is anyone else pissed about asian man/hot topic

[michael]

my post wasn't about ethics really...i would just be embarrassed to be inside that establishment. shallow? definitely...but one of the very few things i am shallow about

[sherlock]

This thread is still going?!?!?

...thats what..she said?

[momentumlost]

i read through 3.5 pages of this and its just mind numbing how this dude can still complain...

if it was that big a deal he had options, but apparently those options wernt good enough? um wtf?

im not making it to page 6...i just dont get how this went on longer than page 3.

[mcm1610]

Yea, I gave up at the bottom of page three.

[travis]

my post wasn't about ethics really...i would just be embarrassed to be inside that establishment. shallow? definitely...but one of the very few things i am shallow about

Just wondering, why would you be embarrassed to be in a HT store?

[michael]

my post wasn't about ethics really...i would just be embarrassed to be inside that establishment. shallow? definitely...but one of the very few things i am shallow about

Just wondering, why would you be embarrassed to be in a HT store?

being around the stereotypical hot topic mall punk kid gets me really grinds my gears. does this make me a bad person? possibly. don't really care though

[Guest kevinb]

Ok I actually do the buying of music for Hot Topic. You can think what you want about the chain of stores but the truth is that the people buying the music here are all huge fans of independent music and love to support the bands we love. We also have to cater to a mall crowd since well, the stores are in malls. So thats why you see the ICP stuff, new metal stuff, pop stuff and so on. We arent the big bad greedy corporation that everyone thinks we are. Im a big fan of vinyl so Ive made it a priority to get a nice vinyl selection in the store. We need to be profitable tho so we cater to a wider range of people than just people who are punk or hardcore or whatever. People never wanna see their favorite bands stuff end up in Hot Topic but then they want that band to tour all year. Bands need money to do that so getting their stuff in Hot Topic REALLY helps the band make money to be able to go out and tour and get the things they need. Like its been said before, we always pay for stuff on time which has really helped out lables we work with like No Idea, Suburban Home, Asian Man, Asbestos and others. Which helps them make some money to press more records for YOU to buy. 9 times out of 10 if we get something exclusive we tell the vendor that they can sell it to indie record shops anyways so its not like Hot Topic is to blame for indie record shops going under. Exclusive colors of vinyl are another thing tho since indie shops can get copies of whatever vinyl to sell anyways without having to have the Hot Topic exclusive color. Also Ive been able to get labels to press vinyl they might not have thought about pressing like the first 2 A7X albums. If Glassjaw - EYEWTKAS gets pressed that will be because of Hot Topic too. Hot Topic has always carried vinyl but just in the last few years that Ive personally started collecting vinyl have we been really into carrying the punk, hardcore and metal stuff rather than the electronica/DJ stuff. If the people running these respected hardcore and punk lables like Fat, Asian Man, No Idea, Deathwish, Bridge 9, Suburban Home want their stuff in Hot Topic, I dunno why anyone should be complaining about them trying to make a little money to help keep their labels going and to continue putting out records.

I think you and I might be the same person, I just spend my days making sure good music gets into a magazine, not a store. Kudos to you on your continued vinyl push -- my local Hot Topic (in North Olmstead, Ohio) recently expanded into two six-foot-tall vinyl racks, and they're stocked to the brim with good stuff. Very impressive!

is that the north olmstead mall? i'l have to hit that up

[travis]

Just wondering, why would you be embarrassed to be in a HT store?

being around the stereotypical hot topic mall punk kid gets me really grinds my gears. does this make me a bad person? possibly. don't really care though

The elitist anti HT attitude is funny to me. I dont understand why you wouldnt go into a store that carried CDs and vinyl that you like and would buy from somewhere else. Especially when its usually cheaper at that store. Im guessing you have no problem going into a Walmart, Target or Best buy tho whose much more of a big corporation and has contributed way more to putting indie record shops out of business. Im not telling you to shop in HT, just making a point.

