just wanted to buy, buy, buy. I spent a lot of my life there in the 80s and a lot of my money and don't regret a dime or a second of it. There was an annex a block further back and a discount store as well. Loved them all and love the memory of them. Always will.

The 66th St store was never as good but was still a great place.

The Los Angeles Tower on Sunset was an LA landmark and sold great discount albums for $4.99.

[Alyssa]

Met my husband when we were both working at the Lincoln Center Tower Records in the late 1980s, and I bought my first-ever-purchased-on-my-own record at that Woolworth's, the Xanadu soundtrack, for the obscenely high price of $9.95.

[zaba]

For the photos you can't cite, you might be able to right-click on them and find some information about the photographer from the metadata or EXIF data.

Unrelated, but thought you might want to know: The LCD Soundsystems documentary "Shut Up and Play the Hits" is now on Netflix.

I watched it once solely on your recommendation from a post of yours a while back, not realizing I knew quite a few of the songs. Had to watch it again about two days later because I enjoyed it so much. Still haven't removed it from my Instant Queue, because I have a hunch I will be watching it again.

[G]

Who remembers when Rocks In Your Head used to serve ice cream in the back & show movies on a vcr/small tv? I do! I saw the Clash's Rude Boy there.

I too have many personal memories tied up with a lot of the places on this list...

I had a band in the 80's with Paul & Greta from Future Legend, in fact I went to High School with both of them too (even Jr. High w/Paul!), and I didn't know that they had a record store until about a week before they closed. Tried calling up there when I found out & the phone had already been turned off. Damn.

[G]

And oh yeah--I second zev's call:

TITUS OAKS

That was the church, for me.
That's been gone for YEARS, and it still hurts.

[Jonathan Hertzberg]

For soundtrack aficionados near and far, Footlight was the place.

You can catch a glimpse of one of the King Karol locations, perhaps it's the 42nd St. one, in BADGE 373.

I was too young to have frequented it, but anyone remember Record City, which appears in 1981's THE FAN starring Lauren Bacall and Michael Biehn (Biehn's character works in the shop)?

[Sammy]

Also Norman's Sound and Vision and Wowsville.

[Peter Holsapple]

BabyDave, I worked at Musical Maze on 23rd Street and 3rd Avenue, then eventually Record Factory. The Maze was a wonderful place. We sold a lot of records to SVA students who grabbed their new NMEs and came looking for the newest stuff--sometimes we even had it. The singles section was called Single City and even had the name up over the shelves. The building's water heater was downstairs, and the super had painted it up to look like King Tut's sarcophagus. There were a number of reasons the Maze went down, but the crowning blow was the high-end call girl operation called the Cookie Jar that was going on upstairs. Unfortunately, every picture you saw just had Musical Maze's storefront in it. To Burt, Jan, Martin, George, Eric, Ed, Steve and all who staffed the store--thanks for the memories!

[jim Sharpe]

Does anyone remember Soho Music Gallery?

[RP]

I shopped in most of these above mentioned stores, great list. I would say though that you sold Stooz a little short, I bought a bunch of cool funk soul and jazz LPs there.

[Lello Boscoverde]

Awesome post, dude.

What about the Kim's'es? Kim's West, which closed, miraculously reopened, and then closed less than a month later. Kim's Underground, which turned its music section into the porn section before closing. Kim's Mondo, of course. (Or Mondo Kim's?)

Or Temple (on 9th). Or Gimme Gimme (on 5th).

[Daniel Morris]

Norman's Sound And Vision is now on Metropolitan in Williamsburg. The North 6th St Academy Annex is soon moving to Greenpoint.

[Alex Belth]

What about King Caroll on the west side near the Port Authority? I remember buying Cosby's "Wonderfulness" and Carlin's "Toledo Window Box" there.

[Funktual]

No mention of the amazing Tropicalia in Furs. Joel was a NYC institution.

[BabyDave]

Peter Holsapple: I stand corrected about the Single City/Singles Bar mix-up. Didn’t know about the Cookie Jar operation, though. Thanks for sharing the history.

[BabyDave]

Peter H: I stand corrected about my Singles Bar/Single City mix-up. And I never knew (honest) about the Cookie Jar situation. Thanks for the history.

[Michael]

I would like to note how amazing some of the help at Tower Records (West 4th) could be. One day in my youth I approached the guy manning the jazz section. Fearfully, I said "I need to learn Coltrane. I'm a rock n roll Hendrix head, know nothing about jazz, but it comes to me that I need to learn Coltrane. Can you help me?" He went on for 20 solid minutes before handing me Ballads, A Love Supreme, listening instructions, as well as an order to return to the store in a month, to discuss. Which I did.

[Jennifer]

I bought a LOT of stuff at Record Runner in the west village. I assume it's not there anymore but I honestly don't know for sure as I live in the EV and am rarely in the west village. There also used to be a little outlet store with used CDs on St Marks at the top of a set of stairs. I forgot it's name but there is a Karaoke bar there now. So many hours spent at Tower on E 4th St. I miss them all!!

[St Mark]

Don't forget Norman's, Gimme Gimme, Venus in Furs in the East Village....all gone...

