On Any Given Saturday
So I thought I might take you on a little excursion documenting what my Saturday mornings have been about lately.
While the rest of the world sleeps in after a night of drinking and dancing (or TV and homework for that matter), record collectors are scouring the city streets all over the world looking for the big score. More often than not, it's the little scores that add up over time, but it's the dream of a collection of rare records in one spot that motivates most of us.
Saturday morning is when the Flea markets open early and garage sales start setting up to rid basements of useless junk. Thankfully, this junk often includes records, as fewer and fewer people even have working turnatbles to play them on. Unfortunately, lots of folks have left their LPs in damp basements, stored incorrectly and sloppily, so finding large quantities of LPs that are not completely worthless also gets harder and harder. Here on the streets of DC, there is always the possibility of running into nice veins of jazz, R&B, and Hip Hop. And on any given Saturday AM, that's what we are combing the streets for.
There is competition on the streets early and you have to have your game together, or these guys will scoop you with no remorse. On the other hand, once you get on a first name or face recognition basis with folks, most of these cats are pretty nice and helpful and will often look out for you as well as hip you to things you wouldn't otherwise be aware of. Just learn your digging ettiquette and the flea market is a kind and generous place. In other words, don't be a goofus, be gallant.
The picture below is not what most flea market stashes in DC look like. Many resemble a hastily unpacked yard sale or worse, and when you add the elements to the mix you have potential for some true adventure stories. On this day it actually began to rain for a bit, and that's always fun.
Some dudes like Harry(on the left) swear by their portable turntables to assist them from buying stuff that isn't worth the wax it's pressed on, or for finding those secret-squirrel drum breaks. Me, I play it fast and loose, figure that I am just wasting my time listening there instead of looking for another vendor to dig thru. It's a matter of preference, and with or without a portable, Harry has the golden touch. Every collector I know in town has a story of getting scooped by his magic touch.
Lots of gems are found everyday in every city in the world, and that's what keeps us going. From the hand-painted covers of Mingering Mike to original blaxploitation soundtracks, the promise of a great score encourages persistence and rewards patience. I may not be back out THIS Saturday, but you can bet I will be back.

Quote of the Day
"We probably wouldn't worry what other people thought of us if we knew how seldom they do."
-Olin Miller