Jeff wrote:
> There's really only one good record store in SF...and it's not near the
> Ritz: Amoeba Records in the Haight-Ashbury (on Haight & Stanyan). You
> could easily spend a full day there.

Hi Jim

Hope you're not having the heavy fog we are here in the SJ hills.

Amoeba's only 4 miles from the Ritz's Nob Hill front door. Don't
know the bus routes from there, so direct the cabbie to Haight @
Stanyon - where Haight St begins just across from Golden Gate Park.
Amoeba's just 2 doors up Haight on the right.

If you want to make this a walking tour of the Haight, after
you're done with Amoeba, head up Haight street, checking out the
assortment of tourist, vintage and trinket stores. Across the
famous Ashbury intersection & just past Masonic St is Reckless
Records. It's a small store but a quick shop & I've found a few
gems there. Up the street a bit on the left is The Booksmith,
an excellent independent bookstore; you might even catch a book
signing. Cruise by Buena Vista Park, mindful of the *skunk* aroma,
cut left one block over to Page St & continue onward up Page to
Scott St, enjoying the victorians. On the corner is SF's most
interesting record store - Jack's Record Cellar - full of obscure
vinyl, lots of 78s, 30's era show & performance posters, some
picked-over but cheap 45s. You may recognize the manager behind
the counter, (yes, *that*) Roy Loney. There's at least one other
indie record store in the immediate area - just ask @ Jack's.

> There's also Tower Records in North Beach (Columbus & Bay)
> and...Rasputin records  and Virgin megastore downtown
> (near Powell & Market)

All generic, nothing of interest, just move on please...
Other suggestions:

If you're into vinyl Amoeba is great, but the best vinyl centric
record record store I've ever seen is Village Music in Mill Valley.
Sadly it's 10 miles north of the Golden Gate bridge, a long & not cheap
trip by cab. They have 1/2 off weeklong sales after Xmas & July 4th.
Needless to say that's when I go. My favorite find (of many) was a
sealed Hot Parts soundtrack lp for $8 after the 1/2 off discount.

For imports nothing beats Mod Lang in Berkeley (University & Shattuck).
There's also the original Ameoba on Telegraph Ave which is good but no
longer great as the Haight & Sunset stores have far eclipsed it.

  - michael