Back in the Goodle Days... A Reflection

When I was in college, I had a bi-weekly ritual of visiting our local record store in St. Cloud, MN. Each payday I would walk to the Electric Fetus and buy a new CD. The trip to the 'Fetus was much more than a trip to buy a CD; it was a chance to check out what music was new, talk music with friends, and buy some quirky, incense soaked nic nac for my apartment. When I moved away from St. Cloud six years ago, the ritual faded away. Trips to local record stores became more infrequent. In that time, Napster rose and fell, apple released its iPod, iTunes, and people started blogs about music. The music world was changing.

Two weeks ago, I got my first pay check in over 8 months. As fate would have it, I happened to be in St. Cloud, drinking at a bar right across the street from the Electric Fetus on payday! I couldn't think of any better way to celebrate my bittersweet return to the workforce. There were two CD's I had been wanting to buy, so I excitedly went to the rack that I was certain would have them. Neither of them were there! I could not believe it! The store clerk had never heard of the John Prine tribute album 'Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows', and had yet to order the April release of the Tune Yards album 'WhoKill'. They offered to order them for me, but this was no longer my home town music store. Out of curiosity, I stopped at a Best Buy to see if they were carrying either album. Neither were there, and their CD section was dramatically reduced to roughly 10% of the shelves that used to be there.

This experience left me sad and very reflective. The record industry has changed, completely... and I didn't even see it coming. I didn't see it coming, because I buy music on my computer. My first reaction was to curse iTunes for destroying an opportunity for future college kids to enjoy the same ritual that I had enjoyed. The 'Fetus is still there, and still awesome and stinks of incense, but their selection in music has decreased. Instead of running off to a record store to see what is new, I can check a number of blogs or online journals and get more information.

Would I trade in my laptop for a chance to relive the good old days? Probably not. It is pretty cool that I was able to set my own price to Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' album and pay them directly. I love seeing what you guys who like sting are listening to. I do miss the complete experience, however. Buying a cd, looking at the album artwork, reading the liner notes and lyrics. The music community has become both disconnected and reconnected. This reality check was important for me. I now realize I need to find balance in my life. There is room for both real and cyber music relationships. It is time I start making more visits to record stores. I can both blog and buy actual CDs.

The Electric Fetus special ordered John Hartford's 'Aeroplain' album for me back in 2001. 'Fetus, this one is for you.