Sinister: Angelic indie stores versus the evil big stores

[Keith Watson]

>umm.... I take sort of serious issue with the following....
>I mean, supporting indie stores and all is great, yes, but the
>unfortunate truth is that most Mom + Pop record stores don't exist
>outside of major urban centers around the world anymore.



Yes I'd agree with this one, it certainly seems unfair - plus Indie stores 
are just as into making money as major store, they simply each cater for 
their own market. Everyone I know who's worked in one of these shops has 
wound up hating it cause they thought they'd be into the music, and they're 
essentially into making money. Fopp and Missing certainly don't hide their 
Sting(*) albums in a corner somewhere, they're always there, smacking you 
in the face as soon as you enter the place. When I lived in Falkirk, 
Woolworths was the only place I was really able to buy records - apart from 
Sleeves, which was an "indie" record shop. I didn't like that shop, the guy 
once laughed at me for buying "Remain in Light" by Talking Heads.

	Another point is that by confining B+S records to purely indie stores, you 
are somewhat just preaching to the converted aren't you? I realise the 
intentions are good, but surely it'd be better if there was a B+S album in 
woolies rather than just another Colour me Badd album. Fopp for one have 
often forced me to go to HMV to buy albums. Last year I decided to upgrade 
my copy of Remain in Light (for the second time. 10 years ago in Sleeves I 
bought it on tape, 5 years ago I bought it from the great Professor Plastic 
second hand for 4 quid) to CD. It was like 14.99 in Fopp, and 11.99 in HMV. 
Bastards! I've now bought "Remain in Light" 3 times and the only time I got 
laughed at was in the indie shop! Evil bastards!

Cheers,
  Keith.


* One of my favourite ever album sleeve pictures is in one of Sting's 
recent albums, I think it's called "10 Summoner's Tales", and inside the 
booklet, Sting is picture riding a horse playing a Lute, whilst posing in a 
"thoughtful" manner

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