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My favorite record store, Be-Bop Records, is finally closing after 36 years. I have been shopping there since 1979. This is where I bought the majority of my records, tapes, and CDs thoughout the years. This is the store that saw me every first day of a new Prince release, many times getting the album before they even had time to put it on the shelves. This is the store that was in the shopping center right in front of my grandmother's house (if school wasn't in, I was at her house) and I used to walk through the alley every single weekend and buy records. She used to let me buy either a 12 Inch for $4.99 or three 45s for $5.00 every single Friday, sometimes Saturdays too if she wanted to bribe me to not go out. I knew how to work her too. Sometimes I would lie and say I wanted to go out just so she would give me money to buy records to stay home. Every Christmas and birthday meant multiple albums and many albums I acquired through working her "bribes".

It was locally owned since day one and is the last remaining of their once three locations in Jackson. It was also THE place to go to buy music from local artists. In the article, they mention David Banner. Hell, fuck that! I'm an old whore, I go back to the days of Sho-Nuff, Freedom, and Wynd Chymes....GOOD local music.

It's a damn shame it will be closing though. This leaves us only with national chains such as Best Buy who don't deserve my money. Where, oh where the hell will I buy the next Prince release that comes out?

Sorry to hear that... I am afraid in 5 years time there will be no records stores at all, thanks mainly to the younger generation who is used to getting music for free on the internet but also to the record industry that did not realize that you cannot compete with free downloads by continuing to price cd's at $18.98.

I was amazed when I visited New York in March that there is only -one- decent record store left (J&R). I mean, we're talking about New York City! I miss the days of browsing stores instead of browsing websites (as in Amazon etc) for music...

[Edited 5/19/11 13:40pm]

It looks like people would have to buy their next Prince album on Amazon for now on because Best Buy, Target, & Wal-Mart are NEVER fully stock of the right albums anyway.

Where I live there are a few places that sell records only. But new release albums cost more than a CD, because in a lot of cases the vinyl version winds up being a double record set (or a triple record set if it's a 2 CD album) as some releases now are longer than most pre-CD albums.

Very sad. I try and visit independent record stores whenever i can. When i'm in a different city I always check online and find the local record stores.

Welcome to the club, Andy.

Sorry...Know how you feel. We have on that was slated to close last March, but business is still going strong although prices are cut by 50%. Maybe it will survive.

Sorry to hear that vainandy, that's a long time. I know it doesn't compare, but I had a similar feeling when Sam the Record Man in Toronto closed down. First time it closed down, it reopened again, but then it finally closed down out of bankruptcy I believe, and the iconic big record is gone and the building is part of a university campus now. Sad what it became. I used to buy artist's singles I couldn't find at other music stores, such as all these michael and janet singles and its' remixes, and remix albums....I do recall a lot of Prince albums being there and sampling the Rainbow Children back in the day. I met Robyn there too during an autograph session way back in high school when her first album came out, and other celebs would often go there as well. I would visit this store in high school if I had a spare hour and lunch back to back which gave me enough time to hop on the subway to go there to purchase something with saved allowance and make it back on time for class, and I would go there often too during uni years or if I was in the area and never left empty handed.

The first time I went to purchase something at this store, I bought the janet. remixed album and my dad's friend was with me and TOTALLY turned on by the cover, but wasn't saying he just kept asking me to dub him a copy of the CD and every time he saw me, he never failed to mention it, so I finally did it, but left out the songs with the moaning in case dad got back to me about it

[Edited 5/19/11 19:43pm]

All of the ones I grew up going to when I lived in Detroit are closed. Wow, what memories...

whitesockedfunk said:

Sorry to hear that... I am afraid in 5 years time there will be no records stores at all, thanks mainly to the younger generation who is used to getting music for free on the internet but also to the record industry that did not realize that you cannot compete with free downloads by continuing to price cd's at $18.98.

