Scrounging for CDs at the Thrift Store
This would be the weirdest retro concert tour lineup ever.
Me
The Thrill of the Hunt
I'm a member of a dying breed – the CD collector. While most 21st-century music fans have moved away from physical media into MP3s, digital downloads, and iPods (and true audiophiles have rediscovered vinyl), I am still obsessed with those little silver plastic discs. I've been collecting CDs since the early 1990s and have fond memories of the many hours I've spent scrounging through bins at hole-in-the-wall music stores and record swaps, digging ever deeper in the hopes of uncovering long-lost audio treasures.
The problem is that the record stores which once dotted our great land in seemingly never-ending numbers have become an endangered species over the past decade or so, as the onslaught of iTunes and Spotify continues to reshape the music business (whether or not that's a good thing, of course, depends on who you talk to). Even big-box retailers like Walmart or Best Buy, which once boasted healthy music selections, have downsized their CD inventories to the point where music is pretty much an afterthought.
So what's a CD addict to do when he wants to do some scroungin'?
If you're like me, you hit the local thrift shops. I'm lucky enough to have one right in my hometown that supports a local women's charity. The shop is in a rickety former church building that is cramped and dirty and smells like feet on warm days, but nine times out of ten, if I dig through the bin of used, abused, and unloved CDs that are shoved into the corner of the store, I'll usually come away with something interesting.
I specialize in albums from the hard rock/metal genres, collecting anything with loud guitar and attitude, but I'm not averse to occasionally going off the reservation if I find something unique, odd, or cheap enough. Over the past couple of years, I've picked up some amazingly weird CDs in that store: hard-to-find '80s Christian rock, rare releases by forgotten hair metal bands, and once in a while, even a – gasp! – country CD or two. I don't score every time I visit, but I've had enough hits over the years that it makes putting up with the occasional misses worthwhile.
Here's what I found on my most recent scrounging excursion.
Styx
Me
Styx - "A&M 25th Anniversary Classics, Vol. 15"
(A&M Records, 1987) I've always had a love-hate relationship with 70s/80s arena rockers Styx. Part of me has always wanted to like their stuff, but it seems like every classic hard-rocking song like "Renegade" or "Blue Collar Man" in their catalog has got a sickeningly overblown cheese-rock ballad like "Babe" or "Don't Let It End" that cancels it out, and prevents me from getting into them bigtime. This musical schizophrenia affected the band members as well; after years of butting heads over Styx's direction, the theatrically-obsessed vocalist/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung split with guitarists Tommy Shaw and James Young (the "rockers" of the band) in the mid 80s. Several reunion attempts followed and today Shaw and Young continue to perform as Styx with the use of replacement members.
This 14-track disc (part of a series of budget-priced compilations released to celebrate the A&M label's 25th anniversary; other volumes featured such artists as Chuck Mangione, Humble Pie, The Carpenters and Joe Cocker) provides a nice even mix of the "rockin'" Styx material and the "wimpy" Styx stuff (I'm still not sure which side of that fence 1983's addictive ear worm "Mr. Roboto" falls on) so this collection is sure to satisfy most casual fans. It'll probably be the only Styx CD I'll ever need. I just have to make sure to keep my finger near the "skip" button for when "Babe" comes on (that song gives me a pain!).
"Renegade"
Me
Living Colour - "Vivid"
(Epic Records, 1988) Living Colour's debut album was a pretty big deal upon its release in 1988. The all-African American rock band was championed by none other than the head Rolling Stone himself, Mick Jagger - who produced several of the tracks on Vivid and allowed the band to open a series of Stones tour dates. Thanks to Sir Mick's generosity and to MTV embracing their hard-rocking single "Cult of Personality," Vivid crashed the Billboard top ten and sold double platinum. I owned a cassette single (remember those?) of "Cult" back in the day but had never heard the rest of the album until now. In addition to "Cult", Vivid still holds up pretty well after all these years thanks to tracks like the heartfelt "Open Letter (to a Landlord)", the funky "Funny Vibe" (featuring cameos by Chuck D. and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy) and the sarcastic "Glamour Boys," all of which showcase the shredding guitar work of Vernon Reid and the powerhouse vocals of Corey Glover. Living Colour was one hell of a tight band!! They released several more hard rockin', socially-aware albums during the 1990s before going on hiatus in the early '00s, though last I checked they were back together again.
"Cult of Personality"
Doesn't little Ricky Springfield look like such a NICE young man??
Me
Rick Springfield - "Greatest Hits"
(Evergreen, 1988) Yeah, I know... why the hell am I buying a disc by Rick Springfield? ... but this album was simply too weird to pass up. I'm sure that most of you are familiar with at least one of Rick's hits like "Jessie's Girl," "I've Done Everything For You," "Don't Talk To Strangers" or "Affair Of the Heart," but... absolutely none of those tracks appear on this West German (!) compilation. In fact, I doubt any of the songs on this so-called "hits" CD were ever "hits" at all!
