This year marks the first time I didn't actively plan RSD shenanigans. My RSD buddy, Anita, took over the planning. Her plan took us to the wilds of Fairfax and Loudoun Counties and included three never before visited record stores, DIG Records (Leesburg), Right On Records (Herndon), and Vienna Music Exchange (Vienna). We ended up going to a fourth store, Record & Tape Exchange (Fairfax), a store both of us regularly visit. Four record stores in one afternoon is the most we've ever visited in one RSD. We also made a stop at Caffe Amouri, a great cafe in Vienna not too far from Vienna Music Exchange. Visiting Caffe Amouri made me wish I lived in Vienna so I could drink their excellent coffee everyday, but alas, I don't live in Vienna.
As has always been my experience, it was an absolutely beautiful day to spend indoors digging throough stacks of records. Like the cherry blossoms, RSD is a harbinger of spring. Once it happens, I know the weather will improve, my allergies will worsen, and I will start to long for summer concert season. We brought T-Rex Manning with us and I made embroidered record buttons. We were ready for shenanigans.
Since we started our day early (9:30), we added Record & Tape Exchange to the plan because it opens early on RSD although it can be a bit hit or miss from a selection perspective. I've never had great luck finding albums at RTX, but I still enjoy browsing. The staff is great and they usually play good music. I don't know if someone died recently and left all their records to RTX, but man, did they have the best stuff out in their used section. Most of the RSD releases were gone to the RSD faithful who get in line at midnight and wait, but I was able to get the Lou Reed release Animal Serenade, a live LP from a 2003 show. That, however, was not the most exciting thing I bought at RTX. Whoever died or recently brought records in really, really loved David Bowie, The Beatles, and Rod Stewart. The sheer volume felt like we were going through someone's collection and it was all awesome (even some of the more horrifying 70s-era Rod Stewart album covers). I could have spent all of my money (and I mean all of it) on Bowie albums alone. None of these were reissues; these were all from the 1970s and in excellent condition. I had a hard time deciding on which one I wanted. I ended up with Resurrection on 84th Street, a double album from his 1976 US tour. I'm listening to it as I write this. The strangest thing about this album is that the album labels are completely different from what you'd expect.
The label that issued the album, The Amazing Kornyfone Record Label (TAKRL) was one of the first bootlegging labels in the US. The artwork on the albums and the labels weren't always reflective of the album itself. They occasionally used fake Sex Pistols labels and a label for the song "Je T'aime" on albums from that period. I don't know what happened to the original owner of this album, but thank you for taking such good care of it so I can enjoy it now.
We finished up at RTX after finding a several fun 45s for Anita to take to her work event and deciding she should buy the Prince album and we'd share custody. Sharing custody of a record is a real thing. I know this because we were not the only people to mention doing so during our RSD adventure. This is what true friends are for.
Our second stop was Vienna Music Exchange, the only store of the day with a focused collection. It's a metal/punk/hardcore fan's dream...if they can fit in the room. The store is located near the Vienna Train Station and is in a building that was at one point a single family home. The rooms are now offices and small retail spaces. I imagine this was a bedroom at one time and now houses a huge collection of vinyl, CDs (new and used for both), and other random things that have made their way into this room. The guy who owns it reminds me a little of Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons if he owned a small, niche-ish record store. While I would have liked to spend time searching through the bins, there was no room and too many people (five) to move comfortably. We decided it was worth a return visit on a weekday when it might not be crowded. We took a break at Caffe Amouri, which has excellent coffee and walls decorated with records. Anita and I do love a theme.After coffee, we headed to Herndon to another small store, Right On Records. It happens to be across the street from where I get my haircut. I didn't even know it was there. Right On Records occupies a second floor space in an office building that reminds me of every 70s cop show I've ever watched when the detective is tracking down his (it's always a dude) informant and he traces the informant to a shady office building. We didn't find any shady dealings, just another great selection of used records. I found the one thing that I really wanted to find: R.E.M.'s Murmur.
R.E.M. fans don't often part with their vinyl so finding this was a treat. It figures heavily in the college years chapters of my novel and having the actual album rather than a CD or digital version is exciting to me. The novel is based on my character's love of music. I admit that since I started writing it, I often think about how she's experience RSD. I look for albums she'd buy while researching an article or a new pilgrimage. Obviously, she and I share many musical loves since I created her and she is loosely based on me (very, very loosely). I'm in the research phase for the Athens chapter so listening to Murmur on repeat is going to be amazing. What I really enjoyed about Right On Records was the knowledgeable staff (maybe it was the owner?). He knew what he had in stock and it seemed like he listened to most of what came in before it went out to sell. He remembered people and made recommendations. Despite it's shady location, it's the kind of place I want to come back to and browse some more. I'll admit Right On Records had me the second I saw the framed Warriors soundtrack.
Our final stop of the day almost didn't happen. We drove from Herndon to Leesburg to visit DIG Records. What we didn't know was that yesterday was also the Leesburg Flower and Garden show so parking in downtown Leesburg was a challenge. We circled the block, deciding that if we couldn't find a spot after the next pass, we'd skip DIG and come back another day. As we turned the corner after not finding a spot to head out, we found street parking almost directly across the street from the record store. Clearly, we were meant to visit. Of the four stores, DIG is my favorite. It has a vibe that just feels right. I don't know how else to explain it other than to say I'd live there if that was allowed. It's on the small side too, crowded on a special event day, but not in a bad way. The selection was solid and there was a mix of new and used vinyl as well as vintage clothes and accessories. The owner (I'm guessing he was the owner), Kevin, was friendly and played the original Footloose soundtrack while we were there to "get everyone pumped." We were a tad disappointed he didn't let it get to the Bonnie Tyler song, but we fixed that by listening to it in the car. Anyway, I don't hang out in Leesburg ever, but I'd definitely come back to visit DIG.
Record stores create communities, like coffee shops and bars do with their regulars. That's pretty much the entire point of the movie Empire Records. People come together over their shared love of music. They might not like the same genres or musicians, but they can come together in one place and find something they enjoy. Or come together in one place and obsess and complain about music or music fans or whatever they want to obsess and complain about. I look forward to RSD every year, not just because I get to hang out in record stores all day, but because I get to hang out with my friends in record stores all day. We have the best time and the oddest conversations on RSD. I hated missing last year, but I had a good reason. I feel like I made up for this year. The only thing to do now is listen to my new records and start planning next year.
Get out there and support your local record stores!
*This has nothing whatsoever to do with RSD. As we were walking down the street to cross over to DIG Records, we overheard a couple and this was the part of the conversation we heard. I don't what it means. I don't know if the racoon is an actual racoon or code for a person or object. I'm not really sure I care. It's going on a button.
Coming Soon: I finally write a Lazy Movie Weekend about those pesky kids who save the community center with can-do attitudes and break dancing, the Misfit Toys Road Trip 2018 takes us to Memphis, and I decide to embroider all the things.
