As I listen to a NPR clip about the demise of Tower Records (now in their 2nd bankruptcy), I think about begging my folks to take me to the Tower in Fresno, CA to buy my first record, a 45 of Eye Of The Tiger.....

The record store was hallowed ground for me, and I would completely change conciousness when inside. Like a man possessed, i would scour the racks for things i hadn't heard, providing my earliest musical education.

I think if it wasn't for the inflated price of the CD at it's inception (and onward), we wouldn't now be so easily detached from the physical product that was in the store. To go from 5-6 bucks for a tape/record to 16-18 for a CD was outrageous; I am sure the costs were no higher to produce a CD, and the labels used the new technology to rip people off.

I do miss reading liner notes, looking at album art, reading lyrics along with the music, etc.... I don't feel bad for the record companies...... I will however, miss the old yellow sign at Tower when they are all gone......