Before hitting the big time in the early '80s as a musician and soap-opera heart throb, Rick had plugged away in relative obscurity for almost a decade and released several barely-noticed solo LPs. That era is the source for this CD's track list. Judging by these songs, it appears that young Rick was being groomed to become the next big bubble gum pop star ala David Cassidy or Donny Osmond. His highest profile gig at this time was in a short lived cartoon show called "Mission: Magic," in which the not-yet-famous Rick (playing an animated version of himself) would send the characters out on each week's "mission" (which I assume must have involved magic) and then ended each episode by performing a song. (Rick's theme to the show is included on this CD, though it's misidentified as the "Theme From Missin' Magic.")
In other words: this "Greatest Hits" CD is nothing more than a cheap cash-in by someone hoping to make a few bucks off of Rick's forgotten early recordings. The songs are all pretty typical early 70s pop/rock fluff, none lasting longer than three minutes, aimed squarely at a teenage-girl market that didn't catch on to Rick till years later. Still, I had to pick this up, just because of the hilarious front cover pic of a youthful Rick sportin' a godawful red, blue and yellow plaid jacket straight out of The Partridge Family. If I ever meet Rick Springfield, I'm going to ask him to autograph this CD cover. (I hope he doesn't punch me.)
"Theme From Mission: Magic"
Me
REO Speedwagon - "A Decade of Rock N Roll: 1970-1980"
(Epic Records, 1988) The main reason that I noticed this disc on the rack was because it was housed in one of those old school "fat boy" double-size CD packages, which most major record labels stopped using by the early 1990s in favor of "slim" 2-CD jewel cases. I haven't seen one of these big boys in dog years!
Anywhoo... kinda like Styx, REO Speedwagon was one of those bands who've had a few songs I've always liked, but there were never enough of them to make me want to buy a full album. Though they're mainly remembered today for their sappy early '80s AOR ballads like "Keep On Lovin' You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling," I've been told many times that REO's best stuff actually pre-dates that era. Before they broke into the mainstream with 1980's Hi Infidelity album, REO Speedwagon had spent ten years on the Midwestern concert circuit, releasing a string of hard-rockin' but under-performing albums and building a rep as a must-see live band. The bulk of the songs on this 2-disc collection shine a spotlight on REO's hungry years, and I gotta say, I'm digging this material a lot more than I expected to. Though I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it for myself, early REO Speedwagon was some pretty damn fine booty-shakin' bar-band rock, not as sleazy or raunchy sounding as their early 70s contemporaries like Foghat, the J.Geils Band or early Aerosmith, but certainly in the same ballpark. Who knew? I may never buy another REO Speedwagon album, but I'm definitely hanging onto this one.
"Keep Pushin'"
Pretty Cool, Huh?
You can't beat that kind of audio enjoyment for only a buck apiece. I'm already looking forward to my next thrift-store CD scrounge. Do me a favor, people: don't just throw your old CDs away, donate them to your local charity/thrift shops. Not only will they raise money for a good cause, but believe it or not there are still plenty of people like me out there who are more than willing to give them a loving home. Thanks!
Suggested Reading
- Weird Records Found at Thrift Stores
The used-record bin at your local thrift shop can provide an endless cavalcade of unintentional comedy. Gaze in horror at these vinyl atrocities from days gone by!
Comments
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on August 14, 2015:
Updated
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on August 21, 2014:
Hi SGC - yep, thrift stores rock!
Angela F from Seattle, WA on August 21, 2014:
Score! (Gotta love thrift stores ...)
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on July 31, 2014:
Hi Janshares, thanx for the kind words...Buffalo, NY is a little out of my area but the store you mentioned sounds like my kinda place!
Janis Leslie Evans from Washington, DC on July 31, 2014:
Great hub, FatFreddysCat. I was happy to see you were recognized for your work. Congrats on HOTD. I love CDs, too, can't let go of them. Are you familiar with Record Theater? It's in Buffalo, NY, great place to find old and new CDs, as well as LPs. One closed so there's one left. Hope it's still there.
swilliams on July 27, 2014:
What a unique Hub! I liked the videos too. Great job!
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on July 27, 2014:
Very cool, Darkprince...I wish you (and everyone else who's commented today) continued good fortune in yourmusical scrounging!
darkprinceofjazz on July 27, 2014:
One thing I like about searching the CD's, at least it's been my experience, they usually have them at eye level or in an easy to reach area.
I am a vinyl collector too, and they always have them on the floor. I do what I have to do, but I know after a 10 thrift store day, I am going to have a sore back and sore knees.
I stay within my own little niche selling on eBay, but anything jazz that has a cult following will sell on vinyl, cassette, 8 track, and reel to reel for sure. Hard to find good jazz on CD and Vinyl in my area at the thrift stores.
