Record Store Day

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwibirch

The day didn’t go as planned. Bill was busy. Gary was out of town. Sean had stuff on and a gig tonight (DJ Shadow no less – one of the best shows I saw back in 2006). Paul had the spousal green light so off we went to the city this morning. The inaugural Record Store Day was underway!

I had a few other things to do so we rolled it all into one trip. Starting at Myer we made for the Bridal registry – so totally rock and roll. Chris & Kylie’s wedding invite turned up on Thursday and they are having the gift registry at Myer. I dint want to miss out on getting them something cool, so checked the list and made a purchase that is beyond cool. Then we made for the kidswear department – again so totally rock and roll. I’m seeing my therapist in three days twenty three hours and forty five minutes, so needed to get a cool gift for her. She’s almost a size one. And I wanted something in pink with an animal on it. I think i did well. So after that support of corporate Australia, we headed off to begin supporting the little end of town, the business’ who need our support, they who value every customer who walks in the door.

But we went to McDonalds instead.

Paul needed sugar. I needed a drink. I got a frozen Coke and sat back in ice cream headache / brain freeze ecstasy.

So we then FINALLY started Record Store Day.

We skipped the main RedEye. Time was of the essence. Money was short as well. The upcoming trip for Paul and I to the US in July/August has already started to erode the little savings I have that the motherfuckers at the mortgage place aren’t taking. And Paul is getting spousal credit card statement assessment on a daily basis already. We hit the Dirt Cheap CD’s store on Pitt St. Perused the huge range of cheap CD’s and books. These guys have a large range of imported Indonesian made CDs as well. Nothing stood out that isn’t there already every other time I go there. So I bailed out of the store with zip. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. I’m also not too sure how “independent” these guys are. I’m sure if I did an ABN search id find that they are owned by a larger retail organisation. There’s no way that an independent store has that much buying power to buy Cd’s that cheap. They can’t be on great terms with the majors. Their rebate structure would be minimal at best.

While walking south down Pitt St Paul and I discussed the good old days of second hand music stores in the area. Back in the early 90’s this area had about 10 great stores. Now there’s but a few. It’s sad as these stores had the best staff. The best range. The best prices. The best imports. The best shopping experience. And it’s that shopping experience that I miss. I crave it. I need it. I don’t get it at JB Hi Fi. Sure the range is great and the prices are awesome, but I’d rather talk to someone who is knowledgeable on music not just of today but pre 2005 as well. I’d prefer to discuss a certain artist or album, get their expert opinion (or give mine). Then we’d decide on what i was going to buy. Maybe they’d play me a sample of a song. Or put a video on to show me some rare footage from Brazil of the band playing a gig 5 years ago. Then sometimes I’d have to order a CD or record in. And I’d have to pay a small deposit. But some stores knew me well and they knew I was good for it. I’d wait about a month and then there would be a phone call. “hey its XXXXX from XXXXXX records. Your XXXXXXXXX CD/Book/Record has arrived. What’s that? You can’t make it in for a few weeks?? No worries – it’ll be here when you come in next” God how I miss those days.

Funny story. I was in Brisbane back in 2004. On a work trip and I was in search of the 2003 re-issue of The Clash’s London Calling 25^th anniversary CD/DVD set after id read a review in Uncut or Mojo or something. So I walked into a JB Hi Fi and headed for the CD department. Some cute girl came up to me to ask if I needed any help. She seemed in her late teens or early 20’s. Had about 10 lanyards around her neck I recall. Anyway, I asked her where The Clash were situated in the music genres of the store. So she said “follow me”. And I did. We ended up at a computer terminal near the back of the store. I thought it was a bit weird. But then she asked me how to spell The Clash. I spelled C-L-A-S-H and she typed it in. She said she’d never heard of them. The colour drained from my face. It was a moment ill never forget. How the fuck could she not know who The Clash are??? Everyone knows who The Clash are. Celine fucking Dion would know who The Clash are. Bob Hope would know who The Clash were. Anyway, she then told me something that again ill never forget.

“The Clash are in the Emo department – under C”

I then proceeded to tell her the error of her employers ways. And I admit it I was maybe a little harsh at first. Poor girl. There’s probably a MySpace post somewhere about the day a guy asked where The Clash were and he made me cry.

So yeah, Paul and I walked down past the old Phantom Records. These guys were the shit back in the day. They had a cool little store with this huge wall of vinyl as you walked in to the store. Autographed posters on the other side of the wall. They had an auction catalogue a few times a year where they would get rid of huge amounts of rare stuff that they just couldn’t fit into the store. I picked up an autographed Anthrax 12” record for $25 one year. Back in the day I had limited cash as I was still in school. I used to dream about having a spare $200 and what I could buy from the store or the auction catalogue. And what shits me now is that as I got older and my disposable income levels grew, Phantom Records and similar music stores started to fold or move to more popular music of that time. The range shrunk or they put the prices up to stupid prices. And the staff changed. Some days id go to the city to spend the day perusing the great old record stores only to find the best ones were gone. Damn it. Buying online is ok, but its something id prefer to not do. As mentioned before – I crave the interaction with the staff (the ones I don’t make cry). I miss debating the best song of an artist’s back catalogue. Or hearing stories about some great gig they saw back in the day.

