i remember way back in 1985...april i think it was....going uptown (glasgow,scotland) to pick up the newly released album by prince 'around the world in a day' in the wrecka stow....i had just turned 17 and i was a huge fan by that point....i had played 'purple rain' to death the previous 9 months since its release and had all his albums on vinyl ( all six...doesnt seem many now )...it wasnt like it is now with mass information just a click away ...i only found out the previous week on the radio that the album was coming out...now i am not sure if it came out on a friday or the normal monday...not sure but anyway...i made my way up the town centre to get the album...

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i didnt have much money at that point. (i wasnt working at the time ) so i think that when i saw how much the album was...i think it was 4.99....i realised that i only had enough money to buy the album but i wouldnt have enough to get the bus back home...so it was a choice between getting the new shiny album by prince with its amazing cover and walking home or just leaving it to another day when i had more money...

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so there i was with the brand new album under my arm and a seven mile hike home...of course i stopped off to use a public toilet and check out the contents of the album..a big gatefold sleeve with the lyrics printed inside....it reminded me of st peppers lonely hearts club band album and the music wasnt a million miles away either...

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so i got home after a few hours and put the needle on the record and off i went on another musical journey ...

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you cant beat going to the record shop and getting a new vinyl album in your hands...i miss those days...

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[Edited 6/14/11 2:11am]

[Edited 6/14/11 2:20am]

I miss going into wrecka stows, period! I used to meet cool people & put them on to new stuff & vice-versa. Those were the days....Sometimes, technology sucks!!!

My years were more so 90's, but I can totally relate. I was big on vinyl & cassettes back then [they were cheaper than CD's for my $ at the time ]

Tittypants said:

I miss going into wrecka stows, period! I used to meet cool people & put them on to new stuff & vice-versa. Those were the days....Sometimes, technology sucks!!!

My years were more so 90's, but I can totally relate. I was big on vinyl & cassettes back then [they were cheaper than CD's for my $ at the time ]

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i miss vinyl...i remember when cds first came out and they were hyped as being this amazing new invention but its just not the same as getting a big vinyl record with the artwork and stuff...seemingly the sound quality is better and more natural on vinyl as well..ironic..

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blackbob said:

Tittypants said:

I miss going into wrecka stows, period! I used to meet cool people & put them on to new stuff & vice-versa. Those were the days....Sometimes, technology sucks!!!

My years were more so 90's, but I can totally relate. I was big on vinyl & cassettes back then [they were cheaper than CD's for my $ at the time ]

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i miss vinyl...i remember when cds first came out and they were hyped as being this amazing new invention but its just not the same as getting a big vinyl record with the artwork and stuff...seemingly the sound quality is better and more natural on vinyl as well..ironic..

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To me, vinyl still sound better than everything. CD's, FLAC, & any other format they come up with...nope! None of those can mess with vinyl. I still need all the Prince albums on vinyl. I have some, but I need as many as I can get.

It makes us sound old, but yes, kids today will never know the joys of "release day". It was a rush, and you got absorbed in the new "era" being sold by the artist.

April 22nd 1985. I remember lying on my aunts bed listening and reading ATWIAD. I was thinking, "WTF!"

When Parade dropped, I was in second heaven.

When SOTT dropped, I had transended heaven and earth!

Record stores are hard 2 find but vinyl isn't.

SquirrelMeat said:

It makes us sound old, but yes, kids today will never know the joys of "release day". It was a rush, and you got absorbed in the new "era" being sold by the artist.

April 22nd 1985. I remember lying on my aunts bed listening and reading ATWIAD. I was thinking, "WTF!"

When Parade dropped, I was in second heaven.

When SOTT dropped, I had transended heaven and earth!

around the world in a day i liked very much...not as much as purple rain or 1999 but...even at 17...i respected prince and knew why he released an album soo different to purple rain...in the long term...it made him even more interesting....when sign dropped...it blew me away...i just didnt expect it to be soo good...almost every song was brilliant and he covered soo much ground on it...to this day..its the best album i have ever heard..

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in california Tower Records was the #1 recca stow. i remember walking into TR, scoping out the terrain, going to my favorite section, and checking out the end-caps for new releases. the walls were decked out fantastically show casing the latest and top recording movers and shakers.

(i used to have tons of posters. eventually i gave most all of them a teen center)

i remember all the promotional displays, they were great and very original. the cashiers got to play the music of their choice during their shift. the store would be rocking to "controversy, little red corvette, 1999, raspberry parade, and etc.... tower was open from 9am - midnight.

prince was definently ruling the turntables back in the day, as well as many other great artist, like the greg kihn, the ramones, bootsy's rubberband, the clash, kiss and many many others.

at the recca stowe people stood in line and actually talked to each other (stranger or no), instead of doing the cyclopsian thing of texting to whomever until they got to the cashier. back in the day the recca stowe was a fun place to be. it was fab.

i still have over 2000 vinyl pressings that i keep in storage. i keep some of the reccas close by to play on my (still functioning) sony turntable when i'm in the mode.

side note: where i'm from the dialect for record store was phonetically pronounced "recca stow."