Linda Bilyeu from Orlando, FL on July 27, 2014:
I've found many great CDs at GoodWill...some I resold, some I have kept. It's the thrill of the hunt! :)
DreamerMeg from Northern Ireland on July 27, 2014:
It's always great to find a bargain in a thrift store, no matter what you are looking for. I love browsing through them but like you, I have to stay out or the house would be coming down with other people's throw aways!
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on July 27, 2014:
Hi Heidithorne - you can still find lotsa vinyl at thrift stores, but I don't even have a turntable anymore...!
Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on July 27, 2014:
Back in the day, thrift stores also used to be the place to get all the old vinyl your heart could handle. :) Hey, even thrift stores evolve.
Love Living Colour's "Cult of Personality," too. Like you, I'll push the skip button on Styx's "Babe," but crank it up for "Miss America."
Big congrats on Hub of the Day! Happy Hunting!
Peg Cole from North Dallas, Texas on July 27, 2014:
It's wonderful that this won Hub of the Day. Congratulations! Useful, entertaining and funny.
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on July 10, 2014:
Cool, PegColes - enjoy that vintage vinyl!
Peg Cole from North Dallas, Texas on July 10, 2014:
Hang on to those silver discs, FatFreddysCat. Soon they will be collectibles. I have an extensive collection of LP vinyl albums that I bought in an auction let's just say, a few years back. I love looking at the covers and reading the words to the songs when they're available.
I'm listening to Renegade by Styx right now. Cool!
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on June 18, 2014:
Hi Rustedmemory...that's true, if I find a CD in a genre or by an artist I'm not familiar with, I'm more likely to give it/them a chance if it's only a dollar. For that price, what have you got to lose?
David Hamilton from Lexington, KY on June 18, 2014:
The random nature of finding media (bookstores, thrift shops) makes you think outside your comfort zones
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on June 18, 2014:
Hi Witchfinder -- I've had some luck at yard sales over the years but they are hit and miss, as you might expect. Rummage sales are another unexpectedly good source for CDs. A church in my town is having their big annual rummage sale this coming weekend and I'm hoping to find some new additions there. Happy hunting!
Witchfinder on June 18, 2014:
Great post FF. I used to scrounge in pawn shops all the time, and had some luck, but you can't even pawn cds anymore. So much for that source. :(
I miss the day of going in to some tiny record store and discovering some gems. I got a couple of those Iron Maiden 2 disc Castle Records reissues that way. I wonder if yard sales might yield some gold?
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on June 18, 2014:
Hi Spartucus... My CD collection used to be a lot bigger than it is now, I purged a lot of stuff that I was tired of or didn't listen to anymore (or just plain ol' didn't like much to begin with, haha) about ten years ago. I like to think I'm more selective nowadays...
CJ Baker from Parts Unknown on June 18, 2014:
I used to have a massive CD collection which I converted to digital. I sold off a lot of them back when you could still get a few dollars from selling off used CDs. But there is part of me that regrets doing that (even though I really didn't have space for thousands of CDs). This Hub brought on some great nostalgic memories of looking for hidden treasures.
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on June 17, 2014:
You're a collector after my own heart, Oldiesmusic!
oldiesmusic from United States on June 17, 2014:
I also collect a number of CD's, inherited a few LPs from my dad (and collecting new ones) as well as cassette tapes. There's a unique gratification with hunting CD's and records as well as owning a large collection of them.
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on June 17, 2014:
Hi Jodah - I don't collect vinyl anymore but I've still got a crate of LPs in the closet, too. I don't even have a turntable to play them on anymore, but I can't bring myself to part with them! Thanks for visiting, rock on!
John Hansen from Australia (Gondwana Land) on June 17, 2014:
Hey FatFreddysCat, I enjoyed reading this fun hub. It brought back some memories. I still have about 100 or so CDs in my collection and maybe as many cassettes, but CD's are still my major form of listening to music even in this age of computer and mp3. I recently was given one of those gadgets that convert old cassettes into mp3 but still have to master it. Oh forgot to say, I also have about 200 records...lol..showing my age, so I have one of those multi-players that plays everything. I browse the thrift stores now and then and sometimes find a long forgotten gem. Well done, voted up.
Keith Abt (author) from The Garden State on June 17, 2014:
Hi Sparkleyfinger - CD collectors unite!!
I try to stay off of eBay because with my addictive personality, I'd have a killer CD collection but I'd be living in a cardboard box by the river...haha! Besides, I still like the thrill of the hunt in the "real world." Thanks for your comment!
Lynsey Hart from Lanarkshire on June 17, 2014:
I'm so glad someone else loves CD's!!! I wrote a hub that questioned the future of CDs, and I'm glad that there are still fans! Surely they can't get rid of something if enough people love it! I love cheap CDs too- have you tried penny CDs from amazon? You pay postage, but it works out at about 1.27 per CD, and some of them are quite new! Lots of metal/ rock to choose from!
