Clerks

Rewind back to the winter of 1980. I was living in Chicago, where it was impossibly cold for someone from New Orleans like me. It was great weather for listening to music. I had recently taken up an interest in jazz and was becoming tired of the offerings on the radio. So, I put on all my clothes; said, “See you later” to my best friend, the space heater; and jumped on an elevated train that would take me, for the first time, to the Jazz Record Mart on Grand Avenue. I was about to meet two record clerks who would change my life forever: Jim DeJong and Don Meckley.

When I entered the store, I knew I was in over my head. Behind the counter were two clerks, both dressed in black and pale of skin, one wearing James Joyce eyewear. They took me to the bins and introduced me to new artists and lesser-known recordings by names familiar to me. They played lots of records for me. I didn’t like all of their suggestions, but when I told them that I didn’t care for something, they didn’t take it personally; they just suggested others I might like.

Now, whenever I enter a Sacramento record store, I think of that first trip to the Jazz Record Mart and the possibilities for discovery that lie in the bins with the help of the people behind those counters.

Paul Wilbur, 35
Armadillo Music, Davis

What music are you most interested in? Metal and hardcore.

What record would you recommend as an introduction to the genre? Carcass’ Heartwork or anything by In Flames for metal because they warm my cold heart.

What records are the genre’s masterpiece? Slayer, Reign in Blood; Refused, The Shape of Punk to Come; Bad Religion, Suffer; In Flames, Whoracle; Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

What record would you never, ever personally recommend? Wicked Wisdom with Will Smith’s wife [Jada Pinkett Smith] on vocals.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most/least like to spend time with? Most: Janis Joplin, Heather Nova, Cat Stevens. Least: Syd Barrett, R. Kelly, Garth Brooks.

How many recordings in your collection? Over 4,000 CDs, several hundred valuable records and cassettes, and a five-gig MP3 player with all my favorite “hits.”

Your best record-store story? One day, KRS-One came into Armadillo, and in 24 hours I had him do a spoken-word performance in the store, and I interviewed him on KDVS. He just walked in off the street, and my jaw hit the floor. He is a hip-hop legend, and I saw him do spoken word 15 years ago, so I was freaked out!

What music are you most interested in? Punk.

What record would you recommend as an introduction to the genre? Everyone should own a Clash album. I don’t care what music you are into.

What record(s) is/are the genre’s masterpiece? Masterpieces: Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols, the Sex Pistols; London Calling, the Clash.

Why/how did you come to work in a record store? To be amongst my own. People who love music, talk about music and can’t live without music. This job allows me to be myself and not be surrounded by a dull, sterile environment all day.

What record would you never, ever personally recommend? I would never recommend Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. I know you hate me. I sell it to people all the time, but I really dislike it personally.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most/least like to spend time with? Most: Bob Marley or Joe Strummer. Least: Celine Dion.

Your best record-store story? Your basic retail horror moments: my life being threatened, things being thrown, people who hate my mom just because I wouldn’t give them a refund. But my favorites, I guess, are when people scream and hug me. I understand this. They have been looking for that song that they couldn’t get out of their head, and the joy is overwhelming. I love people who love music that much, so I guess that would be my favorite story.

What didn’t I ask that I should have? “Do you have that one song with the word ‘love’ in it?”

What music are you most interested in and why? 1960s-1970s British rock. The sadder the better.

What record would you recommend as an introduction to the genre? Wes Anderson soundtracks.

How do you approach advising people about music? By letting them form their own opinions and then shooting them down. (Laugh!)

How did you come to work in a record store? John Cusack made it look swell in High Fidelity.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most/least like to spend time with? I’d most like to spend time with Tom Waits. I’d like to walk in a wheat field with him drinking Singapore Slings and shooting off bottle rockets, then stop by some truck stops and win some cash arm-wrestling truckers, then lose it all at the ostrich races. Then he could crash at my house, and I’d ask him to leave the next morning ’cause he was starting to overstay his welcome.

What music are you most interested in? Guitar—string instruments. Jazz, blues, country, rock, world, etc. I am a guitarist.

What record would you recommend as an introduction to the genre? Django Reinhardt/ Stephane Grappelli, The Quintet of the Hot Club of France, Crescendo Records 1938-’46.

How do you approach advising people about music? Suggest, never preach.

How did you come to work in a record store? It just drew me in, allowing me to surround myself with sound eight hours a day!

Your five desert-island discs? Kenny Burrell, A Night at the Vanguard; Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker (Pacific Jazz ’55); Mia Doi Todd, Come Out Of Your Mine; Ian McCulloch, Slideling; and Los Lobos’ box set.

Format of choice?

LP, 45, CD, cassette.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most/least like to spend time with? With: Guitarists Jimmy Vaughan or Danny Gatton or Wes Montgomery. Not with: Courtney Love.

Your best record-store story? While working at Tower Records in Sherman Oaks, I was paged and asked to meet a customer who was looking for a product in the oldies and vocal section. The clerk mentioned that the customer was very shy but nice. It turned out to be Brian Wilson. We talked about R&B vocalists and groups, guitars, and he did sign a Beach Boys fanzine from our magazine section. He thought it was funny that there was a magazine devoted to Beach Boy history and trivia.

What music are you most interested in? Right now, I’m most interested in classical music. But my CD collection is predominantly rock and “alternative” rock, although I hesitate to classify it as that. I grew up listening to Prince, Billy Idol, The Police, Adam Ant etc.

