This one is for the record ...
By ANDREA JOHNSON
Ephrata Review

Published: May 07, 2008 10:24 AM EST

EPHRATA, PA - "Look at this," said Nathaniel Kinsey, Record Connection employee and "resident metal dude" as he pulled a Twisted Sister album off the rack. "That left an impression. I was scared of that. No one's ever been scared of a download."

Customers in the 550 N. Reading Road, Ephrata store nodded in agreement to Kinsey's profound argument of records versus downloading as they ate pizza and donuts and perused thousands of records during the first national Record Store Day Saturday.

With red and black snakeskin print pants, matching scarf, Motley Crue shirt and perfectly teased hair thanks to Aquanet (number 3, scented strong hold) Kinsey is just one example of what an independent record store has to offer, versus downloading services and chain stores.

He pulled a Kiss record, explaining how downloading also misses the whole point of what music was, and is still supposed to be.

"It's more than just music; it's what the album cover looks like. They say you can't judge a book by its cover but you can always judge an album by it's cover," Kinsey said. "It used to be the music, the cover, the video and the stage show. The whole point is lost. Everyone is too cool to have fun. Everyone has to hide behind irony."

It seems his point isn't just a matter of opinion. Rolling Stone magazine addressed the slumping album sales and ever-increasing number of independent and chain stores that have gone out of business in the past eight years.

According to its July 2007 article series, in 2000, U.S. consumers bought 785.1 million albums. In 2006, they bought 588.2 million and that even includes both albums and downloaded albums. Digital sales have grown 65 percent from 2005 to 2006, selling 582 million digital singles in 2006.

Record Connection owner, Andy Kamm said about 3,000 record stores have closed across the country since 2000. Four hundred independent record stores have signed up to partake in the Record Store Day to remind people of their existence.

"This event is to bring attention to stores. We are struggling to stay viable, we want to emphasize the role local stores play in the community and what we provide for music fans and collectors," Kamm said. "The idea is to make people aware of our presence."

Kamm began his career by selling records from 1980-1984 at flea markets and record shows, just prior to opening Record Connection in 1985.

Because of the store's niche market and having the largest selection of records in the area, sales have been steady. Kamm said that if he had to solely rely on the sale of CDs, however, the store would have been closed by now.

"There's been a resurgence of records due to nostalgia or novelty reasons. Many people realize records have superior sound quality to that of MP3s," Kamm said.

First-time customer Ben Ireland, who moved to Ephrata four months ago, was looking for records to add to his modest collection of 100. Ireland said he prefers collecting records versus downloading.

"I like having the art," he said. "I like having it in my hand."

A 20-year customer, Ed Akacki has been collecting records since he was about eight years old and starting shopping at Record Connection in 1987 when his family moved to the area.

"My father was a big record collector. He used to buy at Kmart, so it's always been records for me," Akacki said. "It's sentimental and the records are better. This is the best place to get everything–it's in alphabetical order–and if it's not here, Andy will order it for you... it's better than e-bay."

And that's the kind of rapport Kamm likes to have with all of his customers.

"Over the years, we created a music oasis here and have gotten to know a lot of our regular customers. It's becoming a meeting place for people to discuss music and other topics too," Kamm said. "People may not realize what they are missing if they just download music. They might hear new music here that they might not have heard elsewhere."