New Release Tuesday

Remember when you used to go to Tower Records at midnight the day of an eagerly anticipated album's release? "New release Tuesdays" we called 'em. Line ups would begin at 11pm after the store "officially" closed, and the last of the clueless patrons went on their way. They'd be blasting the album over the store's speakers. Posters were everywhere. Perhaps they'd even be giving away t-shirts too. The adventure of a late night out, proving to yourself, and others how much of a true fan you really were.

Yeah, wake up skippy, those days are over.

To your face I'd say God bless the internet. I can buy a cd weeks in advance, and have the damn thing waiting for me at my front door the day it comes out. I don't have to search for a parking space, and then go to a mega store where I can't find what I'm looking for, only to be mocked by some kid with a spike in his nose when I ask him to help me find the John Mayer cd with that song about daughters. Hell, I don't even have to leave my couch! Now some artists even allow you to download the "advance" on mp3 just to bide your time before the hard copy graces your precious little hands. The times, well, they done changed, ain't they?

Under my breath I'd say we're witnessing the death of the record store. You know, people cried when the Drive-in movie theaters went away, there is something romantic about the experience of pulling your car into a space and watching a movie on the big screen. Watching, necking, whatever, you know what I mean. Keep it up with internet music sales, and you're gonna lose the joy of hanging out in a store that's pumping the latest from the White Stripes while you're fingering through the new release section. Just in this last year alone two prominent independent record stores here in Los Angeles, Rhino Records and Aaron's Records closed their doors forever. Some say the new kid on the block, Amoeba Records gobbled them up. I say it was the internet. And here's why. Feel free to download the new single by the Killers below. Now go buy the album AT A RECORD STORE when it officially comes out. Did I make my point? And no son, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target do not count, ok?


For your consideration:
When You Were Young - The Killers MP3