Armatron "Mutation Programming" EP
Alright. So this record... I've actually bought three times. The first two copies were given away to friends because I wanted to share it so badly. If anyone wants a copy, I will find you one and send it to you (No guarantees). At the time, this was something that I considered a "weird" album. It was recorded in 2000, and released a couple years or so later. A really amazing blend of grind, ambient electronics, synths, two bass guitars, and who knows what else...
Released on one of my then favorite labels, GSL, this records came as something of a surprise to me. I had never heard of the band, and only ordered it because of the label it was on. The first time I bought it, I was working at a record store here in San Luis Obispo, CA, called "Cheap Thrills". I had been working there since the age of 16, and had become familiar with the catalogs where I would find new music that I'd like.
Basically, record distributors would send monthly catalogs, about 50 pages or so of upcoming releases. Certain distributors carried certain kinds of genres. So every month, my friend Craig (who was the guy who would order all of the stock for the store) would let me know when the new "Mordam Distribution" catalog arrived in the mail (snail mail, not email... the catalogs were printed on PAPER!). This announcement usually lead toward a half hour break, where a couple of co-workers and I would stand around, checking out what was about to become available.
Keep in mind that this is a time before iTunes, or digital music distribution as a whole (as we know it today). Napster was in it's (first) infancy, and there wasn't really a reliable way to find music outside of record stores, zines, and concerts. Music collecting, at this point, was somewhat archaic. A lot more chances had to be made when buying music; relying on label brands, suggestions from friends, or whatever your local record store clerk had to recommend was essential. It was easier to take risks, considering records were a lot cheaper back then. On average, a new 7" record cost $3, and an LP around $12 (vs. the $8 for a 7" and $25 LPs, today). They were cheaper than CDs, which typically sold for around $17! And for the most part, musicians only released on a single format, so vinyl releases had a certain amount of exclusivity, as did CDs. If you weren't able to afford a new release, you'd have to cross your fingers that one of your friends would buy it, and either let you borrow it, or tape it for you (music pirating in one of it's earlier forms). If you were really lucky, someone might make you a mixtape (on a cassette) that included a personalized compilation of tracks from artists you might like.
I felt very lucky being in a position where I could be someone who influenced what sort of music came through my town. Being a record store clerk had its advantages... getting music at cost (I think this particular Armatron 7" cost me $2) and being able to influence what other people would discover (record store clerks used to be something of a cross between gatekeepers, trend-setters, and arrogant bastards that people were intimidated by... I tried my hardest not to be latter two).
I also met a couple of girlfriends because of my job... an experience I guarantee 99% of iTunes employees don't get to experience.
