Maybe a year ago, a new identity popped up on the Dust & Grooves radar. A couple of our Philly digger friends made mention of a local young man with a very rare collecting focus: only Sesame Street records. And, they said, he digs hard for them.
We were of course intrigued, but with no other info to go on and being stationed a hundred miles north, we knew we couldn’t count on getting lucky and just running into the guy. On our last trip to Philly, we followed a couple of leads to try to cross paths with him, but came up dry each time. It wasn’t until an hour before our bus was due to pull out of Chinatown and take us back to NYC that we got an excited text from one of our record store moles: “He’s here!!” With that, we abandoned our bus tickets, hopped back on the subway, and high-tailed it to Beautiful World Syndicate on East Passyunk Ave.

We walked in and spotted our man immediately – easy enough, as he was the only guy in the store with a bag full of Big Bird albums on his arm. We introduced ourselves and finally put a name and face to the legend: this was Dante, 24 years old, born and raised in South Philly. He and his younger brother Christian, who was also there digging, entertained our request for a short interview in the back of the store. When we asked if we might be able to see more of Dante’s collection, the brothers immediately phoned their parents, who very kindly, and quickly, packed up all the LPs Dante had in his bedroom and drove them over to Beautiful World so we could stage an impromptu photo shoot on the sunny sidewalk.

All the colorful Muppet characters strewn about and what must have looked like some kind of quirky family photo shoot definitely attracted attention from passersby. Some made an obvious effort not to look at Bert dressed like Bruce Springsteen on the cover of Born to Add, some took the long way around on the sidewalk and paused to stare and smile at the mélange, and some stopped for a minute to talk shop. “Hey, do you guys have Larry Levan’s remix of Cookie Monster’s ‘C is for Cookie’?” a slim young man in a leather jacket and glasses asked me. “I’ve been looking all over for that.” Apparently Dante is not alone!

The nice guys at Beautiful World let us bring some chairs outside and Dante’s dad and I talked the Phillies’ season and books on Kindle while Eilon snapped shots of Dante with LPs like the 1979 dance floor-ready Sesame Disco and 1977’s Let Your Feelings Show!, featuring Bert and Ernie on the cover holding happy and sad comedy/tragedy masks. Then everyone got in on it, Mom and Dad and Christian all joining the scene and talking about their favorite songs and album covers and even breaking out Dante’s plastic Sesame Street rain poncho, still like new, folded up in the box!

The sun started to go down and the crates started to get packed and we had to get back to New York. We swapped contact info with everyone and waved goodbye as they rolled off in their minivan with Elmo, The Count, and Oscar the Grouch immortalized on wax. As you’ll see, Dante is often a man of few words, but his colorful collection spoke volumes to us.
Q: When did you start collecting?
A: When I was around 12 or 13. Sesame Street and Mickey Mouse records.

Q: What was the first record you bought?
A: Bert’s Blockbusters was one of the first.

Q: Why Sesame Street?
A: I’m a big fan of the show and the music – [songwriters] Joe Raposo, Jeff Moss…

Q: Why vinyl?
A: For the memories.

Q: How many days a week do you dig?
A: Two times a week, maybe. Record stores, flea markets, record shows, on eBay sometimes. And I find a lot of information on Muppet Central.

Q: Do you collect anything besides Sesame Street?
A: Sometimes Disney soundtracks, other Muppet music or memorabilia. The old View-Master Interactive Vision VHS video game system – I’m trying to find the Sesame Street games for that. And I like the Sesame Street “All My Homies Are From The Street” t-shirts. I find those at Target.

Q: How long has Sesame Street been going on now?
A: 42 years. They did 130 episodes a season for 21 years. They’re not as good anymore, though, like they were with Jim Henson. Some of the old characters are dead now, but not all.

Q: What tops your list of things to find right now?
A: Probably the Jack and the Beanstalk Parts 1 and 2 45 rpm single.

Q: Do you play the records, or just keep them to collect?
A: No, I play them.

Q: What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a record?
A: About $15.

Q: Do you like any modern adaptations of Sesame Street music, like Smart E’s “Sesame’s Treet”?
A: Yeah, I like some of that stuff.

Q: Do you have a favorite Muppet? Or, if you were a Muppet, which one would you be?
A: Bert. He’s smart, like me, and yellow. Yellow is my favorite color.

Q: What’s your family’s reaction to your collecting?
A: They’re happy about it.

Q: Is your family into music?
A: Oh yeah. Mostly house and disco music – Heatwave, Donna Summer, Daft Punk…

Q: When will you stop collecting?
A: When I find everything.

Q: You seem pretty patient about that.
A: Oh yeah.

Many thanks again to him and his family for their generosity, and to D&G alum Tony Larson for the winning tip and his help with the interview. See you on Muppet Central!

]]> http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?feed=rss2&p=474 0 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=342 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=342#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:38:20 +0000 SuperAdmin2012 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=342 more »]]> This is news item #2, It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay! It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay! This is news item #2, It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay! It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay!This is news item #2, It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay! It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay!This is news item #2, It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay! It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay!This is news item #2, It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay! It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay!This is news item #2, It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay! It also has Pix and wordz innit! Yay!

