What’s In The Bag?(Series 8) (Sub nom- Vinyl Overload?)

6/23/2025

What’s In The Bag?(Series 8) (Sub nom- Vinyl Overload?)

[Ed. Note- This was to be a Sunday post but rex was too busy watching the news. Sorry for the delay.]

NEPTOON RECORDS is a legendary record store in Vancouver. It has celebrated 40 years in business since opened by ROB FRITH in 1981.

I had the pleasure of visiting NEPTOONi twice on our recent trip to BC.

My “host” on both visits was TIM CLAPP. Tim not only works at the store full time, but is also a partner in another store located up the BC coast. As well he runs the excellent indie label KINGFISHER BLUEZ.

On my 1st visit I was dumbfounded with the quantity of music for sale.

I was both elated and somewhat deflated by the display as it was difficult to search for the releases. I love working my way through the racks. Most of my success came from asking Tim to search the computer. Tim thinks they would need 5 times the floor space they currently have to properly display all of the vinyl and CDs for sale…

Here is the CAROLINE 🇬🇧 LP “Caroline 2” that I bagged.

CAROLINE
“Caroline 2” (Rough Trade) (2025)

But it was on my visit the next day that it got interesting.

Turns out the store has “iceberg” characteristics. That is, the majority of the music they have on sight is located in the basement and other areas.

[Ed. Note- There is literally music everywhere.]

And, what a famous basement it is!

Tim took me downstairs for a tour. Turns out there is an employee and a loyal customer who spend endless hours down there sorting and sifting through thousand of records. The young man in the video that follows is currently working his way through a collection of 5,000 7” records they acquired. 5,000.

[Ed. Note- Are you ready for this…? Brace yourself!]