Yesterday saw another great lunch and record shopping trip with Craig Danger! We had planned to do a bike ride, but the weather was a little grey and cold, with a chance of rain. Perfect record shopping weather! So it was to The Station again. This time I had their special, a fried fish sandwich, which hit the spot and scratched an itch. Danger again with the burger topped with a fried egg and a disappointing tomato slice.
Then, to Vinyl Junkies, where I was quite proud of myself that I managed to leave well under budget and without a huge stack of records. Seeing one of my favorite artists and albums right at the checkout nearly jeopardized that, but I had to get it: Sheila Chandra's "ABoneCroneDrone". A must-have for me, and at $30, still not too bad for new vinyl
I also finally found a copy of The Moody Blue's "Days of Future Passed", completing my collection of their "Magnificent Seven" (and more). I'm pretty sure I have everything of theirs that I care about now. I picked up Love And Rocket's "Express" for $15, which a hater friend of mine called "expensive", but I disagree (at least in relative terms).
The cover K-Tel collection "Dancer: The Danceable Side of Today's Rock" jumped out at me in the Digger's Den. I have vivid memories of this album from the early 80s, which was my older sisters, mostly for its inclusion of Lipps, Inc.'s "Funkytown" and Frankie Smith's "Double Dutch Bus". Nothing on here that you couldn't find or stream easily anywhere, but for $3 it was a steal for the nostalgia trip alone. When I got home, I immediately messaged my sister about it, and she totally remembered it as well, but not the songs on it. A testament to the power of that amazing cover art. I wonder how many other pop-culture-shellshocked Gen Xers like us would have the same visceral reaction to it...
After Vinyl Junkies, we capped off the trip with a visit to The Reverie Room. I was preparing to again, like last time, find some pricey must-have that would break my "budget". Instead I found 3 must-haves for about $10 each. Nancy Sinatra's "Sugar" to add to my growing fixation with her collabs with Lee Hazelwood. A Professor Longhair album, another artist I loved and listened to so much to growing up, but never owned a proper album by (until now). And finally an old album of early electronic music with John Cage and other artists. I mean "early electronic" and "John Cage"? How can I not.
As we left The Reverie Room, they were blasting EPMD's "Strictly Business", which, as it turns out, is a life-long favorite of mine and Craig Danger's (they had the album there for $40, but... ouch). I had/have a vague feeling we had already discussed this, most likely during one of our past (in)famous Whiskey Nights. But, as fun as those were, they were ultimately where many memories went to die. Nice to now be sober and remember a bonding thing for real.
As always, a great outing with my good friend. And some great records, to boot!
