Waffles and Wax

Shaniqua and I have known T. Rust The Deejay for a bunch of years. He used to roll up to the back door of Wax in a forest green Brady Bunch station wagon, loaded down with white labels and first presses, probably from a recent trip to the coast where 45 gems were likely traded, bartered and bargained over. He was always a quiet guy, reserved, stylish, bringing heat to the kiddies while they practiced air chairs. I'd whip him up a Reeses milkshake and he'd be content to spin platters for hours.

These days, T. can be found at all the for real for real spots, keeping the undercurrent of cool alive. He invited us out to Bar Carlo yesterday morning for carbs and a crate of T. Rust goodness. The cafe was spacious, bright and had the bangingest selection of magazines and cleanest ladies room this side of Stark street. They had a copy of TRACE from 2004. TRACE, people. That, my sugary Belgian waffle, piping hot green tea and T.'s golden day hip hop samples made for an illustrious AM.

After b'fest, we hit up a thrift store down the street (T.'s recommendation) and found ourselves elbow-deep in dusty 12" funk and soul LPs. Gilbert, the owner, chatted it up with Sha Na and I while we took hearty turns at the record player. He gave me the tale behind the glass-framed, "Yesterday And Today" Beatles LP cover sitting protectively behind the register. Only 2,000 float world-wide and he dug his out of a collection bought off some poor sap years ago. It's a disturbing image. The four, spit-clean Brit boys covered in baby doll parts, meat and blood. The British government banned the album when it surfaced, calling it blasphemous.



Nonetheless and suffice to say, Shannon and I each exited stage right with arms fulls of vinyl, bellies full of food and faces full of cheeky grins.

T. Rust The Deejay : Every first Saturday 10am - 2pm at Bar Carlo on 54th Ave. and Foster Rd.
Barcarlo.com

Gilbert's amazing thrift store :
You ain't get the homie hook-up for this one, thanks.