These non K-Pop days are victories and should be treated as such. I found this record (b’d/w It’s Summertime U.S.A.) at the Parramatta Record Fair on Sunday. The original but now more sparsely attended, sparsely vendored record fair. And demonstrating my enthusiasm and loyalty for it, i arrived half an hour before it ended, this being the only record i bought. I wouldn’t it have found it at all if it were not for a sticker proclaiming “Girl Group” on the record sleeve.
I’m not good at shopping for records without picture sleeves. I don’t have the label recognition skills, the patience to file through thousands of torn paper-sleeved oldies records, the assuredness i will actually find something of worth, the knowledge of which pressing is the right one to have, etc. Nor do i ever bring my glasses with me so that i can actually read the tinily, tinily printed artists’ names on faded labels. But then sometimes i find something fantastic and wonder if it is worth all that time, effort, hunching, smell, and squinting.
I’ll just spend time there casually i think. There’s a type of person i do not want to become and fear i will if i jump wholly into the 45 scene. I have to keep some dignity. Some free time.
