GM. I am a very casual vinyl collector, mostly albums from my youth that I like, that are influential, etc.
Short story: when I was very young (like 10-11), my grandmother (who lived to be 96) took me to the five and dime to buy a record (I was becoming obsessed with music, and had just started playing guitar). She lived in a tiny town called Grand Coulee, and was married to a farmer/cattle rancher named Russell who had lost one eye when he tripped while fixing a combine. He was awesome. Grand Coulee is where the dam is (my father actually worked on a blasting crew for the new part of the dam when he was in. his 20s.) The farm was about 30 mins outside of town.
They had an old record player that was built into a piece of furniture, where the speakers, player, and storage were all one piece. As I was flipping through the albums, this one caught my eye:
I had to have it (still one of the greatest album covers of all time). I showed it to Gma, and she gave me a resounding "NO": pick something else. Right behind it was this:
Sword? Cool.
Now, if you don't know, Toto 4 is THE Toto album. 6 Grammys in 1983, with "Rosanna" (#2 on the chart) and their only #1, "Africa", which literally everyone in the Western world can sing the chorus to (it's also the first well-known use of a tape loop).
I wore that album out, over and over, until Russell made me shut it off. And then I listened to it over and over at home. I still have it: it's destroyed, almost unplayable. So I have been looking for a vintage copy as part of my LP collecting. But here is the kicker:
It doesn't exist. I have been looking for nearly a decade in dozens (hundreds?) of record shops, antique stores, Goodwills, what have you. I have never found a copy of Toto 4 in any shape. It doesn't seem possible. This was a HUGE hit album. There were 4 million copies sold in the US alone. This album should be found used everywhere.
Nope.
This is the great mystery. Where are all of these albums?
(BTW, if you are into Poco, Ted Nugent, Three Dog Night, or BTO, there is lots of stock, don't worry).
Anyway, if you have an original copy of Toto IV (not the reissue, but the 1982 version), Ill pay you sats for it. Has to be in near pristine shape.
I had to have it (still one of the greatest album covers of all time). I showed it to Gma, and she gave me a resounding "NO": pick something else. Right behind it was this:
Sword? Cool.
Now, if you don't know, Toto 4 is THE Toto album. 6 Grammys in 1983, with "Rosanna" (#2 on the chart) and their only #1, "Africa", which literally everyone in the Western world can sing the chorus to (it's also the first well-known use of a tape loop).
I wore that album out, over and over, until Russell made me shut it off. And then I listened to it over and over at home. I still have it: it's destroyed, almost unplayable. So I have been looking for a vintage copy as part of my LP collecting. But here is the kicker:
It doesn't exist. I have been looking for nearly a decade in dozens (hundreds?) of record shops, antique stores, Goodwills, what have you. I have never found a copy of Toto 4 in any shape. It doesn't seem possible. This was a HUGE hit album. There were 4 million copies sold in the US alone. This album should be found used everywhere.
Nope.
This is the great mystery. Where are all of these albums?
(BTW, if you are into Poco, Ted Nugent, Three Dog Night, or BTO, there is lots of stock, don't worry).
Anyway, if you have an original copy of Toto IV (not the reissue, but the 1982 version), Ill pay you sats for it. Has to be in near pristine shape.
Who says there aren't any deals in pawn shops anymore:
If you play guitar, you probably know what this is and why it's important. 
