A logo written in toothpaste

Mmmm. Another record shopping-based outing today. A small, but splendid, pile of records are being aired as I type. Currently, it's the new Stereolab, which is better than I'd expected after reading some mixed reviews on the net. The limited edition Japanese-style CD is rather fun too. Anyhoo, said record shopping expedition leads me to my (main) two topics for today.

Firstly, the Coalition of Independent Record Stores and secondly, the changing ways people purchase music, with a particular focus on those young rapscallions, Bloc Party.

I've mentioned the 'Coalition' a few times already and I'm still not convinced that it actually counts for anything. I've previously expressed my misgivings about the elitist approach it's taking and this has been underlined by my experiences over the past couple of weeks. As is my tendency at this time of year, I've been working my way round many of the independent record stores of the UK and, not being an especially shy chap, I've taken to engaging the staff (generally the owners, it must be said) of these stores in conversation about how business is going, which has, inevitably, brought us round to the topic of the Coalition.

When I first mentioned this idea it was alongside a blog post by the good folk at Norman Records that didn't paint the project in an especially pretty light. It would seem that the initial fears have proved absolutely correct. One of the main reasons quoted to Norm as to why they wouldn't be allowed into the Coalition was that this initiative is all about driving people back in to actual record shops rather than simply adding to online sales. As Norm pointed out at the time, many of the shops allowed in to the Coalition actually do a brisk trade online. Thus, it came as no surprise to me today to find that, upon visiting one of the Coalition stores - I'll not mention which one to avoid any assumptions about who said what - the Brett Anderson album, 'Wilderness', that is, apparently, exclusively available in Coalition stores in August ahead of its main release in September, had yet to arrive. It was officially released to these stores last Monday and yet this store had had none, and had no idea when they would actually arrive. However, Avalanche Records, who, if you remember, are the initial torch-holders for this endeavour, had plenty in stock from the off and have been merrily flogging them to anyone who wants them...via eBay! I know, just sit back and bask in the insane hypocrisy of that for a moment.

During the numerous chats I've had with Coalition members of late, it has been noted that a Brett Anderson album is hardly going to set the charts alight or keep the tills ringing for weeks on end. Surely, you don't release an album in a limited edition of 1900 if you think you can flog 1901, or more, copies of that title? That said, not even a handful of those 1900 copies had made it to at least one of the Coalition stores by this morning. When I last checked, Avalanche's eBay shop had put up 50 copies, and already sold 21 of them. Still, at least Avalanche aren't letting their position as 'head honcho' distort things in their favour. Oh, hang on. For fuck's sake, you're either trying to help out all of the people in the same, dire position or you're not.

Apparently, during the heated meetings that occur from time to time between representatives from the Coalition member stores one of the most recent (and I think you'll agree, brilliant) ideas was to have exclusive Coalition T-shirts that can only be bought from Coalition stores. Have you seen the Coalition logo? It's over to the right in amongst the links to independent record stores. It's truly appalling! The title of today's post is the best description I've been given of what the T-shirts look like. The most important point that's been raised, however, is who the bloody hell would actually wear one of these things, let along buy it? Furthermore, who even knows that the Coalition exists apart from over-keen people like my good self and you, my loyal readers? It seems like an exercise in dithering thus far. A Brett Anderson album that you couldn't pay most people to take away is exclusively available from Coalition stores - unless it's not of course. It's intended to provide an incentive to shop in a bricks and mortar record shop, and yet it's doing steady business on a world-famous, online - and let's be pretty fucking aware - corporate auction site. Mission accomplished.

Some readers may remember the joyous days of the 'Chain With No Name', regularly labelled as CWNN on adverts in the music press. Regular pages would tell you what the latest indie releases were and then, at the bottom of the ad, you could find out where to buy them from. CWNN occasionally led to little perks like bonus discs or posters you couldn't get elsewhere. Not CWNN T-shirts, you'll notice.

Some questions remain about the Coalition:

1. Who's it really for? Does the consumer really benefit when there's bugger all advertising, the stock isn't actually in the shops that it's supposed to be in and those in charge don't appear to care too much about other shops.

2. What's it really for? If it doesn't actually alter the record-buying experience, how will it have an impact? Is anyone going to think, "Balls to buying that CD on play.com for £6.99, I'm going in to town, to my local indie so I can get it for £9.99, but at least I'll have the chance to buy one of those lovely T-shirts?" I suspect - and I'd so dearly loved to be proved wrong on this - that the answer is no.

3. Does it actually have any meaningful principles? If web-only indie stores aren't going to be allowed in on the grounds that they don't cause people to tend towards independent stores on the high street, shouldn't all Coalition exclusives be store sales only? Isn't it a really shitty tactic to ostracise online-only dealers and then fill your pockets with eBay funded cash?

As virtually nobody knows about the Coalition and even fewer care, I think that'll have to be my last word on it for the time being. I'm sure I'll be whining about it again by this time next week.

