Debut Xcerts Album- FINALLY!

[Alkaline]

Can you keep that aside for me??? I'll be there in 10 minutes!

Yup. Will do.

[RF Scott]

I kinda get where you're coming from but we are actually an "independant" record shop. I tend to use distros and labels/bands if i can when i order (just got a bunch of stuff from Sound Devastation) online myself or at gigs.

I was just wondering from a customer feedback perspective, i.e if there was anything that could be improved. We're fairly competative with One-Up price-wise usually and we do have a fair few "bargains" usually.

Anyway, 1 copy of the Xcerts album left. 9.

Well if there's only one copy left, you won't mind me linking to other places!!!

Regarding Bruce Millers, I think it's a marketing thing really - when people think of the shop, they think of musical/electronic equipment. If you were to promote the fact that you DO sell music (and not just Jimmy Shand DVDs, which no offence intended, I thought to make up the majority of your music stock) - adverts in SNAFU magazine, etc, I think people would definitely make the trip. It's certainly closer to me than One Up!

[Alkaline]

Well if there's only one copy left, you won't mind me linking to other places!!!

Regarding Bruce Millers, I think it's a marketing thing really - when people think of the shop, they think of musical/electronic equipment. If you were to promote the fact that you DO sell music (and not just Jimmy Shand DVDs, which no offence intended, I thought to make up the majority of your music stock) - adverts in SNAFU magazine, etc, I think people would definitely make the trip. It's certainly closer to me than One Up!

Yeah, i was only joshing

Tell me about it, unfortunately the advertising budget is non-existant at the moment. We (TV Department) struggle because people don't think of BM's as a TV Store.

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Well - no copies left in Bruce Millers now as I got the last one. Cheers Phil. It looks swell, but I won't be able to listen till probably tomorrow morning or maybe even Sunday because I've got too much to do, and the CD player in my car is out of action.

[Ross.]

Well - no copies left in Bruce Millers now as I got the last one. Cheers Phil. It looks swell, but I won't be able to listen till probably tomorrow morning or maybe even Sunday because I've got too much to do, and the CD player in my car is out of action.

Stick it in your computer and give it a whirl now. Go on...

Surely if you can afford time to post on here you can listen to an album!

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Stick it in your computer and give it a whirl now. Go on...

Surely if you can afford time to post on here you can listen to an album!

I have time to listen to it at work, but I ain't got headphones so can't put it on.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

You guys should buy this (great) album from the (great) Norman Records -

In The Cold Wind We Smile, by The Xcerts (CD, Xtra Mile, XMR020CD)

Ordered.

[RF Scott]

One Up had loads of copies today

[Jeanette]

I got my 'out of stock' email from HMV tonight... Either they had a lot of preorders or they didn't have any in the first place considering I preordered it! I'll just have to try Avalanche tomorrow.

[Murray]

Our distributor has had to repress the album as the first batch completely sold out. Both HMV and Amazon sold out after 3 days......literally mental.

x

[The59Sound]

Our distributor has had to repress the album as the first batch completely sold out. Both HMV and Amazon sold out after 3 days......literally mental.

x

That's pretty amazing stuff, congratulations!

[Guest Bob]

Does this mean that bands in Aberdeen are gonna start putting "The Xcerts" on their list of high profile supports?

[jon]

They should, The Xcerts are ace. I pre-ordered on Amazon, and it arrived yesterday. Really good, sounds massive, it's on proper ipod rotation.

[Skacel]

Decent album, have had it on in the car the past few days. Got some ace sing-a-long bits.

[stuartmaxwell]

I kinda get where you're coming from but we are actually an "independant" record shop. I tend to use distros and labels/bands if i can when i order (just got a bunch of stuff from Sound Devastation) online myself or at gigs.

i realise that BM is an independent store, but my point is that it sells lots of things whereas norman recs et al rely solely on sales of cd's and associated stuffs moreso than BM do.

[Alkaline]

i realise that BM is an independent store, but my point is that it sells lots of things whereas norman recs et al rely solely on sales of cd's and associated stuffs moreso than BM do.

You'd be surprised what independent companies actually do rely on. However, i don't think its fair practice to ignore a local shop in favour of an online store/some store somewhere else in the UK just because BM's happens to be a department store. Every little counts and if people don't support local businesses it really doesn't help in the long run. We had to stop selling books 2 years ago because people were ignoring the fact that we sold books (despite the shop having done so for 20 odd years) and went in droves to equally well stocked/ priced chain shops like Waterstones. If that happens to the CD side of things then Aberdonians will be stuck with an even more limited range of places selling CDs and if the CD side of things goes under, whats next? Instruments? TVs? Sheet Music? The whole shop...

Norman Records has a lot less in the way of overheads so i guess they could afford to lose a couple of sales to us whereas it doesn't quite work the other way around.

I'm all for choice and people chasing bargains etc but ignoring a local store on the basis of a couple of pence difference in price and the fact that it's a department store is a pretty stupid thing to say.

Anyway, we're out of stock of the X-Certs album too so job done!

