[kj] More bitching

Brendan bq at soundgardener.co.nz
Wed Sep 29 22:46:36 EDT 2010


It's almost impossible competing with iTunes, Amazon etc, because they
have scale, distribution costs are far smaller with electronic data, and
there are no retail middle-men. They're giving most consumers what they
want...

The rest of us might lament the demise of indie record stores, but
honestly, how much money would we throw their way per month if they were
around? Because you'd be a bit daft buying anything other than rarities /
imports from them when you can get large distribution releases cheaper at
Wal Mart etc.


> Like both local television stations and newspapers, record stores need to

> rethink themselves and once again appeal to[today's] people's local and

> immediate needs and tastes. 

> How about a shop that sells anything out there but specializes in the

> local

> music/video/arts scene or some underserved niche, maybe even helping to

> promote

> local gigs, clubs, festivals, etc.  If they can become locally relevant,

> knowledgable (become 'authority figures' or 'experts') and trustable to

> know,

> provide, and be able to 'hook up' people's gig, tkt, pre-order,

> band-updates,

> release dates and similar needs, they'd become an unsubstitutable local

> focal

> point and prized local resource. If they can get industry-'insider'

> access, and

> even priviledges, they'd have a place in people's lives again.

>

> It's sort of what dj music stores provide now, and why some are valued

> (and some

> more than others). Radio stations (Pirate radio, Indie 100.3 in Los

> Angeles, for

> example) are trying this to some extent. 

>

>  

> That all said, I am not saying record stores/mgm't. did it all wrong or

> got

> lazy; they didn't.  I loved them stores and miss them lots. The only thing

> they

> got wrong was how fast changes would come and how to stay abreast of it

> all

> (that said, i'm sure the Much More Powerful Forces still would've crippled

> the

> local music shops, methinks). I think they still have a niche to fill, and

> I

> think with the right mind and gameplan, they will come back.

>

>  

> How to make it all profitable, fuck if I know, but I hope someone figures

> it

> out.

>

>  

> Question to Gatherers:

> how much of your music-knowledge/product needs that you used to satisfy at

> your

> local record shop do you now turn here to the Gathering (and Gatherers'

> associated websites) for?

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: Alexander Smith <vassifer at earthlink.net>

> To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)

> <gathering at misera.net>

> Sent: Wed, September 29, 2010 4:23:23 AM

> Subject: [kj] More bitching

>

>

> I think the sticking point that really burns my toast this time around is

> that

> time was when US release dates and UK release dates didn't matter.

> Invariably

> the Brit edition would come out first, and I could stroll down to any one

> of

> several independent mom' n pop record/disc shops here in the great C of NY

> to

> buy the imported version only days after its UK release.

>

> Nowadays, with very little exception, ALL THOSE INDEPENDENT DISC SHOPS ARE

> GONE.

> Sure, there is a tiny clutch of them left, but they're struggling.

>

> Both the culture and the very way we "consume" music has changed so much

> that

> the old methods of obtaining albums is completely outdated. Hell, albums

> THEMSELVES are completely outdated in many people's perceptions.

>

> LAZY, SPOILED YOUNG PEOPLE & TECHNOLOGY RUIN EVERYTHING.

>

> Alex in NYC

>

>

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