Rasputin Music

Great place to pick up the Barbra Streissand CD you always wanted without shame. Buy on Amazon and it goes on the record permantly leaving an electronic paper trail. Next thing you know Amazon will reccommend a self help CD based on past purchases and it might get you down.
On a more serious note this is a fun place to wander. Huge selection of old and new. Support this stone age brick and mortor so it stays around a while longer. Stay out of the adult section. Might be awkward if you bump into somebody there.

This place treats their customers like criminals… I bought a few things at the Dollar store next door. Items were in a see-​through plastic bag & as soon as I walked in, the security guard mumbled something & talked on his little walkie talkie. I said are you talking to me, because I couldn’t hear you. He pointed at the wall to the left. I said what? He said «bag check» I said what? Do you want to look in my see-​through bag that I just walked in with? He mumbled again… Then another employee held out a box & said you put the bag in here then I give you this (some dvd package looking thing) when you’re done shopping you come get your bag back. I mean… I know this ain’t the best neighborhood but come on… A see-​through plastic bag has to be checked at the door? Do you also make women leave their purses at the door??? Fuck this place! I would never spend money here!

LOVE THIS PLACE! Went to the location in Pleasant Hill and it was a total bust. The staff at this location is really friendly and helpful — nothing like the Pleasant Hill staff who are basically warm bodies on the sales floor.
When you first come into the store they have a table with flyers for events around the East Bay area for all kinds of different genres of music. I found a cool event flyer for a NIN tribute band that I am considering checking out.
This store has a TON of inventory and I found everything I was looking for all for under 10 bucks! I bought a Bahaus and Depeche Mode CD. The Depeche Mode inventory is absolutely insane!
They have movies, books, CD’s, records, posters etc… Just about anything and everything surrounding entertainment. You can buy, sell and trade stuff here!
I plan on returning here soon!

Used DVDs and CDs and vinyl! Do you like used stuff? If so this is a good place in the area to get yourself to.
DVD’s may take up space but they are a great medium for entertainment. IF you’re a loser hipster you don’t go here, only winner hipsters.
Yeah baby!

I actually drove all the way here from the South Bay because I was trying to find a couple of DVDs from classic TV shows that I couldn’t find at other locations. This is certainly a huge store full of DVDs, CDs, LPs. And prices aren’t bad at all. It’s conveniently located right off Hesperian, I-​880 and I-​238.

Huge store with a massive selection. Game section is a disappointment though. Very clean kept store. Nice employees. Rasputin Prices are very reasonable, especially used items.

I always always find movies I am looking for. I love the vhs collection and the prices are affordable

A massive place that I can only think Rasputin’s keeps open just for storage really. Though thanks to that you can find some bargains here sometimes. I have a friend that lives nearby so I go digging for punk, metal, and soundtracks they’ve missed (or messed up pricing). Be expected to be looked at like a thief when you enter and exit no matter how rich or poor you appear!
Upsides: large parking lot, big store, food nearby, staff that is pretty clueless about music that isn’t rap/​hip hop/​rnb…
Downsides: Security that makes you feel like you’re there to steal while walking in and out, staff that pretty clueless about music that isn’t rap/​hip hop/​rnb…
I collect vinyl so I’ll be back…

Ahh… good olé San Lorenzo Rasputin’s. Nearly every single time I come here I’m harassed by some dude trying to sell me his latest rap hits. I’ll give them some credit, as it must get annoying to get rejected 99% of the time.
Still Rasputin is a stable of San Lorenzo and has been here for quite some time. If you’re looking for DVD’s, CD’s, VHS’s, and the whole shabang then this is a great place where you’ll find them for pennies on the dollar. You will have to deal with employee attitude and Big Bubba who could break you like a twig if you look suspicious, but otherwise this place has almost everything you need.
I’ve bought countless DVD’s here and sometimes they will be out of print and Rasputin will have them nearly at 10% of their online price. No joke. This place has things on the cheap if it’s used. Brand new? They are a bit more pricey at they really stick to the SRP.
Still, I love this place and come here every so often when I visit my hometown of Hayward.

Good place to look around and find treasures.
Some rare finds in here and the prices vary so sometimes you get lucky. But at times it feels as if the cashiers are judging your purchase. So what if I don’t have the same taste as them? Yes I want to buy an action film, horror film and Disney film at the same time. Don’t need your comments along with my purchase thank you.
Still it’s a good place to shop. Just ignore the ignorance.

I love Rasputin in general, but this one in particular holds a special place in my heart. Aside from the fact that it’s the nearest location to where I live, the staff and the selection are what truly keep me coming back.
I used to work in the same commercial complex and got to know a few of the staff members, who have always gone above and beyond when I had trouble finding something. I tend to arrive on album release dates and try to purchase an album before it’s even been put out onto the shelves– woops! On one occasion they even helped me research why they didn’t carry a specific album (turns out it was an independent release available only through the band’s website).
To me, there is so much value in helping to maintain establishments like Rasputin who are one of the few remaining that have preserved the music-​purchasing experience. Anyone can tap a screen on their phone/​ipad/​whatever whilst on their couch and digitally download music, but I truly enjoy actually going into the store, browsing and having a hard copy to hold onto.
I’ve also stopped in plenty of times to buy used DVDs, usually when I want to watch a particular movie and realize that it is lacking from my collection! I am almost ALWAYS able to find a reasonably priced copy of whatever movie I am looking for. Only on one occasion did I buy a used DVD that would not play, but I was able to return it for store credit no problem and just used that to purchase a different copy that worked!
My only complaint is the vinyl selection is a bit scarce at this location, although they do always participate in Record Store Day!

