Record Store Day : Q&A with Jumbo Records, Leeds

With the ever decreasing circle of music shops, Leeds has managed to hold onto several independent record outlets lurking unassumingly in the corners of its city centre (notable mentions should be made for Relics, Norman and Crash, of course) but Jumbo Records has always remained a permanent fixture within Leeds’ musical heart and heritage. Established in 1971 by Hunter Smith, who began selling soul and reggae records out of a box in a doorway of the then not so brand-conscious Victoria Quarter, the shop quickly expanded from humble beginnings into a spacious, vibrant focal point for bands, small record labels and anyone wanting to discover new music.

Muso's Guide speaks to long-standing employee Matt Bradshaw to find out what Jumbo has planned for this year's event, and why record stores are still such an integral part of music in the digital age.

MG) Record Store Day is nearly upon us, can you tell us a bit about the importance of Record Store Day for Jumbo Records and why people should be a part of it?

Matt) Oh we love Record Store Day, it's grown and grown and has turned into a really fun event yet it serves a purpose as well: to let people know what great record shops are still out there and that we're still so important to music.

MG) What you will be doing in conjunction with the event? What bands will be playing this year?

Matt) As well as selling exclusive and limited pressings of vinyl and CD's we tend to throw a bit of a party and turn it into more of an event.  This year we've got Lone Wolf, See No Evils, James Yorkston, The Ukranians, Serifina Steer, Jess Bryant, Maia and a few more surprises up our sleeves...

MG) How long does it take you to prepare for Record Store Day?

Matt) A long while actually, we have to be as accurate as we can when figuring out quantities of releases to get in, and it's incredibly expensive so we have to be careful but also not too over-cautious. As well as all the bands we have to try and promote things as much as possible too, it's hard work but the day makes it worthwhile

MG) Do you feel the idea of an album, as a piece of art that people will listen to from start to finish, has been undermined or forgotten about in the digital age?

Matt) That's a good question, I probably would say yes to some degree: I know from experience that some listeners tend just to pick up one track by an artist rather than explore the album as a whole, and whilst it's easy to get a large volume of tracks instantly, I do wonder whether people feel they have time to listen properly anymore. That's not true with a lot of our customers though - as we're lucky to attract real music fans - but to actually sit down and take time with a great album can be tough when there's probably another 10 released that month demanding your attention...

MG) What's your most treasured album?

Matt) It varies to be honest, I couldn't really tell you what my 1000 most treasured albums are, but one's I have kept going back to over the years are The Replacements' Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash and Adam And The Ants Dirk Wears White Sox.

MG) Do you think the popularity of limited pressings, coloured vinyl, rare releases etc. is in some way a reaction to the widespread availability and easy access of digital music files?

Matt) I think these things have always been popular to be honest, and I think any vinyl, whether limited or not seems to get more and more people excited at the moment.

MG) Do you think that Record Store Day in any way succeeds in steering people away from downloading, particularly those who wouldn't necessarily buy vinyl or CD's usually, in favour of supporting their local independent record store, even if it’s just for one day a year?

Matt) Personally I have nothing against downloading (as long as it's legal) but I think Record Store Day succeeds more in showing people that shops like us still exist, and that we can offer something a bit more special and unique as opposed to the experience you get from just ordering online. Remember, a lot of people haven't experienced a shop like ours for years (or ever) so what Record Store Day tends to do is show the general public that shops like us sell a variety of music and that there's still a place for a real record shop in the digital age.

MG) There’s been much talk about the supposed demise of the record store in recent years. Do you think the digital age has killed the record store, or do you think it depends on the management’s ability to adapt to change & whether or not cities and towns have strong enough music scenes to support independent record shops?

Matt) Although the digital age has changed things it's not all negative; I remember hearing obscure German psych for the first time when I was younger and the only way I could find out more would be to find an expert, now I can find out about and hear tons of great music, both new and old, on the web. The downside is that illegal downloading has more to do with online companies like Amazon who don't pay tax and squeeze labels to sell them at such a cheap price that it's impossible to compete with, plus the fact that rent and business rates are so large, but primarily it's becoming very hard for any kind of independent business to survive; it's like the idea perpetuated that HMV failed because somehow it didn't keep up with the times is ridiculous, what really happened is that online companies that dodged tax put it out of business (although HMV did use the offshore Tax Dodge for a while until they got caught).

MG) Do you think the recent vinyl resurgence is enough to keep record stores alive?

Matt) Shops like us have always sold vinyl so although it's been a nice boon, we have over the years had to diversify by selling more tickets and keeping ahead of the curve musically BUT still catering for every taste. What we've found recently is that the ticket side of things is being muscled away by big business so we're constantly having to think of new idea's. Hooking up with artists and labels is not only fun but essential for shops like us, especially when we can offer the customer something extra (like a bonus disc or even signed copies etc.)

MG) I think there’s a level of humanity stripped when it comes to purchasing albums from iTunes and other online means of sharing, discussing or downloading music, but record stores are often a social melting pot of various interacting music tastes and a great place to meet like-minded music enthusiasts. With Jumbo establishing a really strong community link over the years, could you tell us a bit about the importance of record stores on their respective community?

Matt) I guess simply, the shop has always been a hub for musically minded people so we've always seen people, whether DJ's, musicians, promoters or venue and club owners and producers, from the very beginning - and with that we've seen bands form and idea's flourish all the time. It's no coincidence that touring bands and DJ's pop in the shop all the time as well. It works both ways as we get some great advice from our customers too and we often find ourselves being turned onto new music by them, which in my opinion is how it should be...

To check out Jumbo's range of CD's and vinyl, purchase gig tickets or to find out more about Jumbo Records visit the website here.