Friends, roamers, record-hunters…
Welcome to Issue 07 of You Dig?, your monthly low-down on all that’s cool at the intersection of music, physical media, people and photography.
We’re thrilled to have LA-based illustrator and record fiend Jess Rotter guest curating this issue. Jess has been a good friend of Dust & Grooves right back to her 2013 interview with Eilon for the first book. I love that Jess’s first taste of vinyl was a Fisher Price Record Player next to her bed, and how she would wake up to flip over the record. Dedication, people.
That little FP turntable has sparked Jess’s lifelong love of vinyl culture, which she’s coupled with her talents as an illustrator to create artwork for a whole host of artists and labels—and her own clothing line, Rotter and Friends.
Jess’s superb cover illustration for this issue of You Dig? is called ‘I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night’–a reference to the Electric Prunes’ psych classic. You can find out where to buy your own copy of the print, below. And if 60s/70s psychedelia is your bag, her musical picks in DG Curates are going to make you happier than a hippie in Haight-Ashbury. So much cool stuff to enjoy, but I’ve been immersed in the ENSOUL mix Jess has picked out on Soundcloud…right from the warm needle-crackle at the start, you know it’s a winner.
Anyway, on with the issue! A crate-load of awesome stuff to explore, as always.
Until next month,
Rich Headland
Resident Editor
Dust & Grooves Curates
by Jess Rotter
I am Jess Rotter, an artist from NY, now based in LA. I am best known for my illustration work with legacy artists such as Joni Mitchell, Grateful Dead, Sly Stone, Cat Stevens, Linda Ronstadt, Judee Sill, Joanna Newsom, Questlove, Harry Nilsson, and many more. For decades I ran a t-shirt label called Rotter and Friends and my book, I’m Bored, was released by Hat and Beard Press with a foreword by Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte.
Stone Cold Genius
Heroes and Villains: Long-form interviews that caught my eye
I am a music documentary obsessive and recently loved the Sly Stone documentary that Questlove directed called Sly Lives! (Aka The Burden of Black Genius). Besides the incredible story of Sly and The Family Stone, the visuals and fashion are mindblowing. Sly’s jewelry in the ’70s was legendary.
Cheap Nosejob
Economy Class. Amazing finds from the $1 bin
I might’ve mentioned this in my Dust & Grooves feature, but one of my all-time favorite dollar-bin scores was a record by a band called The Deadly Nightshades–they were a Sesame Street house band in the ’70s. There’s a track on there called “Nosejob” that dives into female insecurity, and it’s surprisingly deep, and super catchy.
Another gem I found in the bargain bin is “Beginning Tomorrow” by Joy of Cooking, off their album Castles. A total hope jam.
Reissue Royalty
Hello, I Love You: Labels we dig
Anthology Recordings. I’m biased toward this label. I was involved with it back when it was just a small reissue digital label, and after all these years, they’ve really stuck to their aesthetic and curation. Check out their Sad Times compilations.
Light In The Attic Records. Another label who I am close to and had some incredible adventures with. They continue to be a reissue royalty and have done such a great job showcasing and distributing labels, almost like they are hosting a clubhouse for great musical discovery.
First and Last Records. I am currently working on some cover art for this label which specializes in Japanese private press reissues. So impressed with their releases and on top of that… their logo rules.
Unseen Worlds. Love this label and its piano-driven avantgarde albums.
A Dreamscape Mixtape
Listen To This. Mixtapes and listening experiences
I love this Lubricating The Species mix by ENSOUL on Soundcloud from a few years ago.
When working I always plow through NY Radio Archive airchecks with old NY DJs like Alison Steele and Bob Lewis. It’s spliced with old New York commercials and feels like true time travel.
What’s The Story, Morning Glory?
Books Are Magic. Music books that are not Dust & Grooves.
