Heading north by northwest, after the break!
"Record Store Day 2025 in Ventura, CA"
Soundtrack for this Adventure:
"There's A Rhythmn / Au Revoir" by Bon Iver
('SABLE, fABLE' is available everywhere now!)
"Heading West"
Ten years ago, I took it upon myself to truly experience Record Store Day around Los Angeles.
Absolutely hated the thought of waking up at the crack of dawn, driving down to Amoeba Records in Hollywood, and standing in line all day just to be disappointed by a giant billboard slowly being drained of merchandise life. That's not the way to support such a special day in my opinion. More power to those who do.
So, as longtime followers know, I trekked around town to document over 10+ bouquet shops in a few hours in hopes of finding those amazing exclusives with less stress & effort. And I did. Forever changing a special Saturday morning in April.
There is always another option if you have the time, patience, and drive.
I only returned to a few of the shops that made an impression the years after my 2015 adventure. Settling on Canterbury Records in Pasadena & Freakbeat Records in Studio City as my two go-to RSD places. (Even had a chance to support Record Store Day at Coachella in 2016! That was a cool one)
Haven't felt the need to break from my routine until after last year's post. Had such a blast getting back on the road, documenting the day through my certain point of view, and reporting back to this empty void about the thrill of the wax hunt. Slowly the wheels began to turn and another cool trip started to materialize after meeting my Uncle last Fall. He gifted me some 2024 Record Store Day exclusive albums from his local shop: Salzer's Records in Ventura. Promised I'd check it out one day.
Little did I know Ventura County, northwest of the hometown, had THREE official participating Record Store Day locations all within a small distance from each other. Seemed like the perfect opportunity for a weekend day trip! And... maybe Los Angeles isn't the answer after all? Only one way to find out.
So I put together a small RSD list during my lunch breaks & prepared for another trek.
Didn't want to go on spending crazy spree because I don't listen to much vinyl nowadays. But here's my most wanted list in case you're curious. Everything in bold was "high priority" (with CHVRCHES & Frank Turner being my most sought after).
RSD Exclusives I Was After:
- CHVRCHES - 'Every Open Eye (10th Anniversary)'
- Frank Turner - 'Positive Songs for Negative People (10th Anniversary)'
- Bun B - 'Return of the Trill'
- Dead Sara - 'Ain't it Tragic (Yellow Vinyl)'
- Chet Baker - 'Almost Blue +2'
- Sam Fender - 'Me and The Dog EP'
- VINCE GUARALDI - 'Selections from "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown"...'
- Thelonious Monk - 'Live At The It Club'
- Gerry Mulligan & Thelonious Monk - 'Mulligan Meets Monk'
- Anderson .Paak - 'Come Down - Single'
- 'Video Game LoFi: Curaga Records Sampler'
- The Veronicas - 'Secret Life of the Veronicas'
With this list above and camera phone in hand (alongside Bon Iver's new album blaring out the bluetooth car speakers)... our latest and greatest Record Store Day journey begin in the Northwest!
Location #1:
Salzer's Records
To say I was impressed by My Uncle's favorite record shop is an understatement. Located on the edge of Ventura County, Salzer's Records reminded me of the best parts of Amoeba Records. Huge Vinyl, CD, and DVD sections alongside some really unique fashion bouquet by local creators. It really did have it all with solid prices.
Their Record Store Day Exclusives were majestically spread out & organized on the shelves right when you entered. Found another unexpected selection every time I turned my head. Which was cool & a bit confusing as they didn't have enough labels on the stuff on the outskirts. If you didn't know the exclusive list, you might've missed your desired wax because it was down low next to the soundtracks. Luckily their employees were helpful.
The fact they still had about more than half of the RSD exclusives an hour after opening sealed the deal for me. Had to hold back because I could've taken home over $500+ worth of wax. No joke. Walked away with Frank Turner, Gil Scott-Heron, Thelonious Monk, and the new Bon Iver (which wasn't on my list but I loved the album on the drive up). Had to quickly walk away from their Import Soundtrack selection as my Credit Card wouldn't have survived. Gives me something to go back for. Maybe next year!
