themean

Can you just picture "sunna." at his local internet cafe (cause crash pads don't have internet access and fuck living with your parents man, fuck it) liberty spikes fully erect, black leather jacket covered in silver studs and patches from little know punk bands, carelessly ripped and torn jeans dirty as hell and covered in similar patches, doc martins on his feet laced up tight, his overall odor being shit and dirt, angrily typing away. railing against "the man" and his local Hot Topic and vinyl varient collectors. All the while Hall and Oates plays in the background while he is sipping on his dulce de leche latte he had to buy in order to sit inside and use their computer...

Can you just picture "themean" at his local internet cafe (cause crash pads don't have internet access and fuck living with your parents man, fuck it) liberty spikes fully erect, black leather jacket covered in silver studs and patches from little know punk bands, carelessly ripped and torn jeans dirty as hell and covered in similar patches, doc martins on his feet laced up tight, his overall odor being shit and dirt, angrily typing away. railing against "the man" and his local Hot Topic and vinyl varient collectors. All the while Hall and Oates plays in the background while he is sipping on his dulce de leche latte he had to buy in order to sit inside and use their computer...

Solid Take. That's pretty much me.

If people want these limited variants, they are "forced" to go to Hot Topic to purchase them.

Wrong again.

Am I misunderstanding the phrase "Hot Topic exclusive?"

Do you mean people can overpay flippers in the aftermarket?

Oh, come on. That's an elitist attitude. I'm more punk than those kids because they hang out in malls and only know mainstream stuff.

Most people will eventually grow out of being "punk" and just want to listen to music they like. The more places good music is available, the merrier we could all be.

The people that grow out of "punk" are the ones who were just in it for the trend.

I think that's funny. No one is "forcing" anyone to do anything. And these records aren't necessarily being "mass marketed and commodified". I know Asian Man Records does some deals with hot topic and they help them sell some records and all that's doing is exposing "mall punks" and "boring emos" to some awesome music, and I certainly don't mind going into a mall to pick up a record or two.

A couple years ago I would have been pretty embarassed to go into a hot topic, but I've been really impressed with their vinyl selection lately and the employees at the one in san francisco are nice and helpful, so I'm happy to support them.

You are absolutely correct. Nobody is being physically forced to go to the mall. I didn't realized I had to spell it out for you. If people want these limited variants, they are "forced" to go to Hot Topic to purchase them.

This sort of thing appeals to people whose interest is in collecting each variant and not people whose first priority is the music.

What sort of kickback does the label get from Hot Topic for this?

You are willing to support a business just because the employees are nice to you? They are paid to be nice to you.

The same could be said about being on the Internet in general.

That's just dumb.

up the punx.

More like up the bland middle of the road mall punx.

Fuck Hot Topic.

well that was productive .

Does anything more need to be said? Hot Topic leads to mall punk leads to bland, boring "emo." I like my hardcore and punk real, not mass marketed and commodified. The music scene (and the world, really) would be better if Hot Topic didn't exist.

These "Hot Topic exclusives" are especially dreadful because they force you into the mall to pick up a copy of a punk record. It's just all kinds of wrong.

Fuck Hot Topic.

Shitty bands. Rip-off prices. The corporate commodification of alternative culture.

Don't let them get away with this shit by supporting them with your $$$.

I just can't get with owning 50 different copies of the same record.

When you live in a "one room mansion" you just don't have the space for records...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_in_Japan#One_room_mansion

CDs make much more sense for quite a few Japanese.

And Dave Matthews Band? Really? Who the fuck wants that garbage? What about 311 or Creed vinyl?

Wait, are they up or not? Has the band been notified?

Ordered once.

I got black vinyl instead of the color that I ordered. Wasn't a big enough deal to send back, but was sloppy enough to prevent me from ordering again.

This is me:

I want in on this action.