Finding rare music before the Internet Age

Looking at Rdio right now, scanning the 27 Duran Duran albums up for download, I'm reminded of the beauty and wonder finding a song held during the '80s. "Finding a song" was completely different of course. Finding a song was more than tapping into the search bar, it required WORK.

First you had to find imported music magazines or books at the book store at the mall. Within those pages you'd learn about record pressings that held out of circulation recordings. Once that knowledge was acquired—and it wasn't easy—you would search out the 7" or 12" single at the record store. There, you'd find one tiny bin labeled "IMPORT" and start shuffling. You would shuffle until your fingers were black with dust. The real rare record came in a plastic sleeve. The clerk would pull it out from behind the counter and take a lazy swipe at the dust on it. And hand it to you. And you would gasp in surprise and pure joy, and pay $30 for it.

These records were such treasures—like finding a diamond at the beach—they would be kept for...what time is it? 33 years so far.

And now we have Rdio, etc. and you just tap "play."
The hunt.

And with this sigh, I will now listen to the first of those 27 records Duran Duran produced. The one that was the hardest to find, the one with "Late Bar." Here we go...

click.