[michael]

being around the stereotypical hot topic mall punk kid gets me really grinds my gears. does this make me a bad person? possibly. don't really care though

The elitist anti HT attitude is funny to me. I dont understand why you wouldnt go into a store that carried CDs and vinyl that you like and would buy from somewhere else. Especially when its usually cheaper at that store. Im guessing you have no problem going into a Walmart, Target or Best buy tho whose much more of a big corporation and has contributed way more to putting indie record shops out of business. Im not telling you to shop in HT, just making a point.

it's not an elitist attitude, it's just a matter of not liking mall culture. i'm not a fan of wal-mart either. what is going on here? sorry to offend

[travis]

The elitist anti HT attitude is funny to me. I dont understand why you wouldnt go into a store that carried CDs and vinyl that you like and would buy from somewhere else. Especially when its usually cheaper at that store. Im guessing you have no problem going into a Walmart, Target or Best buy tho whose much more of a big corporation and has contributed way more to putting indie record shops out of business. Im not telling you to shop in HT, just making a point.

it's not an elitist attitude, it's just a matter of not liking mall culture. i'm not a fan of wal-mart either. what is going on here? sorry to offend

No its cool. Im not offended and not trying to attack you at all. Just trying to figure out why people are embarrassed to walk into a store that carried things they like. Just saying its not like HT is this big evil corporation run by a bunch of greedy old men doing anything to make a buck. HT actually helps tons of bands and supports lots of small labels that Best Buy has never even heard of and helps those labels to make a little cash to press more records for people like us to buy. Sorry dude, I didnt mean to come off like I was attacking you.

[michael]

i guess to make some sort of analogy about it, i would say

i would not want to go to warped tour. not because i don't support some (fewer and fewer these days) of the bands on it, but it is just an environment i would be uncomfortable in. same goes for hot topic.

[dante3000]

being around the stereotypical hot topic mall punk kid gets me really grinds my gears. does this make me a bad person? possibly. don't really care though

The elitist anti HT attitude is funny to me. I dont understand why you wouldnt go into a store that carried CDs and vinyl that you like and would buy from somewhere else. Especially when its usually cheaper at that store. Im guessing you have no problem going into a Walmart, Target or Best buy tho whose much more of a big corporation and has contributed way more to putting indie record shops out of business. Im not telling you to shop in HT, just making a point.

This image came up when I googled "Hot Topic"

That's why I hate your store.

Seriously though, I dislike Hot Topic like I dislike most chain stores. Nothing major I just don't find much there that interests me and I get pretty awful anxiety in malls. Additionally, I do like the idea of supporting mom and pop stores and all that (though I don't mind labels doing the exclusive shit with chains). I like to know where my money goes (primarily back to the local economy). Not that I avoid all chains but for luxury items (music and clothes), where I have a choice, I tend to make the independent retailer decision.

Also (and I mean this) is music cheaper at Hot Topic? The last CD I bought there was years ago and I remember it being like $18. Is it less expensive than most other stores now?

[travis]

i guess to make some sort of analogy about it, i would say

i would not want to go to warped tour. not because i don't support some (fewer and fewer these days) of the bands on it, but it is just an environment i would be uncomfortable in. same goes for hot topic.

Thats cool. I get what you're saying

[travis]

The elitist anti HT attitude is funny to me. I dont understand why you wouldnt go into a store that carried CDs and vinyl that you like and would buy from somewhere else. Especially when its usually cheaper at that store. Im guessing you have no problem going into a Walmart, Target or Best buy tho whose much more of a big corporation and has contributed way more to putting indie record shops out of business. Im not telling you to shop in HT, just making a point.

This image came up when I googled "Hot Topic"

That's why I hate your store.

Seriously though, I dislike Hot Topic like I dislike most chain stores. Nothing major I just don't find much there that interests me and I get pretty awful anxiety in malls. Additionally, I do like the idea of supporting mom and pop stores and all that (though I don't mind labels doing the exclusive shit with chains). I like to know where my money goes (primarily back to the local economy). Not that I avoid all chains but for luxury items (music and clothes), where I have a choice, I tend to make the independent retailer decision.

Also (and I mean this) is music cheaper at Hot Topic? The last CD I bought there was years ago and I remember it being like $18. Is it less expensive than most other stores now?

Yea check out the prices online if you dont want to go in a store. All regular single CDs are $13.99 and under. Most are less than that. Id say most CDs are $9.99-$12.99. Most of the vinyl is cheaper than you can find at other places as well.

