This Week in the Mercury
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
News Seattle vs Portland: Record Store Throwdown
Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Oh, it's so on.
Our big 'sis paper to the north is running a blog post about how disappointing Portland's record stores are. Jackpot, Millenium Music (sic), Everyday Music, and Mississippi Records were all called out. Jackpot got the worst of it:
Jackpot Records (both stores!) you were the worst offenders. I picked out a couple of albums I was interested in, and brought them to the front counter to listen to, only to be told, "We don't have a vinyl listening station."WHAT?!?!?!
WTF kind of used record shop doesn't allow you to listen to the vinyl to judge what shape the record is in? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard come out of a record store clerks mouth. Ever. (And that's saying something as I used to go to Orpheum on Broadway all the time. Remember that doof?)
Even worse, when asked if he could put them on the system so I could hear them, he gave me this pained look, like, Wow! you want me to stop listening to this thrilling Iron and Wine album so you can put on some old 80's freestyle single?
"We don't do that," he said.
"Well," I said, "you can re-shelve these for me, 'cause I'm not buying them without hearing them first."
"Okay, I'll put them on," he grumbled as he sllllloooooowwwwwlllllyyyy turned down the record he was playing (yes, please! A decent fade out is needed when there's just 1 person in your store!) and put my track on.
It gave me great pleasure that both singles were crap and I decided not to buy them anyways.
Not to get into a full-blown music nerd throwdown here (Just imagine all the flailing, plus if anyone bleeds on my limited edition Sonic Youth Goo t-shirt, I'll cry.), but I've never found a single decent record in any Seattle store. Easy Street, Sonic Boom, that one place kind of by the Showbox = nothing.
But regardless, isn't not finding something you are searching for in an indie record store just part of the process? It's not supposed to be easy. They can't have everything, especially if you are crate digging for LPs (as opposed to just picking up the new Katy Perry CD at Best Buy). Whatever, at least our basketball team is better... oh, sorry... you don't have a team. Perhaps Oklahoma City has good record stores?
1
However, I was in the Capitol Hill Sonic Boom a couple of days ago and I was AMAZED by their vinyl section. Just sayin'.
2
Last time I was at Sonic Boom they had jack. I did get some records at a store across from Shorty's last fall...
I don't know. Record shopping is a crap shoot. But I've been really happy with what I've found in Portland.
3
And they messed it up - it's Music Millennium, you grunge leftovers.
But I can't disagree about the pricing of reissues. $30 man? No way.
Frankly I don't think anyone should wine about a record store clerk, most stores don't set the bar too high, but bitchin about all of Portland's stores? I'll have to say for one, I moved from Seattle to Portland because the attitude was getting a little too thick - record stores included.
As far as seletion goes that's kind of a stupid complaint for a little retail store that's going to have more or less the same options from town to town.
But, you did mention that you were shopping for vinyl so you must be prett cool your self - I'm still listening to these old things called CDs.
5
Uh, yeah. Do you sell off all your good records every year?
6
Having worked in 4 record stores (LA, Seattle, Portland (not at any of the stores reviewed), SF) I have to say that not having jackasses at a vinyl listening station is PURE GENIUS. Way to stand up for our vinyl rights, Jackpot!
If I had a nickel for everytime some jerk fucked up a perfectly good used record, I'd be rich. Bill Gates rich.
Seattle has always been okay for finding stuff. But Portland has always been great.
And to the so and so complaining about $30 re-issues. What- like you never paid $20, 25, 30 bucks for an import before? Are you unaware of inflation and the expense of low scale production?
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