- East Villager

[Jeremy Shatan]

Great rundown...I gave money and time to most, if not all, of these shops. I could add the Woolworth's on Columbus in the 90's. I know I bought Jimmy Page's Death Wish II soundtrack there, as well as Queen's Another One Bites The Dust 7".

[Jeff Jotz]

Imagine if I didn't spend my formative years - and those paychecks - at those establishments (Bleeker Bob's and Second Coming, in particular). I would have had money for a nicer house and my son's college fund.

[Legitimate Golf]

I miss the Tower and the USQ Virgin store. To think there were actually times where, bored, I'd just head on over to one of these places and just fucking browse. That seems like a lifetime ago. Man, I've said it a hundred times before but music was so much better when there was a whole process to acquiring it. I came up just at the tail end of the CD era but I'm grateful to have been a part of it. The advent of digital downloading has pretty much lobotomized our collective music mind. Some of my best times in college were born out of trips to used CD shops--back in the 90s you could find *all* sorts of good stuff, new and old in those racks.

[Fallopia Tuba]

Fuck, I miss them all…I'm old.

Supposedly, Bleecker Bob's is looking to come back on the Lower East Side; I hope that's true. (Chris, the general manager, told me that.)

[Psychatrone Rhonedakk]

Gawd! It's sick to see all the great places that are gone. Is Kim's still stocking Lps and CDs??

This makes me so sad....

[Noah]

There was a record store in Brooklyn in the late sixties/early seventies called "Jamie's" (I am not sure I am spelling it right). It was on Flatbush Avenue near ERasmus Hall High School. Theire policy was any two records for $5.95. It was insane. I bought tons of records there, including "An Evening With Wild Man Fischer".

[Greg Kline]

Revolver Records and It's Only Rock & Roll, both on 8th St. Records Revisited, Infinite, Farfels, Record Runner, House Of Oldies, Golden Disc, Generations, and the place Broadway Al opened when he split from Bleecker Bobs. All in the village in Manhattan.

[Marcelo Romero]

Marcelo Romero: In 6th grade at St. Ignatius. After school Henry Behn and I would go to MUSICAL MAZE RECORDS on 3rd ave and 85th street to buy such bootlegs as Aerosmith LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL!
Beatles 4 NIGHTS IN A JUDO ARENA. Also Bryan Gregory of The Cramps worked the counter! Pinball machines in the back.

[Alex in NYC]

Indeed, I discussed that here:

http://vassifer.blogs.com/alexinnyc/2013/02/did-king-karol-have-a-cramp.html

[unreceivedogma]

I loved Free Being Records, one of my 2 favorite record hangouts when I was an art student at The Cooper Union. I bought too many used and demo records to mention there, all dirt cheap (2 bucks)and in what you would today call NM condition.

You did not mention my other favorite, "Discophile" on West 8th, next to Stereo Exchange (SE is now on Bway north of Houston).

There was a 3rd store that sold vintage LPs and survived well into the late 90s/early-to-mid-00s, on East 10th or 11th or 12th, I cannot recall the name.

[James reeno]

There was a store in my neighborhood called "SOUL DEN". It was on 85st and Columbus avenue from about 1974-1984.
It was a store specializing in soul, funk, disco, early hip hop. And they also sold incense.
If you can find any pictures of it, hit me up at [email protected]

Thanks. (great work on finding these photos of all these other great stores)

[Byrne Power]

Great article. Lots of nostalgia. I used to work at J & R Music World in the first 4 years of the 80s (I brought in loads of foreign LPs)and Rocks In Your Head from 91 to 96. (I'm the one responsible for all the old vinyl on the ceiling and the funky hand painted labels.) It was definitely another era. I think the 80s and 90s in New York will prove to be a time for much more further study.

Soho Music gallery! Yes! I picked up the first Diamanda Galas 12 inch single on Y Records and also I found two tremendously obscure Aldous Huxley speeches from the late 50s in New Mexico that somehow they had a box lots of.

[Martman]

J&R was the place to go for vinyl in the late 70's through the 90's. I remember waiting for the shipment coming in from Japan with Riverside Jazz LP's. The lines were around the corner. We also had one of the best import rock selections in the city. I can still remember an import coming in on Stiff Records through Jem, the distributor. This funny looking guy with big glasses soon became the rage in NYC. We played his record over and over again during lunch and customers ran to the bins to buy Elvis Costello, My Aim is True. If you wanted to hear and buy the hip tunes, J&R was THE place to go.

[Keith]

My brother-in-law, Bill Shor, owned Venus Records that was in St. Marks Place.

[steve herold]

loved reading this and being reminded of all the shops i used to visit. Can still remember walking into Tower on 4th & Bway back in 1985 for first time. Was like nothing I’d ever seen before. I miss it so much. Then discovering Second Coming where I’d get all my Van Halen promos, imports and bootlegs. Revolver was another one I’m glad someone mentioned in the comments. Rebel Rebel. Academy on 18th(?) Years later of course there was Other Music (a great doc just came out about that place.) Miss them all. Thanks for sharing these memories.

[Mark Schwind]

I worked at both Tower locations, 1989 to 1990. I am still friends with the people I worked with. Two of them ended up getting married. I lived in Bay Ridge (next door to John Travolta S.N.F. house) and bought c.d.s at a store in Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst but I don't remember the name of it. Working at Tower in NY was incredible! What a fun, wild experience.