Monday, May 27, 2019
Rock and Roll and The Gold Dust Woman
Well did she made you cry
Made you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
And Is it over now
Do you know how
To pick up the pieces and go home (Stevie Nicks-Gold Dust Woman)
Singles Going Steady Medley-Memorial Day Finds.
Dreaming-Cliff Richard (EMI America 8057) 1980 #10
Every Day I Learn A Little More About Love-John D Loudermilk (Music Is Medicine MIM 002) 1978
Love Is A Sometime Thing-Bill Anderson (Decca 732643) 1970
Who Will The Next Fool Be/Rita Mae-Jerry Lee Lewis (Elektra E-46067) 1979
Kiss The Lips Of A Fool-Rufus Lumley (RCA 47-9579) 1968
I'll Forgive You (But I Won't Forget)-Tony Pastor Jr. (Tower 204) 1966
For some reason these songs fit the mood that I am. Cliff Richard in 1980 had a comeback year with a couple to top ten hits with Alan Tarney from the Tarney/Spencer Band producing. Dreaming is lightweight bubblegum pop, but I enjoyed this song over We Don't Talk Anymore. The John Loudermilk song is ho hum including with a kiddie choir and Bill Anderson covers Jan Howard's song. My dad has both Bill's and Jan's version. Jerry Lee Lewis covers Charlie Rich with good intentions but the B side is Rita Mae, a Bob Dylan cover. Jerry's 1979 Elektra album is perhaps his last shining moment in the country side of things. And Rufus Lumley? This was his last RCA single, and it's better than the B side, which is Vegas pop overkill. Kinda reminds me of Tony Pastor Jr, whose single I'll Forgive You was found at the Maquoketa Goodwill a couple years ago and I thought I documented it in a previous Singles Going Steady Medley but everything has come up empty in the archives. Therefore, I'm finally adding it to the singles that were bought. It might be wishful thinking that I can salvage this relationship but I think I'm just wasting time and energy.
I also found a bunch of 45s from Moondog Music over the weekend and will write up a blog later on in the week.
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Singles Going Steady-2019 Edition
It has been a very quiet year on finding 45s of note but for the most part I continue to look for them but alas, the ones I do find are scratchy and have seen better days. And to the Salvation Army of Davenport that usually has then, the last trip they had none in the store. None to be found, no jukebox copies, no scratchy and broken records. But Davenport has had their own problems of late, basically the all time highest Mississippi River crest on record. And they still can't play baseball there. The stadium is an island in the river.
(Ragged Records Flood of 2019)
Let's face it. Us record crate diggers who take pride in their record finds will continue to search the area over for more music, and more 45s. I have noticed that this year I have found three copies of disgraced comedian Bill Cosby's Hikky Burr (Part 1 and 2) at Goodwill and did pick one up. He knows how to get funky, he has a great ear for jazz, but it's hard to listen to Bill and keep an open mind. I also did find Garland Green You Played On A Player.twice. The original copy I found last year had a nasty scratch on the B side. It's weird to find two singles from 50 plus years ago in decent shape from Bill Cosby an Garland Green. But then again, I have a knack of locating better copies of 45s and Cds for that matter. Just a force of habit, anybody can do it. But in this day and age the young generation don't give a shit about 45s. They're too busy gazing into their smart phone as the world passes them by.
I have written about 40 blogs about the 45s that I found and for a reference to myself, I tend to marvel or gasp at what I did find for music. If the song is memorable and part of my childhood years then that's another piece of the puzzle that is my life. I've been lucky in past years of finding past tunes and reconnecting with a lost part of my youth. But this year it has been slow going. Half Price Books haven't had much, neither has Goodwill. Analog Vault does managed to get something in from time to time and last Sunday, I had a chance to actually find some cool stuff. While Davenport failed to yield anything of note, Goodwill Moline had three pop singles, one from Dean Martin and two from Bobby Darin, who is enjoying a comeback of sorts here on Record World. He would have a third record but it was too chewed up to be played. The big surprise was finding The Beatles/From Me To You as a Vee Jay Promo, which cost me 8 dollars when I found it at Analog Vault. And it was in VG plus condition. After that, we're back to country singles and off the wall stuff that only myself would be interested to hear.
(bob herrington photo credit-Ragged Records May 9, 2019)
As of this writing, Ragged Records in Davenport still has Mississippi mud sludge in their building and any trip will have to wait but their second location in Rock Island is dry and perhaps that might be worth going to next time I'm in town. Until I go to Madison, there's not going to be much to report about 45s. But I do keep my eyes and ears open for the next estate sale that does sell 45s.
