Aquarius Records

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

the book of reviews sounds cool

the superior viaduct people are awesome, though, so it's in good hands.

I dont really consider this sad news - its not like they're being evicted or going out of business.

For me it's really the loss of the new arrivals. I can't imagine how much time it took to put those not-particularly-short reviews together. The comment about "Best Thing Ever" is completely OTM, but it was pretty easy to read around it. They were by far the best source I found post-internet for info on things that weren't going to get coverage anywhere else, and seemed the closest in tone to the 90s music zines that I used to read. I know I'll be ordering the book when it's available.

They published a nice little fanzine recently collecting a number of them, almost a trial run for the book if you like. They might still have copies, I got mine the other week.

the dudes at aq have way better taste than the sv dude who seems to reissue shit that doesnt even need to be reissued just to say he did it.

Will miss this store quite a lot even if current incarnation can never mean quite as much to me as the cozier Noe St version I lived at from ages 17-20.

the sv dude who seems to reissue shit that doesnt even need to be reissued just to say he did it.

hahaha, I have definitely felt that way about some of his releases. He has recently started a "new label" to release new material, and it has a different name ... I still don't understand why. I think you actually walked up when I was about to ask this "challenging" question!

i don't know, not everything S.V. has reissued is equally worthy, but on the whole it shows good and eclectic taste, which bodes well for a record store (i haven't been to the cleveland store).

frankly there was plenty of trainspotting dubious stuff aquarius championed, but that's fine; it's part of the exploration the store (and others like it) encouraged.

for me it isn't about "trainspotting" or "dubious" stuff -- it's that the record or its contents were widely available already, like the DNA one and the Branca Ascension.

that said, the Inflatable Boy Clams record is great, and I wouldn't have heard it without the S.V. reissue

was the DNA record widely available on vinyl? i'm not a format fetishist, so i don't really care, but if it was just on CD then it would make sense to make it available in a kind of replica of the original issue for people who are into those things.

I dont really consider this sad news - its not like they're being evicted or going out of business.

it is very sad news insofar as the continuity of the business has been a huge deal. there is a family of people connected to & through Aquarius who've been championed by them and turned on to new music by them for many, many years. for me it's the end of a business who was on my side when almost nobody had any idea who I was or what to make of my stuff.

I had a chance to swing by today and chat with Allan and a couple of other folks who were there -- informal talk, won't go into full details. But Allan definitely seemed content that it had worked out as best as possible, while acknowledging that the force of feeling from people was a moving surprise. It sounds like the website itself will live on as a memorial/resource of sorts, and other things were mentioned, so wait on word. Staff folks said they're all keeping their jobs too as indicated so that's nice to hear.

that's nice that they are keeping the website up. when twisted village in cambridge went under, IIRC they took the whole website, album descriptions and all, down with it, which was too bad.

An upscale vinyl reissue store is probably the only way a neighborhood record store can survive. Fuck. Aquarius' new arrivals list was the closest living thing to an old Factsheet Five zine of weirdos who are creatively incompatible from the entire you/yourbrand/social/streaming/online blarghfest. It was never my local record store, but good grief the list has affected my taste and p.o.v. on the world.One of my most favorite albums ever is a recording of undersea events recorded by hydrophones that out DROOOOOONES* anything by Alan Lamb, old Phillips synth-wizards, etc.. I love it, and without Aquarius stuff like that wouldn't exist. The world is an emptier place.

*Drink once whenever the word "DOOOOOOOOOM" is used in a New Arrivals List. Drink twice if a customer asks what it is.

Eternally proud to be #185 on Aquarius' list of Conet Project purchasers.

I will add that there's definitely a little pushback to SV about making it *all* vinyl, which might be their intent. I offered up that the model could be something like Factory Records in Costa Mesa where Dave maintains a couple of cases of CDs that he doesn't add to with new orders, but is happy to sell to folks if they ask, while the occasional further used CDs trickle in. Turns out Allan knows the store and Noise Noise Noise well! Anyway, we'll see what shakes down.

i think ned should take it over. to heck with those other hipster doofuses.

The Shoegeezer Nedporium!

also, can i blame Aquarius for the glut of tedious one man USBM all those years ago? i think i will anyway.

but best of luck to them.

count me among those who found their "Best Thing Ever" reviews kind of charming -- you had to take it w/ several grains of salt, but the enthusiasm was usually refreshing.

