Rethink Black Friday

Black Friday has always bothered me. When I was younger I could never figure out why people would want to wake up at 3 am to camp out in front of a store, two things I hate combined camping and lack of sleep. As I got older I noticed a huge shift, stores opening earlier and earlier. It's become almost this "Apocalypse Now" style mission to go out and buy a television.

Why not do something different this year? Support a local business, more specifically support your local record shop. The 28th will be Record Store Day throughout the United States. It's a day to celebrate the magical places known as record stores, the places where you can bond with someone over music. There will be exclusive releases that you can only buy that day and of course you can spend the day browsing through the crates.

I am extremely excited about some of the exclusives and I am counting down the days until Friday. I am the most excited for "From Genesis to Revelation" by Genesis

"From Genesis to Revelation" was released in 1969 and when it was first released it didn't sell well and was usually placed in the religious section of the record shop, I'm sure there were some surprised listeners. 

The Beatles, The Kinks, Joey Ramone, and David Bowie are also some of the artists that will have albums for sale you can see the complete list here http://www.recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases

You can find out which stores in your area are participating here http://www.recordstoreday.com/Venues

You Always Remember Your First

Do you remember the first album you purchased, the first physical album? The album you saved up for, the one you couldn't wait to listen to all the time.

I was seven years old when I bought my first album, "Middle of Nowhere" by Hanson and I'm surprised it didn't wear out. It was my very first and for about a year my only album. I listened to it constantly and now my family makes fun of me for it.

Anyway, I remember saving up to buy it and when I finally bought it I couldn't wait to drop it in the tray of my little boombox and press play, it was magical.

I can also remember my first record, I found it in my parent's record collection "Whipped Cream and Other Delights" by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. Subconsciously, I think it's one of the reasons why I love modeling, the album cover is so striking and I wanted to be the whipped cream lady. The music is good too.

So, do you remember your first? What was it?