Angela Instruments

I don't remember how I found this place but there was a weird little driveway on Route 1 in Laurel that had a sign that said Aerolab.  Behind that place was a house and in the basement of that house was a music store called Angela Instruments.  There's an online shop called Angela.com which may be the same place.  I remember that the guy, Steve, that owned or ran it was this cool, slick, leather-clad guy who seemed to know everything about everything; especially to an 18 year old kid.  I bought my Sun head and Cerwin Vega cabinet from him and later my Schecter guitar.  He gave me a good deal and just seemed like a generally good guy.

I remember him talking about working with the Slickee Boys in DC a bunch.  He did a lot of mail-order stuff and said that he sent gear through UPS to major acts on the road.  Once when I came in he said he had just gotten off the phone with Billy Gibson and was going to send him some gear.  True or not?  I have no way of knowing but it left an impression on me.  Regardless, Steve was a very cool guy.  Without him I don't know when I would have gotten my first real guitar.