A successful day in the big (sh)city for me and my Dad! Lots to tell, but it’s late, I did a lot of driving and walking (I’m tired) and there’s work and getting the kids to school in the morning… Still, the least I can do is report back on today’s adventures real quick…
Traffic was non-existant (Mike, our next trip should be on a Sunday!), the weather said rain but we got sunny and warm, and the city was alive with people and festivals and awesome.
Parked up at Bloor, saw that Honest Ed’s is gone. The signs are still there but the store is empty. End of an era. I hit up BMV and Dad went off and did his thing. I could have spent SO much in BMV, it’s crazy. Really quality stock, as always. I was thrilled to see they have turned all their CDs with spines up so you can scan the titles without flipping – an excellent development. I didn’t get a whole of time with the LPs, but they have a ton…
Here are my BMV Scores (all CD):
Soooo much greatness here, eh? Wowzers!
NB: The Iron & Wine, Chuck Brown/Eva Cassidy and Jeff “Tain” Watts came from the 3-for-$10 bin.
NB: I wish Watts had a song called “Bartók” on his Bar Talk album. Alas, he does not. Missed opportunity, that.
***
Dad and I then met at Paupers for lunch (awesome as always), and walked down through the Annex to Chinatown. Kensington Market was jammed with people, as some sort of Art Festival was going on. The whole area was blocked off to cars, and people were dancing and singing and doing things (one lady was a Poet For Hire. Give her money and a topic, and she would type you out a new poem on the spot on her old Underwood). I hit up Sonic Boom while Dad went off and did his thing.
My Sonic Boom Scores (all CD):
Holy mackerel, what a pile of awesome! And again, as is always the case with Sonic Boom, several of these were either $0.99 or $2.99. And I could have spent soooo much more in there, too. I had a basket full and made myself go through and put stuff back. It was painful.
NB: The Buddy Guy is a high school nostalgia grab for me. I loved that set then, and I bet I will now.
NB: The 10,000 Maniacs was one I said I’d watch for when I put Quit on the three records of theirs I have (during their All The Everything series post, a while back). And here it is! It’s a hits disc and a rarities disc together. Right on.
NB: Granelli is a jazz drummer. DJ Stinkin’ Rich is a Buck 65 alias. Oh baby.
NB: The Evens includes Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi). With my three (3!) Fugazi scores at BMV as well, it was an Ian MacKaye kind of day.
NB: Though it was new CD full price, the Cowboy Junkies had to come home. Check out who guests on it: Skydiggers, Sarah Harmer, Hawksley Workman, Jason Collett, Doug Paisley, Lee Harevy Osmond, The Good Family, Martin Tielli & Dave Clark, The Screwed, Reid Jamieson, Harlan Pepper, Jessy Bell Smith, The Potion Kings, Ivy Mairi… Wow!
NB: The Greg MacPherson… I texted James did he need it, it was only $0.99. Nope, he had it already and likes it alot, said I should get it for myself and if I didn’t like it, he would give me $0.99. Challenge accepted!
NB: The Jam tribute is cool. Yes, it has Oasis twats on it, but it has Beastie Boys too so that makes it all better.
***
So then we walked back up to the car, blasted out of town. Quick bite to eat in Orangeville (watching some of the Memorial Cup hockey game on TV – Windsor beat Erie 4-3), then home.
***
And there you have it. A busy day encapsulated in one short-ish post. You’ll see all of these albums in the All The Everything series, eventually. At least now you know from whence they came. Also, sad to report I did not find one single Grail List item for anyone. Sorry, folks. I tried! I really did (the list was in my phone)! Ah well, next time.
Thanks, Taranna!
Sounds like quite a day.
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It was! Always nice to get down to the city… . Our wee town is pretty homogenous, so I appreciate hitting up the shoppes, taking in some different sights, sounds, smells and flavours. Reminds me there’s a bigger world out there.
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I think it sounds pretty cool. Exploring is what I love to do.
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That’s what she said, Vinnie! Hahaha but yeah, Toronto is fun to prowl. Lots of cool little neighbourhoods and fun things to be found in amongst all of the concrete.
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I see your puns are out in force.
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I have been known to drop a pun or two, here or there… and the occasional “that’s what she said!” too… 😉
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Haha, well your puns are always welcome on my naughty site.
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Thanks Vinnie! And hey, if you ever take up woodworking, I’ll be able to make some knotty puns, too!
heh heh, I said woodworking…
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Haha, you are really funny.
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Well, there’s a sap in every family tree… I guess that’s me! 🙂 OK, OK, I’ll leaf these puns alone, before they really take root and you think I’m bark-ing up the wrong tree…
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These puns have made my day.
