Hard News: Real Gone
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@Robin,
that seems to be a global phenomena. I was in Hong Kong last week and the mighty, ninety year old, HMV chain is now about 70% DVD. That said, the CDs were retailing for an average of about NZ$15 so it was tempting (and I succumbed) . -
the Record Exchange - later 123 K Rd was my favourite place.
I spent so much time there that it became a home away from home, and I became friends with Nev and Steph there
Great people, and Nev's stash of vinyl in the basement was huge
Never really liked Real Groovy though - didnt feel as at home there as I did at 123
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That said, the CDs were retailing for an average of about NZ$15
that's more in the ball park.
youll know this of course simon but in nz a lot of people don't realise that almost half of a $34 cd price is mark up.
a CD selling in at $17.74 goes out at $32
a 19.94 cd goes out at $34.95
Record shops in NZ take a huge cut.large chunks of the nz content were supplied on sale or return basis ie the band or label wore the cost of the disc till it sold. -
For United Future I’m trying to think of something offensively Middle of the Road. Air Supply?
Air Supply are currently hosting a great infomercial for Time Life's Soft Rock collection ... perfect.
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The crazy thing was that although I was pretty upset when RG took over Echo in Dunedin, I reckon I must have spent (on an average basis) about double or triple the amount per month at RG than I ever did at Echo. Like another poster, I did enjoy the reggae imports, and it was always nicely discounted (and I found it hilarious that it was right beside the metal section!)
But the real shame is this recent event effectively leaves Dunedin without a specialist record store.
Meanwhile, despite the recent ChCh buyout, they seem to be struggling through things as well- their array of music there is scarcely what it was several months ago, and the shop looks a bit of a mess too.
The real question is who is going to come in and fill the vacuum that this has left. Will JB-Hifi get their tentacles down south? I would welcome them here, for sure...certainly they'd provide better range and access.
At least ChCh still has Galaxy Records. God I love that store- one of those places where even though the stock isn't massive, it has everything you're looking for and usually at a pretty sweet price. And the manager is a great sort.
I must admit near the end of RG's decline, I discovered some of their stuff (particularly recent reissues) was actually cheaper to get at the Warehouse- I managed to pick up the new CCR remasters at a good price the other day.
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Here's an observation - most main street music shops now seem to have more of a focus on DVDs rather than CDs. The DVDs are the exciting displays up the front that lure the punters in, while the CDs are the specialist section down the back.
That's pretty true- and as a film buff, I've got no problem with that! But it does mean that stores, particularly specialist music ones, will have to think of a means to rebrand themselves, without casting their net too wide.
One thing I never quite understood about the Auckland RG (which, until recently, was my first port-of-call whenever I was up there), was their relatively large clothes section. Out of curiosity, did they ever make any money out of it?
Another thing that annoyed me about RG was near the end how much they seemed to overcharge for 2nd hand CDs and Vinyl, supposedly the lifeblood of the store. And then being equally stingy when giving out credit for the exchange.
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youll know this of course simon but in nz a lot of people don't realise that almost half of a $34 cd price is mark up.
I first worked this out years ago when I hooked up with Nathan from Chant Distribution to buy import reggae at wholesale prices. I used to get the Trojan, Pressure Sounds, Blood & Fire stuff at $19-$24. I knew it was a good deal but didn't realise initially that, as UK import stuff it was being sold by RG et al at $40-$50 retail.
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I used to happily rummage the RG singles and sales tables. I also recall ordering in a few CDs at $50 a pop in about 2002, such as Understanding by New Flesh, which I thought was genius at the time.
A drop in disposable income around 2004 saw me paying rather less regular visits - I popped in in late 2007 to buy Mint Chicks tickets, but that's the last time I've entered the store.
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the Record Exchange - later 123 K Rd was my favourite place.
oh yes, they were great - that was the one near the cnr of Pitt St wasn't it? And what about the one across the road? Near where the subway is now? What was that called? And the one at the top of Victoria St? Was that where 123 relocated to, or am I thinking of someone else?
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3410,
What was that called?
Revival Records?
Used to be where the Sky Tower is now. Great shop, in its day. -
that was it - great place as I remember.
