Bop! Libros y Discos

 Bop! is a great new record and book store that opened in October 2010 located in Colonia Roma, just across the street from La Belga and La Nacional.

Their used vinyl selection is one of the best in the city, including large rock and jazz selections, a decent amount of blues, international, classical, and Mexican music, and some metal and punk. The condition on the records varies pretty widely, but the records are priced according to condition and priced fairly reasonably.  If you are looking for those rare rock mexicano discs, this is definitely a place you need to visit.

In addition to a large vinyl selection, you can also find underground/alternative press books and comics, posters, dvds, and a large used cd collection.

I've had a lot of great finds at Bop!, which I will slowly get up onto the blog, but for now I'm just going to highlight one of my most recent treasures, the 1971 self-titled lp from Mexico's Enigma!. Of all the Mexican hard rock bands I have heard, I would have to say this lp is the best and most consistent from start to finish. It is definitely heavier than a lot of other rock mexicano, similar in vein to bands like Josefus, Leaf Hound or Frijid Pink.

I'm not sure how much of an influence this band had, but I first learned about them through a cover of El Llamado de la Hembra by the Mexican thrash metal band Transmetal. I picked up the Transmetal cassette of the same name over 11 years ago on my first visit to Mexico, and I've been looking for Enigma! music ever since. In 11 years, this is the first copy of original Enigma! music I've found.



This particular copy is a 1973 reissue on Okeh, although finding any copy of this record is next to impossible. My copy is pretty trashed, but it is still playable and I'm just glad to have a listening copy. 


Most of the tracks are up on youtube:
1. Under the Sign of Aquarius
2. The Call of the Woman (El Llamado de la Hembra)
3. Sunday's Coming
4. Simon
5. Live it Up, Mama
6. Countdown
7. 69
8. Save My Soul
9. Intertwine






Bop! is located on Querétaro 103, between Jalapa and Orizaba. From the Metrobus, Linea 1, exit Sonora, walk one block north on Insurgentes, and go east on Querétaro. You can also get there by getting off at Hospital General, either on the Metro or the Metrobus. Make sure to look at the map so you don't get lost.


The store is open Monday-Saturday, 11am-3pm, 5pm-9pm. On Sundays, the owner sells records at La Lagunilla market. He also owns a shop in Cuernavaca if you are down that way. The info for both shops is on this fancy little bolsa de mandado I got the last time I was there. For free! These bags are fairly common around Mexico and I love them, but I'm psyched to finally have one that isn't from a church, a political party, or a supermarket. They're also great for carrying records!

If you are there in the evening, make sure to stop by La Nacional, just across the street, to have a great cerveza artesanal, or walk over to La Belga to get some beers before you go and listen to your records.