Aquarius Records

ah. thanks for clearin that up

I get a kick out of their gushy reviews, but I always take them with a grain of salt. They are trying to sell records. Their enthusiasm is often contagious, but the sound clips serve to temper that in a lot of cases.

The only thing I actually get a little annoyed about is when they say something is "super super limited 700 copies" or whatever, and I listen to the sound file, decide I must have it, order it, and months later see two copies sitting on their shelf. Probably isn't their fault or anything - maybe the discs just didn't sell.

I dig AQ because they still write reviews unlike many of the online mail order companies that regurgitate the same reviews circulating like viruses across the internet.

AQ does need to learn the concept of breaking up text/negative space and increasing its font size. Yes, the reviews would take up more space, but they would be so much easier to read.

I'm a total sucker for the 3-sentence post-it review @ Aquarius.

Probably because I don't have to worry that I'm spending 1/2 my paycheck on a single release. If it sucks, then that's OK.

Other Music got rid of their metal section! It was certainly slim pickins but always nice for a browse.

Also, AQ have always been super-super-super dudes to me! Love to order from them lots. A++++ will buy from again!

But don't answer your cell phone in the store (whoops)

I will own up to that one being my fault.

Haha! Whiney, that happened to me as well. They slowly increased the volume of whatever noise they were playing before holding up a sign that said I needed to go outside. I found the experience fairly obnoxious when they could've just tapped me on the shoulder. Ah well, I still order from them.

I'm still proud of being checkmark #187 on the Aquarius "Who bought copies of the Conet Project box set?" tally poster.

AQ guy is Andee anyway.

-- Herman G. Neuname, Tuesday, July 3, 2007 5:31 PM (2 days ago) Bookmark Link

andee = indee

DOOOOOOOOOOOM!
LIMITED EDITION SO ACT FAST BEFORE THEY'RE GONE!
BORIS SHITS GOLD BRICKS!

...

For fans of Sunroof!/VCO/BCM. Sooooooooooooooo good! We could listen to this all week and write paragraph long sentences about it too, the thickest, grimiest, most blown-out bliss we've heard in a long time, so very very recommended!

LOOOOOOOOOOOL

from this week's list:

And of course, limited, only 500 copies!
Essential!
So lovely.
Recommended.
SUPER LIMITED! ONLY 300 COPIES!!
LIMITED TO 324 COPIES!!
ONLY ONE PER CUSTOMER!!!
LIMITED TO 116 COPIES, each one hand numbered!!
And as always LIMITED TO 100 COPIES.
Gorgeous.
Recommended!
Recommended.
SO recommended.
Definitely recommended.
Recommended as if you couldn't tell already.
So awesome!
LIMITED TO 100 COPIES!
Highly recommended!
LIMITED TO 500 COPIES.
Simply beautiful.
Only 300 copies.
LIMITED TO 500 COPIES!!
LIMITED TO 500 COPIES. Each tape hand numbered.
So good!
Excellent!
Either way, totally recommended.

Haha

aQ are awesome, They always get me stuff In that I cant find elsewhere and they keep stuff on hold for a month until I can afford to pay and things like that. Always very friendly too.

I like that the recommended list is about three times as long as the "selected new arrivals" this week too. Sign that I am getting old is that I've heard of maybe three or so of the bands on the frontpage.

rules. also, they take paypal now.

am0n perfectly sums up why i hate their new releases list anymore. except the sound samples. those sound samples are SOOOOOOO SWOONSOME, guys.

also: DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
ACT NOW OR YOU'RE STUCK WITH EBAY

first world problems

not really into the new site design either http://www.aquariusrecords.com/

why the hell are there limited runs of cd-rs? is it that hard to keep a cd burner going?

What do you have against Sum 41?!

http://www.aquariusrecords.com/images/aq_recent_crownedking.jpg

why the hell are there limited runs of cd-rs? is it that hard to keep a cd burner going?

artificial scarcity. if it's not limited edition, is it really worth buying?

I've thought that too, but for the more deluxe cd-r releases I'd guess it's more that you'd make all the artwork in one go. And then crap out the next one.

I once bought a Burmese CD from tUMULt before Andee took the reins at Aquarius. He left me a nice note with the disk, which I really appreciated.

http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/features.php?whichlh=77

Really sick of the limited to 500 copies stuff, too. I really wanted to check out that Cave LP/CD thing, but I guess I don't check the site fast enough.

Another thing that's happened at least twice that I can remember is liking a sample on their site, waiting for months to get a limited to 500 copies CD, then going in the store three months later and seeing it sitting on the shelf with dust on it. Grr.

I don't quite understand the scenario you are talking about. Did they tell you they didn't have a copy and then they did and then really had one all along?

V/A "I’m Sorry And I Miss You" - a black metal re-envisioning of Slint's “Spiderland” album, featuring Leviathan, Draugar, Nachtmystium and more...
V/A "I’m Sorry And I Miss You" - a black metal re-envisioning of Slint's “Spiderland” album, featuring Leviathan, Draugar, Nachtmystium and more...
V/A "I’m Sorry And I Miss You" - a black metal re-envisioning of Slint's “Spiderland” album, featuring Leviathan, Draugar, Nachtmystium and more...
V/A "I’m Sorry And I Miss You" - a black metal re-envisioning of Slint's “Spiderland” album, featuring Leviathan, Draugar, Nachtmystium and more...

