I would have ruled this world too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
THE WORLD, B.T. (Before Tool)

brendalove@gmail.com

By the time you read this....May 2nd....Tool will have released their new CD called '10,000 Days'. I know a LOT of people who are looking forward to this CD. But what will we all do tonight? Go to bed at the usual time and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow we'll cruise the CD store and pick up a copy or download it off iTunes. It all seems so sterile....I can't help but reminisce about major releases of the past.

Whoops...wrong tool.

First of all, the posters for a major release would show up in the record store windows. This was our only advance notice for a new release. The news would spread like wildfire amongst the kids and everyone would start calling the record shop at the mall to find out if they were going to stay open late the eve of the release. The record store would always say HELL NO but as the date drew near and the excitement was at fever pitch....they always gave in. Yes, they would be selling the new Pink Floyd (or whoever) beginning at midnight!

So if you wanted to buy the record, you'd better be in the mall before 9:00 p.m.....because that's when they were locking the doors. The result would be a big party of a whole bunch of teenagers that liked the same band you did, sitting around in an empty mall.


There were skateboarders giving exhibitions and once there was a rousing game of indoor wiffle ball. Usually someone had a boom box and there would be a gang of girls doing a synchronized dance they'd practiced. Girls would start practicing dances just so they COULD entertain everyone at a mall record party! Sometimes there was guitar and singing. It was just a really good vibe going on....and then someone would scream out "new Pink Floyd in 2 hours!" and everyone would be all "woooooooo" and raise hell for a minute....then calm down until another 20 minutes or so went by.

At midnight, the boxes were opened. You got your album and you got in line to pay. The album would be playing on the store stereo system and everyone would be digging into the album artwork while waiting to pay. And then....you left. You might could wait for a minute for your friends to get done but then your ass was thrown out of the mall ASAP.

There were kids that met for all night listening parties but I never did that...I always saved my all-nighters for concert tickets. I went home and went to bed so I could go to school the next day....but I'd be listening to my new album while I got ready for school!

Some notable album release date mall parties I attended:
Rolling Stones - Some Girls: I just looked up the release date....I was eleven years old!
Kiss - Rock and Roll Over

Led Zeppelin - Presence
Eagles - Hotel California
Pink Floyd - the Wall
Rush - Moving Pictures

Some album release mall parties I attended for albums that turned out not to be ALL THAT:
Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue (mmmm...yawn)
The Who - Face Dances (excellent artwork, though)

Fleetwood Mac - Mirage (one of my very last album parties, too)