Radio Survivor

View out of Grooves Records in San Francisco

Over the past few days I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of music that can be held in one’s hands. The third annual Record Store Day on Saturday (if you missed it, take a look at our Radio Guide for the event) celebrated both physical record stores and the non-digital releases sold within their walls.

As I visited two of my favorite San Francisco record stores, Aquarius and Grooves, I was elated to see people combing through bins of records and CDs and talking about music with each other.

I also spotted a case full of cassettes at Aquarius and boxes housing 8-track tapes at Grooves, illustrating that there is still a market for formats that many assume to be non-existent.

Cassettes for Sale at Aquarius Records

The success of this year’s Record Store Day speaks to the desire held by many to hang on to the physical aspects of music amid the pressures to “go digital.”

College radio is a logical home for some of these tensions, as some stations are getting rid of vinyl (and even CDs), using automation software, and are allowing DJs to use iPods during their radio shows.

8-Track Tapes for Sale at Grooves in San Francisco

These debates about the role of physical music in radio are at the core of an article that I wrote this week for PopMatters called “Technology and the Soul of College Radio.”

In the piece I talk about both the history of innovation in college radio (ever the trendsetter) and how the dark side of tech may be seeping in to its programming, threatening to homogenize the airsound and take away some of the energy and whimsy that I think should typify college radio.

The response to my article has been fascinating, with some people telling me that they are afraid to voice their opinions against digital music and with others sharing how their college radio stations have already gone to the dark side of commercial-esque Selector-scheduled programming. And I didn’t even get into the arguments related to fidelity, which is a big concern for many in the anti-digital music camp. What do you think? Does physical music make for better-sounding radio?

Record Store Day 2009 at Aquarius Records in San Francisco

The 3rd annual Record Store Day is taking place tomorrow (Saturday, April 17, 2010) in independent record stores all over the world. In honor of the event, stores will be hosting live performances, meet and greets with artists, and will be selling and giving away exclusive releases on both CD and vinyl.

It’s a wonderful celebration of record stores and of physical music in a day and age when both are being threatened by online alternatives.

Since radio and record stores are part of the same mission to expose new music to the masses, here’s a short guide to some of the radio stations planning special programming or events for Record Store Day 2010:

WRXP (New York City):

WRXP DJ Rich Russo has put together a limited edition LP full of performances by local bands (including Dramarama) recorded on his show or at live events. It’s only available on Record Store Day and is limited to 500 copies. Proceeds will go directly to indie record stores.

Additionally, Rich and fellow WRXP DJ Brian Phillips will be traveling to a number of the participating record stores to host live performances by some of the bands featured on the LP. WRXP DJ Paul Cavalconte (of the Sunday morning Vinyl Experience show) will also be on hand at Passout Records in Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon. Paul geared up for Record Store Day by playing some of the exclusive releases (he pulled some strings) on his show last Sunday. He’ll play more Record Store Day material on this Sunday’s show.

NME Radio (UK):

NME Radio aired a special focused on Record Store Day earlier this week.

The Current (Minneapolis, MN):

Minneapolis public radio station The Current is running a contest, airing Record Store Day-themed shows this Saturday, and posted a listing of events happening at record stores in Minneapolis on their website.

East Village Radio (New York City):

Online-only community radio station East Village Radio (EVR) is helping to promote Record Store Day in the New York City-area (and London!) and has a nice run-down of events listed on their website. Record store Fat Beats (which also hosts a show on EVR) will be featuring in-store performances all day.

WXRT (Chicago):

Today WXRT DJ Terri Hemmert shared some thoughts about the importance of record stores and how a record store employee in Chicago actually helped get the first Elvis Costello record played on WXRT back in 1977. The WXRT website also has a nice post from Terri about Record Store Day 2010.

WGN (Chicago):

WGN aired a lengthy interview with Steve Kay of Evanston, Illinois record store Vintage Vinyl (featured in High Fidelity). In their discussion they talk about the resurgence of vinyl and Record Store Day in which he says it “introduces people to the world of records.” In the interview he reveals that Vintage Vinyl will be the only store in the world selling a limited edition Smashing Pumpkins single (only 250 copies available) on red vinyl starting at 11am.

KUVO and Radio 1190 (Denver and Boulder, Colorado):

DJs from public radio jazz station KUVO and college radio station Radio 1190 will be spinning music at Record Store Day events in Denver, Colorado at Twist and Shout Records.

If there’s something going on at your local radio station for Record Store Day, let me know in the comments.

This past week I visited San Francisco. In addition to finally meeting my co-bloggers Matthew and Jennifer in person, I also made my pilgrimage to one of the best music stores in the country, Aquarius Records in the Mission.

The oldest music store in the city, Aquarius is not big, and it’s far from comprehensive in its selection. If you want the latest Black Eyed Peas or Bon Jovi albums you’re probably better off going to Ameoba. Instead, Aquarius specializes in arcane, experimental music, including obscure heavy metal. For most people the store would be inscrutable; to me, it’s heaven.

But it’s not just the inventory that makes Aquarius great. It’s that every CD and record in the place appears to be careful chosen, even curated. For a store its size quite a bit of space is given over to employee favorites and new releases. And every single one of those new or favorite albums has a paragraph-long write-up on the front describing the artist and album in loving detail.
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