]]> http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?feed=rss2&p=342 0 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=20 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=20#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:24:00 +0000 SuperAdmin2012 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=20 more »]]> King Britt – Philadelphia, PA

At King’s Court | Words: April Greene | Images: Eilon Paz

King Britt’s real name is King Britt. King James Britt, to be exact. Fitting, as the man’s demeanor is royal, his words poetic, and his record collection simply divine.
Sacrilege aside, we did have a glorious day with King. After navigating the unfamiliar Philly subway system on a rainy, windy Sunday afternoon, we alighted from the elevated train in King’s Fishtown neighborhood and wound around some blocks of funky corner stores and community gardens to find our man.

King answered the door with a warm smile and we de-shoed in the entryway, then followed him up a flight of stairs. We took seats in the living room, the TV-less epicenter of the beautiful townhouse. Beside a wall’s length of bookcases filled with vinyl, the room sang with style – from the big framed black-and-white Michael Halsband photo of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat above the three turntables to the big book of Swoon’s artwork on the coffee table to the vintage lightbox ad for Schmidt’s beer perched high on a bookshelf.

We chatted easily about his upcoming tour dates and the Philly music scene and Rucyl Mills, a frequent creative collaborator and singer popped in, offering us delicious rooibos blend tea and homemade Quinoa (“Jesus food,” as she calls it, I gather for its miraculous blend of nutrition, simplicity, and ease of preparation). He complimented her tea recipe and she blushed; they both grinned with stars in their eyes when Portishead’s Sour Times was mentioned – it had been a bonding record during the beginning of their friendship.

For the next four hours, we were like kids in a candy store. King had picked out a small stack of records to share with us before we arrived and we blazed through them, thinking of a thousand other gems as we went. When he wasn’t putting needle to wax, King stood sentinel at the bookcases and patiently unshelved LP after LP from his lovingly curated and intelligently broad collection to play for us. He revealed his love for good album art and soundtracks, showed us some of the many scores he made while working at Tower Records in the late ’80s, and dug extra deep to find his dad’s prized collection of James Brown 45s – for years in heavy rotation at the barber shop he owned.

Along the way, we got some priceless gems:
-      King shaking his head with disbelief at the coolness of the DJ Shadow & the Groove Robbers picture disc: “Come on, man!”

-       King on the rarity of Sun Ra records: “Any Sun Ra you see, you have to get.”
-       King on the Tears for Fears record The Hurting: “That got me through high school.” (Rucyl would ask us later, “Has he told you about Tears for Fears yet?” causing everyone to crack up.)
We also got to take a trip to King’s basement music studio, a cozy enclave housing a couple hundred more records, at least seven different keyboards, and posters of Grace Jones and Cat Power. Eilon asked if he would play a little on the Fender Rhodes, and King humbly scratched his head and mumbled something about how he “just plays around” on keys before taking a seat and immediately endearing himself to us even more with a minute’s worth of fluid, melodic phrases just off the dome.

We stayed there, pleasantly suspended in time, looking for Heatwave’s Central Heating, one of the first records King ever bought, listening to the quirky Cat Stevens’ “Was Dog a Doughnut?” 12-inch, and peeping the awesome taxicab-yellow “Record Burger” mini record player King found in Vancouver for $4 while on tour.

Eventually, we had to make tracks and look for an outdoor place to take some portrait shots. King suggested the street beneath the Market-Frankford line’s steel trellis, a path he said he walks almost every day. It was so windy, our jackets blew off the planter we had slung them on, and we had to yell “car!” like Wayne and Garth whenever one approached the photo shoot area, but that was how it should have been: easy, carefree, and a little fantastic. Once the photos were taken, we hugged King goodbye, got a candy bar at the deli, and took the train back to Broad Street, feelin’ groovy. Here’s to you, King – our favorite nobleman.

King Britt – Saturn Never Sleeps – SunRaLectric by Dust & Grooves on Mixcloud

Q: What was your first album? How did you get it? At what age? Can you describe that feeling? Do you still have it?
A: It was Heatwave’s Central Heating album.  I bought it with my first allowance money when I was 9! I was so proud of having it and buying it with my own cash.  I do have it although can’t put my finger on it.

Q: What prompted you to start collecting? What age did you start? Was there a specific event in your life, or an era, which signified your transition from music lover to collector?
A: My parents were collectors at the time and had vinyl everywhere in the house.  My dad would go to the record store a few blocks away to get tunes for his barbershop.  They would give me free records and stuff.  When I was 6 I got my first turntable (Danny Kaye), that came with like 100 records from Sears.  From then on it was on!

Q: Tell us about a few of the first records that heavily influenced you as you developed a musical style of your own.

Talk Talk’s Life’s What You Make It, has to be one of the illest breaks ever!

Ramsey covers all Beatles songs on this with Rotary Connection’s band…damn!

A: all Herbie Hancock and Doug Carne records.  Then moving onto Sun Ra and then the 80s…Trevor Horn and ZTT label were HUGE influences.

Mwandishi is my fave Herbie Hancock album.  Its so spiritual!

