High-Performance Audio Reviews
Music News, Show Reports, And More!
Celebrating 29 Years Of Service To Music Lovers
Spent my Gainesville Green and Vinylally Found
It!
(NOTE: Original report from 1997)
On a recent trek
to my old hangout (Gainesville Florida) there was more to enjoy then just their beautiful
greenery. For what's about to be parlayed your way are some of the most slammatocious
stores in the coolest town around. Besides all the college kids, great live music, and
beer microbreweries are one of the hugest assortment of vinyl shops in Southeastern
America. So sit right back while i go Postal visiting over five stores in less then
four hours.
Babalou Records
1634 Northwest First Avenue
Gainesville, FL 33603
Voice (352) 371-6310
Here’s a funky little place stashed away in a deep dark
corner only two blocks from the University of Florida campus. The owner, Jon, carries new,
used, and imported yummies with a good assortment of posters, t-shirts and other groovy
stuff. When you first walk in usually Jon is layin' back with music playing on their
system's Klipsch speakers. Immediately to your right are the 'audiophile' vinyl bins with
$1 records to your left. In the next room is filled with Jazz, Rock, classical, DJ, and
even quadraphonic used vinyl. The prices are killer cheap too and he's even gotta Nitty
Gritty machine to clean all your prized findings! Let’s just say there is, or should
i say was (heh heh), a 6-eye Columbia Stravinsky "The Firebird" for $1. There
was also a MoFi Steely Dan "Katy Lied" for $15, though some vinyl crazy reviewer
rescued them :-{)+ . There are Phase 4, Blue Notes, and all the old rock vinyl used and
just waiting to be played. For you Rush fans, the Rush Hemisphere’s picture disc is
right now for sale! Got a copy here already but she can be all yours. There’s about
10,000 vinyl records of all kinds with 25% of those being of the new variety. He just told
me 2,000 more new albums are on their way. In fact business is so hoppin’
there’s a new partner joining forces who will make Babalou Records even bigger! For
all you old rockers you'll find obscure stuff like Strawberry Alarm Clock "The World
in a Shell" and also "Incense and Peppermints". Of course there’s
plenty of new audiophiles releases too. Jon sez "Our main customers are students
though we also have collectors from out of town come in. We specialize in rare and obscure
items at competitive prices significantly less then what you see in publications. The
vinyl business here is definitely holding its own." Babalou's has been one of my fave
Gainesville hangouts for years. Check back often because you never know when then barely
used Nautilus Neil Young "Harvest" might show up!
Specs Music
1412 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32603
Voice (352) 376-5301
Specs music is a big chain store with many locations in
Southeastern America. Not many of them carry vinyl yet this location has many of the
latest and greatest stuff. It seems the demand was so high for it in town that they now
carry over 2,000 different titles mainly being new releases, urban, techno and
alternative. Sales have dropped a bit with indie stuff and rap comin'’ on strong
according to Laura Dewsbury. Specs also carries posters, laserdiscs, memorabilia, DVDs,
CDs and even guitar strings (among a few of the goodies offered in their store).
A cool gimmick is that they also offer a frequent shopper club which is called "Pay
Back". Basically for every dollar you spend you get one point. You can redeem your
points for merchandise. In fact for only 15,000 points you can be the owner of this
shining new Stevie Ray Vaughan Fender Guitar! So when you buy music you can earn point and
learn how to play music too!
Hyde & Zekes
1620 West University
Gainesville, FL 32603
Voice (352) 376-1687
Now this place in literally across the street of the
University of Florida Campus which sells new and used vinyl. Their mainstay in vinyl is
indie music. Recent stuff flying out his door has been Less That Jake "Greased"
which the owner, Charlie Scales se "It’s funny and we just can’t keep it in
stock." They also carry lottsa used rock, jazz, soul, and reggae. New stuff like
techno and ambient has also been hot sellers according to Charlie. With a large collage
community it's no wonder there not only a huge market for current music, but current music
on vinyl! Charlie sez "Vinyl sales are improving because less and less stores are
carrying it and the companies are putting out lots of vinyl. So we kinda created a niche
in our market." They also sell guitar strings, drum sticks and of course vinyl
cleaning and other accessories for the record enthusiast. So if you're ever in Gainesville
playin' a gig and you break your snare drum head just head on off to Hyde & Zeke
records. As seen in the picture, Charlie’s recent fave is the new reissue of Jimi
Hendrix "First Rays of the New Rising Sun." Now you won't find this record on
the shelves because, just between you and me, Charlie has a super secret stash in the back
office only available to his closest friends. Just remember, keep this only between me and
you, ok? They also are catering to the collectors vinyl market of course and will soon
have their very own www site. Oh, i almost forgot to mention they have the best selection
of 45 rpm records in town!
Sharpe#s Music
1219 West University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
Voice (352) 377-1363
Ted Sharpe runs this cool little store mainly catering to
jazz, classical, classic rock and R&B. In fact he’s got over 15,000 new and used
records. This store has the largest selection of ‘audiophile’ vinyl new and used
in town. True story: When i lived in Gainesville i’d do the usual garage sales
lookin' for all those secret vinyl stashes at dirt cheap prices. Well... so did Ted.
Needless to say he and i were kinda in competition in seein’ who could get to the
good stuff first. Ted sez "i’m selling 3 vinyl records to every CD sold here.
Sales have been pretty good lately. It’s definitely improved over last year. In fact
I just sold a Blue Note original John Coletrain "Blue Train! Many of the new reissue
and original Hendrix has been selling lately." At Sharpe#s Music Exchange you can
also buy used turntables too with the occasional amps, speakers, etc. Used turntable sales
have been excellent according to Ted. In fact Ted tells me he’s having a hard time
keeping used tables in stock! As i was interviewing Ted and taking a few photos a dude
came in with a big box of DJ vinyl. After Ted went through them i went through them and
bought a few retro 80’s dance 12 inch DJ singles for $1 each! Aint vinyl life great!
Ted just started a www site which features mostly jazz while eventually he'll have some
rock, blues, and vocals eventually appearing. For the best stuff you'd be better off
calling him because he's not quite learned the internet yet.
Stratus
813 West University
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 338-0501
For all those lookin'’ for some phat DJ vinyl from
all around the world here’s a place that resides in the rear part of one of the
hippest cloths stores in town. If ya wanna really look like the 'in' crowd with all the
collage dettes/dudes here's the one stop shop for you! Seth Phillips and Chris Gallagher
run this humble abode where you can not only buy DJ vinyl, you can also listen to the
records on Technics 1200 turntables before you buy! Wish more vinyl stores did this. Just
so ya know, most DJ stores offer this service yet 'audiophile' stores don't. Maybe those
DJs know something we don't? Seth sez "We specialize in aspects of electronic music
which break, house, progressive house, drum n’ bass, hip-hop, and trip-hop. We cater
to DJs with mix tapes and also sell equipment."
As i look around they got cartridges, slip mats, Gruv Glide, mixers, carry bags and hard
cases for vinyl. Ya see, many popular DJs tour and they carry all their best stuff with
‘em in specialized hard cases. According to Seth the hottest music has been EPMD and
Rakim for hip-hop, Arman Van Helden for house, and for drum n’ bass Aphrodite and
Metalheadz. Seth sez, with a big smile on his face "Vinyl is on the comeback and
sounds better then CDs too!" Ruman has it they’re selling more turntable then
guitars in the industry according to Seth. Well... Anyway, Stratus has all the in and now
popular underground new music.
Urband Wax
1119 W University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
Voice (325) 337-2982
Also catering to the DJ market is Urband Wax. Doug Bliton,
cool dude extraordinaire, owns the joint. They carry around 10,000 mainly new and very small
portion of used records. Everything vinyl from house, hip-hop, trip-hop, jungle, ambient,
techno, trance, etc. Lately the jungle and drum ‘n bass have been big movers while
hip-hop has been a consistent hot seller. Wu-Tang, Photek, and Aphrodite have been recent
faves according to Doug. They mainly carry only the really rave underground. Doug sez: "Once an artist goes
mainstream we tend to not sell it as well." In fact while doin' the photo shoot their
customers shied away from me! Urband Wax is the place for hidden treasures! This place is like Rod Sterling's
"Shadow and Substance" where the customers live in the shadows and their
products are filled with substance. In fact i bought Plaid (experimental music) which is
playin’ right now on one of the tables here. They’ve been opened quite a few
years getting bigger and bigger. In fact i usedta shop here when they were at a small
location by a car audio store i usedta manage. This is truly the underground place! They also carry slip mats, storm watches, mix
tapes, and a variety of t-shirts... Like Stratus they also have a turntable setup to
audition vinyl before you buy it. So you dettes/dudes who are looking for the latest in
the real underground scene here's the place for you.
This article has really opened my eyes even wider seeing how what was once
underground/indie music has now turned into mainstream. Therefore the true underground
folks are going further into directions some music lovers have dreamed about. Gainesville
is filled with a large variety of vinyl shops all of which have great prices! Don't forget
after all your shopping is over there are many clubs where live jazz, rock, underground,
and rage music can be enjoyed. If fact during my visit i enjoyed "I MUSIC" playing at the
local Performing Arts Center! With all the live and recorded music available in
Gainesville you might not even wanna leave! In the end you'll be having a good time
while... Enjoying the Music!
