Ahh... The record store. A music lover's paradise. Especially in this digital age of streaming and free content at our fingertips and stores closing left and right as a result it's nice to visit our local record stores and search for good deals that you can't find anywhere else and also help out your local economy in the process. Everyone wins.
As a bit of a collector myself, nothing beats the experience of searching through stacks of various album formats to find something rare and for a good price. There has always been something shallow about plucking records and CD's off eBay. I've done it as a last resort, but as nice as it was to finally hold a Black Sabbath "Headless Cross" in my hand or Days of the New "Red", it would have been a thousand times more thrilling if I discovered those at a local record store or flea market.
So, how about a holiday to celebrate record stores? It's no secret they're struggling right now and while one consumer-driven holiday won't save them all, it sure doesn't hurt. Record Store Day started in 2007, but admittedly I didn't know about it until 2008 when Metallica became ambassadors for the holiday and their goal to promote the spirit of going to record stores and finding new music, and taking home a physical copy. Since then, I marked the day on my calendar and made sure to go out and at least buy one thing from a local record store.
2017 was my peak year for RSD. A couple friends and I scoured southern New England. Starting up at Newbury Comics in Norwood before ending down in Providence, Rhode Island, and everything in between. The Time Capsule in Seekonk, MA. Sunset Records in Somerset, MA. In Your Ear in Warren, RI. Armageddon Shop and What Cheer Records in Providence, RI. Those are just the stores I remember off memory. It was a blast, with some of these places even having live bands playing in the store. It was a lot of fun and I even scored an exclusive Alice in Chains 7" vinyl. A successful outing as a collector and a lot of fun.
Over the years, though, it seems like RSD has lost its charm for me. What started out as a fun way to hang on to something that was becoming a part of the past, and fast, that was enjoyable for young and old music lovers alike, I fear has now become a bit too corporate. Cluttered up with rare exclusives that are scalped and put on eBay. Long lines akin to Black Friday door-busters at Walmart or Old Navy. Every year you see the list of these "exclusives" and what are they? Something new? Something with rare b-sides and demos? Hardly. It's usually the same old stuff put out over and over again just to trick the consumer and super-fans into buying the same records over and over. Like how Wayland Smithers trampled over kids because Malibu Stacey had a new hat, people gobble of a $30 record because now it's being printed in blue. On top of that people are going crazy spending ridiculous amounts of money of modern records that are all printed from digital masters, which defeats the entire purpose of having it on vinyl in the first place... Unless you're just buying it just to have the big cover art and frame on your wall or something. Hell, if that's the case, just order a hi-res shot and go to Staples.
Sure, we are still going to independent stores to get these exclusives, but this bombardment of exclusives and limited runs also means the record companies found one more way to get you to pay money over and over again for the same releases. Hey, you got that fancy "20 Year Anniversary Collector's" edition with extra photos in the gatefold? Well, you're gonna love the fancy 25 year edition in silver with two bonus live songs. Sure, there's a lot of new music you could be exploring, but who wants to spend $30 on that when you can slip into one these various reissues of classic records like and old shoe. I mean, screw buying the actual original release used from the same store for $8. We need that one with the RSD sticker on it.
To me, RSD wasn't about waiting in a long line to run to various displays and pick them apart before everyone else did. It was about getting back that feeling of the record store and being around music lovers. Not just collectors and eBay resellers. Not just a bunch of parents doing all the actual footwork to make sure their hipster brat get some exclusive record to take a selfie with on Instagram with her tits out and have a bunch of creepy old guys tell them how badass they are.
Much like Black Friday, you hear about all these "deals" but they're always hidden. The "deals" aren't the new exclusives everyone wants. The deals are usually a bin of old 45's or comic books no one ever wants or a stack of dusty old 8 Track tapes that no one can play. One of the stores I went to had EVERYTHING 50% off at a certain time of day and I was lucky enough to be there at that time. That's was RSD is about. That's what makes it worth it.
Record stores to me aren't about waking up at 4AM to beat a line to maybe be one of the first 100 people in the store and pick up a limited print. Its not about a bunch of hectic customers frantically looking around relatively small spaces and hanging over your shoulder while you look for something. It's not about waiting in lines for 20 minutes to pay for the one thing you came in for and be shipped like cattle in and out of the store with no actual interaction with the people working there already stressed out themselves the first thing in the morning.
My best record store memories are going there and finding things like my Waylon Jennings compilation on vinyl. Now, sure, I love Waylon, but what made it special was it still had the "Ames" price tag on the cellophane wrap. That may not mean anything to many of you reading this, but Ames was an old department store in New England, and other parts of the Northeast United States like New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, that closed for good in 2002. So, more than just having an old record, I had an additional connection to the past recorded right there on the cover. On top of that, the Ames logo was red. They changed their logo to teal in 1990. It was a great find and only cost me $3.99 and even if the record was released in my favorite color with bonus tracks it would never replace the bit of local history on it that I own by having that Ames price tag on it still.
Memories like being there on non-sale days, the quiet times of the year (where you find the real deals, by the way) and talking with actual music fans who are there for the same reason you are. Also striking up conversations with the owners. Just looking around without feeling like there's a constant timer over your head to snatch up a limited exclusive or check out before some flash sale runs up. Some of my best memories and finds are after just spending 45 minutes looking through everything. Combing the entire store and maybe only buying one thing. One thing that is used and I know all of my money is supporting the shop, as well. Memories like after many years and avoiding eBay actually finding "Fused" by Iommi and only spending $4 on it instead of $45.
All these memories are just on normal days like today. You want to support these stores? Do it now. That's the true record store experience. RSD is nice to get people in these independent stores. Also, I'm glad it is reserved for indy stores, but you can't stop progress. You know that someday Walmart will be in on this, too. They already have their own versions of exclusive records. I'm not even sure how they define "independent" either since mall shops like FYE even take part in RSD and they are hardly what I'd call some independent record store. Hell, they probably sell more Funko Pops and Anime tee's than actual music these days. I guess it's alright for one day out of the year they remind people that they actually still sell records and CD's.
----------------------------
Thank you for reading, everyone. The point of this piece was not to bury RSD and call for it to end. Like I said, there is still some good. RSD brings out a lot of casual buyers into stores they perhaps would not have gone to without mass marketing and promotion giving them a reason to. Also, in bringing in all these people, they may see something outside of the corporate re-releases that catches their eye. Maybe this casual music consumer becomes a new collector. Maybe this casual consumer discovers a new (or old) band that becomes a big part of their life all because of the massive RSD advertising campaigns every year. Those are all good things and if RSD went away forever, I would not be happy about it at all. I just feel in some ways RSD has jumped the shark and once you open up the corporate box, you can't close it. This is just what it is now. Another Black Friday, this time for music fans.
As for your remaining record stores, I hope RSD continues to be a success for you, but more importantly, I hope the days and weeks after RSD are successful, too.
For CMM, thanks for reading, everyone. God bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment