Did you ever do something 'Crazy,' 'Devoted,' 'Odd,' to get Lightfoot Merchandise...

Jesse Joe · 11-02-2006, 05:21 PM

November 20th 1980. I bought my first VCR. I remember paying close to $2,000 for a 2 head RCA . Brand spanken new. Today you buy one for $70,00 Cdn, and it's a 4 head. The sole purpose for buying that VCR, was to have the Gordon Lightfoot Olympic Tribute Concert, which my brother in law had tape, on CBC TV for me, at the department store he was working. I said if you set that machine to tape that concert, next week I will buy a VCR, from you.

I know that concert from start to finish, it also had Liona Boyd, Caroll Baker, Harry Chapin, and The Good Brothers, live from Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. I know some of you folks were at that concert. I remember Gord being very cool, on that stage.

I drove in a severe winter storm in 1978, 35 miles,one way, and then back, to buy the new Lightfoot Album, :Endless Wire." Me and a friend. We were going no more than 25 to 35 miles an hour. Visibility very poor. But when I got back home, and gave 'Endless Wire' a Spin, I thought to myself, it was worth it.

[ November 03, 2006, 06:28: Message edited by: Jesse -Joe ]

Kelly Davis · 11-02-2006, 05:51 PM

Spent $ 80.00 on the Maynard Collins book : "Lightfoot: If You Could Read His Mind" (is out of print) Gord did sign the inside cover for me after a show in Wabash, IN a few years back.

Have many posters from ebay, which I've also spent too much on. Have 3 posters of "Songbook", one for each of my kids someday. One is signed by the entire band after the Aurora show this year.

Borderstone · 11-02-2006, 06:37 PM

Ya want craaaazy?! :D Get this!

Somewhat crazy,paying $15-20 a month to buy Songbook for just over $60 and wanting to buy it despite the fact that I didn't know if Gord's music would be worth it! I mean,what if I hadn't liked it?

In an almost obsession-like search,going to nearly "any" record store in Phoenix,over a period of 4 months,to buy every Lightfoot album from '66 to 1998 on vinyl.

On top of that,in getting the LP "The Way I Feel",not only did I take a 1 hour + bus trip to east Tempe but paid $18.00 & tax for it. Memory Lane records prices are pricey!

Lastly,to get "Shadows",I left work at sunset and went even farther southeast to a store called "Boookman's". This was nearly 2 hours there and 2 back. I got it alright but didn't return home until nearly 10pm!

Glad I've never had to jump through so many hoops for a GL concert ticket!

Yuri · 11-02-2006, 08:00 PM

Crazy or just Devoted? A fine line amongst many 'Lightheads".

Spending far too much on rare vinyl, or buying a weeks worth of shows at a yearly Massey stint? We've all driven far too many miles to take in a Lightfoot show, yet would do it all again the next day if the possibility presented itself.

Returning from a solo camping trip from the "Muskokas", I found myself approaching the exit ramp for Orillia Ontario. Parked the car in town and walked some of the streets that Gord no doubt hung out on in his youth. Found a record store (or some 'five & dime') as my memory has become inversely proportional to my age.

I was delighted to find two K-Tel pressings of Gord's music. Of course, had to have anything with Gord's name on it, no matter how hokey.

Gord's K-Tels from Orillia!!! Not a crazy act in itself, but without a doubt, a crazy acquisition.

But they're MINE!, all MINE!!! heh, heh, heh....

Yuri

RM · 11-02-2006, 09:15 PM

In retrospect, I prefer to classify this as "odd" rather than "crazy" :

Sophomore in college.....I sacrificed a date with a..er....um....'popular' girl, having spent what was left of my meager amount of money to purchase "Old Dan's Records". Canceled the date, and then spent the evening listening to "It's Worth Believin" over and over and over again ; 'twas quite a tedious task to find track 3 on side B again and again on a turntable.

Jesse Joe · 11-03-2006, 07:39 AM

When I was 15, rode my bicycle 18 miles to what was then the nearest music Store, to buy, :The Way I Feel," and "Back here On Earth," on 8 Track Tape. Plus, "The Stampeders, Against The Grain."

I remember riding back home, stopping on the side of the long stretched wooded forest TCH, every once in a while to take a break. Gettin those 8 track tapes out of the bag, having a good look at them. Made me peddled harder to reach home base...lol

It was school summer vacation, probably July, never regreted doing that.~Jesse~

Peter Bro10 · 11-03-2006, 08:47 AM

This is great stuff!
I have to give this some thought, as I have had a lifelong tendency towards doing silly, crazy and otherwise goofy things...

