On Sunday afternoon I did something I hadn’t done in years.
I cruised down the isles of my favorite used record/CD store. This is when it
hit me; I hadn’t hung out at “my” music store in millennia.
The morning host of satellite radio’s GLBT channel informed
me last week that the weekend fell on “Record Store Day.” This is a day to
celebrate independent record stores across the world. On this day and age, with
the huge conglomerate music stores long vaporized, we seem to have only these
smart and passionate, independent music stores. This niche market is the only
choice other than the streamlined online purchasing of your favorite
tunes.
As I flipped through the racks of aging CDs I couldn’t help
thinking how long it had been since I had graced a music store. I became an
iTunes zombie immediately after a birthday present of my first iPod, way back
in 2004. Since then, the plastic jewels cases filled with artist’s
presentations have vanished from my world. The convenience of clicking “Buy”
took away this simple, yet religious act of digging through the racks of
albums, making me forget how the act was incredibly cathartic.
Standing in the musty air of music’s ancient temple, I
thought back to my first album. The very first record I ever bought was Cory Hart’s
second album, Boy in the Box. I had just
moved to Houston, Texas and discovered a record store in Houston’s Galleria
Mall. The attempts to hide the
album from my Mom led to her think it was satanic “devil worship” music. Little
did she know, the attempt to hide album was because I was desperately in love
with Cory Hart and was convinced the 3rd track “Never Surrender” was
written just for me. Never Surrender was Cory’s attempt to convince me that it
was okay to be gay. That I should never surrender; soon I would be out on my
own with the freedoms that would go along with being an adult.
Of course, that was not the case. Cory was just a Canadian
musician, who still to this day produces music with his wife. He will never
know how he got me through my freshmen year of high school. Yet, discovering a
scratched-up jewel case with his sneer looking back at me, I asked him. Does
that even matter? He gave me my
theme song, not just for a Polo and acne covered freshman, but really for life.
I sat in my bedroom last night, listening again to Cory Hart’s
album.
I crushed on him hard. He still records and performs and still looks great.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm still wearing my sunglasses at night. fc
ReplyDeleteI loved his music, it was hard, sexy and fun
ReplyDeleteFunny, I just rediscover the title track.
ReplyDeleteisn't he Rock and Roll Hall of Fame eligible by now?
ReplyDeleteOh boy... I had such a mad crush on this guy. Loved his Sunglasses at Night video when it came out.
ReplyDelete