High-Performance Audio Reviews
Here’s a funky little place stashed away in a deep dark
corner only two blocks from the University of Florida campus. The owner, Jon, carries new,
used, and imported yummies with a good assortment of posters, t-shirts and other groovy
stuff. When you first walk in usually Jon is layin' back with music playing on their
system's Klipsch speakers. Immediately to your right are the 'audiophile' vinyl bins with
$1 records to your left. In the next room is filled with Jazz, Rock, classical, DJ, and
even quadraphonic used vinyl. The prices are killer cheap too and he's even gotta Nitty
Gritty machine to clean all your prized findings! Let’s just say there is, or should
i say was (heh heh), a 6-eye Columbia Stravinsky "The Firebird" for $1. There
was also a MoFi Steely Dan "Katy Lied" for $15, though some vinyl crazy reviewer
rescued them :-{)+ . There are Phase 4, Blue Notes, and all the old rock vinyl used and
just waiting to be played. For you Rush fans, the Rush Hemisphere’s picture disc is
right now for sale! Got a copy here already but she can be all yours. There’s about
10,000 vinyl records of all kinds with 25% of those being of the new variety. He just told
me 2,000 more new albums are on their way. In fact business is so hoppin’
there’s a new partner joining forces who will make Babalou Records even bigger! For
all you old 
rockers you'll find obscure stuff like Strawberry Alarm Clock "The World
in a Shell" and also "Incense and Peppermints". Of course there’s
plenty of new audiophiles releases too. Jon sez "Our main customers are students
though we also have collectors from out of town come in. We specialize in rare and obscure
items at competitive prices significantly less then what you see in publications. The
vinyl business here is definitely holding its own." Babalou's has been one of my fave
Gainesville hangouts for years. Check back often because you never know when then barely
used Nautilus Neil Young "Harvest" might show up!
A cool gimmick is that they also offer a frequent shopper club which is called "Pay
Back". Basically for every dollar you spend you get one point. You can redeem your
points for merchandise. In fact for only 15,000 points you can be the owner of this
shining new Stevie Ray Vaughan Fender Guitar! So when you buy music you can earn point and
learn how to play music too!
Now this place in literally across the street of the
University of Florida Campus which sells new and used vinyl. Their mainstay in vinyl is
indie music. Recent stuff flying out his door has been Less That Jake "Greased"
which the owner, Charlie Scales se "It’s funny and we just can’t keep it in
stock." They also carry lottsa used rock, jazz, soul, and reggae. New stuff like
techno and ambient has also been hot sellers according to Charlie. With a large collage
community it's no wonder there not only a huge market for current music, but current music
on vinyl! Charlie sez "Vinyl sales are improving because less and less stores are
carrying it and the companies are putting out lots of vinyl. So we kinda created a niche
in our market." They also sell guitar strings, drum sticks and of course vinyl
cleaning and other accessories for the record enthusiast. So if you're ever in Gainesville
playin' a gig and you break your snare drum head just head on off to Hyde & Zeke
records. As seen in the picture, Charlie’s recent fave is the new reissue of Jimi
Hendrix "First Rays of the New Rising Sun." Now you won't find this record on
the shelves because, just between you and me, Charlie has a super secret stash in the back
office only available to his closest friends. Just remember, keep this only between me and
you, ok? They also are catering to the collectors vinyl market of course and will soon
have their very own www site. Oh, i almost forgot to mention they have the best selection
of 45 rpm records in town!
Ted Sharpe runs this cool little store mainly catering to
jazz, classical, classic rock and R&B. In fact he’s got over 15,000 new and used
records. This store has the largest selection of ‘audiophile’ vinyl new and used
in town. True story: When i lived in Gainesville i’d do the usual garage sales
lookin' for all those secret vinyl stashes at dirt cheap prices. Well... so did Ted.
Needless to say he and i were kinda in competition in seein’ who could get to the
good stuff first. Ted sez "i’m selling 3 vinyl records to every CD sold here.
Sales have been pretty good lately. It’s definitely improved over last year. In fact
I just sold a Blue Note original John Coletrain "Blue Train! Many of the new reissue
and original Hendrix has been selling lately." At Sharpe#s Music Exchange you can
also buy used turntables too with the occasional amps, speakers, etc. Used turntable sales
have been excellent according to Ted. In fact Ted tells me he’s having a hard time
keeping used tables in stock! As i was interviewing Ted and taking a few photos a dude
came in with a big box of DJ vinyl. After Ted went through them i went through them and
bought a few retro 80’s dance 12 inch DJ singles for $1 each! Aint vinyl life great!
Ted just started a www site which features mostly jazz while eventually he'll have some
rock, blues, and vocals eventually appearing. For the best stuff you'd be better off
calling him because he's not quite learned the internet yet.
As i look around they got cartridges, slip mats, Gruv Glide, mixers, carry bags and hard
cases for vinyl. Ya see, many popular DJs tour and they carry all their best stuff with
‘em in specialized hard cases. According to Seth the hottest music has been EPMD and
Rakim for hip-hop, Arman Van Helden for house, and for drum n’ bass Aphrodite and
Metalheadz. Seth sez, with a big smile on his face "Vinyl is on the comeback and
sounds better then CDs too!" Ruman has it they’re selling more turntable then
guitars in the industry according to Seth. Well... Anyway, Stratus has all the in and now
popular underground new music.
This article has really opened my eyes even wider seeing how what was once
underground/indie music has now turned into mainstream. Therefore the true underground
folks are going further into directions some music lovers have dreamed about. Gainesville
is filled with a large variety of vinyl shops all of which have great prices! Don't forget
after all your shopping is over there are many clubs where live jazz, rock, underground,
and rage music can be enjoyed. If fact during my visit i enjoyed "I MUSIC" playing at the
local Performing Arts Center! With all the live and recorded music available in
Gainesville you might not even wanna leave! In the end you'll be having a good time
while... Enjoying the Music!