Peter Bro10 · 11-03-2006, 09:34 AM

Okay, I have one for the record! It's a bit lengthy, but here it goes...
This involves my whole family, Mom and us 5 kids, of which I'm the youngest.
Starting back in the early 70's, we would go the the Auditorium Theater in downtown Chicago, driving in form the western suburbs, to see Gord. Mom usually worked 2 jobs to support us kids and money was always tight. and the car was what I would now call a "beater". But we all went to see Gord every year until he stopped playing the Auditorium in about '78 or '79. That I suppose is a bit goofy in itself, but there's more...
Mom would usually bring a bouquet of flowers, and one year she wrote a request note but forgot to stick it in with the flowers. Anyhow, there was Gordon, on stage picks up Mom's flower, takes a whiff and starts looking for a note, turns towards the audience and remarks how there is usually a request in with flowers! I'm on the ground floor snapping photos with my trusty 300mm lens and Moms in the balcony shouting out her request!! funny as all get out! I got the pictures, though.

Shutup and Deal, I'm Losin' · 11-03-2006, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Borderstone:
Ya want craaaazy?! :D Get this!

Somewhat crazy,paying $15-20 a month to buy Songbook for just over $60 and wanting to buy it despite the fact that I didn't know if Gord's music would be worth it! I mean,what if I hadn't liked it?

In an almost obsession-like search,going to nearly "any" record store in Phoenix,over a period of 4 months,to buy every Lightfoot album from '66 to 1998 on vinyl.

On top of that,in getting the LP "The Way I Feel",not only did I take a 1 hour + bus trip to east Tempe but paid $18.00 & tax for it. Memory Lane records prices are pricey!

Lastly,to get "Shadows",I left work at sunset and went even farther southeast to a store called "Boookman's". This was nearly 2 hours there and 2 back. I got it alright but didn't return home until nearly 10pm!

Glad I've never had to jump through so many hoops for a GL concert ticket!

"Songbook" was also one of my 1st albums. That was really the turning point that got me interested in Gord and because a true GL fan. The 1st 2 albums were GG2 and Summertime Dream, and I only liked them because it had the WReck on it, but I got to liking more ane more songs as I went along.

Jenney · 11-03-2006, 12:07 PM

Oh look Valerie, a post for you and I!! I'm not sure where I would start, or where I would stop with this topic.

I think the craziest thing I did, and it was expensive too, was deciding to go to the Reno taping 18 hours before I would have to leave. I booked the flight from CT, got there 2 hours before the show, and left about 6 hours afterwards, putting me in Reno for about 12 hours.

It was worth every penny, and all the jet lag!
Jenney

charlene · 11-03-2006, 12:30 PM

Flying to Hartford CT. to meet up with Jenney and then drive with her, her hubby and meet Susan,John,and Billyboy, in Wayne NJ to see Aengus, Jory and Terry Tufts do a two hour cabin concert of Lightfoot tunes on Nov.14/2004...

Irony was to have me fly from Toronto where Aengus and Jory live, to the U.S. and be met with 5 inches of snow....
sheesh...
well worth the trip even if Gord wasn't there!

Gitchigumee · 11-03-2006, 12:53 PM

You guys have got me thinking about walking 1000 miles, barefoot, through three feet of snow, uphill both ways, to attend the Massey concerts next week.

But seriously, your stories are great, keep them coming!!

vlmagee · 11-03-2006, 02:33 PM

Let's see. Where to begin? Gee, this is tough!

There are all the old rare records, purchased back when Ebay was young, and I was younger than I am now... The last one I got was Canadian Talent Library. I don't remember what I paid, but I assure you it was something "crazy". And, back when they were hard to find, I believe I bought two copies of Movin'. And then there's the 1 1/2 copies of the Warner Brothers Demos. It's a two record set (the second record is recorded on only one side). Somebody had one record 1, but hey, that's better than no records right? I later bought the 2 record set. Anyone want record 1? (It actually has most of the songs).

And I also have several of the songs on acetates, plus a copy of the Remember Me single on acetate. (Yes, I also have the regular 45. Four of them).

That's just the records. I'll write chapter two next time.

It was sure fun back then, wasn't it Jenney?

