Ode to a record store

I recently got an email from an old friend lamenting the number of independent record stores we used to visit in Portland, OR, which are no longer there. It seems that in the digital age it's harder and harder for indie record stores to make any money. Needless to say, they need to make money in order to stay open.

The shocking part for me was that part way through my email I found myself ok with their demise. I'm all for the independent business owner, and yes it is sad that independent record stores have trouble staying afloat. But I think that there's a huge, shimmering silver lining to what caused their downfall. The internet.

Why? Am I insane? I don't think so. If some of my freelance clients read this they'd likely be gravely disappointed in me. More than one person has complained to me about how "disposable" the music has become. (I've seen the bargain bins and give away piles. It's always been a little disposable I'm afraid.)

But again, I'm seeing a silver lining. I think that this horrible, evil, vile replacement is actually benefiting the bands. It used to be that if you had a band you had to have a manager and a label with a deal and even then you had to be really really lucky. Most independent record stores worth their weight would, admittedly, sell any band who came in the door with a CD they wanted to sell. In some cases that local indie business could be what kept that record store afloat. Still promotion and distribution depended upon you having money and more time than any one person should have.

Today any schlub, whether or not they should be making their own recordings, can. Not only can they record, but they can promote and even sell their recordings on line to anyone around the world. Suddenly we've gone from maybe hitting a hand full of teens at the local record stores, to being able to literally sell their music globally. That is ANYONE.
Should everyone make recordings and sell them? Probably not. When I worked at Arhoolie Records we would get demo recordings in from all sorts of wacky people. Some of them we'd put on and cheerfully laugh while occasionally dancing or singing along. Other times you couldn't turn the "music" off fast enough.
No, not everyone should record. But that's not my point. My point is that everyone CAN, and I think that's pretty damn cool. There is some reasonably cheap recording software out there that'll do the trick for most home recording enthusiasts.

Once you've recorded your music you need only have internet access to start selling your particular brand of genius (and digital file sales are far more ecologically sound). A MySpace page, a PayPal account, there are any number of options and there are any number of ways to get word out about your band and sell your songs. It's brilliant!

I'm pretty sure that if the networking sites and software were in their current state a good 15 years ago then I'd be right there, selling my songs to anyone who would listen, world wide. The market is wide open.

As a listener I love it too. I can effectively browse hundreds of potential artists just by wandering the pages of MySpace. True, they don't need me advertising for them. But seriously, I have actually discovered bands that I had no idea existed, that I love, and who would never stand a chance of me ever hearing them, on friggin' MySpace.

So let's examine the trade off again. Indie record stores are driven out of business. I can no longer wander the isles aimlessly while the music-snobs behind the counter snicker when I want to buy punk, hair metal, and new wave all at the same time. Yes I know they contradict one another, and I don't care.
In their place is a system where the bands (remember those guys? the ones with the "talent" who the record stores were supposedly for?) can get world wide exposure for a sliver of what such exposure used to run.

You know what? It's a huge, awful, soupy mess of indie music on the web now and I love it. I'm sorry that the independent record stores are having such a hard time. (It should be noted that any number of my friends have, at some point in their questionable pasts, worked at indie record stores.) I'm not sure that we're getting the bad side of the deal in the end. That's all.

Wow I hope Ted doesn't read this...