National Record Store Day - One Important Plea (4/19/08)

We all know that iTunes in the #1 retailer out there now. They're crushing the competition by outshining over Wal-mart, Circuit City, Best Buy, Target and FYE (I know, some of you are probably saying - What's FYE stand for???). More importantly, iTunes is slowly chipping away at what I know still for many of us hold dear - the physical album. For those unsure what I mean when I say "album", it could very well be vinyl record in a 12" x 12" sleeve or it could be a collection of songs on a CD by one artist presented in some sort of creative CD case, digipac or other form. An album is R.E.M. "Green" on cassette tape. An album is occasionally thrown in gratis by a record label like Matador or Merge Records when you purchase the downloaded version of the entire release.I could go on, but I'll stop here to let you know about a very important date for anyone who still cares about records, cassettes or CDs (not ripped or burned CDs, ones w/ artwork that you paid for). National Record Store is what I see as a last ditch effort, not to save the music industry or the record labels, but to save the dying breed of the record store, primarily the independent record store which is still clinging by a thread. There is still to my knowledge at least one independent record store in every state (with the possible exception of Alaska and Hawaii) and they're banding together to flip off iTunes and Best Buy and Wal-mart and Target. They're getting bands from as huge as Metallica and as indie as Nada Surf to nobodies like Jackie Greene to play in their record store. They're doing this to prove a point - that people still care about the album, and shopping in record stores, and buying independent, and spending $10 - $13 on a decent CD.With that being said, I urge any and all fans of music who are over the age of 23(anyone younger probably has never shopped in a record store outside of their local mall) to patronize their local record stores this Saturday, April 19, 2008. If you can't because there isn't one within a stones throw, at least purchase a physical record, 7", single, or CD from a local indie's website. Yeah, it might be a little more than the more convenient iTunes or it may take a few extra days to ship from the Record and Tape Traders warehouse, but dammit if you care about how music was 10, 15, 20 years ago, you'll do it.Here's a list of great independent records store along with the official website of National Record Store Day if you'd like to peruse. I'd recommend Vintage Vinyl if you're shopping online, their store is the best.www.nationalrecordstoreday.comwww.cims.comwww.musicmonitornetwork.comwww.vintagevinyl.comwww.recordandtapetraders.comThanks for listening,E.