A couple of years ago, big brand record stores started to BRING BACK VINYL. They had noticed that 12″ vinyl was still the format of choice of DJ’s and the Oxford Street stores were losing trade to the Berwick Street and other gangs which catered for the cool DJ’s. So they brought back vinyl, and they also installed a few Technics turntables so people could play before they buy (and scratch too – damaging stock for free : what fun). Hey, they wanted the cool people back in their shops, cos where the cool people are, the bucks are sure to follow*.
So its now 2006 and wandering through ALL NEW FOPP on Tottenham Court Road I notice the vinyl section. A Numark set of decks, a bit cheapskate I think. And then I notice, on the cash desk, a Numark pair of CD decks. You know the cheap kind (I know, I have some at work). Surely they aren’t there to attract the cool people? Look at the Numark CDMix 1. It isn’t screaming COOL at you is it?
What next, booths in which I can listen to my wax cylinder before I buy?
*Cool people themselves are notorious liggers and worth nothing in and of themselves. But they attract uncool people who want to know the secret of cool and believe that cool people know it. Of course cool people rarely know what it is that makes them cool, and you can bet your bippy that it isn’t that stoopid haircut taht flops over your left eye into the top of your decaf skinny hazelnut soy latte. And its not the decaf skinny hazelnut soy latte either. Unless it really is soy sauce instead of soya milk you’re using. In which case COOL!