1) Hello Dolly-Bobby Darin (Capitol 5359) #79 1965
2) Mane-Bobby Darin (Atlantic 2329) #53 1966
Two songs written by Jerry Herman, both did get covered by Louie Armstrong, those ones I remember quite well. Richard Weiss who arranged most of Bobby's earlier Vegas stuff does the Hello Dolly song, Perry Botkin Jr arranged Mane and I think Mane is fun stuff. Even more fun is the B side Goodbye Charlie (Hello Dolly) which is the most jazz that Bobby Darin ever attempted. Walking In the Shadow Of Love, the Atlantic flip side is country sounding but not one of the better songs that Bobby ever did. But at this point, Darin was slowly moving into a more folk style that would come into play later with If I Were A Carpenter. But at this point, Bobby was still doing more of a swinging pop style.
3) Not Enough Indians-Dean Martin (Reprise 780) #43 1968
Written by Baker Knight, Dean is using Jimmy Bowen as producer, and Ernie Freeman on dated arrangements, just like Everybody Loves Somebody but the results and chart placements were getting lower and lower. Deano made it easy, he usually did one take and went on his merry way. B side Rainbows Are Back In Style was covered by Slim Whitman.
4) Thank God And Greyhound-Roy Clark (Dot DOA 17355) #90 1970
My favorite Roy Clark song of all time. Great guitar player but he made some of the most blandest country songs of the 60s and 70s but this one has the Hee Haw wit and since of humor. On the country charts he did well, on the pop side of things, not so much.
5) Lonely Women Make Good Lovers-Bob Luman (Epic 5-10905) #4 Country 1972
Like most rockabilly artists, Luman enjoyed a decent country music career before pneumonia cut his life short at age 41 in 1978. Out of all the country singles he did, this is probably my favorite song of his. Took me forever to find a decent 45 and even my copy must have spent some time in somebody's jukebox.
6) Honky Tonk Wine-Wayne Kemp (MCA 40031) #17 Country 1973
Another journeyman country singer, Kemp had his highest charting single with this Mack Vackery written number, complete with a fuzz tone guitar, quite uncountry like for the times. He's best known for writing One Piece At A Time, a number 1 country hit for Johnny Cash in 1976. Back when country was still fun to listen to.
7) Let Me Know-Dick Todd (Decca 9-28583) 1953
Known as Canada's answer to Bing Crosby, Todd recorded for Bluebird, Rainbow and Decca. Of course I wouldn't be that interested but till I heard this song. B side was Bumming Around to which Johnny Horton had a minor hit but I know this song from Jan Howard, who recorded a country version of this. Backed by the Ray Charles Singers to which is not related to the Genius of modern country and blues.
8) Ain't It Amazing Gracie-Buck Owens (Capitol 3563) #14 1973
The last great period of Buck's recording years with Capitol. Times were changing and tho' his singles continued to chart, the newer country stars were pushing Buck to the back of the bus. But I still grant Buck had a ear for crafting 2 minute songs that were straight and to the point. Omnivore is slated to release the third and final volume of Buck's Capitol years, if they haven't already. Hard to find a record store that would stock it.
9) Moody Woman-Jerry Butler (Mercury 72939) #24 1969
Butler's best songs were with the Gamble/Huff production team and the Philadelphia sound went very well with Butler's smooth Chicago R and B vocals. The template for the Philadelphia International sound later with the O Jays, Harold Melvin and The Blues Notes and others, but it actually started with Jerry. B side Go Away Find Yourself is a very moody slow r and b cooker.
10) Wake Up Wake Up-The Grassroots (Dunhill D-4105) #68 1967
I was listening to the now deleted Complete ABC/Dunhill singles that Real Gone issued a few years ago (not complete since No Smoke Without Fire was omitted for the censored Let's Live For Today version) and was taken by how samely the songs would be beginning with Midnight Confessions and so on and so forth. You can tell the difference between the more inspired I'd Wait A Million Years, or Heaven knows and watching the Grassroots recycled the same arrangements for later songs (the awful Two Divided By Love or Sooner Or Later) and the songs became a cliche formula. But on Wake Up Wake Up, PF Sloan still had some say in having the guys branch out a bit. Somewhat of a cross between Paul Revere and the Raiders and even Del Shannon comes to mind. Slightly psychedelic and bubble gum, Wake Up Wake Up could be the answer to My World Fell Down or Susan by the Buckinghams. The fun of trying to figure out the influences and sounds of a band that Steve Barri would hijack and rewrite the same songs over and over, but as long as they charted in the top 30, things would be fine. B side No Exit is a band comp without Sloan nor Barri's help. Sound kinda dull too.
