A good friend of mine and a fellow record enthusist is going to Memphis in a month and I was just wondering if anyone can recommend any rare soul 45s he should look out for or rare local soul labels he should look out for as well.

Also any shops or flea markets known for good finds. We already know about Shangri La and Goner Records.

A good friend of mine and a fellow record enthusist is going to Memphis in a month and I was just wondering if anyone can recommend any rare soul 45s he should look out for or rare local soul labels he should look out for as well.

Also any shops or flea markets known for good finds. We already know about Shangri La and Goner Records.

If you know those two shops, then you got them all, except Rivers, lots of records but well picked over, but worth a few hours. As him what he has behind the counter.

Dave

If you know those two shops, then you got them all, except Rivers, lots of records but well picked over, but worth a few hours. As him what he has behind the counter.

Dave

River is only 'worth a few hours' if you are prepared, when you take your selection to the counter, to stand there while the guy in charge whips out his copies of Manship, Kreiter etc. and prices everything he can find in there 'by the book'.

He's also heavy on his prices for non-book items - he'll have some of those multiples of Stax and Volt items in there forever becuse of that - and he's not wild about discounting either.

Plenty of people who, like me, go to Memphis on a reasonably frequent basis don't even bother with River after their first experience of his business practices (also like me).

As Dave says, his stock (and it IS a big stock) has been well picked over and many years ago....

When you've paid up at River, and in an attempt to get you back, he also has the "Room Out the Back" full of records that "no one else has been through" don't fall for that heap of Sh*t, I did!!

Des

River is only 'worth a few hours' if you are prepared, when you take your selection to the counter, to stand there while the guy in charge whips out his copies of Manship, Kreiter etc. and prices everything he can find in there 'by the book'.

He's also heavy on his prices for non-book items - he'll have some of those multiples of Stax and Volt items in there forever becuse of that - and he's not wild about discounting either.

Plenty of people who, like me, go to Memphis on a reasonably frequent basis don't even bother with River after their first experience of his business practices (also like me).

As Dave says, his stock (and it IS a big stock) has been well picked over and many years ago....

i spent like 3 hours at rivers just looking through the stax/volt stock he had, hoping to find stock copies of some of the titles I still need on stock, not even known stuff like Paul Thompson, just random stuff, but found nothing. He kept bragging about how the day before someone spent $1700 which I found hard to believe. I think I left having upgraded a temprees 45 and having spent like $12 on it.

If you know those two shops, then you got them all, except Rivers, lots of records but well picked over, but worth a few hours. As him what he has behind the counter.

Dave

also, the stuff he has behind the counter is just stuff that other people picked out but refused to pay his prices on, so it's all sitting behind the counter. it's not like he put something special there himself.

also, the stuff he has behind the counter is just stuff that other people picked out but refused to pay his prices on, so it's all sitting behind the counter. it's not like he put something special there himself.

Have to disagree, have had a few good bits from him in the last few years and the odd thing does walk in there from time to time. But he is hard to deal with.

Dave

Also any shops or flea markets known for good finds. We already know about Shangri La and Goner Records.

Goner is the best shop I've been in, in years!

Full of surprises and great folk to deal with!

Sean

river - ha ha - spent an hour in there - got four records nothing special or expensive, except - one record which he charged me $1 for - The Groove Merchants on Suemi - mind you it was the early 90s and he couldn't find it listed in any of the books.......I don't know why he let it go so cheap.......Steve

Rivers Records early 90's, George Hobson, The Topics on Dream, Les Chansonettes on Shrine, Donnell Pitman, Larry Whittington, Otis Smith etc, etc. Oh and a chance meeting with Piers Chalmers in the basement. Never liked the place myself!

Rivers Records early 90's, George Hobson, The Topics on Dream, Les Chansonettes on Shrine, Donnell Pitman, Larry Whittington, Otis Smith etc, etc. Oh and a chance meeting with Piers Chalmers in the basement. Never liked the place myself!

Whatever happened to Piers?

Old Piers is still old Piers! I saw him on Saturday at a Record Fair. He is having heart surgery soon but I doubt that will change him much! Cheers, Ady

Hiya,

My wife and I were in Memphis last June (2008) and drove to River Records and found it's closed. Not sure what happened!

Hiya,

My wife and I were in Memphis last June (2008) and drove to River Records and found it's closed. Not sure what happened!

i was actually there in august 2008 so it wasn't closed then. No topics on dream, les chansonettes on shrine, there etc. either. I did actually get a les chansonettes when I was in memphis though.

Goner is the best shop I've been in, in years!

Full of surprises and great folk to deal with!

Sean

dealt with this guy myself on the internet a couple of time probably ebay but it might have been a salews list on a forum. Some good prices. Very friendly service and would like to see the shop if I ever end up in the states.

dealt with this guy myself on the internet a couple of time probably ebay but it might have been a salews list on a forum. Some good prices. Very friendly service and would like to see the shop if I ever end up in the states.

Best time to do River's is a Sunday Morning-opens at 10.30 am I think.

Echo all the above statements regarding the owner, he's "Cocky" when you walk in and you can see the $ signs in his eyes.Talk to him and he softens up!

So who was it on here-3 of you-that spent a FULL WEEK doing the whole store without realising he's got John's books & all price guides behind the counter

I like the computer in the cupboard behind the counter on which he lists all his E-bay stuff--mainly picked out by "Brits".

He's actually OK when you've seen him a few times and opens up. Last in there 18 months ago for a couple of hours,on a sunday, John Gary Williams "Crazy" x3 @$6 each, 5 Wagers "Ask" 5 @$4 each , first issue Brenda Holloway "When I'm gone"-$6 plus a hand full of Stax & Volt things--everythings MINT-I spent 2 hours and $100 (£50) and was well happy. He even bought me a Soda !

You just have to "Play the game"

Rob

Best time to do River's is a Sunday Morning-opens at 10.30 am I think.

Echo all the above statements regarding the owner, he's "Cocky" when you walk in and you can see the $ signs in his eyes.Talk to him and he softens up!

So who was it on here-3 of you-that spent a FULL WEEK doing the whole store without realising he's got John's books & all price guides behind the counter

I like the computer in the cupboard behind the counter on which he lists all his E-bay stuff--mainly picked out by "Brits".

He's actually OK when you've seen him a few times and opens up. Last in there 18 months ago for a couple of hours,on a sunday, John Gary Williams "Crazy" x3 @$6 each, 5 Wagers "Ask" 5 @$4 each , first issue Brenda Holloway "When I'm gone"-$6 plus a hand full of Stax & Volt things--everythings MINT-I spent 2 hours and $100 (£50) and was well happy. He even bought me a Soda !

You just have to "Play the game"

Rob

Must admit I was very congenial and engaging, and that's how I got the Groove Merchants so cheap

Must admit I was very congenial and engaging, and that's how I got the Groove Merchants so cheap

He's seen thousands of guys looking for stuff over the years-he's making money via the net and I think it would cost him more to store the records than keeping the shop open !

Here's a shop that always goes down well with the Northern crowd