Pure Pop was my society for a couple of years when I was in grad school. Better than the Masons, more selective, and with its own share of bizarre rituals. I feel lucky to have been inducted, because I made some very close friends there, including my husband.

Back then, I spent almost all of my time writing, only leaving the house for my shifts at Pure Pop. This meant all of my social interactions took place in that basement, with co-workers and customers. It was an odd way to live. If Luke was living out The Machinist at the time, I’d say I was living an as-yet-unwritten Mike Leigh film. I miss the people I got to know there, though it’s nice not having having to inhale the surely cancerous shrink-wrap fumes anymore. (Herb informed us that as far as he could tell it only caused erectile dysfunction. – Ed)

A few albums that come to mind when I think of that time:

Morrissey – All albums.

Morrissey is an evergreen presence in my life. You knew things were going downhill when Rose, Casey and I went on collective Morrissey benders.

Lenny Kravitz – Baptism

There was some deal with CIMS, I think, that compelled us to have to play a few new releases every day, and this was one of those. It was one of many crashingly bad titles, but the lyrics were what set Kravitz apart, and I loved to make fun of them. One of the songs was called Sistamamalover, which should give you a sense of the awfulness.

Sigur Ros – ba ba ti ki di do

This was closing music for most of a winter when Chris and I were working together. It set the tone for my walk home. Could alternate with the soundtrack for Nói Albínói by Slowblow.

The Dresden Dolls – The Dresden Dolls

This album had some wonderful, over the top rage mixed with stylized vocal acting that hit the spot.

Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter – Oh My Girl

This lovely album came out towards the end of my time there, and it fit my mood perfectly. It was a sad late fall sound, and felt as intimate and isolated as a dark empty bar late at night.

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There was some video mixed in, too. I got to order the After School Specials box set, shaped like a school bus (I think it was Herb who tipped me off to its existence), and it led to one of the best finds ever…Ace Hits the Big Time. I’m still not sure what the message of this film was. Don’t join a gang? Don’t run from men stalking you in limousines? The hallucinatory fight/dance sequence in this film is required viewing for friends, well worth the cost of the set.