Where to shop for records in DC area

[aruss@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Andrew Russ)]

I tried to email this, but it bounced, so i'm just going to post it,
so now anyone planning a trip to DC (and who is willing to look stuff up
in the phone book & get a map & i also suggest picking up a City Paper
somewhere) will know where to go.  


I lived in suburban MD for a few years, and here's a somewhat prioritized list
of where to go.  I've been back relatively recently, so my info isn't too
out of date.  Warning:  if you're really serious, you could spend two full
days zipping around to record stores in the DC area.  Add used book stores, 
and it gets worse.  In other words, DC is a great place to shop (just watch
where you park!)

	First place to go:  Record and Tape Exchange, College Park, in the
Campus Village shopping Center just north of the UM campus on US Route 1
(Baltimore Blvd.).  They have a large selection of used records and CDs, because
they keep everything they get, whether it sells or not.  I got my marbled
vinyl copy of Hounds of Love here for $5.99 last year.  This is usually the
cheapest place to find anything.  But note, everything (except a few indepen-
dently made records by local bands) is used.

	Next place:  Yesterday and Today records on MD route 355 in
Rockville.  You better look this up in the phone book--you drive towards
Rockville on the beltway (I-495) and just before you catch I-270 is the
exit you want.  Drive up about 4 or 5 miles (just a guess) and it's in a
shopping center, not facing the road.  There's a tiny sign that's part of 
a larger sign for the whole shopping center.  
	The store has two halves.  One is devoted to 45's, and they have a
small box of KaTe singles.  Fairly pricey, but you may also find something.
This is the only store that makes a major effort of stocking 7" records, though
Vunyl Ink (your next stop) also has a good selection.  The other half of the
store has new and used albums, and is also worth a good browse.  No real 
bargains, but some interesting stuff.

	Stop 3:  Vinyl Ink, on Bonifant Street, just off Georgia Ave. in
Silver Spring  MD.  Has a strong interest in KaTe items, though pretty pricey
(the same marbled vinyl Hounds of Love was selling for $25).  Some odd
bargains will seep through, though.  They may still have the Cathay demos eps
if you're willing to pay the price for them.  Also a good place for real hard
core industrial noise (Throbbing Gristle and spinoffs) and punk thrash.  A lot
of interesting singles.  I can usually find something to buy here.

	Stop 4?:  Phantasmagoria  on Grandview (one street west of Georgia Ave)
in Wheaton--you need to drive a few miles north on Georgia--past the beltway 
which is about halfway up.  A really eclectic collection of albums.  Few
bargains, but lots of stuff you won't find ANYWHERE else.  I think they favor
obscure Euro-hippie-rock stuff of the Fred Frith / Chris Cutler school, but
they really carry anything.  And no categories--classical, rock, jazz, etc is
all just alphabetyized by artist.  Be forewarned, don't buy used "collectors"
records here because they are really overpriced ($40 for the first Jerry 
Garcia record?) On the other hand, i did find The Paul Simon Song Book here
real cheap, and some other nice things, too.  This store usually closes at 9,
a bit later than other stores in town.
	You better call ahead, though, to make sure they're still in business,
or if they've moved.  Believe it or not, the last time i was there, there was
a major fire in another part of the building--the owner came in and told us all
to get out.  Smoke was coming out of the roof, lots of fire trucks, etc.  So 
i don't know how much damage happened to their stock (water or smoke), and a
lot of the really obscure records are probably out of print now.  

	Record Convergence-- two stores in suburban VA that carry a lot of 
stuff, mostly used.  One is in Alexandria (i think) and the other in Maclean.
Some singles, some collectible things.  Pretty fair prices.  

	Smash -- on M Street in Georgetown.  Lots of Punk stuff, not much 
otherwise.  Also lots of black clothes & matching jewelry.  

	Olsson's (may be spelled with one s) -- on Wisconsin Avenue in George-
town and 6 other locations in town.  Records and Books, all new.  Some pretty
interesting stuff, usually.  Including very obscure and pricey Coil singles, 
and the last Laraaji album (1987).  

	Orpheus  -- between Smash and Wisconsin Ave. on M Street in George-
town.  (You can park the car & walk to all these).  Tends to collect collectors
items and sell them at outrageous prices (in the same league as Phantasmagoria,
but more consistently high).  I don't think i've ever bought anything there,
actually.  

	Second Story Books -- O and 22 Streets near DuPont Circle (maybe
N Street and 22nd).  Used book store that has a fair number of used records
and CDs.  When you find something here, it's usually a bargain ($3 for Eno's
Music for Films II tasken out of the box set, for instance), or rather
overbriced (all their albums are $3 or $4, even stuff like Wazmo Nariz).  
There's also an Olsson's North of the circle.  A bit smaller than the
Georgetown one.  
	Other Second Story locations are in Bethesda and Rockville, the
latter being a bargain warehouse, but oddly enough really doesn't have
any bargains.  Avoid Rockville, DuPont circle one is a must, and the
Bethesda one is also good, i only went there once, but it was pretty much
like the Georgetown one, maybe bigger.  

	Joe's Record Paradise -- in Silver Spring--north, towards Rockville.
Probably definitely worth a look.  I went there once with friends, hae been
meaning to return, and haven't made it back.  At the time (1987) they had
singles and lots of imports.  A fair share of punk and new wave stuff.  

	Kilimanjaro Records -- adjacent to the Kilimanjaro Club on Florida
Avenue or U or V Streets between 18th and 16th streets.  Specializes in
African and world-beat music only.  Haven't actually been there, but i 
missed two Fela concerts at the club.  :-(

	Tower Records -- Near George Washington University.  They once had
some interesting bargains, but now they're probably you're typical Tower
Records.  There might be another location in town.  

	Kemp Mill -- The area's chain mall store.  Worth avoiding, though
they did have a great import sale at their College Park store a few years
back (the first Danielle Dax album set me back 99 cents), but now that they
dumped all that stuff, you're pretty sure not to find anything there.  

	
	I'm sure i missed some worth visiting, especially in the Virginia
side of the Potomac, but this list will keep you busy & hopefully happy.  
Check a phone book (yellow and white pages) for addresses and phone numbers,
get a map from AAA or somewhere, pick up a City Paper (the city's weekly
freebie--most of these stores advertise in there.  Comes out on Thursdays).
Radio:  try WHFS 99.1 FM--they were a pretty radical commercial alternative,
though they may have been completely been taken over by jangly guitar bands and
Cure-oid depressing goths.  Better than the other stations you're likely to
pick up, though.  If you're very close to the University of Maryland Campus,
WMUC FM 89.something may still be a free-form station, with all the attendant
risks and benefits.  Power is about 50 Watts, which translates into about a
two-mile broadcast radius.  

				Have fun!

							andrew