Meet George Johann at Angry Mom Records
Downtown Ithaca caught up with George Johann, owner, and founder of Angry Mom Records to learn a few things about him and his incredible music store.
What year did your shop open? June 2009
How long have you owned/managed this business? How many years of experience do you have in your line of work? Angry Moms has been in Ithaca for 12 years. I started in the record sales biz at the much-missed Midnight Records; it was one of the largest mail-order record stores in the country, in NYC in the 90s.
Are you an Ithaca native? If not, where are you from, and what brought you to the Ithaca area? Tell us your backstory! I grew up in Indiana, but it wasn’t quite my scene, so I ended up in New York City, where I lived for a long time. Record collecting and tiny apartments are a bad combination — there simply wasn’t enough room for me to store all my albums — so I moved upstate after finding Ithaca. I brought over 20,000 records with me.
George Johann talks to a customer at Angry Mom Records
What did you choose to own, manage, create this type of business? And, Why did you decide to work in Downtown Ithaca? Ithaca is an amazing town for music. I jumped at the chance when Joe Wetmore from Autumn Leaves Used Books offered me space in his building. Why collect and sell records? Because they are the best!
What do you enjoy most about your business? The customers are the best part of the business. They love our shop, and we appreciate their passion for music. It seems Ithaca has more eclectic deep dive music fans per capita than any place I’ve ever visited or lived in.
What makes your business special? i.e. Why should people shop at your store? We offer a large selection of music that you won’t find in a regular record store as well as all the usual suspects. Everyone who works here is very knowledgeable and you’ll also receive excellent customer service.
What is your business’s greatest accomplishment? Running my Angry Moms Record record label. I got to work with Grammy-winning sound engineer Christopher King and Robert Crumb, the father of underground comix. Zap, Mr. Natural, Janis Joplin’s Cheap Thrill album cover, “Keep on Truckin” are probably the things he’s known for by the public. Working with those two was a dream come true. Working with amazing talent like 100% Black, Why the Wires, Brian, Afghanistan, Big Mean Sound Machine, etc. has been very rewarding, too.
What do you enjoy most about working in Downtown Ithaca?
The people and the other businesses. So many cool spots and great restaurants.
Are you involved in any community organizations, clubs, groups? If so, which ones?
I was involved with the two great music non-profits in town, Ithaca Underground (as a board member) and Electrozone, but they haven’t been very active due to the pandemic.
What are some of your hobbies, passions, talents, or causes outside of operating your business? Does it overlap with your business on a day-to-day or annual basis? E.g. Would a customer likely see this talent in action if they came into your shop?
I’m fairly infected with the malady known as record collecting. I also went to the School of Visual Arts for cartooning and do that whenever I have the chance. All the usual pinko causes you would expect from an Ithacan.
Is there anything else you would like to add about yourself or your business?
Online sales are a big part of the business. There is another entire inventory that can be seen on Discogs. We are always buying record CDs and tape collections!
To learn more about Angry Mom Records, check out the store in the basement of Autumn Leaves Books at 115 E. State Street (The Commons), or visit its website, https://www.angry-mom-records.com.