(Photo Courtesy: The Bargain Hunters Network: Found at Analog Vault, CR, IA)
Finally. If you read this far. The find of the day.
From Me To You-The Beatles (Vee Jay 522) #46 1964 (released in 1963)
Back around 1963, there was a certain band from Liverpool who was tolling in the underground music scene at Hamburg but was causing up such a rawkus that the american Capitol label, didn't promote much of their music before I Wanna Hold Your Hand, to which that song made number 1 and the world was never the same but at that time, Capitol was rather license the songs out to minor labels and not give a shit. Things changed big time once I Wanna Hold Your Hand blew up the charts. Vee Jay, was the second biggest R and B label next to Chess but they managed to grab hold on a few singles and managed to manipulate things and released the same songs on various albums before EMI/Capitol said enough. The version that charted was Vee Jay 581 but my copy is a DJ promo VJ 522. And I paid 8 dollars for a DJ promo, which is cool. You do not see many Vee Jay Beatles pressings out in decent shape anywhere, unless you take out a second mortgage should you find a unmarked copy at a deceiving record store and they have to look it up on EBAY and apply the screws on you. I don't mind paying 8 dollars for a VG VJ copy. It's one of those rare singles which Paul McCartney/John Lennon are co writes, later editions would fall under Lennon/McCartney.
B side is Thank You Girl, to which Vee Jay would issue a stand alone promo copy that's is quite hard to find if they haven't been broken up in little pieces after the license to Vee Jay ran out and Vee Jay was forced to destroy the records. In the process by losing the battle, Vee Jay would go out of business. But in the CD era, the Vee Jay Partnership has returned, putting out compilations of the blues hits of John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and a few others. However, the Beatles (and Four Seasons) songs were hands off. But there is something special of owning a Vee Jay Beatles records (or a Swan or Tollie) and fifty years on, they remain a good investment for the 45 collector. And of a special time before the major labels, realizing what they have, would issue product to the independent labels. You won't see that anymore.
(Ragged Records Flood of 2019)
Let's face it. Us record crate diggers who take pride in their record finds will continue to search the area over for more music, and more 45s. I have noticed that this year I have found three copies of disgraced comedian Bill Cosby's Hikky Burr (Part 1 and 2) at Goodwill and did pick one up. He knows how to get funky, he has a great ear for jazz, but it's hard to listen to Bill and keep an open mind. I also did find Garland Green You Played On A Player.twice. The original copy I found last year had a nasty scratch on the B side. It's weird to find two singles from 50 plus years ago in decent shape from Bill Cosby an Garland Green. But then again, I have a knack of locating better copies of 45s and Cds for that matter. Just a force of habit, anybody can do it. But in this day and age the young generation don't give a shit about 45s. They're too busy gazing into their smart phone as the world passes them by.
I have written about 40 blogs about the 45s that I found and for a reference to myself, I tend to marvel or gasp at what I did find for music. If the song is memorable and part of my childhood years then that's another piece of the puzzle that is my life. I've been lucky in past years of finding past tunes and reconnecting with a lost part of my youth. But this year it has been slow going. Half Price Books haven't had much, neither has Goodwill. Analog Vault does managed to get something in from time to time and last Sunday, I had a chance to actually find some cool stuff. While Davenport failed to yield anything of note, Goodwill Moline had three pop singles, one from Dean Martin and two from Bobby Darin, who is enjoying a comeback of sorts here on Record World. He would have a third record but it was too chewed up to be played. The big surprise was finding The Beatles/From Me To You as a Vee Jay Promo, which cost me 8 dollars when I found it at Analog Vault. And it was in VG plus condition. After that, we're back to country singles and off the wall stuff that only myself would be interested to hear.
(bob herrington photo credit-Ragged Records May 9, 2019)
As of this writing, Ragged Records in Davenport still has Mississippi mud sludge in their building and any trip will have to wait but their second location in Rock Island is dry and perhaps that might be worth going to next time I'm in town. Until I go to Madison, there's not going to be much to report about 45s. But I do keep my eyes and ears open for the next estate sale that does sell 45s.
