Neighborhood indie record shops beckon

By Michael Mishak

Friday, April 17, 2009 | 2 a.m.

The independent record store is an endangered species.

But in a town accused of being devoid of culture and community, a few indie shops have managed to thrive, providing Las Vegas with small doses of both. Record Store Day, set for Saturday, celebrates the sheer survival of these cultural gems.

Top five reasons to visit an independent record store:

1. Knowledge

Remember Nirvana? Chances are the kid with the tattoos and pierced eyebrow behind the record counter was listening to the band and its friends well before Dan Cortese was wearing flannel.

2. Cover art (and of course, liner notes)

You don’t get the great cover art from CDs. You never get to see the naked ladies of the British “Electric Ladyland,” the plaintive cow from “Atom Heart Mother,” Warhol’s banana on “The Velvet Underground & Nico,” the Zippo of “Catch a Fire,” the zipper of “Sticky Fingers” or those cool Blue Note covers.

And you sure can’t read the R. Crumb cartoon on “Cheap Thrills” on the CD. It’s like going to an art gallery, to go to a real record store.

3. Synchronicity

No, not the Police. Discover the joy of finding something misfiled when you’re browsing — discovering Cachao hiding out in the blues section, calling your name, saying “You don’t know who I am but you will love me and I will change your life.” That never happens online — except maybe when a porn site is asking for your credit card number.

4. Synergy

Real record stores don’t just sell records. Hit a trifecta: Pick up the Band’s “Last Waltz” on DVD, its “Music from Big Pink” on vinyl and the biography — on book.

5. Bonus

More than 100 exclusive records — 7, 10 and 12 inches — will be released Saturday, many of them numbered and collectible. We’re looking forward to the reissue replica of the MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams” single. The Sonic Youth/Beck split single doesn’t look too shabby either.

As Tom Waits put it, “The record store is the livery stable where I can tie up, feed and groom my ears.”

So forget iTunes for a day. Spin the black circle.

Wax Trax Records

2909 S. Decatur Blvd., Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tourists beware. Wax Trax is for vinyl professionals only.

A veritable museum on three floors, the store features memorabilia galore, including amateur photos of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens from the Winter Dance Party tour and original copies of Rolling Stone and Creem.

Gold records and autographed photos line the walls. The bathroom houses shelves of 45s.

Owner Rich Rosen should charge admission. He isn’t shy about the competition. “When you talk about rare stuff, nobody beats me,” Rosen says. “Everybody knows that.”

Take, for instance, the wall of “firsts,” with inaugural releases from Elvis, the Wailing Wailers (Bob Marley) and the Four Lovers, who became the Four Seasons. The specialties here are doo-wop and R&B.

For the most part, prices are palatable only to hard-core collectors. But Rosen is offering 10 percent off Saturday, and Wax Trax reissues fetch about what you would pay for a CD.

Record City

300 E. Sahara Ave., Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4555 E. Charleston Blvd. and 553 E. Sahara Ave., Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Record City at 300 E. Sahara Ave. is dedicated to serious rock ’n’ rollers.

Although there’s a decent collection of used alternative rock CDs, the just-off-the-Strip shack specializes in vinyl — especially hard-to-find titles. You want Kiss’ “The Originals,” complete with the Kiss Army sticker? Check. How about the Beatles’ infamous “Butcher” record? No problem.

The sticker shock can be severe though, especially to the casual listener. The demonstration copy of a Robert Johnson album will cost you $750. Still, there’s plenty to be had for reasonable rates. The real rarities are set off to the side. The store recently started stocking new vinyl, though mostly reissues.

Clerk Chad Martinez knows music — and film. On Wednesday he held court on a rare Megadeth record and discussed the merits of “Creepshow 2,” Stephen King cameo and all.

Record City takes rare seriously. It collects laserdiscs, after all.

Zia Record Exchange

4225 S. Eastern Ave. and 4503 W. Sahara Ave.

Both locations open Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to midnight

It’s not Amoeba on Sunset and Vine, but Zia is a little piece of heaven on the East Side. It’s the valley’s best record store, hands down.

Call it Hipster’s Paradise. Cool vibe, cool clerks, cool selection. It scores points for versatility. Its top 20 best-selling titles this week include (major label) indie rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, fratboy stoners Papa Roach and the not-so-slender rapper Slim Thug.

Clerks do the work for you, periodically culling the store’s extensive used-CD inventory to feature the best up front. And they go out of their way to make sure you don’t pay too much for something. Employees have the High Fidelity chops without the High Fidelity attitude. (Overheard on a recent visit were industrial thrashers Big Black.)

The store’s vinyl selection is modest but a good place to start for newbies. Pick up the classics on the cheap. And then top it off with a Scarface magnet, AC/DC pint collection or “Mini Marauding Pirates” figurine set (topical).