RECORD STORE REVIEW 9 OF 15

REAL GROOVY WELLINGTON

250 CUBA ST WELLINGTON CITY

Ratings

Stock, numbers of records 5/10

Collectible stock 4.5/10

Quality and pricing 6.5/10

Service 7.5/10

Knowledge 6/10

Overall vibe 6/10

Average 6/10

I bought my first record from this store so its only right i give the store a good review. This is my local anyway. I have spent 100s and 100s of hours of digging time at this store and have walked away with some beautiful records. The record section has been moved around the store a few times in the last couple of years with the groove section separate from the A-Z etc etc. The current position in the store is a cozy section in the corner of the store. All the records are together which makes for a healthy supply of records. The DJ section in groovy covers all genre's and has plenty of DnB, hip hop, House and Dubstep. The A-Z section could be better. But that's Trade Me's fault or the new found popularity of vinyl records. A recent shipment of 7" from the states which number in the high 1000s. The shop gets in lots of new vinyl and also restocks in represses of classic all time lps. Since i started shopping at groovy the staff have always been extra friendly and seem to talk more about music than selling the stuff, opps don't tell Mark. Haha me bias.

RECORD STORE REVIEW 8 OF 15

REAL GROOVY RECORDS CHRISTCHURCH

179 TUAM ST CHRISTCHURCH CITY

Ratings

Stock numbers of records 5.5/10

Collectible stock 4.5/10

Quality and pricing 4/10

Service 6/10

Knowledge 5/10

Overall vibe 5/10

Average 5/10

The recession has caused potential closures of all of the Real Groovy stores. Only the Dunedin store closed down and the rest were purchase separately to local owners and all of the three stores kept the original name branding. They all still bye second hand and sell new and old. The vouchers are still gifted after $200 purchase build ups.

If you have not been to the Christchurch real groovy here is a little lowdown. The store is in the middle of the city located in the hip Soul Square. The store has a real dark underground feeling always playing good tunes with a mix of young and old staff. The record section is split into two with a new and used and a sale section. The new and used section has everything from a good A-Z pop rock and Alternative sections. The hip hop, soul funk, reggae, jazz, blues, metal, punk and NZ sections are small but have some good titles in them. The sale section is average. But it's all timing with sale sections. I recently visited the store and walked away happy with some original NZ pressings of the Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, Simple Image and a couple of sale section Motorhead records. Quality and pricing was good but sometimes a little over priced and condition varies. I also had a small look through a large sale section for 7" which had a few good titles, Ray Columbus, Fourmyula and the Larry's Rebels to name a few good 60s NZ artists in there. Lots of good new groove vinyl for DJing as well. Well worth a look, a couple of hours should do it.

RADIO STATION AND SHOW REVIEW

WAXED ON WEDNESDAYS

VOLCANO RADIO 88.5FM

LYTTELTON CHRISTCHURCH.

Happening every Wednesday is "Waxed on Wednesdays" 7-8:30pm. DJ Cafedre is the vinyl pushing selecta and says he plays 100% post 95 (that's 1995 to you 18 year olds) Not only is the music post 95 but it's also 100% NZ music on wax, yay to you man. He also has reviews and plays new release LPs and 7" singles. More and more NZ artist/bands are releasing their really really good music to vinyl. Good on you people. That means you as well Cafedre.

So check his show out live on the internet streaming live via

http://www.volcanradio.co.nz/

www.myspace.com/cafedre for more details on Waxed on Wednesdays.

RADIO STATION AND SHOW REVIEW

THE NZ LPFM RADIO STATION NETWORK
Low power FM radio stations are a good way to showcase your radio personality skills and mostly provide lessons on music to the masses. Me and a good friend of mine have recently finished up being radio personality's (how about complete amateurs and at times idiots who had fun working it) on a low powered station in Wellington for 3 years. Over the coming months i will list a few stations and specialty shows involving vinyl records. These segments will be short but will give you options. Internet radio seems to be the future, so if you are sick of commercial radio why don't you give low power radio a go they have no adds, no pretentious DJs and always have different music. I believe in listening to new and different music all of the time, it can be new or old. LPFM stations will give you that. If you love it feed to you then stick to your commercial drug.
Do you have a show that plays vinyl records, hit me up
vinylclub@hotmail.com or leave some details on your show in the comments list below. I will check your show out and so on.

