Hmmm, I was always under the impression it was called Whorehouse Music. Maybe it was me, maybe it was that awesome shirt, I don't know... Allright!!! Near my old hood!!! I'm still pissed they closed the driving range for the stupid apartments.
All this talk of record stores caused me to have a flashback of my early days back in Austin. I seem to remember a record store called Zebra records just south of the UT campus. It all seems like a dream now, because I don't remember much from that period of my life. I was there about 23 years ago, and I believe it was one of the last places I visited before I flunked out of UT and returned to Houston. I remember it as if it were almost yesterday. Does anyone remember such a place, or is this just another hallucination?
I went to the Williams Trace and US 59 location and bought a Sugarcult DVD for like $4. It was $10 plus 60% off, so I thought that was a good deal. Their DVD prices are basically almost the same price as the MSRP so it aint really that much of a bargain.
Dude,...we are definately the minority here, but i'm glad to know that there is someone with integrity out there besides me. as much as i think what goes around comes around,...the Major's had it comin' in reguards to a backlash and i don't really pity the Industry at all. However, like you & I know ultimately its the Artist that suffers. and all these guys & gals downloading music for free today......in the not so distant future will be the hipocrites whom will be posting on this same board......." what happen to all the good music that used to come out" .... " Nobody makes music anymore " ........No **** Sherlock.........all of us musicians had to go get jobs to pay our bills, because we could no longer provide for our families doing music because no one would pay us. once again,...i have no beef with with those companies that have been ripping off fans for years not to mention artist themselves, but this causal attitude that we should get music for free is absurd. here's to more small independent labels with cheaper prices.....i don't mind paying 10 bucks a CD that's reasonable but the Industry has to realise that high CD prices is what's driving fans to these free download sites........we fans simply can not afford to pay for all the music that we like at those prices.
My old and current hood. I grew up there and now I own a house there. For those of you with a keen sense of history (in other words, those of you who are as old as the hills as I am), do you remember Evolution, the record eek: ) store that used to be at the NW corner of South Post Oak and West Bellfort? That was the neighborhood head shop while I was growing up in the late 1970s. I remember going there in high school to buy a copy of Yes' "Fragile" album along with a brand new plastic bong. Aaah, the memories...
hey Blockbuster was good for one thing...being able to listen to any cd in the store before buying it (or going across the street to Best Buy to save 5 bucks).
I don't think it was a hallucination, although my memory is a tad fuzzy as well. There were many cool places around the Drag and UT. Hell, all over Austin. One of the coolest places I ever went to in Austin, and this was in the late '60's, was the Vulcan Gas Company. It was very similar to the Love Street Light Circus at Allens Landing in Houston... you laid on the floor on cushions, did whatever you wanted, and listened to some of the greatest music around... 13th Floor Elevators, Movin' Sidewalks (became ZZ Top), Mother Earth... great days.
Yeah, I actually really liked the name "Blockbuster Music" better too. It's great for used CDs (sometimes), and if I want a CD NOW that I can't find anywhere else, WH Music usually had it. I think they got hurt by two things. First, the prices were way too high. Best Buy has a great CD selection (well, compared to Circuit City anyways) with prices about $5 less. WH Music was just too damned expensive. $16.99 is way too much for a CD. Hell, $12 is too much, IMO. If CDs were $8, I think sales would go up drastically. But that's beside the point. The second reason I think WH music died is that their competitive advantage was killed by the internet. They couldn't compete on price, but they could beat Best Buy on selection, and used CDs. Well for selection, I can order CDs on the internet that WH music doesn't carry, and every CD they do carry. Plus, ebay is great for used CDs, as is spun.com and other online sites.
My favorite record store during my days in Austin was Inner Sanctum, located near Mad Dog & Beans on 24th street just west of campus. I spent lots of my folks' money in there when I was in college! Is Inner Sanctum still there? I haven't been to Austin in a while, in case you couldn't tell!
I know Mad Dog and Beans isn't, or the cafe with the French name (blanking out) that was just on the other side. Man, I'll have to drive by and check it out! I used to go to all those places... then we had kids. (sigh... I love 'em, but they sure complicate your life!)
F Blockbuster Music. I worked at that place & they drug tested us by making us take the "hair test." If you've never had one done, they cut off a huge chunk of your hair & then can see anything you did while that length of hair was on your head. All this just to work at a record store... Did I mention having to work a New Year's Day at like 9am? WTF!? I was still wasted - my hangover kicked in around 1pm. Oh, and we had 2, yes 2 f-ing customers, the whole day...
You don't want record store workers who do the drugs. They could get all high and start recommending Celine Dion or something. That's why drug testing is necessary in the record sales business.
