Record Store Day and 4-20 together at last....A wacky combination of record stores, music and pot. There may be a connection there..we will have to look into this later. Record Store Day is geared toward obsessed collectors like myself. RSD features limited-edition/ 1-day only releases of vinyl collectibles. The experience can be a rough gig that entails waking up early on a Saturday morning and waiting in slow-moving long lines.

My journey to Lunchbox Records in Charlotte started way too early (6am) but as they say.."No Pain...No Gain!". My friend, Frankie McL. recently picked up some great CD's at the flea market (Time/Life series..The Rock and Roll Era..1960) and these vintage rock and roll tunes provided the soundtrack for my morning ride to uptown Charlotte. The tune that grabbed my attention was, Walk Don't Run- The Ventures . This instrumental classic seemed like my custom-made theme song to a hip 60's TV show involving a cool and mysterious private detective. I cranked up the volume and was cruising on my way to Record Store Day.

I arrived at Lunchbox Records at 7:00am and the store opens at 9:00am. You would think I would be in decent shape time-wise but there were already 35-40 people in line. What time did these maniacs get here?!! And so the waiting begins...

After a 3-hour wait in the colder-than normal temperatures, I was almost inside the house of wax! A store employee handed out a 1-page info sheet with updates on the availability of certain sought-after releases and another tidbit that blew my mind!. There was something called a mystery 7-inch single with a plain black sleeve. The featured artists and songs are kept secret until the stores open and the collectors enter the magic kingdom. The tip sheet informs me that the mystery single for 2013 is: The Grateful Dead- IKO IKO. What!!!??

 Are you freakin kidding me?!! One of my favorite songs and one of my favorite bands. I figured the mystery tune would be from a hipster/ indie artist that the youngsters dig but no!..This release is just for me!. I feel my blood pressure rising. Oh crap!..maybe they are already gone! Damn those freaks who got in line earlier than me!...Settle down dude!..It is my time to enter. I try to not make a spectacle of myself. Record Store employees can be slightly judgemental and elitist so the last thing I need to do is burst into the store with my tye-dye and screaming, "Where is the Grateful Dead mystery record?!! Where? Damn you!! Where??!!!, you condescending hipster freak!!!! Ahhhrrrrgggg!!!

Everything was cool. The staff was patient and nice and  I quickly found the section with 7-inch singles and the mystery single was in the first box! Nice!  I picked up 2 other singles (Willie Nelson- Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die on green vinyl!! and Bob Dylan- Wigwam). The only problem I have with RSD is that there is so many awesome collectibles available but they are not cheap. I had to limit myself to 20 bucks or so and move on out of there to let some people into this tiny record box..I mean store..doh!

Before I drive home, I think I will check out this mystery single. Let's open this bad boy up......WTF!! This single is on tye- dye freakin vinyl!! Yessssssssssssss!!!!! Grateful Dead...IKO IKO...tye-dye vinyl!!  I could not have dreamed up this scenerio any better if I tried!! What a blast!..good times, indeed!