Anthem posts a rare interview in English with Masashi Naka, founder of indie label Escalator Records. Via META no TAME.
Category: Music
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Good interview! Good job Nik!
Recently I had been quite interested in this column by Naka, where he explains why he thinks that listening devices kill small record shops.
“Listening booths kill good music and record shops” “Vinyl shops are dying because records are being sold too cheap.” (This was when Cisco Records closed.)
http://i-radio.cocolog-nifty.com/radioescalator/2007/12/part2_508e.html
And also this one telling about his record throughput.
“Every time I move I sell 1000s of records.” “I must have spent 60% of all my life’s money on records.” -
http://i-radio.cocolog-nifty.com/radioescalator/2008/02/post_7fe3.html#more
I can’t even imagine how hard it must be to keep an indie record shop running these days. I mean, I think it’s even hard to keep a large record store open these days!
Indie record stores are rapidly disappearing in the US. When I first moved to Boston 3 years ago, there were 4 within 15 minutes of my apartment. Now, all gone.
And it’s sad, because there’s a community aspect to it that digital downloads and chain stores cannot replicate. The idea of a boutique shop with it’s own indie label is fascinating, tho. This offers people more than just another music shop… maybe it’s a way forward.
whether they dissapear or not they do tend to feel as musty and dusty and crusty and ultimately uninviting as antique shops (used to)
Speaking of stores closing, Blister in Shibuya has been shuttered the last two times I was in the area: last Sunday afternoon and yesterday afternoon.
So I checked the website and sure enough, they’re closed. (http://www.blister.jp/open.html) It looks like their lease was up and they don’t know where they’ll reopen yet. Where am I going to get Marvel comics at 3x cover price?
I couldn’t believe it when they opened at that location (they used to have a tiny store in Harajuku), that rent for that location must have been crazy expensive! No wonder they were charging so much for comics!