RECORD STORE TALES Part 190: The Early Bird Drops the Discs
I hated the mornings. What I really hated were people banging on the door to get in before we opened. I don’t know why it bugged me so much. I guess I was just peeved that somebody wanted to cut into my last few moments of unpaid time.
I rarely let people in early. Usually I would go about my business, sometimes I’d let them know I’d be open in 10 minutes, or whatever. My journal records one instance when a fellow didn’t check to see if we were open yet.
Date: 2004/05/19
This one dude was outside the store at 15 minutes before open, trying to get in. The door was locked and when he tried to open it, his bag of CDs fell down to the ground and smashed. He was cursing up a storm out there!
Next time on Record Store Tales…
Let’s talk about classical music!
mikeladano.com 
I am digging the “drive-by” intro Mike.
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Right on, thanks Wayne! I found that on my camera and figured I’d drop it into a story.
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The only time I banged on a door to get into a record store was the day 5150 was released !
Me and a friend skipped school and waited for the store to open and the poor guy had to go and unpack the vinyl cuz we wouldn’t leave!
Also that same yr we did the same when Boston put out 3rd Stage…we wished we had waited on that one!
That was the followup to Don’t Look Back which came out in 78 …..man to start off a album with a ballad(Amanda) when we were 19 just killed it for us!
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I kinda like Amanda now…definitely didn’t at the time!
The only time I can remember having a lineup outside to buy something, was that Princess Diana CD. Big whoop.
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Actually I remember here in good ol Tbay when the Hip released Fully Completely the record store opened at 12 am…half the town was there……
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I wanted to do a midnight madness sale for Trouble at the Henhouse, but sadly the boss said no. I was gonna work for free just to do it.
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Yeah I went to that one as well. Good business sense….miss those days….
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It would have been a fun experience if we had done it. Trev and I were willing to do it just for a free copy of the disc. Just to be a part of it, have the diehard fans in the store and no fuckin’ rap fans for a change.
We figured we probably wouldn’t have made any more or less money doing it than not doing it, which is why we didn’t ask to be paid. But what we thought it would have done, is help us build more of a buzz as a “cool” store, instead of corporate.
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Yeah for sure….those were the days when u would get pumped for new release Tuesdays..now everything is a click away!
I still remember in 88 buying 7th Son ,Skyscraper ,OU812,And Justice For All on the first day of release….good times…
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For Bob and I it was usually first weekend of release. Or whatever night the family had to go to the mall!
I even conned my old man into paying for a Poison tape for me, because I needed it for school! I did need it for school, but I mean, it was really for me.
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Hahahaha…I could her that concversation now Mike…
Son-“dad I really need this tape for school ”
Dad-“sure son what’s the tape called and what class is it for”
Son-“open up say ahh..it’s for sex Ed Dad”
Dad-“atta boy son!”
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HAHAHAH!
The true story is that I needed it for an after school film project which was submitted to a local film festival…
A music video. Our own music video for Nothin’ But A Good Time!
I still have it but no way of putting it online at the moment!
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I stood in line for the midnight opening at Dr. Disc in Windsor to get Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy on vinyl. Then I later gave it away as a gift.
Early people are infuriating. At least you had a door. I worked one of those kiosks in the mall, in the center of the aisle. People would see me in there, I’d be trying to get ready to open at 9:00, they’d constantly be at me. “Well, you’re in there, you can help me!” Um, no. Eventually, I started showing up at 8:58am and would still be opening at 9:00 and just after. It wasn’t worth the hassle.
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I think what you said applies to almost any job! If you’re physically there, people think you’re available to help. Like I said though, last few moments of unpaid time…it’s kind of sacred.
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