Author: Vinyl Nerd

  • CRATERY 86: The Brazil Episode

    CRATERY 86: The Brazil Episode

    One of the simple pleasures of being a rap fan is the passionate level of debate and analysis you can engage in with a fellow nerd at any given moment around any given album – old or new. I definitely don’t have the same debates around Brazilian music. I rarely subject my favourite vintage records…

  • CRATERY 85: Mastersihn

    CRATERY 85: Mastersihn

    It’s funny to think I wouldn’t be typing these words right now if Kaewonder hadn’t asked me the question “Do you follow that dude @mastersihn on Instagram”? We’ve met a lot of good people online, and with a common love for good records and good smoke, Philly’s Mastersihn is definitely one of the good ones.…

  • The 7th: Confrontation

    The 7th: Confrontation

    CONTRIBUTOR: Jason Palma (Play De Record, Higher Ground) ARTIST: Homegrown Syndrome SONG: Confrontation LABEL: Arista YEAR: 1981 This is such an interesting record for me!  This is a more recent purchase, but it is a record I was after for a few years time.  These days I am VERY picky when it comes to spending…

  • The 7th: Total Satisfaction

    The 7th: Total Satisfaction

    CONTRIBUTOR: Aki Abe (Cosmos Records) ARTIST: Brief Encounter SONG: Total Satisfaction LABEL: Sound Plus YEAR: 1977 This one came from a juke box collection that sucked… mostly late 70’s glam funk ranging from Rick James to Jeff Lorber picture covers but we managed to rescue this record from being extinguished into a local garbage bin.…

  • The 7th: Mind Games

    The 7th: Mind Games

    CONTRIBUTOR: Famous Lee (Love Handle) ARTIST: Roland Haynes Jr & Phenix SONG: Mind Games LABEL: EII Records YEAR: 1983 This small hole American 45 was a lesson in patience for all you novice internet diggers fiending over some obscure, over-priced joint on the (insert web vinyl depot of your choice here). I first came across…

  • CRATERY 83: Dan Zacks

    CRATERY 83: Dan Zacks

    Toronto-based collector Dan Zacks pops his Cratery cherry on this month’s episode. I first came to know of Dan through the two Cuban funk compilations he released between 2006 and 2009: Si, Para Usted, volumes 1 and 2 (Both very well put together). Soon after, I realized he shared mutual friends like the hommies Kaewonder…

  • The 7th: We Did it Baby (Part 1)

    The 7th: We Did it Baby (Part 1)

    CONTRIBUTOR: Alister Johnson (Do Right Music, Love Handle) ARTIST: General Lee SONG: We Did It Baby (Part 1) LABEL: Lost Weekend YEAR: 1979 I still get goosebumps when I hear that vocal / key melody off the top of this track.  That timeless sound of an artist who really was immersed in their music.  Not…

  • The 7th: I’m Not Ready For Love

    The 7th: I’m Not Ready For Love

    CONTRIBUTOR: Big Jacks (GGBRFM) ARTIST: Promise SONG: I’m not ready for love LABEL: New Directions YEAR: 1974 God bless the Internets for allowing me to track this one down after I first heard it on the radio. It was playing on the Stolen Souls radio show (on 105.5 FM) here in Toronto. The whole set was…

  • CRATERY 82: Hotthobo

    CRATERY 82: Hotthobo

    L.A. raised DJ and label owner Randy “Hotthobo” Ellis was in town guesting at Toronto’s Modern Funk Fest, and our hommie Famous Lee of Love Handle fame thought he’d be perfect for a Cratery episode. It’s always a pleasure to connect with real music lovers. And like many real music lovers, Hotthobo has dedicated his…

  • The 7th: Ain’t That Loving You

    The 7th: Ain’t That Loving You

    CONTRIBUTOR: Ms. Move On Up ARTIST: Skull Snaps SONG: Ain’t that loving you LABEL: Grill Records YEAR: 1975 I don’t know too much about this release other than it’s not on the full length and came out a couple of years later in 1975. And to be honest, this one side is better to me than…

  • CRATERY 81: The Island Episode

    CRATERY 81: The Island Episode

    Much of the black cultural experience in Toronto is rooted in the Caribbean. The food. The slang. The style. And of course, the music. The American rap accents in our favourite songs had an impact on us – but never enough to drown out our overwhelmingly homegrown West Indian influence. Hip-hop and island culture have…

  • The 7th: Put a Smile on Time

    The 7th: Put a Smile on Time

    CONTRIBUTOR: Jason Palma (Play De Record, Toronto) ARTIST: Rhythm Machine SONG: Put a smile on time LABEL: Lulu YEAR: 1976 This was a record I really, really wanted at the time.  Keb Darge was our first international guest at Movement (a monthly party I used to copromote with a collective of DJs from around 1999-2005)…

  • CRATERY 80: The Library Edition

    CRATERY 80: The Library Edition

    I sit here listening to Eddie Warner’s “Eccentric Trick” on loop (a track from his Progressive Percussions No.2 record), pondering why I love library music so much and it’s a no-brainer. I’m a hip-hop dude. And this shit sounds LIKE FUCKING HIP-HOP. Instrumental compositions laced with heavy 4/4 drums, thick basslines, fuzz guitar and musique…

  • THE LOST CHORD

    THE LOST CHORD

    If anything, this mix serves as irrefutable proof that I smoke way too much weed. I did this years ago, armed with my trusty Monotron mini-synthesizer, some audio clips from a BBC progressive rock documentary, unquantifiable amounts of kush and a handful of prog records that I had accumulated over the years and needed a purpose.…

  • The 7th: Bravura

    The 7th: Bravura

    CONTRIBUTOR: Aki Abe (Cosmos Records) ARTIST: The Inner Circles SONG: Bravura LABEL: Del-Nita YEAR: ???? I wanted to share something out of Ohio since my partner Mazi and I have concentrated most of our civilian lives digging for soul and jazz records there. The Inner Circles also recorded and released a single out of Boddie…

