Who keeps the records all caged up on a Sunday?

My wife and I attended a wedding this past weekend, and the first thing that came to mind was: we need to find some records the next day. Luckily, there was a flea market close, so we went digging at the Golden Nugget. The Golden Nugget is an outdoor flea on the NJ/PA border in Lambertville, NJ. Rich with antiques, tschotskes, and other assorted junk (what flea isn’t filled with this stuff?), I knew there would be some records. I just had a feeling. I hadn’t been in the area in quite a few years, so although I packed my new, knock off version of the Sound Burger by the Sharper Image (seriously, not bad for $40 and shipping), I really had no idea what I would find.

We checked out of our hotel, and in a few short minutes drive pulled up the the Golden Nugget. The first ground table (no table, records just thrown on the ground in a shitty container) I rolled up to had two boxes of vinyl, baking in the sun. I quickly shuffled through the box and pulled out a few pieces. The most interesting was a Psych comp that the guy had marked $20. There were some assorted 90’s alt rock and a little bit of Jazz, but shoved between the Elvis records were a few I picked out. The dude says $40 for all 3, how about $20 instead? The comp was a reissue, the Billy Paul record was really a dollar bin pick, and I the Ike and Tina Turner LP didn’t have “Bold Soul Sister”, so after I suggested his records were warping in the hot sun (and showed him) and I wouldn’t take them he had an interesting reply. “The records with the darker covers don’t warp. I will usually just put them in the car on the way home under something heavy and they are just fine.” Flea market wisdom people. Strolling through the hot sun I managed to find a dude who actually had some decent Jazz records. A few Ahmad Jamal’s I didn’t have, some Stax heat, and then some, all just warping like crazy in the sun. By chance I said, “do you have any 45s?” He did, and they were the only records covered by a grimy towel. After a quick going through, I managed to pull some out, get in the comfort of some shade, and listen. I ended up with some great 45s, and a few for trade, so I will list them on the bottom. The rest of the flea was pretty sparse with vinyl, but if you were looking for a Nazi flag (wtf?), or some gemstones you would have been in luck. There were a few indoor buildings that we went into, and one store that was floor to ceiling with LPs was closed (see top photo). Just my luck! However, as we were just about to walk out, I saw a guy carrying a stack of records. In that stack there was an Electric Prunes record, so I knew this place had to be ok.

The stall was small and cramped with a few people just milling about throwing around the usual record geek banter.: “No it’s the stereo version, so why would I want that? I just buy the mono versions.” I slid past these guys and went for the moderately prices 45s. Anywhere from $30 to $300, but I did hear the owner say he had a dollar bin. This guy who was talking to himself got in it. He must have been in it for 20 minutes and I finally asked him what he was done with so I could go through it. His son was pressuring him to go, and the older guy starts to give me some shit. “I know your type, you’re trying to get what I’m after buddy”. “I’m not buying Doo Wop 45’s Gramps, so take it easy.” That must have put him over the edge. He started to get annoyed, then loud, and wouldn’t move until the owner told him to let me get in the records. He bitched the whole time about me. Finally he took his TWO $1 records, and then proceeded to shove one of the guys. Classic flea market stuff. I even said to the owner, that’s a Stinkie Steve move. He said, of course that Stinkie frequented his store and caused a bunch of havoc. Would you expect any less from the guy?

As it got later in the afternoon, we got ready for the ride back and I see two more crates. The guy tells me they are a buck a piece. Best crates of the day. I pulled out heat from both. I should have bought some of his hand painted “recycled vinyl” he was also selling. Recreations of classic record covers and more. The Funkadelic rendering was so bad it was good. I passed. He was a little bummed that I pulled the first Black Ivory record out of the crate and offered to buy it back from me. No deal muchacho, these records are headed out to Brooklyn.

LPs:
Black Ivory – Don’t Turn Around/ today
Con Funk Shun – Organized Con Funk Shun/ Pickwick
The New Birth – Comin’ From All Ends/ RCA
Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Vibrations/ Polydor
Herbie Mann – Afro to Bossa to Blues/ Columbia
Astrud Gilberto – The Astrud Gilberto Album/ Verve
Astrud Gilberto/ The Shadow of Your Smile/ Verve
Seawind – Window of a Child/ CTI
Syreeta/ S/T / Mowest

45s:
Lucifer – It Takes Soul/ Nico
The Emporers – Karate/ Mala TRADE AVAILABLE
Adam Stag Party Special/ Fax Records
Osibisa – Wango Wango/ Decca
The Olympics – Baby Do The Philly Dog/ Mirwood
Roger Collins – She’s Looking Good/ Galaxy TRADE AVAILABLE
Wilson Pickett – Funky Broadway/ Atlantic
Billy Duke and the Dukes – Roland/ Date
The Nite-Liters – Tanga Boo Gonk/ RCA TRADE AVAILABLE
Willie Mitchell – Slippin’ & Slidin’/ Hi

Keep Diggin’!