Q: What was your Initial interest in music?
A: I was born into it with my parents.  Dad – Funk   Mom- Jazz,  so it was natural.

Q: Can you describe your family musical background and it’s affect on you?
A: My parents didn’t believe in babysitters, so they would take me to all the shows.  I saw every funk and soul act.  My mom had all the jazz records and would take me to see Sun Ra all the time.  She still has signed Sun Ra albums somewhere in her house, which I’m not allowed to touch.
My dad had a barbershop and would buy records weekly for the vibe there.  James Brown was the biggest records there.  I still hear the sounds of clippers when I hear a JB record.  I inherited all his 45s.

Thanks mom!

Thanks dad!

Q: Why vinyl?
A: We had vinyl and 8 track growing up.  Something about the feel of vinyl and the size of the album covers!!!

Q: Can you describe your current digging habits these days? Have they changed during the years?
A: Yes they have changed big time.  There was a time,  I wouldn’t care how much a record is.  Then it was more about ‘ego’ than the process.  Now if its over $3 I don’t bother really.  I’m digging more for sounds and textures to include in production, not so much records to play anymore, although I come across many.

Q: Do you have a record collecting philosophy or routine when you enter a store/flea market?
A: No.  I just dig in.

Q: You toured with Digable Planets for two years – did you use that time on the road to look for records in different places?  If so, how did that affect your collection?  How did it affect your own music?

Original tour vinyl for Digable Planets first tour….cherished!

A: Hell yes.  That was my first time touring the world, other than going to UK.  I had all my connections from Tower Records (I was buyer) and when we would go to each city,  I would call up those labels and go and get promos.  At the same time, hitting all the dope stores worldwide!

Q: Did you contribute any of your own vinyl records to the production of Digable Planets’ albums?

A: No actually,  it was all Butterfly’s collection (Ishmael). The whole concept and everything was his ….

Q: The Cosmic Lounge: how was this idea conceived?  Can you show us a few records you used for it?

A: I had an idea of putting a compilation together called The Cosmic Lounge (which is from my Sylk130 project).  A collection of my favorite free jazz artists.  BBE was down with it and we did it.  It was a bit difficult to clear a few things but all in all I loved it (except the cover)

Some of the joints from the Cosmic Lounge compilation!

Philly legend Monet Sudler…one bad ass lady!

Flora Purim…the one and only!

Q: The Sister Gertrude Morgan album: can you tell us about this concept and show us some albums related to it?

This is the original pressing…only 100 made.

A:  She was a famous folk painter (Smithsonian/Folk Art Museum) and evangelist who thought she was the bride of Christ.  She would stand on a corner in the French Quarter in NOLA and preach with a tamborine.  Preservation Hall went on to record her in 1970 and release Lets Make a Record.
In 2005 Andy Horivitz from Rope-A-Dope thought it would be amazing for me to re-produce the album in today’s context and not just vocal/tamborine of the original.
It went on to be huge and was featured in everything from Miami Vice (Michael Mann) to True Blood (HBO).  And its still going strong!
We toured Europe with the project as well.

Q: Your collection is pretty tight – how do you keep it small/meaningful?  (What do you do with the rest – sell, give away, etc.)

A: When I last moved, I was going through a spiritual cleanse.  I was getting rid of what I didn’t really need.  So in the process a few thousand records were given away.

I would Tweet where I was leaving piles around the city and people would hunt and take them.  Became a fun project.

I now only have what I need.

Q: Have you ever bought records based solely on their cover? What attracts you to a cover?

Pure classic dance material.  A blueprint for the indie sound of today!

A: Absolutely, many covers, especially back in the day, would dictate what the music would sound like and if not at least it’s a dope cover for the collection.

Q: Show us some rare artifacts from your collection.

A: Jan Hammer- Like Children looked like a Charlie Brown album, so I picked it up.  Whoa amazing fusion album.

must have been some good mushrooms!

Eberhard Schoener released an album in Germany with The Police before they blew up with Outlandos D’Amor.  It’s a very techno electronic album from 76.  Crazy …

Preservation Hall with Tom Waits released an amazing 78 record and record player for the 50th Anniversary of the hall.  Only 100 made.

Metalheadz Unite!

Massive Attack x Nicolette 45 white label [pressed in jamaica]

Q: How do you organize your collection? I see that you divided it between your living room and your work studio in the basement. What goes where?

A: Jazz and other things upstairs.  Dance and 12” downstairs in studio.

Q: What do you look for in a record?

A:  I don’t know, it just has to connect in some way. A vibe …

Q: Soundtracks and picture discs seem to have a warm spot in your heart. Tell me more…

A: I always loved scores and film soundtracks because I think visually when I listen to music.  I started collecting them for fun.

Picture disks have always been a passion since I was little but sold a lot of them to play video arcade games back in the day.  But the ones I have are more recent but rare.

Cmon son… Dave Grusin soundtrack for 3 Days of the Condor  …what!

Thanks Dj Muro [japan] for this nugget!

Futura x UNKLE … $$

One of my first record when I was a kid.  It’s a narration!

