photo by Mike Spitz
About Me
My name is John (or Jean-Luc — depends who's asking). I was born and raised in France. In 1994, I decided I was going to open a punk and hardcore record store in Los Angeles. The dream became reality in November 1995 when Headline Records opened its doors at the corner of Westwood Blvd and Pico Blvd — the first location.
Five moves later, I settled the shop at 7706 Melrose Ave. Hopefully it's the last move. Either way, I've been here, doing this, every single day for over 30 years.
What Headline Is
Headline Records is the only dedicated punk store in Los Angeles, and has been since 1995. I specialize in Punk, Hardcore, Thrash, Garage, and Psycho — vinyl, CDs, and a large selection of patches, stickers, posters, t-shirts, accessories, collectibles, books, zines, and pretty much anything else that fits the world I live in.
If it's punk rock, I carry it. If I don't have it on the shelf, I can probably find it for you. The store ships worldwide through HeadlineRecords.com, so it doesn't matter if you're in LA, Tokyo, São Paulo, or anywhere in between.
The Live Show Years (1995 — November 2003)
From the early 1990s in France, and from opening day in LA through November 2003, I organized more than 500 live shows — at the store and elsewhere. Almost 9 years of in-store performances. Bands you'd recognize, bands you should have heard of, and bands that played to twelve people on a Tuesday night and went on to do bigger things.
The shows were free or close to it (with the small door fee for non-local touring bands going directly to the band, minus a few cents for flyer printing). Unfortunately, after November 2003, the permits and insurance requirements for hosting live music in a retail space made it impossible to continue. But the entire era is preserved in the Headline Flyers archive — every flyer from every show, online for anyone who wants to dig in.
Now, Enough of the Corporate Bullshit
Let me tell you what I really want Headline Records to be.
For years before I ever opened the shop, I lived a do-it-yourself life. I never used a business consultant. I never paid a self-professed "guru." I researched and built everything on my own — including this website. I'm not saying that to brag; I'm saying it because it's the only honest way to explain what this store is.
Just like most of you, I know what it is to struggle to make ends meet. And just like you, I'm dedicated first to a punk ideology (whatever that means to you). I'm not trying to gouge anybody. But — contrary to common belief — punk does NOT mean everything should be free. It sure as hell isn't for me. I work 100+ hour weeks to keep this place open. I'm just trying to make an honest living doing what I love, while giving you an alternative to the middle-of-the-road record stores that don't actually care about the music.
That's it. That's the whole pitch.
My Mission Statement
Headline Records — an independent punk, hardcore, garage, thrash, ska, and import record store — exists to:
1. Provide a platform for independent bands and their labels. First and foremost. The whole reason I do this.
2. Create a forum where people can meet, share their passion for music, and exchange ideas. A real punk shop is a community space, not just a transaction. Come in. Hang out. Argue about who invented punk. That's the whole point.
3. Hand-curate everything I sell. Nothing on the shelves is filler. If I'm carrying it, I'm vouching for it. Records, books, zines, shirts, accessories — all of it. That's the difference between a punk shop and a "store with a punk section."
4. Tell stories. A store, the owner tells stories. Without stories, you're just another store. When you come into Headline, I'm going to tell you a story — about the record, the band, the label, the scene. That's the actual product. The records are almost the excuse.
Come Say Hi
I'm at the store almost every day. If you're in LA, come by. If you have a question, hit me up.
Headline Records
7706 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles
Open 7 days a week, 12pm – 8pm
Phone: (323) 655-2125
Email: john@headlinerecords.com
Online: HeadlineRecords.com
Any questions, don't hesitate to contact me. I'm always looking for feedback — and I'm always looking for new bands to discover. After 30+ years, I still don't know everything, and I'm still learning every single day. That's why I love it.
— John (Jean-Luc), Headline Records, Los Angeles
