CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

"Avalanche to close January 6th 2013"

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    Not 'cycling'.

    There are people on here in the 'music biz' and people who believe (with good reason) that lower speeds, better walking/cycle facilities/infrastructure can improve/revitalise local areas (the shop is in The Grassmarket).

    Obviously the record industry (suppliers and retailers) has been altered significantly by the Internet and consequent 'shopping' habits. Similar things are happening with books and bicycles - though bike shops seem to be surviving better than some areas of retail.

    Avalanche has clearly not just been hoping people walk through the door and has also been promoting music/local bands in ways that good bike shops promote 'cycling'.

    An interesting read -

    http://www.avalancherecords.co.uk/2012/11/08/avalanche-to-close-january-6th-2013-a-statement

    Posted 12 years ago #
  2. recombodna
    Member

    This is indeed very sad but the harsh reality is that people just don't buy CD's any more. As a small independent band that has released it's own records I can say from experience it's nearly impossible to shift stock. Folks want downloads and unfortunately it's great wee shops like avalanche that suffer.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  3. le_soigneur
    Member

    Please prefix the title with OT.

    I came in to this thread expecting something about landslide road closure.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  4. chdot
    Admin

    "Please prefix the title with OT"

    I nearly did, but it's in the General Edinburgh section where it isn't OT...

    I suspect the predicted avalanche in January will appear in the Infrastructure section...

    Posted 12 years ago #
  5. steveo
    Member

    I came in to this thread expecting something about landslide road closure.

    No its true an avalanche will close January the 6th, next stop Jan 7th, the govt is considering taking action and increasing the length of February to compensate business for the loss of a working day...

    Can't remember the last time I bough a new CD, sometimes buy used ones of stuff which isn't available any more. Though I'm probably no longer the target market, can't remember the last new album I acquired in any way shape or form...

    phoney edit: Oh yeah I bought the Olympic Swimmers album directly from them, flac download, via some web site I can't remember the name of. Its actually really quite good.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  6. LaidBack
    Member

    The same 'tesco-isation' that afflicts the rest of retail hits the smaller retailer. Very sad.

    Avalanche have had bands such as Frightened Rabbit and Admiral Fallow perform at their shop - so not just about shifting stuff but engaging the musicians and audience. Nearby the Lot lies empty - another niche venue gone. Many good gigs there with the likes of Colin Steele, Mario Caribe and other musicians who live locally.

    I do buy CDs still as like to have the notes of who is playing. Plus a well recorded CD is better than MP3 or 4 - though I know that argument doesn't hold as x million consumers + Apple can't be wrong. All I can say is - would you watch TV on a big screen if it was of YouTube quality?
    Of course listening on vinyl is apparently better again - something which Avalanche seemed to have a lot of. Not that I have a turntable.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  7. Arellcat
    Moderator

    I'm someone who likes the sound of silence when concentrating on an activity, which means I don't own an MPn player, or have a vast stock of music in my iTunes library. When I listen to music I want to listen to the music, not have it as background, which is why I'm very much in the hi-fi camp. And it probably follows, therefore, that I buy vinyl and CDs. I like to have a gatefold sleeve in my hands, to pore over the liner notes, and perhaps even get a little lost in the artwork.

    I feel a little ashamed to admit that I've never visited Avalanche Records.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  8. PS
    Member

    I still buy CDs, which probably makes me a luddite. This is due to:
    a) having a decent hifi for playing them (I can stream from the computer, but it's a wee bit of a flaff compared to putting a CD in pressing play).
    b) actually liking having a physical product - I've loaded my CDs onto the computer, but god help me if the harddrive dies - it took ages.

    I bought loads of CDs from Avalanche when I lived on the Southside and it was in West Nicolson Street. Since becoming a Northsider, for the last 8 years I've used Fopp.

    I don't go to the Grassmarket very often, so all I've bought from Avalanche in the last couple of years was a limited release book that was only available from Avalanche in Edinburgh and a CD I spotted while I was in there collecting the book.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  9. crowriver
    Member

    @Arelicat I feel a little ashamed to admit that I've never visited Avalanche Records.

    Well, now's your chance!

    I haven't actually been in the shop since it moved: I assumed it had closed! Might go there for a bit of Chrimbo shopping...

    Posted 12 years ago #
  10. steveo
    Member

    Yeah I thought it had gone belly up and I do go down the grassmarket on occasion, usually just passing through.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  11. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Not just the small shops, HMV is in a world of trouble, and it has no competitors. All of these shops will disappear as music and video move online.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I occassionally wander into Avalanche to try and discover something new, I've been rewarded with a few buys on spec or recommendation that have turned into some of my favourite bands.

    It doesn't seem like want of effort or trying on the part of the owner, just a sad reality of the modern record business. It's been a sad decline from the busy, buzzing avalanche stores in the late 1990s (I think Edinburgh had 4? at the time), whenever I've been in the Grassmarket shop I think I've been the only person in there.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  13. chdot
    Admin

    So to extend the 'fantasy' destination/business idea raised before - café/bike/music shop!

    Posted 12 years ago #
  14. DaveC
    Member

    I clicked on this link on the bus this morning from my phone and received a warning not to logon to Facebook on any other sites. Then earlier at work again I clicked on a link provided on twitter about this and my work PC blocked the page warning that it may contain a virus.

    #JustSayin.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  15. chdot
    Admin

    "received a warning not to logon to Facebook"

    Always good advice...