1) Hello Dolly-Bobby Darin (Capitol 5359) #79 1965
2) Mane-Bobby Darin (Atlantic 2329) #53 1966
Two songs written by Jerry Herman, both did get covered by Louie Armstrong, those ones I remember quite well. Richard Weiss who arranged most of Bobby's earlier Vegas stuff does the Hello Dolly song, Perry Botkin Jr arranged Mane and I think Mane is fun stuff. Even more fun is the B side Goodbye Charlie (Hello Dolly) which is the most jazz that Bobby Darin ever attempted. Walking In the Shadow Of Love, the Atlantic flip side is country sounding but not one of the better songs that Bobby ever did. But at this point, Darin was slowly moving into a more folk style that would come into play later with If I Were A Carpenter. But at this point, Bobby was still doing more of a swinging pop style.
3) Not Enough Indians-Dean Martin (Reprise 780) #43 1968
Written by Baker Knight, Dean is using Jimmy Bowen as producer, and Ernie Freeman on dated arrangements, just like Everybody Loves Somebody but the results and chart placements were getting lower and lower. Deano made it easy, he usually did one take and went on his merry way. B side Rainbows Are Back In Style was covered by Slim Whitman.
4) Thank God And Greyhound-Roy Clark (Dot DOA 17355) #90 1970
My favorite Roy Clark song of all time. Great guitar player but he made some of the most blandest country songs of the 60s and 70s but this one has the Hee Haw wit and since of humor. On the country charts he did well, on the pop side of things, not so much.
5) Lonely Women Make Good Lovers-Bob Luman (Epic 5-10905) #4 Country 1972
Like most rockabilly artists, Luman enjoyed a decent country music career before pneumonia cut his life short at age 41 in 1978. Out of all the country singles he did, this is probably my favorite song of his. Took me forever to find a decent 45 and even my copy must have spent some time in somebody's jukebox.
6) Honky Tonk Wine-Wayne Kemp (MCA 40031) #17 Country 1973
Another journeyman country singer, Kemp had his highest charting single with this Mack Vackery written number, complete with a fuzz tone guitar, quite uncountry like for the times. He's best known for writing One Piece At A Time, a number 1 country hit for Johnny Cash in 1976. Back when country was still fun to listen to.
7) Let Me Know-Dick Todd (Decca 9-28583) 1953
Known as Canada's answer to Bing Crosby, Todd recorded for Bluebird, Rainbow and Decca. Of course I wouldn't be that interested but till I heard this song. B side was Bumming Around to which Johnny Horton had a minor hit but I know this song from Jan Howard, who recorded a country version of this. Backed by the Ray Charles Singers to which is not related to the Genius of modern country and blues.
8) Ain't It Amazing Gracie-Buck Owens (Capitol 3563) #14 1973
The last great period of Buck's recording years with Capitol. Times were changing and tho' his singles continued to chart, the newer country stars were pushing Buck to the back of the bus. But I still grant Buck had a ear for crafting 2 minute songs that were straight and to the point. Omnivore is slated to release the third and final volume of Buck's Capitol years, if they haven't already. Hard to find a record store that would stock it.
9) Moody Woman-Jerry Butler (Mercury 72939) #24 1969
Butler's best songs were with the Gamble/Huff production team and the Philadelphia sound went very well with Butler's smooth Chicago R and B vocals. The template for the Philadelphia International sound later with the O Jays, Harold Melvin and The Blues Notes and others, but it actually started with Jerry. B side Go Away Find Yourself is a very moody slow r and b cooker.
10) Wake Up Wake Up-The Grassroots (Dunhill D-4105) #68 1967
I was listening to the now deleted Complete ABC/Dunhill singles that Real Gone issued a few years ago (not complete since No Smoke Without Fire was omitted for the censored Let's Live For Today version) and was taken by how samely the songs would be beginning with Midnight Confessions and so on and so forth. You can tell the difference between the more inspired I'd Wait A Million Years, or Heaven knows and watching the Grassroots recycled the same arrangements for later songs (the awful Two Divided By Love or Sooner Or Later) and the songs became a cliche formula. But on Wake Up Wake Up, PF Sloan still had some say in having the guys branch out a bit. Somewhat of a cross between Paul Revere and the Raiders and even Del Shannon comes to mind. Slightly psychedelic and bubble gum, Wake Up Wake Up could be the answer to My World Fell Down or Susan by the Buckinghams. The fun of trying to figure out the influences and sounds of a band that Steve Barri would hijack and rewrite the same songs over and over, but as long as they charted in the top 30, things would be fine. B side No Exit is a band comp without Sloan nor Barri's help. Sound kinda dull too.
