Record Shopping Road Trip: Time Traveler Records – Akron, Ohio
The plucky lil Time Traveler is still kicking 39 years later!
[…continued from last post]
As usual, coming to Time Traveler was like coming home. This is one of the record stores in another city that I’ve visited countless times. Right up there with Wax N’ Facts in Atlanta for greatest familiarity in spite of greatest distance. As I entered I noted that owner Scott Shepard was holding court on this Friday afternoon with several guys… and a woman! So it was not just us old geezers! The store was playing some bootleg material as their animated conversation was underway. At first, I had to just look at the stock, but this was the sort of store where one could easily jump into such conversations and that would come later. Inside on the store’s wall was a re-branded V-disc with their name on it. Cool!
V-discs were 16″ in diameter and allowed radio broadcasts to be sent overseas with a half hour per side
As is my policy, I looked at the used CDs first but there was nothing that caught my fancy. The new CDs were seemingly unchanged from my last visit there in 2015. The usual selection of heavy Kleveland Kult albums and artists that just wouldn’t fly elsewhere in the US of A. You know the drill! Alex Harvey. Be Bop Deluxe. Cockney Rebel. Those types. I approved, of course, but I quickly moved on. As usual, I had to stop at the Ultravox section. what would await me?
The always exciting Ultravox CD tab which held…
¡Mamacita! The 2018 DLX RM of “Metamatic” and a French kami DLX RM of “Ha! Ha! Ha!”
I could not believe that I was seeing the “Metabox” in a store! That’s how to earn the Monk love! But the real shocker was the French DLX RM of “Ha! Ha! Ha!” from… well, I can’t tell which year, because it’s not in Discogs! It was the same content as the 2006 UK CD I have but very… different. In the 90s I would have bought this simply for “the collection.” But we no longer have money to burn. It was time to move onto the vinyl.
This Sheffield funk band had my interest recently
The last time I found several 12″ items so that gave me hope. This time there was but one item that caught my fancy, but it was an interesting item that had just been added to my 2K want list! That’s always good for a thrill! Floy Joy’s first album is something that I’ve never seen anywhere. Produced by Don Was with Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens on BVs? Sign me up! I didn’t find any other 12″ discs of note though. I had been saving the best for last. Time Traveler now sold the best stock [if you’re me, at least] of 7″ vinyl going these days. Would the magic from last time continue?
In a word… YES SIR! [okay – that was two words…] Just scope those lovelies above. Roxy Music’s “Take A Chance On Me.” “I Travel,” possibly my ultimate Post-Punk single! Jane Siberry picture sleeves! Where was this stock coming from?! I suspect that I might be seeing Scott’s personal 7″ stash being sold off. There’s no other explanation I can think of! But I didn’t buy these. I already had the Roxy/Minds material in the Record Cell. What did I buy?
My first early Human League 7″ [shameful, I know!] The US “Perfect Way” 7″ by Scritti Politti featured a unique B-side edit: “Perfect Way (Way Perfect Version Edit)
4:27.” “Private Idaho” I’d seen in Nashville on my last trip and regretted not buying just for the blue PS but closer inspection revealed an instrumental version of “Party Out Of Bounds!” Who knew there were early B-52s 7″ rarities… in America?! Then… be still my beating heart… I finally found a high value want list item I’ve long needed: Associates “Party Fears Two” on UK 7″! Associates have been on the “full Collection” list for a long time now with no movement in recent years. Then I also got this.
Did you know it had a B-side dub mix?
This was apparently my day for B-52s rarities falling down like confetti. I am anxious to hear if the version mix on the B-side is an edit of the 7:00 remix on “party Mix.” since this came out a year earlier; maybe not? I had to find out. Even at a pricier $7.99 I didn’t balk. After all, when does one see this object for sale? Without paying overseas shipping? There is one copy in US dealer hands on Discogs right now. At $15.00 plus $6.00 shipping. I rest my case! Thank you, Scott! Speaking of which I now had a nice layout of music to buy. It was time to start joining in the conversation in the store.
The man…the myth… Ghoulardi! Warper of several generations of Ohio minds
As it turned out, everyone there had tickets to Mott The Hoople and two of the people there [including the lady!] were wearing Ghoulardi t-shirts! A fact that astonished the proprietor, and even me too. Scott asked me how I had gotten tickets and I related my tale of holding my nose and opening a Live Nation account to get in on the presale. Next, Scott had put on a King Crimson bootleg of the “Islands” period. Not my favorite by this band, but having seen the glory of the 2017 King Crimson US tour, I jumped right into the conversation which by then, had turned to relating how awesome that the current iteration of the band was. They are also touring extensively this year for their actual 50th anniversary. Take, that! Wet-nosed punks! I ended up chatting with the crew for about 10-15 minutes before I decided that there was such a thing as too much fun. I’d need to get back to HQ and see what was up with my wife as we had a dinner with the nephews planned. You know, I can’t remember how long it’s been since I had a conversation with anyone who didn’t come in with me in my local stores. What’s wrong with that picture?