  • CRATERY 79

    CRATERY 79

    Seems like everyone is celebrating the vinyl resurgence. Except those of us who were around before the comeback. Record store openings here in Toronto seem to be at an all-time high since widespread closures back in the mid-2000’s. And yet, not all of us vinyl nerds are happy about it. I find myself torn between…

  • The 7th: Next Time

    The 7th: Next Time

    CONTRIBUTOR: Famous Lee (Love Handle) ARTIST: Larry Dixon SONG: Next Time LABEL: Square Deal YEAR: 1971 The first time that I dove into Larry Dixon’s stunning musical catalogue, I was pretty overcome with excitement. I ended up sharing this excitement with Jerome Derradji, the owner of the Still Music imprint out of Chicago when I had…

  • CRATERY 78

    CRATERY 78

    Life comes before blogs. Life comes before records and writing and shopping and hanging and smoking. We want to take a moment to thank everyone who’s been asking for more stuff. Everyone who’s been waiting patiently. And everyone who’s been riding with us from the jump. Thank you for continuing to rock with us. Without…

  • The 7th: Kothbiro

    The 7th: Kothbiro

    CONTRIBUTOR: Alister Johnson (Do Right Music, Love Handle) ARTIST: Black Savage SONG: Kothbiro LABEL: Black Blood YEAR: 1976 I remember the day I bought this record like it was yesterday.  It was sometime around 2006-7, and a weekly trip to the St. Lawrence Market to check out the records was in the schedule.  I went…

  • ABSTRAKT CRATERY: Lord Finesse

    ABSTRAKT CRATERY: Lord Finesse

    When your friend sends you an exclusive mix named after your podcast, you’re thrilled. When your friend is Lord Finesse and he calls the mix “Abstrakt Cratery”, you’re ecstatic. This one is only downloadable exclusively from cratery.com. –ARCEE From the Funky man: No specific format. Soul, Funk, Breaks, The Unknown. Inspired by a few drinks…

  • The 7th: I Don’t See Me in Your Eyes

    The 7th: I Don’t See Me in Your Eyes

    CONTRIBUTOR: Big Jacks (GGBRFM) ARTIST: Brotherly Love SONG: I don’t see me in your eyes anymore LABEL: Music Merchant YEAR: 1972 Copped this one during one of my Detroit runs. This one is on the early 70’s kiddie funk/soul tip, but it’s a soul slow burner: straight break-up music. I always loved how Alchemist flipped this…

  • The 7th: Strange Things Happening

    The 7th: Strange Things Happening

    CONTRIBUTOR: Ms. Move On Up ARTIST: John Holt SONG: Strange Things Happening LABEL: Tranquility YEAR: 1971 John Holt did this track for both Phil Pratt on Sunshot and Coxsone Dodd on Studio 1. This Tranquility side is the US release of the Dodd production (I don’t think it ever came out as a Studio 1…

  • CRADIO : Rashad Smith

    CRADIO : Rashad Smith

    Rashad Smith isn’t exactly a household name in hip-hop. But with a catalog of production credits that include Busta’s “Woo-Hah”, LL’s “Doin’ it” and Biggie’s “One more chance” remix, he probably should be. In the first ever conversation-based version of our podcast, we uncover the untold history of one of hip-hop’s many unsung heroes. And…

  • CRATERY 74 : Jason Palma

    CRATERY 74 : Jason Palma

    November 1993. I walked past Yonge-Dundas station sporting baggy jeans and a newly acquired pair of white Adidas Torsions with splashes of fluorescent green and navy blue. I remember cause I had a fluorescent green sweat top and a navy corduroy Gatsby to match. I used to sport the hat backwards when I was going…

  • CRATERY 73: John Kong

    CRATERY 73: John Kong

    John Kong loves those little Coffee Crisp bites. It’s just that he insists they be stored in the refrigerator. “What is this? Amateur’s hour?” he laughed, taking the bag off the counter and placing it in the fridge. Lesson learned, John. Cold storage makes chocolate taste better. Plus, you avoid covering your rares in brown…

  • CRATERY 72: Mayer Hawthorne

    CRATERY 72: Mayer Hawthorne

    I’ve messed with Mayer Hawthorne from the first time I heard his cover of the New Holidays’ overlooked soul classic Maybe so, maybe no. Some might have tried to pigeon hole him as a Motown revivalist after his first album. But Mayer has always been influenced by more than just soul music. The DJ/Producer had…

  • The 7th: All This Love That I’m Givin’

    The 7th: All This Love That I’m Givin’

    ARTIST: Gwen McCrae SONG: All This Love That I’m Givin’ YEAR: 1979 LABEL: Cat When ever I hear this song, it takes me back to an era in Toronto club history where you could play this for a room full of 500 people and it would instantly get the place rocking. Think back to places…

  • CRATERY 71: Lord Finesse

    CRATERY 71: Lord Finesse

    The first time I went record shopping with Lord Finesse I had an epiphany. I realized that I was diggin’ in the crates with an actual member of Diggin’ in the Crates. How is that not a trip? I’m a kid from the suburbs of Toronto who used to blast “Keep the crowd listening” on…

  • The 7th: Head of The Class

    The 7th: Head of The Class

    SONG: Head of the Class ARTIST: Unlisted YEAR: 1977 LABEL: Unlisted This piece of NSFW sleaze came courtesy of Lost & Found, the best (and only) record store I ever worked at. 
I’m assuming this flexidisc was available with your purchase of High Society, back when porno mags were an actual thing. I think it…

  • The 7th: Big Chief

    The 7th: Big Chief

    ARTIST: Professor Longhair SONG: Big Chief YEAR: 1964 LABEL: Watch I had no idea Professor Longhair was such an O.G. Cited as a heavy influence on such artists such as Allen Toussaint and Dr. John, Longhair was instrumental in helping create that New Orleans Jazz sound. As a piano player, he was best known for…

