| StoreTags: local, record stores
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I know many record stores are hurting these days or at least that's how it feels when i go in some of them and notice all the regulars who used to work there are missing and the guy who owns the shop is manning the place 24/7.
i've spoken to people who say things like "i haven't bought an actual CD in a year or so.. i just download the tracks i want from itunes". i know that's not everyone and more than likely lot's of people are still buying CD's and records but the masses aren't so much. and of course p2p file sharing is another ball of wax.
I got wrapped up thinking about all of these things because i'm pushing a few releases and will be pushing more in the coming months (right down people's throats!).  I used to be able to get local shops to carry releases pretty easily in san diego. either they would just buy a couple copies after hearing it or would do consignment. after the consignment ones sold then they would just buy them outright next time because the release (s) had been proven to sell.
these days it's more difficult. policies have changed in some record stores and of course for obvious reasons.. some stated above.. they can't just outright buy stuff all the time anymore.. even if it's gonna sell! of course there are record stores that are more supportive of indy acts still seeking distro. or perhaps they just think the music is good and they wanna have it in their store.. which is an experience i've had w/a few record stores/mail order shops in the UK/EU.
i've had varying degrees of success w/promo's and follow up and generally being a persistent pain in the ass. sometimes it's pretty frustrating and sometimes it's reassuring.
I'm just curious what the climate is in your home town? do you even have a decent record store? if so what's it called? are they supportive of local artists? are they supportive of electronic music at all? what's your experience been in dealing w/record stores and indy releases? | |
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03/14/07
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EsromCole
There are no record stores here. The Crossroads and Sam Goody both closed their doors about 3 years ago. Not many local bands either. Nowhere for the few their are to play. This is the armpit of the universe.
03/14/07
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colin
i say good .. let em die out .. they never had any of the cds i wanted anyway .
03/14/07
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filarion
while I like boomkat for discovering music I've become hesitant ordering there recently.. since they're directly attached to a lage english distributor they can undercut any record store that might otherwise stock their releases.. their label campaigns are great examples.. 5 quid for CD albums half a year old etc.
03/14/07
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dequalsrxt
@ lukep - Ha, Fargo, no kidding, I spent 5 years hard time there. Out on good behavior ;) Yeah - vinyl connection was great - got me started on my vinyl addiction. Jim was a good guy - he'd let me take stacks of records home to listen b4 I buy. And, man, some of the shit I bought there- autechre basscadet, u-ziq bluff limbo, a few different cool thrill jockey releases (at the height of their greatness as a label), wierd-o ralph records stuff (I remember he was obsessed with them...) - some wild stuff.
@esrom cole - that sucks there are no music stores, but you might be better off w/o sam goody. order online - I did lots of warp mail-orders serving my time in Fargo.
As far as pdx goes, I was just thinking the other day how amazed I am at how many record stores this town is able to support. Seriously, they're everywhere. I have spent way, I mean, waaaaay too much in the past few weeks at about four different spots, and there are plenty more I haven't even checked in on in awhile. Of course, I don't know how well they're doing financially, but it can't be so horrible to support as many as we have. Not as many record stores as strip clubs, but still, lots...
That being said, I can imagine cd sales would be down. I think it was mainly the general population buying cd's, they now all have i-pods - no point in buying cd's, plus all the collectors who are still willing to drop $$ on music would prefer vinyl.
I almost never order online and I don't download. I don't have an mp3 player, so d/l's are pointless for me. As mentioned earlier, I spend too much money here in town on music to justify me ordering vinyl online. I have to once and a while to get must-have's, but generally I shop local. I've been able to satisfy much of my needs that way, too. I've been suprised at what I've been able to find, and where I find it.
03/14/07
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Roshi
LOL @ booberella pic.
03/14/07
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SenorFrio
I heard/read a news report recently that stated kids are starting to buy more vinyl and CDs of the music they really like. They are wanting something tangible, rather than a few files. That's encouraging!
03/14/07
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monty
it seems to me that the big retailers in glasgow are heavily pushing dvds now.
thats just my impression...theres a couple of good wee places for vinyl.
i think small shops should have more performances in them, that would be cool.
the last couple of years ive only been buying second-hand vinyl from charity shops.
i recently bought an old record player that plays 78s
i just go around markets,second hand shops looking for interesting looking olde things.
03/14/07
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djugel
Isn't it fucked up how let's say .... 6 or 7 years ago .. the big issue was "will vinyl still be around?"
Now it seems to be the only format that will survive against digital files.
03/14/07
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Inoyun
Tower Records used to dominate much of that climate in my town and most of the flanking towns as well. Humbly speaking and because I could not get a better job at that time, I used to work for them...first as a clerk and then up to a regional loss prevention investigator where I would catch kids like PAWEL who brag about stealing and steal without reason other than to steal and watch them cry...piss their pants and shit themselves at the site of getting thrown to the ground and handcuffed. What can I say...it paid the bills. People who steal the physical container from a store when there are myriads of other ways to obtain music you want are retarded and need to get re-smarted...lol.
There is allofmp3.com and Tunecore so you have plenty of options just from those two areas right there. Now that Tower is Gone (Thanks to themselves and not necessarily thieves per say) the only real area to get music is at the lame ass Walmarts and Best Buys and Fry's where its all pop music and Label controlled. I have to travel to LA to Amoeba to get what I want if its not online first. I still enjoy the physical container even though its basically worthless.
03/14/07
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filarion
definitely true regarding vinyl vs cd. vinyl (or seriously collectible cds) + digital downloads look like the future to me (and i get the impression from label dudes I talk to as well).
03/14/07
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mrk087
Only record stores I'm familiar with here in Houston, TX are Sam Goody and Music Warehouse. Both of which don't always have a wide variety of other genres.
@Inoyun, yeah your right about Wal-mart/Best Buy selection, and even though mp3 downloads seem more convenient, I too like having the physical containers.
03/14/07
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ignatius
vinyl- yes. there does seem to still.. thankfully.. be a niche there. vinyl will probably outlast any storage medium for music anyway.
i didn't know boomkat was attached to a large distro. hmm. interesting. i know they've started a download site but i've never found their prices to be all that great. especially when things get converted to US$ and shipped to me. i usually look for stuff on boomkat then try and find it at forced exposure or locally... but if i can't then i order from boomkat.
03/14/07
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PYVND
Well vinyl will die in a few years for good, or become incredibly expensive because the material that is used to make won't be available. They've figured out how to use everything from oil including whatever records are made from so that's that. I think dance vinyl will die a quick death but expensive audiophile type vinyl will survive.
CDs will be around in that larger record companies will continue to release their albums on CD. Digital stuff is cool but a lot of the time people like to buy the CD and rip it because you can be flexible with what format you rip to. But yeah, digital is convenient and all that and will grow in popularity.
The Tower record near me went out of business. A huge ass place that most of the time didn't have what you were after or charged too much. Online retailers like Amazon killed it. I think smaller, specialty records shops will be around but the big ones are done for.
03/14/07
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nicknotis
I actually really liked the bigger of the two Tower Records in Seattle. Their clasical section was fantastic, and the people who worked there were super knowledgeable. I even got a few quality Chinese classical CDs from them. Having said that, I would never have recomended going there for any other genre when Easy Street was a ten minute walk away.
03/14/07
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nicknotis
Easy Street and Sonic Boom were really good about selling my "Tommy Shane" CD on consignment. I haven't done my part though, and actually promoted the damn thing.
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