johntx

I'm really, really excited about this record. The stuff I heard sounds a lot like and out come the wolves or the better life wont wait stuff. I hope the rest of the record is this good!

exactly, plus domy (where john works at), is a total posh, upscale urban art store. Don't get me wrong. its awesome, but in no way is it like an indie record store. I don't see much of a difference. it's exactly like an indie record store. Only snobs, old people, weirdos, and punks are really IN TO vinyl. Someone buying a 7 Seconds test press off the wall isn't any different than someone buying a drawing off the wall at Domy. Many record stores stay open exclusively by big time collectors buying rare shit off the wall. Sound Exchange in Houston stays open simply because of big time collectors. They could care less if I come in and spend twenty bucks (which explains why they're rude to customers), because chances are a big spender will go in their and drop hundreds of dollars on wall records that day. That mixed with the walk ins and loyal vinyl only customers, and you've got a store staying in business. Vinal Edge in Houston has good business because they cary tons of stuff that DJs are looking for, as well as an unbelievable punk section. They carry shit you cant find anywhere else and they have one of the best Avant Garde sections PERIOD. Fuck, Thurston Moore does mail order with Vinal Edge. I don't own an I Pod and I don't own a computer. Vinyl has been a dead format for many years so people blaming the economy or the changes in the industry for their store failing is a joke. Carry better records and know your shit. Also, in my opinion places like Vinyl Collective DO NOT help the independent record stores at all. Bullshit like online exclusives and message board exclusives and collecting color varriants is not what records are about. Shit like that is a money making scam. If you're wasting your money collecting 8 varriants of the same record, chances are you're not going to the record store every week to check out the new shit you haven't heard yet. Whatever.

Dude, not to be rude but if you have to survey people on myspace that's not a good sign. You don't know if people in your town are into music or what music they're into?

So you're saying every record store that's closed in the past 5 years is because their "buyer" has sucked? News flash... the distribution of music is changing. Last I knew, you couldn't download a toy or graphic novel (perhaps in PDF format?). News flash, you can download fucking everything. It's 2009. LOTS of people stopped buying comics and art books. We sell tons of photography, graffiti, and art books. You can literally download all the images in them on the computer the same way you can an mp3 or anything else. People who are into music will always buy records, the same way people who are into books will always buy books. And no, I'm not saying that every record store that's recently closed had a shitty buyer... but I am saying that a lot of them did. I grew up going to Vinal Edge in Houston. They've been open since 1985 and I hope they stay open forever. When I walk into the store one of the employees might say "hey John, we got some stuff in we thought you might be into so we put it aside for you." When I go into Vinal Edge I can pick up the new Suspect Parts 7", The Small Faces box set, and an Ottis Redding lp for 5 bucks. When I go into another record store in Houston that I wouldn't name I see 15 copies of the new Locust record sitting on the shelf and they wonder why they're going out of business. When I ask an employee if they have something and they look it up and say "uh, well i can order it for you" it's beyond frustrating. People who don't have any interest in music shouldn't run a record store, because it's the nerds, crate diggers, and traditionalists who keep a store like Vinal Edge open since 85. I make 8 dollars an hour and I'm an adult. I'm poor, but I'm still going to blow all my money on records because that's all I've ever done.

Thanks. I started this thread for positive and negative feedback. I've never been to your town, so I don't know what it's like... BUT I wouldn't let the negative comments discourage you. A lot of record stores fail because their buyer sucks. It's simple, if the buyer doesn't order records that sell the record store will fail. I work for a small business and we do fine. We mainly sell designer toys, contemporary art books, graphic novels and zines. It's not that much different than a record store. We struggle at times, but we have loyal customers who literally come in every day to see what new shit we got in. A good record store is the same story.