  • CRATERY 68: Amir Abdullah

    CRATERY 68: Amir Abdullah

    Label owner. Globetrotting DJ. Musical encyclopedia. Record store rat. You might use all of the above to describe Amir Abdullah of 180 Proof Records. But at his core, he’s really just a dude that loves music. Coincidentally, our favourite kind of dude. So it was a no-brainer to hang out and play records at Cratery Headquaters…

  • CRATERY 67: Jake One

    CRATERY 67: Jake One

    Our dude Jake One happened to be in town for a beat battle a few months back, so it was only right for us to record another episode of Cratery. Jake first appeared on our 22nd episode back in October 2010. This time, he was armed with a small box of 45’s, primarily sweet soul and…

  • The 7th: Get Out My Life

    The 7th: Get Out My Life

    ARTIST: Allen Toussaint SONG: Get out my life woman LABEL: Bell YEAR: 1968 When I was talking to DJ Serious about his pick for this month’s edition of the Seventh, one thing became clear. Neither of us knew what the original version of “Get out my life woman” was. We speculated that it might be…

  • CRATERY 65: Birdapres

    CRATERY 65: Birdapres

    Like many of us who’ve spent our lives loving music, this months’ guest Birdapres is a bit of a renaissance man. Rapper and producer. Collector and dealer. Radio personality and record store employee. He’s called places like Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto and most recently, Winnipeg home. But these are the things I already knew about Bird…

  • The 7th: Sweet Poison

    The 7th: Sweet Poison

    ARTIST: IRON FORCE SONG: SWEET POISON LABEL: AMG RECORDS YEAR: 1977 I want to talk for a second about “trade currency”. A few years back, I found myself dj-ing at a local radio station with the homies Catalist and Blaz, when the prospect of getting a few records from the station came about. Now, by…

  • CRATERY 63: Paul E. Lopes

    CRATERY 63: Paul E. Lopes

    CRATERY 63: Dollarate V f/ Paul E. Lopes Kaewonder didn’t exit his mother’s belly until 1984.  Paul E Lopes started dj-ing in 1982. Things were different in the city of Toronto back then. The ‘hip-hop culture’ that we associate with places like The Bronx (breakbeats and block parties) wasn’t exactly what you’d find in a…

  • The 7th: S.T.P. #1

    The 7th: S.T.P. #1

    ARTIST: Les Sound Track SONG: S.T.P. #1 LABEL: Bel-Air YEAR: 1969 Montreal has always been a hot bed for music. It was one of my first “destination” digging spots and I would often find myself cramped into a car with a bunch of homies racing down the 401 trying to make it to stores like…

  • CRATERY 62

    CRATERY 62

    I find myself divided on the issue of record collecting and secrecy in the social media age. Some collectors are happy to ham it up, flossing their rarest pieces and recent arrivals without apology on Instagram feeds around the globe. Others choose to hint at the jewels hidden within their collection, by snapping shots of…

  • CRATERY 61

    CRATERY 61

    We kick off our 6th year in business with a James Brown production. Who better exemplifies the lesson of consistency than James? The Godfather of soul got his start around 1953 as a drummer for the Famous Flames – not even as a front man. 6 years into his career would have been 1959. That’s…

  • The 7th: Stonedage

    The 7th: Stonedage

    ARTIST: FEIN SONG: STONEDAGE LABEL: EPIC (BRAZIL) YEAR: 197? This one evaded me for quite awhile, but damn, was it worth the wait. The homie Catalist turned me onto this joint years ago and I am eternally thankful and appreciative of him for doing so. This shit starts off like the perfect intro to a…

  • CRATERY 60: Mike Mantis

    CRATERY 60: Mike Mantis

    Just like that, it’s been 5 years. I can’t fucking believe it. When Kaewonder and I started this podcast in January of 2009 it wasn’t even its own brand yet – it was still under the Real Frequency umbrella – a monthly bonus for fans of my former hip hop radio show with Musiklee Inzane,…

  • The 7th: As Long As…

    The 7th: As Long As…

    ARTIST: The Charmels SONG: As Long As I’ve Got You YEAR: 1967 LABEL: Volt This little record helped spark a change in the sound of Hip Hop.  Up to this point, producers didn’t really use sampled vocal elements from soul records in such a manner. Think about how many countless hip hop songs post-C.R.E.A.M. have…

  • CRATERY 59

    CRATERY 59

    After epic back-to-back episodes with Big Jacks and Bozack Morris, we went to back to basics on this one. There’s a definite jazzy vibe happening here. Also, I just threw up a little after writing the words ‘jazzy vibe’. I fucking hate that phrase. Maybe because when I think of contemporary music with a jazz…

  • The 7th: Seventh Heaven

    The 7th: Seventh Heaven

    ARTIST: Gwen Guthrie SONG: Seventh Heaven YEAR: 1982 LABEL: Island Gwen Guthrie’s 7th Heaven is an important record for me.  From the first time I heard that signature opening synth line I was hooked. Up until that point, I pretty much only gravitated towards 70’s rock, soul and funk.  This was definitely a record that…

  • CRATERY 58: Bozack Morris

    CRATERY 58: Bozack Morris

    Bozack Morris loves music. 90’s R&B? New rap? 70’s funk? Library records? He’s got an opinion. And it’s an informed one. I’ve known Bozack since volunteering at CHRY 105.5 FM back during my university days at York.  And even then, he was a music nerd. He’s brought that sensibility to locally successful brands like Grand…

  • CRATERY 57a : Big Jacks

    CRATERY 57a : Big Jacks

    I don’t know where the term boogie came from. But when I first started buying groups like SOS Band, Starpoint and Rene & Angela back in the day, I was under the impression I was buying R&B and soul records. In fact, I actually never heard the term until some time within the last 3…

