Can You Dig It? Vol. 15: Egon

Name: Egon

Claim to Fame: I’m best know for managing Stones Throw Records, founding Now Again Records, and being friends with David Axelrod.



Representing: Los Angeles, California.

Years in the Game: I’ve been DJing since 1992, collecting records since 1992, and collecting funk and the like since 1995.


Egon, Lee Anthony of True Soul Records, Count Bass D, and DJ Signify at the Ultimate Breaks & Beats II benefit in Nashville, April 8, 2000.

Best Digging City or Town: Sao Paulo, Brazil has always been kind to me, but when it was happening, I was just killing it in New Orleans.

Most Prized Piece of Wax: Galt MacDermot's "Hamlet" acetate, Universouls' "New Generation" 45 on Tener Custom, and L.A. Carnival's "Blues For LA" acetate.



Favorite Album Cover/s: For the entire package? Lula Cortes and Ze Ramalho's Paebiru. For the front cover? Galt MacDermot's Shapes of Rhythm.





Dollar Bin Miracle: Too many to count boss. They were mostly dollar records found in warehouses back in the day.

Total Records Owned: A few thousand LPs and a few less 45s.



Best Digging Story: Well, here's a recent one: I just returned from LA where I hung out with the Kashmere Stage Band circa 1972 (including bassist Gerald Calhoun, drummer Craig Green and guitarist Earl Spiller) where they and the rest of the band played at Kashmere High School for Conrad O. Johnson, their 92 year old bandleader. They played "Zero Point", "Kashmere", and "All Praises" and they sounded exactly like the record versions. It was incredible, and all of it was filmed for a documentary on the band that is coming out around 2009. I already have all of the Kashmere albums and 45s, so I wasn't tripping on hitting up every band member for any old records he or she might have had, but I did score a few test presses, including "Kashmere '73”. That's special.


Kashmere Stage Band

To listen to an interview with the Kashmere Stage Band and Egon on NPR, click here.

Also make sure to check out Stones Throw Records and Now-Again Records.

RIP Conrad O. Johnson 1916-2008