This is the story of my bad influence and haphazard memory leading to multiple purchases of the same record.
Word to musicians thinking of dropping a limited edition 45: Color that vinyl. You’ll get suckers like me ready to spend what seems like a lot of money for two songs. Then I’ll file it away, forget I’ve purchased it, and next time I’m in the record shop, I turn in Dory from Finding Nemo.
“OOH HEY, look at this limited edition colored vinyl single. It’s hand-numbered and everything! We better buy one!”
Well, okay, maybe not all impulse buyers forget what they have, but sometimes I do. My desire to “support the cause” of musicians and labels I enjoy overshadowed my memory when it came to this particular single.
My husband is a big fan of Rhymesayers records, and we’d seen Demosexual’s “She Likes” single languishing in a Missoula record shop during multiple visits. Considering that I’m usually the one that’s spending too much money on, say, every Small Faces album they have, my husband has said, “You know, I don’t need to spend $10 on two songs.”
After seeing it yet again, only this time marked down to $7.99, I said, “You’ve wanted this every time we come in here. You should get it. Look at it. It’s purple.” It was numbered 727/2000. Not bad. He agreed its time had come.
Because we were traveling, we weren’t near a record player, and the bag full of records we’d purchased sat untouched for quite awhile. Once home, I’d occasionally pull one out to play, but I never fully unpacked that paper sack.
Then one day, I decided that my records really needed to be moved to another shelf because the spot atop my dresser had become full. I wanted to put all the 45s together, and knowing that I also had a few freebies, I pulled everything out of the Rudy’s II bag and added it to the pile with which I was already working.
Oh. Hey. Would you look at that: 728/2000 is hanging out here too.
Apparently, my husband and I have had the same conversation twice — He hems and haws over a Rudy’s II purchase because he likes the idea of having records, but doesn’t play them as often as I do, and then I tell him to throw financial responsibility to the wind, and we buy what he wants anyway. We’re on vacation, I can hear myself saying. Treat yo’self.
Look, if you want to someone reasonable to music-shop with, don’t invite me. I am the best bad influence.
Demosexual is an Atmosphere alias, and they released the single for Record Store Day 2013. Taken from the group’s 2009/10 recording sessions, they are sexy slow jams. I dig them, despite the silliness of lines like, “I wanna grip your breast.” According to the Rhymesayers site, this will be the only time they will be released, and I know there are indie hip-hop fans who make it their business to collect such special edition items.
I’d like to say this will teach us a lesson about taking proper inventory of our music, but I know myself. I doubt this will be the last time I buy a record twice.
Tell me I’m not alone.