What record would you never, ever personally recommend? I’d never personally recommend Jane’s Addiction, Strays. The band has strayed from making good music. Plus, Perry’s a DJ. I can’t appreciate that.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most like to spend time with? This is so cliché, but Kurt Cobain.

Your best record-store story? Chris Webber’s appearances were memorable. He’d come in every few months, and the minute he walked in, every head turned to him. Once he began shopping, he was a magnet for fans and non-fans. They’d flock to him. It was kind of silly how grown men—my co-workers—would rush to the counter to help him. But I guess you can’t blame them. He’s quite striking.

What music are you most interested in? Jazz, progressive and classical.

What record would you recommend as an introduction to the genre? (1) Miles Davis, Someday my Prince Will Come. (2) Camel, Rain Dances. (3) Henryk Gorecki, Symphony No. 3.

What record would you never, ever personally recommend? Kenny G’s Christmas album.

Your desert-island discs? (1) The Kinks, Something Else. (2) Brian Eno’s vocal box set. (3) Roxy Music, Siren. (4) Miles Davis, Sketches of Spain. (5) Muhammad Ali, Ali and His Gang Vs. Mr. Tooth Decay.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most like to spend time with? Bob Dylan, Brian Eno and Ray Davies.

How many recordings in your collection? 5,000.

What music are you most interested in? Indie rock.

What record is the genre’s masterpiece? If there were one CD that could sum up the indie-rock genre, it would be Pavement’s Slanted and Enchanted. That CD is perfect in every way. … It’s a 10.

What record would you never, ever personally recommend? Ice-T. I don’t know if I just can’t relate to him, or if his music is really awful.

How do you approach advising people about music? Introducing people to music is a very tricky thing. … I usually try to find something that the person is already into and then recommend something similar.

How did you come to work in a record store? When I was young, my mother would take me to Tower Records after my dentist appointments. I guess this created a positive image in my mind, because as soon as I turned 18, I got a job there.

Your desert-island discs? Tom Waits, The Black Rider; Elliott Smith, Either/Or; T. Rex, Electric Warrior; Animal Collective, Sung Tongs; A.R.E. Weapons’ self-titled album.

Format of choice? I love vinyl records. … They sound warmer, and the artwork is bigger and more pronounced. Also it’s just cooler to say, “I have it on vinyl.” … It’s very elitist, but I just find it funny.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most like to spend time with? If I could meet one artist, it would be Tom Waits, hands down. I wouldn’t even know what to say to the guy.

What music are you most interested in? Rock ’n’ roll, lots of classic rock. You can’t recreate the music written in the ’60s and the feel.

What record would you recommend as an introduction to the genre? The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Axis: Bold As Love. It has “Little Wing.”

What records are the genre’s masterpiece? The Velvet Underground, VU. They uncovered what’s now called “indie” or alt-rock.

How did you come to work in a record store? It was a college job at 18. Now I’m 32. I have a wife, kid, house and a badass LP collection.

Your desert-island discs? The Rolling Stones, Beggar’s Banquet; Van Halen II; Bob Dylan, Nashville Skyline; Ryan Adams, Heartbreaker; John Mellencamp, American Fool.

How many recordings in your collection? CDs, approximately 600. LPs, including 45s, approximately 1,500.

Your best record-store story? When our employee Tyson Nichols lent Tom Waits $7 to cover his CD tab, Waits gave him an IOU handwritten. Then he came back days later and paid Tyson $8.

What didn’t I ask that I should have? Where is the record store in 10 years?

What music are you most interested in? The genre of music that mostly rotates in my CD player could be described as something like … rock ’n’ roll/alternative/progressive/metal/punk.

What record would you never, ever personally recommend? Any title that would be filed in a “New Age” section. It’s just so cheesy and disgusting. It makes me feel uncomfortable when I listen to it. Seriously.

How do you approach advising people about music? Really, the best way to get someone to listen to something that you want them to hear is to force it upon them.

Your desert-island discs? If I was happy about being on the island: Placebo, Without You I’m Nothing; Queens of the Stone Age, Queens of the Stone Age; Desert Sessions Volume 9 & 10; Nine Inch Nails, Broken (I think); Motorhead, The Very Best of Motorhead.

If I was unhappy about being on the island: Placebo, Without You I’m Nothing; Nine Inch Nails, Fragile; Queens of the Stone Age, Lullabies to Paralyze; Tricky, Maxinquaye; Tori Amos, From the Choirgirl Hotel.

What music are you most interested in? Progressive/electronic/synth pop. It was the music I listened to growing up.

What record would you recommend as an introduction to the genre? Jon Anderson’s Olias of Sunhillow.

What record would you never, ever personally recommend? Anything by Rod Stewart.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most/least like to spend time with? Most: Jon Anderson. Least: Michael Jackson.

David Fix, 25
Dimple Records, Arden Way

What music are you most interested in? Music with a message to convey.

What record would you recommend as an introduction to the genre? Wesley Willis, Greatest Hits.

What record would you never, ever personally recommend? Anything by Insane Clown Posse, because I’m no juggalo.

How did you come to work in a record store? Food is expensive, and music is delicious.

Which artist (dead or alive) would you most/least like to spend time with? Most: Bob Marley. Least: Liberace.

What didn’t I ask that I should have? You should have asked this: What is the transcendental quality of music that inextricably tethers it to our society and ushers our spirits through the portals of existence?