Purchasing music digitally just doesn’t have the same experience or sense of satisfaction as you get when holding the real deal in your hands. Fighting for the last copy of something, rather than being amongst thousands of downloaders, is something that you have to experience to understand. As part of national Record Store Day celebrations (April 18) the Sweet Little Hi-fi at the Mill Markets in Newcomb and in warrnambool will both have a few events. We had a chat to owner Shane Godfrey on what records mean to him and what he has planned for the day.
Hi Shane, thanks for taking the time to chat to Forte Magazine, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?
Gearing up for Record Store Day, I have been organising orders, bands, scouring catalogues. All the hard work is now done, but now I have to cross my fingers and hope the freight gods are kind and the special Record Store Day products arrive on time. Can be pretty stressful as all that work depends on a guy in a van!
For those who haven’t visited before, can you tell us a little bit about the sort of music and records that the Sweet Little Hi-fi stock?
I’m a vinyl specialist, I have a few Australian CDs too. I try and stock something for everyone. It’s been a learning curve as I kind of fell into it. I come from a punk/metal/indie background. So genres such as jazz, hip hop, electro and reggae were pretty foreign to me, so I have been educating myself on those fronts and discovered things I really like. I’ve always liked the blues especially the real old Juke Joint styles. Of course classic rock is a big seller for me too. Not a week goes by without selling Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin or The Beatles.
And how will you be celebrating Record Store Day coming up?
Across both Warrnambool and Geelong outlets we will have the special limited vinyl releases. At my Geelong outlet inside the Mill Markets we have a very special blues afternoon planned with Australian blues legend Chris Wilson on from 2pm. Then from 3pm all the way from Ballarat we have the amazing Mick Dog’s Bone Yard who put on a great show!
Specifically at my Warrnambool Outlet at the Traders Market we will have a good old fashioned record sale!
Is it something you look forward to each year?
I really do. There have been some really special releases put out the last few years. Being a collector myself there are always some good collectables. This year is no exception with The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan getting its first ever vinyl release. John Butler Trio 12″, some Australian Horror movie soundtracks and Metallica’s No Life Til’ Leather original demo tape from 1982! Plus much more.
How important do you think it is to be buying the physical forms of music?
It’s very important. When you buy a record you are looking at exactly what the artist intended. There is a ritual to putting a record on that demands that you listen to it, rather than it be just background noise. I never understood why music has to be so “convenient” for people.
Can you remember the first CD/Vinyl you ever bought? Do you still have it?
I certainly do, I bought two in fact. I’d seen Geelong band Bored!’s clip for ‘Little Suzie’ on Rage and got Capricorn Records in Warrnambool to order it in. When I picked it up I also got Nirvana’s Bleach LP, that was in 1988 as a pimply 14-year-old. I still have the Bored! EP but I sold the Nirvana LP when I was broke a few years later, but I recently replaced it with new deluxe edition of the LP.
What’s your favourite thing about running a music store?
Listening to music all day is a real joy and discovering something I didn’t think I would like. Drives my wife nuts at times though!
Out of all your products in the store, what are your top three items that you have for sale?
At the moment local lads The Wet Blankets is selling well, Courtney Barnett’s LP sold out and am waiting for more to arrive! Anything by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The Smith Street Band, Clowns and King Parrot sells well too. I think that comes down to the fact they are some of the hardest working bands around. They play lots of shows all over the place and keep releasing consistently great records.
I guess lastly, why should people head down to your store to celebrate Record Store Day?
To reconnect with music, be it the music of their youth or something new. And if you are visiting The Mill Markets seeing some cracking live music!
When & Where: The Sweet Little Hi-fi, Mill Markets Newcomb & 180 Timor St, Warrnambool – April 18