    That link isn't to FB though.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  16. chdot
    Admin

    Can't download this sort of thing -

    http://www.contactmusic.com/press/paul-weller-dragonfly-special-limited-edition-vinyl-ep-with-exclusive-artwork-by-sir-peter-blake-available-december-17th-2012

    Don't know if it will be available in record shops.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  17. cc
    Member

    If Avalanche sells the sort of music which Coda Music sells I'll give it a go, but I doubt it does.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  18. mgj
    Member

    Some record shops manage to continue just fine; see Monorail in Glasgow for example. Avalanche has very little going for it; its scruffy, disorganised and expensive. Bricks and mortar have the advantage of immediacy and ambience, but he rarely holds stock of stuff you want, and he's never sorted the store out after moving there.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  19. chdot
    Admin

    It's come early -

    "
    Lorna Lochaber (@LochaberLocal)
    09/11/2012 17:40
    NEWS - Slide at landslip trouble spot: There has been a minor landslip above the trouble-hit A890 Stromeferry by...

    http://bbc.in/Tg39XW

    "

    Posted 12 years ago #
  20. Instography
    Member

    I can't say I'm surprised. In the grand scheme of things markets come and go and people's shopping habits change. Standing trying to turn back some retail tide rather than rolling with it and adapting is pointless. Blaming record labels, Apple, Amazon, Tesco or artists and customers kind of misses the point that it's not anyone else's job to make his business a success. At some point you need to recognise that the business model is dead unless you can find a niche you can thrive in.

    I had recently been making some effort to go there and buy stuff even though it's a million times easier to buy things on the phone and have them automatically appear on the computer at home. A sentimental attachment to HIgh Fidelity and memories of Listen or 23rd Precinct in Glasgow, I guess.

    But the place is a mess. It looks like a jumble sale. It's comparatively expensive and, the worst retail sin, the guy seems, at best, indifferent to the fact that you've come into his shop to spend money on his stock. He makes no effort to capitalise on the fact that he has in front of him a living, breathing customer that he can talk to, find out what they like and sell it to them. You keep a business going by making your customers want to keep coming back. The ambience of Avalanche is 'couldn't give a toss'. I could understand that the guy's lost heart but no one owes him a living. He needs to earn every customer and he doesn't.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  21. gembo
    Member

    @insto, that seems a bit harsh? I was in the shop buying Paul Buchanan album for old times. We chewed the fat on Aidan Moffat, all very nostalgic. When avalanche opened he created a way for students in Edinburgh to acquire cd collections cheaply. Similar model to Gordon operating out of the hole in the wall in the savoy centre in Glasgow (which became fopp).

    Both brands rode high for a while and over extended themselves. Fopp have keptthe rose street shop tidy but are they not owned by HMV now?

    Avalanche employed numerous members of bands Jesse Garon etc dog faced hermans etc.. So although no one is perfect, I am sorry about this. I was in Coda picked up tht king creosote mini concept album. Like record shops and local bike shops. They are not cheaper than Internet butnIndon't like the Internet except this site.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  22. Instography
    Member

    It is harsh. It's about as harsh as a competitive market in a downturn. I was actually motivated to start going along to the shop and buying from them because, like local bikes shops, I think it's good for customers and high streets if there is a variety of good independent shops and I reckoned that I'd given enough of my money to Apple. I'm not a price sensitive buyer at all so I don't care that it's more expensive than the internet but if you're going to be more expensive you really need to give people a good reason to pay the money.

    As retail models go, there are lots of bike shops, beer shops, books shops, clothes, butchers, bakers, coffee shops that should be going bust because of competition etc etc finding ways to stay afloat.

    Sorry, I work in an extremely competitive market and I get sick to death of people complaining about clients being price sensitive, about competitors under-cutting. My response is always the same: that's how markets work. Now, find a way to stay in business.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  23. gembo
    Member

    @ insto - harsh but fair

    Posted 12 years ago #
  24. LaidBack
    Member

    I bought a recent Cd there for £5 so below download price I reckon. Guy seemed knowledgeable and not unfriendly. Yes.. Lot of vinyl stock on floor but still people in.
    The market is always changing I suppose and most bands sell cds and downloads at gigs. Coda will continue and Fopp (HMV owned) sell books as well to survive.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  25. Arellcat
    Moderator

    The last one I bought was some vinyl printed in 1970 and cost £20. I don't do that very often! But my tastes tend to see me frequent Hogg's Head and Record Shak, rather than the more indie or commercial places. Record Shak in particular hasn't changed at all in years, except the bit of curved wall that's always covered in bands' flyers.

    If you want the best prices on 'stuff', you'll generally find them on the internet. If you want the best service, you probably want bricks and mortar. What do you do if you want to support your local businesses but also dislike being ripped off—and who is to say what something is actually worth, beyond what someone will pay for it? It's hard when your moral side wins over your hard-nosed bargaining side and you end up paying 30% more for something, especially if it's an expensive consumer item.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  26. chdot
    Admin

  27. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    If that's the one next to the guitar shop then we were in a few weeks ago. I left with the impression that perhaps I know nothing about music. So many unfamiliar bands and albums. As CDs cost the same as downloads I'll stick with them. CD to MP3 always works. MP3 to CD often doesn't. The Review Show last night was talking about records/CDs/downloads among other music related things.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  28. LaidBack
    Member

    Vic Galloway did a good piece on this topic in Sunday Herald at weekend.
    Need to sign in to read online though... (yes I might have pasted in for you!)

    His RS show on Mondays 8-10 is very eclectic and whilst I don't like everything he plays he is an articulate presenter with loads of enthusiasm and a good knowledge of older music too. Worth checking out.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  29. cc
    Member

    Thanks for that. Here's the piece: The record store blues
    To read it you either sign in or alternatively just delete your heraldscotland cookies, I think.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  30. LaidBack
    Member

    Right... We can all read that now maybe. Thanks cc as it's a good piece. Perversly we've enabled the equivalent of a free download then. Will Vic get paid ;-)

    Posted 12 years ago #

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