i 1
ember 9,199
| Tuesday • September 9, 1997
Lifestyles
iatro
Secondhand
sounds
\From jazz to country to heavy metal, used CDs provide
inexpensive entertainment without compromising quality
ollege life isn’t cheap.
Everyone must decide
how to stretch their
hange purse in order to survive
hese years with a relatively
lealthy body, decent social sta-
us and happy state of mind.
It’s no help when tuition,
Dooks, housing and food take a
Dite out of your budget.
The good news is 40,000 fel
low consumers share this win-
er of ill-bill content. The
Bryan-College Station metro-
)lex has risen to the challenge of providing cheap
entertainment for students beyond $1 longnecks
md “Sundays Free” newspaper promotions.
It’s second-hand but never second-best — it’s the
ised compact disc.
Used CD stores provide affordable alternatives to
shelling out hard earned cash for the latest Ever-
:lear album. CDs last longer than tapes or vinyls,
Chris
Martin
columnist
Ri RONY,
larc Daly, a senior construction science major, scans
.used compact discs at CD Warehouse on Northgate.
and if not scratched, a used CD will provide the
same experience as its brand-new counterpart.
Brett Edwards, manager of Half Price Books
Records Magazines said the store has a small but
eclectic used CD selection.
"We’ll make an offer on anything recorded, as
long as it’s in good condition,” Edwards said. “We
don’t offer a large amount [of used CDs], but it’s all
in good shape.”
Decor: Grandmother’s attic sans moldy cheese
and cobwebs.
Clientele: Professors, bicycling activists and
town folk.
Used CD selection: Lots of mainstream pop with a
dash of country, jazz, classical, Christian, internation
al, movie soundtracks and easy listening. The most
common price for a used CD is $7.49, with a few $2 to
$3 specials.
Run away from: Half Price Books is the only store
to feature eight-tracks. Only the strong shall survive
this bin, home of the “Cher Superpak” featuring
“Blowing in the Wind” while heinously omitting
“Dark Lady” — Superpak indeed.
Don’t miss: Half Price Books features a star-stud
ded cavalcade of used vinyl. The bins have loads of
new wave, classic rock and most other genres ranging
from $3 to $6.
Special pick: Color Me Barbra by Barbra Streisand
hits a rock-bottom low of $.99.
Marooned Records is a well-known stop for used
CDs. Use extra caution if scouring the aisles for Dook-
ie, however.
“If I see one more Green Day CD come in here, I will
shoot somebody,” said Sarah Suniga, an employee at
Marooned. “People can sell back their CDs for $3, $4,
sometimes $5, depending on stock or availability. We’re
always looking for more dance music, ska and classic
stuff.”
Decor: High school rock fan bedroom.
Clientele: Local bands, skaters, backpackers.
Used CD selection: Modern rock with a small
amount of country, dance, rap, soundtracks. The av
erage price for a used CD is $6.
Run away from: The large $1 CD section is both a
curse and a blessing. Music scavengers can find great
picks, like a single of Glen Bi anca’s “Symphony No. 9,”
but it shares real estate with Hammer’s Please Ham
mer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em and Too Legit To Quit.
Don’t miss: Great $3 section that houses C’mon
Kids! by the Boo Radleys and oddly enough Let’s Get it
Started, Hammer’s first album.
Special pick: The 6ths’ sad and sweet Wasp’s Nests
album for $6.
Disc Go Round is but a stone’s roll from Marooned.
The store features a large selection of import CDs, 83
of which are devoted to Depeche Mode.
“We like to buy Bob Marley, the Doors and Top 100
albums,” said Jana Herd, assistant manager of Disc
Go Round. “We buy back for around $3 to $4, some
times $5 if it is new and in great shape.”
Decor: If you were tie-dyed, you’d be home by now.
Clientele: (see above)
Used CD selection: Disc Go Round has a large se
lection of recently-released albums, as well as coun
try, classical, rap and blues. The prices for used CDs
range from $5.99 to $7.99.
Run away from: Import CDs are almost as afford
able as the General Use Fee.
Don’t miss: Eight great listening stations where
you can listen to any CD before you buy it.
CD Warehouse is another one of the fine used CD
emporiums located in Northgate. Gina Marquez, a
CD Wharehouse employee, said the store has a selec
tion of Top 40, classic and modern rock.
“We specialize in mainstream music,” she said.
“We try to stay away from the more weird titles.”
Marquez said CD Warehouse will let consumers
trade two of their recently-released CDs for one
used CD.
Decor: Plain and simple, like a bargain store
should be.
Clientele: Neo-normals and radio-heads
m
RONY ANGKRIWAN/The Battalion
Used CD selection: If it’s a staple of classic or mod
ern rock, it’ll be in the bins. Most titles average around
$7.99. They also carry a good selection of country,
soundtracks and imports. There is a $5.99 bargain sec
tion to fulfill all your Stone Temple Pilot needs.
Run away from: Avoid the huge Pamela Anderson
Lee poster at all costs.
Don’t miss: Two listening stations and the huge
Pamela Anderson Lee poster.
Hastings claims to be the entertainment super
store. Despite its new and flashy corporate face, a
creamy center of used CDs may be found inside.
Henry Martinez, music manager, said Hastings will
buy any genre of music as long as it is in top condi
tion and is something they don’t have in stock.
“I get tired of people bringing in the same country
artists all the time,” Martinez said. “We have enough
Travis Tritt — that and Green Day”
Decor: Megapalooza media megalamania.
Clientele: Mom, dad, 2.5 kids and the family dog.
Used CD selection: Hastings has every genre, from
jazz to Christian to Spanish to rock. Prices range from
$5 to $9, averaging $7.94.
Run away from: The 25-cent listening station. It’s
not the money; it’s the principle.
Don’t miss: The “nice price” bargain bins. Hast
ings is a dumping ground for CDs other stores can’t
sell, Martinez said.
Special Pick: Guided by Voices’ beautiful Bee
Thousand album in the bargain bin for $4.
In July of 1993, Garth Brooks publicly decried the
evils of used CDs. It seems that Garth discovered a lit
tle something America likes to call a “free-trade econ
omy.” Your frugality at college may not please Garth
Brooks, but it sure as heck will put a star-spangled
smile across Uncle Sam’s face.
Chris Martin is a senior journalism major.
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of the Year!
Tuesday, September 9th
201 MSC @ 8:30
Meet New People,
Get Involved
and HAVE FUN!!!
Welcome Class of 2001!!!