Lipstick, Reggae, and Jedward, who would have put those three together? ...me

Random Act of Kindness No. 39, but meant to be 40 – Buy an unpopular CD single.

It turns out I can’t count. Or read a book. I have accidently skipped a RAOK and hopped to number 40. But no fear, Will is here, so I will just swap them around and do the one I was meant to do today tomorrow. Ya get me?

Whilst I was in the holy city of Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s land I popped into a record store. As I went in I felt rather nostalgic, I haven’t been in a record store in years. And it turns out no one does. I walked to the back of the shop where the CD singles used to be but it was replaced with some funky technologically advanced game consoles, you know the ones – where you stand about in front of a TV screen waving your arms and flinging your legs about and suddenly the little caricature of yourself moves on the screen. Yeah those things. From floor to roof it was filled with them.

Well I had to go and seek some advice. I headed to the counter and asked for the singles chart. The funky girl in the store with a pink streak in her hair and a nose ring pointed me in the right direction. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Now it’s not just me but the singles chart used to be massive right? Well not any more. In the record store they only stock the top 7 singles in the chart. The rest is all done online. Crazy beans.

Well my mission was to buy an unpopular single to support their talent. This just wasn’t possible. The next stage in this pained me sooooooo much. I decided I would at least have to buy the most unpopular single they stock in the store. And do you know who that was? Jedward. Yeah, they are number 7, apparently!

Now bless Jedwards hearts. If they enjoy doing what they are doing then that is great, but I try and stay away from all this hyped up, talentless tat that gets pumped out into society. But I just couldn’t avoid it today. Today was going to be the day I joined in with the masses and gave the commercial machine of Sony and Universal records some money. £2.99 in fact. That’s a pound a track. But, all the tracks are the same, track 2 is slightly longer, and well I think I got a duff CD, on track 3 there are no lyrics. It turns out Jedward, with this single I have just bought are representing Ireland in the 2011 Eurovision. Well crickey if they get more than ‘nil point’ I will jump out of a plane naked. But perhaps with a parachute.

I got in my car and put the CD in quite excited actually to hear what it sounded like. I lasted 25 seconds and had to turn it off. I just couldn’t bear it. So when I got home I whipped my computer out and headed onto the iTunes store and purchased the first song I had never heard of. Number 157 down the list I came across, Gyptian – Hold you. You beauty no need for the 30second preview lets buy that. And you know what, it is pretty darn cool. Crackin’.

After looking this Gyptian up, it turns out he has been around a bit, cranking out some reggae. Nice one, that is a good find.

Here is a picture of the Jedward CD, and a screen print of Gyption, Hold you.