  • The 7th: Body Fusion

    The 7th: Body Fusion

    ARTIST: StarvueTITLE: “Body Fusion”YEAR: 1980LABEL: Midwest International Records I wish I had an elaborate story about how I found this record. Like how I had to make a trip out to an obscure record dealer’s house in the middle of the country, or how I found this joint at a thrift store for 10 cents…

  • CRATERY 56

    CRATERY 56

    Country. Big Band. Dixieland. Ragtime. Not exactly my favourite sections in any given record store. I don’t have anything against fans of New Orleans Jazz, but let’s just say I ain’t out here trying to complete the Preservation Hall Jazz band discography. But every once in a while, mining through a stack unwanted Scott Joplin…

  • The 7th: Pusher

    The 7th: Pusher

    ARTIST: Final Decisions TITLE: “Pusher” YEAR: 1973 LABEL: Bump Shop Without a doubt in my mind, this song is sheer genius. It’s a socially conscious, hard-edged soul song that is as well suited for today as it was in the 70’s. I didn’t know anything about it until I heard it blast through the speakers…

  • CRATERY 55

    CRATERY 55

    Cratery has never been and never will be about the first level flossery of posting up rare record after rare record. We’re not here to impress the legions of completist nerds who are waiting to pass judgment on our collective collections. We are here, however to celebrate discovery. Discovery is why we do this. Whether…

  • The 7th: I’m Still In Love

    The 7th: I’m Still In Love

    ARTIST: Marcia Aitkens TITLE: “I’m Still In Love” YEAR: ? LABEL: Joe Gibbs I’m always looking for soul singles. Although reggae isn’t high on my radar at the moment, I do find it fitting that this 45 was in a stack of soul joints that I discovered at a local record spot last year. In…

  • CRATERY 54

    CRATERY 54

    I’ve got a zebra, she can fly. That’s the title of a 1967 song by forgotten psych outfit The Unfolding, featured on this month’s episode. Years later, I can’t help but SMH at the shit some of these hippies came up with back then. Take a flying zebra to your domepiece, homepiece. No coincidence it’s…

  • The 7th: The Message

    The 7th: The Message

    ARTIST: Future Shock TITLE: “The Message” YEAR: ? LABEL: Ultra Records Weary, early hours lugging records out of the trunk of your homie’s frost bitten vehicle isn’t necessarily what one would consider “the jump off”. I was selling records (in Oshawa I think?) with my homie Sipreano and decided to take a stroll around the…

  • CRATERY 53: XL

    CRATERY 53: XL

    This particular Cratery episode is kinda like the opposite of some hip-hop shit. Allow me to explain. We all grew up with a love and understanding for hip-hop culture. Collecting records and understanding the foundation of the music was a natural part of that b-boy aesthetic. And that foundation was breaks. If you’re on this…

  • VERSION: Ain’t No Sunshine

    VERSION: Ain’t No Sunshine

    This edition of Version features not only one of the greatest soul songs of all-time, but one of the greatest pop songs of all-time. Ain’t no sunshine was one of the first songs that spurred my addiction to all things soulful. And I wasn’t the only one. Back in the 70’s, the song spawned so…

  • The 7th: Water No Get Enemy

    The 7th: Water No Get Enemy

    ARTIST: Fela Ransome Kuti & The Africa ‘70 TITLE: “Water no get enemy” YEAR: 1975 LABEL: Editions Makossa I never knew this 45 existed until it popped up one day in a local record shop. Pressed up by NY-based record label Editions Makossa, the single version is just over 3 minutes long compared to full…

  • CRATERY 52

    CRATERY 52

    I’ve been on a temporary work stint in Vancouver since February of this year. Our formerly weekly Cratery nerdouts have turned into monthly events for the squad as a result. Cratery 52 was recorded during one of my brief returns to Toronto earlier this year. Looking at this month’s track list, I can only assume…

  • The 7th: Love Sounds

    The 7th: Love Sounds

    ARTIST: Intimate Strangers TITLE:  “Love Sounds/ The Track” YEAR: Unlisted LABEL: Alaska Dumb luck, fate, and a certified banger. While on a trip in Thailand, the hommie and fellow music nerd, Bill, started going in on me for not being diligent in my pursuit of vinyl.  To be honest, I was on vacation in Thailand.…

  • CRATERY 51 : FamousLee

    CRATERY 51 : FamousLee

    This month, we add another hommie to the distinguished list of Cratery Alumni: DJ FamousLee. While currently best known as one-half of Toronto’s beloved monthly boogie party “Love Handle” (a duty he shares with former Cratery guest Alister “Catalist” Johnson), FamousLee isn’t one to be pigeon-holed. He goes joint for joint with us on an…

  • VERSION: I’m Gonna Love You

    VERSION: I’m Gonna Love You

    This right here is a classic. The amount of times this song was sampled in the 80’s and 90’s by hip-hop artists is second only to the amount of times it was covered in the 70’s. Remember – Cecil Holmes had to swagger jack Barry first in order for Alchemist to sample his version for…

  • VERSION: Sly Stone

    VERSION: Sly Stone

    One can hardly do justice to Sly Stone’s storied career in one paragraph. So we’re not going to even try. I haven’t bought any Sly records recently. Probably because I bought them all when I first started digging. Sly and the Family Stone was one of the first artists that I ever started to collect…

  • The 7th: Mekaberene Liyew

    The 7th: Mekaberene Liyew

    ARTIST: Menelik Wossenachew TITLE: “Mekaberene Liyew” YEAR: ???? LABEL: AMHA I own a total of one Ethiopian record. You’re looking at it. I’d be lying if I said I knew anything about this joint. Or how to pronounce it for that matter. What I do know is that for some reason one side had this…

