I was listening to old tapes yesterday 'cause my ipod lost its charge, and I was struck by how magical and dangerous everything seemed (in a good way) and how most of that is totally gone now.
I think about this all the time.
Part of it can be attributed to getting old, put more than that, I think it comes down to a saturation of information. There are no real mysteries anymore--if you're curious about something, you can just type it into Google, and that wipes the magical edges off of it.
I don't think kids that are sixteen years old today will ever know what it's like to pore over liner notes to see what other rappers your favorite rapper was cosigning or to wait for The Source every month to see how many mics an album you're anticipating got, or what the release date for it is gonna be. Or to go to the store on Tuesday (Friday if you had the mom and pop hookup) and to actually not already know exactly what the album you're buying sounds like.
- Wolfman Jack - Saving up your money to buy 45s (my first 45 ever was Elton John "Bennie & The Jets.") - Deciding between Dots, Pixie Sticks or Fun Dip at the candy store. - Actually having "candy stores." - When velcro first came on the scene ("ooohh, aaahh...") - As a kid, "owning" your first word and making it yours, like for me it was the word "decent." -
busting my first nut and running into the bathroom to see what the hell was going on
glacier & ferrari sunglasses
brigantine castle (jersey heads)
KILLING IT ON EVERY LEVEL.
PrimeCutsLTD, keep on with the Philly references.
shit I'm running out
how about mr tickle (head shops in the mall!!!!) iron ons the VET (greg luzinski & bake mcbride related) christmas light show in gimbels? the heart at the franklin institue wearing striped tube socks up to my knee slow dancing to stairway to heaven at school dances and continuing to slow dance when the song rocks out....
HARD AS FUCK. Remember that the inside of The Heart smelled real weird? Also...
- What the fuck is up with David Brenner. - Jim O'Brien RIP. - Al Alberts Showcase. - The Wannamakers Christmas Light Show - Supercade, Spaceport and Zounds - The great "Last Dragon Riot" on Chestnut Street. - RIP Pelle Lindburg - RIP The Vet (Gary Maddox and Harold Carmichael related.)
- "Where's The Beef" - "Who shot J.R.?" - Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka getting his head smashed by a coconut on "Piper's Pit." - The black snake things that you lit on fire and they grew (what were they called?) - The first dual-cassette decks. - Lazer Discs ("The wave of the future." - Sam Goody (They're still around, aren't they?) - Radio 437 in Philly.
I was listening to old tapes yesterday 'cause my ipod lost its charge, and I was struck by how magical and dangerous everything seemed (in a good way) and how most of that is totally gone now.
I think about this all the time.
Part of it can be attributed to getting old, put more than that, I think it comes down to a saturation of information. There are no real mysteries anymore--if you're curious about something, you can just type it into Google, and that wipes the magical edges off of it.
I don't think kids that are sixteen years old today will ever know what it's like to pore over liner notes to see what other rappers your favorite rapper was cosigning or to wait for The Source every month to see how many mics an album you're anticipating got, or what the release date for it is gonna be. Or to go to the store on Tuesday (Friday if you had the mom and pop hookup) and to actually not already know exactly what the album you're buying sounds like.
So serious. One could argue that the loss of a sense of discovery is mitigated somewhat by the availability of information (i.e. as thrilling as it is to stumble upon a long-sought sample or a mixtape track or whatever, there is a certain undeniable value in being able to, you know, get that fucking record), but the erosion of that mystery really is a loss of irreducible proportion, and not one that you can explain to those without. I envy the youth and their towering knowledge, but I can't shake the feeling that there's a much deeper well that's slowly and irrevocably running dry. Like the Gypsy saying: "For every word I teach you, there are three that you will never know."
Word to anyone who ever looked up a record in a motherfucking card catalog.
(And in a side note: It's good to hear this from you, dude.)
...