Soundtracks man…check the top one…lol

Thanks to dj Mochizuki in Japan for the original Ultraman!

Daft Punk x Slum Village … ridiculous ….

Q: What’s your partner’s reaction to your obsession?

A: She loves it as long as I keep it neat.  She actually digs in and finds new sounds and learns from them.

Q: Out of your great collection, there must be a few records that you like going back to at any time. Name a few. What makes them so special for you?

A: E2E4- Mañuel Göttsching.  Hearing Dave Mancuso play this the first time took my breath away.  It was a classic at the Garage and The Loft.  When I worked at Tower Records, I was able to order some of the last batch of originals.  I think all the djs in Philly in 88 have it because of me ordering it.

Sentimental Walk- Vladmir Cosmo (from Diva soundtrack) is one of those records where I stop whatever Im doing to listen.  It captures every part of me and I really hope I create a record like this one day.

One of the best and longest electronic tunes ever…

 Vladimir Cosma’s Sentimental Walk is my favorite song ever.

Yup.. sampled by Beastie’s for Paul’s Boutique ….w/ Urzula Dusdiak

Q: How do you find the connection between the Funk/Jazz//Lo-Fi world you collect and the House/Electronic music you produce?

A: Music is music.  Frequencies all resonate together in different ways.  A lot of electronic music is influenced by Jazz and vice versa.  I produce all kinds of music, so those influences all come out.  I don’t just do House/dance.  Far from it.

Q: I know that every “your favorite” question is a tough one, but try to remember. Can you name a few of your favorite album covers?

A:

Doug and Jean Carn- Higher ground

Airto- Fingers

Monday Muchiro- ANY COVER!!

Q: Is there a specific musical instrument that attracts you when listening to music?

A: Fender Rhodes.  A magical vibration that it has.  It tugs at the heart frequencies.

Q: Tell me about a dollar bin record you would never part with!

A: I got all the Beaver & Kraus albums for a dollar.  I will NEVER part with them.

The best story is ’92 I was in Vancouver with Digable and we went to a store where they had the Original Sound Burger turntable in the box.  I asked about it and he thought it was a record cleaner.  I tried my best to keep my face straight gave him $3 and JET! Out……classic

Q: Have you ever kept a particular purchase secret from your partner?

A: Never…no secrets

Q: What about digging buddies? Do you share or go solo?

A: I used to go with my main man Dozia. Went with Rich (Medina) a few times but usually solo.

Q: Tell me about the most unlikely place/occasion where/when you found records?

A: Found 3 Days of A Condor at a thrift store in Nashville where in the back was a warehouse that I was spinning a rave at.  I was with my homie Deiselboy and he was a bit upset I found it!

Q: Tell me about a closed-down record store / flea market you will grieve all your life!

A:  I would say Third Street Jazz in Philly.  So many stories and history.  Was one of the best ever.

Library records always have fun breaks.  They were used mainly for radio jocks to talk over or for commercials.  The Producer series is ill!

Q: Tell me about a record that has deep sentimental value for you.

A: Portishead- Sour Times.  I had just gotten the promo in the mail at Tower and played this.  Rucyl, was in the group called The Goats back in the day.  She was underage then and came to the club with the boys to hear new things.  She ran up to me then and asked about this.  I remember it clearly.  Funny how music brings people together.

Q: Tell me about a record you still regret not picking up?

A: no regrets.

Tito Puente signed my NuYorican Soul Box Set before he passed.  Rest in Power

It was wild to find out this is Jean Grae’s mom.  Respect!

Q: Who has the toughest record collection that you have ever seen?

A: I would have to say for old soul and things, my friend Dego (4hero)

For 12” its my best friend growing up Dozia, no one can come close.

Let’s seal this interview with a few words from you to fellow diggers: young collectors who have just started to collect, or veterans who have forgotten about vinyl.

No real words of wisdom, just have fun while doing it and wear a mask!

http://kingbritt.com

http://saturnneversleeps.com

]]> http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?feed=rss2&p=20 0 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=22 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=22#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:40:00 +0000 SuperAdmin2012 http://eilonpaz.com/DG/?p=22 more »]]> Hello again,

A: Well, I was born in Soviet Union, but it fell apart by the time I was 9.

I always sympathize to irregular kids records and I’m always into creative sleeve design. So this record for me was exactly what it’s called – “Honey on Toast”. Mmmm…Yummy!

I’ve got two versions of Esther Jungreiss’ “You Are a Jew”. Hebrew and this one – in english, performed in Madison Sq. Garden. This is one of the weirdest records in my collection. Female jewish preacher – doesn’t it sound weird enough already?

Q: Any words of wisdom, advice or knowledge you want to bestow to all the fellow diggers out there- both amateur and veteran alike?

A: I think the best thing about digging is discovery. That’s what makes the digging and the music itself a very exciting thing. Collecting music is not only about owning records, it’s about being able to discover them for others. Every artist that steps into the studio and hits the record button, hopes that his recording will be heard by as many people as possible. Most of those artists find their way to obscurity.

