Instead of playing on the street or hanging in the
malls as many kids our age did, we went album
hunting. Many small record stores could be found in
the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood. Rhino
Records, Vinyl Fetish, Moby Disc, Aron’s Records,
and Licorice Pizza were just some of our favorites.
They filled our teenage voids, and we visited as many
as we could, as often as we could.
Inside, I came across imports that were close to
impossible to find. I discovered bands, upcoming and
established who had released a new single. The staff
would play non-stop music on the record player,
showcasing the various artists that we admired. All of
it was important to us teens; I and my girlfriends
would often map out our day by planning which
record stores to hit and in what order, like markers on
a hiking map…