(Friday if you had the mom and pop hookup)
And word to Rainbow Records, Anderson, SC, who laced me with Three Feet High and Rising, Wu Tang Forever, and my "Welcome to the Terrordome" cassingle well before they were supposed to.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Hey,
I remember when:
-Gas was $.25. -"Sha Na Na". -Leisure suits. -Jumpsuits. -Bata Bullet sneakers. -Koogle Peanut Butter. -"Vegetable Soup" on Saturday morning TV. -"Great Space Coaster". -"Nu Zoo Review". -Mattel action figures (Dr. Steel, Torpedo Fist, etc. I had the Big Jim with the truck, camping gear, and all that). -TCR race track with cars that changed lanes. -Tonka trucks. -Cox gas vehicles (I had the plane and funny car). -Pop-rocks. -Banana seat bicycles. -Checkered bell-bottoms. -Zips sneakers. -Those $2.00 supermarket sneakers (Safeway-related). -Those big red kickballs (roll it bouncy, please). -Parachute play in gym. -The "square-dancing" portion of gym class in junior high (mad fun-related). -When a headjob while in high school was considered "nasty". -Schoolyard fights (before gunplay, cowards!!!!). -When sandlots were full (fat-ass, lazy kids today-related). -Green army men (hours of fun when kids had imagination and ingenuity). -Electric football games. -Mattel and Coleco electronic games. -Pong. -Blue-light dances in the basement. -The "Philco" standard radio in cars (wack sound-related). -Two-hand tag football in the street. -Asswhoopins after parent-teacher conference. -Geno's Restaurants (what happened to them?). -Shakey's Pizza. -Godfather's Pizza. -Putt-Putt Golf & Games. -Showbiz Pizza (and videogames). -Teen nightclubs (Sh*Booms and Nikki's in Fayetteville). -Keds sneakers. -Don Kirscher's Rock Concert. -SCTV. -"Speed racer". -"The Hair Bear Bunch". -"That's My Mama". -The Ajax tornado. -Skin bracer aftershave ("thanks, I needed that"). -When Intellivision was the best videogame on the planet. -That "booty-grabbin'" game in between classes in junior high.
one of my fondest memories was whilin out on the school bus. especially coming home on a Friday. you couldn't tell us nothing. we were either huddled around a little portable tape player listening to Licensed to Ill or reaching out of the window (which we had way below that little fucking line) trying to grab leaves off of trees.
Word up, Stacks. I'm gonna add on to some of yours.
- Green Army Men - You could buy them from the store, but then you could also order them from the back page of the comic book. - Selling seeds to get prizes from the back of comic books. - Slim Goodbody. - Alphabet Rock. (Word to "Vegtable Soup!") - GoBots - Running around the track at gym ("Now everybody walk like a robot!") - Skelly
Walking everywhere. My parents would never give me a ride and I walked or rode a skateboard everywhere I went unitl my friends were old enough to drive. I lived in a fairly small town but I covered a lot of ground walking to and from school and finding spots to smoke. I never walk like that anymore and I kind of miss it.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Word up, Stacks. I'm gonna add on to some of yours.
- Green Army Men - You could buy them from the store, but then you could also order them from the back page of the comic book. - Selling seeds to get prizes from the back of comic books. - Slim Goodbody. - Alphabet Rock. (Word to "Vegtable Soup!") - GoBots - Running around the track at gym ("Now everybody walk like a robot!") - Skelly
Remember "Field Day"? It was like an Olympics for elementary school students where you competed in all sort of track & field events like the 50-yard dash, 100-yard dash, standing broad jump, 600-yard race, high jump, archery, etc. I looked forward to it every Spring. I use to always win the Presidential Award for the high-jump, 50-yard dash, long jump, and standing broad jump.
Some marshmallow Diadora jernts that got their ankle-collar ripped open when I was power-moving on my man Kelly's BMX scooter with the wicked exposed rear peg. The protrudant foam padding subsequently took on mad rainwater and made a squishy noise whenever I stepped left. That one shoe eventually mildewed and I couldn't even keep them shits in the house; I had to stow them in a garage cabinet for, like, yardwork and whatnot.
it was like the VIP room to the plane. when i was a yungstar i'd go back with my mom/brother to hit up the bathroom in the back of the plane. and always felt how like the dudes and chicks in the smoking section of the plane were hella cool.
