The patient is still breathing...just
I know the impending death of the record shop has been blogged to death recently, but I feel I must share this with the readership.
No names, but you will know which chain I am talking about.
Visited my local emporium on Friday lunchtime, as is my wont - no shopping list, just the intention to break up the day and browse idly for a while.
To my delight however, the entire works of Creedence Clearwater Revival were piled up in the special offers - all at three quid a pop. Various other old favourites for the same price. Pretenders, Johnny Clarke...and the Albertos for a quid!
Suitably laden, I stood in the queue to pay, and listened to the assistant discussing the relative merits of early- and late-period Tom Waits. My turn to pay, and got into a chat about the reasons Mardi Gras was so poor compared to the earlier Creedence albums.
So sad, that what used to be the norm is now so unusual, but a joy to know that there are still people working in record shops with enthusiasm and genuine love for the 'product' they are selling - and that there are chains and stores still willing to employ them.
The sun is shining and all is well in the world.
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Damn' Right
at one level it's where one has a chance to meet fellow enthusiasts, rather like this esteemed organ.
'Music blogs are the new record stores' Discuss
I remember the original review of "Mardi Gras"
It said "in years to come this will be known as Fogerty's Revenge".
How true that is.
Here's the thing though David...
...I know Mardi Gras is, at best, substandard Creedence.
But for three quid, I'm going to buy it so I've got the set. Furthermore, I've got all the other albums - either on vinyl or mp3 - already.
So I've parted with £24 that I had no real need to.
But at three quid a pop...
And I had a nice chat with the record guy as well. Everybody's happy.
Oh don't worry
I would have done the same. It's the only one I haven't got. And it's got "Sweet Hitch Hiker" on it!
In 1972
I was a mere strip of a lad, 12/13 years old, just beginning to get to grips with 'rock' and being swayed by the tastes of my mate's big brothers.
And the first record that really grabbed me was Sweet Hitch Hiker by Creedence. It set me on the long, strange trip I've followed ever since.
And last summer, 35 years on, I was stood at the front of the Jazzworld stage at Glastonbury, when a (still very hirsute) Mr Fogerty played that very same song.
If the bomb had dropped at that very minute I would have died the happiest man alive.
Let me just check....
I was in my local indy record store on Saturday and I spent a few quid. What really makes me happy is going in with an album or two in mind that aren't really out until Monday. The CD won't be on display but if I ask if they have it they will always say 'sure do you want a copy'?
It's only a little thing but getting a CD a couple of days early still makes me happy.
How many shop are left that still have a little 'under the counter' thing going on?
I'm happy to report
that my favourite real CD shop is also happy to sell next Monday's releases to regular weekend punters. Mind you, in the same transaction they're happy to snort derisively at your musical taste and ask if you need a hearing aid should you be unwise enough to enquire about the availability of something they deem too unpleasant to stock. Moody Blues back catalogue, that sort of thing.
On a sorry note, The Freak Emporium, my favourite online music shop, has recently ceased trading, bludgeoned into submission by er, larger online traders shall we say, whose ability to side-step VAT on a large proportion of their stock gives them a huge advantage.
That is rare nowdays in big chains...
When I worked for a company formerly owned by that bloke that likes lifting women up when he's being photographed, a young girl who worked there had never heard of Led Zeppelin, and another chap hadn't got a clue who The Rolling Stones were. They knew a lot about US Emo bands and skateboarding, but come on! I think this is basic stuff, don't you?