TX001 · Footnote 11 · route entry 8 of 26
Music Train Records
A used-record shop becomes a portal for Mary Ocher, circulation, exile, and a street heard through music.
The transmission at this place
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Recorded in English · 1:44
When the recording ends, the route will continue to “Hedayat Persian Bookstore” and begin playing automatically.
Words carried by the route
Transcript
Once you're across, turn left.
Our next stop at number 76 is the Music Train Records, nestled between the bike shop and the Persian bookstore, on the right.
Please stop there for a moment so I can tell you where you are.
This ultra small used record store sells a lot more than records and tapes.
They have a bunch of little doodads and knickknacks, and I have a theory that they specialize in either cursed or blessed merchandise.
Now hear me out on this…
My streak of good luck started back around Christmas time in 2017, when I was walking by here and saw that they had a vinyl version of the Laurie Anderson album, Big Science out in the front display. So I go in, I’m ready to buy it… and Roland looks at me like I’ve just tried to adopt a tiger.
He goes, “Nee. Dafür sind Sie nicht bereit.” “You’re not ready for that one.” No further explanation. Instead he reaches around the corner and hands me this cassette. He goes: “This one’s more your speed. Undine von Blankenschiff.” Never heard of her. Six euros. I take it home, put it in my Walkman…and that exact second the album finishes, my phone pings, and my crypto coin is going to the moon. I’m talking eighty thousand euros, straight vertical line. Immediately. I knew it was for this reason, I started getting my future recollections. Anyway, I'm still not allowed to buy Big Science.
Ok let's keep going. With the street to your left, continue in the same direction.