Flip Side - Raging Pages

  by Lisa Torem

published: 17 / 4 / 2025

intro

In her 'Raging Pages' book column Lisa Torem enthuses about a brilliant new book which introduces us to a colourful chain of Chicago-based record shops

Once upon a time, fans would race to their local record shops to order a new album, to buy gig tickets or simply to mingle with kindred souls. There were few things more rewarding than holding one’s favorite album in one’s hands: those warm memories were central to record shops. The three authors of “The Flip Side: Where Chicago Rocked” (Eckhartz Press) eloquently describe the colourful past of The Flip Side, an exciting string of shops, co-owned by two of the authors, the Chicago-area Rosenbaum brothers. Their entrepreneurship will no doubt inspire dreamers to get off the fence, but will scare the living daylights out of others. Why? Because the narrative goes deep. Readers experience the hard, cold facts of running a successful business, which, while exciting, entails navigating political favors, solving bureaucratic kerfuffles and hoping to not lose their shirts in the arduous process. Many of the first-person anecdotes and stories in the book are ironic, humorous, inspirational and suspenseful, but they are consistently to-the-point and never boring. Balancing those out are simple, but enthusiastic fan flashbacks (I was asked to provide one of my own because I lived near a Flipside Record Shop in an earlier incarnation). The photo section is equally engaging and full of character. Illinois author and concert photographer Jim Summaria lends his famous touch to this section. His history with the Rosenbaums harkens back to his teenage years when he had carte blanche to rock royalty, armed with an authorized Flip Side pass. This book is a great opportunity to witness the ins and outs of promotion, of concert access prior to major security involvement, and of fans bearing heartfelt witness. An exuberant, historical ride that is heavy on all the right details – pick it up, dust off your turntable, put your favourite LP and enjoy.

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