Goodbye to Sam The Record Man

I was about to write a post about re-discovering my album and cd collection in my parent’s basement and I just heard that Sam the Record Man will be closing the doors to its famous Yonge Street location in Toronto, Ontario.

It wasn’t long ago that Sam The Record Man was Canada’s largest music retailer with 130 stores Canada wide. Now only three locations will remain.

Sam The Record Man was the store where I purchased my very first album, Kiss Alive II. I bought it at the Sahali Mall in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Sad to see a Canadian landmark like the Yonge Street location go away. I’d always wanted to visit this store, but I guess that won’t happen. Today they will have a farewell auction of everything remaining at the store. The famous neon record signs will be saved though as the city will keep it as a heritage item.

Such is progress.

I have been enjoying a bunch of classic Canadian music while up here visiting. All from my old collection. I’ve been listening to April Wine, Harlequin, Jan Arden, Paul Janz, Prism, Streetheart, Kim Mitchell and Trooper. You can’t find these albums back in the states or on any of the online stores. This find has definitely been a highlight of my current trip and I plan to take these with me back to home.

I think of all of the albums I’ve been listening to, my favorite has been a Trooper Hot Shots CD. I have the album (original purchase), a cassette and this re-mastered CD (purchased much later on in high school.). The album was a huge success for Trooper and reached quadruple platinum status.

In researching the band, this morning I see that Ra McGuire, original vocalist of the band has an active blog, a Flickr photo collection and also a new book. The book titled Here For A Good Time is about his times touring with the band and includes plenty of photographs. I need to order a copy of it when I get back to Fall City.

We’re Here for a Good time is a great song with an awesome message. One of the songs you would hear sometimes at funerals and weddings too. It is definitely a song I’d want played when my days are complete here on earth. The chorus goes like this:

A very good friend of mine
Told me something the other day
I’d like to pass it in to you
Cause I believe what he said to be true

He said
We’re here for a good time
Not a long time (not a long time)
So have a good time
The sun can’t shine every day
And the sun is shinin’
In this rainy city

And the sun is shinin’
Oooooh, isn’t it a pity
And every year, has it’s share of tears
And every now and then it’s gotta rain

The Trooper web site has the complete lyrics and a brief MP3 sample for you to check out. It still surprises me that very few of these bands found success outside of Canada.

Ra McGuire, photo credit: Trooper’s Official Web site.

I will always remember when my brother and I met Ra Ramon at the Sheraton Hotel, in Regina Saskatchewan. I was eight years old and by chance my family was staying a couple of rooms down from the band. My brother and I were on our way down the pool, Ra stuck his head out the door and asked us if we knew the score in the baseball game. (I think, or was it the hockey game?) My brother and I were speechless, didn’t have an answer and didn’t think to get an autograph. I guess met is a bit of a stretch, but still a fun memory.

Anyhow back to listening to music and ripping these albums into my electronic collection so I can listen to them on the drive back to Fall City.

There will be lots of driving ahead for Josie and I, glad to have great music to help pass the time ahead.