^^^ going to be 1000x better than the slint record.

it's kind of a shame that the only black metal stuff he seems to care about is leviathan and stuff that sounds like leviathan but lacking in imagination.

i'm sure the store stocks lots of great stuff, no?
never been, not on their mailing list, so i'm only guessing.
i'm kind of a black metal tourist myself; i like emperor and a few darkthrone records, but beyond that.. if someone plays it, i'll listen, but you know.

V/A "I’m Sorry And I Miss You" - a black metal re-envisioning of Slint's “Spiderland” album, featuring Leviathan, Draugar, Nachtmystium and more..

whoa!

i love leviathan, nachmystium and slint! perfect!

^^^ going to be 1000x better than the slint record.

no

okay, have it your way.

Could be an interesting novelty, I guess. Is the release date listed anywhere?

Funny to hear so much worship of Slint now when long ago the debate was whether they were better than Squirrel Bait. I'm still not sure, and kinda edge toward SB.

slint are a very overrated band.
not a bad band, but just an overrated one.
they're no codeine, fer instance. ;)

Slint's best moments are sublime. But consistency wasn't their strong suit. SB's output, though only great, was relatively uniform.

Closing! Reopening under the new ownership of Superior Viaduct
http://aquariusrecords.org/cat/5025.html

Beloved Customers and Friends:

So, today you would normally be seeing a new New Arrivals list. But instead, we're doing an special in-betweener (the one we skipped last week), because we've got some BIG news.

After a combined 40+ years at the shop, aQuarius OverlOrds Andee and Allan have decided it's getting to be time for us to move on. We'll be in touch again real soon to let you know about all the whys, wherefores, and what-are-they-gonna-be-doings...

For now, we just want to let you know that the shop WILL continue and many exciting changes & improvements are on the way, including a much-expanded vinyl inventory, both new and used!

While our decision wasn't an easy one, we're super happy that we've found the right people to work with the current aQuarius staff to carry on aQ's unique mission and legacy of "getting the music to the people".

Starting next month, our friends at Superior Viaduct will be taking over ownership of aQuarius. You may know Superior Viaduct as a fantastic archival label that is always reissuing really cool music in a variety of interesting genres - including many essential releases we've made Records Of The Week in the past - but they also have a great record store over in Oakland called Stranded.

We really couldn't think of a much better fit than Superior Viaduct / Stranded to whom to pass the torch. At the end of the day, it's all about discovering great music, being enthusiastic about the bands and artists we love, and sharing that passion with others. AQ and SV have similar "tastes" in many ways, and we know they'll do a great job and be worthy successors.

In the coming weeks, you will see the usual faces behind the counter as well as some new ones.

AQ's Valencia St. shop will continue to operate as usual until Monday July 4th. Then, after some renovations & remodeling, the store will re-open under the Stranded banner on Friday July 29th.

The aQuarius website & mail-order will also operate as usual for the time being and orders will be fulfilled by Superior Viaduct. Our usual New Arrivals List, however, will be going on indefinite hiatus as of now, though you'll still be receiving email updates containing more details about all these developments. For one thing, we will definitely be having a party to welcome the new overlords and celebrate the shop's continued survival!

Andee and Allan want to thank all our customers for their support and friendship over the years - aQuarius has been an amazing, hugely important part of our lives and it will continue to be. In fact, we have plans to FINALLY compile, edit and publish the "Big Book of aQ Reviews" that we've always wanted to, so you'll be hearing more about that project soon too!

bummer. i got to go there in person in december after many many years of mail ordering and it was a very nice experience. best record store.

aw, i haven't had time to go through their new arrivals lists in years but i'm bummed by this news

A lot of people are all "ARRRGH" and I'm all "Well...but it's still going to be an esoteric record store!" I mean it's not becoming, I dunno, artisanal ground glass central or something like that. I'm happily going to keep giving it a chance; my one question will be the stated turn towards more vinyl, given my CD purchasing. So we'll see.

yeah i hear you but aQ had such a singular point of view for a long time and that's definitely going to change

Their new arrivals lists were one of the best resources out there. I'm sad to hear this.

xpost -- Granted, but it evolved over time, much as the store moved locations throughout the city. I'm not handwaving -- hell, I live just five, six blocks from it -- but I think it's worth considering the reasons too why the decision was made. Andee and Allan are people who made their own call much like Windy Chien did before them, and you have to allow them that above all else. This is worth reading:

https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2016/06/17/aquarius-records-san-franciscos-oldest-independent-record-store-has-been-sold/

that's a good read, and it's totally fair for those guys to move on. i'll just miss their aesthetic--i found a ton of cool stuff combing through aQ lists.

Once you got past every album being The Best Thing Ever I did enjoy their new arrivals I've been reading them a long time; they've had a tangible effect on my taste in music. I do order from them occasionally still despite being the other side of the Atlantic. Hope this isn't too much of a bad change