I Need That Record: The Death (or Possible Survival) of the Independent Record Store
I Need That Record, an independent documentary by Brendan Toller, was shown at San Francisco’s Artists’ Television Access as part of Noise Pop 2009.
The feature-length film examines the reason for the closing of over 3,000 independent record stores in the past decade. The movie looks at the effect of the rise of e-commerce, a dwindling in diversified support from corporate radio, the rise of the digital music revolution, and the missteps of the major record labels. As the overall record industry has compounding years with fewer sales, more independent record stores are closing their doors. The major labels rely on sales from big box retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy more than the locally owned and operated shops.







One strength of this movie was the composite of interviews shown. The producers equally voiced the opinions of musicians, industry insiders, critics, and average music fans. The musicians were from differing genres and varying levels of popularity. ?uestlove bluntly explained the disparity between commodity and art. As commodity gains control, art disappears. Erykah Badu explained that there are 3 types of artists: the one who is in pain to express themselves, the one who knows how to imitate that, and the one who does what they are told. She continued to say that the first one will be more popular than rich, the second will be richer than admiration entitles, and the third is ever replaceable.















