| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| marz21 |
Posted - 08/25/2010 : 09:45:01 AM
I saw this on DJForums.com...
It's a myspace blog entry by X-ecutioners member Rob Swift... I feel like it gives a good perspective on DJ's and what the technological advances in the craft has done to DJ's, record shops, and our perception as music as a whole...
My Thoughts On The Closing of Fat Beats Record Store
Displacement, the redirection of an emotion or idea to another, more acceptable object; a psychological defense mechanism in which there is an unconscious shift of emotions, affect, or desires from the original object to a more acceptable or immediate substitute.
On August 17th, I made a little trip to one of my favorite record stores, Fat Beats (NYC), to pick up some music from the homey DJ Eclipse (store manager). We chatted about this and that as my eyes scanned the record shelves, quickly processing what new stuff I might need to be on the look out for. It wasn't long before I noticed my album, The Architect, wasn't stocked on any of the shelves. It prompted me to ask E, "Yo, are ya'll still carrying The Arch...?" That's when E broke the news, "We had it, but unfortunately as of September of this year, the Fat Beats record store is closing it's doors. So in order to save money, we're only stocking new releases..." It felt like somebody just punched me in the chest. The very next day, FB sent out a press release officially broadcasting the news to all of those who've supported the store for the last 16 years.
I think seeing the official press release on my gmail inbox ignited a fury inside me. It's as if reading what E told me the night before brought on a sort of finality to the whole situation. Thus, now that it's official, where do I go from here? Do I sit and do nothing or do I get proactive about the situation? I think I'll choose the latter.
Let me explain something to ya'll. FB closing it's stores is symbolic of the state of Hip Hop consumerism. The first record I ever bought was "Roxanne Roxanne" by UTFO. I purchased it at my neighborhood record store, Numbers (78th Street and 37th Avenue). I remember walking up to the cash register and before I paid the $3.99 price tag, the owner of the store took time to break down why he thought I made the right purchase. He told me, "...these guys are from the Full Force camp. You know... the same guys that worked with Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam". He was also like "...you're gonna love the scratches on this record too."
I remember being 13, 14 years old, telling my parents I was going to a friends house and taking the #7 train instead into 42nd Street Times Square to buy records at my favorite shop, MUSIC FACTORY. I remember Lenny, who worked the cash register, would put me on to joint's like "Tom Sawyer" by Rush, "Big Beat" by Billy Squire, "Toys In The Attic" by Aerosmith and "Bob James One" by Bob James. Then I'd go to the Hip Hop section and rack up on the stuff I heard Red Alert, Chuck Chillout, Marley Marl, Spectrum City Crew (now known as Public Enemy), Johnny Juice, Hank Love and Awesome Two play on their radio shows. I'm talking stuff like "Ego Trippin" by Ultra Magnetic. "Tougher Than Leather" by Run DMC. The "Criminal Minded" album by Boogie Down Productions and "Do The James" by Superlover Cee and Casanova Rudd.
See, buying music back then was an experience that started at home while you listened to the radio. There would be that one song that had you feeling like "Yo, I gotta find this record by any means necessary." Then there was the excursion. You would plan a day in which you'd set everything aside to go look for this specific record. Even if it meant train rides from Jackson Heights, Queens to the Boogie Down Bronx. And once your excursion ended at one of the many record stores you visited on this day long journey, you would always have a knowledgeable staff member pull you aside and say "if you're into Run DMC, you might wanna check out Divine Sounds." You'd leave the store purchasing the one record you've been on your feet looking for all day plus other joints you probably weren't up on.
I'd be rushing to get back home just so I could sit down, turn my dad's equipment on, drop the needle to the record and study the album jacket, pictures and song credits as the music blasted through the speakers. I literally became one with the artist. I knew what studio they recorded in, who produced their tracks, who performed the scratches... I'd even catalog the addresses of each record label with hopes that someday I'd get signed after sending them one of 100s of demo tapes I'd work on composed of Psycho Les' (Beatnuts) beats from his Casio key board, my older brother's, Universe, vocals and my scratches. Profile, Def Jam, Reality, Sleeping Bag... never signed us but that only gave me more incentive to go buy this music, study it and understand how to one day make a HIP HOP song that people would eventually listen to.
Fast forward to today! Music fans are experiencing music in a totally different way. Actually, I take that back. Music fans today don't experience music. They hear it. Yeah, that's a much better word. They hear it. They hear the same 10 songs being played on mainstream radio then turn their laptops on and type in YOUTUBE on their browsers to watch the videos. Then they go to the club and ask the DJ to play that same song they've been hearing all day long. "Huh? Go to a record store and buy a record?" "Oh such and such just dropped an album? I gotta go download it from LIMEWIRE." Don't get me wrong, ain't nothing wrong with getting stuff for free every now and then. When I was on the come up as a DJ we had record pools. Basically, record companies would service well known club DJs, radio DJs, battle DJs, etc. with free records. I used to get vinyl in the mail every day from all types of record companies, but I'd always end up going on that records excursion anyway to find that joint that nobody was up on. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Music fans today are lazy, PERIOD!
As for Serato's roll in all of this, I have Serato and I still buy records. I mean, I don't know what else to say. Technology like Serato, CDJs etc., are not the blame in my opinion. DJs who don't take the time to dig anymore, DJs who don't make an effort to break new and innovative music, DJs who only download their music are just as much responsible for stores like Fat Beats closing as the music fans I talked about earlier. Look, I've downloaded music. We all have. Our world continuously evolves and as a result we must adapt to the technological changes occurring every day. But don't be surprised if you run into me at Big City Records getting my fingertips dusty, building with my boy Jared about new sounds I could use to inspire myself and my audience. I stay searching for that obscure record I can play on my online radio show Dope On Plastic (www.scionav.com/radio/channel14). I frequently surround myself around records, waiting to discover that one song I can flip at a live show! The problem is, it seems there's less of me and more of you make shift DJs that think "all I gotta do is buy Serato, download a few MP3's and presto, I'm ready to rock a little bar in the village." That is what's killing stores like Fat Beats.
I get it though, it's much easier to point the finger of blame at an inanimate object like a laptop that has no feeling, no emotion. It's always harder to look in the mirror and take responsiblity for a problem? For those of you who are with me, let's not let what happened to Fat Beats record store happen to the other remaining vintage record stores we love! We have to stop displacing the responsibility of keeping vinyl alive on a power outside of ourselves. Stop letting the "industry" tell you what's the cool way to obtain music. Downloading a song from your couch for free will never compare to searching it out at a record store you can actually hang out at and meet people that share an interest in similar music. Live people! Experience things! Avoid being an unthinking audience. Discover music in your own way and I promise, the world of music will open up in a way you never imagined.
Any of ya'll ever seen Pink Floyd's "The Wall"? If not, do the knowledge!
Peace
Rob Swift
Due to the unfortunate news of the closing of NYC's FAT BEATS record store (406 6th Ave. and 8th St.) I will be making my final in store appearance to promote my new EP, SKETCHES OF THE ARCHITECT (released by SCION). The in store begins at 6pm sharp on September 2nd. Special guest include, Breez Evahflowin and The Buck 50 Kutters. It will be my way of saying adios to a place that put me and my crew, The X-men, on the map! For you true Hip Hop fans, this is gonna be a special in store so don't miss out. I plan on performing my heart out one last time and pay respect to what for me, was the home base for Hip Hop DJs worldwide. Please come through and say farewell with us! |
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| plume |
Posted - 08/27/2010 : 8:27:04 PM
good read, thanks for sharing |
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