(Photo Courtesy: The Bargain Hunters Network: Found at Analog Vault, CR, IA)
Finally. If you read this far. The find of the day.
From Me To You-The Beatles (Vee Jay 522) #46 1964 (released in 1963)
Back around 1963, there was a certain band from Liverpool who was tolling in the underground music scene at Hamburg but was causing up such a rawkus that the american Capitol label, didn't promote much of their music before I Wanna Hold Your Hand, to which that song made number 1 and the world was never the same but at that time, Capitol was rather license the songs out to minor labels and not give a shit. Things changed big time once I Wanna Hold Your Hand blew up the charts. Vee Jay, was the second biggest R and B label next to Chess but they managed to grab hold on a few singles and managed to manipulate things and released the same songs on various albums before EMI/Capitol said enough. The version that charted was Vee Jay 581 but my copy is a DJ promo VJ 522. And I paid 8 dollars for a DJ promo, which is cool. You do not see many Vee Jay Beatles pressings out in decent shape anywhere, unless you take out a second mortgage should you find a unmarked copy at a deceiving record store and they have to look it up on EBAY and apply the screws on you. I don't mind paying 8 dollars for a VG VJ copy. It's one of those rare singles which Paul McCartney/John Lennon are co writes, later editions would fall under Lennon/McCartney.
B side is Thank You Girl, to which Vee Jay would issue a stand alone promo copy that's is quite hard to find if they haven't been broken up in little pieces after the license to Vee Jay ran out and Vee Jay was forced to destroy the records. In the process by losing the battle, Vee Jay would go out of business. But in the CD era, the Vee Jay Partnership has returned, putting out compilations of the blues hits of John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and a few others. However, the Beatles (and Four Seasons) songs were hands off. But there is something special of owning a Vee Jay Beatles records (or a Swan or Tollie) and fifty years on, they remain a good investment for the 45 collector. And of a special time before the major labels, realizing what they have, would issue product to the independent labels. You won't see that anymore.
Thursday, May 2, 2019
The Davenport Flood of 2019
It's been a quiet five months here in Record World land. I have been busy in my other blog world, and taking notes of the the songs and places that I played at and bands that I have been playing in. I don't promote that page much, it's for a reference for me to see what songs worked and what songs don't, and the continual up and down of being a adversary in a relationship that hasn't pawned out much. Less said the better and I already said too much.
2019 hasn't been a boom in looking for new music, in fact I only bought three new albums and am more interested of what I can find for two dollars or less at the thrift store. I do frequent the record stores when I'm in the neighborhood. In fact two weeks ago, I stopped at Davenport to get the new Dawn album, but got to Ragged Records too late and they were closed (they closed at 5, I got there at five minutes afterwards) and to take in a River Bandits game. This season, that hasn't been possible.
For you see we had a very wet winter, and a rapid snow melt and two cyclone bombs to make the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers into one great big sea. The Missouri is somewhat back to it's banks but for 40 straight days and counting, the Mississippi has flooded parts of Davenport, normally on River Drive and the parks next to the river. In fact The River Bandits have only played three home games all year since Modern Woodsman Park is a island and the parking lot flooded. It's not about to change anytime soon.
The city of Davenport had installed HESCO flood barriers to keep the Mississippi at bay. The HESO barriers were a success keeping the Cedar River out of downtown Cedar Rapids in 2016, but they were only good for a quick flood. The Mississippi on the other hand, is a whole different river, and for 40 days, the HESCO barrier was not supposed to be used that long. On 3:30 Tuesday Afternoon, the river broke through and flooded the South East corner of downtown. To which Bob Herrington at Ragged Records woke up to find the river approaching closer and closer and decided to take action and move his inventory upstairs and six feet off the floor for the lesser stuff. He has kept us updated on the situation and as of this morning, he has resigned in frustration that the inventory downstairs might be a total loss now that the Mississippi is now four feet into the record store. Trash Can Annie, the vintage clothes shop that shares the space with Ragged Records. They managed to clear out that part of the store within two hours.
While the media tells you that downtown Davenport is all flooded, it's not. The area where Ragged Records is located at is down hill. Centennial Park, located next to Woodman's Park is basically on the riverbank and everything is flooded down there. The amphitheater,the bathrooms, the old hot dog stand are underwater. Front Street Brewery Company, they tried to save with sandbags but that failed after the Hesco breach. The old Antique Mall/Pawnshop, flooded big time as well. The Source Book store is doing okay, but I'm not sure about the basement, there's probably water in the basement there too. But the area around 2nd Street and Pershing got nailed. The Peterson Paper Company Loft Apartments, an Art Center, any store, any bar in that vicinity is dealing with the flood.
