Steve Manley putting a sign on the exterior of B-Side's original location on State Street.
Steve Manley, long-time owner of B-Side Records, opens shop in a scene from 'Still Spinning.'
Just in time for Record Store Day, April 20, filmmaker Mitch Deitz is releasing his documentary Keep Spinning: a B-Side Story for free viewing on his Vimeo site.
Deitz, who grew up on Madison’s east side, now lives in Chicago. He started there with an internship at the nonprofit Kartemquin Films documentary studio. He’s now involved with the Chicago International Film fest and screenwriting.
He became interested in television and film at Madison East High School and went on to receive a communication arts degree from UW-Madison. His interest in B-Side is personal. He grew up with B-Side owner Steve Manley’s son, Brendan, performing in bands with him starting in third grade with the Lowell Elementary School talent show and continuing to the present. He spent a lot of time hanging out at Manley’s house while growing up, and sometimes helping out at the record store.
The B-Side documentary was started during his internship with Kartemquin and finished during the pandemic.
Deitz’s intention was to show “a slice of life of the shop,” he tells Isthmus in a phone interview. “Steve is so nonchalant, which is part of what makes him a good record store guy; he’ll give you good advice, he doesn’t try to sell you too hard on anything he doesn’t like.”
Keep Spinning premiered at last fall’s 53704 Frame by Frame Film Festival at The Barrymore. The 15-minute short focuses on Manley and longtime employees like Dave Colby, in the context of the closing of many record stores. The question that carries Keep Spinning along is, how did B-Side survive?
“The store outlasted iTunes,” Deitz observes, surviving into the present when the immaterial nature of streaming music has sent some listeners back to the tangible — CDs, cassettes and especially vinyl. “I wanted the perspective of the end of iTunes, but it ended up being a little less about that and more about Steve.”
Deitz says he felt “pretty passionate about getting Steve's story out there.”
Keep Spinning wraps up before the store’s move to a new location at 514 State St. — but another filmmaker, Alec Mattie, made a film (also on YouTube) that details that move.
Keep Spinning
B-Side will open early, at 9 a.m., for Record Store Day; along with the day's special RSD releases, used and collectible LPs will hit the floor for the first time.
Other Record Store Day events in Madison include:
Boneset Records moved to Milwaukee last year, but is returning as part of a pop-up market in the parking lot at its former location, 222 North St. Music will be provided by WORT-FM DJs Steph Stringer (noon), Chiaroscuro (1 p.m.), SpinCycle (2 p.m.), Ms. Niki (3 p.m.), and Bad Sister Heidi (4 p.m.)
The Door, 4509 Monona Drive, will open early at 9 a.m., with a fresh batch of collectible and other used records and CDs, free food at noon, DJs from WORT-FM metal show The Mosh Pit at 1 p.m., and concert ticket giveaways.
WORT is also throwing a Record Store Day-themed fundraiser at the Crystal Corner Bar starting at 8 p.m., with sets by Ifdakar and The Earthlings sandwiched between sets from DJs NuFone Rick, Brian Hirsh and Julia McAnly.
JiggyJamz, 1734 Fordem Ave., Suite A, opens at 11 a.m., with a fresh batch of records out and DJs all day long including Sam Link, ZanderMint, Vilas Park Sniper, AZZA, Jason Bentley, Paul Gordon and Abesm.
MadCity Music, 2023 Atwood Ave., opens early at 9 a.m., featuring RSD releases, freshly stocked used items, and a visit from 106.7 The Resistance and 94.1 WJJO-FM DJs.
Strictly Discs, 1900 Monroe St., usually has a long line outside for most of the day. This year the DJs will be outside along the queue on Harrison Street, including Paul Grain (8 a.m.), The Real Jaguar (9 a.m.), Evan Woodward and Zack Stafford (10 a.m.), Bruce Blaq (11 a.m.), Nate Zukas (noon), and Slimzy (1 p.m.). RSD releases and just-in used records will be available.
WVMO-FM (98.7) celebrates Record Store Day by participating in the annual Vinylthon, programming 48 hours of music from records on April 20-21.
[Editor's note: this article has been corrected to note that Alec Mattie made the film about B-Side's move to a new storefront on State Street.]