Phantom Records disappeared back in 1998. There was another music store in its place for a few years. Just crap second hand CD’s and games. I think it was called Revolution. The place where the mighty Phantom Records once stood is now a nail salon.

Heading further down Pitt St it occurred to me that today’s Record Store Day event has netted me so far a total of one wedding gift, one baby clothing item, one frozen coke and lots of memories. But my hands were empty. The blood was flowing to my fingers. Back in the day id have cut the circulation to my fingers from the overweight bags holding the gems id just purchased. And that was just the first of many stores I was heading in to that day. This wasn’t good. So we headed in to the smaller RedEye records.

This store opened in the late 90’s. It houses a smaller range of new stuff and a larger range of second hand stuff than the parent store over on King St does. I asked the guy behind the counter if I could take a photo of the store. I told him it was Record Store Day. He looked at me with a puzzled face. Oh god – is he related to the JB Hi Fi girl????? Nah, he just hadn’t heard about it. I showed him the website and he was surprised that his management weren’t in to it. Hopefully next year.

I went to the vinyl section straight away. The metal section in particular. I’ve been looking for a copy of Metallica’s S&M on vinyl for a few years. I’ve seen it around for about $50. Most recently I found it at HMV in Pitt St (before it was torn down). It was about $60 and was ruined. It had been opened. The sleeve had creases in it. The vinyl had fingerprints on it. The booklet was trashed. But the one I found today at RedEye was mint. Sealed. Three LP / 180gram’s of pure vinyl goodness. For $28. It’s a bargain at twice the price. Finally I have something to buy on Record Store Day – FROM A RECORD STORE!!

Then I went to the Australian section. As mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve been listening to a bit of Cold Chisel lately. I wanted to get a copy of the album Flame Trees is off – Twentieth Century. And there it was on vinyl for $4.98. Not quite mint, but I’m sure it’s been well loved. Again – a bargain at twice the price.

Next was the punk section. I’ve been into the Ramones a bit over last 2/3 years. I picked up a great DVD documentary of theirs when i was last in New York – Ramones: RAW. Since then I’ve listened to them often when I need a 2 minute punk fix and Green Day just don’t cut it (ill post about them soon enough). So I picked up a 180gram vinyl re-issue of their 1976 debut album. For $19.98. Again – another bargain.

Gary called, and he wanted to partake in the festivities of Record Store Day. But he was having the time of his life (NOT!) in Brisbane. He wanted the new Sheryl Crow. But they are sold out. So I got him the 1996 Sheryl Crow CD – but this is the Australian Tour edition with the live tracks from the UK. It was $20 second hand, but worth it.

On my way to the counter to pay for my stuff Paul showed me his goodies. He got the recent re-issue of Midnight Oil’s Diesel & Dust on CD – with the bonus Blackfella/Whitefella documentary DVD. Nice – ill have to buy this one day as well. Classic album. Paul also picked up a Shakin Stevens CD with bonus DVD. He was all embarrassed until I said to him “dude, I own a Bros record – on picture disc” That shut him up and also ruined any credibility I had with the guy behind the counter.

I also bought two 7” singles. They had a long box on the counter with a heap of these gems. I love this format. It was what first got me in to buying records. I used to get $5 a week pocket money. 7” records were between $3 and $5 back then so I could get one every other week and still have cash for whatever other disposable crap I needed. So I grabbed Dee Lite’s Groove Is In The Heart and Young MC’s Bust A Move. Two great songs from 1990. Two funky tunes. Two of Yvee’s favourite songs. It felt good to buy my girl a present. Haven’t done that in too long a time. I miss doing that more than I miss shopping at Independent Record Stores....

We left and went down to Lawson’s around for a while. This place is now mostly a dumping ground for record company staffers who offload their promo freebies for spare cash. Half the stock has a PROMO ONLY: NOT FOR SALE on it. They can’t be assed removing the sticker! This store sections everything under the artists first name – not last name. So Bon Jovi is under B – fair enough. But Bruce Springsteen is also under B. Don’t know why I’m telling you this. I just find it funny. Ha. I didn’t buy anything here. Nothing jumped out at me and said: Buy Me. So i didn’t

Most of the record stores on Pitt St have been turned into Korean grocery stores or hardware stores or porno shops. Sad. I guess if you are Korean and into porn featuring tools this is your version of what it was to a 16 year old kid back in the early 90’s.

We then went to Martin’s Records on the corner of Pitt and Goulburn streets. This place has been her for as far back as I can remember. The range is limited and the prices are ok. Not really a great shopping experience in my opinion, but some gems can be found if you can be assed scrambling through the old Seekers and Sherbert vinyl. In the front window they had a brand spanking new copy of Nikki Sixx’s The Heroin Diaries for $20. Total bargain. Ive been wanting to read this book for a while now. Its normally about $50.

So that was it for us on the inaugural Record Stay Day. I’m looking forward to next year’s event already. Not sure what country I’ll be in. But you can be sure that wherever I may be roaming, I’ll be in a cool record store on Record Store Day, hoping to get that connection with the store, staff and product that I used to get back in the day.

Thanks to the creators of Record Store Day for the inspiration.

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