Looking for clues!

 at the time of the Modern Sound

Sunday 21th September! Decision to take a short walk to the Livraria Paulista, at the Conjunto Nacional de Sao Paulo. But first, “Rewind” over 30 years and a commented graphic on music purchases: LP, CD, DVD, Box Sets, Shows, Documentaries, Books, etc. Iremember of a story from 1995. The great jazz singer Leny Andrade, on her way to my hotel apartment, for an interview that almost had to be revived with a glass of whisky (which she was holding anyway!), at the sight of 6 cases of cds purchased. By this time, vinyl had already disappeared from the displays, but, the CD’s were at its peak, and the figure of one million copies was not uncommon. 

At 6 weeks per year of travel, I had to be kept up to date, and I prepared 4 suitcases, in addition to those allowed by an express freight system to Europe. I specify that the real/euro exchange was to the advantage of the gringo, and that, having little opportunity to see shows, the dvds, were precious to me. It was the time of the mega-store Modern Sound in Rio de Janeiro, who knew his customers and could guide them according to their tastes. A service that disappeared a long time ago in megastores. But it is a worldwide phenomenon, which seems to have come back with the return of vinyl. Later, around 2010, a visit to a specialized store consisted of 4 or 5 albums, a DVD, and a book. Today I was turned into a water seeker in the middle of the desert. At the Livraria, I found painfully 3 LP(that I don’t bought) not very interesting, but nothing at the level of Cds or dvds. I think I broke my record, in other words, zero cents spent getting it out of the store. Zero purchases— I was on the verge of depression! Same result regarding international products. And shelves like magazines had been deleted. That’s when the question arises. Can you work in a country where the very substance of the job is so difficult to get. Some weeks ago, the last Springsteen, was available the same week from his Rolling Stones USA column, in stores in Brussels. How the Brazilian can listen (apart from streaming), the excellent discs of The Raconteurs or The Nationals. We go back in time, and the best albums will be found in the small shops of the city center. A surreal situation. Megastores now only offer boxes that combine the complete work of an artist at prices that few people can afford. This is moreover the conclusion that personal marketing. After this wave of interest for the vyniles, we’ll come back to the MP3, and who knows even the CD’s. Other unnecessary products, memorablia boxes, such as the one launched during the Beatles’ Sgt Peppers…. They contained separately accessible products such as the double Cds albums, a book, a poster, a polo, in short, nothing enriching. The ultimate proof of this shortage is that journalists (with the possible exception of major press organizations), are increasingly rarely receiving new albums on the market. in MP3. And yet, if we bury the importance of the rock columnist, I remain confident. The multitude of internet exits is so abundant, that we will come to the “rescue”, to ears that have a knowledge over several decades… Otherwise, I’m not sure where we’re going… The passive auditor phenomenon could very well happen. Please be curious, and believe me, the joy of discovering a hidden talent is a happiness that has no price.