[initrecords]

just because something is cheaper doesn't mean it's a better thing. i don't shop at best buy or wal-mart, for the record, they are both pretty bad corporations (wal-mart gives tons of money to republicans and religious fundamentalist groups). when you buy locally your money stays in your local community and helps your local economy. also you get better service, you can talk to people who know the merchandise and products better and are more willing to help satisfy you.

the thing that shocks me more than anything on here is the whole "yay for corporations" and "yay for cheaper prices" thing. i understand that hey if you don't have a indie record store in your town, hot topic is a great alternative and at least you have some store that sells vinyl and punk rock records. but to discredit indie stores and my complaint about not being able to stock them (which for the record, another retailer just said on VLV that lumberjack hasn't been shipping copies to him yet of MICF despite it being listed in their catalog...) just to back a record label run by a solid dude is shocking... vinyl collective is a PUNK ROCK message board. not only are the entire fundamentals of punk rock labels like suburban home and asian man and fat wreck based on d.i.y. ethics and not just flipping your ethics for $$$$$, but remember how indie stores are the ones greatly responsible for the current success and longevity of both asian man records and alkaline trio... back long before alternative press or hot topic would have ever supported either. that is what bums me out. it saddens me that a lot of the newer kids into punk rock care more about cheap prices and colored vinyl than punk rock ethics and keeping local businesses afloat and healthy. i know this makes me sound maybe holier than thou or uber P.C. but i assure you i am not (a few people on here can testify to that, hell, i've known virgil nearly 10 years!), i just have been involved with punk rock for a long time and it's scary to think how things are becoming cheapened or ignored.

[defanatic1758]

This thread reminds me of how long it's been since I went to my local Hot Topic... I need to check that wonderful clearance rack of theirs some time soon.

[subhomeseabs]

I don't mind going in to Hot Topic to skim for vinyl....and I work at Suburban Home...weird.

[scottheisel]

I think you and I might be the same person, I just spend my days making sure good music gets into a magazine, not a store. Kudos to you on your continued vinyl push -- my local Hot Topic (in North Olmstead, Ohio) recently expanded into two six-foot-tall vinyl racks, and they're stocked to the brim with good stuff. Very impressive!

is that the north olmstead mall? i'l have to hit that up

Indeed it is! I am honestly amazed at the selection of vinyl they get in there, and the prices are usually decent (except for that copy of Deftones' Saturday Night Wrist that has been sitting there for nearly TWO YEARS at $23.99 with no signs of being marked down any time soon).

[lokithelion]

just because something is cheaper doesn't mean it's a better thing. i don't shop at best buy or wal-mart, for the record, they are both pretty bad corporations (wal-mart gives tons of money to republicans and religious fundamentalist groups). when you buy locally your money stays in your local community and helps your local economy. also you get better service, you can talk to people who know the merchandise and products better and are more willing to help satisfy you.

the thing that shocks me more than anything on here is the whole "yay for corporations" and "yay for cheaper prices" thing. i understand that hey if you don't have a indie record store in your town, hot topic is a great alternative and at least you have some store that sells vinyl and punk rock records. but to discredit indie stores and my complaint about not being able to stock them (which for the record, another retailer just said on VLV that lumberjack hasn't been shipping copies to him yet of MICF despite it being listed in their catalog...) just to back a record label run by a solid dude is shocking... vinyl collective is a PUNK ROCK message board. not only are the entire fundamentals of punk rock labels like suburban home and asian man and fat wreck based on d.i.y. ethics and not just flipping your ethics for $$$$$, but remember how indie stores are the ones greatly responsible for the current success and longevity of both asian man records and alkaline trio... back long before alternative press or hot topic would have ever supported either. that is what bums me out. it saddens me that a lot of the newer kids into punk rock care more about cheap prices and colored vinyl than punk rock ethics and keeping local businesses afloat and healthy. i know this makes me sound maybe holier than thou or uber P.C. but i assure you i am not (a few people on here can testify to that, hell, i've known virgil nearly 10 years!), i just have been involved with punk rock for a long time and it's scary to think how things are becoming cheapened or ignored.

Except you have openly admitted to not being willing to call the label direct and get the copies wholesale. If getting it bothers you so much that you'll make a thread attacking the label, wouldn't the logical first step have been calling Asian Man? Back in the day when I ran a tiny ass distro at shows AM was willing to sell me 2 or three copies whole sale of releases, because I thought to ask.

That's the reason no one is on your side. And calling everyone "kids" is frankly goddamn insult, I've been collecting on one level or another for seven years. I'm 24, and I barely have any variants. I support my local store as much as I can, from buying used stuff to surfing his 45's for hours on my Saturdays. But that doesn't mean I automatically think Hot Topic is an evil place, and it has nothing to do with color variations or price.

