Today I was pretty devastated to learn that the record store of all record stores in Brisbane, is on the brink of being closed. Rockinghorse Records has been around for at least 40 years, and is where I always used to find myself whenever I went into the CBD, and still find myself there often these days. If you were ever looking for something a bit obscure, chances are Rockinghorse had it, or could order it for you, and they have always had the best range in genres that you could hope to find in Brisbane. Not only that, if you were after a concert ticket there was a good chance they had it to sell you, not to mention their band shirts, books and dvd’s (many that you wouldn’t find anywhere else). It’s been host to many instore performances, a few I’ve luckily been part of, such as the Sleepy Jackson performance and the Killers instore signing, way back when "Somebody Told Me" was the day’s biggest hit. Rockinghorse is such a good record store, that Brandon Flowers and his fellow band members were still in there browsing hours after their signing, which meant I got to go in and get a proper good photo with them and this guy I was with at the time.
I’ve sold a bunch of my wares there when funds were getting low, and found local artists such as my uncle’s outfit Company Sin there nestled amongst the mainstream. Before a meeting with a girlfriend, on a gift expedition, after uni, a conference, or a lazy lunch, you can often find me there, usually with a mocha frappacino in my hand. … flickin’ through indiiie.
So learning that record sales demise due to online sales has lead to its’ possible closure, is really really upsetting to me. I’d be really motherfucking pissed off if Rockinghorse went the way of Skinny's: Classic iconic record store (my parents have old records with the Skinny’s label still on them) full of wonder and history and unique attributes, gone forever, due to lack of interest (?). How did we get here, when there are three JB HiFi's in the same one inner city mall, and they have to close Rockinghorse?
Well it's pretty clear how, and we all know why. Why would you go into a record shop when you can get all the music you want at home without having to move your buttocks one smidge? Online music sales are now the way music is being distributed, but with the invention of things such as Dropbox, and the remaining traces of the huge free music downloading revolution such as peer to peer networks (e.g. Napster, Kazaa, Bearshare, Limewire... and still kicking on, Soulseek), free music is still a big thing. I have to admit, I am a part of that free music bandwagon, and I think Dropbox is an awesome invention. You can share an album with your friends (of your choice) within minutes, making it a great way to transfer music without having to use a blank cd or USB or anything physical.
However, nothing at all beats the feeling of taking a CD, or record (although I don't own a player to do so), off a shelf, browse it, take it to a counter, bring it home with you, put it on the stereo, listen intently as you stare at the album art, flick through the booklet, read through the lyrics, and put it in your collection, alphabetically, chronologically, autobiographically, however you choose. Nothing in the world can beat that. If I've found something I really like through Dropbox, or any other means, I tend to buy it at some point. I also buy CD's more than I buy clothes, jewelry, some weeks even more than food. It's one of the things I love to do most in the world.
I realized the other day that my children will never come across, nor need to know, what a video is. So I understand, with great bewilderment, that times are changing, and always will be. New mediums will come and be old within years, waiting for the next one to come along to overtake it. And Ipods etc. are great for storing music and taking it with you for long trips, gym sessions and soundtracks to all sorts of situations.
But I think we can all agree that if you're a music lover, you're also a lover of the medium. You love that tactile sensation of putting that needle on the record player, that unique sound of the loop beginning on the vinyl, having that record sleeve in your hand. You love browsing through a shop to find something that will enlighten your senses, and not knowing what to expect by the cover until you load it up in your cd player. You take pride in having a cd/vinyl library of your own at home, to browse through while deciding what to put on that evening, and to display proudly to others what you've spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on to collect.
If our independent record stores disappear, our enjoyment of this medium is also threatened to disappear, in the not so distant future. As the empire of JB Hifi evolves (unless it goes down Borders-style), and threatens to overtake the country, it is up to us to keep the unique and personal stores, that cater more to our local musicians and lifestyle, alive. I'm making a personal choice from now on not to shop at JB HiFi, and I intend to go goddamn CD shopping apeshit crazy at Rockinghorse this week. They're having a 50% off sale, which is more of an excuse to do this, but it's sad that they're losing out on money they perhaps could have kept, had they just simply got the word out that they may be closing. From what facebook suggests, there is a huge community of people who care, and don't want Rockinghorse to go, and that's a great sign of hope. If you're in Brisbane, be one of them too! If you're not in Brisbane, go to your own local independent record store, and do what you can to prevent them from going down the same track. You'll definitely miss them when they're gone.
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