RE: [microsound] is the problem distributors... or record stores?

[Rudy A Carrera <rudy.carrera@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As a former record store employee I thought I'd chirp in...

I used to work at a place called Aron's Records in Los Angeles, perhaps the
best indie store on the west coast next to Amoeba in SF.  The store had
about 10 buyers for different genres, free to purchase what they wished
without restrictions.  We had a very knowledgeable staff (apparently,
Gregor, my replacement, is still there and doing a pretty admirable job),
and I thought I was pretty fair with my clients.  However, one does have to
understand that a store exists for profit, not for artistic gratification.
I wish some zillionaire would be willing to fund something like that (or
hell, for my little label, for what it's worth!), but the reality is that
the owner, the employees, the tax collector, the city, PG&E, and whatever
else all have to be paid, so Britney in, Boyd Rice out.  It sucks, but
that's the bottom line.

Best,

Rudy
http://come.to/falcatagalia





> if you're a label, in order for your product to get distributed through
> these channels, you do require a certain amount of "hype" ~ but this can
> be achieved through a number of means.  obviously, having "big name"
> artists (& they don't have to be very big) is always a good incentive.

well yes they need to be sure that what they carry could be sold, but I
think
that besides that amount of hype or big names, they want to make sure that
they
start working with a real label, one they can establish a nice, long and
fruitful collaboration with. I'm sure that throughout your years of activism
you
all met many people who started their label issued some records worked them
badly and quitted after they had achieved to get recognition from their
circle
of friends... We could provide tons of examples of labels done for the wrong
reasons and I guess that distros have to be careful with their choices,
haven't
they ?

>
>
> the outcome?  cheap thrills is by far the most complete record store in
> montréal:

you bet so far they are the only ones in Canada who bought some BiP_HOp
Generation v.1... Yes definitely a great store. haave a nice day / philippe