TVD's The Kora Records SXSW Label Showcase

Not only is DC's The Kora Records hosting something of a label showcase at The Black Cat this coming Monday night (2/22) for which we have a pair of tickets, the label's got an official showcase at SXSW this year which happens at Valhalla on March 2oth.

In what turns out to be a showcase for us, we've hit up the label's acts trekking down to Austin this year for some insight into one of our favorite topics around these parts—record stores. Their favorites, to be exact.

"I used to work at Go! Compact Discs while I was in high school in Arlington. Each employee had a shelf with their name on it where they could stash records they wanted to buy. Most of the time I would sit in a small converted closet and process any new or recently traded stock. This meant that I effectively got first dibs on everything that came in the store... and at a discount no less. I'm sure I wound up spending more money at that place than I ever made, but it remains one of the best jobs I've ever had."

Meredith Bragg - Work and Winter (Mp3)



"My favorite record store would probably have to be Wax 'n Facts in Atlanta. It was in a fringy part of town I wasn't allowed to go to in high school, so of course it became my favorite place to hang out. The clerks never gave me the time of day, especially with my stylistic wardrobe choices (overalls, purple Skechers, glitter makeup, etc etc) and highly refined taste in music (not giving this one away.)

Fortunately, even dorks are allowed in record stores, and is because of this that high school remains marginally bearable, at least for some. I doubt that my friends and I are any cooler now than we were then, but at least our record collections are."

—May Tabol, Pree

Pree - Heaven is a Drag (Mp3)



"I don't have a favourite record shop any more. They've moved or I've moved or they've closed. I don't feel attached to one in particular any more. Spinadisc was the first one I knew, it was the only independent record store in Northampton where I grew up. There were always goths and skater kids outside, I was never in those groups.

I used to order in Twisted Nerve Records, I religiously brought everything that came out on that label, A bit like TKR, good record sleeves, once I sent my Mum in to get me the first release by Alfie, the guy in the shop was impressed, thought she knew her stuff - its still one of my favorite ever records. They had a second hand department upstairs which was awful but I used to sell my old CDs by Britpop bands that I'd bought a few years earlier (Cast, Reef(!), Ocean Colour Scene) and buy new 7's back downstairs. That shops closed now, but I moved first.

Me and Rebekah first lived together in Kensal Green which was about a 20 minute walk from Notting Hill which has Honest Johns, Intoxica, and best of all Rough Trade. Spoilt for choice. Rough Trade West is the best record shop in the world, it just is. I haven't been there for about 5 years but I know it's still the best - look at the walls!I brought a bootleg cassette of a live Buzzcocks gig from the punk who had a stall out the front - that was a good tape, I only have the case though now.

We moved to the Holloway Road after a year and were just down the road from Puregroove, that was the first shop that I knew someone that worked in it, which meant I could go in and just hang out when I had days off - good days. Sometimes I filmed instores for them which is the closest I've ever come to imagining my dream job of working in a record shop, although I've never applied to work in one.

That shops moved now, I still go but its a longer walk, plus its more a bar than a record shop - you need crates or it doesn't really count.

—Iain Pettifer, Stricken City, Guitarist

Stricken City - Pull The House Down (Skellington Remix) (Mp3)