Were you fooled by Aerosmith’s cover of the rhythm and blues song by Bull Moose Jackson, "Big Ten Inch Record?” That song referenced a 10-inch vinyl album known as an EP when the song was released in 1952. How big was a regular album? Twelve inches. No, CDs weren’t the death knell of Peaches, as they didn’t come out until a year later. Some stores, including Atlanta’s superstore, survived the bankruptcy, but all were gone by 2001, except a still-open novelty record store in New Orleans. About 50 stores were opened nationwide before bankruptcy was filed in 1981. I had always assumed that Peaches was an Atlanta-based company, because, well, c’mon. Now, whether Peaches was the largest vinyl store in the world or not (Tower Records was pretty big), this was before Al Gore had invented the Internet, so verifying puffy claims was not possible but why would they lie? The company’s first record store opened in Los Angeles in 1975, before opening the Atlanta superstore later that year. The prices were fine (albums $4.99, tapes $5.99), and they had employees who knew their stuff.
Yet Peaches Records and Tapes didn’t just have new releases, it had every Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Status Quo, Uriah Heep, etc. When albums were released, usually on Thursday at midnight if I remember correctly, my friends and I would be there. That was a privilege, nay, the wonder of music before there was streaming. The thrill of a late-night trip to the world’s largest record store to get the newest release by the Stones, Chicago, Doobies, Zep, The Who, or other great artists was such a wondrous treat. Located on Peachtree Street, just past what was then Midtown, it was gigantic and had jazz, blues, rock, pop, country, opera, and more, and it had lots of it all. I recall this new store’s grand opening in 1975 because I was there. No, it didn’t sell that aromatic, sweet, juicy delicacy that Georgia prides itself on.
0 kommentar(er)
