Elly Roberts reviews

POP GOES ANOTHER MUSIC SHOP!

Modernity strikes yet another crushing blow. This time it’s the music industry, as it finally realises it’s in a crisis – or does it? Mark my words; there are dark days ahead for all involved in the business. In part, the record companies are paying the price for ripping - off customers for several years. Elvis Costello confirmed this in a candid interview 18 months ago. He was bold in the face of possible recriminations, but ex-bank clerk Costello has his head screwed on, and thankfully he hasn’t been targeted for his honesty.

In addition, the world has seen another phenomenal change – the ‘downloaders’. I like to call them – prudent reactionaries. They either, legally get cheaper songs, (or illegally free) because the music is stripped of hangers – on: or as they’re officially called - the entourage. Downloading is no frills, but boring. People still want to show-off their collection, just like book fans do. I certainly do.

Another vehicle for accessing cheaper products has come via the supermarkets that offer ‘chart only’ new releases at highly competitive prices. In reality, they’ve captured the family market or lazy buyers who can’t be bothered to visit independent or chain stores. A step in the right direction has come from some artists who insist on a £2 threshold on singles.

For the real ‘muso’ like me, and there are millions of us, this brings its inherent problems. The genuine music fan obviously wants a good deal, and will invariably gravitate towards it. In my game, it is essential to get my hands on the peripheral information which normally comes with the item: where it was recorded, who produced it, which composers are involved, musicians, and yes, even the lyrics. Download gives you none of this.

Before I ventured into music journalism, I was a real anorak when it came to these essential details. The net result being, I had a wealth of information stored, and ready at my disposal should I need it. Artist recommendation was commonplace in those days, and believe it or not, it’s invaluable today. In effect, it opened up a new world for me as we swapped LPs for fun, discovering new information along the way.

As a student in 1977, I was fortunate to work in what was then Wrexham’s leading indie store –Rabbit Records owned by Phase One proprietor Alun Hughes. I got the Saturday and holiday job, not only because I needed the cash, but because I was knowledgeable and passionate about music. Such was my enthusiasm; I became store manager in 18 months. The formats were simple back then: 7" singles, LPs and cassettes, followed rapidly by the 12" single. With these changes came new styles of music: Disco, Punk, New Wave, Modern Romantics, which led to various other spin-offs, pushing the boundaries of contemporary music to its limits. In the process they led to genres that went further from core pop music, thus fracturing the music industry as independent labels popped up everywhere. In essence, they catered for minority tastes.

Things haven’t been the same since. Then came the CD in the 80s, the mini-disc, and the rest is history. Through this little gem of a shop on Bridge Street, I met a host of up – and - coming DJ’s and musicians, most of whom I still see to this day. Customers still remember me from those halcyon days. Life-long friendships were forged during that time. Whenever possible, we still help each other out even to this day. It was as much a meeting point as a store. The gossip, the wind-ups, the camaraderie has not diminished one iota. Interactive was the ethos of the workplace – the personal touch meant everything.

In 1980, a well established north Wales outlet moved into High Street, which partly played in the demise of Rabbit Records. Two years later Alun Hughes bounced back - he’d relocated and morphed into Phase One Records on King Street. Since then, successive chain stores have come and gone, but POR has weathered them all. Despite trying to keep pace with rapid technological changes, sound quality has dramatically improved. In some cases the product hasn’t. Over the years, one thing has never changed – the thrill of buying a new piece of music. Ok, it’s a childish emotion without any doubt, but I don’t care.

On July 12 1963 I bought my first record – Twist And Shout by The Beatles, which I still have. Ironically, it was from an independent stall in the Vegetable Market in Wrexham. I can still see me walking up to the high counter, (don’t forget I was only eight years of age), as my parents watched me nervously approach the stall. I handed over the cash, and there it was in all its glory - in my possession. Forty two years on, I still get a buzz every time I look at the cover of John, Paul, George and Ringo leaping up in the air on some derelict building in Liverpool. Pavlov called it Stimulus Response.

There was no record player in our modest home at the time. I had to wait a punishing six months before my Christmas present arrived – a Dansette record player. I can’t even begin to articulate the emotion. I can feel it now as I write : such is the power of music. So, as technology progresses at alarming rates, where have we actually reached? Well, we find music fat cats running scared. Why? Clearly, over investment in totally talent - less acts is a major factor – we know who they are. Over-pricing, the bane of every customer has been justified as ‘future investment‘. Lack of vision by them has finally set in.

In the past four years, I’ve seen and heard a wealth of local and national talent. Musicians will tell you that there’s a ground-swell of opinion that consolidates my belief that the current shock waves are in the higher regions of the Richter scale. The domino effect equivalent of a Tsunami is about to be unleashed, with the tail-end ripples shaping-up ominously. Some reps are quaking in their boots as more and more independent stores fall by the wayside. Result? Redundancy. No doubt, all aspects of the industry will be affected.

A case in point was record producer Phil Beaumont of Forge Recording Studio based at the border town of Oswestry who confirmed this hypothesis. He made sweeping adaptations in response to drastic changes in his field of work, which has proved very profitable. Phil said, "At one time all our work was for the record companies. Since the lack of new signings, bands have been forced to set up their own independent labels to market their own product. In response, we’ve restructured prices to cater specifically for the independent artist. This means that bands have easier access to equipment and are able to stay for longer periods in the studio."

