Look at this hot mess.

If you live on the Jersey Shore like me, you know the headache of the Summer. The good weather is all fine and well, but the hassle of the traffic from all the Bennies (or Shoobies futher South) is unbearable. They tie up traffic just to get down to da shore. That can carry over to the Spot as well. Since it was the first real Summer like day, it was completely jammed by 7am. Traffic, people stopping everywhere to get coffee or a muffin, and just plain foolishness was all around me. This was at the Spot, not just the road. The cast of characters must have gotten their fill from the Friday record rush, because besides The Old Man (who had a few nuggets for me), I only saw Johnny No Change, The Meatball, and the infamous Egg Beard (with Egg Sangwich in hand) this morning. No Stinkster in sight. I found Silent G early, and we made some rounds together. Most of the stuff was pure trash: about 2000 records from a 90 year old guy who just died. If there was one Hugo Montenegro and Polka record, there were 500 of them. The lady was trying to talk it up, meanwhile the photo up top illustrates how in order they were. Not very. Good luck carrying them around. Wally had some great Jazz which I picked up, but for the most part, there was a lot of junk around on the whole. I did notice that thee were some more city folk around, as I chatted with a Hipster cat from NYC who was buying vintage skateboards, classic Hip Hop and Reggae. It’s a good thing we cleaned the joint up before he got there. I’ve got to be there earlier and earlier now, and ready to battle for the good stuff. I am always up for a challenge.

I wanted to share a story someone told me recently about the Spot, the records I find, and why I write about it. A stranger approached me in regards to records, we struck up a conversation, and he told me about his friend who declared the Spot D-E-A-D. “There’s no records there”, he proclaimed. His buddy said: “Well this guy is writing about them”. “Why would he do that? He’s revealing the his secret!” Let’s set the record straight. I do this for the sheer love of music, under appreciated and lost records, and because it’s necessary. As far as me talking about the Spot, well if you know where it is, then fair play. I’m not advertising the name because there are enough record nuts up my ass on any given Saturday and Sunday. So to further the record, the Spot is not dead. It’s the most consistent record buying place I’ve ever encountered, and I’ve been hitting this joint up for 10-15 years plus. I will have nothing bad to say about it, and that’s that. Now I’m going to finish up the French Press of Cuban Espresso blend I got from the Asbury Park Roastery and enjoy this weekend while I can. I highly recommend this place for fresh roasted, Organic Fair Trade Coffee. They do it right.

LPs:
Various Artists – Jazz of Two Decades/ EmArcy
Roland Kirk – Volunteered Slavery/ Atlantic
Big Daddy Kane – I Get The Job Done/ Cold Chliin’ 12″
Pharoah Sanders – Love Will Find A Way/ Arista
The 3 Sounds – Moods/ Blue Note
Mongo Santamaria – Mongo 70/ Atlantic (Sealed!)

45s:
The Equations – Oh, You Sweet Darling/ All Platinum
Otis Redding – Don’t Mess With Cupid/ Volt
Shorty Long – Night Fo’ Last/ Soul
Betty Wright – Baby Stitter/ Alston
Tammi Lynn – Mojo Hanna/ Cotillion
The David Rockingham Trio – Soulful Chant/ Josie
Betty Lavette – Love Makes the World Go Round/ Karen

Keep Diggin’!

PS: Don’t forget the FMF Guest Mix Series Part 3, with Jersey’s own Larry Grogan from Funky 16 Corners which will drop Monday.