JAMES AND AARON TARANNA 2022!!

This is a long post with a ton of shite photies. Brace yourself, and grab a coffee…

***

First off, all sincere apologies to Deke and T-Bone, as they were in Taranna last week for Maiden and I could not get there to meet up with them. Dammit, I tried. But this new job’s schedule is fun times, and two trips to the city in a week weren’t in the cards. I felt like I was letting down the Community, and I know you guys’ll say don’t worry about it, but that’s what I do so it can’t be helped. Alas.

***

You’ll have noted that I said two trips, above, because we were also booked to get down to Taranna on the weekend to meet up with my KMA Brother, Mr. James! Yep, he was in the city for the week for various things (those are his stories to tell), and my lovely wife and I had plans to meet up with him on the Saturday. Can you believe it had been three years since we’d seen the man (and, that last trip, his lovely wife as well)?! Damn you, Covid-19.

Before we left, there was a super-bright rainbow behind our house.

I zoomed in a bit for the colours, the neighbours aren’t quite that close as it looks here…

Anyway, we got to the city, hotel squared away, and the subway took us to BMV on Bloor to meet up with the right honourable James, Manager of the KMA West offices. Interestingly, we didn’t even go downstairs to look at records in BMV (gasp!) because lunch was to be had. Instead, went to Paupers, which seemed appropriate given the KMA (and Mike) history of going there. The Sunny Side Up Burger (with horseradish avocado aioli) was truly great.

Something to his right made James… leery? lol…

We also passed a great random bit of wall art somewhere on Bloor…

I wish someone hadn’t tried to tear it from the wall…

Then we walked down to Kensington Market, passing my lovely wife’s old apartment (we didn’t break in) along the way. We got coffee at the Moon Bean, then we hit up Sonic Boom. Sloan’s new (upcoming) album was storefront advertising. Naturally!

SLOOOOOOO-OOOOOOAAAANNNNN!!!!!!

They’ve really changed the shoppe, since the last time I was in ( pre-Covid years ago, now). LPs are prominent as you enter the downstairs sales floor, clearly given the resurgence. The CDs are now in the smaller room behind the stairs, where the DVDS used to be, as well as down the left wall. The rest is all LPs. That’s OK, but I think the CD selection is far smaller than it ever was.

Of course I still found a few things:

Tool – Opiate2 (hardcover book edition)

More new release RHCP! The second massive new material album of 2022! HAPPY DAYS!

Bill Wyman – S/T. This’ll probably be weird but I’m a sucker for Stones solo albums when I find them used.

I also bought a Jon Spencer Blues Explosion CD (used) because I wasn’t sure if I had it or not. Turned out, when I got home, I did have it. Ah well. And before you ask, no, I did not update my list before leaving for the city. I just did that last cull, recently, and with the new job, there just hasn’t been time to get things squared away. No worries. There were also many things I left behind because, let’s face it, I could go broke in that place.

Also at Sonic Boom, there was a cool new machine called the Phono Mat. You get a $3 token from the cashier and plug it into the machine. In return, you get a random 7″ record. Cool! I love this concept, and of course we both tried it. James got a Carole King record, and I got Billy Idol.

James tempts the Phono Mat g-ds…

I still can’t tell, from the look on his face, whether getting a Carole King record was a good thing or not…

My “promotional use only” Billy Idol 7″ is: Mony Mony (live) b/w Mony Mony (single edit). Hey John Snow do you have this one? Lemme know!

Then we wandered Queen West, and up Yonge to Fran’s, the location across from Massey Hall, for more food and chat and hang out. We took several pictures to prove some things will never change.

Then it was further up Yonge to Eaton Center to find a book for my lovely wife, but we were unsuccessful in finding it. Of course, I found three books that I wanted for myself, but with Christmas coming, I was good and only got one…

With work written between 1956 and 1961, there was no way in hell I was leaving this new (post-humous) release behind.

We also checked out a shoppe called FYE in Eaton Center. The lady said it was owned by Sunrise, so I dunno the story there. They had a ton of cool stuff in there, and I found this Record Store Day 7″ release I needed to rescue.

Wicked As It Seems (live) b/w Gimme Shelter (live)

And then, alas, it was time for us to part ways for the evening, and until next time. Truly unfortunate because it felt like we’d gotten our hang together seamlessly. Friendship with James is one of the best friendships, where years can pass and next time we meet up, it’s like no time has passed at all.

James flew home to Regina the next day, while my lovely wife and I hit up IKEA, and then carried on to the McMichael Gallery in Kleinberg to check out the exhibits. It is always a privilege and an honour to stand in front of Lawren Harris’ work. So gorgeous.

Mt. Lefroy (1930)

And that was that. It must be noted that I was at work the next day and I knew this trip had happened, but somehow it all seemed already surreal. I texted as much to James and he said “same.” Yup. But we were truly thrilled to meet up with James again. Great to see you, Dude!

***

Thanks for Reading.