You See What Happens, Larry (The Dangers of Second-Hand Record Shops)

June 5th, 2008

What happens when you buy an album and it turns out to be a completely different from the album you thought you were buying. And I don’t mean qualitatively different but different as in by a completely different artist. An artist of whom you’ve never heard of and, after a listen, don’t much care for.

Let me introduce you to a version of Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Ros sold in Germany in 2003 and, apparently, in my friendly neighbourhood second-hand record shop in 2008. What is so different about this Sigur Ros album is that it is not a Sigur Ros album at all. It totally looks like one but it is in fact the album “Boire” by Christophe Miossec.

So, what happens when you buy an album you’ve never really listened to all the way through but always wanted to and it starts off, lets say, suspiciously.

Well:

1. Denial
This is Sigur Ros? This has to be Sigur Ros. Oh, Sigur Ros, you’re so quirky.

2. Anger
OK. Let’s skip to Olsen olsen. What’s the track? 1,2…6,7,8. What the…?. This is not Olsen olsen. WHAT? You’re telling me there was a wrong pressing of the album sold in Germany? But I’m not even in Germany! You’re telling me that instead of the Sigur Ros album I thought I was buying I’m now stuck with some French chanteur? If it’s not Serge Gainsbourg I’m not interested. Merde!

3. Bargaining
Well, I bought the album legitimately. I paid money for it. Doesn’t this mean I now get to download it from wherever I can find it?
(No, it doesn’t mean that.)

4. Depression
What’s the point? We’re all going to die anyway.

5. Acceptance
It’s OK. Maybe I’ll exchange it; maybe it has some collector’s value. It’s fine. At least I got a blog post out of it.

Or, if your name is Walter Sobchak then this probably happens:

Posted in Music