I knew it would be released soon. All preliminary information about the much-anticipated album that I had was gained from several music magazines, as the Internet did not even exist back then.
On the release date, my feet did not carry me to school, but instead to the bus stop. My absence was, of course, unexcused… I guess my teacher wouldn't have accepted a shopping tour to the record store as an excuse, anyway.
During the 30 minutes' bus ride to town, the money I had saved to buy the album was waiting impatiently in my pocket. I covered the rest of the journey to the record store at a pace which, under normal circumstances, I hadn't even shown in sports lessons. And then there was always the fear of what would happen if the album was not yet available or already sold out.
I opened the door and took a few quick steps to the shelf. E, F, G, H and finally I. My nervous fingers began to search the vinyl records. Eventually, the name of a well-known band emerged before my eyes, and there it was – the album I had been waiting for so long: Iron Maiden – Somewhere In Time!
I grabbed the record, ran to the cash desk and put the by now totally crumpled money on the counter with trembling hands. The record was put into the plastic bag and I went home on the most direct way. On the bus, my impatient fingers already fumbled the record from their cover, and in the dim light I read the first song lyrics. A record player and an empty cassette to record it were already waiting at home.
My emotional state when listening to the new album for the first time can best be described as sheer euphoria. The familiar sound, the new songs and the excitement of what would else would await the impatient listener: As mentioned before, I had no idea of the songs themselves in advance, because there was no internet that would have provided me with various teasers and leaks.
Next, the audiocassette was played up and down until it was completely broken, while the vinyl record pretty much preserved its virginity on the shelf.
If the Dark Ride Brothers had already existed in the 1980s, we'd be looked at as freaks. You cannot release your songs one by one, can you?!
The record I purchased in that music store was a piece of art that you didn't even listen to unless you had the opportunity to enjoy the entire record from the beginning to the end. Sure, sometimes songs of an album were released as single, too, but the true fan wanted the greatest possible dose at once.
We are now releasing our fourth single, our song, "The Dark Ride". We like to look at it as a brick in a big house that we are building with great care and passion. We are regularly asked when we are going to publish our first album. Frankly, I don't know. But our house is constantly growing, and new songs for future releases are currently in the making.
You are already welcome to our house, which is taking form around us.
Come Join The Ride - The Dark Ride!