Paul (PJB) · 11-03-2006, 03:31 PM

I just collected my flight ticket for Massey and it has distances on it. I am flying from Norwich, England to Amsterdam, 150 miles, Amsterdam to Toronto, 3,720 miles, so the round trip is 7,740. This is my third trip. I am not claiming to be the furthest traveller though. I think one friend I made in 2001 is flying in from near San Francisco (which is probably a similar distance) and possibly another from Australia. Also, last year Ron travelled from Vancouver in a camper van full of classic guitars; a great road trip I would like to make!

I am really looking forward to seeing many old friends and meeting up with some new ones.

Paul

Borderstone · 11-03-2006, 06:41 PM

Has anyone yet "gone crazy" and gotten a ticket for Phoenix or Tucson? :D LOL!

Let's set this to that old Paul Davis song "I Go Crazy":

"I go cra-a-zy,when I buy Lightfoot stuff."
"I go cra-a-zy,I just can't buy enough."
"Oh,yeah...go crazy,to get into a show."
"I go crazy,fly to Orillia,when 10 degress below!" :D

brink- · 11-03-2006, 07:19 PM

Due to work obligations I will have to pass on Tucson and Phoenix this year B. I hope that you will be able to go and give us all the play by play. Maybe Ron can go to the Tucson one for us all.

[ November 04, 2006, 00:39: Message edited by: brink- ]

BendRick · 11-04-2006, 01:05 AM

I wasn't trying to get merchandise, but I did get in trouble once, attending a GL concert. It was 1980, and i borrowed my parent's 1966 VW Bug to attend GL's concert at San Diego State's amphitheater. I used poor judgment at the time, and parked at a 7-11. The bug was towed, then I had to call my parents to come get me, while my dad called San Diego PD to find out where the bug was. That experience costed me $80 which was alot of money back then. Live & learn!!

RM · 11-04-2006, 02:05 AM

brink-

Assuming I am the Ron you refer to, I will definitely attend the Tucson concert if it materializes. I'm not sure how long I should wait for confirmation before I go ahead and gather tickets for the Phx show. I'm hoping both concerts take place so that B'Stone can file his report, and I can follow up the next night.

Iron · 11-04-2006, 03:01 AM

What a bunch of fruitcakes!!!
To answer your question Jesse,nope,never done anything that could hold a candle to any of these Gord case's.At least,nothing I'd ever admit to...

vlmagee · 11-04-2006, 07:38 AM

Brian,

Didn't you spend about an extra thou on a D-18 just because it had Lightfoot's signature and the Fitz embossed on it? Some folks would consider that crazy. (Full disclosure: I have one of those too).

Jesse Joe · 11-04-2006, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RenoRick:
I wasn't trying to get merchandise, but I did get in trouble once, attending a GL concert. It was 1980, and i borrowed my parent's 1966 VW Bug to attend GL's concert at San Diego State's amphitheater. I used poor judgment at the time, and parked at a 7-11. The bug was towed, then I had to call my parents to come get me, while my dad called San Diego PD to find out where the bug was. That experience costed me $80 which was alot of money back then. Live & learn!!

Now thats a funny story Rick, really enjoyed that. :D

brink- · 11-04-2006, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RMD:
brink-

Assuming I am the Ron you refer to, I will definitely attend the Tucson concert if it materializes. I'm not sure how long I should wait for confirmation before I go ahead and gather tickets for the Phx show. I'm hoping both concerts take place so that B'Stone can file his report, and I can follow up the next night.

You would be that Ron. Since the tickets are already on sale for Phoenix I would be picking up mine right away ......if I was going ; (

SilverHeels · 11-04-2006, 11:27 AM

Deb, Gord AND Arizona? I am thinking of all that turquoise and silver jewellery ... and Gord ... if I get the Lotto tonight, I'll treat us both to tix to the gig. OK? :D

brink- · 11-04-2006, 02:29 PM

Hey, if you win the lotto tonight - call me your sidekick! lol

Borderstone · 11-04-2006, 05:01 PM

Fruitcake Iron??

Since you are one of many of us who post on a website,that is dedicated to a man,that only a few of us have met ever so breifly
"and!" (you) who have been here almost as long as I have (my fellow Pennsylvanian! :D ) you should be quite careful whom you refer to as a "fruitcake"!

Besides....I'd rather be called an Oreo! LOL! :D

Fruitcake! Really!

"What?"

"There's a rare GL 78rpm in Flagstaff for $10??!!"

"I better start walkin'!!


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