When I walk into Lo & Behold, I am usually on my way to or from somewhere else. And in these cases I am often late. I think to myself, I'll just pop in for a second to say hi to Richard and find out the name of the record that's playing right now with that electric guitar that sounds sweeter than honey infused blood to a mosquito on a hot July afternoon in the fourth street dog park. And who wouldn't want to hear a guitar that sweet again? Or at least know what album to look up when one needed to find out. Maybe I would ask casually about the latest projects. Perhaps a few more records would be played and discussed, then a volume from his latest recording project, then talk about the upcoming shows that he is hosting, plans for the future, and a recommendation for an album in a genre I've been starting to explore. And the story behind the album. And each of the musicians. And how they are related to musical history in Detroit. And how someone from that history is coming to play at the store one of these days soon because Richard managed to contact them. It all comes around full circle.
And of course, purposefully choosing not to look at my watch, I ask more questions and begin more discussions down the fractaline path of our conversations in which I've learned far more about this city that I would have thought possible in an hour. And, realizing that I'm an hour later to wherever I'm going than I intended to be, I make moves to pay for my record and run out while attempting not to ask any of the 100 questions that I'm sure would all lead down an endless path of exciting discovery. And so now I am put in the position of the one thing I most hate to do in this city - speed on the highway.
And yet, it's worth it. because Richard is one of these people who is truly engaged in Detroit in the way that brings joy to himself and those who come into his shop. I imagine that it is what keeps him alive. And it is this vitality is what you'll find, and what you'll feel, when you take a minute (or an hour) to browse around his store and listen to the stories and sounds of this wonderful city that he's collected. read more