If there's one label who are most proud of their vinyl output, it's Daptone Records. Never mind that they're responsible for some of the tastiest Soul, Funk, Gospel and Afrobeat discs out there.
I mean, how's this for a mission statement?
"Hand-made and heart-stirred, our records are manufactured from the highest quality vinyl available. Our limited pressings can be purchased directly from us or from your local distributor at reasonable prices. Each record is carefully recorded and mixed by the illustrious Bosco Mann to ensure only the hardest, truest sound found this side of the Atlantic."
This week, we're hanging out with the funky denizens of Daptone—as we have previously with the bands and artists from Sarathan Records and Vanguard Records—to get a beat on their most favorite record stores as we continue to beat the drum for Record Store Day 2010.
And beat the drum we shall. Kicking us off and counting us in this week is the drummer for none other than Sharon Jones & The Dap-kings, Homer Steinweiss:
"It is mid-March in Austin, and the cacophony known as South by Southwest is in full effect. I take a break from the madness to visit one of my favorite record stores, Friends of Sound Records at 1704 S. Congress Street. This place is not too big but it has a great selection and lots of new inventory coming through all the time.
Walking in, you are greeted by a nice collection of soul, funk, and reggae 45's. I go through the 45's first and continue on to a well-categorized LP section. The store deals mostly, if not all, in
used records. It's got a listening station (key when digging for records), the prices are reasonable, and the staff is always kind. The overall vibe in this place is great, not mention the fact that it is around the corner from Guero's for delicious Tex-Mex and Allen's Boots for all your western outfitting needs.
Unfortunately, this time around I only have a half hour to dig as I have to get back to 6th street for a show—still enough time to pick up 3 good finds. First off is "Irma Thomas Sings," a great compilation of Irma Thomas classics released on the Bandy label. It's hard to find most of these great tunes, so this album is a real gem.
Next is "Pillow Talk" by Sylvia. As the title suggests, this is a record for lovers. Its smooth soul from New Jersey and it doesn't disappoint. Finally, I got Hank Ballard's 45, "How You Gonna Get Respect (when you haven't cut your process yet)." This song is a riff on the James Brown Classic "Licking Stick" with a more political message. I have always loved this song for its quirky arrangement and powerful vocals and I finally found the original 45.
Thank you Friends of Sound Records!"
Sharon Jones & The Dap-kings - Nobody's Baby (Mp3)