  • CRATERY 50: Shelf Life

    CRATERY 50: Shelf Life

    The record collector is no stranger to impulsive purchases. Sadly, we’ve all dropped loot on numerous pieces in our collections that are far from timeless. You know the ones I’m talking about: the one-trackers, drum breaks and vocal samples that have no business on the same shelf as the classic albums that have truly shaped…

  • The 7th: Superpeople

    The 7th: Superpeople

    ARTIST: Notations TITLE: “Superpeople” YEAR: 1975 LABEL: Gemigo Truth be told, I found my copy at Kops records in Toronto years ago. But a producer friend of mine (who will remain nameless) has a far better story. He found a copy while on a trip to Chicago, but he couldn’t afford to pay for it.…

  • CRATERY 49: Dollarate IV

    CRATERY 49: Dollarate IV

    Things done changed. Dollar bin digging ain’t what it used to be. When I first started buying breaks back in the early 90’s, my OG homies like Mr. Attic would take me to spots like Vinyl Museum, a long gone institution in the city of Toronto. I’d say about 90% of the stock in their…

  • VERSION: Do Your Thing

    VERSION: Do Your Thing

    Version is a brand new segment dedicated to spotlighting the cover song. One of the first times I ever saw the value in digging for covers was the “Get out my life woman” craze of the 90’s. So many versions started with open drums (Lee Dorsey, Solomon Burke, Iron Butterfly), that the song title was…

  • The 7th: Soul Raga

    The 7th: Soul Raga

    This is the first of some new content we’re starting on Cratery for 2013. “The Seventh” is dedicated to celebrating a different 7-inch from our collective collections -on the 7th of every month. We really could try and make a bigger deal out of it, but that’s basically it. Shout out the hommie Planet Pea…

  • CRATERY 48

    CRATERY 48

    Singer/songwriter Sixto Rodriguez was recently immortalized in the documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” which debuted at Sundance in 2012. It’s the story of an artist who is completely unaware of the impact his music has had on an entire generation. I can say that about much of the music that we play on Cratery. Most…

  • CRATERY 47: 5 for 5

    CRATERY 47: 5 for 5

    This month, Kaewonder, DJ Serious and I trade our traditional 1-for-1 Cratery format for a 5-for-5 format. We each play 5 records in succession, allowing us to create 3 individual sets. Truly groundbreaking stuff – we know, we know. I kick off my set with “Peter and John” from Andrew Wartts’ gospel funk masterpiece There…

  • COVERED IN MAGMA

    COVERED IN MAGMA

    The good folks at MAGMA reached out to us about collaborating on a mix for their up coming Fall/Winter pop-up shop this weekend. Naturally, we had no choice but to submit to the laws of mutual dopeness and agree. Since MAGMA plans on previewing some new wears, we thought we’d hit you with a little preview…

  • CRATERY 46b: OST’s II

    CRATERY 46b: OST’s II

    CRATERY 46: The OST Sequel (Session B) Intermission’s over. You’ve rolled an appropriate amount of chronic. Secured an appropriate amount of snackage. And drained an appropriate amount of pee-pee from your pee-pee. Time for part two. Kaewonder kicks off session B of our OST spectacular with a piece of from the elusive Shogun Assassin soundtrack.…

  • CRATERY 46a: OST’s II

    CRATERY 46a: OST’s II

    CRATERY 46: The OST Sequel (Session A) In February 2010, we dropped Cratery 14, our first ever double-episode dedicated to exclusively to the OST: Original Soundtrack. But like all successful franchises, we couldn’t resist a sequel. Two years later, we return with back-to-back podcasts highlighting our love for compositions from film and TV shows past.…

  • CRATERY 45: 45’s (part 3)

    CRATERY 45: 45’s (part 3)

    Apparently, 45’s are in again. Not that we ever stopped collecting them. But the amount of DJ’s and collectors instagramming pics of their new 7” discoveries has skyrocketed in the last few years. Not to mention the countless 45-only parties popping up all over the world. We kick off our 3rd annual ode to the…

  • CRATERY 44

    CRATERY 44

    I found Syd and the Troubadors’ Positively Spicy album at a local record show earlier this year. Cardova is a nice slice of West Indian funk that also happens to be a take on a Meters’ classic. The nerd in me will always be drawn to the novelty of finding an odd cover of a…

  • CRATERY 43

    CRATERY 43

    The Canadian content on Cratery is at an all-time high. Could be the influence of our bi-coastal brethren Sipreano and Birdapres. It could be a desire to snatch up that local shit for trade leverage. Or an overwhelming source of national pride (It’s probably not the last one). The CANCON on this month’s episode arrives…

  • CRATERY 42

    CRATERY 42

    You should probably be getting the gist of this by now. It’s Cratery. It’s a bunch of songs. From no particular genre. In no particular order. If you’re actually missing our usual writeup, you should probably think about re-evaluating your priorities in life. You can start by clicking the download button below. You’re welcome. —…

  • LAWN CHAIR MUSIC VOL. 2

    LAWN CHAIR MUSIC VOL. 2

    So nice we had to do it twice. Lawn Chair Music Vol. 2 is a another hour of summer inspired tunes to bump while spitting out watermelon seeds, brainfreezing off slurpees, falling off surfboards, barfing out of a canoe, smoking a fattie on the dock with a dimepiece or any other of your favourite summer…

  • LAWN CHAIR MUSIC VOL. 1

    LAWN CHAIR MUSIC VOL. 1

    Something intangible about a song makes it a summer joint. It just feels like summer. Like a pair of trusty flip flops, camo shorts and Ray-Bans, some music was just tailored for warmer weather. From Duke Pearson’s Brazilian inspired jazz sounds to Reign Ghost’s folk psych and RAMP’s lesser known version of a Roy Ayers…

  • CRATERY 41

    CRATERY 41

    All over the map. Definitely the best way to describe Cratery 41. British Prog. Latin libraries. And rural weirdo. Yes, rural weirdo. According to DJ Serious, that’s the lane that Canadian artist Aaron Space carved out for himself back in 1972. Kae draws for Kool and the Gang’s classic slice of heavy funk “Give it…

