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With record companies adopting new digitally based models, and the musicians trying to keep a bigger cut, music retailers are caught in the middle.
“When you don’t even get a fair shot at it, then it’s pretty difficult to stay in the game,” says Fuchs.
But doesn’t Electric Fetus’s status as a local legend help?
“Oh, tremendously, it helps us,” says Fuchs. Many of the people who work there “eat, sleep, and breathe music.” This is a huge bonus for the savvy music lover who wants genuine service from someone who knows what she's talking about, or the local musician who needs a place to promote his music. This is where a retailer becomes more than just a business. They become an active, important part of the independent-music community.
“You go into some of the chain stores, and you might get help with something, or you might not,” he says. “Those are the kind of things that will make the difference, and that’s what keeps people coming back.”
So what can we do as individuals to stop this injustice? The solution is the same thing we must do if we want to stop the import of cheap Chinese goods, stop the oil companies from ripping us off, or stop Wal-Mart from pushing small retailers out of town: stop buying from them. Stop supporting them. Stop being a hypocrite. Unfortunately this is one area where we love to talk but hate to take action. It’s too hard, too expensive, and with the economy in shambles, who can blame us?
But music sales are different than raw commodities. We have little power over oil prices, and the cost of necessities like food and clothing are cheaper at Wal-Mart, thereby making survival easier for low-income families. But the discrepancy in the cost of music is pretty marginal when you consider that listening to music is a luxury, not a survival need (although this is debatable).
Of course, there are reasons other than cost that people download music. In our culture, where instant gratification has become king, the one-click buying technique is infinitely more rewarding than getting in the car, putting gas in it, and driving all the way to your nearest indie record store. At least for most.
Certain niche groups, such as DJs and record collectors, thrive on the record store experience. Digging through crates of old LPs is bread and butter for the high-fidelity vinyl junkies and music lovers. But is it enough to make a serious contribution to a store’s survival?
“There was a day a couple weeks ago where there were like 12 people in the store,” he says. “Five or six of them were shopping the LP aisle… It appeals to people on a lot of levels… If they want artwork, or they want a physical product, for many of them the LP is becoming the choice.”
Especially for those who want higher-quality sound. Digitally compressed files (MP3s, M4Ps, etc.) lose a lot of their original fidelity, including very low- and high-end details. This is of less concern to those listening to music through their iPod earbuds. But for the audiophiles who play it on their home stereos, the quality reduction is deplorable.
“Vinyl has given a lot of people hope,” Fuchs says. “Our vinyl sales have more than doubled in the last year. It’s still a small percentage, but it shows that some people still do want a physical product, much like they would like a book.”
Apparently, the majority of people still prefer a physical product, according to an article from Breitbart.com, which says that despite the rise of music downloads, 90 percent of album sales are attributed to CDs. Still, the proliferation of Amazon.com and other online retailers don't help the walk-in stores.
It’s anyone’s guess what record stores will look like in a decade. But Fuchs has a good idea of the direction they’re headed. He sees a combination of selling physical products, like new and used LPs, CDs and DVDs, and digital downloads—both in the store and online. This could help keep the Fetus from becoming another casualty in a seemingly endless massacre.
“But that will be up to a community to decide, if enough people decide that they’re going to shop and support this place,” says Fuchs.
Author’s thoughts…
For those who are fond of playing the blame game, there are several factors you could attribute to the death of the independent record store:
First and foremost is file "sharing." And when I say sharing, I really mean stealing. Artists who want you to share their music usually make it clear they're okay with that, and even then, it's often because they need more recognition before they can make money off it. If they're not okay with unauthorized distribution, it is technically stealing, no matter what your inner Marxist says. But you're not just stealing from the artists and their conglomerate, corporate record labels. You're stealing from the small companies who make the music available, i.e. record stores.
Another factor is this relatively new trend of bands giving away their music for free. It’s great for the band and it’s great for the end buyer. But it’s terrible for the record stores, who have always earned their wages as middlemen—and there’s nothing inherently wrong with doing that.
Finally (and this should appease your inner Marxist), some blame must be assigned to the record labels. They give huge deals to places like Best Buy and Wal-Mart to sell their music at bargain prices, undercutting the local guys. And it was the labels, after all, who for decades have been recording music and paying their artists peanuts compared to the millions spent on marketing, manufacturing, management, and distribution. But it's not all their fault. Until recently, bands needed this sort of help to get their names out there. Now, with the advancement of the Internet and so-called social media, it's a lot easier for a group to get recognition just on the merits of their talent (and a strong fan base to get them started). But the labels seem less willing to let go of the old model, and that's partially why they, too, are feeling the pinch of the changing industry dynamics.
But ultimately, we must blame ourselves. Few things motivate consumers like the promise of saving money, which is in turn motivated by greed. We underestimate the power we hold as consumers, which ironically devalues that power even more. For those who really cannot afford music but feel they cannot live without it, go to Wal-Mart. Go to iTunes. Download it for free. For those of us who have a little money to kick around, by all means give that money to an independent local company whenever possible. This extends to more than just music. Shop at community co-ops and farmers’ markets. Read local, independent media. Take your vehicle to the guy down the road to for repairs instead of the dealership.
According to the Small Business Association’s Office of Advocacy (http://www.sba.gov/advo), small businesses employ about half of all private-sector employees in America. They have generated 60 to 80 percent of all net new jobs in the last decade. They create more than half of our non-agricultural gross domestic product. It is the small businesses of America who make our country great and lend credibility to the very concept of capitalism as a viable economic system. Let’s give them a hand at a time when they need it most.
Down in the Valley, Electric Fetus, and Fifth Element (among others) are participating in Record Store Day on April 18, 2009, a day dedicated to advocating for the independent record stores that foster the creation and distribution of good music. Drop by your nearest location to see what they’ll be doing.
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Roe Pressley | 
