The Original Rather Ripped
Rather Ripped Records was a legendary shop on the north side of the U.C. Berkeley campus. It was archtypical in its tasteful selection of music, knowledgeable staff and its gravity as a gathering place. It’s list of accomplishments – concerts hosted, bands launched – pales in comparison to the far-reaching impact it had on its customers. Ask anyone who shopped there regularly, and they’ll tell you about the records that a staff member pulled out from below the counter and handed over with a “I thought you might like this” recommendation. Records that more often than not became favorites and opened up entire new vistas of music. Rather Ripped wasn’t just a place to buy records, it was a place to hang out and indulge with like-minded fiends. The original shop closed in the early-80s and moved to a warehouse in Oakland, but it never had the lively vibe of the location right across the street from the University. The name lived on as a mail-order business, but there was no more dropping by or hanging out.
But Rather Ripped has now returned – to founder Russ Ketter’s home town of Pittsburgh, PA. The new RRR is located at 4314 Butler Steet in the suburb of Lawrenceville, and it’s well-stocked with vinyl, CDs, posters and collectibles. But what a store like this really needs is patrons – customers who hang out, talk music and add to the critical mass that makes a record shop more than a retail outlet. Check out their website (below), and if you’re in the Pittsburgh area, make sure to drop in, they’re currently open Thursday-Monday 11am-7pm!
The terrific Lake Charles, Louisiana power-pop band, Research Turtles (whose album and EP were reviewed