Cool People and Things

A longtime denizen and supporter of the independent music scene, Bill Wisener and Bill's Records & Tapes have been fixtures of the Dallas community for over thirty years. After cutting his teeth working the flea markets and swap meets, Bill opened his first record store in 1973 on Lower Greenville Avenue. In 1981, he moved the store to its former location at Spring Valley and Coit Road in North Dallas, and from there he proceeded to build one of the largest independently owned and operated record stores in the country. Over the years, hundreds of acts played or made personal appearances inside his hallowed walls, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Radiohead, Suede, Weezer, and Bill's close friend, Ben Harper. Beginning in the summer of 2002, Bill's Records & Tapes also became a popular venue for local poets and spoken word artists, and it was the site of a weekly open mic that ran from 2002 until January 2006. In March 2007, Bill moved the store from its home of 26 years to its present location at 1317 S. Lamar Street, just south of Downtown Dallas. The move was necessitated by the pressures of internet competition and the property management's desire to exploit the changing demographic of the Spring Valley / Coit retail area. Now situated next door to Poor David's Pub and just across the way from the old Sears building (now the South Side Lofts) and the Absinthe Lounge, Bill's Records & Tapes continues to be an integral part of the Dallas arts scene, one of the few remaining places in town where you can get to know the owner and enjoy a mom-and-pop atmosphere. Bill and Bill's Records were forever immortalized in the 2005 Jeff Liles documentary The Last Record Store, and the store is the host venue for the current Lost Art Open Mic night each Sunday at 8 PM.

Cliff Notes Prolonged Media is the love child born of 20 plus years of bookselling experience and a lifetime of loving literature local and worldwide, mainstream and underground shared between husband and wife team, Carlos and Opalina Salas. As spoken word artists, Carlos and Opal have been part of the DFW open mic circuit for over 15 years and have lived in Oak Cliff for just as long. When the opportunity arose, they decided to open their shop in the Tyler X+ district because it had the “feeI” they desired. More importantly, it was in their beloved community and would give them a chance to fill the need of a bookstore in the area. Since their opening in October of 2009, there have been many local residents who have expressed their support and thanks for keeping literature available and alive in Oak Cliff. It is Carlos and Opal’s intent to serve the community in any way possible, if it be thru their Community Education Project, or their Poets on X+ Open Mic reading at Mighty Fine Arts which is held once a month. Cliff Notes also prides itself on its growing selection of local talent in the form of Chapbooks, ‘Zines , and audio CDs, and takes local writers work on commission are always looking for new merchandise to carry. Cliff Notes has both gently used and new books, that concentrates heavily on the Beat Generation and poetry of all styles and ages, Eastern Religion and Philosophies, subversive and underground authors and Art books, but also carries mainstream literature, and subjects ranging from cooking and gardening to genre fiction and kids books. They also carry an impressive collection of vintage gaming consoles and accessories. Cliff Notes has a book finding service and can special order any title you are looking for as well! In our ever expanding world that is connected through the advances in technology and internet social networks, youth may begin to see books as an archaic means of education and entertainment. It is Cliff Notes hope that they can play a part in Prolonging the life and influence that the written word can give everyone in book form. They hope to be a part of the resurgence of Bibliophiles and can provide an affordable venue for creating this love of both written and spoken word. Cliff Notes Prolonged Media - 1222 West Davis, Dallas, TX 75208. [summary courtesy Opalina Salas]

What is Guardiandam Music? No, it's not a record label. Nor is it a promotions company in the usual sense of the term. In October 2006, Guardiandam founder Rob began to design artwork for the Mesquite, Texas-based band 3/4 Ton. By February of the next year, he was also designing artwork for Dallas-based Stir the Silence, and soon afterward he began offering artwork to all bands in the Dallas area. A show booked at Deep Ellum's Curtain Club soon followed, and the rest, as they say, is history. What began as a one person outfit working with one band has since expanded to a four person operation providing artwork, promotion, booking, and management for several different local acts including With These Words and Fallen South, a successor to the original 3/4 Ton. They have broadened their presence beyond Dallas to include Fort Worth and also New Orleans, with Amy taking care of things in The Big Easy, Munkey working in Fort Worth, and Rob and Steph holding down the fort in Dallas. They work with both local and national acts, and are committed to ensuring that the musicians under their wing are treated fairly and not ripped off or exploited by unscrupulous venues or individuals looking to make a quick buck at an artist's expense. The Guardiandam motto, "Promotion is everything," recognizes the fact that it is impossible to get anywhere in the music business without good people and relentless effort, and reaffirms their commitment to making sure that musicians get a fair deal. "Our goal when we first started," says Steph, was to help bands so they didn't get screwed over. Which is where our name came from - Guardian. The Dam came from 'Designed Art and Management.' Guardian Designed Art and Management was just too long and was shortened to Guardiandam."