We, record diggers, are, probably, the last hope for their creation to reach the listeners’ ears. There’s no use in a 1000 dollar record, if you never play it for other people. Music is created to be heard, and being able to share it with others is a great privilege.

www.markeyfunk.com

www.myspace.com/markeyfunk

http://markeyfunk.bandcamp.com/album/forgot-the-word

http://markeyfunk.bandcamp.com/album/souci-soleil-couchant-7-amdlt001

http://www.kudosrecords.co.uk/release/AMDLT001/Les_Hippies_Souci_Marigold_.html

Bengi welcomed me to her shop and showed me a few pieces of her private collection. We listened to some Turkish Funk and some more Psych records, and most importantly she connected me to one of her favorite customers, Mustafa.
Mustafa collects mostly Turkish music with a strong affection to a specific artist, The Transvestite artist Zeki Muren. I was lucky to be accompanied with my friend Aytac and his writer friend Cagil.

Since Mustafa speaks no English, we have decided Cagil, who’s a talented writer and a journalist, should write this article and interview Mustafa. It was a great and unusual experience for me, letting someone else do the talking and asking the questions. so here it is, the story of Mustafa. Enjoy!!

In the hunt of vinyl record collectors, digging into a quite suburb of Istanbul was not in the agenda yet we were not late to discover hidden Turkish retro delights that Mustafa had proudly preserved in his humble basement. Stepping down on a narrow stairs, we ended up in a storage-like basement with piles of records replaced on dusty wooden shelves alongside their old counterpart, a bunch of cassettes.

At first glance, it seemed to be quite unexpected to match a classy collection and a former Turkish truck driver who would invest on rare records just for his own pleasure. But Mustafa and his overwhelmingly rich shelves proved the opposite!
All the records he owns would probably be well enough to provide him with necessary finance to improve his living conditions however, the life long journey he took to obtain the records will no way be evaporated with money!


“I can sell my collection with only one condition: To start a new one!”

The first vinyl he picked out of his wooden shelves was indeed his favourite record. A psych track of Anatolian rock king, Baris Manco and his track named “Daglar Daglar [Mountains Mountains].” Unlike many other Turkish versions of this specific record, Mustafa obviously owns a unique German edition dating back to 1970s.

This particular one has indeed a special meaning for him.
“I used to sing this song with my wife and son, while driving across the mountains on our way to Istanbul.” For a late comer immigrants like Mustafa, Istanbul is of course all about the obscure mountains at first which soon turn out to be a “golden soil.” But Mustafa’s longing for his homeland is mostly faded by the retro delights of Baris Manco and his touchy lyrics referring to the challenges that a life bears for lovers!
Other rare records that he has of Baris Manco are the ones he arranged with the Belgian band Les Mistigris’ “Big Boss Man” and “Baby Sitter Quelle Peste” which is not only unique with its content but also its rare cover picture of Baris Manco with his bare figure whose moustache and long hair had long been legendary marks of his popularity.

While Baris Manco’s Anatolian rock tunes were echoing in the room, Mustafa had already passed to consume his second pack of cigarettes and his fifth cup of tea.
The vinyl records were clearly not the only retro pieces in this basement. The furniture, the carpet and the empty wine bottles kept from 1970s were all setting a perfect scene drawn from old Turkish movies in which Mustafa would definitely have played a leading role with his “charismatic” mustache. Mustafa’s fidelity to his mustache is actually derived from his fidelity to the first record he had listened when he was only 12 years old. Ever since his passion for Yildiray Cinar whose disk was the first sipping black circle introducing him into the majesty of vinyl world doesn’t seem to be eroded at all.

The very moment he gets hit by the pang of melancholy is when Yildiray Cinar’s psych- Arabesque tunes circle in the room. That’s also when his goose bumps become hardly unremarkable.
Apparently Yildiray Cinar was long sharing Mustafa’s solitude in his humid basement, with the loyal company of a tea cup and a pack of cigarette, and that’s when he’s been talking to his moustached idol, well, mostly to his appearance on the cover of course. “I’ve been waiting you for 25 years, now it’s your time to wait me till I get a cup of tea before we re-join.” With his thin mustache placed in between his sharp nose and thin lips, combined with bold, dark eyebrows, Mustafa looks like a genuine copy of his idol, Yildiray Cinar whose fame as a Turkish folk music performer was climaxed during the 1960s and 80s.





As a committed vinyl collector and Anatolian rock admirer, Mustafa continues to display his favourite albums of other popular psych-rock singers as he calls “National rock heroes”: Erkin Koray and Cem Karaca.





The variety of his collection clearly proves that he is not only into Anatolian rock and psych funky tunes, but also a loyal admirer of Turkish classical music.
The tangible vivid sound of a vinyl combined with a bit of Arabesque lyrics about love and a pack of cigarette is all what Mustafa needs to dive into his melancholy and let his tears drop, which set the case only for the records of Zeki Muren: “Turkey’s Sun of Art”.

