“House of Records is the best place to buy vinyl records in Eugene, Oregon, my hometown. They’ve been around since the ’70s and sell new and used and collectable records. The high school I went to is about five blocks away, so I’d save my lunch money and walk over to the record store pretty much every day. Sometimes more than once.”
“I was always scouring the punk and reggae/ska sections. If I found something good but couldn’t afford it, I’d hide it in the Jazz or World Music sections where my friends wouldn’t find it.
I remember racing a few friends to the record shop once, because we’d heard a rumor that some old punk rocker guy with a huge collection had become a junkie, sold his records. It was huge news for us, I think we all got something good out of that.
One of the best records I got with high school lunch money was Ethiopians’ Original Hit Reggae Sounds, a greatest hits collection of the famous rocksteady band. The whole album is great, but I remember especially loving the first song “Free Man.”
I kept my old records in my parents’ basement, but for years I couldn’t find that Ethiopians album. I looked for that record in NYC, LA, but could never find it. I finally found it last Christmas in a box, hidden in the basement among some rockabilly, swing, ska, and jazz albums.
Anyway, they never repressed or reissued that album and I like it more now than when I first bought it. I play that album at my sporadic DJ gigs now. Whenever I’m visiting family in Eugene, I check in at House of Records out of habit. My tastes have changed a little , but I usually don’t leave without at least 1 record. And I’m sure they’ll inherit my collection back someday.”
—Marcus Congleton
Drug Cabin released their debut album, Yard Work, on February 24 and have already announced its follow-up, Wiggle Room available April 7 via 401K Music.