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There once was a great one in Cuba Street in Wellington, across from Slow Boat Records--once bought a near entire collection of Al Green on vinyl, which remains safely stored away.
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while we're doing the music shop trawl in chch there was record joynt in atlantis market which became galaxy records, and moved a couple or 3 times.
Then there were 2 echo records, mouse trap records, tony green who now runs and part owns amoeba records in San Francisco used to work in a record store in riccarton mall that used to stock far to many cool import records that no one ever bought out there so they'd all end up in the sales bin. Then the university bookshop was run by some cool musicians and there were some great imports out there and a small second hand section.now there is a best kept secret shop called penny lane which has a massive collection of vinyl, from moms who biff out their 40 year old sons collection cos he's been overseas for 15 years type thing. prices are pretty reasonable and the vinyl turns over quickly.
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123 was originally th Record Exchange in St Kev's Arcade....and later the 123 k rd shop on the corner opposite the bank
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Then the university bookshop was run by some cool musicians and there were some great imports out there and a small second hand section.
When I was at school it was managed by Tony Peak of the Vandals and Newtones, who was super-cool. We'd go in there and leaf through the new wave imports. I think my first import orders were placed via Tony.
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United Future should be something like... who's a kind of crossover, mildly Christian, shittily average band?
Creed.
James Blunt/Mayer/Morrison
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Tony Peak of the Vandals and Newtones, who was super-cool. We'd go in there and leaf through the new wave imports. I think my first import orders were placed via Tony.
same. the had some extreme music just sitting on the shelf, and they actually played a lot of it in store. that was when universities were a thriving bed of alternative thinkers and course fees were nothing or very little, or they paid YOU to go.
its a lot more serious now. -
Tony Peak of the Vandals and Newtones, who was super-cool.
Circa 1980 it was the best record store in the country. We used to go to work Chch into North Island tours just to go there! Tony used the university's academic exception to import restrictions to bring in punk, reggae and indie vinyl, as, at the time, importing music was just about impossible unless you managed to score one of the very rare, and quite limited, import licenses. Memories of Muldoonism.....
You young fellas don't know how lucky you are
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Circa 1980 it was the best record store in the country. We used to go to work Chch into North Island tours just to go there! Tony used the university's academic exception to import restrictions to bring in punk, reggae and indie vinyl,
Yeh, we practically used to live there when I was at uni. So did a lot other people as well, it was always a fairly lively end of the shop. After Tony I think Steve Birss took over before he got a stint drumming for the Exponents. I didn't see him for years until about 3 years ago when I wandered into Real Groovy Chch and there he was, back from Aus and stacking vinyl shelves. Had an extreme moment of deja vu and then we had a great old catch up about what we'd been up to.
Someone mentioned music shops on Cuba St above and I presume they were referring to Solid Air run by John Pilley. Was a sad day when that placed closed down but John has done very well for himself as the music man at Radio NZ (I think).
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Heard a brief thingie on National Radio (Jim Mora's show this afternoon) about some guy from Dunedin starting a campaign to save Real Groovy, and thought "That might be worth a listen".
Then realised it was the guy who's idea of "a campaign" is a Facebook group - seriously, how is 23 (random number pulled out of my arse) people blethering and wittering (and probably twittering - yes, I'm down with the kids) in Facebook a CAMPAIGN?
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It's internet activism. Or, as I like to call it, inactivism.
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It's internet activism. Or, as I like to call it, inactivism.
That's... beautiful, man.
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Then realised it was the guy who's idea of "a campaign" is a Facebook group - seriously, how is 23 (random number pulled out of my arse) people blethering and wittering (and probably twittering - yes, I'm down with the kids) in Facebook a CAMPAIGN?
It was on stuff's front page as well. I clicked on it thinking it might be a real campaign, but no. I think the number of people was 500 or something, but unless it's a million, I fail to see how it is news.
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That's... beautiful, man.
It was funnier in my head, and it's late here. Leave me alone.
Of course, for the time being at least the media will report this sort of crap as if it's something serious, in the same way that 'subject x has 800 000 hits on google' was once a testimony to its importance.
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It was funnier in my head, and it's late here. Leave me alone.
I actually thought it was bloody good. I spent some time trying to think of another term that captured the idea, but I think you got it in one. Having a pleasant evening? :P
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