- Rerun getting busted trying to bootleg tape The Doobie Brothers. - Thinking that the part when Rerun was running after the pickup truck was the funniest shit ever, and that Dwayne falling off his skateboard was a close second. - Owning a Yellow Banana Skateboard. - Pogo sticks and Sit-N-Spin. - Hearing "When The Levee Breaks" on WYSP for the first time and thinking I just heard the most dangerous shit EVER.
Remember the blank canvas painters caps that had the fold-down flaps in the back?
Yeah, but the real story was the French-foreign-legion jernts with the split neck drape. It was like a mullet in hat form. My man Kelly (see above) used to rock one with some of those bogus surf shorts that had a tux-style tail on each leg.
Remember the blank canvas painters caps that had the fold-down flaps in the back?
Yeah, but the real story was the French-foreign-legion jernts with the split neck drape. It was like a mullet in hat form. My man Kelly (see above) used to rock one with some of those bogus surf shorts that had a tux-style tail on each leg.
YEAH THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, JAMES! The French Foreign Leigon jawns. They were blank and dudes used to do pieces on the back of them with El-Scripto markers, and then have a matching piece down the side of one leg on their Sassoons.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Remember "Field Day"?
motherfucking word!!!
that was like god's gift to school kids. i always killed in the 'softball throw', feeling like bruce jenner and shit.
I still have my Presidential Awards somewhere. Hey, anyone remember "Weekly Readers" (it's a 70's thang) in elementary school?
Comments
YES.
Exactly.
Well put.
- Saving up your money to buy 45s (my first 45 ever was Elton John "Bennie & The Jets.")
- Deciding between Dots, Pixie Sticks or Fun Dip at the candy store.
- Actually having "candy stores."
- When velcro first came on the scene ("ooohh, aaahh...")
- As a kid, "owning" your first word and making it yours, like for me it was the word "decent."
-
Christian Dior Hats, son.
1978
HARD AS FUCK. Remember that the inside of The Heart smelled real weird? Also...
- What the fuck is up with David Brenner.
- Jim O'Brien RIP.
- Al Alberts Showcase.
- The Wannamakers Christmas Light Show
- Supercade, Spaceport and Zounds
- The great "Last Dragon Riot" on Chestnut Street.
- RIP Pelle Lindburg
- RIP The Vet (Gary Maddox and Harold Carmichael related.)
Philly Heads Know The Deal.
And when I say Dots I mean THESE jawns:
- "Who shot J.R.?"
- Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka getting his head smashed by a coconut on "Piper's Pit."
- The black snake things that you lit on fire and they grew (what were they called?)
- The first dual-cassette decks.
- Lazer Discs ("The wave of the future."
- Sam Goody (They're still around, aren't they?)
- Radio 437 in Philly.
So serious. One could argue that the loss of a sense of discovery is mitigated somewhat by the availability of information (i.e. as thrilling as it is to stumble upon a long-sought sample or a mixtape track or whatever, there is a certain undeniable value in being able to, you know, get that fucking record), but the erosion of that mystery really is a loss of irreducible proportion, and not one that you can explain to those without. I envy the youth and their towering knowledge, but I can't shake the feeling that there's a much deeper well that's slowly and irrevocably running dry. Like the Gypsy saying: "For every word I teach you, there are three that you will never know."
Word to anyone who ever looked up a record in a motherfucking card catalog.
(And in a side note: It's good to hear this from you, dude.)
...
And word to Rainbow Records, Anderson, SC, who laced me with Three Feet High and Rising, Wu Tang Forever, and my "Welcome to the Terrordome" cassingle well before they were supposed to.
I remember when:
-Gas was $.25.
-"Sha Na Na".
-Leisure suits.
-Jumpsuits.
-Bata Bullet sneakers.
-Koogle Peanut Butter.
-"Vegetable Soup" on Saturday morning TV.
-"Great Space Coaster".
-"Nu Zoo Review".
