Pests

Family Part 4

As soon as I stepped inside, I felt like a fucking kid in Disneyland. It's stupid, but it's very true.

I could not believe where I was. This was the place the Twist and Shout people loved so much; to be in their favorite place was a truly surreal experience.

I'll think i'll dive into the used rock cd's first. There was always something so exciting about the prospect of finding the diamond in the rough when it came to music. Who fucking knows what will turn up or where it's been? Or better yet, who knows what kind of tangents will my mind wander to while i'm looking for something? It's happened time and time again; I'll be looking for the side project of -say- Superjoint Ritual, and start thinking about all of the other side projects those guys were involved with, then I'll end up chasing down solo work of certain musicians i've loved in those bands.

The only thing for sure i'm going to pass on is stuff in a radically different vain. Sure, I'll get the Rebel Meets Rebel album, but I don't need to pick up all of David Allan Coe's back catalog.

In addition to the joy of finding artists and albums I have long forgotten about; I really do love people watching in a place like this. Everyone here is into their own weird thing. I found that extremely refreshing. New perspectives are always good, it's just a god damn shame that I can't shake my pessimism at all. You'd think i'd be able to, but that is sadly not the case.

Let's start at the beginning and see what I can find. Oh sweet some AC4! I heard about them after International Noise Conspiracy and The Refused but I never checked them out. Man I miss that band...and that shirt I had. I remember everyone thinking that was a fucking weird Dallas Cowboys shirt because they saw that star and neglected to read the rest of it.

As I contineud to flip through the racks of cd's, I started to listen to the overhead music. It was a really low-key, string quarter version of.. wait, is this... what is this?

Huh.

I was focusing in on the name of this song, when serendipitously, a store clerk asked if I needed help.

"Yeah man, who is this?"

"Oh, this is Apocalyptica doing a cover of Metallica's One. What do you think?"

"Uh, it's alright...It was on the tip on my tongue and I couldn't figure it out. Thanks though."

"Okay, well can I help you look for anything else? Or recommend something for you?"

I smirked because this was exactly what I was hoping would happen. I didn't want to impose, but then again it's his fucking job.

"Yeah, I'm not too sure what I'm in the mood for; I definitely feel like I need to get out of my comfort zone. Can you help me?"

I eyed his name tag, let's see what this Tim character is capable of.

"Alright, well, what kind of stuff are you listening to now?"

" Uh, well, I'll always love Stiff Little Fingers, The Refused, Big Black... stuff along those lines."

Tim started doing that chin-scratching shit which drives me crazy, but he was trying to be nice; so I decided to put up with it.

"Okay, so you've heard, Buzzcocks, U.K Subs and those guys?"

"Yeah."

"Hold on one sec. Let me grab our more punk/friendly guy, Curt."

I figured I may as well stay and see what they recommend for me an not be my normal, dismissive self. But instead of walking away, he just screamed across the sales floor.