It is true that I have purchased some albums more than once. In fact, some albums several times. These are usually favorites found for dirt cheap.

For instance I have 5 copies of “J. Geils Band – Live Full House”. 

I paid $2 for one of these, but the rest were only a buck. How can you not buy this great album for only a buck I ask you? I picked up this album when I was in high school and the track “Serves You Right To Suffer” which is an old John Lee Hooker song is the one that grabbed me. The rest of the album is fantastic too. At the time I was inundated by “Love Stinks” on the radio and of course loved it, but I picked up this album from the cut-out bin. Remember those? This was nothing like the “Love Stinks” album and showed me a whole new side of the band, which encouraged me to pick up a lot of their back catalog. When I got back in to vinyl again and these beauties were in the dollar bin, I simply had to bring them home with me. I bet they go for $5+ plus at Half Price Books now if you can find one.

I also have 4 copies of “Haircut 100 – Pelican West”.

This album I first had on tape. I don’t remember how it came to me, probably from a Target cut-out bin. These were the awesome giant bins where hundreds of tapes were dumped. I usually stood there for quite a while, piling those rejected on one side and possibles on the other. Every so often you would find a gem. I think that this is where I picked it up, but I can’t honestly say what would have inclined me to do so. I had never heard of the band before, and didn’t know any of the songs, but whatever possessed me, I’m glad it did. I played that tape to death. It was one of the tapes that helped me make it through the time I was a broke and academically struggling commuter student. I would listen to this at Bayshore Mall (when it was an indoor mall) waiting for busses to start heading to the suburbs. It was a bleak time, but this uplifting and pop-infused album buoyed me. Hence my penchant for buying cheap copies of it when I come across it.

The other album that I am compelled to buy any cheap copy that comes within range is a classic from my high school years. This one I got from the library simply because the cover was cool, but fell in love with. “Jon Anderson – Olias Of Sunhillow”

I have come across and purchased 4 copies of this fantastic album.

One of them a promo copy.

If you have never heard of this solo album from the lead singer of Yes I encourage you to check it out. It is a concept album for sure, and it is certainly prog rock. If you like Yes, you may like this one. 

I don’t know if it was just the right place at the right time, but this album really struck a note in me. I listened to this when going to bed for many many weeks. I came across several copies of this for a buck. I did pay for a immaculate copy, but it was still less than 10 bucks, and the promo copy was less than 10 too. I am not proud of it, but I also own this on 8-track too. That one is on me. I had to have it.

Yes. I DO have an 8-track player.

Then there are albums that you think you no longer need, get rid of, then realize your mistake and end up buying again.

Such is the case with the album “April Wine – Nature Of The Beast”. This is an album introduced to me by my friend Paul Beck back in the UW Milwaukee days. He owned this and I made a copy of this and another of theirs (can’t remember the name) but “Nature Of The Beast” was the one I really connected with. I played that tape over and over. I never owned the album though.

When I got all of Dalton’s albums surprisingly there was a copy of “Nature Of The Beast”. I never heard him ever speak about April Wine once, so I was surprised to see it. Over the span of a few cullings, this album ended up in the pile to be removed. Recently an April Wine song came across my Spotify feed and I pined for the “Nature Of The Beast” album. I played it on Spotify and said to myself “WHY, would you ever get rid of this, it’s awesome!?”

A brief jaunt through Discogs found a copy for under ten bucks. Cursing myself for ever letting it go, I ordered it.

This is a fantastic album. I was a fool to get rid of it. This album (on tape) was in rotation for the freezing cold walk to my East Side Foods gig. I played it constantly along with the compilation I made of all Paul’s George Thorogood albums. This is just great good time music and when I got my vinyl copy, which is in excellent shape, I jammed it and welcomed it back into the fold.

Sorry I ever let you go!

There are a few other records that I have purchased more than one copy of over the years, but mainly from the dollar bin. The days of the dollar bin are dwindling. The vinyl revolution is no longer a surprise and prices reflect that.

Even for myself, I have to admit 5 copies of any one album is probably quite enough. You know, unless it’s only a buck.

Right?

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