If there's one thing in my life I'm most proud of, I think it would have to be my CD collection. I own almost every album that i've ever loved in this format, but I realize that it's dying away. I recently moved to Bend and went in the Barnes & Noble there to check out the CD rack (I was hoping they'd have the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs album). I stomped around the entire store looking for it, but all I came across was a table of vinyls. Before the vinyl snobs hate on me, I have nothing against it, and I own a few too, just a very small amount. Anyways, I could not find the music section (the vinyl table was conveniently in the middle of a walkway), and I was confused because my store at home had an entire SECTION dedicated to solely CDs. So I ask an employee, i'm like "Where's your CDs?", and he walks me over to the most devastatingly small rack of them i've ever seen in my life. AND they didn't even have the Yeah Yeah Yeahs album I wanted even though it was all new releases.
My point is, CD is dying. It hurts my feelings a lot, seeing the vinyl racks grow and grow with more albums, new and old. There's something so special about having these with me, I keep them in my car, my dorm room, my tote bag, back pocket, just everywhere. My dad's old hand-me-down discman follows me wherever I go. I love those things. The first album I remember buying with my own album was Revival by Selena Gomez (and I still listen to it for nostalgic purposes), but that was where it all began. I didn't REALLY start collecting until I had extra money from my first part-time job, but now I am 146 (I counted) album owner.
Guess what my favorite one is? Yup, my Europe edition Is This It album by The Strokes. That release has New York City Cops on it which probably in my top tier Strokes songs, and that edition is not super common to find in the US (obviously, since it's the Europe release). I also have most of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club discography, I'm pretty proud of those too. If you're from the Eugene area, two of my favorite shops there are Epic Seconds and House of Records. I'm currently going to school in Bend and am loving Smith Rock Records too. Okay and last one, probably my very favorite even though I don't go there often, Harvest Music.
I have a few stories from this place, I just love it. My friend and I were on a road trip to Portland, I think February of this year, and we were on our way home and we passed through Salem. Pretty nonchalant place, not a whole lot to do but still a nice town. Anywho, we were driving past and I just see this huge tapestry of the AM (Arctic Monkeys) album cover in a building's window and I'm like, "Stop! What was that!". So we turned around and it ended up being a music shop obviously, and we walk in, and there's just stacks of CD's everywhere. That place was the definition of organized chaos, which is totally my vibe. Love it. We're looking around, blah blah blah, I bought a Red Hot Chili Peppers album and my friend was on the hunt for something Van Halen, per her mom's request. The guy that works there is awesome! He's just ranting about how he could get her all these live tapes and stuff, it was just great.
That wasn't even my best experience there. The next time we went on a road trip to Portland, we made it a point to stop. We go in, and first thing we see is the same guy from last time so I'm pretty sure he's the owner. He's wearing these awesome shorts that are like neon green and black and there's a price sticker stuck in his hair, it was just great. I was hunting for some Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and I told my friend "No one knows who they are anymore, do you think it's even worth asking if he has any of their music?". So I asked him, and he ended up showing me the extensive collection of BRMC related things he had. I left with an album, a sticker, a pin, and literally one of the coolest posters I've ever owned.
Here it is on my wall next to my lovely Strokes posters. Pretty freakin' dope. So he's telling me all this, and THEN he's like "Yeah I saw them in Eugene a few years ago." and I FLIPPED out. It really hurts to know all these people came to my hometown before they were relevant in my life. I'm pretty he said it was 2007 so I was only like three, but still, it hurts. I love that place so much, the energy is amazing and there's so much random collectible stuff too. Check it out if you're ever in Salem!
Okay, the point of that rant is that I just really love CDs, they have a lot of sentimental value to me. They're so fun to shop for! I've found quite a few awesome albums at the St.Vinnie's by my house in Eugene too, I scored Hot Fuss by The Killers a few days ago for .99 and it was awesome because I've been hunting it for a while now. I also found Elephunk and Monkey Business by The Black Eyed Peas too, that was a thrifting highlight for me. Okay. Buy CD's. Don't let the market for them die away! Support small businesses!
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