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For The Record: Haunting the Local Indie Record Stores

To me there is nothing more fun than spending a few hours thumbing through LPs and CDs at a used record store. I have always loved doing it, searching for buried treasure and riding the old nostalgia train.

Back during the seventies and eighties I made a lot of trips to Atlanta, and each trip was highlighted by an afternoon in Little Five Points, going through thousands of used LPs at Wax N’ Facts. Man oh man, did I ever drop some cabbage in that place.

Over the years I recall buying copies of the two Artimus Pyle Band LP’s on MCA there, as well as the LP by Alias called Contraband, that featured former Skynyrd players, including JoJo Billingsly. I found an old Mason Profitt album there and some Eric Quincy Tate.

Of course I always loved my Southern Rock, but I also loved other music. I bought several Kate Bush records at Wax N’ Facts, and some New York Dolls. A little bit of everything.

Back home in South Carolina, the first record store I became a real fan of was Horizon Records, opened by Gene Berger in 1975. I was living in Spartanburg at the time, but came to Horizon as often as I could. There was a guy named Brad that worked there who helped hook me on Bruce Springsteen around the time The River came out. I bought a lot of Kate Bush picture sleeve 45s from Gene, and I remember buying the Public Image Limited album that came in a silver film can. Pretty cool.

I bought countless Southern Rock LPs at Horizon as well, in the days before CDs. I clearly recall purchasing Marshall Tucker’s Tenth LP the day it came out. Of course, anybody who knows me knows that I never missed a Tucker LP from day one.

Horizon has relocated a couple of times since 1975, from Morgan Manor near Greenville Tech, to South Pleasantburg Drive, and finally moving into a former gas station on the corner of North Main and Stone Avenue. The store now shares it’s space with The Bohemian Cafe, which works with Berger on bringing in lots of live music, something Gene has been doing in Greenville for many years. (Gene is pictured here with John Doe on Gene's Caddy outside the store.)

Today Horizon sells a lot of music catering primarily to the fortysomethings. Virtually no rap and hip hop, which is fine by me. There are new and used CDs, LPs, books, DVDs and more.

Down Laurens Road, just past Blazer Surf and Skate and Richard’s Comics sits Earshot Records, which, until a couple of years ago, was Manifest Discs and Tapes. A lot of us didn’t know just what was going to happen when Manifest sold out to Earshot, but after a few years, they are going strong. They sell a lot of new product, lots or rap and hip hop, as well as alternative, along with a pretty decent selection of used LPs, CDs, books, t-shirts, posters and even 45’s.

Less than a year ago, a record store reopened in Greenville that had been closed for a few years. X-Records is now back, located on Poinsett Highway and manned by Ted Brewer. X was originally opened in 1990 by Gary Arajo, a former employee of Horizon Records. Not unlike Horizon, X has relocated three times. After a few years, Gary sold the store to Ted, an employee of his at the time.

Today, Ted offers a brilliant variety of used LPs and 45s, CDs and DVDs, VHS tapes, everything from alternative to gospel, from Flaming Lips to Staple Singers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and Henry Rollins. Something for everyone.

X Records is a relaxed environment and there are always music conversations going on. In the back of the store is Ted’s “Dollar Room.” The dollar room is packed with LPs, CDs, books, magazines and more, and one dollar buys any item. Too much fun.

A couple of weeks ago during National Record Store Day, Swampland posted a list of all the record stores within our footprint. I’d like to hear from readers who are willing to share thoughts and memories of their own favorite record stores. Just add them to the comments below. It will be fun.

Keep it Real. Keep it Southern.
Buffalo

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