In the basement of the Tiki Room on 11th Avenue you can find Regina’s indie record store.
Dave Kuzenko has owned X-Ray Records since 1987. It was previously called Records on Wheels when it was located in the Scarth Street Mall. It moved to it’s 11th Avenue location in 2004, as it provided cheaper rent.
“It’s across the board, carry all different types, not too much top-40 stuff or modern country perhaps. But, rock and all it’s different incarnations, jazz, blues, folk and soul music, everything,” Kuzenko said.
When it began, Kuzenko said the store was selling 95 per cent CDs and 5 per cent vinyl records. He said now its 20 per cent CDs and 80 per cent vinyl.
It was the mid-2000s around the move, when Kuzenko noticed the resurgence of record popularity in Regina.
For Chris Foord, he began collecting records in 2008. The 40-year-old rock radio personality recently moved to Calgary from Regina.
“Way back when I had records and they were my dad’s that I got, but I had friends that I always used to always listen with. I’ve always just been a big fan of music. My roommate at the time had records, so I started buying my own because there was a record player available,” said Foord.
Vinyl never truly disappeared, Kuzenko said.
“There were still some indie labels that were pressing vinyls, full albums and 45s and things like that. It certainly had dropped off the radar for most of the population,” he said.
The business never truly suffered though. Kuzenko was the only indie music store in the city and people still wanted to buy CDs. Business never got tenuous for X-Ray Records.
“It never reached the danger-zone. At least for me anyway,” he said.
There’s a definite appeal to records which has kept up their popularity.
“It does sound softer. It has a cool factor for sure. I’m also a big fan of listening to albums by sides, I find CDs were always too much to go in one sitting and mp3s, which are great for your iPhone when you’re out for a walk and such, but I’m more of an album listening than one song here and one song here,” Foord said.
Vinyl records range on average from $20-60, but can quickly move up in price depending on packaging, whether its coloured, the way the record is pressed or if it’s a larger collection.
And, vinyl records force you to be more interactive with your listening experience by placing the record on the turntable and flipping it over. Records also need more patience, but provide an unique listening experience that in a world of skipping songs, doesn’t happen often.
“A lot of artists try to put an album together, they may not be a story per say, but sometimes they like to put it in order in a certain way so you hear their whole album as they would like you to hear it. It’s almost like you’re going to a show in a way,” said Foord.
Business has been steady lately for X-Ray Records, but the comeback of vinyl has definitely helped and Kuzenko doesn’t hide that.
“It’s been slow. It not like it happened overnight. A lot of people seem to think that when they sort of look at the industry today to what it once was. Actually being in it, it’s taken the past 10 years to slowly get to the level it’s been at again,” he said.
Foord gave his secret to hunting down records.
“When you go to another city, look up their record stores because you’re still in the trendy parts of the city, but you’re not in a tourist trap. So, you can go get a really nice latte, go buy some records, go have a beer and go buy a lot more records,” he said.
Foord loves purchasing records while he travels. He will order a record online, but part of the appeal is the search for a record in a store.
Regina is a good market made up of many vinyl lovers, Kuzenko said.
“Just because you live in Regina and not Toronto or New York, whatever, you’re awareness of vinyl is just as good here as it is there,” he said.
When Foord began buying records, even HMV wasn't selling them yet. Now, it’s a lot easier to find them.
Album artwork is another big appeal to vinyl. Foord will hang albums with cool artwork up and switch them up every few weeks.
Record Store Day occurs on April 18 this year. Conceived in 2007, the day is a celebration for indie record stores to celebrate music - and play host to limited edition releases. It occurs worldwide on the third Saturday every April.
For Kuzenko and X-Ray Records, Record Store Day is the busiest of the year.
