Fitz of Depression

I think I have a problem. I can't pinpoint the origin, but I do have an early memory of the obsession. Sometime in the late '90s, my friend Ethan took me to Record Time (Detroit-area record store) in Roseville. We were there for three hours. It was my first time. Now, I so much look the part of an employee when in record stores, customers ask me where to find things. Often, I know the answer. One time an employee at Record Time in Ferndale asked me if I knew where something was, knowing that I didn't work there, but probably knew the answer. Of course I knew.

The obsession isn't just record stores, its also online record stores like Amazon, which includes their UK, German, and Canadian affiliates where you can often find foreign releases decently priced long before they come out here. Then there's GEMM, which is kind of like a big eBay buy-it-now marketplace with individual sellers from all over the world, and an exellent rating system. Unlike eBay, you can't bid on anything, prices are as listed. I used to like eBay, but I try to avoid it now because its dangerous for me. I end up buying Ummagumma on vinyl for $30 when I know it's only a second pressing of a Canadian release and probably worth only half what I paid. I am dumb when I am impulsive. Dusty Groove is also dangerous for me. Its the online store for a small record shop in Chicago. Their focus is on anything groove-oriented, i.e. funk, soul, hip hop, r&b, jazz, that sort of thing. The place is dangerous for me because I trust their reviews of all the featured records and so much of it is stuff that I'll never ever see in an actual record store. I could drop thousands there easily. Forced Exposure is a distributor for hundreds of labels, some really tiny and some you've actually heard of. Just like Dusty Groove, FE provides short reviews for everything. The focus with FE is just independently released music, which means they have all kinds of crazy shit. Also dangerous.

Beyond the brick and mortar stores and the online fixes, there is one more provider to feed my obsession. This one is a couple of ideas easily lumped into one category: flea markets/garage sales/thrift stores. Its all second-hand, which is why its lumped together. Used CDs/vinyl = evil.

Last night, I was at the Baar Bazaar at the Garden Bowl in midtown Detroit. There is this couple who have been there for the past couple of Wednesdays who always have a ginormous collection of cassettes. Last week I was looking through them, and I had to ask: "are you around 29, and did you ever work in college radio?" Turns out I was right on both accounts. Crazy selection of stuff. Anyway, they had some CDs. Of course, I had to look through them even though I knew I shouldn't be spending the money. They were only a dollar, I can handle that, right? I found a compilation that I had seen around a long time ago and always passed up. Its called "A Slice of Lemon." The idea is that its a compilation of newer stuff from two different record labels: Kill Rock Stars and Lookout! Records. Two CDs, 40 songs from artists whom I own absolutely nothing, and its only a buck? I bought it, of course. Then I saw something I hadn't seen before. I guess it was released as a regular album in 1999, but it looks like a promo-only thing because its Face to Face doing all cover songs.

This is where we get to the point of this post. The meat, if you will.

This morning I was takin' the regular commute up the Lodge to work. I put in the Face to Face CD. Its all songs that I know, so I figured it would be a good singalong kinda thing for my boring drive.

Tracklist: "What Difference Does It Make" - Smiths, "Chesterfield King" - Jawbreaker, "Don't Change" - INXS, "Sunny Side of the Street" - The Pogues, "Planet of Sound" - The Pixies, "The KKK Took My Baby Away" - Ramones, "Heaven" - Psychedelic Furs, "Merchandise" - Fugazi, "Helpless" - Sugar, and "That's Entertainment" - The Jam.

I skipped around a bit, just curious about this band's versions of these songs that I know and love. By the time I got to "Helpless" and realized how eerily Trevor Keith sounds EXACTLY like Bob Mould, I realized something else. Listening to these songs is like listening to the radio for me.

On Saturdays when I'm DJing, occasionally I'll get a request for a song from the latest big hitmaker, whoever that may be. Last week, it was Ciara. I'm not even sure if that 's spelled right, or if its a man or a woman or a group, I have no idea. I don't listen to the radio besides NPR. What's the point in listening to the radio? I'll save that argument for some other time. My point is that the track-listing above is my idea of an oldies station playlist, and I know I'm not the only one.

My disdain for corporate radio's cultural brainwashing pushed me away from the airwaves long ago. I have no need for it or the Billoard Top 40.

One of these days, I'll try to put together a little project radio station. It will probably only be available on the internet, but I promise you those songs listed above will all be played at some point.