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Are record shops a thing of the past?


Project Van Shite

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Since I can't do much to help One Up I did go to an independent store here last week and bought some CDs, where they cost twice as much as they do on iTunes. I then ripped them, put them on my iPod and put the CDs on the shelf where they will no doubt remain until I bung them into a charity shop or something. CDs are essentially useless to me, I don't have a CD player for a start, and it's way more convenient and cheaper to download. Record shops are undoubtedly in their death throes. HMV is barely even a music store any more, it concentrates on films, games, and accesories and shit, the little record shops can't really do that and if they can't adapt to the current market, they'll die off. So many other things are going the same way though, record shops closing just seems to resonate with people more than any other, its a shame but its just the way it is.

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When hopeless Luddites like me start downloading their new music, you know it's over for traditional retailing. I've always tried to support One Up- even though they don't really cater to my taste. I hope they can diversify and survive- or some new technology or fashion revives them. Not holding my breath on that, sadly.

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I stopped buying CDs about a year ago. I don't own a CD deck, and everytime I seemed to buy one, they would pack in, or keep skipping, despite my CDs being in perfect condition. I sold a massive chunk of my CDs to Music Magpie. I don't really miss them. I couldn't really justify collecting something I didn't really use anymore.

I still buy records though, and it's good to see record shops' vinyl sections actually expanding. I think that's a positive step in prolonging the survival of record shops, as CD sales are on the decline, but vinyl sales keep increasing. Sadly, I think all record shops will bow out to the power of the internet eventually. I try to buy records when I can from OneUp, though as much as I would like to support OneUp as much as I can, you have to wonder how long people will continue paying £18 for an LP from OneUp that they can get delivered to their door from £10.

Before I moved to Aberdeen, my favourite local record shop, Out Of Step Records, eventually bit the dust after hanging by a thread for a couple of years. It tried a whole bunch of stuff before having to give up. It used to share its premises with a skateboarding shop, which kept it busy with kids buying their Blink 182 CDs whilst buying new wheels for their ride and pointing at decks they wanted to get for their main present. The skate shop bit the dust, so Out Of Step had to move to a less central part of town, down the back of a supermarket which was wedged into the hellhole that is the Merrion Centre, instead of being centralised in the "alternative" part of town. Less foot traffic, less skaters buying shit pop punk CDs and badges for their rucksacks. They downsized the staff, until it was just Steve working there 7 days a week, which was mental. It was gutting when it finally had to pack in. It didn't even have a last sale. They announced on their Myspace that debtors had shut them down and taken the stock with minimal notice. Crushing. You have to hope that, if/when OneUp eventually has to close its doors, they go out with a little more aplomb, and sell as much of their stock as possible; rather than debtors storming in and taking everything and burning it or chucking it in a landfill.

I'd never bought a record online until Out Of Step kicked the bucket. They always had what I wanted, at great prices. I've never gone to a record shop more suited to music I want to buy than Out Of Step. It's amazing people are clubbing together to keep supporting One Up, and keeping it open for as long as possible. I don't think it can last forever, but keeping it going for the immediate future is good thing.

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Its very sad, years ago I used to go to one up on diamond street in their pokey wee shop to find gems of records. I was like a kid in a sweet shop. There wasn't even a real layout or order just wall to wall alternative music. We are lazy today and online shopping has taken over us all. Real shame

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I think the handy thing about online is you can listen to it beforehand, or at least clips, whereas buying straight from record shops, you're taking a gamble. I've never experienced it, but I suppose indy shops would let you listen, maybe? I dunno. I remember HMV in Glasgow had those listening docks which were ace. All you had to do was scan the barcode.

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I'm going to try to buy at least one thing from OneUp every week, starting today. Got the Min Diesel and PAWS records. Sadly, can't see this working out as I could have gotten thePaws LP for about £3 cheaper online. If you add that to every purchase, that's a lot of money that a lot of younger people (students, etc) can't justify spending just out of sentiment.

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I'm going to try to buy at least one thing from OneUp every week, starting today. Got the Min Diesel and PAWS records. Sadly, can't see this working out as I could have gotten thePaws LP for about £3 cheaper online. If you add that to every purchase, that's a lot of money that a lot of younger people (students, etc) can't justify spending just out of sentiment.

That's the problem. I don't know, it's a risk to take lowering your prices. Maybe with the "save one-up" campaign they can lower prices and there will be enough purchases to make it worth while? I should hopefully have money left after this tattoo. Some of it will get put in to one-up next weekend.

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Guest Bob Knob

Some of the best bands I like happen to be because I walked into a shop like One Up and picked it by random. Usually because the album cover was shit hot. Maybe not so random but the 'thrill' of getting home and finding out you've just got into an amazing band, rather than listening to a 30 sec preview will always be something that can't be replicated.

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It's not laziness at all. Everyone is so much busier these days so it's a lot more convenient. It's a lot cheaper.

Are people much busier? I still work a 37 hour week, like I did when I was 18. I'm not busier. I'm definitely poorer though. Not having cash to splash on stacks of records is usually the biggest factor for me, now I have more bills to pay and everything is more expensive than it used to be.

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