77 Records #1- "July 7" 2009"

The year was 2009, I was only a few months away from my 30th birthday and the world was wide open.  I had just finalized my divorce and as I emerged I was getting a better sense of myself.  Part of that was realizing that I had been too scared to break the wall between music listener/fan and creator.  That was definitely going to change.

I had been buying music and going to shows for over a decade but I had never been in a band, so I started one for Karen Heeringa’s brilliant Comrades Fest in 2008.   But that wasn’t enough. As my 30th grew closer I knew I needed to put out a record.

In a moment of absolute clarity I knew I should press a 7″  featuring bands I loved who also happened to be my friends. But this couldn’t be some throw-away record done just for it’s own sake. These were some of the most creative people I had ever met, and I wouldn’t put my name on something I didn’t believe in.

The four bands I asked were all very different (indie rock, hardcore, noisy post-punk, noise) which suited my love of all kinds of music.  The Saturday before my birthday I threw a big party at my friends’ house with a keg of local beer, some local pizza and the four bands on the comp playing in my friend’s garage.  I handed a copy of the record (titled “July 7″ 2009″ after my birthday) to everyone in attendance.  I can’t think of a time when I have been more proud.

The limited copies of “July 7″ disappeared quickly (only 200 were pressed) but I hung on to a few to sell. And here we are.  I have a few copies of this record left for new friends.

SIDE A

Religious SS Disorder- I’m Not Waving

Party Favorites- Valentine Ave.

SIDE B

Cains & Abels- Run, Run, Run

4D- Crashing Planes

$6 ppd