It's because they give kids who wouldn't otherwise have one a window into punk rock. If just one ICP fan gets into Alk3 because of Hot Topic I'm stoked. And if you don't have the copies in your store that you want and your distro isn't sending them out, isn't that something the label should know about?

If you'd called the label and said "dudes I need the records and can't get them," and they told you to fuck off I'd be on your side and Asian Man would probably lose business from me. However your first action was to bitch about it on the internet, and I'm sorry I just can't get behind that. Still if I'm ever in your area I'll check out your store.

Moral of the story, always call the label before attacking them on the interwebs.

[xjustinxschwierx]

I've never actually set foot in a Hot Topic, because I live in the city and I'm not anywhere near a mall...but more or less from talking with Aaron and Flood about them it's pretty cool that they'd go to the trouble to buy records straight from labels like ours...because let's be realistic...not a lot of people in the grand scheme of things know who UCR, Team Science or Asbestos records(no to mention all the other smaller/no name labels) is...and that speaks volumes about HT in their business practices to me.

also, I do not shop at Wal-Mart period. I'm a union construction worker by trade, and WM is the antithesis of everything I stand for on so many fucking levels it's not funny and to anyone that DOES shop at Wal Mart should watch the documentary "the High Cost of Low Prices" and if that doesn't turn your stomach, nothing will...also at that point quit punk rock.

I don't fault people for shopping there when where they live there is no other choice...but for those of us in bigger cities where you have options, I try as much as possible to shop independently. But you do have to choose your battles... ie: you can obsess over your purchases to the point of absurdity...to the point where you make all of your own clothes, build everything else you need, salvage re-build machines...but that mentality is a bit too much for the average person. So you have to find that balance and spend accordingly.

the main thing I go to Best Buy for is to buy cheap DVDs that are loss leaders anyway, so when you only do that. you're pretty much hurting them by not buying anything else while in the store..

[melikecheese]

all this talk about ethics and DIY and doing it for the love of the music....

If that was really 100% the case (no thoughts of money at all) then this album would not have been pressed in 800 colors, which is a complete money grab by a label. It's a great marketing strategy, how else can you sell the same album to one person many times over...this is really a punk rock thing only, other genres do not sit there and repress every 3 months on multiple colors. Punk rock is the new capitalism.

[cadetapplesauce]

punk is dead?

[initrecords]

Except you have openly admitted to not being willing to call the label direct and get the copies wholesale. If getting it bothers you so much that you'll make a thread attacking the label, wouldn't the logical first step have been calling Asian Man? Back in the day when I ran a tiny ass distro at shows AM was willing to sell me 2 or three copies whole sale of releases, because I thought to ask.

the point is i can stock all of the other asian man releases via distributors, why should i have to call a label to get one release? also, working on a small budget at a indie record store, i can't always just call every label to get records, and it isn't feasible to be on the phone with labels all day long when i am already ordering product from 6 distributors and 2 one-stops (which, if you are unaware one-stops stock all of the chain stores and corporate stores as well as most indie stores)... not to mention facts about, you know, being on terms with distributors (if stores had to pay up front directly from labels for every release... how many stores would carry anything?? vinyl collective doesn't pay up front for releases even... this is why virgil stocks a great majority of stuff using the same distributors that i use at the store).

finally, "kids" is a generic statement. not a slur, a poke at age or anything else. i'd much rather be called a kid than "sir".

[xjustinxschwierx]

all this talk about ethics and DIY and doing it for the love of the music....

If that was really 100% the case (no thoughts of money at all) then this album would not have been pressed in 800 colors, which is a complete money grab by a label. It's a great marketing strategy, how else can you sell the same album to one person many times over...this is really a punk rock thing only, other genres do not sit there and repress every 3 months on multiple colors. Punk rock is the new capitalism.

I'll paraphrase Var who's said in the past that it's not about making more colors to sell more copies to the same person, it's about making it fun for the label to repress it.

Nobody forces people to buy records over and over and amass giant collections of one single album.

If you ran a label you'd understand that. Getting records on new colors just keeps things fun for all the parties involved, the band and the label.

[kirbypuckett]

I'm so glad that I have more important things going on in my life where I don't have to worry about what Hot Topic does.

I don't mind Hot Topic, if I stop at the mall, I stop in Hot Topic and check out the records, then the clearance t-shirts. Always some solid finds in either one.