“Each time I listen to him I find myself in tears. The sorrow of his songs reminds me my own misery…”



Zeki Muren was the most prominent singer of his time with his unique treacly way of singing and his over-sized high hills and glittering stage costumes. Always dressed in a sublime perfection and wore a highly remarkable eye-liner, Zeki Muren’s pictures on vinyl covers are no different than of his stage performances. Mustafa’s dream is to complete his collection of Zeki Muren but before taking a deep breath from his fag, he fetches a longing sigh. “He’s the only one I can’t afford to afford…”

Staring at the bulk of records dispersed in the room, our eyes get caught by porn-like funky covers of Ajda Pekkan, the “Superstar of Turkish Pop.” With a sense of self-pride and self-worth Mustafa says that her records were the most expensive ones he had bought from the flea market.

Apparently some desires such as the long-life passion of vinyl collection are not definable with money for Mustafa but more with a sense of pride and ultimate existence he feels in the presence of his rare records. When it’s time to leave our never emptied tea cups and dusty tunes behind, Mustafa doesn’t hesitate to express his enthusiasm with half of his mouth while the ashes of his fag spread around… “For the first time in my life I feel like reborn and discovered. I hope my passion will be spread to other Turks as well.” His wishes on spreading the vinyl passion to Turks are indeed favourable, well honestly, as long as they don’t all come up with a moustache…





Once again I would like to thank Cagil and Aytac for making this story and helping me around.
Keep Diggin
E

This is my first record bought my very own money! Ron Cobbs’ great sleeve art attracted me to buy it. Had no idea on the music back then ! Today i still like it.

George Gruntz – Noon in Tunisia. recorded with some tribal arabic musicians, and released only in germany that record is pure music!

Q: Love, hate, obseesion, passion, pride, joy, anything else… what would best describe the relation to your collection?

A: I am living and my collection lives too. You can make love in the bed and you can make love in the bushes too. It’s your decision. I am not a kind of guy who is proud of to have a collection of ten thousand records. The records and me, we are living together. And if i feel some of the records are unnecessary to keep anymore, i get rid off them. Sometimes i buy some of these records again, haha. Neither the records nor i am proud of each other.

Q: What’s your partners’ reaction to this obsession?

A: She has good taste in music, so no problem with the records. But sometimes she yells at me and says this record sucks if I listen too much to funky stuff.

Groovy instrumental Mod Punk Garage track by Turkish 60′s band named Apaslar, which can be translated in english “The Apaches”. The band took their name from the shadows’ track “The Apache”.

Q: Can you educate us with few corner stones in Turkish Psych/Funk/Jazz music?

A:

* Erkin Koray- Mechul / ve single from diskotur label, never re-released yet. A crazy psyched-out LSD nightmare.

* Okay Temiz-Denizalti Ruzgarlari / Dokuz Sekiz from Yonca label, killer groovy experimental jazz/funk/avant-garde sound.
* Cem karaca & apaslar – gilgamis 7” from Turkuola label, late 60’s moddish instrumental garage.
* Ersen & Kardaslar- Metelik / yine seni tanirim from sahinler label, groovy psyhedelic funk with lots of wah-wah and fuzz guitars.
* Fikret Kizilok – Aybatti from Sah label, a keyboard driven speedy instrumental dance song.

One of my all time favorite Turkish 7″es. “Denizalti Ruzgarlari” by Turkish master jazz drummer Okay Temiz. Strange drum & percussion effects blended with local grooves and moog sounds. Nice sleeve, indeed!

Back sleeve for the very same 7″. Instruments include even an handmade ones named as “Sputnik 5″ and “Frog”.

Q: I’m very curious about the evolution of Turkish music and it’s sub genres. can you tell us some more about different genres and it’s leading artists? Can you refer to the Psychedelic era, how come there is so many Psych albums? and the more traditional side, the Arabesque? or Kitsch?

A: Turkish culture has a very strong musical journey during the centuries. The affects of eastern, Arabic, Persian & Indian music blended with local sounds and authentic instruments with the strong supports of black sea region, caucasian and balkan music.

In early to mid 60′s, most of the turkish rock and pop musicians carbon-copyied the western stuff but around the late sixties it seemed there was a new start. Local folk tunes were covered by the young artists with western instruments and arrangements in a unique way. This movement later was referred to as “anadolu rock”. Some major names include Mogollar, Baris Manco, Erkin Koray, Cem Karaca, Ersen and Selda.

More common musical styles like Turkish folk music of many centuries, there is also turkish classical music which remained from the Ottoman empire. it’s urban music and aristocratic, combining elements of Soufi music, Persian music and urban culture of the old Ottoman country. some big names like, Munir Nurettin Selcuk, Safiye Ayla and Muzeyyen Senar.

Arabesque music, clearly influenced by arabic music of Oum Kaltoum, Fairuz and Rahbani brothers. Lyrics are mostly dark and suffering, major figure is Orhan Gencebay.

For the kitsch genre, I can say Zeki Muren is the key figure. He was a an extraordinary performer of Turkish classical music and one of the transvestites loved by the whole Turkish families. In the 60′s and 70′s he was dressing self designed costumes (Drag Queen style) and was highly respected.

Q: Can you name a few records that you like going back to at any time. What makes them so special for you?

Pure spiritual jazz by the great Marion Brown. We used to listen that one with a very close friend of mine who died because of a brain tumor. My friend Ismet who exactly looked like Marion, was telling me “stop playing that album. If not, i will steal it !”

