So far this week, we've already recorded Royal Bangs and New Zealanders The Ruby Suns, who parked their motor home at West Lake Park for the night, ate some Huckleberry's pizza, and then drove to Chicago to make the long flight home. They were a little worn out when they came to see us, but the tunes turned out well. Everyone should check out their newest Sub Pop record and complain to someone that it's not been released on vinyl.

We began the week by recording one of the world's hottest young bands, The Black Kids, and one that should definitely be watched in the next year - Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears. The Austin band will be back touring through the Midwest in October with Okkervil River and Crooked Fingers, and early indications from them are that there might be a hole in their schedule that would allow the tour to come through the Quad Cities.

I have a certain admiration for Rob Gordon, John Cusack's character in the 2000 film High Fidelity. Although flawed by a heavy case of snobbery, living by the maxim that the more you like something, the more you insult the majority of it, he had such a strong passion for music that he had to make it his life's work.

It seems as though the Quad Cities have their own Rob Gordon (rather, a duo) who have made their passion also their business, making it a must-visit for any music fan in this area. To be fair, Jorge and Amber Tapia, owners of Mixtapes located at 830 15th Avenue in East Moline, carry a different disposition than Cusack's character; they leave the elitism at the door. It seems as though they have developed their own maxim: the more you like something, the more you want to share it with as many people as possible.

The covers caravan comes to town next week, as a bumper crop of new spins on old classics comes to record-store shelves. Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart is back with a 30-piece orchestra on Surfdog Records' The Dave Stewart Songbook, Vol. 1. Also available in a two-LP edition, the two-CD collection features new interpretations of his own "Would I Lie to You," "Sweet Dreams," and "Here Comes the Rain Again," rubbing up against an odd mix of Bon Jovi's "Midnight in Chelsea," Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More," and No Doubt's "Underneath It All." Other artists getting his lush touch include Bob Geldof, Sarah McLachlan, Bryan Ferry, and Celine Dion.