Made the hour drive to the fabled Bill's Records today. Bill's is located in
North Dallas, Texas and is, according to some pals of mine, one of the best
record stores anywhere [especially for IDM]. If you can get past Bill's costly
behavior. On first inspection, I was floored. Here's a sampling of what I found:
Nearly every Warp EP on 12". The Pre-AI Warp Compilations. All Four Gescom EPs.
_Every_ single Clear Release. 5+ copies of HAB. 1 copy of HAB2. The Mighty Force
pressing of AB. Rephlex Oddities: KK 2xCD, that strange Purple CD, Every single
Jeffs recording. Incunabula 2xLP [limited edition silver pressing]. Every single
Paradinas recording. Every Orb picture disc imaginable. Nearly every New
Electroncica compilation. Most rare Fax releases. Vibert's complete pre-Plug RH
discography. Nearly every RHK side project. Etcetcetc.
Anyway, I managed to pick out the following items to purchase:
GFQ : Monkey Boots 2xLP
Cylob : Loops and Breaks 2xLP
Luke Vibert : A Polished Solid EP [cd]
Plastikman : Recylcled Plastik
Mike Flowers Pops RMX [cd]
Bill looked at my goods and managed the tally of $120. [Bill 'calculates' the
price of each recording. Hence, there are no price tags. If you're Jeff K,
Q-Chastic costs you $8.99. If you're an asshole, you pay $150. Mmm. Capitalism.]
Regardless, doesn't $120 seem like a great amount for the above five recordings?
I acted like a nice guy. How can _anyone_ justify asking $25 for an import 2xLP
such as the Cylob recording?!? [The three track Vibert EP listed as $16!] How
can anyone who does this stay in business!
Naturally, I left empty handed. And I needed a place to vent my frustration. Has
anyone else on the list ventured in the underbelly of Bill? What was your
experience like? Are there other stores like this in the US? Today _really_
threw me for a loop.
A tip of the hat to all of the Daves, Robs, and PJs in the world. It's obvious
who's really in it for the music.
.grant.h.horne
.
http://delta.is.tcu.edu/~ghhorne/
For all that money Bill charges, you'd think he'd afford a razor and a belt.
Shit.