A: I love the music which does not get boring if you listen to it again and again. There are some albums that i listen over and over and feeling as i am listening for the first time. New discoveries everytime i listen. Robert wyatt’s “rock bottom” album one of these ones. Many Coltrane albums in that way. Pink Floyd’s “The Piper at The Gates of Dawn” , Marion Brown’s “Sweet Earth Flying” , banana album by Velvet Underground, both albums by Joy Division, “Ege Bamyasi” by Can, Erkin Koray’s “Elektronik Turkuler” just to name a few…

Our favorite album, “Ege Bamyasi” by Can. Title is originally in turkish, meaning “Aegean Okra”. Never bored listening to this one over and over.

This record is from my father. Autographed for him by the artist in the 70′s. Turkish left-wing political folk.

Q: What is your favorite album art? Any special reason?

A: Oh, there are so many. Maybe it’s just because i am also into the visual arts. Many of the classic Blue Note albums are wonderful stuff but i have to say Donald Byrd’s “A New Perspective” is exceptional because it combines the title and the sleeve in an unique way. Also i love Albert Ayler’s “New Grass” with the upside down close-up photo of Ayler’s beard. The photo inside the gatefold sleeve of soft machine’s “third” album is also one of my favourites, if i would have a chance i wanted to be there, even only my feet are ok. I respect robert wyatt as my he would be my father. Gang of four’s “entertainment” album sleeve still stands very good in the punk rock genre. And a turkish seven inch single sleeve by Ahmet Sezgin, a minimalist kitchy combination of red , white and black. When i get bored, i look at this sleeve and laugh every time.

 

Please welcome Rich Medina, a D.J. , a poet, music producer and an amazing music collector.


http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtzOjE6IjQiO3M6NjoiZmlsZUlkIjtzOjg6IjE0NTU2NDM0IjtzOjQ6ImNvZGUiO3M6MTI6IjE0NTU2NDM0LTBkNSI7czo2OiJ1c2VySWQiO3M6NzoiMTEyOTI1MCI7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEzMDI2NjQ5Njk7fQ==&autoplay=default

Q: What was your first record
album? How did you get it? At what age? Can you describe that feeling and do
you still have it in your collection?

A: Believe it or not, the first
record I bought with “my own money” was a copy of the KISS “Alive” Concert LP.
I bought it at Crazy Eddie’s in Eatontown NJ, after making some chore money. It
was 1980, and I was growing more and more into rock and roll, aside from
actively participating in the complete spectrum of hip-hop culture. KISS had
THE ILLEST costumes to me at the time, next to PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC, like Rock
& Roll Super Villains with the make up and all that! I remember vividly,
that record made me feel like I knew something that other kids didn’t know, probably
because family members who had a taste for rock music didn’t surround me.

Q: What prompted you to start
collecting? What age did you start? Was there a specific time or event in your
life where you recall transitioning from just a lover of music to a collector
of music as well?

A: I come from a family of
“collectors”, though their reasons were far different than mine when I started.
My parent’s parents migrated north from Alabama and the Kentucky/Ohio border
near the turn of the century, via The Underground Railroad. With that, their
need to keep and care for things they considered valuable stemmed from not
truly having anything to call their own prior to migrating north. Being privy
to many an adult discussion on the topic at a young age, it was natural for me
to want to keep things I considered valuable, so that I could enjoy them for
years to come. I really appreciate this gift from my family, because it taught
me to care for my belongings and investments on a higher level now, as a man. I
think I became a “collector” prior to leaving home for college. Basketball and
academics had taken over my world at that point, but I was still busy DJing and
buying records weekly. Having to step back from DJing and focus on passing
classes and playing Division 1 hoops actually drew me much closer to my true
passion, which I soon came to realize was chasing down music, and playing it for
as many people as possible, as often as possible. College, basketball, and a
real job were all interruptions to what I’ve come to believe I was born to do.

My man Chris from Groove
Merchant in San Francisco put me on to this record a few years back when I was
shopping there. I was already in the hole about 500 beans when he showed me
this one, but realizing how sincerely rare it is. I had to drop another coupla
stacks on the table and leave with this one, with my tail tucked, but man oh man, the amount of truly
funky and nasty basslines on this Gospel banger
should be deemed criminal. Drums and rhythm section everywhere, and in a
completely different, almost secular demeanor than I’ve ever heard before on a
Gospel LP.

Q: Why vinyl?

A: Vinyl is the origin of
my personal love for music, aside from 8 track tape, my grandparent’s church,
piano lessons, and 70’s radio. I was simply born during a time where these were
the primary consumer mediums for music, so I really don’t know any better. I am
not so much of a purist that I have bad thoughts or words for other mediums
though. I think I went through that phase when the iPod hit the marketplace for
like a year. Then, I found myself purchasing one and strolling the streets with
3,00 songs in this little machine. I found the merit in technology then for
sure. But beyond that, the sonic quality of the vinyl format is so warm and
full when compared to all digital mediums it’s ridiculous. There is no
reputable argument for that point. Storage space is not the baseline issue when
discussing the collection of music. The music and your relationship with that music
is the baseline issue. Records in abundance on any level, or in any format,
will get in your way if you are not intimate with them. I just come from the
school that says until you’ve experienced the sonic depth of vinyl on a regular
basis, even if just at home alone, you are shortchanging yourself of the main
attraction at the musical circus.