My Freedamn! 4: Hippie Rags Issue by Rin Tanaka is one of the best visual archives of music-inspired fashion from the ’60s and ’70s. From Grateful Dead shirts to East West leather and Peter Max’s psychedelic art, it’s a beautifully curated must-have.
Joni Mitchell’s Morning Glory on the Vine is an absolute gem! She personally made just 100 copies originally as Christmas gifts for her friends, filled with her own amazing artwork—featuring Neil Young, David Crosby, Graham Nash, and self-portraits. It’s rare, it’s beautiful, and if you’re a fan, it’s a must-have.
Favorite T
Plug Me In, Scotty! Props to the DG community and beyond.
Recently my buddies at Filth Mart LA closed their shop and relocated to Austin, TX. They have, hands down, one of the most inspiring collections of vintage music shirts and I love surfing their site as if it was an art gallery. The last one I got in person was a Richard Amsel-designed Bette Midler tee. These shirts are little pieces of history and get rarer as the years go by. Check them out!
Rotter’s Record Club
We Love Lists. Top 5 records on my deck this month
I have an original copy of the Scott Seskind – Self-titled private press LP, which is amazing and also available to hear on Spotify.
I love Nils Frahm – “Re”, but can’t get through his records without bawling my eyes out.
Simon Jones – Melanie and Me. Love this obscure 1975 Aussie album and the sweet track “Goodbye”.
David Holland Quartet – Conference of the Birds. With the right stereo or headphones, this one just jumps at you and flies you elsewhere.
Various – Belong To The Wind compilation by Forager Records
Oh, and a bonus pick. Tucked deep in the 19-minute psych journey “What Love (Suite)” on The Collectors’ 1967 Self-titled LP is one of the most transcendent hidden passages of late-’60s Canadian rock. Cue it up to exactly 11:30, and you’ll hit a stretch—about 4 to 5 minutes—of absolutely stunning, atmospheric psych that feels like sonic levitation. It’s the kind of buried moment that makes crate-digging so worth it.
An Unforgettable Journey
New Releases. Catching my eye right now.
I am definitely onboard the Cindy Lee train for last year’s Diamond Jubilee album. I haven’t been this excited about a release in a while. It’s a two-hour radio-dial dream trip.
Celeb Spots
You Dig Where? Jess’ recommended local record spots
Freakbeat Records I have been going here since I moved to LA 12 years ago. They specialize in many of the reissues and oldies I long for. I am obsessed with the history of Rhino Records from back in the day and found there a huge stuffed talking Elvis Rhino that was based on the William Stout drawing for the label in the late ’70s/early ’80s. The rhino is a record curmudgeon and basically grunts and grumbles when he hears people talking. It’s hilarious. I had to have it, but keep him in my daughter’s room because our house is filled to the brim!
Rockaway Records They definitely have the best selection of TMOQ Bootlegs in LA and I have certainly bought some amazing things here. GREAT memorabilia section, especially for Beatles fans. Plus, Jimmy Page is a big customer!
Wax Trax Records When in Vegas, this spot is a must. It’s basically a large house with every inch covered in used records. There is a great closet of bootlegs and fun books. Elton John is a major customer.
Get Out!
Put your phone down and feed your soul with live events.
Alice Coltrane Tribute, Carnegie Hall May 16th.
VinylCon record fair in Philadelphia. Come say hi. Eilon and Dust & Grooves will be there.
Billy Joel Exhibition in Long Island, NY. I am not missing this one!
Recovery Sunday
Let’s kill more time and reassure ourselves with high-brow viral scrolling.
Let’s kill more time and reassure ourselves with high-brow viral scrolling.
I love @vintageannalsarchiveandpodcast for deep dives of retro ephemera candy of all sorts. Rich does a sweet daily curation straight from the heart and has great taste.
And check out my new Instagram account: @rottersboots, which is an exploration for the love of bootleg LP artwork and ephemera. My art adventures can be found @rotterandfriends.