Continuing on from my one-​star Rasputin Berkeley review… This is the store I called because I couldn’t get a hold of the Berkeley location.
Recap– I bought a Beastie Boys CD at the Berkeley location and it had the wrong disc in it. All I wanted to do was get the correct disc to correspond with the CD I got. Berkeley has the wrong phone number everywhere. So I called the San Lorenzo location.
After explaining my situation to the sales associate that picked up the phone, here are some things he told me.
1) He said they mark down the price of the CD if it has the wrong disc in it, therefore having a lower price in order to speed up the sale of the item. Isn’t that illegal in some way? You can’t sell a Beastie Boys case with a Queen Of The Stone Age CD in it just to get rid of it. I was so surprised when I heard him say this. I don’t think you can do that…
2) He told me it was my job to do the work and open the CD cases I buy. What??? You’re the associate! Aren’t you supposed to know music and do your job? These employees should be opening the cases to make sure customers are getting the right thing! As I said in my other review, I don’t know what the CD is going to look like! I don’t buy CDs because I like the artwork on the disc. I want the music on the disc. I don’t know what the disc looks like 100% of the time unless it’s a band I know really really well or unless I have had that specific CD before. I had never had this Beastie Boys CD before, so therefore I didn’t know what the disc looked like, just the case. It also doesn’t help if the disc that’s in the case I picked up doesn’t have any name on it! Just a red CD! That doesn’t help!
This was a HORRIBLE experience and it is safe to say I am and have always been an AMOEBA fan! But I wanted to see what Rasputin had to offer as far as items, sales, and service. Wow! How sad!
The manager/​owner clearly needs to step in!

If you need a few extra cents to fill up your jars go ahead and trade your movies and music in here, but I’ll stick to selling my stuff on eBay and Craigslist for a better deal.
This place is great if you’re just browsing and want to pick up some extra stuff for your collection, but if you’re looking for something specific, plan on spending an hour or more and then giving up, haha.
They have extensive amounts of pretty much everything, including VHS and porn for all of you interested/​like it ‘old school’, hahaha.
As you walk in and out you’ll get checked out by security and sometimes even stopped to check your bag as you’re leaving. It’s not the best area so I can understand, don’t feel like you’re being targeted or anything.
They also sell bookshelves (overpriced), posters (decently priced), and clothing (eh). The staff is alright, the pricing is alright, the layout is simple, the parking lot is a disaster.
Living in the area I’ve heard plenty of stories about management and returns being a nightmare, but since I haven’t come across that yet, all in all I’ll say this place is decent.

Best place to get used quality videos, cd’s…whatever you’re looking for. Very very very cheap. Love this store

I’ve been coming here for many years now. They always have the latest/​old time faves and classic movies. Sometimes there is nothing like the hard copy of a really good movie, and short of ordering online I always find what I’m looking for here quick and easy. The prices are very affordable and they have a large selection of games, movies, and music. Love coming in because you see something you didn’t see or notice before.

Large selection. Pretty much the perfect place to find your favorite albums that your missing from your CD collection.

Classless receipt checking.
In general, I think it makes honest customers feel like the store is treating them like a criminal, and in my mind it is a very lazy way of trying to find shoplifters. I have had friends/​family members feel embarrassed or humiliated because their receipt was checked but not others who came through the exit before or after them. Of course this speaks to the issue of race/​class profiling. I’m a white guy and won’t patron ever again. Oh, and just to make a point I broke the CD I purchased, slapped it on the counter and walked out. Fuck you!

Rasputin Music has a huge selection of used cd’s to choose from.
security is pretty tight here. at least 2 people are posted at the doors. to check packages, people, etc.
buys: johnny cash (9.99)
notes:
–parking lot is busy all the time
–hard to find parking.
–good place to find discs, no bargains though.

I thought I reviewed this place. NOT!
If you’ve read my profile page, then you probably saw «If your over 30, from the Bay Area, listened to KSOL, you know my voice» under my «don’t tell anyone else» tab. Yes. I once was a DJ for KSOL. Oh course, that was long ago, before I became Al Bundy.
Back in those day, if you wanted to hear your favorite jam, you popped a cassette into your Walkman or, you went to the club.
Working for a radio station, I was fortunate to have access to DJ record pools like (B.A.D.D.A.). The pools keep us up on the latest hits coming from both the East and West Coast. But when my radio career ended, so too did my access to the pools. So, just like the common DJ’s I had to get my records from record stores like, Tower, Evans House of Music and of course, Rasputin.
In all the years of me visiting the store, it hasn’t changed too much. If your still in possession of those Technics 1200’s or, you need to buy that Usher song you just heard on the radio. Get your behind to Rasputin where you’ll probably find what you need.

Whenever I needed to get some quick cash for my CDs, this was my spot to go to! I’ve been shopping and selling CDs during the the Golden Ages of CDs, VHS, and cassette tapes.
If your looking for hidden gems in music, this is the spot to go to. That old school song you can’t get out of your head can most likely be found here.
When that one day comes and your kid, niece and/​or nephew questions you, «What’s a CD/​cassette tape/​vinyl record?» Take them here and give them some history.