I Need That Record - Watch!

Apr 192010

It was Record Store Day this Saturday. A serious lack of moolah in the Jealousy wallet meant no new purchases for me this year, but there was some great stuff available; Blur, MGMT, Foals, Black Keys etc. Most of it you can probably find for a fortune on Ebay, not that it was that cheap to start with! Not that this is going to be a rant about the somewhat backwards nature of RSD, it being backed by major labels and such…

There is however, something you can get for free! Pitchfork are showing, for a solitary week only, the documentary film I Need That Record. Subtitled ‘The death (or possible survival) of the independent record store’ it deals with the usual suspects; chain stores, the internet, record store owners being twats, apathy – but it does it with a fair wash of charm and some big names. You’ll find Thurston Moore, Ian Mackaye, Mike Watt, Glenn Branca and even Noam Chomsky alongside record store owners, past and present.

Go watch it, but remember – the future isn’t as bleak as this film makes out, at least not here in London. Our record shops are making a defiant stand against the high street hegemony of HMV! I really hope that when you hear about great music on this and other blogs that you head out to your local shop and support them – mine is Banquet Records down in Kingston and not only do they rock but they had their busiest day of trade in over ten years on RSD. The thing just might work…

Watch I Need That Record on Pitchfork

Buy I Need That Record on DVD – with added Thurston!

Saint Etienne – I Buy American Records (mp3)

Record Store Day Shop #5: Rounder Records

Apr 142009


Kicking off my run down of the best independent places to spend your hard earned is a Brighton institution – Rounder Records. Nestled away in the famous Lanes, Rounder (like all the best record stores) is a hive of local scene activity – stocking tickets for Brighton’s vibrant live scene along with a choice selection of vinyl and CDs. Record stores have a reputation, mainly deserved, for being fortresses of snobbery and sneer – and a lack of that is what drives Rounder into my Top 5. It’s a thoroughly pleasant place to spend time – light, airy and not overstocked, and perhaps most importantly staffed by pleasant folk. In my experience of the shop not once have I seen someone talked down to, dismissed or ignored – and despite often being rammed there always seems time to discuss the latest and greatest with the bloke behind the counter. From Blackalicious to the Bad Seeds not only has there been knowledge, but interest too – a proper two-way conversation. A key factor in their 43 year history, surely?

Star Find: Back in 2004 when The Killers weren’t a band of language manglers (or maybe they were, but I was younger then…) there was a limited edition light blue vinyl of Hot Fuss that I had trawled most of London’s stores for, chain and independent. I’d driven my lady insane with this wild wax chase, and we’d probably escaped to Brighton to get away from record shops. Wandering past Rounder I couldn’t help but notice that they’d assigned LCD’s seminal Yeah one of their singles of ’03 – I had to go in, and there it was, no. 2919. Done.

The Killers – Mr Brightside

Photo: Brighton Photo Daily