I was walking through the back room at work a few days ago, and the radio was blasting “Been Caught Stealing” by Jane’s Addiction. And one young guy said, “Hey, who is this?” And another young guy said, “You don’t know who this is?! I can’t believe you don’t know!! It’s the Beastie Boys, you idiot!”
I just kept cruising. Whatever. Ten years ago I would’ve set everyone straight on the matter, but now? I couldn’t give a shit.
A couple of weeks ago I took the younger boy to a record store near here, and it was a demoralizing affair. They sell vinyl albums, which is usually in my wheelhouse. But this place was depressing.
For one thing, it smelled like a wet dog in there, and it seemed like the funk was soaking into my clothes. And there was nothing on the walls, which is weird. Record stores are supposed to be covered in posters and photos, and whatnot. This place felt odd, and unwelcoming.
And get this. All their LPs are displayed like books in a bookstore — meaning they’re on shelves with only the spines showing. No bins to flip through… You just have to walk down the row with your head cocked at a 45-degree angle, trying to read the tiny print on the edge of the albums.
It was bullshit, and I wanted to flee almost immediately. But I let the hooligan browse for a while, in this weird Soviet Union record store, and just hung around and watched people. The only person I saw make an actual purchase was a 300-pound bad-attitude girl, wearing a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. She bought “Look What the Cat Dragged In” by Poison, on LP.
“Let’s get out of here,” I told the boy. “Yeah, this place kinda sucks,” he answered. And our little record-buying adventure abruptly ended.
Do you still have a decent independent record store near you? They’re harder and harder to find. We have a place that fits the bill, but the employees are pricks — like it’s 1983. I don’t even like to go in there, because all I do is fixate on their haughty attitudes.
I want to shout, “Are you soul-patch douchebags serious?! You’re working in a dying industry, where customers are few and far between, and you’re STILL sneering at everyone and acting superior?” It’s amazing to me. I just stay away from the place, because I have high blood pressure and it’s not advisable for me to shop there.
Screw it. I used to live in record stores, but Amazon and eMusic work just fine for me nowadays. And I don’t have to endure the “You may approach the throne” assholes, who are stuck in some kind of time warp where record store clerks are still the arbiters of all that’s cool.
Pass the beer nuts.
I need to go to work now, and frown my way through a staff meeting. What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Anything special? We thought Nancy and the gang might be here, but they’re not coming. So, it’ll just be the four of us, and a spectacular border collie. I plan to polish off some Yuengling, and eat to excess. Other than that… nothing too exciting. The couch cushions are singing to my ass cheeks.
If you’re doing anything out of the ordinary, please tell us about it. And I’ll see you guys on the other side.
Have a great holiday, my friends!
Now playing in the bunker
Treat yourself at Amazon: US and Canada
Next…?
Just goin to the zoo that is my boyfriend’s parents house. I’d much rather stay home and cook , to be honest. I guess tonight is the big night to be out next to New Year’s Eve. The bf is already hinting around about it. I can’t convince him there is a reason we only see some of these idiots once a year.
I’m gonna be in Phoenix this week. That way we can roast the turkey outside; since it’s cooled off enough to not dry out the white meat while cooking the dark meat through.
Omg I love that pic of Andy, he’s eyeing up that hamburger something serious!
I’m cooking the dinner sides (everything but the turkeys) for the EMTs on shift tomorrow and THEN I’m making our traditional turkey and ham and fixins’ for us. After that I hope to pass out until sometime Sunday afternoon.
The in-laws have been coming from Texas for the last 7 years, but not this year. I’m debating whether or not to take [bring] it personally. Just me, my wife, my baby boys and one 20 lb turkey. Color me satisfied.
There’s a cool used record store in Taos. Amazing selection. The guy running the place is a purist and how he ends up with his stuff?…he told me…”That’s what I do”. The place is laid out nicely. There’s crime scene tape surrounding the “Disco” bins and a sign that says…”FREE”.
Lots of old vinyl. Record store from the past…for the past.
Thankful to be home and off the road is an understatement. Bev, Poop and Jane The Cat. Took my truck back and shoved it up their Phoneix terminal. Flew home yesterday. Plan on enjoying our recent addition of BATs and constructing some temporiay housing out of the cardboard boxes they came in.
Yeah, I’m cooking for what seems like the entire fucking Albanian army, but other than that, nothing much.
When I lived in SF, I live a block away from Aomeba Music. They had taken over the bowling alley and had vinyl, CDs and an entire room of DVD. They had live music, too. It was great.
Check ’em out here: http://www.amoeba.com/
Happy Thanksgiving, Surf Reporters!
Growing up I loved going to Sights ‘n’ Sounds in Huntington W Va. (and where I swear I met you once as a kid, or saw the smoking fish there as a kid, or something). Sadly Gary and that store are long gone…..
HOWEVER – I’m fortunate to live in an area with an AMAZING record store called Shake It Records. (http://shakeitrecords.com/). They know what they’re talking about, and aren’t assholes about it, and have an amazing selection. They have a basement that is nothing but vinyl, and the first time I went down there it was like stepping back into 1982. The downstairs even SMELLS like an old record store. If you’re ever in the Cincinnati area it’s worth going to Northside and checking them out.
Shake it rocks!
Flying to Texas to eat with my Great Grandmother. She’s 102.
Well worth the trip.
Way to go, Granny!
I’ll be spending the day with about 25 members of my family. It’s always a madhouse. I volunteered to make pie, to suggestions into account, and chose four different pies to make from scratch. Went to the grocery store last night, and someone called the ask for a pie I hadn’t planned on making, and wasn’t sure what I needed to buy to make it. Then my sister told me all the pies I am making are “gross”. I threatened to buy four frozen ones and call it a day. Got over that, until today when yet another person texted to request a different pie. I now completely hate this holiday. You people will eat these pies, or you will kiss my ass.
