Tonbridge - The town where music died

I know I just wrote my last blog but I felt so enraged after a recent shopping trip that I felt I had to write another. My sister turned 26 recently and asked for a CD as a present. Fine I say as I think it wont be an issue, it was an issue. I had work on the day I planned on getting her gift so I was in a rush and as I got in to Tonbridge it dawned on me, do they even sell music in this town any more? Tonbridge does have a place you can buy music its at Sainsburys. Luckily the music my sister wanted was in the top 10 and that's just about all the albums Sainsburys stock. So why so up in arms?

I know most people choose to buy music online, either downloading or buying music for delivery. But its very seldom that anything online takes you by surprise. I can't speak for everyone but 90% of the time I go online for specific music. Yeah the other 10% I'm either checking the sales or seeing whats coming out soon. That's what I miss about music shops, the surprise of finding something you always wanted but never brought, or that great album you owned then lent to someone and never got back. Plus there is something nice to owning a CD or an album on vinyl. Its in your hands someone designed the cover art, real work went in to making this product and it can be an item to cherish. Yeah you can still own it through download but for the most part its just data floating about its almost soulless. Plus with the new ability to buy individual tracks some people don't buy whole albums they just buy the stuff they heard in the charts, sure some bands and artists may only release one good song. But you still run the risk of not finding that hidden gem, that song that isn't released as a single but still sounds amazing, maybe nobody else but you even likes it but that's not the point.

Maybe there is no real money in owning a music shop anymore, but I don't buy it. I imagine like most things in life there is money in it just not lots of profit and who sees the point in breaking even any more. I wish there was something I could say to big businesses to say what the fuck is wrong with you, how much money is enough money? But they wouldn't listen, you might listen. You might be sitting in front of your computer right now clicking on itunes, choosing that one song you want to download and that's fine if you live in tonbridge as you will have to travel to find a shop to buy an album. But if you don't and if you live somewhere else just stop and think, think about how miserable your town or city may become if you had no shops to buy music in. So stop your downloading, save your penny's and go out shopping, better yet try supporting that small independent music shop. I know they charge a little more but on the plus side it isn't owned by a heartless corporation.

Of subject quickly can I just added how pointless those spots Vs stripes Cadburys ads are. If you find yourself cheering one for those teams of water based creatures, feel free to stop and ask yourself what your doing.