JJ Barnes

“Chains of Love"

scum stats: this is an acetate, they don’t mass produce these suckers

I spent my Record Store Day in Detroit, where most of my favorite record stores are. When things died down a bit at the TMR shop, I was able to explore just a bit. Made my way just a few blocks over to the Flame’s Favorites shop. I had been there only once before, probably 15 years prior and remember not being really into it at all.

But my tastes had evolved and matured much over those 15 years. And upon return I was delighted with the wide assortment of forgotten records from Detroit’s past. Stock from the recently unearthed Flaming Arrow haul (including the massive “My Love (Is So Strong)” by Angela Davis & the Mighty Chevelles) and other forgettable and unknown nuggs from the past. I dug quickly and indiscriminately and was excited to be able to walk to an actual Chase Bank branch to get money out of the ATM…no Chase Banks in Tennessee means I pay that dumb $3 fee every time I want cash for tacos.

Talking with Jim, the owner of Flames, and he knew who I was from bidding on his occasional eBay auctions. Good talking with him, he let me know that proceeds from the shop go to supporting Detroiters with disabilities, so even more reason to spend extra dough. He then led me to a bin in a corner jam packed with acetates. I’d noticed recently that lots of shit from Groovesville (the label/publishing company owned by Don Davis) had been popping up at other shops, on eBay auctions, etc. I’m not too crazy about acetates or the prices that they command, so just tried to politely flip through. Towards the back, unexpectedly, was a 10” disc with a faded typewritten label that read “Chains of Love” and “Groovesville Music, Inc.”

Be still my heart. No need to listen, no worries about the slight flaking at the edge of the disc or even the $300 price tag (I could negotiate that down anyway)…this song was too important in my life to pass up. As the pound-for-pound best known song the Dirtbombs ever recorded, I just wanted to give this thing a good home. I mean, without this song, and it’s fortuitous placement in the Schnabel film “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”, how would I have ever gotten to Cannes otherwise?

So for all the whining about Record Store Day and reissues and flipping and all the resultant blowback from it, I was just happy to be alone in a record store (literally, there were no other customers in there) and find something I previously didn’t know existed and I could truly cherish.

Next time you’re in Detroit, check out Flames at 51 West Hancock, Detroit, MI 48231. Lots of love buried in there. I’m 99% sure the version on the acetate is the same take/mix as the released version, but I’ve been wrong before.