I've written about my fondness for record stores before—when Sam The Record Man's flagship Yonge Street shop closed last May and when Music World declared bankruptcy in November. Unfortunately, the record store concept is beginning to seem like yet another example of “don't know what you've got till it's gone.” But HMV is still in the fight and today, along with a slew of musical guests, they revealed their 'Store of the Future' design in their Bloor Street location in Toronto.
One of the musicians performing was Billy Bragg, in town for his Harbourfront gig later tonight. During his thirty minute set, Billy pointed out one of the many bonuses of real life record stores: live appearances. He kidded that the newly relaunched Bloor Street store is where Canada will make it's last stand against MP3s. Mentioning that HMV was one of the few record stores to feature a “Canadian” section, he also suggested that a dearth of bricks and mortar stores could make it even more challenging for Canadian music to find an audience.
As always, watching Billy play was both a pleasure and surprise—you're never sure what, from his extensive back catalogue and/or influences, he'll play and what he has to say is always every bit as interesting. This afternoon's acoustic set featured: Sexuality, M For Me, Early Morning Rain (Gordon Lightfoot cover), Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards and A New England (complete with Kirsty MacColl verse and energetic audience singalong).
I'd promised myself that in the event that Billy was signing afterwards, and that I got a chance to speak to him again, I'd tell him what an inspiration he's been over the years {gush time} and give him one of my advance reader copies for I Know It's Over.
So yes, he hung around to meet fans after and that's an advance reader copy of my first novel in Billy Bragg's left hand. Let me tell you, you don't get THAT feeling from sitting at home with your MP3s. Nope, you gotta go to the record store.
One of the musicians performing was Billy Bragg, in town for his Harbourfront gig later tonight. During his thirty minute set, Billy pointed out one of the many bonuses of real life record stores: live appearances. He kidded that the newly relaunched Bloor Street store is where Canada will make it's last stand against MP3s. Mentioning that HMV was one of the few record stores to feature a “Canadian” section, he also suggested that a dearth of bricks and mortar stores could make it even more challenging for Canadian music to find an audience.
As always, watching Billy play was both a pleasure and surprise—you're never sure what, from his extensive back catalogue and/or influences, he'll play and what he has to say is always every bit as interesting. This afternoon's acoustic set featured: Sexuality, M For Me, Early Morning Rain (Gordon Lightfoot cover), Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards and A New England (complete with Kirsty MacColl verse and energetic audience singalong).
I'd promised myself that in the event that Billy was signing afterwards, and that I got a chance to speak to him again, I'd tell him what an inspiration he's been over the years {gush time} and give him one of my advance reader copies for I Know It's Over.
So yes, he hung around to meet fans after and that's an advance reader copy of my first novel in Billy Bragg's left hand. Let me tell you, you don't get THAT feeling from sitting at home with your MP3s. Nope, you gotta go to the record store.