(that was b4 the word eubonics was ever heard of)

[Edited 6/14/11 11:52am]

when i was........ um younger i took a lill holiday to Melbourne...... i went alone because i wanted to be adventerous

i caught a tram into town and went shopping for shoes and clothes.... i remember that day so clearly... it was cold and wet and freezing!!!! and sunny in Sydney

i came across a lill record shop... dont know what it was called... the first thing i noticed when i walked in was the loud head banging music and two crazy looking guys behind the counter..... i immediately thought... yep this is going to be interesting asking them if they had Prince records....

but what ever ........ i asked them...... and they thought i was cool ... they directed me to the prince section... he had a section back then and i had everything i saw... except for this.... and no it's not a fake... its legit WB

i still have it... i still have all the Prince records and tapes from back then

i also bought a pair of jeans, 2 T shirts, a pair of black evening shoes and a pair of sunnies that day

[Edited 6/14/11 5:23am]

Bob, Fopp in Glasgow city centre has a ton of vinyl, we just need Prince to actually release some, then you can go about your wanking in a public toilet thing.

I'm joking, I miss the vinyl days too, but seeing as I don't have a new turntable yet, cd's will do.

And as for "wrecka stows," I fucking detest that stupid saying with a passion.

It was record shop when I was a nipper, and it always will be............fucking wrecka stow .

[Edited 6/14/11 5:56am]

SquirrelMeat said:

It makes us sound old, but yes, kids today will never know the joys of "release day". It was a rush, and you got absorbed in the new "era" being sold by the artist.

I agree, but the release day of other artists albums still has the ability to get me excited on the odd occasion, up early on release day, in the shop when it opens, back home on the bus dying to play it.

I remember certain albums by certain artists/bands used to be sold at midnight the night before, don't think that has happened in a long time though, and I can't recall it happening for a Prince album (at least not in Edinburgh).

TheDigitalGardener said:

SquirrelMeat said:

It makes us sound old, but yes, kids today will never know the joys of "release day". It was a rush, and you got absorbed in the new "era" being sold by the artist.

I agree, but the release day of other artists albums still has the ability to get me excited on the odd occasion, up early on release day, in the shop when it opens, back home on the bus dying to play it.

I remember certain albums by certain artists/bands used to be sold at midnight the night before, don't think that has happened in a long time though, and I can't recall it happening for a Prince album (at least not in Edinburgh).

I agree. Nowadays one can still feel the excitement of the "good old days". You can still go to the record store on release day, and even go back home frustrated after noticing that the album hasn't really been released (this is usual in Spain), and, instead of falling in the temptation of buying it through the internet, wait until your next visit to the city centre to see if you're lucky enough to get it. This adds excitement to the experience of discovering music, in my opinion. Which doesn't mean that I don't buy in the internet, especially rare stuff that isn't published in my country (not an European country regarding music, I'm afraid).

We are very lucky in Madison to have a couple old-timey record stores. The one I usually go to has a huge vinyl selection - new and vintage. In fact, I just bought the new release by The Cars there a couple weeks ago.

I have to hand it to them - they've really carved out a niche and do quite well.

My stop use to be the WIZ downtown Newark and VinylMania/DiscoRama in Manhattan.

The Wiz for reg r&b/pop/jazz albums and VinylMania for the imported house records....my sons father is a DJ so we will never stop buying vinyl. You should see my son in a record store...you would think he's at a Game Stop!

I live in a suburb now and there is this fantastic spot where I swear looks like a basment on street level when you enter it.....He has a ton of shit however most of the r&b sells for a $1 like Teena Marie or the Tramps for example...brand new and sealed ....it's a freaking GOLDMINE!

Yeah there is no feeling like the record store visit.

Seeing and hearing ATWIAD on its first day was a trip. That weird, mystical album cover and the strange songs inside. What a departure. It was the most anticipated - and ultimately most disappointing - album of my young life. Aside from a cut or two, it hasn't grown on me all the years to follow. While some argue it was PR II, it sure wasn't and isn't to me.

sermwanderer said:

I still go into Avalanche Records in Glasgow, and my mate is never out of Rub a Dub records (I think so anyway) Avalanche is still brilliant

There were two Avalanche shops in Edinburgh, one of them (the best and friendliest) closed a long time ago now, the one remaining shop was staffed by an arrogant grumpy fat bastard and his two devoted puppy students, that and the stink of sausage rolls from the take-away down below, and sky high rates just put the final nail in the coffin.

They then relocated to a huge shop in the west end of Edinburgh, where they are now staffed by the same arrogant fat bastard, but are now trying to reinvent the place as a "hip" record shop/cafe/hangout, trouble is.......it's shit.

Glad to hear that the Glasgow branch is still kicking up the dust though.

TheDigitalGardener said:

^ Sounds good.

I think the problem with the Edinburgh branch is that they are now trying to cater to the tourist trade in and around the Grassmarket, good luck to the fat shite, but I won't be back in a hurry.

Those days are over...

That experience I don't think we will ever have again.