I’ve never seen records displayed that way. There is no such thing here – unless it is a flea marker type of deal.
Here Jeff, this ought to make you feel better about record stores; (it is safe for work)
http://i45.tinypic.com/1zxur8g.jpg
I was just in Criminal Records in Little Five Points, Atlanta. I was looking at the vinyl, just for fun, when I noticed the price of the new releases… Good God!! I’m talking $40 or so. I’ll stick to the digital world, thank you! Damn hipsters!
Budget Tapes and Records still exists here in Charley West and the tall, long haired guy that never seems to age still runs it. At least the last time I checked.
I think the last brand new record album I bought was Pearl Jam – Vitalogy (original pressing, 1994). I recall paying about 6 bucks for it. I have seen it on Ebay for 40-100 bucks.
The last independent records store around here was Orpheus Records, and they closed a few years ago. No good.
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Libraries and book stores crank my cranium at a 45 and that’s enough for me. I end up walking out with a sore neck and looking like a guy who’s head is about to fall off.
Well, we still have Magnolia Thunderpussy here in Columbus, OH…
http://www.thunderpussy.com/Home
And Used Kids Records as well – website hasn’t been updated in a while, but it’s just up the street from Magnolia.. http://www.usedkids.com/home.html
We are in beautiful Beverly Hills CA!! We live in Arkansas and use the husbands frequent flier miles, motel and car credits to take a trip over Thanksgiving. Anyone have a suggestion on where to eat for Thanksgiving?? So far the Sunset Grill has the best burgers. We didn’t see any basket people but had a great time. My daughter is 13 and into EDM and is getting pissed off at me for singing every song that comes to mind about LA . Mullholand dr and Hollywood Light about sent her over the edge
Happy Thanksgiving all!
I woke up and stumbled into the living room and there was this huge fucking yellow thing floating in there. The hell man?? Then I realized Bev had the “Macy’s Hangoverday Parade” on. Some kinda Pokie-Dokie thing that aparently is a must in any parade. I don’t see TV that much as of late and our old set was 20yrs old. Now it’s HD and a mid-sized BAT (37′). Can’t wait to watch a baseball game on the thing.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I used to go to the Princeton Record Exchange but I haven’t been there for about three years.
Still have a Technics linear turntable around here somewhere…
I still have my Dual turntable; got it in 1973 at Crazy Eddie. It’s still on active duty and sounds great. Granted it’s been rewired and re-cartridged a few times.
Happy Thanksgiving to all! I’m off to prepare the traditional Thanksgiving ham sammidge.
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I had to go out and do a few things so I stopped by Cracker Barrel for dinner. Decided to go with the Thanksgiving dinner (crazy, I know). But if you’re ever where you can’t have Thanksgiving at home, Cracker Barrel hits it outta the fuckin park. I got turkey, dressing, ham, sweet potato casserole, mac n cheese, cranberry whatever, biscuits, and sweet tea for nine dollars.
At work, I recently heard a 29 year old explaining to a 19 year old that “Mrs. Robinson” was originally done by The Beatles. I couldn’t help it, I had to correct him.
I can’t blame him though, because to him it’s verging on ancient. It’s like me knowing the finer points of Rudy Vallee’s career.
Just as Shakespeare and Napoleon were contemporaries, more or less.
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Simon and Garfunkel.
No, Simon and Garfunkel wrote “Mr. Tambourine Man” for William Shatner.
Hey.
Mister.
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That made no sense. I had a lot more text than Simon and Garfunkel. Sorry.
I should say, it WOULD BE like me knowing the finer points of Rudy Vallee’s career. Which I don’t. Fuck it, it’s late, who cares.
I believe I know the record store you’re referring to, Jeff. ( as there’s only one in the area ) It’s very spartan and impossible to find anything due to the set-up of the store. The lack of bins is maddening. Also, the owner is a super doosh. The guy is just impossible to connect with. Dude is so calculating. There is a tight little music scene in Scranton and this guy will throw a bone to a local band now and again and have them play. If you didn’t enjoy it that day, you certainly wouldn’t enjoy it when a classmate of the younger secret is butchering some shitty Joy Division song.
There is also a place on Lackawanna Ave. Across from the Steam Town mall. This place might be a bit more to your taste. The owner is a douche as well, but if you can crack him, he’s pretty mellow and while the selection isn’t as big as the one you referred to, it’s a more enjoyable experience. Also, the place on Lackawanna ( Electric Mindshaft ) became a hilarious Fark link back in the early aughts when he applied for and received city assistance in renovating the front of the shop and the mason’s peered in the upstairs window and saw a shit ton of read to harvest pot plants. Of course they ratted him out and caused the local heads a lot of angst because they were always turning the employees on and while he was holding onto hundred of pounds, he never reciprocated.
http://www.fark.com/comments/1013322/If-youre-going-to-grow-150-pot-plants-dont-do-it-right-above-your-record-shop-named-Electric-Mindshaft
Okay, anyone into Indie, but with a bubble gum soul should watch “How to Seduce a Hipster.” It features the “Hipster Pod”
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuyuMXCk0Es
Shake it Records in Cincinnati.
Guestroom Records in OKC.
Euclid Records and Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis.
After turkey me my brother and sis in law, other brother and uncle played the 1993 version of trivial pursuit for 4 hours while drinking good beer and tuaca.
That game is never ending but we had fun.
Saturday I hung with some friends. We drank a lot and played Cosmic Wimpout. Surely somebody remembers that.
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we still have a decent record store “Laid-back Records” the owner is pretty cool older dude & his sons are taking it over and they are good guys too… no snooty shit. & I have been going there since 92 so they know me by name. they sell CD’s as well….