  • CRATERY 40

    CRATERY 40

    Cratery 40 showcases music from places like the Bahamas. And places like Oshawa. Kaewonder kicks it off with a Caribbean funk rarity: Biosis Now’s “Independent Bahamas” isn’t featured anywhere but a compilation of contemporary Bahamian music from the 70’s titled “A nation is born”. And now, it’s featured here. Christmas is a late 60’s bluesy-psych…

  • CRATERY 39 : House Shoes

    CRATERY 39 : House Shoes

    Detroit’s House Shoes popped by the Cratery studios to join us for an hour of vinyl nerdery when he was in town last month. Shoes and I go back to the 90’s, where our paths crossed multiple times on various record shopping trips to the D. He’s the reason cats like MoSS, Mr. Attic and…

  • CRATERY 38b : Aki Abe

    CRATERY 38b : Aki Abe

    The 2nd part of our double Cratery with Aki of Cosmos Records in Toronto. After killing us with the “Astro-Disc” joint on part 1, Aki wastes no time getting into it with an Azimuth 45 none of us have ever heard of. Kae and I chime in with selections from Iran’s Mehrpouya and Germany’s Michael…

  • CRATERY 38a : Aki Abe

    CRATERY 38a : Aki Abe

    Cosmos Records has become a vinyl institution in Toronto. Since it’s inception in the late 90’s, it’s supplied record fiends here and abroad with an incredible selection of Soul, Funk, Jazz, Latin and Brazilian rarities like no store since. At the root of Cosmos is its mild-mannered owner, Aki Abe. Aki quickly established himself as…

  • CRATERY 37: Dollarate III

    CRATERY 37: Dollarate III

    Most record heads that come from the hip-hop world understand the value of the cheap dollar banger. Whether it’s a drum break, a boogie classic or a sought-after miracle, discovering a piece of heat in the dollar-bin has always been a source of pride for most beat heads.  Finding a dope record is cool. But…

  • CRATERY 36b : Sipreano

    CRATERY 36b : Sipreano

    Part 2 of our second Cratery featuring Vancouver’s Sipreano kicks off with some music from Jackie Mitoo. Sip is no stranger to Mitoo’s music and is actually in the process of following up his landmark “Jamaica to Toronto” compilation with a documentary that takes a deeper look at transplanted musicians that came here in the…

  • CRATERY 36a : Sipreano

    CRATERY 36a : Sipreano

    Sipreano is a gentleman of distinction. In this case, his distinction is the first guest to repeat a stint on Cratery. Last November, Sip joined us for Cratery 23, a 4-part special which also featured Toronto vinyl god Jason Palma.  Sip’s penchant for the weird and his unparalleled understanding of Canadian music always makes for…

  • CRATERY 35

    CRATERY 35

    This is a fucking weird Cratery. Even by our standards. And we like some weird shit. French Prog. Polish Jazz. Cuban Funk. And a banger from a Dirty Harry flick. These are the makings of Cratery 35. No shortage of off-kilter selections here. Before King Crimson was getting sample love from Kanye, they began their…

  • CRATERY 34

    CRATERY 34

    Cratery is a dig diary. A monthly document of our freshest finds. Our very own new arrivals section. So it’s only fitting we kick Cratery 34 off with a recently acquired slice of Argentine exotica, Truthfully, I know nothing else about Cuasares ‘Amalgama’ or the album from which it comes. What I do know is…

  • CRATERY 33b : MoSS

    CRATERY 33b : MoSS

    Cratery 33 (Session B) with producer/collector MoSS takes our global psychedelic expedition to Japan, Denmark, Korea and Belgium. MoSS starts part 2 with another unidentified banger before Kaeweezy returns us to familiar territory with The Animated Egg’s “Sock it my way” – an alternate version of a song released for the 101 Strings instrumental series.…

  • CRATERY 33a : MoSS

    CRATERY 33a : MoSS

    Most of you know MoSS as a producer of quality rap music for artists like Obie Trice, Black Moon, Sean Price, Joell Ortiz, Kool G Rap, Big Shug, Eternia and many others. Some of you might even know that he’s the lone producer signed to DJ Premier’s Works of Mart imprint. Even less of you…

  • CRATERY 32

    CRATERY 32

    No matter how much we genre-hop on Cratery, soul remains a consistent ingredient in our monthly stew. Kaewonder sets off Cratery 32 with a certified slow burner, Larry Saunders’ “This World”. And despite global tangents to Africa (The Wings), Belgium (J.J. Band) and the UK (Egg), we end up bookending this month’s episode with some…

  • CRATERY 31

    CRATERY 31

    With DJ Serious spending the summer in NYC, Cratery 31 was the first of a series of episodes recorded in advance of his departure. Lots of cool shit this month. I recently found Lee Harris’ “Don’t let your love fade away” left behind in a local spot frequented by many collectors. Known primarily for its…

  • CRATERY 30

    CRATERY 30

    The beauty of collecting records for as long as we have is getting bored. Believe it or not, boredom is the friend of the record collector. We at Cratery started out collecting soul, funk and jazz – the cornerstones of hip-hop production. But after 5-6 years of focusing on these genres, we got bored. Why?…

  • CRATERY 29

    CRATERY 29

    The straight up vinyl savagery among the crew seems to be rising exponentially of late. For followers of this podcast, that’s good news for you. It’s not necessarily good news for our collective wallets, but hey – all in the name of music, right? Cratery 29 genre-hops between Mongo Santamaria’s percussive funk, the progressive sounds…

  • CRATERY 28: 45’s (part 2)

    CRATERY 28: 45’s (part 2)

    Before DJ’s began coveting 12”s and the mp3 single defined today’s music market, the average consumer would purchase their hits on 45: The original single. Most soul and funk collectors are no strangers to these tiny records which have held the secrets to some of hip-hop’s most famous breakbeats. “Impeach the President” (The Honeydrippers), “Shack…

