If you’re a record collector who has spent any time keeping up with new releases within your preferred genres, surely at least once you’ve missed out on buying something “limited” that went OOP within minutes of being put up for sale online. Maybe you were working, or sleeping. Maybe you were spending time with peers, family or a significant other. Maybe you just didn’t have the money. Maybe, you laid awake at night trying to convince yourself that you were somehow a better person, more principled, with more sophisticated taste than someone who would sleep outside of a store overnight to buy something on “Record Store Day”. You’re not a loser, you’ll just buy it on eBay or Discogs when the smoke clears. So what if it’s a few extra bucks? You’re not one of those sheep that calls records “vinyls”. IN FACT, they should have some sort of a secret list for people like you to get first dibs on this stuff because you were collecting long before Urban Outfitters sold USB turntables. At this point you’re basically doing these artists a favor by keeping them relevant. The Super Secret Decoder Ring Facebook gang, your Instagram followers, the guys down at the shops, they’ll all feel more comfortable knowing you got your copy first so you can give it your blessing should they decide to try and get their own copies (lol). The king gets fed first, followed by the peasants, and life goes on.
Now, I’m not gonna lie: more than once I’ve had my stomach sink after missing out on something I really really NEEDED like REALLLYY bad. And I’ve made some poor financial decisions regarding records that I immediately regretted. Honestly, I can’t think of any one thing specifically but I will admit that to this day I STILL hold a grudge against this junkie grifter on a punk message board who conned me and many others out of a decent chunk of change in a pre-order scam for a Blank Dogs 7″ and a few other records (read the whole saga here (actually, don’t)). That being said, maybe I should thank that junkie because I did learn a valuable lesson from that fiasco that I really should have learned well before: Relax. They’re just records. And don’t ever trust anyone on the internet ever again.
Looking back I think one of the most ironic things about getting unnecessarily frustrated over not being able to buy a record is that more often than not whatever it was I was pulling my hair out over, is now virtually worthless and available for pennies on Discogs or in dollar bins. It sorta reminds me of this comedian I saw back in the 90’s who had a bit where he said he loved to go into stores and walk up to kids looking at the candy section and say, “Hey kid.. You see all this candy? I have enough money to buy ALL of it. Right now. All of it. You will too when you’re my age…you just won’t want it anymore. Life sucks.” I think that frustration is what eventually led me to just stop paying much attention to the hustle of limited releases, internet preorders, etc. There’s definitely been some things over the years that I’ve coveted and wished I had put the effort into buying before they disappeared but then I just always think “Blank Dogs 7” and I come back to reality.
Record hounds still in the game might read this and think I’ve become stubborn after being disappointed too many times..and yeah, maybe that’s part of it? If a shrink told me this was some kind of subconscious coping mechanism that allows me to still pay attention to what’s out there without going insane and/or blowing all my money, I’d say “That works for me, doc!” Thank god I don’t have to squint to read the DL codes on those business card inserts (that people even felt the need to start putting in 7″s for chrissakes) I can now just go to Bandcamp or YouTube or whatever and most things I want to hear end up there eventually or sometimes even immediately. I don’t spend money on records even as close to as much as I used to and when I do it’s very rarely on new releases. I know there’s lots of artists and labels out there that need support but at this point in my life I’m pretty much only in it for the music itself, and when it costs $10 for a new 7″ single and $22 for an LP, I just can’t justify the purchase. To those out there still throwing down for new stuff and $30 reissues of records that cost $12 10 years ago; you are truly doing God’s work. Thank God you’ve got the patience, good taste and disposable income to set an example for those of us who’ve tapped out long ago. Reading articles like this about vinyl’s resurgence are very inspiring and surely the quality of music released on vinyl has kept up with the increase in the number of records being pressed. I guess I’m missing out on a revolution of sorts. I guess I’ll just try to figure out how to sleep at night.
Sex Vid’s debut 7″ from 2006 was a hot commodity when it came out and rightfully so. It’s one of just a handful of modern “hardcore” records I’ve even bought in the last decade and a half. My interest was definitely piqued after seeing it praised by a few people like myself who didn’t care much for hardcore made past 1989 or even at all. I think I reached out to the label just a few days late and before I knew it it was eBay gold. I managed to trade another collector for a copy, giving up more than I care to remember. Pulling it out today is exactly what got me pondering all of the above. Funny enough, after spinning it a few times I was reminded how much more I like their live 7″ from just a few years later that til this day is pretty affordable. Not surprisingly, it doesn’t appear to be on Youtube.
Here’s the debut 7″ “Drugging” in its entirety:
