There was a kid in my high school theater class that had an uncanny knack for shoplifting. Every school has one of“ those”.“ Sticky Fingers Steve” would make the rounds to all of the girls that hung out in the school’ s theater arts department, and we would put our“ orders” in. Then he’ d hoof it over to the record store and somehow, shove several albums under his coat. He was never caught. I am ashamed to admit, this is how I acquired my King Crimson album. I found it criminally romantic that this guy would risk the long arm of the law to present me with music … very“ hunter / gatherer” in nature. But then, it also occurred to me that he was doing this for ALL the girls. This non-exclusive scenario replayed for me during my dating career--and subsequent marriage( s)-- with“ stealing albums for other females” becoming“ sex with other women”--but I’ m not bitter … anyway …
Some people stand on a busy intersection and hold up signs saying they’ d“ work for food”. Of course, I had higher standards. I would, in a sense,“ work for music”. As I didn’ t subscribe to the“ sticky finger” lifestyle, I would babysit to earn money to buy albums. In fact, one of the families I regularly babysat for had one of those combo TV / radio / record player furniture thingies. Rounding off their décor was a lava lamp and a womb-like bean bag chair--definitely heightening the babysitting experience. Their album collection consisted of Sonny and Cher, Otis Redding and The Mamas and the Papas. One night, while foraging through their cabinet, I found some“ contraband” wedged between The Fifth Dimension and Herb Albert and The Tijuana Brass. It was an album entitled“ Music to Strip By”. It changed my whole perception of them. But that is another story for another day …
I worked hard to build my music library, and as it was the 60’ s and 70’ s and the era of Catholic fertility, there was always a newborn baby from which whose parents were hankering to escape, thus, ample work to be had. I carefully cultivated my album collection. You see, an album gave you“ bragging rights” and got you invited to the popular sleep-overs and parties. It would go something like …“ You have the Queen / Zeppelin / Aerosmith / Kiss album? What are you doing Saturday night? A group of us are getting together …”