I was amazed when I visited New York in March that there is only -one- decent record store left (J&R). I mean, we're talking about New York City! I miss the days of browsing stores instead of browsing websites (as in Amazon etc) for music...

[Edited 5/19/11 13:40pm]

Only one left in New York City!!!????? Damn, the music business has definately gone to hell in a handbasket.

TonyVanDam said:

It looks like people would have to buy their next Prince album on Amazon for now on because Best Buy, Target, & Wal-Mart are NEVER fully stock of the right albums anyway.

And I hate that because I like to have a Prince album on the actual day it is released instead of having to wait for it to come in the mail. I may talk a lot of shit but I'm still a big ole "fam" when it comes to that.

As for those chain stores, they don't have shit and never did, not even back in the day. The only R&B that stores like Walmart ever had was crossover stuff.

MickyDolenz said:

Where I live there are a few places that sell records only. But new release albums cost more than a CD, because in a lot of cases the vinyl version winds up being a double record set (or a triple record set if it's a 2 CD album) as some releases now are longer than most pre-CD albums.

When I said "Record Store", I was referring to stores that sell CDs, both old and new releases. After all these years, they still call them "record stores".

In the last year or so though, Be-Bop did have a small section of new vinyl (new as in new release and also new as in an old album that has been re-released on vinyl). You're right, those prices are absolutely rediculous. I was looking the re-released "Thriller" in there. I had no intention of buying it because I already have my original vinyl from 1982 but I was just curious to see how much it costed. The damn thing was $25! They must be crazy as hell. Somebody better go find a used copy for about $5.

Speaking of used vinyl, Be-Bop also started selling used vinyl. I used to go up there every few months to see if they got some more in, sometimes I would get lucky and sometimes I wouldn't.

alphastreet said:

Sorry to hear that vainandy, that's a long time. I know it doesn't compare, but I had a similar feeling when Sam the Record Man in Toronto closed down. First time it closed down, it reopened again, but then it finally closed down out of bankruptcy I believe, and the iconic big record is gone and the building is part of a university campus now. Sad what it became. I used to buy artist's singles I couldn't find at other music stores, such as all these michael and janet singles and its' remixes, and remix albums....I do recall a lot of Prince albums being there and sampling the Rainbow Children back in the day. I met Robyn there too during an autograph session way back in high school when her first album came out, and other celebs would often go there as well. I would visit this store in high school if I had a spare hour and lunch back to back which gave me enough time to hop on the subway to go there to purchase something with saved allowance and make it back on time for class, and I would go there often too during uni years or if I was in the area and never left empty handed.

The first time I went to purchase something at this store, I bought the janet. remixed album and my dad's friend was with me and TOTALLY turned on by the cover, but wasn't saying he just kept asking me to dub him a copy of the CD and every time he saw me, he never failed to mention it, so I finally did it, but left out the songs with the moaning in case dad got back to me about it

[Edited 5/19/11 19:43pm]

"Rainbow Children" is back in the day? Now, I know I'm officially an OLD whore!

Speaking of doing drastic things during school, sometimes I used to save my lunch money my mother would give me for a week. School lunch in the cafeteria back then was $1 and if I saved up a week's worth, that was $5 and enough to get either one 12 Inch or three 45s.

vainandy said:

alphastreet said:

Sorry to hear that vainandy, that's a long time. I know it doesn't compare, but I had a similar feeling when Sam the Record Man in Toronto closed down. First time it closed down, it reopened again, but then it finally closed down out of bankruptcy I believe, and the iconic big record is gone and the building is part of a university campus now. Sad what it became. I used to buy artist's singles I couldn't find at other music stores, such as all these michael and janet singles and its' remixes, and remix albums....I do recall a lot of Prince albums being there and sampling the Rainbow Children back in the day. I met Robyn there too during an autograph session way back in high school when her first album came out, and other celebs would often go there as well. I would visit this store in high school if I had a spare hour and lunch back to back which gave me enough time to hop on the subway to go there to purchase something with saved allowance and make it back on time for class, and I would go there often too during uni years or if I was in the area and never left empty handed.

