April 19 has been set aside as Record Store Day. Tons of independent record stores plan to celebrate the day with goodie bags, discounts, music performances, and what not. Fat Beats is even handing out 10% discounts on everything.
The official Record Store Day website has some great quotes from various artists, including hip-hoppers like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Slug, Del tha Funky Homosapien, and others on the essence of record stores. Jazzy Jeff says the indy record store is the only reason he still makes music; Slug says it’s a great place to meet awesome women.
Brother Ali:
“I’ve always loved independent music stores because the staff is usually there because of a genuine love and appreciation for music. They’re more in-tune with the customers and I’m willing to pay the extra dollar or two for the service they provide. Some of my greatest music discoveries have come from picking up an album at an indy store and the cat behind the register saying “You like this man? Have you heard of so-and-so?” I prefer to shop where people understand me and the music- the music i like.”
Slug (Atmosphere):
“I grew up in independent record stores. As a teenager, I would hang out in them, looking at records, learning about records. Eventually I spent my twentysomethings working behind the counters of two of the more prominent indie stores in my city. Graduated from that to co-owning one. So I’m sort of biased, I guess. If I were to make a list of the traits that make the indie store a vital part of the music industries movement, this blurb would be too long. So I will stick to two basic points:
1. breaking new bands. 2. Great place to meet awesome women.
Gorilla Zoe:
“In changing times, we should all lend our support to the independent retailers. Without independent retailers, many of the biggest names in music would still be undiscovered. They break new artists and movements. We all know the industry is changing, but we can’t forget where we came from.”
DJ Jazzy Jeff:
“The Independent Record Store is the reason why i STILL do music…It seems like they’re the only ones that Really care about the real music lovers…we need them…they’re our balance to all of the music we are FORCED to listen to…they’re the only ones that may still suggest something NEW and FRESH instead of just what’s popular.”
Raheem DeVaughn
“I love indie record stores, man. I love anything that’s about independence and preserving the brand of good music.”
This post was first published on February 14, 2008. Don’t ask.
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yep, this is true..
my anniversary is on 4/19 – might take my wife out to recreate our first date at a local mom & pop record shop. i bought j-live’s “all of the above”, which namechecks wifey. sort of.
^^Big up to you, Khal.
Gorilla Zoe
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
really?!?
shit big up to you for posting this – i had no idea there even WAS a record store day. i need to get back into buying cds and vinyl…
Yeah, this should have been posted yesterday so I could have known about it. It’s a shame no one else has posted anything about it, I could have gone I live in the same city as slug.
TRANSITVENUS.COM FULL LENGTH LP DOWNLOAD FOR FREE!!!
“This post was first published on February 14, 2008.”
And yes, I reposted it yesterday at 12:37 am.
I copped a couple CD’s in support (albeit some used ones, with a gift certificate I’ve had since Christmas) and while its a good cause and something I used to LOVE doing all the time growing up, it seemed a little antiquated and pointless in 2008 to be in a record store thumbing through CD’s. I probably am not the only one who feels that way either: maybe I was just there late in the day but the foot traffic in Other Music – a landmark of indie and alternative rock and electronic music in NYC – where I bought the CD’s was kind of light to be real about it.
Darn missed it, but I definitely support the local record stores regularly