Sunday, June 17, 2007

A record store, a humble hole in the wall, could you ever want for more?

Man, if possible, I had forgotten how much I loved record/CD stores. I haven't been inside a proper one since I left home and today I finally had time to go and check out the Rough Trade store near Portabello Road. STACKS of vinyl. Hundreds of 7" records, not too many CDs. And the constant vibe of being judged by everyone else in there - sale staff, customers, the guy who drops off the free papers.

I love the posters that have been up so long that they are beginning to peel off the walls, but somehow this makes the whole thing look more 'authentic'. Rough Trade is similar in vibe to downstairs Dada's - although not downstairs and possibly even more crowded. The staff have to bend underneath the sales bench to get out and look for anything. I managed to pull several CD's to the floor while trying to rescue the one I had dislodged. Eck.

And another thing - 7" cost about 2-2.50 pound. So damned cheap! Even with conversion that is about half the price that I pay at home. I barely managed to restrain myself. I settled for The Shins 'Australia' and Stars 'Your Ex-Lover Is Dead'. Because I had just bought new cons I couldn't quite justify the 5 pound for a Daniel Johnson single (and I thought I would try and pick up something of his when I see him later this month). I swear to God, the stuff in this store seems so extensive compared to Dada's (in 7" any way) that I was about to start selling body parts to indulge. It has also inspired me to go and seek other record stores. I'll let you knwo how that goes.

Went to 'Fifteen' for Alana's birthday lunch yesterday, which was just lovely. Really excellent food (as it was alst time) but at 50 pound a head, you wouldn't want to do this too often.

So I also bought new Cons. This is a picture of them:



It's nice to be back in cons again. I had been missing them since I left home. I wasn't quite sure what other shoes I should be wearing with jeans. And these shoes are pretty much my perfect fashion accessory. Especially given the fact that, despite being made in China (probably by child labour) they have Bono's endorsement because money goes to preventing malaria/typhoid/AIDS in Africa. See - Bono really cares about the African community.

Those little Chinese children can go f**k themselves.

I think I may still be on the wrong side of the ethical line with this purchase. I hate it when that happens. However, I still am still going to rant about the ethical incongruity here. Hypocrite, much? Shouldn't Bono and his ilk only be endorsing products that don't have a history of violating fair labour practices? Nike has long been accused of employing sweatshop labour so I don't know how they can justify partnering with them to produce thsi 'charitable' product.

Yet, again, I stil bought the damned shoes.

Moving on before I start getting really self-loathing for my ethical inconsistency (Bono and I could have a club).

For those of you who love High Fidelity and are in the need of a bit of a giggle, check this out. This is a link to one of the key songs in the new stage muscial version. The song is called 'The Last Real Record Store'. It all sounds so familiar, but is still so wrong.

http://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/highfidelity/thelastrealrecordstore.htm

I don't think that Rob, Dick or Barry would have been huge fans of musical theatre.
And after seeing some of these lyrics and imagining the accompanying dance spectacular, I am not so sure I am either.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Katie,
I feel compelled to keep commenting on this because I want you to know I am reading it!! Also because my last exam is in a day and a half and I really don't want to study anymore, would much prefer to be wandering through London. On the plus side mum Wanda and I are going on a girls holiday....I think this is going o involve a lot of wine drinking and possibly, in my case, a lot of sleeping. Anyway Tiger sends her/his love (I still can't decide after 20 years whether (s)he's a he or a she). Kisses and Cuddles! Sarah

janomac said...

With love from my Dad:

Bono, the lead singer of the band, U2, is famous throughout the entertainment industry for being more than just a little
self-righteous. At a recent U2 concert in Glasgow, Scotland, he asked the audience for total quiet. Then, in the silence, he started to slowly clap his hands, once every few seconds.

Holding the audience in total silence, he said into the microphone,

"Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies."

A voice with a broad Scottish accent from the front of the crowd pierced the quiet. . .

"Well, foockin stop doin it then ya evil basturd!"

Anonymous said...

Who could believe a record store that delights the heart so much!I too am reading this with much delight.It all just sounds so English1Do the Poms have as good a sense of humour as portrayed on TV or is this just a myth?
Mogie