My "Allnighter" vinyl store experience

[WalshFan88]

I was recently in Florida on vacation and I stopped into a vinyl store. I've been looking for "The Allnighter" for a while now. I was going through bin after bin when I came across it.

I collected my 6 or so records and went to checkout. The guy who owns the store was ringing me up and said "you can have that Glenn Frey album for free if you'll just take it. No one wants Glenn Frey albums, no one ever asks for them, and no one ever buys them! He said "Don Henley's solo career was so much stronger and had better music. I sell his albums all the time! He was the better singer in the Eagles, too". Now to be fair the guy did have like 3 copies of The Allnighter and even a couple copies of No Fun Aloud. Which is weird because I never come across the former. Still, that's no excuse for his comments dogging Glenn!

I at first almost got testy with the guy as I've been in a mood lately, but I decided to take my free album (sticker price was 6 dollars so it's not like I saved a ton of money by staying quiet), and my other 5 and leave and just play nice. But I mean, come on dude! Yes, Don sold more records but that doesn't mean his solo music was in any way better than Glenn's! Just because someone sold a lot of records doesn't mean their music is great. Justin Bieber sold a lot of records too, and his music is terrible. Granted, Don's music IS great, but still - sales aren't the metric. And he certainly wasn't the better singer, they were equal.

I have to wonder if he must be a Don Felder fan, as most Felder fans have a bone to pick with Glenn still, which is just sad at this point to be honest. He was from Florida, and this store was in Florida. Maybe he's just a Henley fanboy. Who knows.

Of course, who am I to complain about a free album, but it was in the way that he said it. It wasn't "oh, we don't sell his music much so if you'd like a copy, just take it". It was inferred "who the hell buys Glenn Frey records, what's wrong with you?! You poor soul just take it and get it out of my store already please!" Glenn's solo music may not have sold as much, but quality wise I'd put any of Glenn's albums up against any of Don's.

I guess at the end of it all - I get a free copy of an album I've been looking for forever and I was able to show some restraint and not go into battle over defending Glenn, lol. It still irked me, though.

I played the album front to back this weekend and I love it. I think it's his best solo album, IMO. I also love the understated black cover. Same reason I love "The Long Run" album cover. Minimalism, I suppose.

[WalshFan88]

And here's a picture of the entire haul, lol.

https://i.imgur.com/TynZ1KW.jpg

[KingWalsh]

Great haul! I have 0U812 as well haha! I have quite a collection myself and remember going when I was a teen to the record store and getting excited for rare finds😊. Loved record conventions too but those are gone; used to find some great stuff. Besides that guy was a real dip. I hate when someone uses the argument that "they sold more records" to establish they are therefore a better artist. It's fine he has his own opinion but quite snarky, rude. Good job showing restraint!

At the comic con, this guy was selling reprod posters and he had an Eagles one that was pretty cool I haven't seen. Red white and blue. Pretty sure it was from 77. so I pulled it out in front as I continued to look. The guy got so pissed I did that and said "That doesn't go there!" And hurriedly grabbed it and put it in the " correct" spot. He has so upset! I didn't have the restraint you did, I said "you just lost a sale" and left wish I got that reprod though 😐. I don't understand people sometimes why alienate your buyers?

[CAinOH]

Actually, Austin, providing I'd had the restraint not to smack the dude, I'd have said, "Oh, really? Then you won't mind giving me the rest of the Glenn albums, then, right?" Or maybe, "Oh, really? Then guess what else you're not selling to me today" and just left. Wouldn't have even put the records back. It would depend on how "old pissed off lady" I felt that day.

Rude dude. I'll add my agreement with the "don't alienate your customers" idea. That seems to be running rampant lately.

[FreyFollower]

WF, that guy was infuriating! :scowl: I would have been sorely tempted to say something, but find in such situations it best I keep my mouth shut lest I say something I shouldn't. Not that I have ever been ashamed of my Eagles/Glenn fandom, but I usually don't mention them until I know how the person feels, just to avoid dealing with the extreme negativity that is out there. I don't understand it. I don't HATE acts that I don't care for. Some folks seem to get on that bandwagon and can't even tell you why.
As an owner or manager, he doesn't even make sense. Obviously you liked GF, and he just alienated a customer. Not only was it rude, it was stupid!

[Pippinwhite]

In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, "What a maroon!"

[WalshFan88]

Great haul! I have 0U812 as well haha! I have quite a collection myself and remember going when I was a teen to the record store and getting excited for rare finds😊. Loved record conventions too but those are gone; used to find some great stuff. Besides that guy was a real dip. I hate when someone uses the argument that "they sold more records" to establish they are therefore a better artist. It's fine he has his own opinion but quite snarky, rude. Good job showing restraint!

At the comic con, this guy was selling reprod posters and he had an Eagles one that was pretty cool I haven't seen. Red white and blue. Pretty sure it was from 77. so I pulled it out in front as I continued to look. The guy got so pissed I did that and said "That doesn't go there!" And hurriedly grabbed it and put it in the " correct" spot. He has so upset! I didn't have the restraint you did, I said "you just lost a sale" and left wish I got that reprod though 😐. I don't understand people sometimes why alienate your buyers?

Yeah it's almost like some people don't want to have business.

I mean hey - if you don't want any more Glenn albums how about you just turn them down when you buy them if you are so ashamed to have them in your store.