  • CRATERY 27

    CRATERY 27

    Get rid of that wax in your ear. Now throw some of our wax in your ear. Cratery returns for it’s 27th consecutive month with another hour of musical goodness from the personal collections of Arcee, Kaewonder and DJ Serious. Cratery isn’t just free. It’s free of mp3’s, CD’s, reissues, and compilations. All vinyl. All…

  • CRATERY 26

    CRATERY 26

    Our 26th edition of Cratery signals another milestone: The intelligent Cratery tracklist. Up until now, listeners had to refer to the blog to find out what song they were listening to. From now on, each Cratery mix will house and display song titles in iTunes – as you listen. Simply import Cratery into your iTunes…

  • CRATERY 25: Dollarate II

    CRATERY 25: Dollarate II

    What began as a humble, hour long dig-diary is now a vital, vinyl ritual, complete with it’s own cult following, monthly party and award-winning logo. We begin our 3rd year of Cratery with a 2nd. The 2nd official edition of Dollarate: our post-holiday guide to wallet-friendly digging. Theoretically, the records on this month’s podcast are…

  • CRATERY 24: O.S.W.F.T.Y.

    CRATERY 24: O.S.W.F.T.Y.

    O.S.W.F.T.Y. = Other Shit We Found This Year “I kind of went savage this year. I probably crossed more key records off my want list than any year past. And the crazy part is – I can’t see myself slowing. Kae, Serious and I collectively trotted around Rochester. Montreal. Detroit. NYC. And Vancouver. In addition…

  • CRATERY 23d : Jason Palma

    CRATERY 23d : Jason Palma

    Cratery 23D marks the final chapter in our four-part Cratery extravaganza. Jason Palma shares more heaters with Kae, Serious and I to close our end of year crate-a-thon. We mentioned Play De. And Higher Ground radio. But you can also catch Palma as part of the Footprints gang banging that afro jazzy goodness year round.…

  • CRATERY 23c : Sipreano

    CRATERY 23c : Sipreano

    When we’re sharing an hour of music among 3-4 DJ’s, each of us ends up only playing 3-4 songs each. For both our guests this month, 1 hour was simply not enough to share the jewels they had each selected. Both came equipped with stacks sufficient for several hours worth of high-priced vinyl nerdery. And…

  • CRATERY 23b : Jason Palma

    CRATERY 23b : Jason Palma

    “Part 2 of our 4-part Cratery continues with one of T.O.’s foremost record aficionados and cool peoples:Jason Palma. Co-owner of Toronto’s vinyl institution, Play de Record. Bump-N-Hustle alumni. And host/creator of Higher Ground radio on CIUT 89.5 FM every Thursday night at 8 pm. It doesn’t matter if he’s selling you a piece of heat. Killing dancefloors…

  • CRATERY 23a : Sipreano

    CRATERY 23a : Sipreano

    “The first of a 4-part Cratery featuring 2 of our favourite record nerds, Vancouver’s Sipreano and Toronto’s Jason Palma. On Session A, Sip goes one for one with Serious, Kaewonder and myself, sharing his love for all things Canadian, funky and undiscovered. Sip is not only responsible for breathing life into Light in the Attic’s “Jamaica to Toronto” compilation,…

  • CRATERY 22 : Jake One

    CRATERY 22 : Jake One

    This month, we trade treats with one of hip-hop’s premier producers and a dude I am proud to call a close personal hommrade (part hommie, part comrade): Jake One. A few of you (maybe like 3) might be familiar with some music I did with Jake back in the late 90’s/early 2000’s.  Most of you…

  • CRATERY 21 : David Bay

    CRATERY 21 : David Bay

    Very little is known about Toronto record aficionado David Bay. David’s undocumented rise to infamy is based on the records he has procured through countless online portals, particularly eBay – earning him the nickname dBay. Bay, is in fact, not even his last name (I’m starting to question the accuracy of “David” as well). Despite his…

  • CRATERY 20 : Alister Johnson

    CRATERY 20 : Alister Johnson

    Alister Johnson AKA Catalist Toronto is full of vinyl nerds. And Cratery gives us the opportunity to connect with some of our favourites. Alister Johnson aka Catalist is DJ, producer and all-around good guy with a shitload of records. Between touring with Grand Analog and composing music for film and television, who knows when Alister…

  • CRATERY 19 : Frank Dukes

    CRATERY 19 : Frank Dukes

    We’ve had the good fortune of welcoming some of our more accomplished and talented friends to the monthly dig diary we call Cratery. Da Grassroots alumni Mr. Attic and Murr have both dipped into their vinyl collections on our accord, as has Halifax transplant and DJ, Skratch Bastid. This month, we’re joined by another Toronto…

  • CRATERY 18: The Vangover

    CRATERY 18: The Vangover

    Both the hommie Kaewonder and I recently spent some time on the left coast. This month’s Cratery represents the fruits of our visit. I love shopping for records in a different town. Especially when that town is Vancouver. I was fortunate enough to stumble across a copy of J.R. Bailey’s “Just me and you”, Nina…

  • CRATERY 17: The De-Bearding

    CRATERY 17: The De-Bearding

    So. I grew a beard for four months. Then I cut it off. But not without having some fun with a few of the hommies first. Gotta shout my mans Clif, Darren G and my man Joe Cruz for lining me up nicely at the official De-Bearding. And my man Serious aka David Yan for…

  • CRATERY 16

    CRATERY 16

    “And we’re back. Almost a year and a half into our monthly dig diary with no signs of slowing. This month, the hommie Kaewonder and I return with a genre-bending hour of Caribbean Funk, Sweet Soul, Folk-Psych, Spiritual Jazz and Brazilian Rock. None of which we downloaded off the Internet. But hey, that shouldn’t stop…

