Cute story about my visit to Anthony Ables Record store.
I decided one day around lunch time to finally get a cab and go downtown and visit Anthony's record shop, I went across the street to grab a pack of cigarettes and a beer for the ride, and while standing in line a guy relaxing in the little store noticed* that I was wearing a T-shirt for Anthony Ables record shop. I mentioned I was gonna check it out and of course in the best of Jamaican ways I instantly had an intermediary for the cab I was gonna grab across the way, thus the three of us rode on down to Negriltown. When we arrived, Anthony said he had never seen that or any T-shirt with his record shop design on it and I told him I bought it on the internet and pulled it up to show the guys. The conversation turned spirited about these pirated shirts and how Anthony was not getting a royalty. It was half tongue in cheek and half serious and I didn't disagree that it's not right.
Anyways, if you dig old reggae, mento, rock steady and ska, what a fun time!, I sat in a chair for a good piece of the afternoon as Anthony gave me stack after stack of 45's to check out. These records are true artifacts and what fun. The labels are so abundant, dozens of tiny one man shop labels, plus lots of the big ones, Perch, African Museum, Studio One etc. What a scene it must of been in Kingston with everyone producing and cutting there own 45's!!
I would hold some of these in my hand as Anthony handed them to me and imagined these aspiring bands! Thinking to my self I wondered if the record was recorded in the morning perhaps, and then the little label is producing a handful of these discs in the afternoon and then they are playing on someones sound system that same night! Did the record get a great reception from the crowd, did it fill the dance floor, who knows. The afternoon for me was great fun. I came home with a stack of 45's and an LP or 2, they have been great to spin at home.
I headed home, but before I left Anthony asked me if he could have that T-shirt, of course he could.
* I have come to the conclusion that Jamaicans are the most observant people on the planet. :-)
