Katz Alley Records In Redlands: More Than A Feeling

I'm from the '70's.

And because of that, I LOVE records.

Steve Rogers shops for vinyl.

I stumbled upon Katz Alley Record Store in downtown Redlands last year.  It was a cool place filled with vinyl records, rock 'n roll memorbilia and the sounds of some of my favorite bands. Bottom line it was a great place for me to hang out and work on finishing my own LP collection.

There is something about an LP for this music lover that is very special.  You got the artwork. You got the liner notes.  You got maybe a poster or a fan club card.  You got COOL.  So in the Spirit of Radio here is a what I wrote for my gallery that ran online for the Redlands Daily Facts and The Sun on Katz Alley:


Buddy Holly, Diana Ross and The Beach Boys are rocking Katz Alley in downtown Redlands. Owned and operated by Kevin McCurry (see top photo) and Kathleen Wood, the record and book store has become a cool place where the past meets the present for music fans of all ages.

Records, records everywhere:  Inside and outside of Katz Alley.

While many older fans come to the store to walk down memory lane, a bulk of the store's clients fall in the younger age bracket. "People who are becoming the audio files of the future are the 17-28 age group," says McCurry. "They buy the classic Fisher receivers, the two-way speakers and they want the vintage turn tables.” 

A 1978 picture disc album of 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

I wanted to be at my cousins house: They had KISS records.

Kathleen Wood files albums in the cool record store known as Katz Alley.

The store carries many music genres ranging from Blues and Jazz, to Rock and Punk.  While McCurry's favorite music is 1950's Jazz and Blues, he has an eclectic musical palette that includes Led Belly, B.B. King, Johnny Stitz, and Billie Holiday. “I don't think that anybody ever has hit a pitch as beautiful like her,” said McCurry, “To listen to a clean original pressing of Billie Holiday will bring a tear to your eye.” 

I could not have said it better myself!

L to R: Mowtown greats The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, & Smokey Robinson

A 1958 Johnny Cash original pressing- still cool after all these years! 

Just One Look: The Fashion of Route 66

"Just one look. " So sang Doris Troy from her 1963 hit.

That's all it took for me to come up with a new idea in covering the annual Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino.  After covering for nearly 20 years, I needed a change-up.

After noticing a man & his daughter all dolled up in vintage style, I decided to do a B/W portrait series of folks who dressed-up like the 1950's or 1960's.  For each caption, I added a song title to try and further capture what I felt each subject was evoking with their attire.

 At an event like this, you'll find that nostalgia is alive and well.  Any reader of this blog knows that I'm a big fan of yesteryear.  Everybody has a different reason for being nostalgic about a variety of things.  For me the music of my youth holds a special place in my heart.  But as grow older, I've found I seek to be nostalgic about things from my parent's era and even my grandparent's time.

All of the guys & dolls in my photos had their own reasons.  Many of which had to do with evoking a style or an attitude they found themselves suited to.  So here are the shots and their short bios:

"I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire"--Katie Troudt, 33, nuzzles David Martinez, 35, both of Palm Springs, in downtown San Bernardino September 15, 2012.   Martinez sports an early 1960's look that he uses daily.  Troudt invokes a style inspired by Rita Hayworth.

"Rebel Rouser"--Von Hot Rod sports a pompadour with his 1960's style in downtown San Bernardino September 13, 2012. 







 

"Runaway"--Eric Macgreggor, 23, and his sister Tauni, 18, strike a pose in front of a 1960 Ford Sunliner parked along E Street in downtown San Bernardino September 14, 2012.  Eric is displays a Greaser look while his sister shows off a Psychobilly look.







 



 "Pretty Little Angel Eyes"--Nadia Gil, 28, of San Bernadino, sports a 1950's era style in downtown San Bernardino September 13, 2012.

"Baby You Can Drive My Car"--"Bo" sports a 1960's era style from the front seat of Gilbert Botello's 1969 Ford Galaxie 500 XL in downtown San Bernardino September 15, 2012.

"Come See About Me"--Charlene Juarez, 25, of Colton, sports a juvenile delinquent look in downtown San Bernardino September 13, 2012.

"Be-Bop-A-Lula"-- Jessica Lucero, 21, and Marshall Franey, 22, both of Barstow, strut their  Rockabilly style in downtown San Bernardino September 16, 2012.   "I just love the culture and the way people carry themselves," said Franey of the 1950's.  "It shows a pride in what you do and how you look."

 "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag"--Joseph Sanford, of Corona, jokes with daughter Dia Poole, of Sacramento, along E Street in downtown San Bernardino September 14, 2012.  They stand in front of Sanford's 1962 Cadillac Sedan Deville.  "Its just a good time to come out and spend some quality time with my dad," says Poole of their annual date at the Route.  "Who knows one of these days he just might give me those keys."