The PRS Foundation is the UK’s largest funder for new music of any genre. Launched in March 2000, it aims to stimulate and support the creation and performance of new music. Funding over 1,000 initiatives to date, to the tune of nearly five million, it led to Phil rethinking his operations. Therefore, I believe it’s necessary to encourage entrepreneurialism by developing a strong network of independent stores to facilitate the sales of the independent artist. Some national stores do accept these products, but not on grand enough a scale.

It is also necessary to maintain the current operating outlets such as Phase One. Its closure would be a travesty to the town in general. It’s not only a local concern, but a national one, which simply cannot be ignored any longer. Another aspect, the’ grey pound’ theory has only just dawned at boardroom level. We’re talking about folks with greater disposable income i.e. big spenders – particularly on luxury or leisure items. With this, album sales are soaring, music DVD’s even more so. MOR playlists by the likes of BBC Radio 2 have transformed the channel into the most successful in the land. On that channel, people consider they’re getting value for money. Bona fide singer – songwriters are fighting over themselves to get air play.

In real terms, the record companies have failed to recognise the death of certain genres. Hip - hop, Rap, Thrash Metal etc, are dead in long term commercial value. Thuggish youths spouting on about indigenous or parochial problems, usually angst ridden, have failed to hit the point of popular music. Remember punk? It lasted 18 months max. Pop music is meant to be universal - period. Minor acts are not executing commercial sense by crossing over to the mainstream. Some do, most don’t. Some don’t even want to – it’s their prerogative. If they do, they aren’t around for too long either there’s little or no longevity because they’re gripped by fame and fortune. There are more one-hit wonders than ever. More worryingly, where are the so called ‘Super Groups’? Only a handful exists, and they’re elder statesmen now. Few can sustain the long run, because they’re not encouraged to do so.

Flash the flesh, make up artists, bubblegum songs is the order of the day - total ‘shortermism’ is the stupid agenda. TV talent shows have spawned some horrifically useless characters who believe their own hype. Most end up being nothing more than ‘pantomime acts’. Perhaps the charts should be re-invented. Pantomime chart for the likes of Geri Halliwell (who’s recently discovered her ‘true voice’ at last!) and a real music chart for Alex McEwan, James Blunt, Ben Lee and Ben Folds. Not a bad idea in reality, because reality doesn’t prevail on the present scene. They win for a bit, whilst flavour of the month. They either fade away, or they’re dropped like a lead balloon: Scary Spice, and various members of S Club 7 for example. They desperately try to make a comeback or comebacks in some cases, even though they’ve long lost the credibility factor. That’s when the panic button is pushed on both sides – by artist and company.

When they’ve failed, they’re mortified. It’s time for rehab, crash diets, boob jobs, 48 hour marriages, Celebrity Fat Club, or if they’re really lucky - I’m A (so-called) Celebrity ..Get Me Out Of Here, rounded-off with an exclusive tabloid sob story, presumably sold for quite a few bob for ludicrous reincarnations. Shamelessly for the fast buck, they reveal more of their personal lives than their supposed talents. In short, they’re a laughing stock. It gets madder by the minute as millions of pounds of company money is wastefully flushed down the pan. Funnily enough, we all know it, so how come they don’t? Maybe something to do with greed, rather than common sense?

The record-buying public will only be fooled for so long, and we’ve seen enough to remind us of our folly. Frustratingly, pop has mutated into pap: music into muzak, yet it seems the coffers still swell up for the manufactured acts. As if things weren’t bad enough, artistic licence leads to writers and singers using blatant expletives – Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics appears on virtually every album or single these days. There is no place for such arrogance, and more worryingly why do the record companies allow it? It only serves to alienate them even more from potential buyers and much needed income.

Greats like Elton John, Paul McCartney, U2 et al, never resort to those kinds of desperate attention seeking tactics. Basically, the people in charge have totally lost the plot. Maybe, just maybe, they’ve actually had the wake-up call. CD singles prices seem to be tumbling, even if they are inconsistent in their pricing. Thankfully, along the way, we’ve lost the four-track CD (with innumerable amounts of unnecessary remixes) to a more realistic ‘VFM’ – Value For Money.

Market forces have played a helping hand i.e. internet downloads, and in some places, lack of sensitive structural planning. With this new angle of acquiring music, we’re deprived of all the add-ons mentioned earlier. As a nation we’re witnessing the new phenomenon of ‘cloned towns’. We’re also witnessing less community pride and interaction which indies prove otherwise. On a recent visit to Amsterdam, they seemed to be on every street and flourishing. There’s something rather special about them - they’re unique and you feel it as you enter.

With regard to supermarkets, funnily enough, we’ve seen the re-invention of the corner shop mentality. Seems like what goes round, finally comes round after all. One day, I am confident, the current trend will be reversed, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Wrexham sees the emergence of another indie music shop – but it might need a helping hand from all concerned. Perhaps this little boy can once again relive those cherished memories, as he willingly hands over the cash.

Of course, I simply can’t ponder on who I might be handing it over to.

Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.