Yeah that OU812 record is a good find. Hard to come by as it was right at the tail end of the vinyl era. Last Van Halen album you can find originally pressed on vinyl.

[WalshFan88]

Actually, Austin, providing I'd had the restraint not to smack the dude, I'd have said, "Oh, really? Then you won't mind giving me the rest of the Glenn albums, then, right?" Or maybe, "Oh, really? Then guess what else you're not selling to me today" and just left. Wouldn't have even put the records back. It would depend on how "old pissed off lady" I felt that day.

Rude dude. I'll add my agreement with the "don't alienate your customers" idea. That seems to be running rampant lately.

Oh I was tempted haha.

Problem was, the guy did have a couple albums I've been looking for forever (Rolling Stones Beggar's Banquet and Glenn Frey Allnighter) so I went ahead and bought them.

Had he not had those I would have probably just told him where to put those albums, lol.

[WalshFan88]

WF, that guy was infuriating! :scowl: I would have been sorely tempted to say something, but find in such situations it best I keep my mouth shut lest I say something I shouldn't. Not that I have ever been ashamed of my Eagles/Glenn fandom, but I usually don't mention them until I know how the person feels, just to avoid dealing with the extreme negativity that is out there. I don't understand it. I don't HATE acts that I don't care for. Some folks seem to get on that bandwagon and can't even tell you why.
As an owner or manager, he doesn't even make sense. Obviously you liked GF, and he just alienated a customer. Not only was it rude, it was stupid!

Yeah I won't be back, needless to say.

I really think the guy just had a bone to pick with Glenn for whatever the reason. I'm just not sure why he keeps buying them if he doesn't want to sell them! I mean it's not like it was one copy he'd been setting on forever. There was at least 3 copies of The Allnighter and while it may be true they don't sell well for him, my guess is there was more to it than just that. Personally if it didn't sell well, I wouldn't restock x2!

[WalshFan88]

In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, "What a maroon!"

Haha for sure.

I'd truly love to know why he disliked Glenn so much. Was he just that much of a fan of Don that he was that extremely biased, was he an upset Felder fan, did Glenn steal his girlfriend back in the day (lol), I mean something has to be the reason to go off on a tangent to a potential customer of why Glenn's music was so bad and why he in his opinion paled in comparison to Don's voice and solo career. I'd be curious.

[sodascouts]

GRRRR that guy ticks me off!!!!!!!!! :censored: :censored:

[UndertheWire]

Austin, you're the winner and that guys the loser because he gave up the $6 you were willing to pay for the album in return for showing his immaturity. I value people telling why they prefer one thing over another but this sounds like he's just repeating what he thinks is the "cool" opinion. The idea of pitting two singers against each other and deciding who is "best" always seems slightly ridiculous to me. Why do I have to choose when I can have both? Some times I want to listen to Henley and some times Frey, but what your post made me realise was that I really wanted to listen to Steve Marriott. I don't think I've listened to Rockin' the Fillmore since my brother left home (and that must have been 45 years ago). So thank you for the reminder and I'm off to Walk on Gilded Splinters.


PS
Does the album have "Living in Darkness" or "The Heat is On"?

[CAinOH]

PS
Does the album have "Living in Darkness" or "The Heat is On"?

"Living in Darkness" -- yes. "The Heat is On" is only on the compilation albums.

[UndertheWire]

My Allnighter CD has "The Heat is On" instead of "Living in Darkness".

[CAinOH]

My Allnighter CD has "The Heat is On" instead of "Living in Darkness".

Interesting.

[UndertheWire]

My CD is likely to be a UK release and Wikipedia implies that european and asian releases have this change.

[WalshFan88]

GRRRR that guy ticks me off!!!!!!!!! :censored: :censored:

Tell me about it!

For him to make that big of a deal out of me wanting to buy that album, there has to be more to the story between him and Glenn. I mean even hardcore Don fans that were extremely biased wouldn't be that vitriolic towards Glenn. I think he either was mad at Glenn about Felder, or maybe something Glenn said or did that he saw on TV or read somewhere. He sure was animated about it. It was tangential at best.

[WalshFan88]

Austin, you're the winner and that guys the loser because he gave up the $6 you were willing to pay for the album in return for showing his immaturity. I value people telling why they prefer one thing over another but this sounds like he's just repeating what he thinks is the "cool" opinion. The idea of pitting two singers against each other and deciding who is "best" always seems slightly ridiculous to me. Why do I have to choose when I can have both? Some times I want to listen to Henley and some times Frey, but what your post made me realise was that I really wanted to listen to Steve Marriott. I don't think I've listened to Rockin' the Fillmore since my brother left home (and that must have been 45 years ago). So thank you for the reminder and I'm off to Walk on Gilded Splinters.


PS
Does the album have "Living in Darkness" or "The Heat is On"?

Yeah exactly! I'm like "sure buddy I'll take a free album" but it was how he went on and on about why would anyone listen to Glenn's music that made it bad. If he would have just said hey no one buys these around here so if you'd like it, since you're buying 5 other albums from me, just take it as a freebie. That would have been understandable. No store wants to sit on merchandise forever. But that wasn't the case.

It has Living in Darkness. I would have appreciated THIO though! I guess I need to try to find it on vinyl next. I did once find a single song LP promo thing for Don's ASWTDID on vinyl, but not a Glenn song.