Our Cover Artwork
I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night – Jess Rotter
This month’s artwork, direct from Jess Rotter’s LA studio, is completely exclusive to Dust & Grooves. The title says all you need to know about Jess’s psych inspiration, and it has that pure analog vibe we love. Why not give it a place in your record room?
Jess’ superb cover illustration for this issue of You Dig? is called ‘I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night’–a reference to the Electric Prunes’ psych classic.
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Dust & Grooves Memberships and Support
By now, we’re sure you can see how much love goes into Dust & Grooves. It’s a pure passion project, and Eilon has worked super hard to keep it an independent endeavor—always completely ad-free. This has been going for over a decade, and in that time Dust & Grooves has seen the building of a genuinely great community that celebrates record collecting, and one that has a huge love of music. We absolutely love to see it, and it means a lot to us.
We’re going to kindly ask that you consider to continue this support by looking at becoming a paid member, or make a one-time donation. There are some real groovy benefits to this and discounts on a range of merch, lovely!
Your support means we can preserve the culture we all cherish.
Dust & Grooves Books
Order Now.
Dust & Grooves Vol. 2
Further Adventures in Record Collecting – First Limited Edition
Renowned photographer and publisher Eilon Paz returns after the successful release of Dust & Grooves: Adventures In Record Collecting. For Volume Two, Paz highlights the planet’s biggest proponents of vinyl collecting, bridging stunning images with extensive interviews, revealing the motives and backstories behind the global vinyl community. Ten years after the first release, with vinyl sales skyrocketing and a booming popularity among Gen-Zs, Volume Two digs deeper than its predecessor, underscoring gorgeous collections from astute everyday enthusiasts to venerated DJs, musicians, and producers. Veteran journalist and editor David Ma handles the editorial end to this sequel, making Volume Two a cultural leader in the field, expertly accentuating the world’s unifying devotion to vinyl.
Tailor made for lovers of world-class photography, novice and expert collectors, and music obsessives alike.
Foreword by Prince Paul
Includes interviews with A-Trak, DaM Funk, Quantic, DJ Spinna, Kid Koala, Don Letts, Andy Votel, Mayer Hawthorne and more.
First limited edition of 4000 copies.
Ships locally from 5 main warehouses. US, Canada, Europe (Belgium), UK and Australia.
Portables
A Visual & Historical Exploration of 222 Vintage Portable Turntables
A 470-page hardcover book featuring highly detailed photos and comprehensive research on 222 portable vinyl record players, sourced from the collections of Paola Puente, Kalle Aldis Laar, Eric Cohen, Bas Bogerd and Mark Cruz.
Once considered little more than a children’s plaything or a grade school accessory, the portable record player has gained newfound respect in recent years. Whatever they may lack in high-end audio fidelity, battery-powered turntables more than make up for it with their convenience and ease of use. Just ask any crate digger: a cult favorite portable like the Columbia GP-3 or the Audio-Technica Sound Burger (or even the Fisher-Price Big Bird model) can be an absolutely essential companion on an all-day vinyl hunt.
Portables features lavish, detailed photos of 222 portable turntables from around the world, including rare record players from Japan, the UK, Germany and the Soviet Union as well as the USA, and ranging in vintage from the 1920s to the early twenty-first century. They’re all gorgeously captured here by photographer Eilon Paz, with accompanying commentary from music historian Dan Epstein.
Whether you’re a hardcore turntable collector, an aficionado of cool vintage audio gear, a student of industrial design, or a vinyl lover curious about the wild world of portable record players, Portables will make your head spin—and will soon have you scouring thrift stores, antique malls, and even your grandma’s attic for the portable record player of your dreams.
Dust & Grooves: Vol. 1 & 2
Deluxe Limited Box Set
A deluxe slipcase box set of Dust & Grooves Vol. 1 (10th Anniversary Edition) & Vol. 2.
Includes:
4mm cardboard slipcase with foil stamping and blind deboss
The Dust & Grooves Sleeveface Poster
