The Reactors - She's A Queen/Please Tell Me

Virginia garage rock that I found in one of my mystery boxes a few weeks ago. I'm pretty sure this one came from a trade with my friend Doug. He's got thousands of records and a serious love for old country music, so every so often we meet up and swap. There are no negotiations, no inspections, no "approval process." I usually haul him mountains of records I don't care about, and he hands me a few tubs or boxes in return. It's vinyl roulette, and honestly, that's half the fun.

Sometimes the boxes are full of things that make me wonder if we've both suffered temporary lapses in judgment. Other times I pull out something like this and suddenly feel like I still owe him another truckload.

We were supposed to meet last Sunday, but Doug forgot and only had one small tub ready so I happily traded 7 boxes worth I brought and agreed to return this Sunday. In the tub he gave me were more good ones so I've already started gathering up another pile for him. Truthfully, when treasures like this show up in the trade, I always feel like I should do more on my end.

And while you're reading this, I'd appreciate a prayer for Doug. He's dealing with some health issues, and I firmly believe in the power of prayer. Pray for healing, strength, and better days ahead.

The Reactors were from Virginia and released 2 45s, one of which was picked up by Cameo. I could swear I own that one too, but apparently it's hiding from both me and the database. "She's A Queen" has that wonderful 1965 garage sound, while the flip side, "Please Tell Me," is exactly the kind of slow, moody garage melancholy that gets permanently lodged in my brain. In other words: a freaking fantastic double-sided 45.

I couldn't find much information on the band. Like so many garage groups, they probably (a)blazed (cute..right!) brightly for a brief moment, cut a few records, and vanished into obscurity. But sixty years later, one of their records is sitting on my turntable because of a forgotten trade, one generous friend, and the strange magic of cardboard boxes full of unknown records. That's garage collecting in a nutshell. Sometimes you're digging through a pile of ordinary records. Sometimes you're shaking hands with history.