Record Store Day 2010

Today, Saturday April 17th, 2010 is the 3rd annual Record Store Day. Get out to the participating independent record stores and help support!

Check out this interview with Record Store Day's co-founder Eric Levin.

Happy Record Store Day!

Record Store Day

Today, April 18th, 2009 is Record Store Day. Get out and support your local record stores. Check out the official Record Store Day website HERE

A Brief Interview

This afternoon I made my way down to the Old City section of Philadelphia where I had the opportunity to chat with Mike, the owner of AKA Music. In between the many phone calls he received during the time I was there (he was in the middle of working), Mike was nice enough to let me ask him a few questions about music, the business, and some other miscellaneous things. Here is the transcription of both my questions and his answers:

Q: How is business now as apposed to 5 or 10 years ago?
A: It's still good. We are a niche operation that caters to the "music enthusiast". Mostly people looking for more independent artists and bands.

Q: What is currently popular/selling?
A: Right now: Beruit, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (All mostly independent artists)

Q: Is the music industry at fault for the decline in overall album sales?
A: Yes. They are just looking for big hits and aren't interested in developing an artist's career.

Q: Do you think radio is dying out?
A: I can't say I really even listen to it. Some college stations are okay, but popular radio is awful. It's all programmed and they don't take any chances.

Q: Who are some of your favorite new artists?
A: I don't listen to too many but a few of them are: Intrusion (minimalist-electronic) Matthew Shipp (jazz) and Zombi ( kind of like early Kraftwerk)

Q: Do you think the CD will ever "die" ?
A: You mean the physical CD? no I don't think it will.

Q: When you listen to music, are you more about lyrics or the instrumentation?
A: Music first

Q: What do you think about rap music?
A: I like some of it, more of the underground stuff.
Q: Because you are more instrumentals first?
A: Exactly. Also it depends on what music it's sampled from and how sharp that is.
Q: Is there anybody in particular?
A: Yesterday's New Quintet, they haven't anything in a while but have done some different side projects and things.

Q: What is one of your favorite albums of all time?
A: Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers"

Q: What was the last concert you went to?
A: Jon Hassell

Q: Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison?
A: Hendrix, easily.

Q: What are some keys to success in this industry? Whether you are starting a band, label, business, or whatever. Is there anything that could help you across the board in all of them?
A: Persistence and the first person you need to sell that to is yourself.

Our conversation ended as I thanked Mike for his time and honest answers. I'm glad I got to talk with him a bit and I'm sure I will make my way back to AKA in the future.