Johnny’s blog for Record Store Day.
To me a record shop isn't a "specialist" shop , or a thrift store either, it's just a kind of shop, a very important kind of shop.
Record shops were meeting places where you learn't about music, clothes, style and clubs.
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Maybe it is a cultural thing but I've only had that experience once in the US. One time I had some money burning a hole in my pocket but I didn't know of anything good to buy at the time so I asked one of the employees at Tower Records; he suggested the first album by Live and the rest was history (although they're no good any more).
ReplyDeleteBut there was a lot more that was different back then (in the US). Media ownership rules were much more strict so radio stations were more responsive to the markets they served and thus radio was a good place to find new music. There were music shops that offered a large selection of used music so taking a chance on something new wasn't such a monetary risk. I also had a lot of friends who had similar tastes in music so we all informed each other.
Nowadays there are far fewer physical music stores and the prices are higher to buy music there than in digital form. But thos two factors are offset by many advances in the digital world: streaming radio like Slacker and Pandora will mix in new music based on my tastes so I am introduced to new music there. Many digital sites will offere regular free downloads (like iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, etc.) on a regular basis allowing me to discover new music (and that's not even counting podcasts like KUER, NPR, and others that offer podcatss of new music).
The digital music scene has even made it easier to follow more bands with less effort. When I was in high school I only knew when the Pet Shop Boys were about to release something new when I heard about it on the radio. In the US they hardly get any airplay at all (beyond West End Girls on 80s themed stations) but I know about all of their releases because of their web site. That is in addition to all the other "minor" bands that wouldn't have been likely to get any radio play back in the day (like Band Of Horses, Okkervil River and Matt Pond PA) despite them being very good.
There have been some trade-offs between then and now but I, as a music fan, prefer how things are now to how they were then. Then again, I live in the US and I'm also not a musician, just a fan.