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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Mischief What's the First Record That You Shoplifted?
Posted by Derek Erdman on Wed, May 30, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Most mornings I spring out of bed with the bass line from the Dead Milkmen's "Serrated Edge" going through my head. Today was different though; I woke up to the intro of Hüsker Dü's "Friend, You've Got to Fall," for whatever reason. I was compelled to dig that record out and listen to it, when I remembered it was the first piece of music that I shoplifted.
I'd guess there are some people who've never stolen a thing in their life. Is it common practice as an early teen to go though a phase of theft? Stealing from friends is certainly a total bummer, but is shoplifting a recognized rite of passage?
I remember stealing the copy of Hüsker Dü's Warehouse: Songs and Stories. I found myself in one of those mostly tapes music shops of the late 1980s, I think it was called Tape World or maybe Tape Land. It was at Great Northern Mall in North Olmstead, Ohio. I was into skateboarding and girls and I think I was with my friend Tony. The copy that I stole was in a cassette anti-theft plastic keeper, but Tony assured me that we could tear it apart when we were outside. I jammed it into my shirt and we bolted out of the door.
Aside for that, I took a handful of Jam singles from a record store in Kent, Ohio. Also, there was a Fall 7" box set that I took from a record store in Cleveland, Ohio, owned by a really grumpy old guy who would yell at customers almost all of the time. I guess I took that out of spite.
Now I'm feeling pretty awful for contributing in my small way to the collapse of the music industry. What was the first piece of music that you shoplifted?
1
Bloodhound Gang's Hooray for Boobies. I was in 5th grade and too embarrassed to purchase it and bring it up to the counter/cute salesgirl. Also I doubt my mom would've given me money for that CD.
2
@1: This from Facebook: "does it count IF i purchased a bloodhound gang cd, taped it without breaking the seal, and then returned it because, moms and swearing and moms swearing at you because you were NOT supposed to buy a bloodhound gang cd with your allowance but whatever mom it's MY allowance but fine i'll take it back but you have to drive me to the mall? if that counts, bloodhound gang."
5
I was 7 and I stole a Jean Michel Jarre cassette while my sister distracted the clerk with a question about a made up band.
I heard it at the planetarium w/ my dad and just had to have it. No regrets...still love it
I heard it at the planetarium w/ my dad and just had to have it. No regrets...still love it
6
I don't remember the first thing ever. But ONE of the first things was RUN-DMC's Raising Hell on cassette.
7
I shoplifted thousands of dollars in CDs between three big box chains in my teenage years, but I can't for the life of me remember what was first. So sad.
9
Schoenberg's Piano Pieces, Op. 33a and 33b on vinyl.
Not from a record shop, though, but from my high school library. When I found it in the card catalog and asked for it from the librarians, none of them even knew that they *had* records in their collection. It hadn't been checked out in decades. I justified its theft to myself, and it's still the only record I've ever stolen. And still one of my favorite records I own.
Not from a record shop, though, but from my high school library. When I found it in the card catalog and asked for it from the librarians, none of them even knew that they *had* records in their collection. It hadn't been checked out in decades. I justified its theft to myself, and it's still the only record I've ever stolen. And still one of my favorite records I own.
11
ha! oh man.. a u2 cassingle for desire. at the mall in mobile alabama. got busted from the same place stealing a doors tape. they let me go. never did that again. (from there)
12
Keep it Like a Secret by Built to Spill. Have since listened to that CD more times than I could count. There was a small record store in Crossroads Mall back in the day that made it fat too easy to steal their records, especially when my incredibly stoned classmate was working the register. Didn't take more than a few records though before I felt like a real piece of shit and cut that out, and started stealing records the way god intended: on the internet.
14
Black Sheep, "A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing" But that was only after the clerk wouldn't sell it to me because it had a Parental Advisory sticker. I was 11.
15
I'm with @4. I've never stolen from a record store either. We didn't have one where I grew up.
By the time we got a mall and it opened whatever horrid chain cd store, I only had a tape deck. I did regift the first CD I was given. Does that count? (Offspring: Smash)
By the time we got a mall and it opened whatever horrid chain cd store, I only had a tape deck. I did regift the first CD I was given. Does that count? (Offspring: Smash)
16
I shoplifted a fair amount of Drum tobacco in my day (and got busted for it), but I've never stolen records. In fact, I have always been much more likely to stupidly buy records I already have than to swipe ones I don't.
17
my forray into shoplifing CD's began with the single for "Been Caught Stealing" by jane's addiction. i didn't get caught - but if i did, i was prepared to blame it on irony.