The first time I went to purchase something at this store, I bought the janet. remixed album and my dad's friend was with me and TOTALLY turned on by the cover, but wasn't saying he just kept asking me to dub him a copy of the CD and every time he saw me, he never failed to mention it, so I finally did it, but left out the songs with the moaning in case dad got back to me about it

[Edited 5/19/11 19:43pm]

"Rainbow Children" is back in the day? Now, I know I'm officially an OLD whore!

Speaking of doing drastic things during school, sometimes I used to save my lunch money my mother would give me for a week. School lunch in the cafeteria back then was $1 and if I saved up a week's worth, that was $5 and enough to get either one 12 Inch or three 45s.

I DIDN'T MEAN IT UGHHHH IT IS NOT!!! I was half asleep writing this, not a Freudian slip. I feel like an older whore for calling the 00's back in the day when it isn't. It was always the 90's continued to me, and it does not feel like 10 years ago that invincible came out....and yeah I would save allowance too, even asked for big amounts, like 25 a week and then took 5 or 10 to put aside each week and help my dad at his work after school, so money from that and voila, about 5 CD's a month!

America. Shame on you.

[Edited 5/21/11 1:51am]

Where I live there are now no music stores unless you count Wal-Mart which I do not. The closest one is an FYE like 45 minutes away. I had started ordering pretty much all my music from Amazon but lately I started going there a lot because I know the end is near. It suxxx to. I used to love Tower Records. This whole download shit just does not do it for me. Its ok for like a couple of songs but not the whole set. I remember when I was a teenager and we all started downloading music. I never thought it would lead to this. I guess P was right, " Come one, Come all to the dowload ball!".

vainandy said:

http://www.clarionledger....|text|Home

My favorite record store, Be-Bop Records, is finally closing after 36 years. I have been shopping there since 1979. This is where I bought the majority of my records, tapes, and CDs thoughout the years. This is the store that saw me every first day of a new Prince release, many times getting the album before they even had time to put it on the shelves. This is the store that was in the shopping center right in front of my grandmother's house (if school wasn't in, I was at her house) and I used to walk through the alley every single weekend and buy records. She used to let me buy either a 12 Inch for $4.99 or three 45s for $5.00 every single Friday, sometimes Saturdays too if she wanted to bribe me to not go out. I knew how to work her too. Sometimes I would lie and say I wanted to go out just so she would give me money to buy records to stay home. Every Christmas and birthday meant multiple albums and many albums I acquired through working her "bribes".

It was locally owned since day one and is the last remaining of their once three locations in Jackson. It was also THE place to go to buy music from local artists. In the article, they mention David Banner. Hell, fuck that! I'm an old whore, I go back to the days of Sho-Nuff, Freedom, and Wynd Chymes....GOOD local music.

It's a damn shame it will be closing though. This leaves us only with national chains such as Best Buy who don't deserve my money. Where, oh where the hell will I buy the next Prince release that comes out?

BUY ONLINE ...

802 said:

America. Shame on you.

[Edited 5/21/11 1:51am]

AMERICA shame on you?????

Nah.... it´s the freakin hard drives faults and broadband!!!!!!!!!..

vainandy said:

MickyDolenz said:

Where I live there are a few places that sell records only. But new release albums cost more than a CD, because in a lot of cases the vinyl version winds up being a double record set (or a triple record set if it's a 2 CD album) as some releases now are longer than most pre-CD albums.

When I said "Record Store", I was referring to stores that sell CDs, both old and new releases. After all these years, they still call them "record stores".

In the last year or so though, Be-Bop did have a small section of new vinyl (new as in new release and also new as in an old album that has been re-released on vinyl). You're right, those prices are absolutely rediculous. I was looking the re-released "Thriller" in there. I had no intention of buying it because I already have my original vinyl from 1982 but I was just curious to see how much it costed. The damn thing was $25! They must be crazy as hell. Somebody better go find a used copy for about $5.