-Mattel action figures (Dr. Steel, Torpedo Fist, etc. I had the Big Jim with the truck, camping gear, and all that).
-TCR race track with cars that changed lanes.
-Tonka trucks.
-Cox gas vehicles (I had the plane and funny car).
-Pop-rocks.
-Banana seat bicycles.
-Checkered bell-bottoms.
-Zips sneakers.
-Those $2.00 supermarket sneakers (Safeway-related).
-Those big red kickballs (roll it bouncy, please).
-Parachute play in gym.
-The "square-dancing" portion of gym class in junior high (mad fun-related).
-When a headjob while in high school was considered "nasty".
-Schoolyard fights (before gunplay, cowards!!!!).
-When sandlots were full (fat-ass, lazy kids today-related).
-Green army men (hours of fun when kids had imagination and ingenuity).
-Electric football games.
-Mattel and Coleco electronic games.
-Pong.
-Blue-light dances in the basement.
-The "Philco" standard radio in cars (wack sound-related).
-Two-hand tag football in the street.
-Asswhoopins after parent-teacher conference.
-Geno's Restaurants (what happened to them?).
-Shakey's Pizza.
-Godfather's Pizza.
-Putt-Putt Golf & Games.
-Showbiz Pizza (and videogames).
-Teen nightclubs (Sh*Booms and Nikki's in Fayetteville).
-Keds sneakers.
-Don Kirscher's Rock Concert.
-SCTV.
-"Speed racer".
-"The Hair Bear Bunch".
-"That's My Mama".
-The Ajax tornado.
-Skin bracer aftershave ("thanks, I needed that").
-When Intellivision was the best videogame on the planet.
-That "booty-grabbin'" game in between classes in junior high.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
- Green Army Men - You could buy them from the store, but then you could also order them from the back page of the comic book.
- Selling seeds to get prizes from the back of comic books.
- Slim Goodbody.
- Alphabet Rock. (Word to "Vegtable Soup!")
- GoBots
- Running around the track at gym ("Now everybody walk like a robot!")
- Skelly
I think this was Sunday, cause if it was Saturday I would've watched something else.
Remember "Field Day"? It was like an Olympics for elementary school students where you competed in all sort of track & field events like the 50-yard dash, 100-yard dash, standing broad jump, 600-yard race, high jump, archery, etc. I looked forward to it every Spring. I use to always win the Presidential Award for the high-jump, 50-yard dash, long jump, and standing broad jump.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
and on planes.
it was like the VIP room to the plane. when i was a yungstar i'd go back with my mom/brother to hit up the bathroom in the back of the plane. and always felt how like the dudes and chicks in the smoking section of the plane were hella cool.
motherfucking word!!!
that was like god's gift to school kids. i always killed in the 'softball throw', feeling like bruce jenner and shit.
- Thinking that the part when Rerun was running after the pickup truck was the funniest shit ever, and that Dwayne falling off his skateboard was a close second.
- Owning a Yellow Banana Skateboard.
- Pogo sticks and Sit-N-Spin.
- Hearing "When The Levee Breaks" on WYSP for the first time and thinking I just heard the most dangerous shit EVER.
Yeah, but the real story was the French-foreign-legion jernts with the split neck drape. It was like a mullet in hat form. My man Kelly (see above) used to rock one with some of those bogus surf shorts that had a tux-style tail on each leg.
YEAH THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, JAMES! The French Foreign Leigon jawns. They were blank and dudes used to do pieces on the back of them with El-Scripto markers, and then have a matching piece down the side of one leg on their Sassoons.
I still have my Presidential Awards somewhere. Hey, anyone remember "Weekly Readers" (it's a 70's thang) in elementary school?
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
major cosine...looked forward to this all year.
also: dodgeball day in gym.
Word to Weeekly Readers, and also to the Book Club in school.
Also, Highlights Magazine at the doctor's office (word to Goofus and Gallant.)
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
RoyalBlue w/ white stripes.
Also, Highlights Magazine at the doctor's office (word to Goofus and Gallant.)