18
i was ten.. rio leslie talked me into going to the downtown chicago sears & roebuck to snatch records. he did this all the time and assured me it'd be a cinch. i wanted the beatles rubber soul and my mother wasn't gonna give me money to spend on four white boys who even from here ( i can still hear her sneer ' rubber soul' with a full measure of wtf at the end of it. she took their version of 'the isley brother's twist and shout' personally ). we get there and the taking was so good we returned with shopping bags later that same day. i think i managed to slip every album they'd recorded which to date were five. quite naturally we got caught. by the chicago police department.. they took us to the station and threatened to beat us to death. actually had us pull our patns down and had us bent bare assed over a chair. rio might have oissed himself. they never hit us but we were sufficiently terrified unto trauma.
THEN they called our parents and took us home. my mother finished the job the cpd started and i couldn't sit for days.
i haven't stolen anything since
THEN they called our parents and took us home. my mother finished the job the cpd started and i couldn't sit for days.
i haven't stolen anything since
21
Iron Maiden's 'Somewhere in Time' from the Home Of Economy store in Devils Lake, ND. I was on a trip with my 10 and 11 year old traveling hockey team. HOE carries a little bit of everything. I was surprised to find Maiden and Alice Cooper's 'Constrictor' which is still probably his best later era record. HOE used really crappy cassette holders that just popped open if you bent one side. My buddy Nick scored a Fat Boys tape.
22
Ugh, I feel bad just thinking about this... I waited till I was 15 to shoplift, and it was a cassette - The Queen is Dead by the Smiths. I lifted it from this awesome used bookstore that had used cassettes for sale as well. The bookstore was one of my favorite places and the thought that I stole from them make me cringe to this day.
24
When I was 11 I shop lifted a pack of Swisher Sweet cigars. I smoked them all —ALL— on the way to and home from school.
I later vomited and shat my self for seven hours.
I have been a non-smoker and a compulsive law-abider ever since.
I later vomited and shat my self for seven hours.
I have been a non-smoker and a compulsive law-abider ever since.
25
Never stole a record in my life.
Working at a small, independent record store in Seattle, we knew pretty well most of our customers, and trusted them. Folks who we caught shoplifting were easy to catch because they didn't look or act right.
Working at a small, independent record store in Seattle, we knew pretty well most of our customers, and trusted them. Folks who we caught shoplifting were easy to catch because they didn't look or act right.
27
A promo tape of RATM with "Bomb Track" and, I think, "Bullet In The Head" from their 1992 self-titled.
It was an accident, I swear: I was looking at the tape, when I noticed my friends had bailed and heading to the car, and I ran after. In the car, driving away, I noticed I still had the tape.
I don't feel all that bad about it, though-- seeing as it was a promo tape, the store wasn't supposed to be selling it anyway.
It was an accident, I swear: I was looking at the tape, when I noticed my friends had bailed and heading to the car, and I ran after. In the car, driving away, I noticed I still had the tape.
I don't feel all that bad about it, though-- seeing as it was a promo tape, the store wasn't supposed to be selling it anyway.
29
I never shoplifted a record. My specialty as a teen was slipping a Penthouse inside a newspaper, and then paying for the newspaper.
30
@21 - Holy shit my family's from Devil's Lake! Never shoplifted there but bought ISIS - Celestial and Pleasure Forever's first album at a cool little shop when I was visiting in like 1998?
Not the first thing I shoplifted but I always smile a little when I remember I shoplifted my first Fugazi CD (Repeater +3) from Circuit City.
Not the first thing I shoplifted but I always smile a little when I remember I shoplifted my first Fugazi CD (Repeater +3) from Circuit City.
31
The first Danzig cassette...I figured I wasn't sure if it was going to be as good as Samhain and the Misfits, so I didn't want to risk paying for a piece of crap. I listened to it a few times and I'm sure it's still sitting in my mother's basement.
To repent for my sins, I worked security at Tower in Austin and chased my fair share of shoplifters down the drag. Well, that and it paid a full $1/hour more than working the registers.
To repent for my sins, I worked security at Tower in Austin and chased my fair share of shoplifters down the drag. Well, that and it paid a full $1/hour more than working the registers.
32
I'm a terrible thief and knowing that kept me out of trouble as a kid. But.... in 1993 at the Salvation Army If I once found a pile of great records and didn't have enough money for them all, I found a 99cent suitcase and filled it with vinyl. Totally worked.
The pile of records was probably stuff like Martin Denny, Les Baxter, DIO, Talking Heads and Blondie.
The pile of records was probably stuff like Martin Denny, Les Baxter, DIO, Talking Heads and Blondie.
35
never stole a record.
never really stole much of anything, other than lumber from construction sites. built many a jump ramp back in the day.
never really stole much of anything, other than lumber from construction sites. built many a jump ramp back in the day.
36
I stole a Elf Power CD from a local radio station...unsuccessfully. The cops were called, tears streamed down my face, I swore I would never do it again. I think that was the only time I stole music, that I can think of.
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