Speaking of used vinyl, Be-Bop also started selling used vinyl. I used to go up there every few months to see if they got some more in, sometimes I would get lucky and sometimes I wouldn't.

That's because the record buyers market is small unlike back in the day when records, cassettes, and 8-tracks were what people bought. Remember those Columbia Club 12 albums for a penny ads? A store like Best Buy will stock a whole bunch of the same CD and sell it for cheap. We have Half-Price Books that sell used vinyl. There's also specialty record stores that sell rare out of print used stuff. A lot of the stuff at Half-Price Books is out of print too, and they're cheap. Most of the albums are 1-4 dollars.

myloveis4ever said:

BUY ONLINE ...

Again, everybody doesn't have a computer. What are they supposed to do?

MickyDolenz said:

myloveis4ever said:

BUY ONLINE ...

Again, everybody doesn't have a computer. What are they supposed to do?

Give your money to your friend and watch them buy it online for you.

Little record stores all over the country sell their music online and it is GREAT. Bought many 45s and 33s through mom and pop shops all over.

paisleypark4 said:

MickyDolenz said:

Again, everybody doesn't have a computer. What are they supposed to do?

Give your money to your friend and watch them buy it online for you.

Little record stores all over the country sell their music online and it is GREAT. Bought many 45s and 33s through mom and pop shops all over.

Where my grandmother lives, there is no internet. So that won't work either for people living there.

myloveis4ever said:

802 said:

America. Shame on you.

[Edited 5/21/11 1:51am]

AMERICA shame on you?????

Nah.... it´s the freakin hard drives faults and broadband!!!!!!!!!..

Well, here in Australia we have successful record stores that will not close anytime soon.

802 said:

Well, here in Australia we have successful record stores that will not close anytime soon.

Don't they have rent a CD there?

MickyDolenz said:

802 said:

Well, here in Australia we have successful record stores that will not close anytime soon.

Don't they have rent a CD there?

Yes, you can rent CD's here at any library.

802 said:

MickyDolenz said:

Don't they have rent a CD there?

Yes, you can rent CD's here at any library.

I don't mean a library. I mean like a video rental place, where you pay to keep a CD a few days and return it. I recall there was a story in the 1990's that some performers were trying to fight the rental places.

I hope HMV doesn't close anytime soon, that's the chain music store everywhere in Canada and the UK.

MickyDolenz said:

802 said:

Yes, you can rent CD's here at any library.

I don't mean a library. I mean like a video rental place, where you pay to keep a CD a few days and return it. I recall there was a story in the 1990's that some performers were trying to fight the rental places.

Well if a place like that existed, it was before my time (I'm young) or they didn't have it in Newcastle.

OK, I just got back from Be-Bop on it's last day open. It was a sad occassion but it was great seeing a lot of familiar faces of former employees that I haven't seen in years that must have come back for one last visit.

A lot of stuff was marked 50% off but I think some of it must have been marked down to begin with because I left out of there spending only $10. I went straight to the used vinyl. I got The Bronner Brothers "Self Conscious" 12 Inch, "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" 12 Inch by Orbit, and St. Paul's 1987 self titled album. I got all three records for 50 cents each.

Then I stocked up on incense. Be-Bop has always had the best smelling incense in town. The sticks are usually 10 for $2 but they were 50% off so they were 10 for $1. The best scents were gone but I still bought some. I bought 20 sticks for myself and 10 sticks for a coworker who wants to try some. I also got a wooden decorative box with holes in the top that you burn incense in. It was 50% off also so I got it for $4.

I didn't even attempt to browse through the CDs. I doubt I would find something that I want that I don't already have. Also, I didn't want to browse through them and see all the CDs by current artists. It was already a depressing occassion and seeing today's artists would make it even more depressing.

This is so sad, I'm from the young generation. I'm 16 but I loveeeeeeeeeeeee records, record stores, record fairs.. i just love it. Sad to see them close down.. :'(