[Sam 45]

Our distributor has had to repress the album as the first batch completely sold out. Both HMV and Amazon sold out after 3 days......literally mental.

x

Do you know how big a batch was initially pressed?

[glennbuchan]

Our distributor has had to repress the album as the first batch completely sold out. Both HMV and Amazon sold out after 3 days......literally mental.

x

That's fucking awesome.

[stuartmaxwell]

You'd be surprised what independent companies actually do rely on. However, i don't think its fair practice to ignore a local shop in favour of an online store/some store somewhere else in the UK just because BM's happens to be a department store. Every little counts and if people don't support local businesses it really doesn't help in the long run. We had to stop selling books 2 years ago because people were ignoring the fact that we sold books (despite the shop having done so for 20 odd years) and went in droves to equally well stocked/ priced chain shops like Waterstones. If that happens to the CD side of things then Aberdonians will be stuck with an even more limited range of places selling CDs and if the CD side of things goes under, whats next? Instruments? TVs? Sheet Music? The whole shop...

Surely its up to BM to market/position themselves a bit better?? Pitch this arm of the business in a way which appeals to local music buyers. It doesn't exactly come to mind when I think "I need to buy the latest xxxx cd" and if it merely plods along not actually letting people know it sells cd's of a variety of genres etc then its not likely to generate new sales.

Norman Records has a lot less in the way of overheads so i guess they could afford to lose a couple of sales to us whereas it doesn't quite work the other way around.

if that is your arguement, would you say the same about one up??

I'm all for choice and people chasing bargains etc but ignoring a local store on the basis of a couple of pence difference in price and the fact that it's a department store is a pretty stupid thing to say.

Price isn't an issue for me, I'd happily spend a few pound more on a cd if it meant that it was going to an independent record shop or a distro.

Bruce Millars has done fuck all for me (except letting me put up posters??) so I shouldn't be made to feel like I owe it anything!

one up has done stuff like selling my own cd's, it sells vinyl, hosts flyers, has people who chat to you about the music you are buying/making reccomendations for gigs/tickets/music, entertaining the idea of putting on gigs in there, putting on some good instores, doing more for local music than BMs etc etc.

That is added value as it is relevant to me, and that is something I like, therefore they would get my cash instead of BMs. Shops like Norman do the same for their scene too!

I hope you dont think this is an arguement? im merely trying to explain why I would buy stuff from norman/one up instead of BMs

[Alkaline]

Surely its up to BM to market/position themselves a bit better?? Pitch this arm of the business in a way which appeals to local music buyers. It doesn't exactly come to mind when I think "I need to buy the latest xxxx cd" and if it merely plods along not actually letting people know it sells cd's of a variety of genres etc then its not likely to generate new sales.

if that is your arguement, would you say the same about one up??

Price isn't an issue for me, I'd happily spend a few pound more on a cd if it meant that it was going to an independent record shop or a distro.

Bruce Millars has done fuck all for me (except letting me put up posters??) so I shouldn't be made to feel like I owe it anything!

one up has done stuff like selling my own cd's, it sells vinyl, hosts flyers, has people who chat to you about the music you are buying/making reccomendations for gigs/tickets/music, entertaining the idea of putting on gigs in there, putting on some good instores, doing more for local music than BMs etc etc.

That is added value as it is relevant to me, and that is something I like, therefore they would get my cash instead of BMs. Shops like Norman do the same for their scene too!

I hope you dont think this is an arguement? im merely trying to explain why I would buy stuff from norman/one up instead of BMs

Not at all, i appreciate where you're coming from and i understand why you feel the way you do.I'm always trying to help the music scene, albeit in a very small way, by arranging discounts for anyone who wants to buy musical products from us through our Instrument department. If anyone does want anything instrument-wise it's worthwhile approaching me on here and i'll see what i can do.

Bruce Millers actually does a lot more than people appreciate but they've been stung a lot of times by people in the past so they are more reluctant to delve in financially these days and the current times aren't helping matters much.

We always stock whatever local band cd's people want to bring in as well. Likewise, as before, if someone wants us to stock a local CD get in touch with me and i'll sort something out. We currently have a few local things in but i agree that one of the major downfalls of Bruce Millers in general is it's lack of promotion and advertising, convincing the Directors to part with their cash (whether existent or non-existent) has always been a problem.

We have a lot of local gig posters in the Guitar Department and the Stairwell up to my department and the guitar guys are usually more than happy to have flyers on their desk as are the Sheet Music Department. Speak to Jamie or Billy in guitars or Ramsay in the Sheet Music Dept, all of them are local musicians and will gladly help out if they can.

I'm also sure that Bruce Millers may have given you the odd cheeky discount on musical stuff as well, if not you were in the same flipping band as me for 6 months and all you needed to do was ask

Anyway, best left for another discussion thread as this thread is championing a much deserved reaction to a rather grand album by a very promising locally-connected band.

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Still haven't had a chance to listen to it yet - had a busy weekend, and I've now got my headphones at work, but have left the fucking CD at home. D'oh!

Massive congratulations to the X-Certs boys for completely selling out of the first batch. It's the sort of story I love to read on a Monday morning. Well done!