Hello, readers and music lovers!
Serious question, y’all: when’s the last time you set foot in a record store?
If it’s been awhile—a few years, perhaps even a few decades, depending on your age—you might consider rediscovering the magic of record stores on Saturday, April 19. Any day is a good day to do so, of course, but April 19 is an especially good day because it’s Record Store Day.
A whole day dedicated to record stores?
Oh yes.
The vinyl record and the record store have been around for much longer than me and perhaps many of you reading this, but Record Store Day is fairly new. It was dreamed up in 2007 as a way to recognize and celebrate independent record stores around the world. 2014 marks the sixth year of the celebration, which is observed on the third Saturday of April not only by record stores and their patrons but also by musicians, who record special releases to sell exclusively (and in limited quantities) in independent record stores on the day.
Record stores and vinyl are still appealing music choices for many, including me, even though most music has gone the way of digital downloads. Music is more widely accessible now than it’s even been; you can buy CDs at the same places you buy your groceries, home essentials, electronics, and even your morning coffee. Thanks to online vendors and digital downloads, you don’t even have to leave your house to buy the latest releases. It’s easy and tempting to overlook small, local music shops because they might have higher prices or because they might not carry as many of the popular genres and artists as the big stores. But I try to give my hometown record store, Toad Hall Books and Records in Rockford, Illinois, my business whenever I want to buy music, because they need and deserve my money more than the big stores. Small stores like Toad Hall rely on their relatively small but dedicated customer base to stay alive. Big stores aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I shop at big stores for other things: my groceries, my electronics, my clothing. When I want to add to my record collection, or look for an older CD that the big stores probably don’t carry, I shop at Toad Hall.
Toad Hall (and most other record stores I’ve been to, for that matter) also beats the big stores in atmosphere and personality. Neat, alphabetized shelves of CDs with shiny shrink-wrapped covers are replaced with bins and shelves crammed and stacked with dinged-up CD cases and tattered vinyl sleeves. Instead of wide aisles with plenty of room to browse, you might have to squeeze past people flipping through the Simon and Garfunkel records to reach the bin of Rolling Stones records. Instead of feel-good Top 40 hits, the radio is usually blasting a cool alternative or indie station. The place smells of hardwood floors and whatever residual aromas the used records and books might be carrying. It feels lived-in and homey. This might not be everybody’s idea of a fun shopping experience, but for someone like me with a heart for cozy, vibe-y spaces and old and second-hand items, it’s perfect.
And you can find treasures at your local record store that you might not be able to find at the big stores: old gig posters, used CDs for much cheaper than new, albums by more obscure artists, and, of course, new and used vinyl. I’m not really sure what led to the vinyl record’s recent comeback, but I’m glad that it happened, because there’s something magical about vinyl records. Listening to records is a more sensory experience than any other musical medium I’ve used. You hear the music through the speakers, of course. But you also see the record spinning on the turntable and the arm bobbing up and down as the record wobbles, whereas the mechanics of CD players and computers or MP3 devices are largely hidden from view. Old records sometimes smell as though they’ve just been dug out of the previous owner’s musty basement. They crackle and pop as they discharge static or as the needle of the player catches on scratches. The sound isn’t as clean and sharp as digital and CD recordings, as many record enthusiasts have likely found, but these touches add a warmth and richness to the listening experience. It’s how my parents and their parents listened to music, and my inner history nerd loves that.
So, in honor of Record Store Day and the vinyl record, I’ll be dedicating a few posts on The Write Teacher(s) to those things this month. I’ll share some Record Store Day releases that I’m excited about. I’ll attend a Record Store Day celebration at either my hometown store or a store in the city I’m currently living and working, and I’ll write about it. I might throw a few other unplanned posts in there, too.
Who’s ready for a rockin’ April?
Live, Love, Learn,
Erin +