NEW VINYL LP REVIEW

OPENSOULS (NZ soul RnB)
STANDING IN THE RAIN
2010 Release on the German label Jakarta records
Oh shit new NZ vinyl. NZ soul RnB coming out of Auckland. Opensouls are i think a 9 pieces band with Tyra Hammond and MC Bjorn as singers and Jeremy Toy on gat and MPC. Julien Dyne on drums and extras, Scott Towers Saxophone,Chip Mathews bass, Steph Brown keys, Isaac Aesili trumpet and DJ Buttafingers on the decks.
Standing in the Rain is the bands second album and it sounds very different to the first album which was more diverse with lots of soul funk hip hop and more. Not to downgrade this album at all as its a LP of high class soul RnB. The Album has a blend of early 50s, 60s English American RnB and new school groove soul funk and hints of jazz. Trya Hammond provides the sexy soul hit and the band has a smooth operation going. A very stylish piece of NZ music. Recommended and i would say very limited copy's. Lucky for my happy ass. I walked into the record store on the release day hehe.

BEER REVIEW

WHY IS BEER THE BEST AFTER WORK?

Friday comes around and the talking point on most of the building sites i work on is beer o'clock. There is nothing better than the taste of a refreshing cold hard earned beer. It symbolizes a hard long week and for some strange reason we all crave that time of the week. Things have moved on from the days of a slab Lion or DB turning up on the site. Now we tradesmen are more and more preferring a good tasting quality beer. Something that's tickles the pallet. It could be a lager, pilsner, ale, stout, or even wheat beer. Lagers are the usual first choice for many. They symbolize summer there are easy to drink and its also a very light coloured beer. Not a huge difference in flavours over the board but always a safe Friday option. One of my favourites is the pilsner with a more tastier fruitier flavour than a lager and also slightly darker. An ale has a more richer flavour than the larger and also looks more red compared to the gold of a pilsner or lager. A stout would be more uncommon on site compared to pub drinking. Its very dark colour compared to any other beer. A stout is also very rich in flavour, sorta like a meat pie in a pint. OK my favourite beer anytime is a wheat beer. With a thick syrupy consistency, sweet flavour and amber smell (some people compare wheat beer to smelly feet). What ever your flavour is i like any of those on a Friday usually 4pm is good for me if your buying.

RECORD STORE REVIEW 7 OF 15

REAL GROOVY RECORDS, AUCKLAND
438 QUEEN ST AUCKLAND CITY
Ratings
Stock, numbers of records 7/10
Collectible stock 6/10
Quality and pricing 5/10
Service 4.5/10
Knowledge 5/10
Overall vibe 7/10
Average 5.8/10
Real Groovy Auckland is probably the biggest record store in NZ. With rows as far as the eye can see worth of our sort of gold, plastic shiny round objects with grooves in them that we treasure. The A-Z pop rock section is huge and will take you a good hour or two, that's if you rush. A very good NZ section with loads of rare vinyls. Also very nice alternative rock, metal, soul funk, jazz and blues sections. A good record store for DJs as well with lots of house, techno, DnB and hip hop. The sale section is huge and I'm sure you will find something good in there. OK to the NZ section. Last time i was at the store i saw copys of Human Instincts "Stoned Guitar", La De Das "self titled LP, a couple of The Clean 12"EPs, Heaps of Flying Nun, Jayrem, Some rare TV EYE recording pressings and more. A section of 45s and EPs at $15 each also not bad. I picked up a Suburban Reptiles single in there and a whole lot of 60s p/c EPs, Monkees, Beatles, Hendrix, Cream etc. The let down was that the Human Instinct and LA DE DAS were in average condition and well over priced. The grading sometimes of Groovy Auckland is questionable at times. Checking this store out is well worth the trip to Auckland. I recommend 3-8hrs. You could do this in two goes.