My Uncle was right. Salzer's was a unexpected gem. Will probably visit them again when I'm not in hunting mode. Could've spent all afternoon just digging through their eclectic vintage racks & shelves. Didn't even have time to peruse their impressive DVD collection.
Photos
Feeling quite accomplished out of the gate, I headed into Downtown Ventura towards...
Location #2:
Grady's Record Refuge
Didn't spend much time at Grady's because I already went over budget at location one. I did really love their store as it was the definition of classical record shop. The kind that produces "High Fidelity" like moments, you know?
Really beat myself after leaving for not purchasing anything. Being beyond my budget alongside the small remaining exclusives in the Record Store Day bin gave me an awkward wandering eye that screamed, "just leave". Normally I'm not like that. Felt bad for taking pictures too.
Grady's Record Refuge did appeal to my jazzy side and they had some past RSD Exclusive gems within the shelves. So it was all me. Maybe I was disappointed that I struck out on my list? Only thing I wanted to do is run towards the next one...
Photos
Location #3:Jockamo Records
Have you ever been to a vintage Record Shop by the beach? Probably feels like a dream to most. Jockamo Records near the Ventura shore has such a nonchalant, easy breezy, vibe from the outside that matches a costal state of mind. Once you enter, however, it is like walking into a musical treasure trove!
You could really smell those old dusty 45s in the most romantic way possible the second you stepped through the archway. Sadly, this collector is a giant so I felt claustrophobic almost immediately by the organized clutter. Maybe it was stacks of Jazz CDs on the floor or the handful of patrons crowding the rows at the time. My "flight" quickly kicked in.
All it took was a quick chat with the owner, David, to my calm nerves. His remaining RSD exclusives were in two bins on the counter & he still had some solid selections available by the afternoon. I had to decided between 'Mulligan Meets Monk' or Prince's gigantic live album. Ended up purchasing the former because I put it down originally at Salzers earlier. Both were good choices for yours & my collection.
Still feeling the regret from my Grady's experience made me really want to support Jockamo. So I did. Even grabbed a cheap Mulligan meets Baker CD from his newly priced Jazz bulk purchase. Didn't even want to tempt myself by touching all those crates for too long. Really had to hold back... and that's a good thing in these modern times.
Photos
Had the biggest temptation to leave the shop, throw my purchases in my car, and go walk down to Ventura Beach. Nothing like self-meditation on the sands while waves are crashing in front of you. Free fun every damn time.
(Loved that all these stores had free parking!)
Made the long trek back home after feeling the cold salty breeze on my skin. The long way around.
What I Ended Up Getting!?
Sad I couldn't find CHVRCHES. Thought I had a real good opportunity at one of the three stores, but Salzers really was the only option in hindsight. If I arrived earlier in the morning... then that exclusive would've been mine... maybe? No clue how long the original line was. The point of this series is to find RSD picks and not deal with crowds after all. So it might've been hopeless?
Picking up Bon Iver's latest - 'SABLE, fABLE' - feels like the perfect consolation prize! Will think of this jam-pack afternoon anytime I look at the cover.
Decided to double-down on Monk because I love his musical soul, Mulligan, and Jazz Vinyls in general. They hold their value immensely. Same with Gil Scott-Heron's consistent Record Store Day entries. Safe long-term collecting bets.
As for Frank Turner's 'Positive Songs for Negative People'... it remains one of my favorite indie rock albums of all-time. Will cherish this anniversary version for all the memories 'PSFNP' already holds in my life's soundtrack. Can't wait to experience all the demos on Sides C & D! Makes me want to do a live Vinyl Unboxing. Perhaps when I have free time this summer?
I think I'll look back fondly on this 2025 Record Store Day adventure. It really taught me that there are more options to driving south all the time. There are gems in unlikely places!