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| From | jon harrison <jonhar@alltel.net> |
| Subject | Re: audities-digest V1 #846 (10 msgs) |
| Date | Wed, 19 Nov 2003 21:30:10 -0600 |
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Yes!!! I always enjoy Bruce's commentary.
Every once in a while, quite often in fact, someone will come into our store and ask for the new Wilco/Outkast/Whathaveyou record, and we'll say "Are you sure you want to get it here? It's $19." Then
they'll say, "I know, but I'd rather give you guys my money than Best Buy or whatever." And for a few moments I feel a warm glow of appreciation, and a brief moment of optimism that there might still be
some cool things left in the world in ten years or so.
Best,
Jon
>
>
>
>
> Pretty good deal? It's a *great* deal! An unreal one, too for those of us
> in the business of trying to stay in business selling music we care about.
>
> What a totally upside-down business this is now, not that this suprises me
> in the least bit---see it every day, for years now even.....Not Lame's
> wholesale on these:
>
> $12.87
> And
> $20.18
> respectively
>
> That is WHOLESALE, folks, not retail.
>
> I would venture to guess that Best Buy was a few dollars less than that,
> too...hop into the car, folks. Outside of the Best Buys of the U.S., the
> above companies business models are not that far different as they are just
> building up customer databases and information that they will pawn off and
> sell to some large retail corporation down the line as they are not in the
> business of caring about music, but in the business of building customer
> information to sell more shit we don't need to(okay, I'm exaggerating),
> which equals equity and value on the public market front. They are not
> making money selling cd's at these prices, fact...they biding time until
> they get bought up with good old fashion positive cash flow taking their
> owners to the promised land.
>
> Sure, we all think the consumer wins...and they do. But it's a good old
> fashion pyrrhic victory, it really is. (Definition of 'pyrrihic victory': A
> victory won at such a great cost that it is tantamount to defeat). Not
> that too many on this list would care or feel inclined to empathize as we
> all are looking to save money where ever possible, I understand. I do, too
> ...... but I'd really, really like to think and believe that if I was not
> doing what I do for a living, that there's no way I'd saunter on down to any
> of these chains to pick up such releases.....man, buying music for folks
> like us *has to be* about more than saving a few dollars as the music biz
> navigates through this storm of technological advancement, even in a crappy
> economy and tough times.
>
> The Day The Music Died.....when was that? *When* was that? Because it sure
> is doing just that as music fans download left and right, value music as
> practically next to nothing and look only to support faceless corporations
> or shallow business models designed to make their owners wealthy beyond
> beliefe....this, despite there being more great music to listen to than
> ever. All right, I'm exaggerating with drama, again....but it *feels* like
> this on many days the last few years, even though it may not be the case.
>
> Yes, I/we/Not Lame make a living trying to sell, market, release, etc. new
> and old music, the type of music most folks in the music biz don't care
> about...someone has to, right? Why is such a bad and dirty thing for company
> in the business of selling music to make a living by, god forbid, selling a
> CD for more than it cost them to pay for salaries, rent, taxes, costs of
> doing business, etc.? Shocking, I know. Not Lame and other music
> retailers, we deserve to burn in hell. :-P
>
> Not Lame has been making an impact on selling independent music by bands
> discussed on this list for 8 years now......we were one of the first and
> only companies in 1995(the only other one I'll give a nod to doing it before
> NL there is Big Deal) to put out releases and proudly call them 'power pop'
> and shove it up on the net and connect folks, like so many of the early
> Audities list members, together with a common bond. But the impact on
> how the many companies(a large majority of which are struggling to stay in
> business now) that truly innovate, care about the music and its development
> and proliferation into culture, create careers for folks who love music and
> the companies that invest real money to that end....well, resigned,
> frustrated 'fuck' is all I can say. Fuck.
>
> Consumers, music fans(sic) now have the expectation for REAL music retailers
> to sell music at a LOSS---or they don't get their business. Why? Because
> there are so many companies who are selling music at less than what it costs
> them because music is just part of the marketing mix to sell other stuff.
>
> Pity Party? Heck yeah, I'm pissed today...i'll feel better tomorrow. For
> now, I'm just human and I'm sick of seeing this crap hurt everyone I know in
> the business of trying to create music(the musicians), sell it(the real
> music retailers) and who put their hard-earned money(to large of a list to
> go into) on the line every day to keep it all coming to folks whose hobby is
> finding great new music.
>
> Peace Still But Pass The Bong,
> Bruce @ Not Lame
>
> ------------------------------
>
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