The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Record Store
A Global History
Gina Arnold editor Matthew Worley editor John Dougan editor Prof Christine Feldman-Barrett editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:13th Jul '23
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This book provides an in-depth examination of the cultural significance of record stores, exploring their impact on communities and individual lives. The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Record Store highlights personal histories and broader social practices.
In The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Record Store, the author explores the profound impact of record stores on both individuals and communities. These establishments have long served as conduits for new music, often circumventing the traditional corporate music industry. By championing local enterprises, record stores have facilitated unexpected social mobility and fostered a unique relationship with shopping, capitalism, and art. Through the lens of various record stores, the book examines how these spaces have shaped aesthetic tastes, social practices, and even ideologies over time.
The narrative takes a global perspective, highlighting diverse examples from women-owned and independent record stores to reggae shops in London and Rough Trade in Paris. Each chapter collects personal stories, memories, and factual accounts that illustrate the significance of these locations. The book not only re-centers the record store as a marketplace of ideas but also delves into the often-overlooked personal histories that have unfolded within their walls. By drawing on interdisciplinary approaches, it reveals how these stores have contributed to the evolution of musical genres and have played a pivotal role in community building.
Ultimately, The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Record Store serves as the first comprehensive academic exploration of record stores on a global scale. It invites readers to reflect on the cultural and social dimensions of these beloved spaces, celebrating their legacy while acknowledging the challenges they face in the modern age.
A great, authoritative deep dive into the global social history of establishments which its editors ... describe as “subcultural space... clubhouses for music fanatics... [and] genre-specific sanctuaries for ‘outsider communities'”. ... You can almost smell the racks as you read. * Record Collector *
Record stores have been my support group, downfall, family room, grad school, sociological experiment, clubhouse, bank, ashram, ashtray and alibi for over fifty years—apart from playing music, it’s all I know. This book is right up my alley and likely yours as well. * Peter Holsapple, Continental Drifters/The dB’s *
The next best thing to going to a record store is reading about them. This is a fascinating study and I particularly enjoyed its international aspect from Christchurch to Teheran. We are all united by this unique subculture. * Geoff Travis, Founder of Rough Trade Records, UK *
Mixing memoir, history, and sociology, The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Record Store is an unparalleled paean to the record store as a vital community resource that links local listeners to global flows of music, culture, and capital. Required reading for discophiles of all stripes. * Steve Waksman, Author of Live Music in America: A History from Jenny Lind to Beyoncé, Elsie Irwin Sweeney Professor of Music, Smith College, USA *
This fascinating anthology proves that record stores have long been so much more than places to buy records. Essays document their important role as cultural actors who call communities and genres into being, play important roles in politics and national musical cultures, promote tourism, spread music around the globe, and continue through dark times. Viva la Record Store! * Norma Coates, Associate Professor, Western University, Canada, and President, US Branch, International Association for the Study of Popular Music *
ISBN: 9781501384509
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
296 pages