The owners of one of New York's best record stores hate just about everything to do with modern music. And most of what Resident Advisor stands for as well. So why do we love them so much anyway?

Bad boys, some great mixes. And the spoken lps were lovely.

Top notch piece.

i was lucky enough to be at the last of the original LIFE parties at Lava Bar. watching these guys play music is a site to behold. the passion is unrivaled.

they take down some sacred cows with their reviews, but sometimes that's needed. respect to DJ.

"It's boring, watered-down trip-hop from the '90s with an Ableton twist. Fuck you."

So true.

Ha ha!

Hilarious.

This is how you run a record shop. I had the priviledge to scoop up some wax from here a few months ago and it was a great experience. Suprisingly, everyone in the shop was nice and recommended that we catch the Entro Senestre live gig which was super dope. Also grabbed a single track 12 that the owner had produced.

i wonder what "techno group" he was talking about;
classy article, I will always be true to my roots.

not going to photograph every event they come up with; and expect to have a good time if I cant get into the music

This is sure to ruffle some feathers, love it! Well written article too, nice job RA

I venture to guess that the techno group he is talking about is Visionquest...

some real talk here, good stuff.

Fun and thought-provoking piece here Whether I agree or not with all they say is a different matter, but I´ll always have time and respect for people who put their points across with such conviction.

Reviewed it a couple months ago -> fluxesnyc.blogspot.com/#!/2012/04/dope-jams-record-shop-brooklyn-ny.html this is a temple of records, no doubt

completely agree

Francis besides being a grouch during his day job ...is a fantastic dj at night as well!!!

"New techno. That deep dark shit you play when mom says she is gonna put money in your account and she doesn't. Or one of those days when your boy says he is gonna let you DJ on his internet radio show but then doesn't answer your calls. These are the times we know real rage, that shit is techno. Rebel. Your a dark mutherfucker [sic]."

Paul and Francis work hard and do what they want to do; no compromises. An RA interview wasn't going to be pretty.

Great feature. Dope Jams is definitely one of the best record shops in the world. In fact, like this article mentions, its really more than that... its like a community center for dance music obsessives.

Paul, Francis (and Nick!) are actually really nice guys... they just happen to know what's dope and what's not and they don't mind sharing their views :-) Anyone in the NYC area whose into real dance music absolutely has to go visit sometime and check out their parties.

Haha interesting. Seem cool guys.

Undoubtedly the best record shopping experience that I've ever had. I asked to take the printed comment for a Kai Alce record with me, as I was buying it for a friend (it was something about it being a sub-Prescription record), but the guy in the store wouldn't let me. "We need to educate other people, so I can't let you take it."

Legends.

The church of Dope!

Fantastic article. Was there a couple of years ago and came across a sealed Mood II Swing 'The Scenic Route' in the crates with a note attached: "Don't even think about it!" Love it!

I'd guess probably Sandwell District?

loved the article and these two cool , tough, dope man))))

Like right now, I'm sitting here listening to this Dana Kelley record, and I'm like, it's so fucking good. It just feels right to me. I mean, never mind the fact that the dude is one of the coolest people I've ever fucking met and did so much to help me out, but it's so important what he did. It's so important. And people need to know that. And who the fuck else is gonna say anything? Nobody else is gonna say anything. They don't give a fuck. They care about Nicolas Jaar and fucking—I can't even remember that stupid fucking—that shitty techno group? What is their names?"Ace!!!!!

Brilliant. Man what I wouldn't do for that rec.

Everything they said was true, especially about King Street and the NY labels. It doesn't take an idiot to see that house music's underground is struggling.

Wonderful piece.

Great article - cheers to RA for not letting petty bs stop them from doing this feature

Ahh, nothing like some RA-style sh*t-stirring and mythology building. Surprised you didn't have an accompanying photo of Francis sitting at a coffee table with a Glock on it. Oy Vey!

gotta love dope jams, just the best quality music with no filler for days and days...the hip hop section is also a gold mine

Wow. this article put a smile on my face. one of the best RA articles i've read.

2Unlimited.



Really enjoyed reading this article, classic curmudgeonly record shop owners are always interesting. Every serious record shop needs one.

10/10

I think they talk about ame ore dop or somethong. Sound really crazy to me but nice in a way. Would love to see their selections!!!!!

Some old KSS bombs on their new comp.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/classic-house-grooves-dope/id545825815

Dance music can be so non-confrontational sometimes, and it's refreshing to finally hear somebody who knows their shit call out Jaar et al.

i had to stop myself from going to dope jams on my last tour because i was afraid i would spend all my money. im still gonna order a bunch of those shelter edits they have sooner or later.

dope jams live up to their name. but rothlein, you're a daft cunt. singling out boomkat - who put serious time and effort into covering an unparalleled range of music - for copy-pasting from one-sheets is dumb compared with the amount of sites you could pull up who solely do that, and with the narrowest of stylistic remits. but yeh, dope jams are class, love slow to speak, too.

Great read, wish I new about this store last time I was in the States.

pretty sure you misunderstood that line

It's great that these guys won't give up on what they believe in, although it seems a bit ridiculous to me that you can't find anything to like in modern electronic music even if it is filled with oceans of garbage to wade through.

crazy wisdom masters

Good job RA - and finally happy to hear my misgivings about Jaar shared so eloquently.

He's onto something with this line too: ". "I was talking to somebody [recently], and he was talking about how right now, this is, like, the 'zero generation': it's about kids getting enough medication to numb themselves so they don't have to feel anything, and the music is a direct result of that—especially electronic music. There is no funk in it, there is no emotion, there is no jerk. It's fucking flatlined."

Really cool article and a great read. Mixed opinions though.. whilst it's definitely obvious that the quality of podcast based mixes these days has declined I do worry about people who seem to live in the past and think that the best days of electronic music have already been and gone.

just spent my lunch reading this, one of my favourite RA pieces to date

Definitely. The music, the clubs, the kids, everything. You only have to look a old videos of clubs/parties back in the day to see. The crowd are not standing around taking pictures and all facing the DJ. We're all getting down and feeling. Now look back at the last 10/15 years. A completely different picture.

Saying that I still have to go to out and do occasionally find what I'm looking for.

The growing divide between those weaned on the internet and those who weren't. A perspective that's hard for either side to understand.

yeah likewise.. definitely an entertaining read and respect for being so dedicated to the cause, but can't help but feel that if they directed some of their attention to the labels that ARE releasing great music today that they would soon forget about the drivel that Strictly & Co are putting out these days.. very few labels survive a couple of decades without significant musical changes, for good or for worse, get over it and stop dwelling on the past.

indeed, but then again, maybe i should just kill myself because ill never be able to get hold of the amazing records theyve got because ill never be able to physically step foot in their shop and put up with their despondent diatribes without shooting myself in the face