Time Traveler | Akron
- Floy Joy: Into The Hot – Virgin – V2319 – UK – LP – Time Traveler/$2.99
- The Human League: Empire State Human – Virgin – VS 294 – UK – 7″ – Time Traveler/$1.99
- The B-52’s: Private Idaho – Warner Bros. Records – WBS 49537 – US – 7″ – Time Traveler/$1.99
- The B-52’s: Give Me Back My Man – Island Records – WIP 6579 – UK – 7″ – Time Traveler/$7.99
- Scritti Politti: Perfect Way – Warner Bros. Records – 7-28949 – US – 7″ – Time Traveler/$2.99
- Associates: Party Fears Two – Associates – asc 1 – UK – 7″ – Time Traveler/$4.99
Next: …Into The Belly of The Beast
![Chris Cross: 1952-2024 [part 2]](https://i0.wp.com/postpunkmonk.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ultravox-cross.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1)
Post-Punk Monk 
I might have dropped $2.99 for that Scritti Politti single as well. Perfect Way – Perfect song! P.S. “Yessir” can be one word these days, LOL. Can’t wait to hear what happens next.
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Amazing dig. I love as hoping the Mott would rise up but you went with the League. Nice
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*sigh* a David Sylvian tab.
I have pretty much everything (even the more recent stuff that my time listening to is nothing) but it’s still nice to see.
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Tim – Yeah, this is that store with a Sylviac section! I looked, of course! Nothing I didn’t already have.
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My wish list is the Hector Zazou album he guested on with the original tracklist.
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tim – I don’t have any Zazou, to my detriment! But yes, “Sahara Blue” is specifically on my want list. The album he made with Barbara Gogan should also be a corker. Of course the Budd album is on the list too.
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If you only buy one that is the one to go for, even the re-done version, just an awesome album. I had the BG one but it didn’t do a lot for me. #2 should be Songs From The Cold Seas.
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tiim – Noted. Thanx!
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She’s also on Songs From the Cold Seas but I think it is more playing instruments than singing. There’s also really nice tracks featuring Suzanne Vega and Jane Siberry.
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I actually have a copy of that Scritti Politti single from way back in the day. One of these I know I’m going to have to part with all those 80’s 45s. Sigh.
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Nortley – I have four Pressings of “Perfect Way:” the UK 12″, US 12″, Promo only US 12″, and now the US 7″. I still need at least the UK 7″ and the UK gatefold/poster 7″. This page has a rundown of the mix differences. How did this amazing song manage to conquer the US charts? It’s too good for that!
Why would you part with these, except to pay for health care/retirement? Think of me if you are selling.
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hi mr monk,
i see a lot of people were interested in this song.
it caught my attention at the time too. very catchy.
at the time, i got the US 7inch, and US 12 inch.
much later got the UK 12 inch, and the US promo 12 inch
with the longer version on it. i’m one up on you as i have
the limited UK 7 inch with the poster,
i too want these: UK 7 inch, canadian 7 inch (just because), and
the gorgeous Japanese 7 inch, with a totally different cover picture
of a geisha girl. the UK cassette single in the gold cigarette
sleeve is cool also.
the crown jewel will be the limited US 7 inch promo number 2,
with the 5:04 version : Warner Bros. Records – 7-28949
the 2 up on discogs are the wrong one, already checked,
and so were the 2 before that, one of which i bought, and
i was wrong, and the 2nd one was wrongly listed also.
it’s out there somewhere. so someday i’ll find it.
later
-1
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Back in the day I would by the albums of my favorite artists as well as the 45s of singles from those albums especially if they came in picture sleeves and/or had non-album B-sides. By about 1990 when vinyl was dead I had to make the switch to CD (never ever bought any cassettes except blank ones to make mix tapes of some of this stuff for friends) now that CDs are kind of on life support and vinyl has made its comeback I’m kind of bitter. Anyway, all these years later downsizing sometimes becomes a necessity.
That doesn’t mean it happens, but I do remind myself that it needs to at some point as hard as it is. Lots of places will buy used vinyl album but I’m not sure how much of a market there is for used vinyl 45s.
Not that I am likely to have anything exceptional in that later category — just the standard US 45 RPM single releases but many have picture sleeves. There may be a promo copy or two in the mix but mostly just the stuff that one could go down to the singles counter at a record store and pick up for $1.19.
As for “Perfect Way” (trivia: reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100) it is pretty much a damn near perfect pop song, isn’t it?
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Hokey Smokes, Monkwinkle — TIME TRAVELER!! Wow, haven’t been there in … well, the last time I was in that area! I loved that place!
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chasinvictoria – There’s still a lot to love there, even in its more claustrophobic digs. But at least you remember that magnificent store on State Road – before the gentrification! I think I told you that you must go there at our wedding, yes?
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