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Awesome, thanks! I’m glad you thought they were a tree-t. 😉
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You should be a comedian!
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I drove through Toronto (sorry, Taranna!) on a Sunday morning recently – you’re right, Sunday is the only day to travel to/through the big smoke!
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Yeah, it’s sooo much better than Saturday. We basically bombed straight downtown, no delays. Glorious!
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I see in yout post you mention Doug Paisley.
I don’t know him from Adam.
However, yesterday I bought a used cd of his.
3 things.
1 NM
2 Signed by him
3 Garth Hudson plays on 4 tracks.
Well worth $2
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Also on this cd Bastle Donovan, Jennifer Castle, Rob Drake, Julie Faught, Leslie Feist, Robbie Grunwald, Afie Jurvanen, Darey Yates.
The album is called Constant Companion.
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With a bunch of players like that, the album could very well be a constant companion!
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I don’t know about the guy either, he’s just listed on the CD.
Garth Hudson is an instant purchase, well done! And $2? Haha YES!
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Some good steals there – Red Medicine is an incredible album, one of my real favourites.
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Oh man, I was thrilled to find all of these! None were “maybes.” I’m really looking forward to getting into the Fugazi – I haven’t jammed their stuff since I borrowed a friend’s copies in Montreal (jeez, that woulda been 17 years ago…)
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Almost a different century. ..
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Don’t tell Ian MacKaye. He’ll feel old…
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Awesome finds! And so,e great prices. Sounds like a great day!
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Yes, yes, and yes! So much fun. I’m sure my Dad had more fun being up on the street, taking in the city. Me, I was in flourescent-lit basements, digging for albums… but that’s fun for me, so it’s all a win!
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That sounds like fun to me too!
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Yeah! Thing is, Taranna is fun to hang around in too, especially the area we were in, so I did miss out a bit. But then not really, ‘cos I got treasures!
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Sweet scores. I haven’t seen that Jam tribute in ages. Some pretty good covers on there as I recall.
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Thanks! I’m excited, for sure. I was intrigued by that Jam tribute and thought, well, for $2.99, I’d be silly to leave it here…
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Another successful expedition! Music liberated!
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Holy mackerel, YES! Makes me look forward to our trip in the fall! 🙂
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Nice haul! Some quality music buying there… particularly from BMV.
Fugazi, That Sadies album is one of my absolute favourites, the Iron & Wine album is his best (in my opinion) and the first Black Mountain album is great too!
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Oh man, BMV would’ve got a lot more dollars from me if I’d had them to spend. What a cool pile they had, this trip.
Is one of these the first Black Mountain album? I thought the black-covered one was? I could be wrong about that. Anyway, they come highly recommended so I’m excited. I got the Iron & Wine on a whim, to finish out the 3-for-$10, glad to know it’s good!
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Yes, you’re right! I got them mixed up! In The Future is their second album! I think it’s their best, though.
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No worries, I’ve got three of them here now and I’m gonna dig into them all!
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Total haul! No wonder u have to go to work today!
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Yeah! haha man it’s true. But it’s OK, I knew it was coming… Mike mentioned budget, and I said WHAT’S THAT? 🙂
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Budget is everything. It’s why we try Toronto first before we spend our hard earned dollars on Discogs. It’s why we have the Holy Grail list. If not, I’d just spend $100 on that Alice Cooper single now.
Toronto and budget are partners. One wouldn’t happen without the other.
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It’s true. I’ve also seen you have an exact amount of cash and not go over it. Excellent restraint!
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I think last time I was within $10. That was awesome! Keep in mind I don’t just collect music. I also collect TF and SW. I love when a plan comes together.
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That’s amazing. I have a ballpark amount in mind, but allow myself some leeway because I don’t get to real record stores that often. It’s different for you, maybe, because you have actual used record stores in your town. We have one and it’s… special.
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Yes and I always have a stead stream of incoming music. Two Rainbow albums arrived today!
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Mmmm… steady stream of music… life is good!
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I’m not up on most of this stuff but it’s a fine haul for just one day’s shopping!
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Haha yeah not enough metal for HMO! 😉 Speaking of which, I asked about the new Solstafir but they didn’t have any in stock. Online for me, I guess, unless our Sunrise opens soon and actually has one in stock. Is the boxed set LP only, or is there a CD one too?
As for quantity, this is what happens when I get to a place that has real record stores! 🙂
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It’s a CD box set. Same kinda idea as the Otta one. I was going to ask you about Sunrise actually… is that replacing your old HMV then? When is it due to open?
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Our Amazon has it for about $22. Sunrise is apparently open in my town as of Friday of last week (something like that). I haven’t been in yet, though…
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