The Quest for Music

Fort Wayne lost a very special part of their music family this past week, Rock104's famous DJ Sharon Rossi.  I have many fond memories of listening to her voice on radio, but the most memorable would be listening to the Rock104 Concert Line. Back then this concert line was one of the very few resources of finding out about the up and coming concerts in the surrounding areas. Her voice gave me much excitement when she'd rattle off a particular band that would be playing in a near by venue...then the next step would be to collect friends, buy tickets and then wait until that joyous moment when you'd be in musical paradise!!
There's been a lot of comments regarding fond memories of her and music. Back when radio was popular and kids could be seen shuffling into Wooden Nickel, Karma Records or National Record Mart or if all else failed, Musicland to scope out their latest love.
Back then searching for music was a quest, a mission. Going into the music store was like being in the library(a library that had the latest release blaring) In each persons head there was pure silence and concentration. All that could be heard amongst the music was the flipping and clicking of plastic security holders of cassette tapes and/or if you could afford it CD's. Wooden Nickel would have the "Hard Cores" which would be the record flippers, which sometimes when you walked in you could only hear the light thump of people silently weeding through the albums.
I remember a few times before my older brother drove, we would have to walk for an  hour to the music store in search of that new release. It seemed as though we always went to the music store in groups, maybe because it was  more productive that way. You could then spread out and cover more territory in less time. I have to admit that I was always a follower of my brothers music, so I really hadn't that much to look for. I would let him do the work, purchase the cassette or CD and then I'd get to listen to it. If I was lucky, later on down the line he would make me a mix tape! So, at the record store I'd always become the first to become bored and I'm embarrassed to admit that I became of those poster flippers. I would hold out as long as I could waiting for my brother and friends to be finished with their chase, but they always took so long. I finally would give in and would flip through the posters which were held inside metal holders on the wall and I would disrupt the groove of every music seeker in the house with metal banging flipping sounds. Somehow they always knew that this was their cue to get ready to leave or else I'd be annoying them for the next half hour.

Oh those were the days. I'm so sad that our children of today will have no idea what it's like to make a trip to the music store. Fond memories. Sigh...