Carl Holmes “Investigation No. 1 LP” was a
treat that was passed my way by my man DJ Train aka Ari Saxe one day while
attempting to buy him out of all of his funk and jazz joints. Super funky and
aggressive B Boy demeanor in the rhythm section on this LP, from front to back.
A real sleeper.

 
Q: Can you recall a record
store/digging spot that has closed down and you lament? What was your best
score there?

Vocal/Drum Booth fulla Rap 12”s,
LPs, Comps, plus 7” stash, 10”

stash…pause, I mean records. Glad
I caught that one. and Import Hip Hop.

I visited his lovely brownstone apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and for a moment, I could imagine my future home in NY. The house was spacious, drenched with sunlight, and covered with modern art and collectibles from around the world. a humble desk space with lots of records around it. so nice )

http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=13403355-2ce

A: Well, I guess I’m in what they call a “transitional faze” I’ve been a working DJ for nearly my whole adult life & also worked in an industry that’s shrunk to almost extinction, the music biz.

Now I’m kind of trying to reinvent myself, finding other creative ways to make a living.

A: Not sure what the first album I bought was, but the first records I bought were 7” singles. “Band of Gold” by Freda Pain, amazing soul tune, still sounds hot & danceable today. The other, & this explains my whole life’s musical psyche, was “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath. The two tracks being polar opposites of what you’d think a twelve year old boy would be into. That juxtaposition of loving dance & hard rock n roll has followed me my whole life & still motivates me today. I recently started a project with a talented producer called SZ, we’re remixing our favorite indie rock tracks into Drum & Bass tunes.

www.myspace.com/djdbny

Q: What prompted you to start collecting? What age did you start? Was there a specific event in your life, an era, which signify your transition from music lover to a collector?

A: I think if I could, I’d collect everything I love, but my wife wont have it : ) I started a record collection when I was around 12 I think. My mom used to visit friends in the States & return to England with the latest U.S. albums for me. Again, it was soul stuff like Sly & the Family Stone, but also the MC5 & psychedelic stuff from CA.

Q: What’s up with that Stones 7″ ? Is it a bootleg? how and where did you get it??

A: “Cocksucker Blues”, so the story goes, was delivered by Mick & Keith to Decca Records as a “Fuck You” & a way to get out of their contact. I bought the bootleg 7″ in the early 70′s when i was really young & dont remember what year, but then in the 80′s when I started working for the Stones as sort of their unofficial DJ (I played lots of their private events, including Jade Jagger’s 16th birthday party & the band’s Life Time Grammy Award party) , I made the sleeve from a magazine photo & asked Mick to sign it.

A: My mom loved (& still loves) music; I grew up with Aretha & The Beatles.

Q: Why vinyl?

A: Originally because of the sleeves : ) I would spend hours staring Hipnosis covers, Floyd, Zeppelin etc. Then because I became a DJ & that’s what you used.

Q: And these days? why do you keep collecting?

A: Nothings changed : )

Q: C’mon man!! give me somethig here… you were collecting because that was the only format available back then. but now, you could just have MP3′s or CDs…

A: I still have an insatiable appetite for new music, looking at my iTunes right now, I have 25177 songs on it, but MP3′s dont hold any charm for me. Not that much has changed, I guess I’m still motivated to check out a record because of its visual presentation. The main difference between then & now, is that I stopped buying records simply because the sleeves excited me. I had so many crap albums at one point. I’ll still spend silly money on a new vinyl release from one of the few bands that I still am nuts about, but resent paying 99c for an MP3.

A: I’m not a hardcore digger, I get bored quickly. I really started collecting specific artists again in the late 90s when I discovered eBay. When I had a label at Warner Bros, I would spend silly amounts of time & money looking for rare Stones records. I’m now told that I have one of the largest vinyl collections of theirs that exists.

Q: Out of your collection, there must be a few records that you like going back to at any time. Name a few. What makes them so special for you?

A: Not really, I don’t listen to old stuff that much. I have an insatiable ear for new music, so my iPod is filled with 90 percent stuff that’s come out in the last few months. I should add, that this is not music that I necessary want to own on vinyl. It has to be very special for me to want new music on vinyl, IE Radiohead, Dead Weather, The Verve, UNKLE. (and of course Drum & Bass vinyl for DJing. The sound quality difference in a club when I play a CD with an MP3, compared to Vinyl is HUGE !)

White Stripes 7” collection.

There will always be a niche collector & so they will always be labels willing to produce it. In the last couple of years, vinyl sales have actually risen.

In the words of Fischerspooner – Looks good, Sounds good, Feels good too.

AMEN!!!

see his sticker of the day project:

http://www.stuckuppieceofcrap.com/

and

Catch some more mixtapes from DB here:

http://urls.artonair.org/blurringradio