Setting the Stage for the Music of the '90s

While this post was originally written on August 21, 2015 when the album turned 25, “Of Course”, the memory is still clear as day today at 29.

"True hunting's over..."

I vividly remember, 25 years ago, going to Strawberries in Pembroke to look for Ritual De Lo Habitual. The store manager, who I did not know at the time but would end up working for at the Hanover store one year later, told me that sometimes new releases that "aren't that big don't get here until later in the day."

Rather than lecture her about the actual importance of the album's release I chose to exit quietly and  got in my tan Chevy Chevette and drove down route 139, turning right onto route 53, making my way to Good Vibrations in Hanover (bypassing Strawberries in Hanover knowing their philosophy on the less important new releases of the day).

I entered Good Vibes only to find out that, even though their name could have a certain connotation to it, the edited version of the album, the one with the 1st Amendment printed on the cover as opposed to the paper-mache menage a trois, was about as much as they could handle carrying on the shelves. Um, no thanks. That's kind of worse than shipping the less important releases to your store later in the day. Is it any wonder record stores have struggled to survive?

So off I went in my Chevy Chevette, driving across the street to the Hanover Mall.

Is there a worse record store experience than that of one located in a mall? Of course not. So as I park, what seems like a mile away, and walk past DaMone shaking kids down for overpriced Van Halen tickets and Mark Ratner taking movie ticket stubs at the local cinema, I wonder to myself, "what do they actually sell in Orange Julius?"

But really, none of that matters because as I get close to the entrance of Sears and take a left into "The Music Smith", I am depressed because it's my 3rd record store in 30 minutes and I'm quite sure that they won't have what I'm looking for either.

But to my surprise, they do indeed have one copy of Ritual De Lo Habitual.

And that album started one of the greatest musical journeys of my life. I was so inspired by this album that when Rolling Stone Magazine gave it an incredibly poor review (I think it was less than 2 stars) I wrote the magazine a scathing letter, tearing into the critic’s worth and knowledge of the band, while also questioning Rolling Stone’s ability to find qualified music reviewers.

Not surprisingly, they didn't print the letter, although they did print the letter of a gentlemen from Needham that was along the same lines as mine, albeit toned down, so I at least felt that the Massachusetts Jane's Addiction fan was well represented. And probably best they didn't print mine since I think the frustration of my release day hunt may have bled a little into the attack on the critic.

But as it goes, that turned into an incredibly music filled time in my life that has continued to this day. One of the best "Side Two's" any album can give you.

Happy Listening!