“Sometimes it’s as simple as piles of records, the objects and the mass of them—just digging the object for lack of a better summary.” Asking a record store owner what he likes about records won’t usually elicit this response, but for Anthony Vogdes, owner of Tequila Sunrise Records, his love for records stems not from musical talent but from his art school background. “I have no musical ability; I’ve tried. But I really like records and music and the documentation.”
Anthony knows that his visual background sets him apart from most other record dealers and collectors. “I don’t really consider myself a record collector, because they’re sort of a different thing. I’ve always gravitated toward the aesthetic of records. In the download age it is thought that record labels are irrelevant and thus record stores are irrelevant, but I think that there is something to be said for an aesthetic. To me the best record labels are clearly defined by their taste and their aesthetic, whether it’s just sound-wise and sonically or also in package design.”
Anthony began his own record label, Tequila Sunrise Records, before he opened his shop in 2006, and his enthusiasm for appearance clearly displayed itself in his label’s releases. “I wanted to make a record label that had a consistent aesthetic that people would like. Someone who would collect the label would keep all their tequila sunrise records together on the shelf because they all have these light pink spines—little things like that.”
Having worked in a record store for 15 years before starting his own, Anthony has a lengthy background in the record industry, and this allows him to feel confident in which records he chooses to sell in his store. “I love records, music, the object, and the only thing I can offer as a brick and mortar business is to be a kind of filter. I do the weeding through of new titles and bring in whichever I believe are worth my customers’ attention.” Anthony also adds that although different people have different tastes, many of his customers are very loyal, and he is usually able to learn which genres and styles will interest them. “I know my customers for the most part and can usually take educated guesses at what will be good. I try to have an opinion about stuff without being overly opinionated.”
Anthony adds research to opinion, looking at what international stores are carrying and comparing them to his own titles. “I look at other records stores in London, Berlin, Tokyo, and ones that I have always looked to as barometers of interesting trends and I see what they’re carrying.”
Tequila Sunrise Records sells mostly from the rock and dance genres, along with many international titles, so sales usually happen in low numbers and diverse titles, rather than centering on a few big sellers. “If I sell 2 copies of the same record, sometimes I’m impressed. Other times, 20 or 30 copies of a record is pretty big.” As far as some of his most popular records are concerned, many aren’t exactly what one would expect. “One of my most popular was by a band called Sabbath Assembly. They were a contemporary band that recorded songs based around sort of doomsday lyrics to hymns by The Process Church of the Final Judgment—very heavy content from a record label that typically did a lot of heavy metal stuff—but it was a really catchy record, kind of psychedelic. As soon as I played it for people they were like, ‘Wow, this is really good.’ So I probably sold about 30 of those.” Another more recent success has been a reissued reggae record by a group called Dadawa.
Although Anthony says that the styles and genres of the records in his store fluctuate, he remains there throughout, ready to refill Tequila Sunrise Records with new music from across the globe, and using his love for art to judge them by their covers.
For a video tour of Anthony's shop, click here!