In 2007, Chris Nite and Renegade Radio named Guardiandam founder Rob their Promoter of the Year. Check out the Guardiandam home page at http://www.myspace.com/guardiandamdallas.

One of Dallas's premier used bookstores, this fixture in the East Dallas literary community first opened its doors in 1976 in the Lakewood Shopping Center off Gaston and Abrams in East Dallas, moving to its present location at 6115 LaVista Drive in 1994. The sister store of the original Paperbacks Plus in Mesquite, Texas, it has been owned and run since the beginning by Marquetta Herring and John Tilton. Whether you're a student of literature, an avid poet, a fan of a good mystery or romance novel, or merely a passerby who happens to be in journeying through East Dallas, this is the place to stop and visit. You can find and browse just about any type of book on any subject you can think of, and if you're on a budget (like most of us poor readers, photographers, and artists are), you can take advantage of the generous trading policy to save up to 50% off the price of nearly anything in the store. Many a starving poet and artist have found a haven within the store's hallowed walls. And if you're looking to check out the local literary scene, this is the place to go. While the downstairs houses room after room packed full of books, magazines, movies, and music for sale, the upstairs plays host to various events and readings, literary gatherings, and a weekly poetry salon founded and hosted by local poet Todd Buckley. The headquarters of the Writer's Garrett is located there, and the store itself is situated only a few minutes from Downtown, within easy reach of historic East Dallas and a stone's throw away from Lower Greenville Avenue. Paperbacks Plus has a special place in my heart as it was there that I was given the first job I ever had, and the one I stayed at the longest (1994 - 2003), not to mention having been the place that gave me my entrée into the world of poets and open mic artists. Paperbacks Plus is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hours are from 9 - 9 Monday through Friday and from 11 - 7 on Sundays and holidays. The Mesquite location, opened in 1974 and the sister store to the Dallas location, is at 108 E. Davis Street, down the street from the old town square.

Who is the Crazy Picture Guy, Scotty Mankoff? This guy is the busiest and most prolific photographer I know, with literally tens of thousands of photos to his credit. Chances are, if you've been to any major local event in the past year, he's been there. A freelance photographer available for hire, he is seen just about everywhere anything is happening, and even many places where it isn't - Deep Ellum, Lower Greenville, The Vampire Lounge, The Skillman Street Pub, The Granada Theater, the new Bill's Records, the Town Square Project, the AFI Film Fest, the Kettle Art Gallery, Studio Fling, Absolute Rehearsal, and everywhere in between. His photos and articles have appeared in Harder Beat, Lit Monthly, Envy, Metro ANE Magazine, and on countless MySpace profiles far and wide. Some of his photos have been featured in art shows at the Kettle Art Gallery in Deep Ellum. He is an accomplished musician who has sung and played guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, harmonica, and kazoo in several bands over the last twenty years. Over fifty Scotty Mankoff original compositions are registered with BMI and the Library of Congress. And speaking of music, you can often find him on the radio as a DJ or commentator, as he has been involved with radio since 1987 and has been affiliated with multiple stations. He has conducted video interviews of musicians and artists, some of which can be seen on YouTube, and is a member of Model Mayhem and BMI as a singer/songwriter. And as if all that weren't enough, he is currently at work on a book which will feature the best of his hitherto unpublished photo work. Like I said, this guy is everywhere and has done everything to help promote and support the local arts and music scenes. Check out his site at ScottyMankoff.com and thousands of his photos at CrazyPictureGuy.com. And if you see him at a show or an opening sometime, remember to say hello and to thank him for all he has done for the arts in Dallas.

If you're looking for a unique vegetarian cuisine served up with a generous helping of atmosphere, or your're just a lover of foreign dining experiences, look no further. Kalachandji's has been a fixture in East Dallas since it opened its doors in 1982, and has been recognized far and wide throughout the Dallas area as a premier vegetarian eatery. Numerous personalities have passed through the doors of the temple, including Todd Rundgren, R.E.M., and B.B. King, among others. These and other celebrities are pictured on the wall by the buffet entrance, but the palace does not exploit the value of these names to draw in visitors. It doesn't need to - rather, it is Kalachandji's itself that draws people to it, to come in and dine, frequent the gift shop, or to attend services at the Hari Krishna temple. A friend introduced me to the restaurant in the late 90's, and I have been a patron ever since. On Sunday evenings, when I'm not going to a show or hanging out with a friend, you can often find me there for the Sunday buffet. $10.95 gets you into the door, and it's all you can eat from that point. The menu rotates and features Indian dishes as well as various other dishes done over Indian style. The restaurant features an enclosed courtyard with a fountain, numerous tables, and booths with heaters fixed overhead for use during the winter months. Kalachandji's is located at 5430 Gurley Ave in Dallas, two blocks from Samuel Blvd. and Hwy 78 (East Grand Avenue).

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This page last updated on 7 July 2011 at 1:53 AM.