If I were you I'd start out with a small distro. Bring it out to shows, dance nights, etc and see how it goes over. As your distro grows you'll hit a point where you say "fuck, this is to much to lug around. i need a store!" Truthfully, if you can't sell records at shows and stuff, a store is a bad idea. A good idea would be to donate all of your records to the store. If you own and run a record store, you WILL find killer stuff and get to bring it home... so I'd donate your records, especially rare ones. I think it's good to remember that Ebay prices aren't actually the value of records. For example, any used punk or hardcore LP that came out in the last 15 years shouldn't be more than 7.99. Having rad records at cheap prices will keep crate diggers and local nerds coming in DAILY. Find an investor! Don't sell CDs. Order punk from places OTHER than Ebullition. A lot of stores just do there punk orders from them because it's easy, but there selection sucks. Order direct from a labels and build strong relationships with them. Know what people in town want, meaning... don't buy 30 copies of the new Death Cab for Cutie record because you'll be lucky to sell one. People who listen to bullshit generally don't buy records, they listen to I-Pods. Carry standards, introductory albums, and newer hip jams. Carry records that people who buy records would love to get. Carry records that YOU would be stoked to find in a store for 3.99! Do it. Texas needs more(better) record stores.

A nice art book that size runs like 40 bucks, so I don't really understand this at all. Green Day has had really really bad art on the last few records. I want to hear the new record, but I'm not paying more than 20 bucks for it.

Even though this years lineup is a bit weak, I would have loved to see the pains of being pure at heart and all the breakaway instores. But I'm stuck at work, boo.

just buy their "cant stand modern music" lp, it has most of their songs. they're kind of a newer band and totally worth checking out.

I would NOT put out 200 records.

I wouldn't worry about it. Hell, most people with straight edge tattoos break by 30...

the reason i say i don't like the queers is because once we through a show for them (95' or so) and after receiving the money we owed them they asked for $200 more. They said it was to pay the touring band with them. When we asked the Nobodys guys about it, he said they were only giving them $75 a night of the cash they made. Thus pocketing $125 a night. I don't know about you, but that was fucking shady.. hence we didn't give them shit as it was in their contract that the sum would include both bands. That and their music is trite. And as far as your music taste.. What? no love for THe lyres or Link Wray? or even SOns of Hercules for the now bands...are you trying to say you don't like anything past 95' or anything that sounds past 95'.... big time love for anarcho punk bands... and yes, daptone is awesome... seen a few of the bands on that label and am a big fan of the BOB and Gene record... You asked what I was into. I told you a general outline of the kind of shit I like and you're pulling the "what? not into Link Wray??" when Link Wray is on Norton and I clearly said "anything on Norton." And no, I'm not trying to say anything. I like a lot of music, old and new, punk and not punk, before the 90's and after the 90's...

The Real Kids rule. I love The Modern Lovers too. Mhmmm.

Way to go with The Jesus and Mary Chain and Sonics Lps. awesome stuff.

you r out of your mind... dead milkmen were awesome.... (my opinion of course) im curious as too what you listen too the queers re a bunch of jerk offs.. well at least in my experience. The Dead Milkmen have 2 or 3 decent songs, but to me that doesn't mean they are "good", considering how many awful songs they have. I typically don't like "wacky" music, though, so that's clearly just my opinion. I think The Queers are great. I think I've seen them at least six times now and have played one show with them, which was a lot of fun. Joe has always been cool to me. When Phil was playing in the band he was really nice too. I love all kinds of stuff. I'm really into 60's garage and psych, stuff like... 13th floor elevators, Thursday's Childen, Red Krayola, etc. All the texas stuff. Anything on Norton Records. I love Northern Soul and any R&B from the 60's in general. Otis Clay, Betty Everett, The Supremes, Dobie Gray, The Temptations, etc. As far as punk is concerned, I really like shit all across the board. Some of my early favorites are Wire, UXA, Wipers, The Ex, The Clash(duh), Suicide, The Damned(first lp), The Real Kids, the Boys, Stiff Little Fingers, Radio Birdman, The Professionals, Blitz, Cock Sparrer, X, Crass, Subhumans, etc. I'm not super into hardcore, but I do like most of the Dischord stuff, TSOL, Adolescents, The Freeze, Germs, Black Flag, Reversal Of Man, Born Against, Nation Of Ulysses, Portraits Of Past, etc. I really like stuff like The Jam and The Chords, super catchy mod revival stuff. I'm not huge into jazz, but I LOVE John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman! I always really enjoy the comps that Trojan Records puts out, all the early rocksteady, ska, and skinhead reggae. Soul Jazz also puts out tons of amazing compilations that keep me broke. One of my favorite newer labels is Daptone. I LOVE BILLY BRAG, THE CLASH, AND WIRE. I love vinyl. (I could go on forever, so I'm stopping now before I bore you with all the pop music I love)