Record Theater & House of Guitars were the 2 main places to search for albums

And you could just get lost in both.

After Purple Rain (I got it as a gift) I started buying all the back albums & singles I didn't have. But the new album experience 4 me was: Erotic City/Let's Go Crazy, God/Purple Rain, IWD4U/Another Lonely Christmas, When Doves Cry/17 Days, the Glamorous Life, & then Around the World in a Day

I distinctly remember getting ATWIAD from Record Theater one night, my dad took me there specifically so I could get it. This album just opened me up to another world. the Artwork the images the lyrics and colors I still have my copy from then 2 this day

So after the 1999-Purple Rain record store experience of expecting Bsides I couldn't wait 4 the bsides from this album... some of the strongest of his career

I don't know especially looking for stuff from the Prince camp it was just an extreme high Romance 1600 and the photos the Bside I 1st bought was Dear Michaelangelo, then the Family album again being blown away with the visual story and artistry let alone the music...

[img:$uid]http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/21303846/sn/610320869/name/inaday5.jpg[/img:$uid][img:$uid]http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/21303846/sn/15393501/name/inaday6.jpg[/img:$uid]

Unfortunately I missed the heyday of the wrecka stow, but I have been blessed to experience The House of Guitars in Rochester, NY. My dad took me there for the first time last year to look at keyboards. We went down into the basement where there are thousands of CDs and tapes and vinyl records all and I fell in love with it! There are tables and crates and stacks of music all over the place - they shoot for some type of organization but it has a minimal effect - the walls, ceiling too, are covered with pictures and posters and autographs from musicians and artists who have visited throughout the years. The owner is often there and he likes to walk around and answer questions or just talk to the customers. Anyway, I bought my first couple of Prince CDs there and while I was not able to experience the joy of purchasing one of his new releases, I did find joy in searching through the stacks of CDs and locating what I was looking for. After that experience I concluded that buying music online eliminiates a large part of the music/fan experience. Downloading an album in 3 seconds while watching the latest episode of Mob Wives may be convenient, but it just isn't the same as going to a store and experiencing the excitement and anticipation of finding and buying a real CD/record complete with jacket artwork and lyrics!

I miss those days with regards to bootlegs! The packaging, the search, the journey to a shop or convention, listening to it back at home.

blueskies2478 said:

Unfortunately I missed the heyday of the wrecka stow, but I have been blessed to experience The House of Guitars in Rochester, NY. My dad took me there for the first time last year to look at keyboards. We went down into the basement where there are thousands of CDs and tapes and vinyl records all and I fell in love with it! There are tables and crates and stacks of music all over the place - they shoot for some type of organization but it has a minimal effect - the walls, ceiling too, are covered with pictures and posters and autographs from musicians and artists who have visited throughout the years. The owner is often there and he likes to walk around and answer questions or just talk to the customers. Anyway, I bought my first couple of Prince CDs there and while I was not able to experience the joy of purchasing one of his new releases, I did find joy in searching through the stacks of CDs and locating what I was looking for. After that experience I concluded that buying music online eliminiates a large part of the music/fan experience. Downloading an album in 3 seconds while watching the latest episode of Mob Wives may be convenient, but it just isn't the same as going to a store and experiencing the excitement and anticipation of finding and buying a real CD/record complete with jacket artwork and lyrics!

the ROC!!! I'm off Park Ave LOVE the House of Guitars so bohemian

I want to do everything I can to make younger folks go and buy a proper album again, absorb the feeling of it, the artwork, the lyrics and not just download a single song one can simply delete whenever they want to. I want to teach people that music is not a simple disposable product. That's my goal in life. I'm serious.

I still love vinyl hunting, there are still some independent shops, honest there are!

Nothing better than getting a new record home, removing the shrink wrap and then all that you had to look forward to. Pulling the sleeve out, looking at all the credits on the record, checking out the grooves for each song, staring for hours at the cover and then getting completely lost in the new work. Was heaven. These days with music so disposable, just background noise with a beat, I feel bad for our youth.

MLava said:

Nothing better than getting a new record home, removing the shrink wrap and then all that you had to look forward to. Pulling the sleeve out, looking at all the credits on the record, checking out the grooves for each song, staring for hours at the cover and then getting completely lost in the new work. Was heaven. These days with music so disposable, just background noise with a beat, I feel bad for our youth.

Ur gonna make me go home and smell my old Prince lps lol

And now wth digital record players with MP3 recording capabilities it could be more fun for the youth... I know it is for me and I'm 39

KDAV123 said:

Dave1992 said:

I want to do everything I can to make younger folks go and buy a proper album again, absorb the feeling of it, the artwork, the lyrics and not just download a single song one can simply delete whenever they want to. I want to teach people that music is not a simple disposable product. That's my goal in life. I'm serious.

Please do before we're all lost! lol

There is nothing that can or will take the place of the Wrecka Stowe. We have 3 great places in Grand Rapids and I have been able to go in for hours just looking and one has a room where you can sit and listen to the vinyl. The smell, the feel, the dust, the musk....Oh, the