At any point, The Flood of 2019 will be bigger than the 1993 Flood that for 85 days, made parts of Davenport, part of the Mississippi. Back then, Davenport wasn't the vibrant city of micro breweries, restaurants and live entertainment after sundown, it was quite depressing to be downtown back then. The best known photo was the ballpark flooded big time. 26 years onward, improvements to the ballpark and the infield doesn't get flooded. But the city prided itself on having a riverview and so they chose not to build a flood wall, like Moline across the river did. There's some flooded streets in the lower areas tho but not as bad as when the rainy season hits Davenport.
Barring any more rain, the Mississippi should crest later today.Around 22.7 feet which would be the biggest flood in their history. But the forecast is not being kind to them. Predictions of more heavy rain forthcoming this weekend. Meanwhile at Ragged Records, they can only look from a distance and hope the damage will be minimal. But it will be a while before downtown Davenport gets back to normal if ever. I have a feeling this flood will last longer than the 85 days of the 1993 Flood.
2019 hasn't been a boom in looking for new music, in fact I only bought three new albums and am more interested of what I can find for two dollars or less at the thrift store. I do frequent the record stores when I'm in the neighborhood. In fact two weeks ago, I stopped at Davenport to get the new Dawn album, but got to Ragged Records too late and they were closed (they closed at 5, I got there at five minutes afterwards) and to take in a River Bandits game. This season, that hasn't been possible.
For you see we had a very wet winter, and a rapid snow melt and two cyclone bombs to make the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers into one great big sea. The Missouri is somewhat back to it's banks but for 40 straight days and counting, the Mississippi has flooded parts of Davenport, normally on River Drive and the parks next to the river. In fact The River Bandits have only played three home games all year since Modern Woodsman Park is a island and the parking lot flooded. It's not about to change anytime soon.
The city of Davenport had installed HESCO flood barriers to keep the Mississippi at bay. The HESO barriers were a success keeping the Cedar River out of downtown Cedar Rapids in 2016, but they were only good for a quick flood. The Mississippi on the other hand, is a whole different river, and for 40 days, the HESCO barrier was not supposed to be used that long. On 3:30 Tuesday Afternoon, the river broke through and flooded the South East corner of downtown. To which Bob Herrington at Ragged Records woke up to find the river approaching closer and closer and decided to take action and move his inventory upstairs and six feet off the floor for the lesser stuff. He has kept us updated on the situation and as of this morning, he has resigned in frustration that the inventory downstairs might be a total loss now that the Mississippi is now four feet into the record store. Trash Can Annie, the vintage clothes shop that shares the space with Ragged Records. They managed to clear out that part of the store within two hours.
While the media tells you that downtown Davenport is all flooded, it's not. The area where Ragged Records is located at is down hill. Centennial Park, located next to Woodman's Park is basically on the riverbank and everything is flooded down there. The amphitheater,the bathrooms, the old hot dog stand are underwater. Front Street Brewery Company, they tried to save with sandbags but that failed after the Hesco breach. The old Antique Mall/Pawnshop, flooded big time as well. The Source Book store is doing okay, but I'm not sure about the basement, there's probably water in the basement there too. But the area around 2nd Street and Pershing got nailed. The Peterson Paper Company Loft Apartments, an Art Center, any store, any bar in that vicinity is dealing with the flood.
At any point, The Flood of 2019 will be bigger than the 1993 Flood that for 85 days, made parts of Davenport, part of the Mississippi. Back then, Davenport wasn't the vibrant city of micro breweries, restaurants and live entertainment after sundown, it was quite depressing to be downtown back then. The best known photo was the ballpark flooded big time. 26 years onward, improvements to the ballpark and the infield doesn't get flooded. But the city prided itself on having a riverview and so they chose not to build a flood wall, like Moline across the river did. There's some flooded streets in the lower areas tho but not as bad as when the rainy season hits Davenport.
Barring any more rain, the Mississippi should crest later today.Around 22.7 feet which would be the biggest flood in their history. But the forecast is not being kind to them. Predictions of more heavy rain forthcoming this weekend. Meanwhile at Ragged Records, they can only look from a distance and hope the damage will be minimal. But it will be a while before downtown Davenport gets back to normal if ever. I have a feeling this flood will last longer than the 85 days of the 1993 Flood.
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