I didn't mean to be flippant about Aquarius positive role in the music scene, locally and otherwise, just that I guess I was prepared for this story to be a whole lot worse (which is why I referenced evictions/being forced out of business etc.) and knowing that it's a voluntary decision makes it a little easier to be more philosophical (as opposed to depressed) about the passage of a great thing. They were always good to me and I always liked shopping there.

they sure lasted a lot longer than most record stores! they have a lot to be proud of.

I will add that there's definitely a little pushback to SV about making it *all* vinyl, which might be their intent.

yeah, i'm definitely pushing back ...

A short hail and farewell

http://nedraggett.tumblr.com/post/146907900562/today-aquarius-records-closes-after-a-forty-year

There was a low key celebration of aQ yesterday at the Make Out Room hosted by Andee and Allan -- it was also an impromptu fundraiser for the Ghost Ship fire victims, which was good to see. (Raised almost $400 all told IIRC.) Didn't stay for the full length but was around to be filmed for a documentary that is being put together about the store, which I gather is near completion.

So I've heard rumors there was going to be a new Aquarius store set up by former employees? Heard anything about that, Ned? The guy who told me is kinda... slightly shady. But was apparently involved in the old store at some point.

Hm. I haven't heard anything specifically about that, but I can ask around. Nobody mentioned it yesterday, but I wasn't talking to everybody.

A few days ago, I realized that the zillions of old AQ reviews have vanished from the internet. It was such an amazing resource for reading about lots of music that flew well-under the radar. RIP AQ.

My understanding is that there's going to be an archive of some sort, but I should follow up.

Eight hours of hits from Aquarius: http://www.whydoyoulikeit.com/2016/12/over-eight-hours-of-aq-hits.html

Nice!

So as I said a couple of years ago about a post-closure hail and farewell:

Didn't stay for the full length but was around to be filmed for a documentary that is being put together about the store, which I gather is near completion.

And that is out next year...but enjoy the first seven minutes. Lots of, how you say, familiar names:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_0ab_cI65E

nice!

new store that took its place kinda sucks tbh

Not a fan, no.

And another clip!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6bU7KqYP54

enjoyed both of those clips, looking forward to the film! I'll never forget my first time going into Aquarius in the late 80s when it was on 24th St in Noe Valley. I think I ended up buying a cassette of Surfer Rosa. I fell in love with the store that day

Watched that last night, a few times. Didn't expect that last ilxor cameo near the end, very nice!

I still think about their weekly email lists all the time, nothing was like those in your inbox. I'd ordered from them for years, but had never had a chance to go. In January of 2016 we booked a trip to San Francisco that was to take place in September, since it was at the top of my list for places to visit I was really bummed when I heard the news. Still made the trek down to see the sign and check out the new Stranded, which was a disappointment. At the time I put it down to still getting going, but sounds like it hasn't really improved much.

Didn't expect that last ilxor cameo near the end, very nice!

Odd thing was I didn't even recall filming that bit! We were mostly filming inside the Make Out Room.

Okay! So the long in the works documentary is about to get its premiere. If you're in the area or will be, June 3rd at the Roxie

https://sfdocfest2022.eventive.org/schedule/6266fa524f915800bc1a9d73

If you're not in the area, you'll be able to watch live in early June as part of the festival streaming setup:

https://watch.eventive.org/sfdocfest2022/play/626d8a60dfc81600dd8deaa6

I loved the knowledge and recommendations of the Aquarius staff, and had amazing conversations with them over the years (Windy Chien, Andee Connors, Allan Horrocks, Jim Haynes)

Not the first time I've said it, nor will it be the last, but I really miss their emails and recommendations. Sure, there are other sources out there, like Forced Exposure, but none that scratches the same itch as Aquarius did.

Aquarius was hilarious — those emails always got me to buy something just based on the wild enthusiasm. Totally fun.

Just off the top of my head, I have Aquarius emails for introducing me to Loop, Wooden Shjips, Weakling and Gnod and for filling in my Circle and Pharaoah Overload collections.

insert a "to thank" in there

I think everyone who owns the Weakling album bought it because of Aquarius

haha fair

It is a good album, though!