It was an ordinary Sunday in Los Angeles. I heard one driver blasting Zapp while walking from the Metro station to Salt Box Records, another blasting Debbie Deb as I walked back. Second Street was packed with teenagers dressed in goth garb and anime gear and indie sleaze vintage with Labubus hanging off their bags.
Salt Box Sessions was a blast. Did some digging through the vinyl bins. The Miracles 45 that I got made it into the set. I went more soul than disco in the set, but the song that got the biggest reaction was “Les Yeux de Laura” by Goût de Luxe. It really impressed a French guy, who took a photo of it. I don’t know anything about the band or the song and the only reason why I know the title means “The Eyes of Laura” is because I Googled it and the movie The Eyes of Laura Mars (which is amazing, see it, if you haven’t) was one of the results. It is, however, a 45 that I found in the bins at Salt Box not too long ago.
The spectacular cover of Xalan “I Only Move for Money”/”Solo Me Muevo Por Dinero”
“It’s a gatefold,” the vendor told me as I handed him one of the records I was about to purchase.
I hadn’t thought to pull the 12” single out of the plastic sleeve. It was too hot in the early afternoon on Sunday— over 90 degrees according to my phone— and I was ready to wilt and, maybe, overly concerned about dripping sweat on Italo disco and city pop vinyl in front of me. Before opening the gatefold, though, I could tell you that the cover for Xalan “I Only Move For Money/Solo Me Muevo Por Dinero” was a masterpiece of sleeve art that could put even Lime’s covers to shame. The cover model is an ‘80s hunk of a man with sweat glistening on his muscular arms and a twinkle in his eye, A woman’s hands are wrapped around him. Her pink nails tear through his hairy chest to reveal a rainbow array of wires.
