Strangeland Records Is Closing

If you live in the Washington DC area and like metal, like I do (queue Peter Frampton joke), you've probably been to Strangeland Records. If not, then perhaps that is part of the reason they are closing. For those of you who don't know, Strangeland is in Annandale, VA and specializes solely in metal, punk, indie, goth, and techno music. They opened in March of 2006 and will be closing in March of 2008. Starting tomorrow, they are having a going out of business sale. All items are 10% off. Prices will be reduced incrementally until the last day they are open. I for one will be going during lunch tomorrow to pick up as many cool things as I can afford. You should do the same.

It's sad to see them go. This is the only place in the area where you can peruse an etensive metal collection that includes black, death, grind, power, folk, gore, and all the other little subgenres. I'm sure goth folks feel the same way about that collection, and the techno folks likewise. No where else could you get this stuff from a store in this area.

I can't say I'm surprised though. I don't think there will be any brick and mortar record stores in five years. For nostalgia's sake, I'm gonna miss 'em, but I'm kind of excited about how the record business is going to change. Lots of things have contibuted to the CD industry downfall, so just blaming one like illegal downloading is misguided. There's still gold in them there hills, someone is gonna get real rich when they shift the entire paradigm of the music business. I think Radiohead made bold steps by releasing In Rainbows for any price the consumer wanted. They are thinking ahead and it has payed off. Yeah, maybe 60% of the people took the record for free, but 40% like myself paid an average of $10. When you factor in 40% of an estimated 1.5 million downloads, while the record only cost like $50,000 because there was no promotion or production, these guys made an absolute killing. Good for them.

Anyways, enough ranting. If you like a band, give them money somehow. If you want you can buy the record. If you'd rather download it, for goodness sake, go see 'em live and buy a shirt. And drag a friend. You know the deal. And go to Strangeland between now and March 17 and buy as much as you can. These are good guys and we don't them in too much debt.

Go.

Now.

Here:

7203 Columbia Pike (Second Floor)
Annandale, VA 22003
(703) 750-1571 1-877-505-3282