成人X站

Today is the 15th anniversary of the very first 鈥�,鈥� which took place April 19, 2008, to celebrate and support independent retailers of recorded music around the United States. This year鈥檚 edition is coming up on Saturday, so 成人X站 Newsradio checked in with some local elected officials to gather their 45 rpm memories and visions of vintage vinyl.

We wanted to know if Governor Jay Inslee, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell remembered the first record they ever bought with their own money, and if they had fond memories of particular record stores.

Governor Jay Inslee told me he didn鈥檛 personally buy any records 鈥� he said for his family, it was all about reel-to-reel tapes (which maybe we鈥檒l talk about if there鈥檚 ever a 鈥淩eel-to-Reel Tape Day鈥� 鈥� see below). But, when the future governor was just a child, he did actually have a favorite first record at grandma鈥檚 house.

鈥淚 do remember my first record, which was 鈥楾he Ballad of Billy the Kid鈥� by Marty Robbins,鈥� Governor Inslee told 成人X站 Newsradio. 鈥淢y Grandma had it. I played that a thousand times. I was about six years old, and fortunately, it didn’t affect me, because I managed to not be a gunfighter.鈥�

鈥淪o it turned out okay,鈥� Governor Inslee said.

And here鈥檚 a little taste of 鈥淏illy the Kid鈥� by Marty Robbins.

As a non-record buyer, Governor Inslee says he doesn鈥檛 have one particular record store that stands out in his memory.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 say I had a favorite, but I love them because they鈥檙e a small businesses and people connect with one another there,鈥� the governor said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e communities that shine and it鈥檚 great to have them. I鈥檓 glad they鈥檙e thriving, and I鈥檓 glad they鈥檙e on a resurgence.鈥�

If tape experiences a similar resurgence, does the governor have any plans to declare 鈥淩eel-to-Reel Tape Day鈥� anytime soon in the Evergreen State?

鈥淣o, but I鈥檒l just say the new motto is 鈥楰eep it Reel,鈥� Governor Inslee said. 鈥淭hat’s my new motto.鈥�

King County Executive Dow Constantine is a total vinyl record and record store guy. He worked at KCMU, the precursor to KEXP, when the station was located on the UW campus, back when the future county executive was still in college. He also spent a lot of time at a favorite record store of many of a certain age: Cellophane Square on 42nd just off the Ave in the University District. That store was open until midnight most nights, and instead of shopping bags, they neatly wrapped your LP purchases in old newspapers.

When Executive Constantine was a kid, he lived in West Seattle, which is where he says he pedaled his Schwinn Stingray to go and buy his first record.

鈥淭here were two record stores in The Junction at the time, this was long before Easy Street,鈥� Executive Constantine said. 鈥淭here was Penny Lane and there was Turnabout, and Penny Lane was up the street from where Easy Street is now and Turnabout was down the street.鈥�

鈥淎nd I think I went to Turnabout, and I went in with my allowance and asked the clerk which single I should buy,鈥� Executive Constantine continued. 鈥淭hey always had a rack of singles like the top 50 or top 100 or something. And he sized me up, and selected 鈥楲ean On Me鈥� by Bill Withers.鈥�

Executive Constantine told 成人X站 Newsradio he buys new records all the time 鈥� or, more accurately, new releases of records he already has, but that are now available in limited release on colored vinyl.

He says that local, neighborhood record stores with real live staff are an essential part of their communities, and are on the front lines of what can still be special about the music industry.

鈥淭hat’s the thing about record stores,鈥� Executive Constantine told 成人X站 Newsradio. 鈥淵ou’ve got people who are just living this stuff and they’re not all going to share your taste but they could definitely guide you, help you, point out things that you might have overlooked.鈥�

鈥淎nd that is something that I think is kind of missing in the broader music ecosystem today,鈥� Executive Constantine said.

Mayor Bruce Harrell told 成人X站 Newsradio that he used to be a vinyl guy and that he bought a lot of records at mom-and-pop record stores on Rainier Avenue. As a college student, he then shopped most often at Tower Records on Lower Queen Anne and in the University District.

But, the mayor says, he no longer has his record collection 鈥� and many people, sadly perhaps, can identify with the fate of Mayor Harrell鈥檚 vintage vinyl.

鈥淲ell, you’re recording this and I’m under penalty of perjury,鈥� Mayor Harrell said, tongue mostly in cheek. 鈥淎nd so, let me tell you the truth. My wife and I both hung onto our vinyl until we moved from one house to another, and I’m carrying literally boxes and boxes and boxes of albums.鈥�

鈥淎nd so I recycled them about 10 years ago,鈥� Mayor Harrell continued. 鈥淎nd I’m afraid to say I didn’t keep them.鈥�

We should point out here, the term 鈥渞ecycled鈥� is a euphemism for a more, shall we say, permanent method of disposal. As in, don鈥檛 go to Goodwill hoping to find old LPs with 鈥淧roperty of Bruce Harrell鈥� written on their cardboard covers in ballpoint pen.

All that aside, the first LP Mayor Harrell ever bought was 鈥淭he Way of the World鈥� by Earth, Wind, and Fire.

Mayor Harrell says he loves record album covers, and he used to have Curtis Mayfield LPs on the wall of his bedroom. He gets that record stores 鈥� like local radio stations (full disclosure: 成人X站 Newsradio is a shamelessly local radio station) 鈥� are essential parts of the community fabric, and a bit of an antidote for instant gratification.

He says that record stores 鈥� and searching through the inventory, speaking with the staff for recommendations 鈥� are about 鈥渢he art of slowing things down and enjoying the journey, just not the purchase.鈥�

The mayor also says he has a playlist he listens to all the time, which, he says, is deeply rooted in all that old vinyl he 鈥渞ecycled.鈥�

鈥淚 would say 80% of what鈥檚 on my playlist are songs that I listened to on vinyl,鈥� Harrell said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very nostalgic about my vinyl days, including Curtis Mayfield.鈥�

Is Perry 成人X站鈥檚 鈥�(The Bluest Skies You鈥檝e Ever Seen Are In) Seattle鈥� anywhere on the mayor鈥檚 playlist?

鈥淲ell, that one didn鈥檛 quite make the cut,鈥� Mayor Harrell said, chuckling.

is this Saturday, April 22, and many local stores will offer special events and one-of-a-kind opportunities to support these vital businesses which continue to mean so much to so many people 鈥� including some who don鈥檛 even know who Perry 成人X站 is.

You can hear Feliks every Wednesday and Friday morning on Seattle鈥檚 Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O鈥橞rien, read more from him鈥�here, and subscribe to The Resident Historian Podcast聽here. If you have a story idea, please email Feliks鈥�here.