Another First (With A Side Order Of Guilt)

Feeling guilty about playing several guitars for a few hours at an out-of-town music store recently, I bought a new CD - a Shawn Colvin/Steve Earle collaboration - prominently displayed on the counter. It's been years since my last impulse buy of a full length recording. Like many of you, most of my music purchases these days are one song at a time via I-tunes.

The CD turned out to be just OK (best cut = a remake of "Tobacco Road") but listening to it did get me reflecting on the first recording I ever purchased. Do you recall your first? What was it? In what format? I'm guessing no one reading this had as their first a 78 RPM record. My first was a single (45 RPM) by the Zombies - "She's Not There"; it's in my basement, along with all my old 45's. I still own - and infrequently use - a turntable. Do you still own your first purchased recording? When did you last listen to it?

Why are new recordings still called albums when that coinage began with the advent of the 33 RPM "long playing" (LP) format? What was your first purchased LP? Cassette? Eight track? CD? I-tunes? Regular readers will not be surprised to know I remember each of my firsts for all those formats, except eight track; never had an eight track player. But how about you? Were any of those purchases as memorable for you as they were for me?

All this because of guilt about playing those guitars. Still, I know I'm not alone in that particular type of guilt. While waiting for a train a few weeks ago, my wife experienced a similar pang after asking to use the rest room in a local book store. The proprietor ended up with a sale; my wife's guilt was assuaged. I wonder how many impulse buys are tied to guilt.