A Record Store Clerk Shops For Records In Columbus

winters860

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I attack record stores like my pops goes at an ear of corn – voraciously, methodically tearing through every last bit at disconcerting speed. I’ll keep up until I’ve picked up roughly twice what I intend to buy, then pair down to the day’s purchase. I usually don’t get half of what I intend to look at gone over before this happens, but I take great joy in it nonetheless.

Today I had occasion to visit Columbus to pick up a pair of EPI 140C speakers and I decided to hit up a couple of record stores on High Street before I went to for sushi at Bento Go-Go Asian Yum-Yum. High Street was virtually a ghost-town, deserted for Thanksgiving weekend after last weekend’s game day festivities, aside from the panhandlers. When the first one hit me up, I noticed that she was certainly dressed better than I was.

I breezed into Magnolia Thunder Pussy, shot the clerk the best look I could that said “I mean business mother******!” and asked him if they sold used vinyl. He countered with his best clerky sneer and told me that they did not carry used vinyl. Fine then – well played, counter jockey, well played. I took off to browse through their used cds. I had forgotten their wonderfully anarchic filing system and after cruising Country and Reggae I settled into Pop/Rock. I think I got somewhere around M by the time I had to quit.

I’d picked up a couple of the recent Johnny Cash “Anerican Masters” cd reissues for for $6 a piece. I think Columbia did a good job on the ones I’ve heard so far. I can’t say the same about the Jonathan Edwards self-titled for $7. I’m pretty sure, even listening on my crappy car stereo, that it won’t sound as good as the LP– good album, though. I got a Lemonheads disc for $6, and I only mention it to prove that I’m not ashamed to listen to the Lemonheads. I think that if there were any justice at all in the world, Evan Dando would be Ryan Adams. Lastly, I picked up fIREHOSE’s Live Totem Pole for $4, because Mike Watt and D. Boon made some incredible music and it was cheap. Little did I know that it’s on the Amazon marketplace for $60+.

Before the clerk could help me, he had to hash out the details with a regular of why, in exacting detail, a certain indie Hip-Hop show wouldn’t be going off. Once he saw fit to deal with me, I feigned interest in a Aesop Rock/Jeremy Fish picture LP and book. The clerk did a good job of stifling his new-found respect for me. “That’s right, checkmate, fool! I’m out!”

Next up was my first visit to Singing Dog Records. I’m not sure, but I think it’s fairly new. The décor was inviting and I immediately saw lots of wax. I asked the clerk if they had used LPs. “Hip-hop or, like, rock?” he asked.

“Uh, rock, mostly, I guess,” I stammered, taken aback. He gestured to one side of an aisle, and told me that anything to the right of that was new. Wow. I tore through the used vinyl and wasn’t too impressed with the selection. I found Johnny Paycheck’s Take This Job And Shove It for $4 and decided, on a whim, to scope out the new vinyl. It was conveniently divided up into new titles and reissues of old titles. I dove into the old stuff and was surprised. A lot of them weren’t reissues at all, but sealed copies of old records. Still more of them were better used titles but supposedly, “MINT, NEVER PLAYED.” Prices were fairly reasonable.

I saw that they had a stereo copy of The Beatles/Frank Iffield on VeeJay. I’m familiar with that one, as a family friend has one and he’s had me look into selling it. The one at Singing Dog was an obvious counterfeit, as Paul seemed to be sitting on thin air, rather than a lightly sketched bench. I held it up and blurted to anyone who would listen, “Thissis counterfeit as all holy hell!” Neither clerk nor patrons paid me the slightest attention to me. Though there were extensive hype notes written on the $150 price tag, I have to suspect whoever priced it knows it’s a fake, because they priced it so low. However, they priced it very high for a known counterfeit, suggesting that they’re trying to take someone in. I quickly got distracted by some other goodies and let the issue drop.

I wound up buying Sundazed’s reissue of Gene Clark & The Gosdin Brothers on 180 gram vinyl for $16– and I never buy new vinyl. The place is really a smorgasbord of 33 1/3 tastiness and despite the shadiness on the Beatles album, I’d recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who has the opportunity. I can’t comment on their cds.

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Thanks!

You just brought back some great memories! I used to have a friend who lived in Columbus in the late 70s/early 80s. We hit both Singing Dog and Magnolia Thunderpussy every time I came to town. I can't believe they're both still in business.

Rick
 
was searching through threads...and happened to stumble on this.

Might want to try used kids and or Johnny Go's house of music...the former having much more wax. They are around on either side of (what now used to be) steak and shake
 
I liked Used Kids, but it's been years since I've been in there. They NEVER seem to be open when I'm in town.
 
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