Those poor kids back in 1979, some awful toys back then, now they all get iPhones and iPads and XBOX's and Playstations. Much much better.

A seasonal story that closed out my sweet sixteenth year. Here's the complete Jethro Tull EP that was released in the UK in early December 1976:



I was rummaging around in the big Sam Goody in Queens, New York, and spotted this EP in their singles section. Goody was "okay" with imports, but never stocked any imported 7-inchers at all, so this was a very unusual thing to find in the store. I'd already gotten a handful of British singles through Peters International, so I knew that they had the small centre hole, but this EP was the first imported picture sleeve I'd ever handled. The quality of the sleeve was album-worthy cardboard that looked a little glossy and felt quite sturdy, not like the cheap paper used for American picture sleeves. And the music wasn't available for purchase domestically, which made the EP even more exotic and cool.

Jethro Tull weren't my favourite group, but the EP was my favourite Christmas purchase that year, and of course it gave me a taste for more and more beautiful UK imports... which continues to this day.

Nice remembrance Linda. I bought the title that same year and still have it. On tomorrow's playlist!

Nice story Linda. I first got that EP on my trip to England, 1983.

England?, you never mentioned that. John has mentioned his UK visit a few times.

Should expand on that Jimbo. We would love to hear all. A great time to be there!

One regret will be that I never got to go music shopping in England or Japan. I would have also liked to have seen Stonehenge & some of the old British Pagan spiritual places.

Neither did I but I did go record shopping in L.A. & S.F. in the mid 70's during the months that I was there. L.A. seemed to have record stores on every other corner back then. Promo's galore.
NYC had great stores as well in Greenwich Village back in the day.

I got to hit Boston record stores in around 1991. Also Vancouver BC had awesome stores in the 80's.

Great story Linda. Thanks for sharing it. And Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.

The local record store nearby (sells 99% used vinyl) has some neat 45s for sale this week. I have a few of these 45s like Ratt.

I need to make a special trip to Vintage Vinyl, they have a progressive rock section!

Every time I visit N.J. I make it a point to stop there. Be ready to put in a few hours, they have a lot of stuff and an excellent used section as well.

I'll be going to Vintage next Friday. I always look forward to it, even if I don't buy anything.

You'll have to drive there when you go. No train station nearby, like Princeton.

Why NY? French creme filled dipped in chocolate lobster tail pastries only found at Artuso's Bakery!

If I could eat sugar............ I'd be SO THERE!

I grew up in New York and I remember the food fondly. "Gone but not forgotten restaurants" would make an excellent ICEbox thread.

Let's start with Wetson's which was a burger place like McDonald's. There used to be one in Brooklyn which my parents used to take us to after we visited my grandparents on Sundays. That was always good and fun. I always thought that Wetson's was THE burger place having heard of it and having eaten there many years before I'd ever heard of McDonald's or Burger King.

Looks like we're moving from "morbid" into "morbid obesity"...

Yes considering the food choices available in all 5 boroughs, I don't know how I've been able to maintain my weight all these years.

I remember Wetson's.

Another big fast food place in the 60s and 70s was Gino's. We used to have one in a few blocks from where I lived in East Orange, NJ. My folks took me there alot until we moved away in 1973.


(Per Wikipedia, it was revived slightly in Maryland in 2010, but only a few exist)