EASE DOWN THE ROAD

If Wooden Nickel owner Bob Roets and his crew of record studs (and studettes) would allow it, I’d work open to close at his stores, spending most of my paycheck on records and CDs, sleeping under his always-stuffed racks in order to save rent money for, you know, more records. As much as I love live shows, music journalism and Paul Westerberg’s cigar, new albums have always been what keep me obsessed. In my early 20s I’d skip meals in the few days before getting my next paycheck, all so I could buy whatever new music came out that week. (Do “kids” like this still exist? I used to know quite a few.) Have a bad day? Buy a new album. Bad week? Find a new artist with a killer discography to obsess over. Life’s easy when you have a stack of Joe Strummer- and Ray Davies-penned records waiting for you at home. I take much comfort in knowing that there are other people like me – some crazy enough to make me look like a lazy listener.

Enter Record Store Day, my new favorite day of the year. This past Saturday, April 19, a few hundred independently owned stores around the country did all they could to raise awareness for – and celebrate – the small fraction of non-corporate music outlets still functioning since the onslaught of recordable CDs and downloading. (Troopers, all of ‘em, and, given the odds, clearly good business people, too.) All around the country live music was played, free swag was given to customers and, hopefully, lots of albums were purchased and enjoyed. Fort Wayne’s own Wooden Nickel Music Stores, all three of ‘em, did the day up right, giving out 300 gift bags, hosting live performances from six bands and, most importantly, providing a warm, welcoming environment made for audiophiles for all ages. While most stores around the country “celebrated” for an hour or two, Wooden Nickel made a full day of it, scheduling shows at all three stores throughout the whole afternoon. Ease knows how unlivable Fort Wayne could sometimes seem without these three stores; hopefully Record Store Day helped to remind others.

Show-hopping from store to store through the day I promised myself that I’d buy at least one item at each store – but more on that later. After unfortunately missing the Possum Trot Orchestra’s show at the North Anthony store (due to a long night of drinking and rocking with The New Pale Swimmers the night before) my girlfriend and I rolled into the parking lot of the Time Corners Nickel. Having spent a large chunk of my teenage years shopping at both this store and a little place called Twist & Shout that used to be located across the street a decade or so ago (one of the many stores that didn’t “make it”), it was nice to see this often overlooked local treasure full of people and, most significantly, the artist responsible for the best new album I’ve heard so far this year, Lee Miles. Miles and a crew of way too talented musicians strummed their way through a loose, well received set that converted my girlfriend and, from what I could tell, many others into huge fans. Miles’ sparse banter, as always, was excellent, as were his song selections, a new cut called “Catch a Snare” in particular. Miles’ longtime stage partner, Kyle Morris, added strong vocals and a general presence that was also very memorable. After chatting with friends for a bit, I eventually left after buying a copy of Pavement’s Westing (By Musket and Sextant), a collection of EPs from the band’s early days, on LP for a fair price.

Next came sets by Riverbottom Nitemare Band and I, Wombat at the famous Clinton Street store. Both bands rocked loud and rowdy, I, Wombat even giving out copies of their debut album for free to any interested customers. Before leaving, store manager Zach Smith gave me a goodie bag full of cool swag, including two Record Store Day-issued LPs and a Destroyer 7″, among other items. Before leaving the store I picked up a copy of Ryan Adams’ always fun Rock N’ Roll album on LP. Hangover officially cured.

Home for a quick nap and snack, I found myself spread out on my apartment floor, examining all my new goods while listening to Thunderhawk’s Thunderhawk IV in anticipation of their upcoming set at the North Anthony Wooden Nickel, a former workplace of mine. Browsing the LPs during Alabaster Fox’s awesome set I found myself soon enough chatting Randy Newman and Neil Young records with Roets and trading updates with my old North Anthony boss, Tim Hogan. As the store filled in anticipation of Thunderhawk’s upcoming set I found myself becoming a big fan of the Foxes. Guitarist Jon Keller’s natural throwback swagger and playing left many a dude with slight man-crushes, and the miniature Andrea Harvey’s vocals were far more memorable and enchanting than anything in that celebrated Amy Adams Disney film released last year. Really, the whole band – led by the very talented C. Ray Harvey – was great at what they did.

Thunderhawk, the only out-of-town band of the day, finally took the stage for the final show of Wooden Nickel’s first (annual?) Record Store Day. Plenty of young kids in the crowd, this was the band’s first official all-ages show, a fact that didn’t keep the Hawkers from playing what was easily one of the loudest sets I’ve ever heard. They made new fans, surely, while satisfying their Fort Wayne fanbase and selling some albums. Before heading home for the night I picked up a slew of LPs, including Neil Young’s Time Fades Away. It was an amazing day that never would’ve happened had the Roets family, their employees and loyal customers not hung in there while the majority of independently owned stores not located in big cities or college towns closed shop.

Moral of the story: Simply paying for your music isn’t good enough; if you’re lucky enough to have the option, pay for it at your locally owned record shop. They love you. Check out Bob Roets’ YouTube page for visual documentation of the day that was.