  • CRATERY 15: A To The Kae

    CRATERY 15: A To The Kae

    The arrival of Cratery 15 signals two things: 1. An official Cratery logo + design. 2. A brand new format for this month. First off, a big thank you to Sean Davison (Creative Director, Maclaren McCann) for helping us bring our monthly dig diary to life with its own logo + look. Hope y’all like…

  • CRATERY 14b : MURR

    CRATERY 14b : MURR

    The OST Bonus It’s not quite a sequel – but the bonus session is a little 25-minute extra we thought you might enjoy. By that time, the idea of writing a track list had taken a back seat to the sedentary effects of our friend Century Sam. Hell, if someone decided to make a film…

  • CRATERY 14a : MURR

    CRATERY 14a : MURR

    The OST Edition I’m a sucker for a good soundtrack. The covers alone are usually worth the price of admission. Composers often take experimental liberties they would never take while working on a conventional pop record. And some of the best gems can be found on tiny little one minute transitional tracks – as in…

  • CRATERY 13b

    CRATERY 13b

    (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) No explanation for why this session never came out. But this soul-inspired episode was intended as bonus to Cratery 13. We ended up distributing it to a few friends privately and kind of lost track of it. Either way, opening bangers from the Bar-Kays, Luther Ingram and the Natural Four pretty good reason…

  • CRATERY 13a

    CRATERY 13a

    “Cratery thirteen. As is quite often the case with Cratery, we go all over the map with a variety of heat . Starting off with the straight boom bap of Cuba Instrumentals face-scruncher “Quema”, to Barbara & Ernie’s blissed-out “For You”. From Common (People) records, to Saverage White Band (no, that is not a typo)…

  • CRATERY 12 : DJ Serious

    CRATERY 12 : DJ Serious

    We did it. Kaewonder and I have successfully maintained our dig diary, Cratery for 1 whole year. And what better way to round out the year than with the hommie DJ Serious? Serious has been a mainstay on the DJ/Production (and now photography!) front in Toronto for quite some time now. Since his early days…

  • CRATERY 11: The Savittarians

    CRATERY 11: The Savittarians

    Kae and I are both Sagittarians with savage qualities. Qualities which I won’t mention here – but definitely the kind worthy of celebrating. Cratery 11 coincides with both of our birthdays in the final week of November. So we thought it might be fitting to pull out 11 personal favourites each – records that we…

  • CRATERY 10

    CRATERY 10

    More Cratery Baby. My mans Kaewonder and I have successfully managed to run our monthly dig diary for 10 months without running out of records. I’d say that kind of dedication is worth something awesome – like another free hour of funk on us. Cratery 10 starts off with some Modern Soul/Boogie bangers: some of…

  • CRATERY 9: Tapery

    CRATERY 9: Tapery

    (The 90 Minute Joint) For the 9th installment of our monthly dig diary, the hommie Kaewonder and I took it back. The contents of Cratery 9 were recorded entirely on a 90 minute cassette. Don’t ask why. Don’t ask how. Simply reacquaint yourself with some good old-fashioned tape hiss while Kae and I go 3…

  • CRATERY 8a : Skratch Bastid

    CRATERY 8a : Skratch Bastid

    CRATERY 8a f/ Skratch Bastid a.k.a Eightery You would not believe the hard work that goes into getting drunk, smoked out and playing premium musical selections for your listening pleasure on a monthly basis. This month, Kaewonder and I were lucky enough secure Montreal DJ and record aficionado Skratch Bastid simply by forcing him to…

  • CRATERY 7: Sub. Gluttony

    CRATERY 7: Sub. Gluttony

    “A busted amp and a broken car engine led myself and the hommie Kaewonder from the heart of Queen West to the outskirts of Sauga Sec on this month’s edition of Cratery. My neck of the woods, people. Big up Butch and Tink from The Rockbox – the same studio where Marvel and I recorded…

  • CRATERY 6: DOLLARATE!

    CRATERY 6: DOLLARATE!

    Over the years, self-indulgent record collectors have made a habit of promoting the rare over the good. The imitators over the originators. And of course, the expensive over the cheap. And the But the good people at Cratery (read: us) know where the heat is at. We give you Dollarate (from root word “Dollaration”), our…

  • CRATERY 5

    CRATERY 5

    This month’s Cratery is proof the weather’s getting a little hotter. And we’ve got the tunes to match: A little dub, reggae, rare groove, disco, funk and some good old fashioned soul music. The Lowrell record we both hold in our hands wasn’t some drunken attempt at comedy either – it embodies the spirit of…

  • CRATERY 4 : Mr. Attic

    CRATERY 4 : Mr. Attic

    Our mans Mr. Attic of Grassroots fame, aka Pee, joins us this month on Cratery to share some gems from what he refuses to admit is a legendary collection. Sorry Pee, but your shit is bananas. Cats like me are still pulling out Charles Wright in ‘09 . If you’re not up on game, Attic…

  • CRATERY 3: 45’s (part 1)

    CRATERY 3: 45’s (part 1)

    “I love 45’s. Not because they’re funky. Not because they’re full of unreleased b-sides. Not because they never seem to run out. But because they’re tiny little records. How can you not love a tiny little record? Kaewonder and I pull out some of our favourite finds, old and new, on our first all 45…

  • CRATERY 2

    CRATERY 2

    If I’m all I’m doing is looking for joints familiar to blogs and boutique record shops, I’m not really on my grizzly. I just can’t walk into the average record store hoping to find a copy of 24 Carat Black or Sabu Martinez. Cause I’ll constantly be disappointed. But if buy based on what they…

  • CRATERY 1

    CRATERY 1

    Aiight people. I’ve been toying with the idea of monthly dig diary for a minute now. A dig diary ain’t nothing but a fancy name for a bunch of songs played in succession and documented in a conveniently downloadable format for your listening pleasure. Basically, I felt it was finally time to give my record-digging…