The second stop on the short Ōsaka record shop whirlwind was Timebomb Records, recommended by Yasushi from the previous post, where, after I explained being mostly a Roc&Roll head, he promised I’d find endless records to fiend over. He was right.
A short walk from Groovenut, I found Timebomb in a downtown underground passage of sorts, and was getting a sense just from the shop signage, which mentioned “R&R, Oldies, R&B, Soul, Beatles, Stones, Garage, Psych, Punk New Wave, Alt., Indie/Pop” (in a seemingly perfect sequential order), and all the concert posters, a few pin-up girls, a font that reminded both of a kind of the Haunted Halloween / Frankenstein “It’s ALIVE” typeface (Think: The Cramps), and a mascot character that could have been on the side of a maui-waui-tiki-bar cocktail mug, that this would a regular haunt if I was an Osakan.
Instantly mesmerized and sensory overloaded as I opened the door, I recognized that this was likely a Disc Union caliber inventory, probably better, and maybe much better, AND not some giant chain, definitely an indie store. I immediately pinpointed and then identified the shopkeeper, Mr. Kenji Kodama, and began to ask him about Timebomb which he first explained started in 1990. Now if you stop to think about record stores 33 years ago, and deduce the state of records at that time and up til now, you’ll be quick to realize, it would take a mountain of passion to launch cultivate, and continue all this time, a shop like Timebomb.
Kenji agreed to some photos and insisted he pose with a record. What record would this record shop owner choose? “Bomb The Rocks: Early Days Singles 1989 – 1996” by legendary rockers, The 5.6.7.8’s. WICKED!
I told Kenji that I was connected to the underground experimental space, SuperDeluxe, and that The 5.6.7.8’s has played a special birthday party we hosted. Kenji lit up and said, “I was THERE!” Small world!!
Great to meet you Kenji-san and happy to have experienced TimeBomb Records! No doubt I’ll be back someday for some more Osaka Record Style!
The 5.6.7.8’s – Bomb The Rocks: Early Days Singles 1989 – 1996
Label: Time Bomb Records (2) – BOMB-69
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: Japan
Released: 2003
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Rockabilly
https://www.discogs.com/release/3521437-The-5678s-Bomb-The-Rocks-Early-Days-Singles-1989-1996
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