Honolulu Has a New Shop for Vinyl Records and Indie Labels
Roger Bong’s Aloha Got Soul (AGS) in Mō‘ili‘ili sells new and vintage releases, including from his own label featuring local musicians.
Owner Roger Bong sells vinyl records at his new brick-and-mortar, AGS, located in the old McCully Chop Suey building on South King Street. The store stocks more than a thousand new and vintage titles, which are also available on its website.
Vinyl is making a comeback, says Bong, and reaching a wider audience than just hardcore collectors. Young people are now exploring AGS’ independent Hawai‘i labels that “put out jazz, funk, electronic and all kinds of music you wouldn’t expect from the Islands.”
Photo: Aaron Yoshino
Bong’s own Aloha Got Soul label started in 2015 with the vinyl and dig-ital reissue of Mike Lundy’s 1979 LP, “The Rhythm of Life,” still its best-seller. A surprise hit was the 2021 reissue of Eddie Suzuki’s “psychedelic lounge” album called “High Tide.”
The label presses its records in Ohio and ships much of the stock to distributors on the West Coast and Japan, where it has many customers. In return, local fans of ’80s city pop from Japan can pick up rare finds right in Mō‘ili‘ili.
Photo: Aaron Yoshino