And so, eventually, we come to the other topic of note. Bloc Party's new album, 'Intimacy', is out on Thursday, at 9am. No, really. Out of nowhere, they've come up with the idea of announcing an almost immediate download of an album, with a CD version to follow. It's revolutionary, I tell thee. To be fair, the manner in which they've done it is quite neat. It was only announced last night and yet, in a couple of days time, the album will be all over file-sharing networks the world over. And a few people will pay for it, I'm sure. However, it continues the logic I was touching on yesterday with my post about boxsets. The bands and record industries are desperately looking for anything that will give the business a quick cash injection. Using upfront, and unexpected, paid for downloads is a very simple way of avoiding the 'leak' issue that can cause untold damage to physical sales, as everybody illegally downloaded the album six weeks before it came out for real. Not the case with this. However, if you look at the new David Byrne and Brian Eno release, 'Everything That Happens Will Happen Today', which went on sale digitally yesterday. A CD will follow, if you took that option on purchase, but for now you've got the MP3 or flac files to play with. However, disproving the theory that this makes leaks less of an issue, within an hour of the webshop going live, the album was available for illegal download all over the internet. I'd recommend the Flac + CD option, personally, but the point remains that plenty of people don't expect to have to pay anything and giving them a good deal does nothing to change their minds.

Oh, and if 'Mercury' is anything to go by, it'll be a big bag of arse anyway. That said, I'm sure they'll get my tenner and I'll have a grumble about it on here at the end of the week.

That'll do for now, eh?

I stand before you to urge you towards Action

On Saturday, I spent a couple of hours sampling music on the MySpace pages of acts tagged as 'friends' on Steve Lamacq's page. In that time, I found one act I liked the sound of. One! My new found enthusiasm for tarting around on MySpace was quickly extinguished. The one act I liked? Well, for a start, they've already split up but, on the plus side, you can download their music for free from their site.  They are The Arrogants and their music is essentially a rockier Sundays. Occasionally somebody gives them a few too many blue Smarties, but I suggest you have a listen. Go here for free audio goodness.

I finally visited Action Records in Preston yesterday. I've used them for mail order from time to time over the years, but I'd never previously experienced the shop. It was a delightful (and costly) experience. I'll get my one concern out of the way immediately: For most of the time that I was in the shop, there was no music playing. That's not right, is it? I used to have to budget extra when shopping in the now defunct Reveal Records of Derby to allow for the inevitable purchase of whatever was on the 'now playing' shelf. I expect to be bombarded with tunes and I don't remotely care if they're actually toss, just so long as they're there. Which reminds me. The other week, whilst browsing the vinyl department of a well-known Midlands indie store, the young lad behind the counter decided that the next record we were going to hear was the current (and oh-so-very-perfect) Elbow album, 'The Seldom Seen Kid'. He'd been playing a dance 12" previously and so, just as the record was starting, he flicked the speed from 45 to 331/3. Unfortunately for him, that particular album is pressed on two 45rpm discs. Plus, the opening track has a long, instrumental build-up before the vocal arrives. Hoping to communicate in the way only slightly anti-social, slightly hairy musos can, I looked across at him trying to convey my confusion about what was coming out of the speakers. At this point, he gave me a look that I can only describe as, "What, peasant? Haven't you heard this great record?" Once Guy Garvey's delightful voice grace the speakers, he hurriedly (and, agonisingly, audibly) dragged the needle away from the vinyl. A few seconds later, it returned at the correct speed. As I was leaving, I looked across and he scowled at me. If you're going to be an indie snob, know your bloody tunes. Like me, for example!

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, Preston. Action Records is packed full of quality stock and disturbingly good prices. In particular, the new vinyl section is very reasonably priced. For example, the Johnny Flynn album, 'A Larum' is available as a double-vinyl, pop-up gatefold sleeve, limited edition for £20. In Action, £18. And such was the case for many other titles I could mention. There's a huge CD sale with piles of stuff reduced (admittedly not all of it worthy of your attention). Back catalogue isn't marked up ludicrously and it's clear that their approach to stock control is to keep prices low on stock that isn't shifting. Seems sensible, but so few other record shops do it. I won't say much more other than to once again recommend their excellent mail order service which is available on their website here and to reiterate how delightful I found to be.  A rare beacon of splendour on an increasingly dour music shopping landscape.

On that note, I've put up a link to the 'Coalition' site along with the other record shops on the right-hand side of the page. I mentioned it a few months back and how it's meant to unite the remaining indie stores in the UK to make them stronger and to help with business. However, they're still not involving the good folk of Norman Records (or some other indie mail order types I can think of) because they don't have an actual shop. Surely, for something designed as a means of fighting the big companies who shut off doors to small companies, being elitist is rather anti the ethos of the Coalition? Who knows.

An exclusive coalition?

Having wittered on about 'Record Store Day' last week, I did a bit of internet pootlage and found out a little bit about the Coalition Of UK Indie Stores. This has, apparently, been set up to try and fight the corner of indie stores, across the length and breadth of the country. Apparently, there will be Coalition-only releases in order to curry favour with those who might shop elsewhere, along with future events and the like.

However, there are only twenty-three stores in the coalition. As there are more than twenty-three independent record stores in Britain (admittedly, not many more) how can this be a true coalition? So far, it's been announced that the boss of Avalanche Records is in charge for the early months, and then leadership will pass to the supremo at Rough Trade East. Fair enough, you say, and so did I, until I read this.

Interesting post on the Norman Records blog. Click me!

A coalition of some indie stores then, and definitely not any of those excellent mail order only stores that offer a huge range of stock, fantastic customer service and tremendous reviews. The comment about the difference between Norman Records and Avalanche was what annoyed me most. What a twatty thing to say. And plain, bloody wrong.

I suspect that this particular blog post will make for an interesting read as it develops over the next few days.